I’ve been following Renée Rothman’s Dance Doc’s Think Tank blog since (I think) its beginnings and certainly from early on in the life of Dance Advantage. Dr. Rothman is a scholar and educator and her insights on everything from Bellydance to So You Think You Can Dance fascinate me because I almost always learn something about dance and particularly dance in American culture.

In this article, she provides an invaluable list of dance resources (and a helpful description of each) for even the non-academics in the house. Bookmark this one – perfect additions to your personal, academic, or school’s dance library! Just click on the titles to view or purchase on Amazon.

Dancing always takes place within specific historical and cultural contexts. Anthropologists attempt to explain the power and purpose of dance activities by detailing these meaningful contexts. I have assembled a small list of dance books that cover a range of dance forms from the U.S. and abroad.

A few of these are full-on ethnographies, a specific sort of literature that includes very thick descriptions of specific populations meant for scholars. I’ve put a star -  – by these. All of the selections are ethnographic in that they address the human meaning and experience of dancing. All of the books were selected because they are easy for non-academic audiences to read—that is, short on jargon but long on insight—and are relevant in today’s world of dance.

GENERAL INTEREST

Dancing: The Pleasure, Power, and Art of Movement

by Gerald Jonas. Harry N. Abrams in association with Thirteen/WNET 1992

I used this as my textbook when I taught Dance in World Cultures and still recommend it as an excellent primer on the subject. It was produced to accompany the PBS 8-part film series which may be available at your public library. World dance forms are compared along topical lines such as religion, gender, and courtly society. One chapter, for instance, compares two 400-year-old classical dance traditions: Japanese kabuki and Western ballet. Among the varieties of dance you will encounter are dances from Africa, Polynesia, and Southeast Asia.

International Encyclopedia of Dance

edited by Selma Jeanne Cohen and the Dance Perspectives Foundation. Oxford University Press 1998

This 6-volume collection is a comprehensive, reliable and well-documented reference on the histories and cultures of world dance. It has nearly 2,000 entries covering geographical regions, historic and modern styles, and biographies of dancers and choreographers. Its price puts it out of reach for most of us as individuals (a used paperback copy starts at $200), but it is the best resource for dance researchers of any caliber.

Dancing in the Streets: A History of Collective Joy(...)

Continue reading "Expand Your Library or Horizons: 13 Books on Dance and Culture"

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]]> http://danceadvantage.net/2011/04/26/dance-and-culture-books/feed/ 4 http://danceadvantage.net/2011/04/21/making-dances/ http://danceadvantage.net/2011/04/21/making-dances/#comments Thu, 21 Apr 2011 13:45:27 +0000 Nichelle (admin) http://danceadvantage.net/?p=10792

Reader Question:

I am going to be teaching a creative dance and choreography class for ages 7-9. I am looking for some resources to assist in helping the students create their own dances. Would you please recommend some?

Here are a few books/manuals for ideas:

Choreography: A Basic Approach Using Improvisation (Minton)

This provides exercises and ideas, as well as some performance forms and choreography assessment sheets.

Dance Improvisations (Morgenroth)

Offers a volume of improv structures that could certainly be developed into choreography.

The Art of Making Dances (Doris Humphrey)

The essentials of composition and in tune with creative dance principles & elements (space, time, energy manipulation).

The material in the above might be advanced for that age group but could give you, the teacher, ideas for how to focus their creative dance work toward composition.

Creative Dance for All Ages: A Conceptual Approach (Gilbert)

This manual can help you adapt material from the above to the right level for your kids. In addition, many of the exercises are specifically designed for creating beginning-level compositions and many more can be adapted for this purpose.

I own all of the above books. Here are some others that may be useful:

• Movement Stories for Young Children: Ages 3-6
• First Steps in Teaching Creative Dance to Children
• Dance Composition: A Practical Guide to Creative Success in Dance Making
• Dance Composition Basics: Capturing the Choreographer’s Craft
• Dance Composition: An Interrelated Arts Approach

Exploration ➙ Structure ➙ Choreography

Any exploration you’d use for creative dance class can be turned into choreography.(...)

