On Wednesday, June 23 at 2:30pm EST I will be hosting a LIVE chat with Suzanne Gerety of DanceStudioOwner.com and Marc Kirschner of TenduTV right here on Dance Advantage.

We will be chatting about a topic that is important to all three of us: Social Smarts

Have you noticed all the social media advice coming from every direction?

A lot of people offer it for free. Others want you to pay for it. But either way it can be tough, when you are the new kid on the block, to know who to trust and from whom to take guidance. Even as three participants who have been “socializing” online for a relatively long time, Suzanne, Marc, and I can give no definitive answers about what will help you reach your unique goals online.

Therefore, our purpose for this chat is not to tell you how you should be approaching or growing your presence via social media.

Instead, we want to share with you how we ourselves filter the incoming information and “expert” advice that pervades the Internet and the online dance community so that you might make smart choices in your very own decisions and feel confident in your approach as you grow your presence online.

Why this trio?

Suzanne, Marc, and I all “met” on Twitter around the same time in early 2008. Though Twitter had been around since ’06 it didn’t really make its mark until 2007. When I joined, I did so because bloggers were some of the early adopters of the platform and recommended it. No one else I knew used Twitter. It took practically another year before I was really even finding potential readers (dance teachers, students, parents) who were using it. But, I was very fortunate to connect with a few other dance bloggers and industry leaders, and even more fortunate to become friends with a handful of folks that were not only experts in their field but really great people.

“By the end of 2007, about 500,000 tweets per quarter were posted. By the end of 2008, 100 million tweets per quarter were posted. By the end of 2009, 2 billion tweets per quarter were posted. In the first quarter of 2010, 4 billion tweets per quarter were posted.” – Twitter (Wikipedia)

Fast forward.

The web is now a very social place. In fact, my Facebook story is not all that different from Twitter. I joined there in 2006, a while before my friends were and long before businesses were utilizing it publicly. In the last six months alone I’ve observed a flood of dance companies, studios, businesses, websites, and yes readers joining the fray on both Twitter and Facebook. So while Marc, Suzanne, and I have not necessarily been around from the beginning of it all, it is fair to say that we’ve been witnesses and participants for quite a bit of the social media explosion — more experienced than someone just starting perhaps, but still learning, using, and occasionally relying on advice from others when determining how to make the most of social media.

The three of us share a passion for dance and for using social media to contribute to and strengthen the dance community. Yet we approach social media with varying goals and perspectives, based on our different roles. In this way, I feel we three are a useful cross section of the dance community’s social media consumers.

We are happy to share with you what we’ve encountered and learned along the way.

We hope you’ll join us as I moderate and guide a Q&A with Suzanne and Marc and then open it up to questions from you!

We’ll see you Wednesday, June 23 at 2:30pm EST!

© Nichelle Strzepek for Dance Advantage, 2010. | Permalink | CLICK HERE to comment | Category: Blog, The Internet, Toolbox

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Some things you should know…

The articles and content are still here and at the same URL’s as before. Most of the changes have been cosmetic.

The enhanced navigational elements of this design are the feature that I’m most excited about.

• It seems a simple thing but, when you click on the Dance Advantage logo in the header, now you’ll be taken to the home page.
• Below the header are the primary navigation links which were at the top of the old design. Notice the fancy schmancy drop-down menus for subpages!
• Just beneath the main navigation bar are links to the blog’s major categories.
• The subcategories are accessible too! For instance in the “Toolbox,” you’ll find posts about performance, music, technique, and more!
• The home page now features boxes that display the most recent posts in three very important categories – For Students; For Teachers; For Parents. It’s all about you, after all!

Why is this so exciting?

Because Dance Advantage covers a wide-range of topics within dance education.

Previously visitors to the blog would see the most recent posts but had to dig deeper for posts that were directly related to their interests. For example, parents visiting the site may be looking for tips on finding a good studio or supporting their young dancer. If the most recent posts are geared to teachers or students, a parent, seeing nothing that pertains to them, will leave and miss relevant information. The navigational changes ultimately make the blog more user friendly for those looking for something specific.

