The Bag Ladies

Today’s kinection is to a relatively new blog. Bloggers Emilia and Linda have been sharing their passion for ballet at The Ballet Bag for about four months now. They are off to a great start, producing content that is focused and informative. Their thoughts and reviews about the Royal Ballet are a big feature. However, if you do not share that particular passion (yet!), there is still plenty to learn and discover about ballet at the site. I caught up with the pair to ask them a bit about how they got into ballet and blogging!

DA: How did the two of you meet and what awakened your passion for ballet?

Funnily enough both questions share the same answer: Alina Cojocaru! We met through the blogosphere out of mutual admiration for this miraculous dancer and she is also one of the reasons our passion for ballet was re-awakened. Linda was knocked sideways when she saw Alina & her partner Johan Kobborg in Onegin a couple of years ago and I got to know Alina’s dancing via Youtube. Then finally one day I saw her on stage in Romeo & Juliet (2007). Linda was there too and eventually we met face to face and became friends.

We both had more general personal blogs but soon found that our preferred topic was ballet, ballet and more ballet! As we could not really identify with any of the more traditional ballet websites/forums elsewhere and we wanted to spread the concept of ballet as a fresh, original art form (not stuck in a time warp as some tend to think!) from an audience perspective we took a deep breath and started our own.

Primarily the mix between a varied repertoire which spans from the oldest classics (Bournonville, Petipa) & neoclassics (Ashton, MacMillan) to cutting edge (Wheeldon, McGregor) and their longstanding dramatic tradition, which has theatrical roots (the Royal Ballet was “born & bred” in the Old Vic Theatre). It adds a distinctive personality to the company so that dancers are able to communicate not only via the steps but also through acting. The emphasis is on great artistry even though they have the technical chops too! The other factor that makes the company so interesting is the diversity of dancer’s backgrounds, they hail from far flung places but they really seem to be at home there.

Indeed, we are quite new and so happy that we’ve been getting great support from established sites such as Dance Advantage, dance bloggers & twitterers because we feel that this journey is worth it! We are trying to integrate web content (reviews, articles, dancer profiles, ballet fact cards) & trendy new media with the aim to “spread the word on ballet” & network with dance fans anytime, anywhere. If we can spark a passion for ballet in someone the same way Alina Cojocaru has done for us then our job will have been done!

These “bag ladies” have added some excellent posts on ballet terminology, articles that discuss the history and significance of certain ballet works, and resources so that you can educate yourself on the art of ballet. Furthermore, they are all teched out with a Facebook page and Twitter account. Be sure to check them out and say hello! Tell ‘em Dance Advantage sent you

TenduTV Delivers Concert Dance on Demand

Because of technology available to us online and in our homes, we are rapidly becoming an “on demand” culture. From a personal computer, a phone, a TV, or iPod, viewers may take in content at their own convenience.

Dance artists and companies are beginning to find ways of making use of this technology, giving audiences that previously may have been out of reach, access to their art.

It is exciting to think that someone on the opposite side of the world can tune in to watch the work of an artist known only on their home turf. And, I find it really thrilling that students unable to attend a live performance due to location or other circumstances have the opportunity to access a work they may never have seen otherwise.

So….

Today I’d like to connect you to TenduTV, a broadband television channel that is delivering live concert dance, documentaries, and dance for camera works to an ever-widening audience.  Their videos, many of which show complete (rather than excerpted) contemporary dance works  for stage and film, offer excellent opportunities for students to connect with the dance world beyond their own studio.

Live performance video of Robert Battle’s “Overture,” Julie Voshell (from “Movin’ Out”) and Duncan Cooper (see my report on his recent interview here) in Leda Meredith’s “Pair of Jacks,” and works by Jonah Bokaer (which I’ve written about here) are available via TenduTV. There are also several award-winning screendance selections and an inspirational documentary film about the difference dance has made in a London women’s correctional facility. It is not to be missed.

