Dance Advantage » Dance Bag

$99 To Spend On Positive Dance Products by Rhee Gold Company

Nichelle (admin) — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 13:00:16 +0000

Spread the passion for the art of dance

Positive Dance is a division of the Rhee Gold Company, publishers of Dance Studio Life Magazine, and producers of DanceLifeTV.com

Rhee Gold’s vision is to bring the positive aspects of dance to the forefront with videos, articles, quotes, products and more.

“Some people think that great dance is defined by the number of pirouettes or tricks that a dancer can do, and others believe that ballet is all there is, and then there is a new generation of dancers who are passionate about hip-hop. I believe that the gift of dance comes wrapped in various packages, because I see the beauty in them all.” – Rhee Gold

The Giveaway

The Rhee Gold Company would like to offer a $99 gift certificate for the positivedance.com website to THREE DA readers.

Winners can choose from an array of products like t-shirts, subscriptions to Dance Studio Life Magazine, handbooks, DVD’s and more.

The Positive Dance giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. and Canada, ages 18 and up and closes at Midnight EST on Wednesday, February 22.

How To Enter

This giveaway is closed but find t-shirts, teacher tools, and more at PositiveDance.com

(...)

Continue reading "$99 To Spend On Positive Dance Products by Rhee Gold Company"

30 comments

Get free updates PLUS access to additional content, tips, and more. Get Subscriber PLUS.

Inspired By Dancers, Active Apparel by MPG®

Nichelle (admin) — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 13:00:13 +0000

Garments that feel and look so great on, you will want to wear them for everyday use.

MPG® seamlessly fuses performance and technical fabrications in fashion forward and stylish applications to create a full collection of activewear apparel that is unparalleled in conception and construction.

The Mondetta brand strives to bring nations and people together. The name, Mondetta, is synonymous with harmony and diversity: ‘Monde’ is French for ‘world’ and the Latin suffix ‘etta’ means ‘small’ – thus, ‘small world’.

Founded nearly twenty-five years ago, the Mondetta brand has evolved into an established collection of casual wear, outerwear and specialized niche apparel.

Mondetta Performance Gear, MPG, continued Mondetta’s tradition of always evolving by taking its Mondetta Sport line one step forward to create a line of clothing that could both meet the demands of athletes, while still adhering to the company’s core principles of fashion forward styling. Accentuated with active details such as stretchability, moisture wicking and breathability, MPG activewear apparel strikes a perfect balance between form and function.

Ashley Bouder, Principal, New York City Ballet (Courtesy MPG)

Ash Modha, CEO and Head Designer, gleaned much of the initial inspiration for MPG from his wife, a ballet dancer with the Pacific Northwest Ballet, and her friends’ desire for activewear that performed well but didn’t sacrifice comfort. The dancers became their focus group, test market and, because of their heavy involvement in the arts, could be trusted for their aesthetic sensibilities. MPG has continued to use dancers, instead of models, in nearly every photo shoot since its inception. These MPG Messengers are dancers from across North America including New York City Ballet principal, Ashley Bouder (pictured above left), dancers of the Pacific Northwest Ballet including principal, Maria Chapman (pictured below), and contemporary dance companies, RUBBERBANDance Group, Spectrum Dance Theater, and Whim W’Him Dance company.

Maria Chapman - Principal, Pacific Northwest Ballet - (Courtesy MPG)

Consistently meticulous attention to superior quality and design of its product and a continual commitment of marketing resources has allowed Mondetta to enjoy very high recognition in its native Canada. In recent years, as yoga and active lifestyle apparel has grown in popularity, MPG has begun to make waves right across North America.

Notably, four principal members of the Mondetta Clothing Company were born in Uganda and Kenya. Therefore unable and unwilling to stand by and watch as thousands of young children succumb to the ravages of the AIDS epidemic that has devastated so much of the African continent, the Mondetta Clothing Company joined the efforts of individuals and organizations such as Bono, lead singer of rock group U2, Stephen Lewis, UN Special Envoy for AIDS in Africa, and The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

With compassion and hope to raise awareness of the daily and lifelong struggles children face against the AIDS epidemic in Africa, the Mondetta Charity Foundation (MCF), a completely separate entity from the Mondetta Clothing Company, was established.

To date, MCF has adopted the New Life Home orphanage in Nairobi, Kenya and the Kamwokya Primary School in Kampala, Uganda. By supporting these two facilities directly, children left without homes or living with HIV/AIDS have access to the security, education and medical attention they need and deserve.

MPG proudly features the MPG Gives Back program. This benefit speaks of Going Forward by Giving Back, as 1% of annual gross revenue from this clothing line is pledged to the MCF.

The Mondetta Charity Foundation was created on the mandate that all operating and administrative costs would be born by the parent company thereby allowing all donations to be utilized in a strictly charitable capacity.

The Giveaway

Mondetta Performance Gear wants to give away the Savvy Tank to TWO DA readers.

Savvy is a sparkle jersey workout tank with contrast laser cut details, a built-in full-support Coolmax bra liner with removable cups, a high visibility logo, and a unique back key pocket with invisible zipper.

With four-way stretch, moisture wicking, and quick-drying fabric, Savvy is recommended for light to heavy workouts, yoga, running, tennis, or training but this subtle, attractive design would even look sharp worn casually with a great scarf, blazer, and dark denim.

The MPG giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. and Canada, ages 18 and up and closes at Midnight EST on Tuesday, February 21.