So, if you are new to the blog, a recent subscriber, or just passing through. Feel free to explore!

I look forward to your thoughts and comments on the new design below.

© Nichelle Strzepek for Dance Advantage, 2009. | Permalink | CLICK HERE to comment | Category: Asides, Blog

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A result of relationships formed online is getting the chance to interact with people and investigate subjects that you might not normally. And some bloggers take it upon themselves to facilitate this by occasionally opening their blogging home to others with guest posts, interviews, or features. I’ve recently been fortunate to share the spotlight at two different sites. You won’t find much about dance or dance classes at either blog, but you’ll find some interesting stuff there! Both are more personal in nature than Dance Advantage, filled with stories and reflections on the everyday and extraordinary aspects of life.

Below, you’ll find a little more about each blog and how I’ve come to appear there.

Citystreams

Citystreams is Cindy’s blogging home. After two years of medical school she dropped out and went on to become a high school teacher. She is also mother to a sweet little girl and the wife of a police officer. She writes about all of these things on her blog, which she says is “cheaper than therapy, easier than scrapbooking and helps me remember the millions of moments, that I would surely forget if I didn’t write them down.” I was first drawn to Cindy’s blog because of her obvious dedication to teaching and because her daughter is around the same age as my son. Recently, she invited other “Blogistas” to answer a few questions about themselves as if they were talking to an old friend they hadn’t seen since high school and I took the bait. It was a fun exercise and may give you a peek inside my life outside of Dance Advantage. Click on the image below to be swept downstream to Citystreams.

Middle Zone Musings

Middle Zone Musings is the blogging home of Robert, a fellow Houstonian whose last name is almost as difficult to spell as my own. Robert has an interesting life story with lots of twists and tuns, ups and downs. His posts are usually his own musings and life lessons delivered in a “down-home” writing style. Each month he hosts a group writing project called What I Learned From…, to which others can submit their own life lessons on a particular subject. As a project for the new year, Robert created a variation of What I Learned – a Blogapalooza, or blogging event that gives others a chance to reflect on their growth in the past year. Participants were to select one post from each month of 2008 and express what it is that they learned from each post/month. This year there are over 100 contributors with their very own guest spot on Middle Zone Musings (and there’s still time to participate). Again, I felt this was a fun exercise and a great opportunity to look back at my first year (well, eight months) of blogging. You can join me in the Middle Zone by clicking on the image below. Be sure to check out what others learned from 2008!

Your Turn?

I hope you enjoy these little diversions featuring yours truly. They were fun to do! In fact, even if you don’t have a blog, both of the exercises above offer great writing exercises for your journal or just because. Perhaps you could answer Cindy’s questions yourself or write your own mini-autobiography in a conversational style. Or, look back at 2008 and decide what you learned from each month in dance, or otherwise. It will teach you a lot about how much you’ve grown and changed over the years or over this past year.

I hope you are enjoying 2009! Thanks for spending a bit of here with me at Dance Advantage!

© Nichelle Strzepek for Dance Advantage, 2009. | Permalink | CLICK HERE to comment | Category: Blog, For Fun, For Inspiration

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Thank you!

Some folks that have been especially kind, helpful, and supportive…

Leslea at NJ Dancers and Uptown Dance

Suzanne at Dance Studio Owner

David at Movmnt Magazine

Nancy Wozny at Dancehunter

Angie at Blog Coach

Cammie at Stripes and Velour

Some sites and services that have been a great help along the way

WordPress.com

ProBlogger

Twitter

BlogCatalog

Google

The Body Series/Dancing Smart Newsletter

My Tweeps and other dancebloggers

Selly at DanceOutlook

Tonya at Swan Lake Samba Girl

Deborah at Dance in Israel and DanceBloggers.com

Maria at A Time to Dance

M. Butterfly at Notes from Upstage Left

… the many others who have been kind enough to add Dance Advantage to their blogroll or links, most of them can be found on my blogroll (so please check it out).

And a huge THANK YOU to my readers!

Readership has increased over 300% since that first month of blogging. Dance Advantage has come a long way, and I recently published my 100th post! Just for fun, let’s look back at the most popular posts this year.