I also want to note that TenduTV is to be commended for working to help dance artists utilize current technology without sacrificing the integrity and copyright protection of their work. I always look forward to the new selections posted on their channel via Sling.com and encourage you to keep your eye on this project. TenduTV is continually finding new spaces and places to broadcast, including millions of home televisions throughout the U.S.

Check out TenduTV’s channel at Sling.com

Visit their site and blog for more information

And say hello on Twitter and Facebook

A Boost for Boys in Ballet

Yippee!!

Not long ago, I had the “yippee!” moment of discovering a new dance blog. And within this blog, I found a great link to an audio interview with three male dancers in which they discussed their experiences growing up in dance, their thoughts on Billy Elliot, and more.

I found the interview very encouraging. Overall these men, who dance with Mark Morris Dance Group, began as children taking ballet and other dance styles, and received much support from not only their families but people (and other boys) around them. I’ve always felt strongly that boys must be offered a place and space in dance schools that would allow them to feel comfortable, thereby encouraging young men to dance. However, I believe my interest and concern about male dancers increased when I became the mother of a young son. He is still a toddler, having been born not long before I “birthed” this blog, and is therefore not old enough to even know what a dance class is, let alone participate in one. When he is old enough, I hope to find a dance program in which he can explore creative movement. Later, if he wants to continue in other dance styles or forms, I would of course be overjoyed but I have no desire to push my child into dance or any career, for that matter. And I would not refuse his desire to play sports, start a band, or be his own person.

Anyway, it is a great interview, and I highly recommend clicking here or downloading the mp3 to listen to this discourse. Just for your information, the interview is over 20 minutes long, but definitely worth the time!

**Unfortunately, I had a bit of a buzzkill regarding attitudes toward men in dance today. I wrote a large rant which I decided not to publish here on Dance Advantage. Why? Well, mostly because it doesn’t reflect my goals to keep this blog a positive space and a resource of quality information on dance. I realized that my tirade would not necessarily bring enlightenment to anyone reading the blog and that I did not really need affirmation that most of you share my views. I also didn’t feel that the source of my discontent deserved any further credit. In looking at the content of my post, however, I do think that some interesting points for discussion on bigotry, parenting, and gender issues are present. Therefore, I will tell you that if you are interested in reading the other side to the “boys in dance” story you are welcome to visit my online portfolio. I won’t link to it here, but there is a link to my portfolio available on this website. I’m not trying to be difficult, but I’d prefer only those truly interested to have a look.

Two Heads Are Better Than One

In the art and practice of dance, one’s instrument and medium is the body. A painter, sculptor, or musician must know intimately the tools of his craft, and so it is with dancers as well. However, the human body is an intricate organism and science is continually learning new things about the way in which it functions. Therefore, it is important for the dance community to have members that have one foot in the dance world and the other in the world of physiological and kinesiological science and medicine. Two members fitting this description have a foot (well…) hand in yet another world – the internet. For quite some time these two women have been offering their knowledge and expertise to a wide range of the dance community via the world wide web. If you don’t already know their names, you should!

Meeting of the Minds

They are Deborah Vogel and Lisa Howell, two women from opposite sides of the world who have a similar vision and purpose- that is to educate dancers and teachers, arming them with information to improve the quality of health and understanding of the body in dance education and practice. In each other it seems they have recently found a kindred spirit and have decided to join forces on some projects that will further their mission.

I’m sure these two have several exiting things in store for us, but it seems their first collaboration will be monthly podcasts that seek to answer questions from dancers and teachers like yourselves. In the video below Lisa Howell describes a bit about the project and lets you know where you can go to submit your question:

Who Are These Partners in Crime?

Just in case you are not familiar with these two women, I thought I’d share some information about who they are and what they do.

Deborah Vogel

Deborah is Neuromuscular Educator and author of several books who studied under Irene Dowd (author of Taking Root to Fly). She was a co-founder of the now defunct Center for Dance Medicine in New York City. Deb currently resides on the faculty at Oberlin College and Oberlin College Conservatory of Music. Her website The Body Series offers articles, products, and a blog (a transmutation of her Dancing Smart Newsletter), the purpose of which is to answer readers’ questions regarding body health and training issues in dance.

