Giving students, teachers, and parents an edge in dance education
What are the pros and cons of traversing multiple genres in the dance field? Does it pay to be a Jack of all trades or will choreographers assume you’re a master of none? Featured columnist and dancer, Roger Lee shares his thoughts on what it’s like to find work and collect income from a variety of sources.
Co-Director of The Ailey School, Co-Chair of The Ailey/Fordham B.F.A. program, and former Dance Theatre of Harlem ballerina, Melanie Person answers ten questions: on leg extension, encouraging ballet students, what studios could do to better prepare students for college, and what she knew when she was twelve.
I’ve been given a blog award but I’m announcing it with a twist and a shout out. Meet my nominator, Jean who blogs 52 Weeks of Ballet, and Melissa, the young blogger behind the award. They got to ask me questions too in this post that covers everything from first dance solos to returning to ballet as an adult.
From fueling the body, to proving yourself from the back of the room, to the independent work required of a professional, Miami City Ballet’s Rebecca King recaps the lessons she’s learned in her five years of company life.
Did you catch “I Sacrificed Everything for Ballet” in the March issue of Seventeen? Guest Melanie Doskocil helps balance the view with some straight talk about ballet training for a career, inviting readers to weigh in with their thoughts on sacrifice, crossing the line, and how to prevent the pitfalls of elite training.
I cannot possibly advise if you’ll “make it” as a professional dancer. Even your teachers may not be able to advise you. Naysayers are a frequent catalyst and have launched many a career in dance. Only YOU can make the decision and YOU are the only person that is responsible and can be held accountable for the outcome.
“I once took six months off from ballet when I was 14. My school commitments were growing and it was becoming seriously difficult to juggle everything. It reaffirmed for me, however, that ballet was my one love and out of everything what I should have been doing.”
It can be scary to break out of the comfortable confines of your local studio. But branching out has many benefits for an aspiring dance professional. By taking a wide variety of dance classes from different sources, you become a more versatile dancer. In today’s dance industry, versatility is extremely important. Sure you can specialize in a specific dance genre, but it is also important to be well-versed in a variety of styles.
