Giving students, teachers, and parents an edge in dance education
“Bad lighting and quick movements make for very difficult focusing but, when you get it right it’s just feels so rewarding, and sure enough it made me a better photographer. The individuals themselves were an inspiration to me, everyone in that class were extraordinary talents, intelligent, high minded, and always with the good of the community in mind.”
![Ballet Studio: An Inside View [image]](http://danceadvantage.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/ballet_studio-an_inside_view.jpg "ballet_studio-an_inside_view")
“I love this book because it doesn’t just give combinations (though there are combinations from each teacher listed at the end of the book). It really brings insight on teaching artistry and simple joy of movement as well as tips on teaching turns and jumps, etc. Additionally, it is a fascinating read; the first time i read it i could hardly put it down.”
Discover details about National Tap Dance Day, more about Bill “Bojangles” Robinson and his relationship to this event, and ways you can celebrate with the rest of the world.
René Michaels is a professional photographer in Austin, TX. His interest in dance stems from growing up in the Los Angeles, CA. area in the ’70s & ’80s where, working as a dance club Disc Jockey, he witnessed the birth of Hip-Hop and got his “fifteen minutes of fame” appearing on the nationally syndicated TV series “Soul Train” as a featured dancer for several years.
I started blogging as a way to keep in touch with my family. Then I realized my family never read my blog so I changed the format to blog about a dancer’s life. I figured it would be a way to share my love for dance and the dance world in general to a broader audience. It’s important for me to promote dance any way I can.
“Get up on your leg”… Teachers have a habit of saying this when students are “sinking” into their supporting leg while balanced on one leg. How can you correct a sinking hip and what are some ways to rephrase this common dance teacher-ism.
It is very important to be budget conscious but also expectation conscious as well when it comes to dance recitals and performances. With everyone on the same page, performance time can be a magnificent time to learn, develop, explore and ultimately have fun!
The white background really makes this colorful photo pop. I loved this series of images of this precious tap dancer – the oversized hat, and those curls reminding me of Shirley Temple. Just cute! I hope your recitals are all going well this year. Do you have photos taken before or after your performance?
Experience and exposure in a variety of dance styles is important for creating versatile dancers and may even be a necessity for aspiring professionals. Being well-rounded in dance is a good thing. Exposure to different dance forms, starting at a young age, is a great thing. So where’s the myth? It lies in the misplaced emphasis on experience and omission of training.
End-of-year performances dominate dance studios between April and June. It is a busy time and parents and students are often left scrambling to find just the right thank-you gift for their teacher. Gifts for teachers need not be expensive. In fact, I don’t know any teacher who would not cherish a simple thank-you letter from the heart! However, there are plenty of cute, easy, and useful craft ideas online.
“Your body does change,” confirms Sara, “and my fear was that I wouldn’t be able to look or dance the way I did before pregnancy and birth.” It was a fear that Toni shared. When asked what concerns she had about pregnancy, Toni answers, “That my body would never be the same. Its true, my body has never been the same. So what.” However, Toni concedes, “Like most dancers, I am hard on my body image, and that got worse after having a baby.”
Balancing any career with motherhood has its challenges but mother/dancers certainly face some unique concerns and questions. To produce a picture of what it is like for mothers who are also professional dancers, I spoke with two dancing moms, one a ballet dancer, one a contemporary dance artist and choreographer. In this first installment, we discuss pregnancy and what it is like to dance and perform while expecting.