Lisa Howell

Lisa is a physiotherapist specializing in educating and treating dancers and founder of Perfect Form Physiotherapy, a clinic in North Sydney, Australia that, according to Lisa’s website, “focuses on educating dancers and providing one-on-one rehabilitation and technique correction in a caring and holistic environment.” She has also generated a series of resources, including the Perfect Pointe System, designed to help dancers safely and conscientiously improve their dancing and prepare for pointe work. Lisa’s website, The Ballet Blog, offers articles, products, newsletter updates, workshop information, and answers to your questions, and her video podcasts can be seen on the site or at her YouTube channel.

All Things to All People

While, of course, here at Dance Advantage, I strive to provide a comprehensive resource of articles and information for those involved in dance education, I realize that it is impossible for one place to be all things to all people. I am one person and there are limitations to what I, personally, can provide. It is for this reason, that I feel compelled to share other great resources on the web. If I’ve saved you time by linking you to another site that provides truly useful news, guidance, products, or services, I feel I am closer to meeting all of your needs as you participate in dance.

In addition to my college coursework in teaching and kinesiology, I have often drawn upon the work of Deborah and Lisa as I sought to provide quality information and advice to my dance students. I believe in their mission and these ladies know what they’re talking about!

If you have personal experience with Deborah Vogel, Lisa Howell, or their products. Or, if you’ve participated in any of their workshops, please share your observations with us.

If you want to know more, please visit their respective web sites.

One Feed to Read them All

When I first began writing this blog I actually knew very little about blogging. I was writing a personal blog about my family for friends and relatives and soon recognized the possibilities the platform held for writing about dance. I jumped right in to the writing part but recognized I needed to find others who were doing the same. Though I immediately discovered a few dance blogs, I’ve had to make an effort in searching for the many really great sites that are out there in the blogosphere. Therefore, it is my pleasure to report that those interested in reading dance blogs no longer have to go to great lengths, uncovering gems one by one because Deborah Friedes, contributor at The Winger and author of the Dance in Israel blog, along with Tal Galili, have created a great new resource called Dance Bloggers.

What is It?

Dance Bloggers aggregates, or collects the feeds of dance blogs, making it a one-stop shop for  both discovering new dance blogs (links on Dance Bloggers connect directly to the orignial blog site) and following the updates of all participating dance blogs. For readers, this means that you can either head to their website to catch up on new content or subscribe to one feed so that you never miss another update from any of the contributing blogs.

Who are the Contributors?

Anyone blogging about dance can add their blog to the directory. The directory already includes dance blogs concerning training, artistic process, news, and more, and new blogs are being added every day!

Check it Out!

When visiting the site you can also become a friend/member of Dance Bloggers through Google Friend Connect, allowing you to interact with other users of the site and comment on their “wall,” a feature with which facebook users will be familiar. In fact, you can also join the Dance Bloggers group (or fan page) on facebook. So, whether you blog about dance or read dance blogs, please visit this great new resource!

College Bound – Your Career in Dance

Being a university dance alum myself, it is my desire to help new and future college students with their transition to studying dance in a university setting. I have already posted topics on this subject, however, if you are new to the blog you may not know about them so I thought I’d do a little re-post compiling the articles. Also, I’d like to provide you with resources for further investigation. Check out the links at the bottom of this article on Dance as a Career, Scholarships for Dancers, and more.

The College Guide

How to Decide on A College

Topics Included:

• What are your goals? (see also setting goals in dance)
  
• The audition process.
  