How To Enter

This giveaway is closed but find more great-looking and functional activewear, including the soon-to-be released Spring 2012 collection at www.mpgsport.com
(...)

Continue reading "Inspired By Dancers, Active Apparel by MPG®"

30 comments

© Nichelle Strzepek for Dance Advantage, 2012. | Permalink | Category: Blog, Dance Bag, Dancethropology, Giveaways, Product/Website Reviews | Who's talking about this article?

Get free updates PLUS access to additional content, tips, and more. Get Subscriber PLUS.

Developed By Dancers, Barre Makes Healthy Snacks

Nichelle (admin) — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 13:00:49 +0000

www.realfoodbarre.com

Barre makes healthy snacks for dancers and anyone who wants to perform their best!

In the spring of 2010 Julia Erickson, Principal Dancer with Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, was rehearsing for the lead role in Swan Lake, Odette/Odile, and needed a convenient, healthy snack to power her through tough swan rehearsals.

Julia and her partner, Aaron (formerly with PBT) had both given up on eating “energy bars” many years prior due to the fact that most of them were glorified candy bars. So Julia pulled out her Cuisinart and some ingredients from the cupboard and set about making her own nutritious snack designed specifically for the needs of a dancer.

Julia took her concoction to work at Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and ate it before class and rehearsals. Her colleagues at PBT and the students at PBT School tried it and liked it —can you say light bulb moment? Shortly thereafter Barre began supplying dancers all across the country with healthy snacks.

Barre donates a portion of its profits to arts education and currently offers their real food bars in two delicious flavors, Black Swan Chocolate Berry and Pirouette Cinnamon Pecan. Keep a look out for their next flavor, White Swan, coming soon!

Read more of the Barre story in our review here.

The Giveaway

Barre would like to give away a box of 12 bars to THREE Dance Advantage readers.

Barre real food bars are made from all natural, whole food ingredients. Unlike some other bars, you can pronounce all of the ingredients that make up Barre. Barres real food bars are specifically designed for dancers as a pre-class or rehearsal snack.

A box of 12 Barres retails for $27.48. Winners will receive 6 Black Swan Chocolate Berry and 6 Pirouette Cinnamon Pecan bars.

The Barre giveaway is open to U.S. residents (including Hawaii and Alaska) to those 18 and up and closes at Midnight EST on Monday, February 20.

How To Enter

This giveaway is closed but learn how and where to purchase these healthy and tasty snacks at www.RealFoodBarre.com

(...)

Continue reading "Developed By Dancers, Barre Makes Healthy Snacks"

41 comments

© Nichelle Strzepek for Dance Advantage, 2012. | Permalink | Category: Blog, Dance Bag, Giveaways, Health and Wellness, Product/Website Reviews | Who's talking about this article?

Get free updates PLUS access to additional content, tips, and more. Get Subscriber PLUS.

Take A Kind Step For Animals With These Cruelty Free Slippers

Nichelle (admin) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 13:00:37 +0000

Take a kind step for animals...wear Cynthia King Vegan Ballet Slippers! www.cynthiakingdance.com

Cynthia King gives dancers a unique way to show their love for animals in their art by providing high quality, cruelty free ballet slippers.

As a vegan dancer and choreographer, King did not have any good options for ballet slippers. Even canvas slippers used animal skin on the soles.

Providing a viable and affordable alternative to leather-soled slippers became her mission, and after much research (and trial and error), Cynthia King Vegan Ballet Slippers were born, bringing her passion for dance and compassion for animals together.

Cynthia King Vegan Ballet Slippers are popular worldwide and were the selected slipper for two of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s innovative camps. These slippers have also attracted the attention of Hollywood—vegan star Emily Deschanel ordered a pair for a scene in the TV show “Bones,” and most recently, Vogue magazine requested a pair for Natalie Portman to wear in their January 2011 cover shoot!

You can read more about Cynthia King’s mission and dance school here.

The Giveaway

Cynthia King is giving away a Cruelty Free Package to ONE lucky DA reader.

The package includes:

Cynthia King Vegan Ballet Slippers (retail $24.95) The only 100% cruelty free slippers readily available! Made of canvas uppers with synthetic soles and stretch drawstring, they are the compassionate choice for dancers of all ages seeking slippers not derived from animal products. They are durable, dye-able, and now come in pink and black for adult sizes.

A Cruelty Free T-shirt (retail $30) features the attractive design at left.

“Vegucated” DVD (retail $25) “Vegucated” follows three meat- and cheese-loving New Yorkers who agree to adopt a vegan diet for six weeks. This entertaining film showcases the rapid and at times comedic evolution of three people who discover their own paths in creating a kinder, cleaner, greener world, one bite at a time.

The Cynthia King Cruelty Free Package giveaway is open to U.S. residents 18 and over and closes at Midnight EST on Friday, February 17.

How To Enter

This giveaway is closed but learn more about these unique, cruelty-free ballet slippers at www.cynthiakingdance.com/veganballetslippers.htm

(...)

Continue reading "Take A Kind Step For Animals With These Cruelty Free Slippers"

26 comments

© Nichelle Strzepek for Dance Advantage, 2012. | Permalink | Category: Ballet/Pointe, Blog, Dance Bag, Dance Styles, Dancethropology, Giveaways, Product/Website Reviews | Who's talking about this article?

Get free updates PLUS access to additional content, tips, and more. Get Subscriber PLUS.