Continue reading "Exploration ➙ Structure ➙ Choreography: Helping Students Make Their Own Dances"

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]]> http://danceadvantage.net/2011/04/21/making-dances/feed/ 0 http://danceadvantage.net/2011/04/18/top3-props/ http://danceadvantage.net/2011/04/18/top3-props/#comments Mon, 18 Apr 2011 13:39:54 +0000 Nichelle (admin) http://danceadvantage.net/?p=10768 Alexandra Langstaff has been teaching creative movement and modern dance in Vermont for over 20 years. She spends the majority of her time in pre-schools, elementary schools and day care centers. Her background in early childhood and elementary education and modern dance inspires an innovative dance program (Hullaballoo Danceshop) for students of all ages and abilities. Her students are encouraged to constructively channel physical energy through games, and developmentally appropriate dance and yoga activities. Physical intelligence, social development, technique, flexibility, focus, strength and creativity evolve through imaginative use of movement, music and materials.

Alexandra says, “My Top 3 Props make the list because they have saved me when the electricity went out, the iPod quit and the cute speaker system wasn’t loud enough — thankfully not all on the same day!”

1. Polka Dot Placemats

I cut circles out of plastic placemats. The material is very similar to that used for shelf lining under glassware. They are useful for marking places to stand and sit that don’t slide. More importantly they become planets to land on, trees for squirrels to jump to, and hats to wear!

Caps for Sale is a classic tale of a peddler and his many hats. He falls asleep and they get snatched by many monkeys in a tree. As he tries to get the caps back the monkeys just copy his movements. “‘Give me back my caps’ said the peddler (the teacher) as she made a gigantic stretched shape.” He finally outsmarts the monkeys but you will have to go to your local library or bookstore to see how he managed! [Caps for Sale Board Book: A Tale of a Peddler, Some Monkeys and Their Monkey Business is also available at Amazon]

Pictured: ElastaBand by Dyenamic Movement Products

2. The Stretchy Circle

(...)

Continue reading "Teacher’s Top Three: Top Low-Tech Props"

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]]> http://danceadvantage.net/2011/04/18/top3-props/feed/ 0 http://danceadvantage.net/2011/03/27/surprise/ http://danceadvantage.net/2011/03/27/surprise/#comments Sun, 27 Mar 2011 14:56:38 +0000 Nichelle (admin) http://danceadvantage.net/?p=10548

This giveaway is now closed to new entries.

Check the Spring Fever main page to enter those still open.

Welcome to DAY SEVEN of the Spring Fever Giveaway 2011! Our final giveaway!

Today’s giveaway is a prize package from Dance Advantage with our friend Richard Maddock.

Normally, I’d tell you a little bit about Dance Advantage in this space but you’re already here! So, I’m just going to encourage you, especially if you’re visiting for the first time, to explore. Clicking the Get Started button is an excellent place to begin. From there you can access some key components of the site. I recommend checking out our Cornerstone Content (featuring a mere sample of the nearly 500 articles on the site, plus how to navigate your way to more of the content you want), and our Facts and FAQs page.

Richard Maddock is an accomplished musician (see for yourself) as well as a seasoned dance class and exam accompanist. He is currently Head Accompanist at The Pia Bouman School of Creative Movement and Ballet, in Toronto, Canada. We talked to him last year about his years of experience as an accompanist.

His full-length CDs are well-known in the dance community. Music for Movement and Imaginations; Ballet Studio Inspirations: Volume Two, and Three; The Garden Within; and As Creation Unfolds: Part Three have all been reviewed (and given away) on this site before. Four of these albums have been digitally remastered and can now be found on iTunes and Amazon.com for download.

The Giveaway

TWO Dance Advantage readers will win:

• A copy of The Dancer’s Way: The New York City Ballet Guide to Mind, Body, and Nutrition by former dancer, clinical psychologist, and key developer of NYCB’s wellness program, Linda H. Hamilton (also known for her popular advice column in Dance Magazine). This book is a comprehensive dancer’s companion. It provides truly practical advice and useful information for dancers of any age, any level of experience, and in any dance form.
• Richard Maddock’s As Creation Unfolds: Part Three instrumental CD. Suitable for choreography or relaxation, this album takes the listener on a sometimes deliberate, sometimes meandering but always reassuring journey of reflection and memory.
• A Dance Advantage micro-fiber sleeveless t-shirt featuring our basic logo design, available at Zazzle.com Store.

ONE Grand Prize winner will get…

The above three prizes PLUS a pair of super-cute MUK LUKs. Keep those dancer feet cozy warm between classes and around the house.

This grand prize package retails at over $80.

How To Enter:

Visit iTunes or Amazon.com and LIKE, Share, or Ping Richard’s downloadable music as a thanks for his continuing generosity to DA readers.