• Location, facilities, and campus life.
• If you are concerned about grades…
• Making the transition

Tips for College Part I

Topics Included:

• Technique Classes
  • Trust and Balance
• Rehearsals
  • Get Involved and Be Professional

Tips for College Part II

Topics Included:

• Improvisation/Modern Dance/Contemporary Concepts
  
  • Go For It!
  • The Task at Hand
• Filling in the Gaps
  

Tips for College Part III

Topics Included:

• Theory and Liberal Arts Classes
  • Study and Note-taking
  • Absences
  • Embrace Learning
    
• Take Care of Your Instrument

Dance as a Career

• Challenges in Professional Dance
• Jobs in Dance Companies
• Jobs in Media and Communications
• Jobs in Medicine and Health Care
• Dance Teaching Jobs
• Secrets to Extending Your Dance Career
• From Campus to Professional Life
  
• What Becomes of Undergraduate Dance Majors? (a study)
  

Scholarships and Financial Aid

• Scholarships for Dancers (USA)
• Dance and Drama Awards (UK)
• Jessica Karrat Dance Scholarship Fund (USA)
• Directory of Dance Scholarships (I believe all of these are USA)
• Dance Magazine Scholarship Guide 2008
  

Find a College That Meets Your Criteria

Dance Magazine College Guide 08-09
Dance Department Blogs
I just thought it was interesting that some university dance departments now have their own blogs, so I’m adding these links. Check them out!

• Ohio State University – OSU Dance
• Wayne State University – Maggie Allesee Department of Dance

If you would like to suggest additional resources for dance in higher education (particularly for areas outside the U.S., please post links or information in the comments.

If you have questions about dance in a university setting, feel free to contact me.

Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Turnout – How to Nurture Your Turnout

This is a continuing series. Certainly, it would be impossible to write about everything you ever wanted to know about turnout in one, two, or maybe even twenty posts. But, welcome to Part II!.

Part I explored the history of turnout in dance and the anatomical definition of outward rotation at the hip joint.  Here, I will discuss the three ways in which a dancer can nurture their ability to turnout and to actively maintain that turnout during movement.

Awareness

Awareness comes from both developing an understanding of how the body, or the hip joint in this case, works (which we’ve already talked about in Part I) and adjusting or bringing attention to the way you think as a result of this understanding. The number one problem for students struggling with turnout is that often they are thinking about what they see happening to the pelvis rather than what is occurring in the joint. Teachers can help their students develop x-ray vision by discussing the actions of the joint in anatomical terms.  Many students do not even have a clear picture of how their bones and muscles look so keep in mind that diagrams can be very helpful.  Of course, accuracy with terminology is great also, but what students really need to understand are the concepts behind what the bones and muscles are doing. This is far more helpful than talking about visual imperfections like “lifting hips” which occur when students are not properly using their turnout. Consider using mental imagery to aid in this kinesthetic understanding. For instance, in her article Turnout is a Verb, Linda Kjesbu suggests imagining the quadriceps “as you would a barber shop pole that continually rotates up and out, around the leg.” This image hints at the idea of upward lengthening and outward rotation of the whole leg – a different picture and feeling all together than opening the feet like a book or in the shape of a slice of pizza, which is only what we see happening on the outside.

In Conditioning for Dance, Eric Franklin uses the image of the pelvic floor opening like a fan in turnout.  With this tool one can visualize that the sitz bones come together as the femurs open away from each other. Attention is drawn to a very important portion of the body – the base of the centre – which will help students begin to harness the power of the pelvis in jumping, leaping, and other movements.

In addition to imagery, tactile information (sense of touch) can also be extremely helpful for a dancer. Encourage students to find bony landmarks on themselves and one another. Find ways to isolate certain muscles through manipulation and touch while encouraging the use of mental pictures. Again, I will highly recommend Conditioning for Dance as a wonderful reference for this type of sensory learning.  You will also find a variety exercises with bands and balls targeting specific areas of the body. For an in-depth understanding and analysis of joint and muscle actions, I constantly refer to Sally Fitt’s Dance Kinesiology. These make excellent additions to a teacher’s dance library.

Release

Too much tension in the musculature around the hip joint is often responsible for limiting the degree of turnout. Therefore, releasing that tension is key if you’d like to improve outward (and inward) rotation. Tight inward rotators inhibit outward rotation and visa versa. Dancers have varying methods which they use to accomplish release in the hips. Some use passive and lengthening stretches and others utilize props like balls to facilitate an opening within the joint.

