Watching Versus Doing in Dance Education

Courtesy Menomonee Club

Most teachers likely agree that demonstration and practice are critical to the success of dance students, but to what extent should the instructor encourage doing over watching or vice-versa? Two research studies involving young children learning complex dance movements support every dance teacher’s belief that modeling as an instructional tool is especially important in learning motor skills, especially with younger children. Furthermore, it’s a good idea to demonstrate as fully as possible, especially with beginners and young children, if you want them to get the most out of your demonstration.

Musicality In Dance: What Is It? Can It Be Taught?

Musical creativity (or musical artistry) is the ability to connect with accompanying music, interpret it, or phrase and add movement dynamics that relate to music even in the absence of accompaniment, in a way that is unique or interesting. Musicality in dance then might be considered a measure or degree to which a dancer is receptive and creative in his translation or rendering of music through movement.

An Alert For Feed Subscribers: Bye-Bye Feedburner

This has occurred because one week ago I put in motion Feedburner’s redirect service, a 30-day process that helps me redirect traffic from feedburner to another service (or in this case an original feed). Right now feedburner is still in the redirection phase but (supposedly) very soon you will see only an option to switch to the original feed URL.

Sunday Snapshot: Role Model

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I am attracted to the rich color of this photograph as well as the familiarity of this student-teacher moment. It also brought to mind some of my own childhood dance performances. Less formal affairs than the elaborate showcases which are the norm at dance studios across the country, these were often held in small or unique spaces. Seeing this photo reminded me that as a child, what mattered to me was not the stage, costume, or bright lights.

Interview With Roslyn Bazzelle, Creator Of PIYOLET

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Roslyn Bazzelle is a singer, songwriter, and practicing attorney. She is also a fitness instructor and creator of PIYOLET. PI – for Pilates. YO – for Yoga. LET as in Ballet. PIYOLET is a low impact fitness regimen for all ages, designed to diversify and keep the mind, body and soul refreshed and fit. Roz talks about PIYOLET, her DVD series, and gives away her product to three DA readers.

Teacher’s Top Three: Little Movers

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“If you are a teacher you probably know how hard it is to find great music to use in your classes that are all on the same album. Here are my top 3 picks that have it all. They are creative, inspiring, and leave a don’t-forget-it-at-home impression on me. I am always looking for new music to spice up my classes, so I hope these will help you! I tried to feature a little something for everyone!”

Teaching Dynamics: It’s All In The Effort

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The way we use our body’s weight can be light or strong. Think of weight in terms of force. How much force are you putting behind a gesture, or a leap? How much force to you use to lift a feather? Barely any. But a brick can take lots of effort, making you use a lot of strength or force. You can play around with weight by guiding a blindfolded person around the room. Do they like to feel a strong forceful touch or light touch?

Face Value — JAM Cosmetics Review

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What I liked most about JAM is that it is lightweight like street makeup but “reads” well onstage and doesn’t absorb or sweat off as easily as street cosmetics. The pigments are much stronger than street makeup, meaning you need less to pull off a more intense look. JAM cosmetics are mineral-based, hypoallergenic for sensitive skin and non-comedogenic, which means it won’t clog pores. They are completely talc and paraben free and, as a company that does not test on animals, the company is on the PETA “friends” list. Technical jargon aside, it just feels better on my skin.

Dance Movie Magic — Your Favorites on Film

Earlier this month Flavorwire introduced their picks for The 35 Best Dance Sequences In Film. Following this up with 25 more, they have shared a total of 60 YouTube videos. Among the choices are scenes from movie musicals like West Side Story, Chicago, and Sweet Charity; classics featuring Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire, and Bill “Bojangles” Robinson; and contemporary favorites Grease, Honey, and Pulp Fiction.

The Right Steps Towards A Career In Dance

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It can be scary to break out of the comfortable confines of your local studio. But branching out has many benefits for an aspiring dance professional. By taking a wide variety of dance classes from different sources, you become a more versatile dancer. In today’s dance industry, versatility is extremely important. Sure you can specialize in a specific dance genre, but it is also important to be well-versed in a variety of styles.

Organic Relief: Relax Pack Review & Giveaway

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Many dancers utilize hot and cold therapy packs to relieve sore muscles and injury pain, not to mention dancers and teachers who suffer from chronic conditions. So, encouraged by my initial investigation, I approached Tiffany about a possible review of her product on Dance Advantage. She generously offered several products for review and, in addition, has agreed to give away some Relax Packs to readers.

9 Tips for Improving Pirouettes

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5. “Connect” your arms to your back – you should feel and imagine width across the back and shoulder blades and the arms should maintain their position (don’t “wind-up” for a turn)
6. Take off from a properly placed and expansive plié for power in the turn.
7. Strengthen your ankles supporting the relevé – if you are wobbly, sickled, or pronated, this will ruin your turn.
8. Mentally, make a choice to come down from the turn, don’t “let” gravity make the choice for you.