THEN, leave a comment at this post, answering the following question: What is the main reason you read Dance Advantage? (If you’re new, what do you like about what you’ve discovered so far?)

This giveaway is open to those in the United States and Canada and will close Wednesday, March 30 at Midnight EDT.

Winners will be randomly drawn and contacted within one week from today. We hope you’ll be one of them!

Some giveaways have ended but there’s still time to enter for some great prizes.

Check this Spring Fever page to check on giveaways still available!

Once contacted via the email used to comment, winners have only 48 hours to respond and claim their prize. Each giveaway is treated as a separate contest. Subscriber PLUS members are given daily opportunities to earn additional entries on each giveaway. PLEASE READ our giveaway policy before entering.

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]]> http://danceadvantage.net/2011/03/27/surprise/feed/ 24 http://danceadvantage.net/2011/03/25/black-swan/ http://danceadvantage.net/2011/03/25/black-swan/#comments Fri, 25 Mar 2011 13:40:11 +0000 Nichelle (admin) http://danceadvantage.net/?p=10525

This giveaway is now closed to new entries.

Check the Spring Fever main page to enter those still open.

Welcome to DAY FIVE of the Spring Fever Giveaway 2011!

Today’s giveaway comes to us via Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment.

If you saw it in theatres, you know BLACK SWAN is a film dancers will want to have in their home library. The movie debuts on Blu-ray or DVD on March 29^th from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (Follow on Twitter @FoxHomeEnt).

As you probably are aware, BLACK SWAN stars Natalie Portman in her Academy Award® winning role. The seductive and haunting Best Picture nominated film is directed by innovator Darren Aronofsky (The Wrestler) and boasts a wealth of talent including Portman (Closer), in the performance of her career, as well as Mila Kunis (Date Night), Winona Ryder (Girl, Interrupted) and Vincent Cassel (Ocean’s Twelve).  Daily Variety hailed it as “…wicked, sexy and ultimately devastating… fascinating.”

The Giveaway

TWO Dance Advantage readers will win a DVD copy of the electrifying thriller, BLACK SWAN, available on BLU-RAY and DVD MARCH 29.

View the trailer for BLACK SWAN on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQwUd-yeur4

How To Enter:

Enter to win your own copy of BLACK SWAN on DVD by leaving a comment at this post, answering the following question: What is New York City Ballet new season’s opening production in BLACK SWAN?

Is it…?

• Coppélia
• Le Corsaire
• Swan Lake

Should be a no-brainer!

This giveaway is open to those in the United States and Canada and will close Tuesday, March 29 at Midnight EDT.

Please note that this film is Rated R and that you must be 18 or older to enter the contest.

Winners will be randomly drawn and contacted within one week from today. I hope you win!

Check back tomorrow for yet another giveaway.

Once contacted via the email used to comment, winners have only 48 hours to respond and claim their prize. Each giveaway is treated as a separate contest. Subscriber PLUS members are given daily opportunities to earn additional entries on each giveaway. PLEASE READ our giveaway policy before entering.

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]]> http://danceadvantage.net/2011/03/25/black-swan/feed/ 40 http://danceadvantage.net/2010/12/17/kineticflix/ http://danceadvantage.net/2010/12/17/kineticflix/#comments Fri, 17 Dec 2010 14:00:02 +0000 Nichelle (admin) http://danceadvantage.net/?p=9415 I’d like to introduce one of our new Dance Advantage sponsors:

If you’ve been following Dance Advantage for more than a month, you may remember KineticFlix from our November Giving Thanks Giveaway.

About KineticFlix

KineticFlix.com rents the largest selection of instructional and performance dance DVDs in the world. This small company is owned and operated by two women.

Linda is a dance and Pilates instructor at the University of Montana. It was Linda’s idea and vision to develop a specialty DVD rental business, knowing that it would be a valuable resource for the dance community. She was dancing for a local, modern dance company when she met Lois, who was involved with the dance company’s board of directors. When Linda proposed her idea to her, Lois was taking a break from a long career in the software development industry. The two partners spent about six months writing a business plan and doing research, and DancingFlix was born in 2006.

“When we began as DancingFlix several years ago,” says Linda “our hope was to have the company take off enough to pay off our small business start up loan and then be able to offer dancers and choreographers scholarships to keep doing what they love.” In 2007, when a fellow Pilates instructor decided to close shop on her own specialty DVD rental business, DancingFlix leapt at the opportunity to purchase her fitness inventory.