A common stretch for the inward rotators is the prone (face-down) frog. In this stretch it important to avoid

forcing or pushing the turnout of the hips because doing so can damage the tissues and ligaments surrounding and leading from the hip. A more gentle and effective version of the frog can be done either sitting or lying supine (face-up). While sitting, place the feet together and hands just below and outside the bent knees. Push the knees outward against the force of hands which are pushing inward. Hold this for about 20-30 seconds, then release, opening the knees wide and stretching the inward rotators. While lying, point both knees to the ceiling. Open one knee toward the floor and press down with this leg, lifting the thigh, hips and lower spine off the floor. Maintain this press and lift the opposite leg off the floor so that only the rotated leg and the shoulders are supporting the body. Hold this for 20-30 seconds (breathe!) and then release and lie with both knees open wide, then repeat with the other leg. Both of these stretches utilize reciprocal inhibition, a method of increasing flexibility favored by dance medicine specialists.

Strengthen Without Tension

Many dancers have more turnout capability than they are able to use because they lack the strength in their outward rotators and supporting muscles to fully open and maintain turnout in the hips. Strengthening these muscles is a gradual process and can be done primarily during technique class, focusing particularly on rotation during plié, fondu, and passé/retiré exercises. Performing prone leg lifts and the Pilates side kick series also target the appropriate muscle groups. Make sure you have a trainer, guide, or teacher when learning these, however, so that you are not repeatedly strengthening or targeting the wrong muscles. Turnboards, discs, and other devices are also becoming popular for strengthening the outward rotators.

No matter what method of strengthening you practice, it is essential to focus on doing so without tension in the muscles. “Squeezing” the buttocks is never a good idea when trying to achieve turnout. This language is often tossed around in dance classes, perhaps because the gluteus maximus is partially responsible for achieving turnout, and it is a muscle we can see working. However, squeezing implies that the contraction is a forceful one which will only lead to over-development of the muscle and possibly injury. Dancers should always strive to create less effort in movement as opposed to more, therefore it helps to pay more attention to the opening and lengthening involved in turnout rather than constantly contracting or holding tension in the muscles, which leads to muscular imbalance.

Avoiding Injury

Almost all injuries in dance are caused by imbalance. Imbalance in muscle strength is created when one muscle group is overused or underused in relation to the opposite muscle group. For instance, the excessive use of the outward rotators in dance can cause sciatic syndrome, a condition in which the sciatic nerve, which runs through the deep rotators, becomes pinched when this muscle group is constantly working without release. For this reason alone it is important for dancers that work in turnout to make time for stretching the external rotators. We’ve all done the sitting yoga twist (pictured right), which is a great stretch for this muscle group. Reciprocal stretches, like the ones for the inward rotators above, can be effective for the outward rotators as well. Lie supine with your knees up and press the insides of your knees together, holding this for 20-30 seconds. Then, open the feet and drop one knee (in inward rotation) toward the floor. Press again and then drop the other leg.

Another serious consideration is that when dancers chase the almost impossible ideal of true 180º turnout, and outward rotation is forced beyond the range of one’s bone structure, an abnormal erosion of the hip socket occurs. This is probably the reason for the high numbers of aging dancers with arthritic hips. Avoid forcing turnout now and you will lessen the chances of needing a hip replacement later in life. Creating false turnout (as mentioned in Part I) can also lead to problems. Excessive pronation can cause shinsplints, strained arches, bunions, misaligned knees, and strained ligaments. Issues such as these have a way of working their way upward through the body, and will in turn cause strain in the hips or cause pelvic tilt, which often leads to back problems and iliopsoas shortening/pain. As you can see, rolling in to get that little bit of “extra” turnout is clearly not worth it.