Protecting Your Toesies For Pointe

Lauren Warnecke — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 14:22:17 +0000

I started pointe at age 9 –

(too young by some teachers’ opinions, but that’s another article), and my teacher was thoroughly set on having all of her students wear pointe shoes without padding. Her philosophy was that if shoe fit correctly then there wasn’t any need for padding.

That’s a nice theory but, unless you have a custom-made shoe, it’s unlikely that you’ll find a shoe out there that will mold exactly to your foot. The other problem with this particular teacher’s point of view is that she required all of her students to wear Capezio brand pointe shoes. There’s nothing wrong with Capezio shoes, it’s just that if you’re going to make dancers dance on pointe without padding and request a “perfect fit”, then you had better give her as many options as possible!

Still, I walked out with my shiny new size 3 Capezios and a year later I had ingrown toenails, the beginning of bunions and bunionettes, and nearly constant abrasions and blisters. There just wasn’t a Capezio shoe that fit my foot with enough efficacy to wear it without padding.

I eventually changed studios and, at age 14, I essentially started over. I was asked to go to a professional pointe shoe fitting by a woman named Sylvia.

Sylvia, a purest in her own right, always started with Grishko and very rarely strayed to other brands, only allowing lamb’s wool as padding. This time, however, I got a bit lucky and wound up with the Grishko Elite, which happens to be the best shoe out there for my foot.  I haven’t bought another shoe since.

I’ve recently been working on developing an e-course about pointe preparation and came across Nichelle’s great article on pointe readiness during my research.  I found all the comments and differing opinions about shoe types, brands, construction, and padding options really interesting.

Even when I found “my perfect shoe”, I still needed padding.

So, the focus of this post is to break down your options and help you get to the bottom of the pointe shoe padding conundrum.

I’ve tried pretty much everything in my shoes, including:(...)

Continue reading "Protecting Your Toesies For Pointe"

3 comments

© Lauren Warnecke for Dance Advantage, 2012. | Permalink | Category: Ballet/Pointe, Blog, Dance Bag, Dance Styles, Dancethropology, Dancing, Featured, Health and Wellness, Practice | Who's talking about this article?

Get free updates PLUS access to additional content, tips, and more. Get Subscriber PLUS.

The Procrastinator’s Dance Gift Guide

Nichelle (admin) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 22:59:28 +0000

By now your stockings have probably been hung by the chimney with care…

But you’ve still got dancers on your gift list! And Amazon is telling you that ~~paying expedited $hipping fee$~~ a dose of Elf Magic is your only Ho Ho Hope for the timely arrival of those gifts.

Never fear, the digital age is here! These gifts are a procrastinator’s dream:

Choreography for Teachers

DancesToGo.com provides à la carte choreography for a variety of dance levels and genres. They’ve got a great group of guest choreographers with years of experience as teachers (and I’m not just saying that ’cause I’m one of them)!

One way to gift it: You may not know which choreography would be most useful for the gift-recipient. Since Dances To Go uses PayPal’s services, you could send money to your dancer friend or family member (they will need a PayPal account) for use at the site. While you’re at it, send them an iTunes gift so they can grab the music, too!

Help for Studio Owners

DanceStudioOwner.com gives studio owners what they need to be successful – e-books and articles, monthly teleseminars, templates, checklists, customizable forms, and plenty of support in an often isolating job. This is one of my favorite resources because they offer so much value at affordable monthly and yearly membership plans. Gift a membership and make your favorite studio owner very happy.

A Weekly Action Plan for Success

A new year. A new commitment to going the extra mile in your dance classes. We at Dance Advantage deliver the keys to make this year outstanding with an e-mail course that provides terminology, an inspirational quote, something to Dancescribe in a dance journal, and something to do EVERY WEEK in a 40-Week E-course.

Let us sustain and motivate your favorite dancer the whole year through. Yes, you can “gift” this e-course. It’s called 4 for 40 and you can find it right here.

Digital Reading

Whether your gift-recipient is Team Nook or Team Kindle, you can give specific digital publications as gifts at the Nook Store or Kindle Store (just look for the Buy/Give as a Gift links on the book’s purchase page).

Here are some of my favorites and books I’ve read this year:(...)

Continue reading "The Procrastinator’s Dance Gift Guide"

CLICK HERE to comment

© Nichelle Strzepek for Dance Advantage, 2011. | Permalink | Category: Blog, Dance Bag, Dance Media, Dancethropology, Featured, Film/Video, Online, Product/Website Reviews | Who's talking about this article?

Get free updates PLUS access to additional content, tips, and more. Get Subscriber PLUS.

Tap Shoe Review: The Capezio K360 (Brazilian)

Tristan Bruns — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 13:33:13 +0000

About Shoe Reviews:

For my reviews, I personally wear, practice, and perform in the shoes. The demands that the shoes are subjected to are rigorous and must be considered when compared to the skill level for which the shoe is intended. ~ Tristan

Look for more tap shoe reviews in The Great Tap Shoeganza.

Capezio’s K360 (Brazilian)

I chose to review the Brazilian-made K360 on the grounds that it is the shoe that the majority of professional and pre-professional dancers will buy. Costing roughly $200 and up, these are the shoes you are more likely to find on store shelves and on the internet.

The Capezio website directs buyers to Amazon.com to purchase their “Kays”, and the only make available on the site is the Brazilian-made K360. An American-made pair is only available through select retailers, like Dancing Fair, and if you are lucky enough to find one in a retail store, be prepared to dish out up to $400 for a pair (taps not included).

