Giving students, teachers, and parents an edge in dance education
Most dancers (especially American dancers) are trained in ambiguous combinations of techniques that generally come from whatever their teachers learned from their teachers. The fabulous thing about this program is that there is no ambiguity. There are answers for everything, no shades of gray, and very little room for interpretation. Since some of the greatest dancers in history passed through Cecchetti’s own hands, he was obviously doing something right.
Thanks to Performing Arts Coordinator, Lauren Warnecke, children in their dance program were given the opportunity to submit statements and drawings completing the thought, “Dance matters because….” The wonderful sample below was selected for publishing on Dance Advantage. I am happy to share these with you during National Dance Week! I hope you’ve taken some time during this busy month of arts advocacy to celebrate at your own studios!
[VIDEO] A simple exercise for dance students to do while sitting around. “Toe Sit-ups” encourage awareness and articulation of (or working through) the foot for tendu and pointing. They also strengthen the plantar flexors for pointe work, stability and balance, cushioning landings, and giving power to jumps.
Jack be Nimble, Jack be Quick, Jack Jumped Over the Candlestick
I have the students run and jump over our “candlestick” on the word OVER. We accent the third beat and the children clap along. (one, two, Three, four/one, two, Three, four/one, two, THREE, four/ one, two, THREE, four.)
In 1999 he published a duo-tone series of his three sons which remains his most honored work. Since then he has published more than seven photography collections. Exhibitions of his work, including The Beauty of Ballet have toured throughout The Netherlands.
Buy Organic, Recycled, and Eco-Friendly Products. From the snacks you offer, to the paper towels you use, to the cleaning products you put on your floors, there are plenty of options for going green. There are six more, really excellent (and really easy), suggestions for going green in 12 Steps To A More Eco-Friendly Dance Studio
Easy access to drugs, internet, lack of phone and computer regulation and other challenges facing children and the teachers and parents entrusted with their care make all youth “at-risk” in Weiner’s eyes. And so, her programs at the Hope Center are open to any child on a first come, first served basis. Many Kids Play participants are recruited, however, from local organizations such as Archway Academy and Chinquapin (schools for troubled and disadvantaged youth), Baylor Pediatric AIDS Initiative, Baylor International Adoption Center, and group homes like Casa de Esperanza. “We love the mix of cultures and socio-economic levels,”
Imagine the relatively light/easy press and bend of a paint brush that allows the painter to evenly distribute paint but still glide the brush smoothly. Imagine a layer of velvet or velour beneath your foot and enjoy the feeling of your foot moving through the plush carpet, leaving a trail in the fibers as the foot moves outward and returns. Imagine light or streaming air radiating from the hip and out through the toe, as well as upward and out through the top of the head.
Peninsula Ballet Theatre performs in venues throughout the California Bay Area including East Bay. In addition to performances, they educate both pre-professional and recreational students of dance via the PBT Conservatory of Dance. This photo is from PBT’s 2008 Nutcracker. The dancer, playing The Rose in The Waltz of the Flowers, is a company apprentice.
I’m not the first and certainly not the last to ask the question. An expectant audience asks this of each performer as he presents his offering on stage. A student looks for the reply in the eyes of their teacher, the guide to their experience. The soul doesn’t have to ask the body as it moves to the internal rhythm of the heart. It just knows.
So why do we have to ask? Why must we put it in words? It seems that the answer should be inherently clear to anyone whose body has for even one second embraced accord with that internal rhythm. So why must we be utterly clear in our conviction that dance matters?
When a parent doesn’t have a clear path to direct a concern, they will go and find just about anyone that will listen to them. From the first moment a student registers at our dance studio we let them know that we are more than open to receiving their feedback and we show them where we keep
It is shocking to discover that people can be much more open and accepting than we give them credit for. It is important for the young male dancer to keep an open mind and allow room for people to accept and admire his dance talent. Remember, not everyone will approve, nor does everyone have to. But there are many art supporters, family and friends who will accept your dance talent as a gift and encourage you to use it to the fullest.