At the beginning of this two-part article, I asked two questions:  How important is turnout, really? And is having extreme turnout really ideal? What I hope you take away from this article is that it is not the degree to which one is capable of turning out, but the healthful and educated approach to achieving the individual’s own potential for turnout that is important.  As for the importance of turnout itself, I believe it is only as important as we allow it to be.  Even most ballet professionals, I think, would agree that having extreme turnout is trumped by mastering the ability to properly execute and maintain the degree of whatever outward rotation that exists.  This attitude, when applied to training or teaching, can transform a student’s technique. Coupled with the knowledge of how turnout works, it allows the dancer to dance longer and stronger. It is never too early for a dancer to begin to make kinesthetic connections to the movements they are producing in dance class.  Turnout can be properly enforced with imagery and knowlege by teachers who have their pupil’s wellness in mind.

If the turnout is mastered early and properly, the student, and later the dancer, does not have to waste energy on the placement but instead can concentrate on the muscle energy needed to  jump higher to turn better, and to control the weight of the leg.

- Istvan Ament, A Systematic Approach to Classical Ballet: A Four-Year Program

Tell me about your successes or frustration with turnout.

Do you think too much emphasis is placed on the degree of turnout? If so, what are some ways that teachers or educators can correct this?

Do you think the ballet aesthetic is changing?

What are some images, stretches, or exercises relating to turnout that have worked for you?

Dancing with the Stars (Not Those Stars)

Celebrities get their fair share of exposure so, no, this is not another post on reality tv’s hit show. Instead, I wanted to highlight one woman’s realized dream to create dance in zero-gravity. Read more

Dance Where?… Dance Here!!

Just thought I’d let everyone know about a new dance blog/community that’s entered the scene called DanceHere. The blog has already featured some great and informative posts which seem to have a similar focus to my mission here at Dance Advantage. I want to support sites that produce quality information for an internet audience. This is my philosopy: When artists and educators learn, share, and show support, everyone wins. Those that fear competition don’t have confidence in their product. This is not to say that I regard DanceHere as competition – just the opposite really, we’re on the same team! I hope that other dancers and artists will consider this message. Just something to think about.

Anyway, currently DanceHere is asking that Studios, Companies, and Groups submit their information for a new series entitled This Season. Please check out this new resource.

The Company

I wanted to share with you one of my favorite dance movies – The Company. I love it for it’s rich performance footage and day-in-the life feel. It’s low on plot, but high on spectacular dancing and choreography. Just for your information, the movie, featuring Neve Campbell and directed by Robert Altman, is rated PG-13 with some nudity in dressing-room scenes.

Here is a wonderful review of the movie. Read more

The Core or Center

Today I thought we’d look at the area of the body which most dancers refer to as the core, or the center, of the body. Sometimes these terms can be confusing. So lets start by trying to define them. This article called Dancing from the Centre, speaks of the elusiveness of the language we use in dance when we talk about “the center”. This is an in-depth article which offers several perspectives on finding or describing one’s center. However, it’s this bit that gives some insight about what a teacher usually means when he/she talks of center.

I have discovered there are several terms used to talk about this mysterious ‘centre’. Amongst them are: ‘the core’, ‘centre of gravity’ and ‘centre of weight’. When teachers talk about ‘the core’ or ‘the centre’ it has been my finding that they are after an engagement of the abdominal muscles in their students; a muscular engagement that is evidenced both visually and aesthetically in their students’ dancing.

I want to note that the author goes on to show how the center of gravity or weight is different from this “engagement of the abdominal muscles.” But what exactly does it mean to engage your abdominals? I’ve used the phrase many times with my own students only to receive blank stares, so obviously we need to dig deeper. To do so, we need to consider how the abdominal muscles function. Deborah Vogel from The Body Series explains the idea of engaging (or “pulling up” as you’ll hear in many dance classrooms) through a description of isometric contraction and the use of imagery. I often use the idea of lacing abdominals with my own students because it was an image that clicked for me the first time I heard it. Go ahead, try this image now… Really imagine it, use your minds eye to feel the laces crossed over your torso and slowly cinch them inward (not too tight, you should be able to breathe), bringing the abdomen and organs closer to your spine which runs down the center of your body. It may take some practice but eventually this activation of the muscles can become second nature. By the way, Deborah has some other great resources at her site – check out the Core Stability DVD, and Deborah’s Dancing Smart ebook for more exercises, technique and tips.