Top Five Posts for the Year

1. Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Turnout (Part I)
2. What Is Modern Dance?
3. Creative Dance
4. Encouraging Boys to Dance
5. Improving Pirouettes

Goals for 2009

I have many goals for Dance Advantage but I thought I’d let you in on the biggest one. Plans are already in motion for making the switch from WordPress.com to WordPress.org. For readers who have no idea, this means that I will have more control over the look and design of the blog, which will translate into a new look and layout, new features, options for navigating the posts, and more. I am very excited about this transition as I believe it will support my mission to provide a quality and useful resource for those involved in dance education.

If you are a regular reader of the blog, I encourage any suggestions or feedback that will improve this site. I’d love to hear from you!

To all of you visiting this, my first post in 2009, I want to wish you a wonderful, prosperous, and…

© Nichelle Strzepek for Dance Advantage, 2009. | Permalink | One comment - ADD YOURS! | Category: Asides, Blog

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Swan Lake Samba girl recently reviewed the show on her blog, and says of choreographer Chris Elam’s work, “his movement language is so original, something I can’t say of many other choreographers… the creatures he creates can be funny, sad, pathetic, cute, always endearing.”

Here are some short video previews from Misnomer’s YouTube channel:

Good news regarding this special event…

On Dec. 14 you can pull up a computer, watch, and chat about this amazing event LIVE on the Dance Advantage companion network, Dance Advantage Interactive!

Events like this one are a wonderful opportunity for dance students to see live dance which they may not have the opportunity to see otherwise without leaving their own home. Misnomer’s work is accessible but highly creative and displays daring and inventive partnering work. I hope that you will tune in to witness this unique event and chat about your experience as it is happening. And, while you are there, I hope you will check out DA Interactive and join this new community of dancers, teachers, parents, and professionals.

I will be posting reminders on Twitter, so sign up to follow my “tweets.” To watch Misnomer Dance Theater on December 14 go to danceadvantage.ning.com. The show will be broadcast on the front page. Hope to “see” you there!

This performance is made possible, in part, by The Joyce Theater Foundation, which owns and operates Joyce SoHo. www.joyce.org.  Misnomer LIVE

© Nichelle Strzepek for Dance Advantage, 2008. | Permalink | CLICK HERE to comment | Category: Blog, News and Events, The Dance World

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I hope all of you in the U.S. are having a happy holiday.

The holiday season is, of course, a busy one for everyone. I wanted to let everyone know that I will be taking a little break from writing new material for the blog until after the new year. In addition to my duties as a mom, which will keep me quite busy throughout this time, I have some other writing projects in the works, and I have decided that as the blog has grown I need use this time to organize my writing and posting habits. Streamlining my process will not only be beneficial for my home life, but allow me to bring you the best possible content here at Dance Advantage. From now until the New Year I will be doing some re-posting of older articles which may be new to readers who have recently discovered the blog, as well as sharing occassional news and events stories that may be of interest to you.

I will not be disappearing completely. You can still find me on Twitter and other places around the net.

To those of you in the U.S. and elsewhere around the world, have a very happy holiday season.

Thank you for your readership and support of Dance Advantage. May you have a wonderful and prosperous new year!

© Nichelle Strzepek for Dance Advantage, 2008. | Permalink | CLICK HERE to comment | Category: Asides, Blog

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Did you know that you can receive automatic updates to your favorite blogs or news sites and even read them all in one place without having your inbox clogged with additional e-mails?

It’s true! It’s like having your own personal magazine including only the topics and sections you’ve handpicked.  As long as the site has a feed (and many do these days), you’re good to go!

Getting Started

I realize there are many people who don’t know about or understand how feeds work or what purpose they serve. If you are one of those people, here is a quick explanation that will guide you through the steps of adding your favorite sites to a feed aggregator.  Keep in mind, this is just one method using one of Google’s many gadgets, but it’s one of the easiest.  Here we go!