VS

There is a heated debate among tap dancers concerning the Capezio K360 and where it is made. A dancer spends a good deal of time and money getting what is considered the Cadillac of tap shoes only to hear, “Oh, those are the Bazilians? I like the Americans much better.” Good luck getting them to tell you WHY they don’t like the shoe. I think and I heard are more than likely to accompany their lambasting lamentations.

I sat down with my tap shoe consultant, Matthew A. Shroepfer, to get the rundown on the actual differences between the Brazilian and American made Capezio K360.

Let’s take a look at the similarities:(...)

Continue reading "Tap Shoe Review: The Capezio K360 (Brazilian)"

5 comments

© Tristan Bruns for Dance Advantage, 2011. | Permalink | Category: Blog, Dance Bag, Dance Styles, Dancethropology, Featured, Product/Website Reviews, Tap | Who's talking about this article?

Get free updates PLUS access to additional content, tips, and more. Get Subscriber PLUS.

Celebrating Successes With A Dance Journal

Nichelle (admin) — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 13:42:44 +0000

“Sometimes in ballet it is easy to recall the corrections, but it is harder to celebrate the successes.”

Fellow dance teacher Nants Foley wants to help her students do both. And so, she suggests they keep a journal of their progress in class and write down their combinations and corrections.

She’s created a special book for her students, including space for recording their class work and progress as well as additional content like checklists, quotes, ballet vocabulary, foot care, and more.

Thinking (and rightly so) that other students and teachers might benefit from her efforts, she has published the 70-page journal and workbook and is making them available beyond her own dance school.

I know many of you are actively aware of the value of logging your progress in dance and some use dance diaries as a tool with your own students. So, I caught up with Nants to talk with her about A Dancer’s Steps and ask how she encourages journal-writing in her own ballet classes.

Dance Advantage: Give us a little background on your dance history.

Nants Foley: I have been dancing all my life, though never professionally. I was fortunate enough to train under Olga Ziceva and Richard Gibson in San Mateo, CA for many years, though I chose college over career in dance.

I came back to ballet seriously 15 years ago when my daughter was 6. I live in a small town in the central coast region of California. I wanted her to have the same great training I did and there were no teachers! I found my excellent training and my background in business teaching made me a valuable resource in the dance community.

I am blessed to be teaching at San Benito Dance Academy in Hollister now. It is a studio with a commitment to excellence and a mission to nurture the bodies, minds and spirits of its students.

DA: Did you keep a dance journal throughout your own dance training?

NF: When I was young, people kept diaries and scrapbooks. I had a scrapbook where I kept all things ballet related: Ticket stubs from performances I attended, pictures from favorite dancers, the combinations I was working on. I still have it and it makes me smile.

The Artist's Way on Amazon.com

I have used journaling as a creative tool ever since discovering Julie Cameron’s The Artists’ Way years ago.

DA: Ah! I’m familiar with and have practiced some of Ms. Cameron’s techniques.

When did you first start encouraging your students to bring a notebook to class with them? Do you require it?

NF: Right now I am doing our summer intensive. This is the first time a notebook has been required. They may bring any type of notebook.

I have been encouraging it for awhile, and many already had developed the discipline to use one. I made it mandatory because this intensive is really intense!

DA: What does the process do for the student?

NF: The use of a book is an exceptional tool for many reasons. Students write their combinations so they can practice at home. They make note of their corrections so they can review them before their next class.

These are some of the obvious benefits day to day. But the most important component is that they have a snapshot in time of where they are in their ballet education and growth. In ballet, it is so easy to focus on what one is doing incorrectly or poorly.

The writing process allows them to go back and reflect and remember, allowing them to see how far they have come in their journey.

DA: How do you incorporate and encourage the use of this journal in your classes? Do you give them “homework” in each class or, is what they do with the notebook pretty much self-led?

NF: What they do with the notebook is self-led. It is a tool offered to them.

The truly dedicated students go for it. I don’t give them homework with one notable exception. I work a lot with students on how to set goals.

For summer intensive, each student was required to set three goals. These were written in the notebook. They also wrote the specific action items needed to achieve each goal.

There is a time limit…the end of the summer program. Already we have seen several students complete a goal they set at the start of summer. It is really inspiring for them, for the other students in class and, of course, for me!

I set three goals for myself: To regain my right split, to lose 7 pounds and to eat 5 fruits or vegetables per day. I’m doing really well on all three!

DA: Congratulations! I am a total advocate of goal-setting. I’ve used goal pages and journaling in my own classes and find myself talking about it a lot when students e-mail asking for advice. It’s all over Dance Advantage – for lesson and career planning, too.

What has been the most rewarding feedback you’ve received from students about keeping their journal?

NF: There has been lots of it! The completion of goals is huge. The parents are noticing the change in their children and sharing it with me. And my personal favorite is when a student asks me to autograph a copy of my notebook!

DA: So, back to A Dancer’s Steps. At what point did you decide to put together the book?

NF: I looked for a journal like this for my students, and found nothing . There are fabulous ballet reference books. And beautiful journals abound. I just couldn’t find the two things combined.

DA: Do your dancers use them in class?

NF: My dancers use them in class daily.

I have a short break mid-class, and many take the opportunity to write in them at that time. I have a weekly set barre and center based on a theme introduced the first day of the week and repeated without further discussion all week. There is a lot of writing on the first day of the week!

DA: The book is a mix of content and open spaces. How did you decide what would be in the bound workbook?

NF: I included the reference information I would have liked as a young student and my favorite quotes found over the years.