More than just the abdominal muscles is involved in stabilizing and strengthening “the core” for dance. A brief description of the muscle groups (left) that, from an anatomical perspective, form the core can be found here. All of these muscles must be strengthened to enhance your dance technique. Special equipment is not necessarily required, but an understanding of how the body works is key to working more intelligently while you’re in class. There are also lots of simple things you can work on outside of class that will strengthen your core muscles. Practicing engaging your abdominals as you do daily activities will not only strengthen, but create a habit of supporting movement using your core, freeing you to focus on other things as you dance. For ballet, Dianne has some suggestions for core exercise. Make sure your retiré position is properly turned-out and aligned as you do this work (have a teacher check it out if you’re not sure).

So, now that we better understand the core, or center and how we’re expected to use it when we dance, there’s one remaining question that someone may still be asking…. WHY? What’s the big deal about this magical part of the body? Why is it so important to my dancing? The answer is freedom. Freedom is what comes from strengthening, engaging, and stabilizing the core. Amber is a blogger and swing dance teacher that recently provided an image to explain the freedom that comes with a strong core, which I plan on stealing (…er, borrowing) because that’s what teachers do! I encourage you to read her post for yourself (don’t miss the spaghetti and brick imagery), but she points out that a feather has a solid core which allows it’s feathery arms to move with ease as it glides through space. This isn’t a perfect image (a feather’s core can be a bit stiff), but it does reinforce the idea that your arms, legs, shoulders, hips, neck, and head all have the freedom to do what you will as long as your core is solid and, once you’ve discovered this freedom, your technique will soar.

What do you do to strengthen your core?

What are some other images that helped you find your centre?

Dance Instructors and the Internet Community

I just discovered this post about how dance instructors might use the internet and thought it was a timely topic for one who is just recently discovering the possibilities of blogging. I am a dancer and teacher who has just become a full-time mom. Finding a way to use my skills in a new environment that doesn’t take me too far from home is now a goal for me and I am slowly learning the ins and outs of the weblog culture that I never had time for while I was out making a living as a teacher.

In the post (if you haven’t read it already), Doug Fox at Great Dance suggests some marketing strategies for teachers that are relatively easy to implement. He asks, however, for some pros and cons about his ideas. As a teacher I see the logistics of regularly videotaping classes as a con. Generally, videotaping is tedious and distracting for the instructor and the students, particularly without an assistant or partner to help out. Participating in a class that is regularly videotaped would be annoying at best and may actually cost the teacher students. After all, students are there to improve themselves and should not have to be concerned with how they appear on camera at the same time. Plus, it is important to consider the safety of any students who are minors if images are truly going out to a wider audience. Something to remember is that most dance instructors are not solely independent or freelancing, they have regular dance students who are their priority. Creating a video of a class for distribution should probably be (as most videos of this type are) a developed product, so as not to intrude on the work being done in class. From there, it can be marketed online as suggested in this article.

I believe that time constraints have a lot to do with why many teachers don’t utilize online technology. Teaching dance as a means of supporting oneself requires many in-class hours, not to mention preparation outside of class. Also, many dance teachers and artists that I know are quite behind in their knowledge of the internet, perhaps because of their tireless work ethic in the studio, or because many dancers are not interested in spending much time in a static state in front of the computer, or because the techie stuff is a little too right-brained, or all of the above.

It is worth mentioning that students are generally from the same locale in which the teacher resides. Therefore, physically getting out into the community and teaching or performing is not only what will generate the most traffic for their business, but more importantly, enrich the lives of people within that community. Teachers can benefit from an online presence because, like it or not, that’s where their students and customers are hanging out! There are meaningful ways of enhancing the dance experience of both students and teachers through information and inspiration via the internet. That’s what I hope to bring to those that access this site.