1. Go to the Google homepage and select More>Reader from the navigation list.
2. Create a free Google account and follow steps (or login if you already have one) and that’s pretty much it!
   ** this is not a gmail account but you can set up gmail with this google account
3. Now you just need to add subscriptions. There are a few ways to do this:

• If you know the web address or feed address just click Add Subscription and enter it in the box.  For example, enter http://danceadvantage.net/feed OR http://feeds.feedburner.com/danceadvantage and WHA-LA!, Dance Advantage’s latest updates are at your fingertips.  Click on a post title to read an article. Click on the arrow next to the title and it will even take you to the website so that you have access to all of the site’s articles and special features!
• You can find other sites that match your interests with the Discover link (next to Add Subscriptions).  Click on Browse and type in a keyword and it will lead you to new sites.
• If you are on a website you like, look for buttons or links that say “feed” or “subscribe” or “RSS”  or a symbol that looks like this:

• In some browsers, the above icon appears in the address bar at the top of your browser.  Clicking on these will typically lead you to a page where you can choose to add the feed to Google Reader. Once you’ve done this, the latest updates from the site will automatically appear in google reader.

You have lots of options for feed aggregators, but I use Google Reader because it is…

1. Free
2. Online, so I can access it from any computer, and
3. Because I already use other Google services.

I use a reader in general because it really is like creating my own personal magazine!  I am a dancer but also a mom and I have interests in a variety of subjects.  With a reader, I can view the latest in these topics all in one place.  I can check out news headlines, recipes, and articles from my favorite websites without having to visit them each individually.  For sites with content I don’t want to miss, it is way more efficient than ordinary bookmarking.

Need some more help?

I doubt you’ll need it. Honestly, Google Reader makes it pretty darn easy with tips to get you started. But you might also try reading Subscribing to Blogs 101 at one of my favorite “mommy blogs” SimpleMom.

Get Going!

Visiting the websites of your favorite dance companies and organizations, and subscribing to their blogs is a good way to start your “magazine.” Try the DA Blog Stars in the sidebar to the right or visit our Links page for more great dance resources.

Give it a try and don’t forget to add Dance Advantage to your subscriptions!!

Reading via E-mail

Feeds can also be read via e-mail. Many blogs offer this through Feedburner or other services. Just as an aggregator is “fed” new content each time a post is published, these services send out a new e-mail with each update. Subscribe to DA via  e-mail with Feedburner.

Dance Advantage also offers blog updates via the Subscriber Plus membership. Subscribing is free, offers more control over how often you receive blog updates (providing a weekly digest), and extends exclusive content and offers based upon your interest and involvement in dance education. You can read more about that here or simply subscribe.

Once again, thank you so much for reading! I love to read your comments on posts and hope that more of you will take advantage of this option. It is important to me to build an interactive site where people can not only read my thoughts, but respond and offer their own thoughts and ideas as well.  It will make us all more knowledgeable about this passion we share – dance!

© Nichelle Strzepek for Dance Advantage, 2008. | Permalink | 2 comments | Category: Blog, Dance Media, In the Spotlight

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It is hard to believe that I began Dance Advantage just over six months ago!  Last April, the idea that had been loitering in my head became a living, breathing entity.  I had no idea where this blog would take me, how much time I would put into it, or if anyone would even read the darn thing!  My aim was to write about all of the things I never seem to have time to cover when teaching my classes, to pull together useful links and sites, to offer my knowledge of dance and share my passion.  My hope was that other teachers and dance students would take these things, apply them to their work and study, and share them with others.

As you can see from the chart above, Dance Advantage is growing!  More people are commenting and responding, and the number of hits this blog receives has been steadily rising.  I expect that it will continue to do so in October and beyond.  The numbers are nothing compared to many sites but I wanted to share this small success with those of you who regularly read the blog.

Using This Site to Your Advantage

Since I’m taking time out to talk about the blog itself, I’d like to point out some important features you may not be aware of. There are pages offered on this site that don’t show up in feeds (if that happens to be how you read the blog) that I think are helpful to current subscribers and visitors alike.  In particular, the About page offers some ideas about how I hope this site will be used and also some of the other places where Dance Advantage is present online.  For instance, I have a page and profile on Facebook – I’d be honored if you became a fan there. Another useful page provides a tour of the Dance Advantage website.  Most importantly, on this page I’ve explained how to use category or tag links to help you find archived or past posts you may have missed.