My undergraduate and graduate degrees are in architecture and design, so I enjoyed playing with the design of each page, choosing the form and the function I felt would be most usable for students.

DA: I really appreciate the design. It’s simple and attractive without being too frilly – good for all ages and genders even.

Which is your favorite section?

NF: I think the whole piece on SMART goals is the most valuable piece.

If we don’t have written goals that are truly achievable with a time limit, we only have dreams. “Someday I will be able to do the splits…or a triple pirouette…or be able to jump for 3 minutes without stopping.” I encourage the use of goals in all areas of life.

DA: That would be my pick too. I think I’ve found a kindred spirit in you, Nants! Thanks for sharing your thoughts and your journal with us.

If you are a student or teacher and would like a copy, contact Nants at

A book shipped to an individual is $12. They can be paid for by sending the money through PayPal.

Copies of A Dancer’s Steps: a Ballet Journal and Workbook are sold at San Benito Dance Academy for $10.

If a teacher or studio would like to purchase these for their class, Nants would need about two weeks lead time. There is a discount for multiple books. Just contact her via that e-mail address above.

Do you keep a dance notebook or journal?

Do you require or encourage their use in your classes?

What do you put in your journal?

As you know, Dance Advantage values highly any tool that helps students log their progress and self-examine the learning and creative process. Having been sent a copy of A Dancer’s Step for review, Nichelle feels it is worthy of recommendation.

DA is also excited to announce an upcoming project and e-course that is designed to help you reach that next level in your dance study with a mix of goal-setting, progress recording, creative writing, and more. We will unveil this very soon. Please stay tuned!!

© Nichelle Strzepek for Dance Advantage, 2011. | Permalink | Category: Blog, Dance Bag, Dancethropology, Dancing, Practice, Product/Website Reviews, Terminology | Who's talking about this article?

Get free updates PLUS access to additional content, tips, and more. Get Subscriber PLUS.

Have Your Barre and Eat It Too!

Nichelle (admin) — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 13:35:47 +0000

Portable snacks are a must for busy dancers. But so are healthy snacks.

Finding something that’s grab-and-go yet meets the nutritional needs of a dancer is frequently a challenge.

In fact this was the challenge Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre principal, Julia Erickson set out to conquer in her kitchen in early 2010: To create a better energy bar for herself. One that tasted better and was made from ingredients she could pronounce.

What she whipped up caught the attention of fellow dancers. She made more, selling an early version to PBT’s summer students. Recognizing a need in the dance community, she teamed up with friend, partner, and fellow dancer Aaron Ingley and formed a business.

With an aim to raise the barre on nutrition and encourage healthy eating habits in the dance world and beyond, they created Barre, a real food bar made with natural ingredients and superfoods like hemp seed, flax, and dates “by dancers for ~~dancers~~ everyone.”

Barre’s first flavor, Pirouette: Cinnamon Nut Twirl officially launched on July 5. Not only have Julia and Aaron shared a few samples of their tasty triumph with me but they’ve agreed to share their story, their mission, and their own tips and ideas for eating healthfully on a dancer’s schedule with Dance Advantage readers.

Dance Advantage: I suspect you’ve tried a lot of nutrition and energy bars, and maybe even depended on them at times while on the go as dancers. What changed your mind about the effectiveness and nutritional value of the majority of bars out on the market?

Aaron Ingley: Nutrition bars have become really big business in the last ten years and there are gazillions on the market. In the beginning they seemed like a godsend for dancers—easy to eat between rehearsals and, in the beginning, decently healthy. What has happened since then is that everyone and their brother started making bars to turn a quick profit and the quality of ingredients suffered. (...)

Continue reading "Have Your Barre and Eat It Too!"

CLICK HERE to comment

© Nichelle Strzepek for Dance Advantage, 2011. | Permalink | Category: Beyond the Bubble, Blog, Dance Bag, Dancethropology, Dancing, Featured, Health and Wellness, Interviews, Product/Website Reviews | Who's talking about this article?

Get free updates PLUS access to additional content, tips, and more. Get Subscriber PLUS.

Customizing Your Tap Shoes: The Taps

Tristan Bruns — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 18:10:31 +0000

Confessions of a Tap Geek

I am dismayed at the lack of information available for taps. Sure, they are just hunks of metal, but they are hunks that completely reshaped an art form. I continually find misinformation when searching the internet, and it appears that everyone who writes about taps has cut and pasted from the same unreliable source. For example:

“Generally, three different types of tap shoes are available: teletone, duotone and supertone.” -About.com

This is not true. Teletone and Duotone are trademarked brand names of Capezio and are not universally regarded as a type of tap, and Supertone has been applied to a number of taps from a couple different companies. To say that these are the only types of taps available is like saying all shoes are classified as either Jordan’s, Air Jordan’s, or Limited Edition Jordan’s. The worst part is that you can more or less find this EXACT SAME SENTENCE on numerous websites.

But let’s face it: the most interesting part of a tap shoe is the taps. As a kid I put flat tacks on the bottom of my sneakers because even before my first tap class I knew that it was the sound that gave tap dance its novelty. The Great Tap Shoeganza wouldn’t be complete without focusing on the tap dancer’s most versatile tool.

Before The Taps

A tap dancer does not need metal taps to produce great percussive art. By flipping through Marshall and Jean Sterns’ Jazz Dance, which is considered by many to be the tap dancer’s bible, I can’t find mention of the art form being called “Tap” until (...)