With the expansion, DancingFlix became KineticFlix. “More than half of our business is fitness DVD rentals.” Linda reflects, “Our hearts are still a bit more on the dance side, though.”

Thousands of dance and fitness DVDs

This is Linda, hard at work in the KineticFlix office (Linda's family basement). It's cool in the summer!

The KineticFlix inventory boasts over 2900 individual DVD titles. “However, there are at least nine new titles sitting on the desk,” Lois observes. “Linda will be incorporating these over the next few days, and that’s pretty common. It’s a consistently expanding collection.”

“Actually, I have about 35 new titles waiting to add when I find the time,” Linda points out. “I usually get around to the new inventory on Fridays and Saturdays but try to add about 7 new titles each week.”

What are their favorite DVDs? “I love all the ballet and modern dance performance titles,” says Linda, “and Lois gravitates toward the Yoga and Tai Chi.”

On Being a Small Business

When asked about the biggest challenge they’ve faced in developing their service, Linda responds. “Our biggest challenge has always been that we both have other jobs and I have a family (a daughter, 13 and a son, 15). We are just beginning to advertise and get word of our service out to the dance and fitness communities. Since we are a very small business it is impossible for us to consider ads in the big magazines that charge thousands of dollars. We are trying to get creative with giveaways and discount postcards at conferences.”

What keeps these ladies motivated is the positive feedback they receive from customers.

An email they received from a customer a year ago is one example that, Linda says, “made it worth every moment.” In the email, a mother takes a moment to thank Linda and Lois for their rental service.

“My 15 year old daughter, Leah, is aspiring to be a professional dancer. We started renting your dance dvd’s this last year for her so she could learn more about all the different forms of dance and the many different technical styles that are out there in today’s professional arena.

We’re two hours from any city with a professional ballet company, so your DVD’s make it possible to see performances we’d never see otherwise. Also, as you well know, dance DVD’s are expensive, and the average individual can’t afford to buy the wide selection that your company makes available to your customers. As for me, any spare money I have currently goes to pointe shoes, leotards, or dance lessons so buying a library of dance DVD’s is not an option.

Your wide selection of DVD’s have helped her immensely. The Finis Jhung and Deborah Vogel series have provided her with a lot of extra tips on technique and increasing core strength and flexibility and the partnering dvd’s have been a real boon, as there are no trained male dancers she can practice with locally. She’s also learned a lot about dance mime from watching the Russian ballets and her musicality and artistry have really blossomed this last year.”

She goes on to detail her daughter’s positive experiences at the Joffrey (Magnus) Midwest Summer Dance Intensive and feels strongly that the KineticFlix service “gave her [daughter] the depth of personality and skills that [instructors] wanted to see.”

“Okay, the daughter gets credit for working so hard,” Linda exclaims, “but KineticFlix will gladly take a little credit!”

How does KineticFlix work?

KineticFlix.com offers three unlimited DVD, monthly subscription packages. You can choose to receive one, two, or three DVDs at a time. Once you’ve signed up, you simply browse and add titles to your queue. Your DVDs will arrive at your door. Keep them as long as you like, then return them in the envelope provided. Do this as often as you like during the month. There are no late fees. You never pay for shipping and can cancel anytime.

Dance Advantage will be taking advantage of the KineticFlix service to bring you reviews of DVD titles right here on the site. Stay tuned for the results of this exciting partnership! We think it will be a great way for you to get an opinion and then try before you buy for your library or studio.

Need a holiday gift you know your dancer will love?

Contact KineticFlix by phone (406-493-6778) or email (info@KineticFlix.com) and the ladies will set you up with a gift certificate. Choose any set amount ($25, $50, $100), or a subscription for any number of months. They can then send out a personalized gift certificate or email you a code that can be used online.

Please join me in thanking KineticFlix for supporting Dance Advantage. Our sponsors help keep free content flowing at this site.

Sponsors of Dance Advantage receive on-site advertising as well as periodic posts dedicated to their site, service, or product. Sponsored posts will always be marked as such. Dance Advantage makes every effort to partner with sponsors highly relevant to its audience. In this way, we hope not to disrupt our mission to be a source of quality content and connect you to useful resources across the web. See more in our disclosure statement.

THANK YOU for your readership and support!