Your Own Magazine

If you enjoy or make use of the posts here, regardless if you are a frequent reader or just visiting, I also want to encourage you to subscribe to the blog.  I’ve found that many people searching the internet for information don’t know much about blogs or RSS feeds.  I know I didn’t prior to setting up this website!

You can quickly subscribe to e-mail updates with just a few clicks.  I usually subscribe to all of the blogs I read with Google Reader, however.  Amber, of The Dance Primer, recently wrote on her personal blog about creating a “personalized magazine” using a feed aggregator (or reader).  If you know nothing about feeds, a little information may be enlightening but not necessary to understanding Amber’s analogy.  She likens the experience of trying to keep track of all the magazine articles and clippings one might find useful, to trying to keep track of the online info you want to read and find again.  A feed reader allows you to create one big magazine, filled with updates from all of the websites you read (or want to read) regularly.  Instead of one magazine for each interest, here you can combine your love of dance with your passion for knitting, plus keep tabs on current events, reality tv, and what’s new in parenting, and do it all in one place.  A reader has been invaluable for me because I rarely ever take the time to visit my bookmarked websites – it becomes overwhelming.  A reader allows the websites to come to you.  Of course, a reader can only read feeds, and while still really useful for blogs and other places where you see this little symbol, I’m finding I need more to manage all those “clippings.”  So, I’ve been looking at a few options: Journler, MacJournal, and Google Notebook.  The latter is free but a bit more limited.  You should check it out though if you, too have trouble keeping track of it all, or are a blogger like me.  I’ll let you know what I end up using.

At Your Service

Thanks again to all of you that read regularly.  Because this site’s mission is to serve you, I would be remiss if I didn’t ask your opinions.  So I want to know…

What topics would you like to see covered on this site?

What would you like to see more of?

Which posts have been the most useful to you so far?

Have you or would you share the site with other dancers, your students, your teachers?

How do you feel about the design/layout/features offered on the site?

Do you subscribe? Why or Why Not?

I truly want to hear from you! Add your comments or contact me.  Thanks again for reading! I promise it’s on with the dance for the next post!

© Nichelle Strzepek for Dance Advantage, 2008. | Permalink | 4 comments | Category: Asides, Blog

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See more photos from Adam Baker and of the Ike aftermath on Flickr

I want to briefly thank all who expressed their concern for myself and my family during and in the aftermath of Hurricane Ike which hit our area the Saturday before last. We were without power since that time until Monday and my internet service is now back up.  We spent over a week in Austin with family and are trying to readjust and reclaim some normalcy.  The Houston area is facing a long recovery and some are still without power.  We were truly fortunate to not have had damage to our home and to be able to return to life as it was.  Many have lost their homes and businesses due to the storm and my thoughts are with these folks as they attempt to put their lives back together. I hope you will keep them in your thoughts and prayers as well.  It has been encouraging to watch neighbors helping neighbors in the wake of uncertainty and loss.

I am sorry for the lack of posts during our time as evacuees.  I am playing catch-up and will resume posting as soon as possible.  Thanks for your continued readership and, if you are new to the blog, be sure to look back at previous posts you may have missed.  The category links make it easy to find topics of particular interest to you.  They can be found in the right-hand column under Quick Topics.  Also, try the keywords in the Tags section further down the page.

© Nichelle Strzepek for Dance Advantage, 2008. | Permalink | CLICK HERE to comment | Category: Asides, Blog

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The folks remaining on Galveston island and other areas of the shoreline are the real concern in this storm.  Ike is a large storm and is already creating a surge of water that is covering some of these low-lying areas.  People have already had to be rescued from rooftops and there will be homes and businesses completely obliterated by the time the hurricane makes landfall (over 10 hours from now).  It is hard to believe that anyone has chosen to ride out the storm down there but many have, which will increase the death toll.  Galveston and Houston have been fortunate (or unfortunate in a way) to have had many near-misses in the last several years but this has perhaps created a misplaced confidence when it comes to hurricanes.  Some have assumed that because they’ve made it through past storms they will be fine this time too, but each storm is different and Ike is the real deal.  Please keep these folks, and the police, coast guard and other officials that must stick around to rescue them, in your thoughts and prayers this weekend.  If we lose power, obviously I may not have access to a computer for a few days but will resume the blog as soon as possible.