Continue reading "Customizing Your Tap Shoes: The Taps"

47 comments

© Tristan Bruns for Dance Advantage, 2011. | Permalink | Category: Blog, Dance Bag, Dance Styles, Dancethropology, Dancing, Practice, Tap | Who's talking about this article?

Get free updates PLUS access to additional content, tips, and more. Get Subscriber PLUS.

Customizing Your Tap Shoes: Fashion and Functionality

Tristan Bruns — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 13:42:08 +0000

Customized pair of Capezio K360s by Matthew A. Schroepfer

Making Your Shoe You

Tap shoe customization has reached fantastic proportions, and days can be spent designing the look of a tap shoe that is uniquely “you.” I’ve seen people sewing on patches of their favorite bands or cartoon characters. There are tiny taps that can be screwed onto the sides for easier metal-on-metal notes. Leather now comes in every color of the rainbow and then some. Straps, laces, Velcro, high tops, low tops, sneakers, boots, socks… anything that you can imagine going onto or into a tap shoe probably can.

“The Basic” Tap Shoe

In 1925, Ned Wayburn, head instructor and proprietor of the Ned Wayburn Studio of Stage Dancing and one of the most influential dance studios of the early 20th century, published The Art of Stage Dancing. In it he describes what he considers an appropriate shoe for tap class.

“For tap and step dancing there are several types of shoes, the most common being that known as the “Mary Jane” or juvenile shoe with ankle strap and button or buckle. Another favorite is the laced low shoe, known as the Oxford, made for both men and women…There is also a low shoe for “Tap” dancing called the “Split-clog” shoe, used by very advanced pupils only…”

The basic look of the tap shoe has not changed too much in the last 100 years. Normally made to resemble a dress shoe, the Oxford-style and Mary Jane-style tap shoe can be traced back close to the turn of the century. Though your shoes may appear to be a dime-a-dozen, specialized modifications can increase the synergy between your feet and your tap shoes.

Shaving the edges of the outsole on the sides of the front tap makes it easier to hit those great scraping sounds produced where the edge of the tap meets the wood. This adjustment is ideal for dancers with less flexible ankles.

A rubber pad can be applied to the bottom of the outsole if you find yourself (unwontedly) slipping and sliding around the stage. The rubber is applied behind (...)

Continue reading "Customizing Your Tap Shoes: Fashion and Functionality"

3 comments

© Tristan Bruns for Dance Advantage, 2011. | Permalink | Category: Blog, Dance Bag, Dance Styles, Dancethropology, Tap | Who's talking about this article?

Get free updates PLUS access to additional content, tips, and more. Get Subscriber PLUS.

Customizing Your Tap Shoes: Health and Comfort

Tristan Bruns — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 13:36:26 +0000

In Deconstructing a Tap Shoe, I discussed the use of orthotics as a means to prevent and treat foot ailments. But what if you could achieve the same results by modification? Modifying your tap shoes for health and comfort is like cutting out the middle man and can make tap dancing much more enjoyable for those with new and/or congenital foot disorders.

For Health and Comfort

Tracing your feet is an option that gives the shoe maker a good idea of the width and length of your foot. Put your foot on a piece of white paper and trace around it. Be sure to do both feet. Consider this: A foot exists in three dimensions, while tracing your foot only deals with two. Information like the height of your instep and certain deformities may go unnoticed. Tracing is a good tool, but an even better idea may be to…

Send in a photograph of your foot. By taking pictures of all the sides, the shoe maker can get a 3-D model of your foot. A trained eye can spot problem areas that may be treatable by shoe modifications.

Spot stretching is useful for people that need accommodations in specific areas. Using a tool like a ball and ring stretcher, a distinct area in the shoe can be stretched, which can alleviate discomfort for bunions, calluses and corns, exostosis and heel spurs.

Plastic parts can be remolded. Certain parts of a tap shoe may contain supportive structures made out of hard plastic. Plastic can be found in the counter, a built-in structure that sits behind the heel of the foot and is used to stiffen the back part of the shoe, and the toe box, a protective area built in to the front of a shoe to protect the toes. These parts can be remolded to better suit a dancer’s individual requirements.

Padding can be designed into the tap shoe during its construction to support all parts of the foot, including(...)

Continue reading "Customizing Your Tap Shoes: Health and Comfort"

2 comments

© Tristan Bruns for Dance Advantage, 2011. | Permalink | Category: Blog, Dance Bag, Dance Styles, Dancethropology, Dancing, Health and Wellness, Practice, Tap | Who's talking about this article?

Get free updates PLUS access to additional content, tips, and more. Get Subscriber PLUS.

When To Buy New Tap Shoes

Tristan Bruns — Thu, 05 May 2011 13:28:54 +0000

It is no secret that tap dancers grow very fond of their tap shoes. With the high level of aesthetic customization that exists today, it is easy to attribute fond memories with a particular pair of tap shoes.

I loved my blue Capezio K360s. I kept them around for over two years. When the lateral side, or outer edge, of my feet started to ache, I figured I must have landed wrong during a difficult step. When they got really sore, I thought that I must have been doing something chronically wrong. When sharp, electric jolts of pain kept me from dancing, I realized I had been doing something wrong. I needed new shoes.

Three days after receiving my new pair of shoes, my pains from the previous six months had disappeared. If I were to put on my old blue shoes, the pain would come back. I had learned my lesson the hard way.

A new pair of tap shoes are not only important for correcting current problems, but are necessary in preventing a smorgasbord of potentially painful ailments.

