A Celebration of Dance Moms

My little guy dancing

Dance moms, dance teachers, and dancing moms share sweet, funny, and poignant stories about young dancers and the dance mom life.

Appraising the Value of Praise

is there such a thing as too much praise? How can one instill confidence without creating a dependence on external approval?

Children and Dance

Throughout my career as a teacher I have had the opportunity and the pleasure to work with very young dancers. I’ve enjoyed being able to spark imaginations and encourage little ones in their discovery of movement and dance. These young students have taught me a lot too!

Bloggers Unite: Something Out of Nothing

Young Boy at rehearsals by the Idbaa dance troop from the Dheisheh Refugee Camp in Palestine. Since being founded in 1994, the Ibdaa Cultural Centre has served more than 1,200 children and youth annually and provides employment and income for more than 70 families in the refugee camp. ©Dave Wyatt All Rights reserved

I do not consider myself well-versed in international or global affairs, policies, politics, wars, or history. As a dancer, an artist, and citizen of the world I am curious about these things. However, probably like many of you, I am easily overwhelmed by all there is to learn and understand as I try to sift [...]

Blog Action Day: ASTEP Toward Ending Poverty

Today is Blog Action Day, “an annual nonprofit event that aims to unite the world’s bloggers, podcasters and videocasters, to post about the same issue on the same day.”  This year’s aim is to raise awareness and trigger a global discussion about poverty. I was particularly excited about this topic because it is one that [...]

What it Takes – Becoming a Ballerina

Originally this post featured a link to a news item that focused on a 12-year-old girl with aspirations to become a professional ballet dancer, and the sacrifices she’s made and will need to make in order to get there. The article is no longer available, however, so I have updated this post with some other [...]