Thanks to those of you who have expressed concern.

© Nichelle Strzepek for Dance Advantage, 2008. | Permalink | 2 comments | Category: Asides, Blog

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for your participation and for reading! Students, I hope that you discoverd some fresh information that you can take with you into the new school year. If there is something that really hit home, something that you would have liked to have seen here, or you just want to say “hello,” please take a moment to leave a comment.

I would like to thank all of the wonderful dance bloggers who took the time to write or add their work to the listing. There are some really wonderful and generous people within this community and I am so glad to have “met” all of you.

In case you missed any of them, here are the links again.

Organize Your Life and Nurture Your Spirit: Dianne from Ballet Shoes and Pointe Shoes offers tips on dancewear, visualization, journaling, and getting back into class!

Scholarships for Dancers: Heading to college? Seniors, now is the time to start working on applications for school and financial aid. DanceHere offers great advice!

Strengths and Weaknesses: Everyone has them. Here are some tips and encouragement as you attempt to master your strengths and overcome your weaknesses!

Sarah at What a Wonderful World! writes about one of her favorite belly dance students. A heartwarming reminder that you’re never too old to learn something new!

Challenges In Professional Dance: DanceHere offers the first in a series about dance careers. If you are thinking about a career as a professional dancer, don’t miss this post!

Why The Competition?: A post about the reasons dancers compete. Carl, a lindy hopper, competes in partner dancing but his post is applicable to all forms of competitive dance.

Start The Year Off Right: Leslea, assistant director at Uptown Dance shares with students how to be prepared and productive in the coming year of classes. Written as though you were right there in her classroom, she hits all the highlights of the first month of classes.

Jobs in Dance Companies: Considering or researching a career in dance? Performing professionally is not the only option open to dancers. Check out this post from DanceHere.

What to expect from your first ballet class: If you are taking ballet for the first time, Selly from Dance Outlook offers a thorough article on how to prepare and what to expect, complete with some great video.

Negativity: Could your complaining, insecurities, and negativity affect others in your dance class? My experience with a student whose negative attitude was turned around with positive reinforcement.

Careers for Dancers in Media and Communications: Continuing their series, DanceHere highlights careers in film, photography, and more that combine an interest in or knowledge of dance.

Improve Dance With Your Eyes Closed: Sanna, a performance specialist who blogs with dancer, Janie at DanceMind, expresses the importance of sleep for dancers who want to be at their best.

Vertically Challenged: My own tips and suggestions for improving your technique, height, landing, and musicality in vertical jumping (or, sauté).

Additional posts for students can be found under the “for students” category!

Thanks again!

© Nichelle Strzepek for Dance Advantage, 2008. | Permalink | CLICK HERE to comment | Category: Asides, Blog

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Welcome! Thanks for checking out the Teach-a-thon. We’re going to blog our way into a new dance season with some great information from dancers and instructors across the web! Dance students, I know you will find some valuable information here. New posts and links will be added each day of the thon, so keep checking back!

Bloggers, there’s still time to get posts in, just contact me and send the link!

Ok, here goes!!

Tuesday, August 19

Organize Your Life and Nurture Your Spirit: Dianne from Ballet Shoes and Pointe Shoes offers tips on dancewear, visualization, journaling, and getting back into class!

Scholarships for Dancers: Heading to college? Seniors, now is the time to start working on applications for school and financial aid. DanceHere offers great advice!

Strengths and Weaknesses: Everyone has them. Here are some tips and encouragement as you attempt to master your strengths and overcome your weaknesses!

Wednesday, August 20

Sarah at What a Wonderful World! writes about one of her favorite belly dance students. A heartwarming reminder that you’re never too old to learn something new!