Signs of tap shoe deterioration include:(...)

Continue reading "When To Buy New Tap Shoes"

CLICK HERE to comment

© Tristan Bruns for Dance Advantage, 2011. | Permalink | Category: Blog, Dance Bag, Dance Styles, Dancethropology, Tap | Who's talking about this article?

Get free updates PLUS access to additional content, tips, and more. Get Subscriber PLUS.

Deconstructing A Tap Shoe

Tristan Bruns — Wed, 04 May 2011 14:53:43 +0000

In our introduction to The Great Tap Shoeganza series, Tristan emphasized the variety of tap shoes available on the market and a just a few things you’ll need to think about before buying your shoes.

Further considerations include how much room you want to leave for your toes, how tight or loose you like your shoe to fit and how high you want the back of the topline to raise up. Knowledge of the different designs of tap shoes, plus your own awareness of what you consider comfortable, will make the task of buying tap shoes a painless one. Literally.

Shoe Anatomy

Here is a short glossary on different shoe terms, explaining what they are and how they relate to choosing a tap shoe:

Heel – The large heel at the back of the shoe can also be modified for sound and comfort. A plastic heel, found on most entry level tap shoes, is inexpensive, but has a poor sound quality. A thick leather heel will produce a rich, deep tone, though the higher the heel, the more pressure to the front of the foot, which could end up being responsible for discomfort while dancing.

Pattern – The pattern of the shoe, or how the housing material is cut, should be taken into consideration for style and function. The cut of the shoe is important when considering the length and width of your foot. Pay attention to how the pattern is stitched together. More stitching can mean greater durability, while less stitching will mean a more flexible shoe.

Toe Box – A toe box is a reinforcement of the area that houses the toes and can be useful for tap dancers that dance forcefully and/or do a lot of work with the tip of their toe. However, a reinforced toe also means less flexion in that part of the shoe and compacted toes can be painful, in which case a soft leather toe may be more desirable.

Topline – The top edge of the sides and back of the shoe is the topline. A lower top line will enable greater ankle flexibility, while a higher top line will promote ankle stability. The topline can be padded to prevent painful chaffing where it meets the skin, or notched out in the back to give extra room to the Achilles tendon.

Oxford style Capezio K360

The Standard Oxford

The most common tap shoe is an Oxford style shoe with the housing and sole made from leather and the taps made from aluminum. Sounds simple enough, but within those parameters you will find that therein lies a vast array of customizable options. From different types of leather to exotic aluminum alloys for taps to advanced support, you will find that knowledge of what goes into a tap shoe can directly affect what you get out of it.

An Oxford style shoe is a low top, leather shoe that is laced over the instep and has a low heel. Appropriate for casual or formal attire, the Oxford style shoe is as versatile as it is timeless.

While the vast majority of tap shoes tend to look the same, the specialized attention to design and engineering in modern tap shoes gives each brand traits and attributes unique unto itself. A narrow foot may prefer (...)

Continue reading "Deconstructing A Tap Shoe"

One comment - ADD YOURS!

© Tristan Bruns for Dance Advantage, 2011. | Permalink | Category: Blog, Dance Bag, Dance Styles, Dancethropology, Tap | Who's talking about this article?

Get free updates PLUS access to additional content, tips, and more. Get Subscriber PLUS.

Introducing The Great Tap Shoeganza!

Tristan Bruns — Tue, 03 May 2011 13:25:55 +0000

The tap shoe has evolved into a precision instrument that, in the hands of a capable dancer, becomes the ultimate tool for self-expression in contemporary percussive dance. Joining Tristan as a consultant for this series, is Matthew A. Schroepfer, Certified Pedorthist and owner of Dancing Fair Inc., a manufacturer and wholesale distributor of quality dance footwear, bodywear, legwear and dance accessories.

A Tap Shoe Is A Tap Shoe Is A…

No, not all tap shoes are created equal, and choosing the right pair is an important step in developing your style as an artist. The proper tap shoe should be matched to a dancer based on the dancer’s physicality and musicality.

In other words, dancers should choose their tap shoes based on how hard or how much they dance and what notes they wish to incorporate into their musical palate. Special attention should be paid to the quality of the materials used to build the shoe, the actual construction of the shoe, and the durability of the shoe.

Of course, it never hurts to exercise frugality. Thanks in part to the tap dance festival circuit, the Internet, and an outcropping of young talent, there is an informed and active consumer base for all things tap dance, from the shoes to the floors to the type of microphone best suited to capture the warm, organic sounds of tap. With a larger consumer base and a more competitive market, the modern tap shoe is not only constructed better than ever before, but is on the verge of a major break in price.

Talent is talent, there are no two ways about it, and there is no magic shoe that transforms poor technique into artistry. However, the right tool is necessary for optimal self-expression. Would John Marin’s watercolors be as captivating if he had a crummy paintbrush that left molted bristles from its tuft?

As your interest in tap grows, your body and skill level will demand new and better constructed tap shoes.
Warning: After you’ve found the perfect pair, be wary of the most neglected aspect of tap shoe ownership: knowing when it is time to get a new pair.

The Great Shoeganza

In this series, I will deconstruct the modern tap shoe to provide you with enough information to confidently evaluate and buy the ideal pair, let you know when it’s time to buy a new pair of tap shoes, and give hands on reviews of the top shoes in the industry. Bloch, SoDanca, Capezio, Leo’s…whose shoe will come out on top?