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]]> http://danceadvantage.net/2010/12/17/kineticflix/feed/ 0 http://danceadvantage.net/2010/12/09/holiday-gift-ideas/ http://danceadvantage.net/2010/12/09/holiday-gift-ideas/#comments Thu, 09 Dec 2010 19:54:07 +0000 Nichelle (admin) http://danceadvantage.net/?p=9296 I want to help you cross items off your holiday gift list this year. So let’s get right to it, shall we?

Gifts for Teachers

Make your own edible treats.

Your teacher will appreciate something on the healthier side!

Try a trail mix. My favorite is almonds, chocolate chips, golden raisins, and cranberries. Dress it up in a Personalized Holiday Cookie Tin, a Mason jar decorated with fabric or ribbon, a Chinese Take Out Box, reusable but pretty food storage containers like these Fresh Keepers.

Granola is good too. Better yet, granola bars!

Salad anyone? Make your own Italian Dressing Mix like this one from Chris Kimball (America’s Test Kitchen).

Present it in this Fit & Fresh Salad Shaker for meals on the go.

Art from the Heart

Petite Paintings from a little (or not-so-little) Picasso would make a nice change from handmade ornaments. These could be displayed year-round.

Do-it-yourself jewelry can be simple enough for a kid yet sophisticated enough for a teacher. You might try a Bead Kit from Bead Bazaar.

Can’t someone else do it? Yes. try the Etsy.com shops for beautiful handmade jewelry and artwork, many at very reasonable prices.

Teacher Tees

There are a lot of dance tees out there but these are teacher specific:

Not EXACTLY for a teacher but...

You or your teacher may also like this Dancing Across Borders t-shirt or DVD. A promotional item for the film documentary, the proceeds go directly towards Nginn Karet Foundation for Cambodia’s “Give a Future to a Child of Angkor” urgent appeal. Your kindness will help children fulfill their dream to follow in the footsteps of dancers and musicians seen on Angkor Wat and other ancient Khmer temples.

More, more, more!

• Dance books and manuals for your dance teacher’s library are always a great idea. Choose from my list of suggested titles.
• The Dance Advantage holiday gift list from 2008 still holds up.
• Read our article The Thought That Counts. Included are charity and group gift ideas, as well as the gift that teachers probably most appreciate.
• Dance Teacher gifts and accessories from Zazzle.
• Crafty holiday ideas from Family Fun magazine.
• Our friend Richard Maddock has his wonderful dance class CD’s on sale for the holidays.
• I like The Dance Buzz’s Personalized Clipboard idea for a teacher or studio owner.

What are YOU getting your dance teacher this year?

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]]> http://danceadvantage.net/2010/12/09/holiday-gift-ideas/feed/ 1 http://danceadvantage.net/2010/12/06/picture-books-2010/ http://danceadvantage.net/2010/12/06/picture-books-2010/#comments Mon, 06 Dec 2010 14:00:55 +0000 Nichelle (admin) http://danceadvantage.net/?p=9267

Today’s guest article is by Kerry Aradhya. She is behind Picture Books & Pirouettes, a new favorite blog of mine. Kerry combines dance and children’s literature (which compliment like chocolate and peanut butter). If you have or work with kids, be sure to pay her site a visit!

The children’s picture book market is filled with books about ballet—classic titles like Angelina Ballerina newer ones like Miss Lina’s Ballerinas and a myriad of Nutcracker books that have been published over the years. No one can dispute that little girls everywhere love putting on their tutus and ballet shoes every week for dance class—and that they also jump up and down for books about ballet. But, with a growing ethnic population and a range of dance styles being offered at studios around the country, picture books are beginning to more accurately reflect the country’s complex demographics. More and more publishers of children’s books are emphasizing diversity in their lists, and dance picture books are among those benefiting from this trend.

A fair share of the dance picture books published in 2010 still revolved around ballet. (A few of my favorites are Miss Tutu’s Star, Brontorina, and Nutcracker Twinkle Toes.) But just as many picture books about OTHER forms of dance made it onto library shelves, into bookstores, and into the hands of little girls and boys this year. These diverse books are a healthy mix of fiction and nonfiction, poetry and prose, and text and pictures targeting toddlers to tweens. Here is a sampling…

Alphabet of Dance

Written in rhyme, this alphabet book introduces a variety of dance concepts and styles ranging from A to Z. The poetry is far from stellar in its rhythm and depth, but the concept of teaching the alphabet through dance is appealing. So while it is not the best book from a purely literary standpoint, Alphabet of Dance is educational and could be especially appropriate for teachers who want to integrate more dance and movement into the language arts. The book also comes with a tear-out alphabet poster and a downloadable audio version of the text. Ages 4-8.