Challenges In Professional Dance: DanceHere offers the first in a series about dance careers. If you are thinking about a career as a professional dancer, don’t miss this post!

Why The Competition?: A post about the reasons dancers compete. Carl, a lindy hopper, competes in partner dancing but his post is applicable to all forms of competitive dance.

Thursday, August 21

Start The Year Off Right: Leslea, assistant director at Uptown Dance shares with students how to be prepared and productive in the coming year of classes. Written as though you were right there in her classroom, she hits all the highlights of the first month of classes.

Jobs in Dance Companies: Considering or researching a career in dance? Performing professionally is not the only option open to dancers. Check out this post from DanceHere.

What to expect from your first ballet class: If you are taking ballet for the first time, Selly from Dance Outlook offers a thorough article on how to prepare and what to expect, complete with some great video.

Negativity: Could your complaining, insecurities, and negativity affect others in your dance class? My experience with a student whose negative attitude was turned around with positive reinforcement.

Friday, August 22

Careers for Dancers in Media and Communications: Continuing their series, DanceHere highlights careers in film, photography, and more that combine an interest in or knowledge of dance.

Improve Dance With Your Eyes Closed: Sanna, a performance specialist who blogs with dancer, Janie at DanceMind, expresses the importance of sleep for dancers who want to be at their best.

Vertically Challenged: My own tips and suggestions for improving your technique, height, landing, and musicality in vertical jumping (or, sauté).

Saturday, August 23

Do You Have Your Splits?: Treva, the dance guide at about.com, wants to know. Check out her blog for posts on a wide range of dance topics.

Jobs for Dancers in Medicine and Health Care: DanceHere gives us another great post for those with a passion for dance that want to explore alternative (but related) careers.

The Core or Center: I’ve updated this post (one of my first) from Dance Advantage. Understanding what exactly your core is, the muscles involved, and why its important to know and use your center in dance

Students, there’s lots more here at Dance Advantage!

Check out these posts, written with you in mind

Tell us what you think of the Teach-a-thon and the participating posts in the comments below!

© Nichelle Strzepek for Dance Advantage, 2008. | Permalink | 2 comments | Category: Blog, College and Career, For Students, News and Events, Performance, Summer Study/Workshops, Technique, Toolbox

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There are some great interactive elements available on a lens that are not currently available to me on the blog and I am enjoying exploring how these can be used. For example, I have recently compiled the information from my College Guide series in a lens. In my lens, A Dancer’s Guide to College, users are able to vote my tips up and down in a list as well as add their own, explore a series of other helpful links related to the topic, and get my personal recommendations for books that I found very useful throughout my college years and beyond.

Two of my new lenses are topics not explored on Dance Advantage. Why Blog About Dance? is a personal account of why I began blogging and also offers my suggestions for how the technology can be used for dance studios and students. This was my very first lens, but at Squidoo you can edit a lens as often as you’d like, updating the content as you see fit or as you have time. Like any good piece of choreography, my lenses will continue to be a work-in-progress!

In another new lens called The Sport of Dance, I’m utilizing another great feature which allows readers to have a say and take a side on an issue. I hope to facilitate open debate on concert dance in a competitive setting by allowing readers to speak their mind about the pros and cons of this relatively recent development in dance. Using this feedback, it is my goal to write about the findings here on Dance Advantage, so please visit my lens and weigh in.

As I continue to build lenses I will offer links to them here on My Pages. I hope you will support Dance Advantage by visiting and commenting at my lenses on Squidoo so that more dancers, teachers, and parents can access this resource and join the community I am working to develop through this site.

Do you Squidoo?

© Nichelle Strzepek for Dance Advantage, 2008. | Permalink | One comment - ADD YOURS! | Category: Blog, Dance Media, In the Spotlight

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If you’re not submitting a post but are awaiting all of the great info coming your way, be sure to tune in August 19 – 23!

© Nichelle Strzepek for Dance Advantage, 2008. | Permalink | CLICK HERE to comment | Category: Blog, News and Events

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