I: Deconstructing A Tap Shoe (be a more informed buyer)

II: When To Buy New Tap Shoes

III: Customizing Your Tap Shoes:

Health and Comfort

Fashion and Functionality

The Taps

IV: Shoe Reviews:

Capezio

Capezio K360 (Brazilian)

more to come…

Help us expand this series!

We’ve got plenty in store for you in the coming posts but…

What are your tap shoe questions? Put your burning questions and top concerns in the comments below.

© Tristan Bruns for Dance Advantage, 2011. | Permalink | Category: Blog, Dance Bag, Dance Styles, Dancethropology, Featured, Product/Website Reviews, Tap | Who's talking about this article?

Get free updates PLUS access to additional content, tips, and more. Get Subscriber PLUS.

Dance Advantage » Dance Bag

$99 To Spend On Positive Dance Products by Rhee Gold Company

The Giveaway

The Rhee Gold Company would like to offer a $99 gift certificate for the positivedance.com website to THREE DA readers.

The Positive Dance giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. and Canada, ages 18 and up and closes at Midnight EST on Wednesday, February 22.

How To Enter

This giveaway is closed but find t-shirts, teacher tools, and more at PositiveDance.com

Inspired By Dancers, Active Apparel by MPG®

The Giveaway

Mondetta Performance Gear wants to give away the Savvy Tank to TWO DA readers.

The MPG giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. and Canada, ages 18 and up and closes at Midnight EST on Tuesday, February 21.

How To Enter

Developed By Dancers, Barre Makes Healthy Snacks

The Giveaway

Barre would like to give away a box of 12 bars to THREE Dance Advantage readers.

The Barre giveaway is open to U.S. residents (including Hawaii and Alaska) to those 18 and up and closes at Midnight EST on Monday, February 20.

How To Enter

This giveaway is closed but learn how and where to purchase these healthy and tasty snacks at www.RealFoodBarre.com

Take A Kind Step For Animals With These Cruelty Free Slippers

The Giveaway

Cynthia King is giving away a Cruelty Free Package to ONE lucky DA reader.

The Cynthia King Cruelty Free Package giveaway is open to U.S. residents 18 and over and closes at Midnight EST on Friday, February 17.

How To Enter

This giveaway is closed but learn more about these unique, cruelty-free ballet slippers at www.cynthiakingdance.com/veganballetslippers.htm

Protecting Your Toesies For Pointe

I started pointe at age 9 –

Even when I found “my perfect shoe”, I still needed padding.

The Procrastinator’s Dance Gift Guide

By now your stockings have probably been hung by the chimney with care…

Choreography for Teachers

Help for Studio Owners

A Weekly Action Plan for Success

Digital Reading

Tap Shoe Review: The Capezio K360 (Brazilian)

Capezio’s K360 (Brazilian)

VS

Celebrating Successes With A Dance Journal

“Sometimes in ballet it is easy to recall the corrections, but it is harder to celebrate the successes.”

Dance Advantage: Give us a little background on your dance history.

DA: Did you keep a dance journal throughout your own dance training?

DA: Ah! I’m familiar with and have practiced some of Ms. Cameron’s techniques.

When did you first start encouraging your students to bring a notebook to class with them? Do you require it?

DA: What does the process do for the student?

DA: How do you incorporate and encourage the use of this journal in your classes? Do you give them “homework” in each class or, is what they do with the notebook pretty much self-led?

DA: Congratulations! I am a total advocate of goal-setting. I’ve used goal pages and journaling in my own classes and find myself talking about it a lot when students e-mail asking for advice. It’s all over Dance Advantage – for lesson and career planning, too.

What has been the most rewarding feedback you’ve received from students about keeping their journal?

DA: So, back to A Dancer’s Steps. At what point did you decide to put together the book?

DA: Do your dancers use them in class?

DA: The book is a mix of content and open spaces. How did you decide what would be in the bound workbook?

DA: I really appreciate the design. It’s simple and attractive without being too frilly – good for all ages and genders even.

Which is your favorite section?

DA: That would be my pick too. I think I’ve found a kindred spirit in you, Nants! Thanks for sharing your thoughts and your journal with us.

Do you keep a dance notebook or journal?

Do you require or encourage their use in your classes?

What do you put in your journal?

Have Your Barre and Eat It Too!

Portable snacks are a must for busy dancers. But so are healthy snacks.

Dance Advantage: I suspect you’ve tried a lot of nutrition and energy bars, and maybe even depended on them at times while on the go as dancers. What changed your mind about the effectiveness and nutritional value of the majority of bars out on the market?

Customizing Your Tap Shoes: The Taps

Confessions of a Tap Geek

Before The Taps

Customizing Your Tap Shoes: Fashion and Functionality

Making Your Shoe You

“The Basic” Tap Shoe

Customizing Your Tap Shoes: Health and Comfort

For Health and Comfort

When To Buy New Tap Shoes

Deconstructing A Tap Shoe

Shoe Anatomy

Here is a short glossary on different shoe terms, explaining what they are and how they relate to choosing a tap shoe:

The Standard Oxford

Introducing The Great Tap Shoeganza!

A Tap Shoe Is A Tap Shoe Is A…

The Great Shoeganza

I: Deconstructing A Tap Shoe (be a more informed buyer)

II: When To Buy New Tap Shoes

III: Customizing Your Tap Shoes:

IV: Shoe Reviews:

Help us expand this series!

**Portable snacks are a must for busy dancers. But so are healthy snacks.**