Ballet for Martha: Making Appalachian Spring

Although the word ballet is in the title of this book, Ballet for Martha is not actually about ballet. Author Jan Greenberg, author Sandra Jordon, and illustrator Brian Floca collaborated to tell the story of another amazing collaboration—that of modern dancer and choreographer Martha Graham, composer Aaron Copland, and artist Isamu Noguchi to create the masterpiece “Appalachian Spring.” The book has received rave reviews from the critics, including starred reviews from Kirkus, Horn Book, Publishers Weekly, and Booklist. Ages 9-12

The Barefoot Book of Dance Stories

Picture books typically range in length from 24 to 48 pages, but this 99-page book has such gorgeous illustrations integrated throughout the text that I still consider it a true picture book. Famous author Jane Yolen and her daughter Heidi Stemple weave the joy of dance through eight dance folktales from eight different cultures in this charming book for children and adults alike. The book also includes a narrated CD and factual information about the dances from the various cultures. Ages 8 and up.

Dancing Feet!

I haven’t actually read this book by author Lindsey Craig and illustrator Marc Brown, but I would love to get my hands on a copy. It celebrates dance and movement in general, and it looks like so much fun! Here is an excerpt from a starred review by Publishers Weekly: “Spontaneous, onomatopoeic verses ask questions that are answered with a page turn: ‘Tippity! Tippity!/ Little black feet!/ Who is dancing that tippity beat?’ leads into a spread that reveals ladybugs cavorting among leaves and dappled orange flowers…In a satisfying finale, kids wearing clothing that mimics the appearance of the various animals demonstrate their own dancing feet. Fluid repetition and snappy rhythm make this a natural for reading aloud–noisily.” Ages 1-4.

Ole! Flamenco

This nonfiction book, created by award-winning photographer and author George Ancona, is a dynamic history and portrait of the art form known as flamenco. Readers learn about the Gypsy origins of flamenco and how the various components—song, music, and dance—developed over time. Words and photos also show the intricacies of the dance, including the sharp, strong movements of male dancers and the flair and passion with which women swish their skirts back and forth as they move. Ages 6-9.

Tip-Tap Pop

Emma’s Pop taught her to tap dance when she was very small, and the two still love to dance together—back-flapping at the farmer’s market, dig-shuffle-chugging through town, and putting on a special show for the family every year on Emma’s birthday. But when Pop starts to forget things, Emma doesn’t feel like dancing anymore…at least for a little while. Once she realizes that she can use dance as a tool to stay connected to Pop, the hop in her step slowly returns. This book is full of great tap dancing sounds, and the expressive illustrations by Valeria Docampo show the joy in Emma’s face when she is dancing. Ages 4-8.

In the coming year, let’s all embrace the joy dance brings us and the other diverse ways in which dance enriches our lives. Happy dancing!

Kerry Aradhya is a children’s writer and accomplished dancer. She has poems appearing or forthcoming in Stories for Children Magazine, Ladybug Magazine, and Highlights High Five. After falling head over heels for modern dance in college, she has danced professionally with such groups as the Houston Grand Opera and the Natasha Carlitz Dance Ensemble in the San Francisco Bay Area. When Kerry isn’t writing for children or dancing, she just might be partaking in her newest pastime—blogging. You can read more about dance picture books for kids and other ways to integrate children’s literature and dance at her blog, Picture Books & Pirouettes.

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]]> http://danceadvantage.net/2010/12/06/picture-books-2010/feed/ 1 http://danceadvantage.net/2010/12/02/dance-fitness-resources/ http://danceadvantage.net/2010/12/02/dance-fitness-resources/#comments Thu, 02 Dec 2010 18:30:57 +0000 Nichelle (admin) http://danceadvantage.net/?p=8564 This is part two of a series about Improving The Fitness Of Your Dancers which discussed the reasons artistic athletes in training benefit from a focus on fitness in their training, why and how to improve cardiovascular endurance, ideas for addressing power as a fitness component with anaerobic interval training, plyometrics, and more.

Components of Fitness

In part one, I spent a bit of time on two of the six primary elements of fitness, according to research done by the Laban Dance Fitness team*. These were Cardiorespiratory Endurance and Power.

The four remaining components a fitness program for dancers should address are Muscular Strength, Muscular Endurance, Flexibility, and Neuromuscular Relaxation.

Muscular Strength

Type of Training: Resistance training at high intensity levels.

Press ups, handstands, partnered resistance exercises, partnering with lifting some or total body weight, some forms of yoga.

Prescription: The goal is improved muscular strength. Select 8-10 exercises, repeat 1-3 sets, rest 30-90 seconds between each set. Do this 2-3 days per week. Use high resistance with fatigue occurring at 1 to 8 repetitions.

Muscular Endurance

Type of Training: Continuous weight-bearing exercise and resistance training at low intensity levels

Walking, stair climbing, some lifting of body weight, static (held) exercises with some resistance, partnered assisted exercises with some resistance, pilates, yoga.

Prescription: The goal is improved muscular endurance. Select 8-10 exercises, repeat 1-3 sets with 12 or more repetitions. Rest 30 seconds between. Do this 2-3 times per week with light to moderate resistance.

Flexibility

Type of Training: Stretching exercises

Static stretches, PNF stretches, dynamic movement stretches, pilates, yoga.

Prescription: The goal is to improve flexibility and range of motion. Cool down is a good time for stretching. Select 10-12 static or PNF exercises. Stretch major muscle groups first, followed by smaller muscle groups.

Neuromuscular Relaxation

Type of Training: Relaxation exercises requiring mild physical exertion and concentration

Progressive relaxation exercise, somatic techniques (Feldenkrais, Alexander technique, tai chi, pilates, yoga).

No recommended prescription, just a reminder that the body needs this as much as the other components to achieve improved overall fitness.

Training Teens

A study released in 2004 and conducted by Melinda Purnell and Debra Shirley for Sydney University’s physiotherapy program, asked how many hours a week 75 students aged 16 to 19 at dance schools, universities and colleges trained. The data was analysed for correlations with injuries and confirmed that 14 is a critical age for sustaining injuries, “because the musculoskeletal system is still developing at that time and is less resistant to repetitive load than it is when a dancer has physically matured.”

You can read more about this study here. It suggests that training more than 8-10 hours per week for 14 and 15 year olds increased the risk of developing chronic dance-related injuries. Many students train more than this. The researchers acknowledge that all students are different but recommend that “You need to be very careful when training 14-year-olds, and that the hours of training don’t suddenly increase when the student is having a growth spurt.”

This is significant I think when we talk about adding additional fitness exercises to your dancers’ training regime. It’s important to be sensitive to the needs of this age group and not overload their bodies or overwork them to the point of risking injury.

Evaluating Dancer Fitness

To determine if a fitness program you’ve added at your school is working, it is a good idea to administer periodic fitness testing. However, until recently, fitness tests were based on athletic fields outside of dance, leading some to question their validity when it comes to dancers.

The folks at Trinity Laban Dance Science department, specifically Dr. Emma Redding and Dr. Matt Wyon, have created a series of dance-specific fitness tests which have been validated through testing.

“The tests provide ‘easy-to-use’ methods of evaluating the fitness capabilities of dancers as they improve across time. The dancer’s progress is tracked through the recording of his/her heart rate as well as through the observation of his/her dancing.”

A booklet, which includes the three tests (Contemporary, Ballet, and High Intensity for high-level performers), and information about how to administer them, is available for download at the Trinity Laban Dance Science website. Also offered is The Dance Specific Fitness Test DVD, which is available for purchase when you contact the department.

You can read more about the reasons and methods for testing for high-intensity dance fitness (and more useful articles on dance instruction) in the IADMS (International Association for Dance Medicine & Science) Bulletin for Teachers – Vol 1. Number 2 for 2009: available for free here.

Additional Reading and Resources

• Fit to Dance 2 – by Helen Laws, Joanna Apps, Ian Bramley, Diane Parker, Dance UK (Organization) StaffThis UK publication is not easy to find in the States. Purchase it from RAD Enterprises. Fit to Dance? (the 1996 report of the national inquiry into dancers’ health and injury) is available in pdf form here.
• The Dancer’s Way: The New York City Ballet Guide to Mind, Body, and Nutrition – by Linda Hamilton
• The Fit and Healthy Dancer - by Koutedakis and Sharp (via Amazon UK)
• Finding Balance: Fitness, Training, and Health for a Lifetime in Dance – by Gigi Berandi (2005)
• Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning (3rd Edition) - by Beachie & Earle
  
• Dance Kinesiology - by Sally Fitt
  
• Dancing Longer, Dancing Stronger: A Dancer’s Guide to Improving Technique and Preventing Injury - by Solomon & Solomon
  
• DanceUK.org Healthier Dancer Programme: Fitness and Strenth FAQs

Safe Dance Practice

Teachers may also be interested in the Certificate for Safe and Effective Dance Practice but even if you aren’t interested in certification, I’d like to draw attention to a reference guide which is available under Further Support for Candidates (pdf available at the bottom of this page).

* Sarah Irvine’s handout at the workshop was developed by the Laban Dance Fitness Team. Cited references include:

1. Bompa, T.,O. (1999). Periodization Training: Theory and Methodology-4th
   (4th ed.). Champaign, IL; Human Kinetics.
   Periodization-5th Edition: Theory and Methodology of Training (5th Edition) Now Available
2. Hayward. V., H. (2002). Advanced Fitness Assessment and Exercise Prescription (4th ed.). Champaign, IL; Human Kinetics.
   Advanced Fitness Assessment and Exercise Prescription (6th Edition) Now Available

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© Nichelle Strzepek for Dance Advantage, 2010. | Permalink | Category: Blog, Dance Library, Dancethropology, For Classroom, Health and Wellness, Teaching | Who's talking about this article?

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]]> http://danceadvantage.net/2010/12/02/dance-fitness-resources/feed/ 10 http://danceadvantage.net/2010/05/29/books-for-ballet-teachers/ http://danceadvantage.net/2010/05/29/books-for-ballet-teachers/#comments Sat, 29 May 2010 12:20:47 +0000 Nichelle (admin) http://danceadvantage.net/?p=6009 I’ve had the pleasure of regularly exchanging Tweets with a number of dance teachers – intelligent, insightful, and enthusiastic instructors out there doing what they do best. Believe it or not, you can get a real sense for a person via 140 character conversations!

Robin Mahboeb is one of these teachers. The word that’s always come to mind regarding Robin (@mahrobi) is classy. She proves it with these choices…

Robin’s Top Three Books For Ballet Teachers

1. The Art of Teaching Ballet – Ten Twentieth-Century Masters

by Gretchen Ward Warren

Robin says, “This is my easy favorite! The author spends time with ten of the most popular professional ballet teachers from around the world, watching classes and doing interviews. There is a chapter devoted to each teacher which starts with a short bio, followed by the authors’ experiences in observing the teachers in the studio and out. At the end of each chapter there is a list of quotes, a list of the order of barre and center combinations and a family tree style chart of pedagogical lineage.”

“I love this book,” continues Robin, “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.”

The Art of Teaching Ballet is available for purchase through the Dance Advantage aStore

2. Ballet Studio – An Inside View

by Anne Wooliams (coincidentally one of the teachers interviewed in the previous book!)

“This is a book i received as a gift in my late teens and i find it as wonderful now as i did nearly 30 years ago. It is a book that can be appreciated by teachers, students and professional dancers alike,” explains Robin. “There are chapters dedicated to practice clothes and health as well as barre and center work, pointe, mime, musicality, teaching and more. The author writes with warmth and humor, offering advice as well as the occasional ballet combination. The excellent text is accompanied by beautiful, candid, grainy black and white photographs.”

This book is out of print. Check out Goodreads to compare sellers.

3. Classical Ballet Technique

by Gretchen Ward Warren (again!)

“This book i find to be an excellent tool for teaching correct ballet technique as it breaks down all the steps photographically. There is little text but very clear photos of the positions one should go through in executing each step. It also frequently shows the difference between, say, the Russian version of a step vs. Cecchetti, for example. In addition, there are pictures showing incorrect vs. correct placement or execution. I like to keep this book in the classroom and may occasionally show my students what a new step is supposed to look like.”

Classical Ballet Technique is available in the Dance Advantage aStore

More About Robin

Robin grew up in Colorado. Her early training was Cecchetti technique under Larry Boyette. She majored in dance at the Cornish Institute of Arts in Seattle, Washington under Franks Bays and Pat Hon and also trained in New York with Maggie Black. Robin has performed with several small companies but left the dance world temporarily to raise a family. She has 4 children between the ages of 8 and 20 and has been teaching ballet for about 15 years – “off and on a bit between kids!” For the last several years Robin has been teaching in Bergenfield, New Jersey at Nunnbetter Dance Theatre and choreographing for NBDT’s student company.

Do you have some favorite books for ballet teachers you’d like to recommend?

Let us know in the comments!

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