It’s been almost a year since our last one and, because next week is Valentine’s Day, it seemed an especially appropriate time for showing and sharing the love.

When will the LOVE Our Readers Giveaway begin?

Good question! The first giveaway will appear at 8am EST on Sunday, February 12, 2012.

A new giveaway will go up every day for 7 days.

When will it end?

The last giveaway goes up on Saturday, February 18 Sunday, February 19 (we love to overdeliver)

But each giveaway is open for approximately 4 1/2 days, closing at 12am, Midnight EST at the close of Day 4. (That means the final giveaway will close at Midnight on the 23rd)

What could I win?(...)

Continue reading "How Do We Love Thee? Let Us Count The Giveaways!"

One comment - ADD YOURS!

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© Nichelle Strzepek for Dance Advantage, 2012. | Permalink | Category: Blog, Dancethropology, Fun & Games, News and Events | Who's talking about this article?

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]]> http://danceadvantage.net/2012/02/07/love-readers-giveaway/feed/ 1 http://danceadvantage.net/2012/01/17/lauren-grind/ http://danceadvantage.net/2012/01/17/lauren-grind/#comments Tue, 17 Jan 2012 14:40:21 +0000 Nichelle (admin) http://danceadvantage.net/?p=14038 Our columnist, Lauren Warnecke has been writing at Dance Advantage for almost 2 years on the Cecchetti Method, muscles, bones, injury, ballet terminology, and more.

So you know a lot about her… but you don’t know ALL about her!

©Kelly Rose Photography

If you visited the site and checked out our sidebar last month you may have noticed we flashed a Kickstarter campaign initiated by Lauren to support her other dance habit.

But after all she’s done for you and I, Lauren deserves a little more, so I pulled her aside and asked a few questions about this side we don’t see.

And, you know Lauren’s a giver so, she’s got something for readers to WIN later. Read on…

Dance Advantage: Frankly, most of our readers have only seen your nerdy side, Lauren. A conscientious dance teacher, meticulous academic… they may not know you have a rebellious streak, making work as an independent dance artist in Chicago. What gives?

Lauren Warnecke: I started becoming interested in choreography during undergraduate school, and created about three pieces there that I would actually be willing to vouch for.  I went to a school that is notorious for producing avant garde and innovative dancemakers, so while I’m a thoroughly trained bunhead, I also have sensitivities toward strange modern dance.

After school I became heavily involved with teaching and community theatre, choreographing seven full-length musicals, going to graduate school, and essentially “retiring” from the modern dance community. [Read more of that story in Lauren's article Life Lessons on Injury: Arriving at Plan C]

Two years ago I joined the board of directors for a small modern dance company (Synapse Arts) that was doing work I really liked.  Synapse’s Artistic Director, Rachel Damon, had gone to the same school as me, and offered me a rare opportunity to create some work for the company. This was exactly the spark I needed to come out of creative hibernation!  It opened many doors for me to reenter the community, and even moreso opened my mind to making work that I really care about.  I feel that a lot of the work I make is actually informed by the time I spent away from the dance community… it takes cues from pedestrian life and musical theatre that are an important part of my development as an artist.  

©Kelly Rose Photography

DA: I know as an artist it’s sometimes hard to talk about your work but put on the nerdy teacher hat for a moment and tell your students: What is Grind all about?

LW: Grind is a dance that is rooted in definitions of artistic success. For me, success is a three-fold conundrum that is sought through money, praise, and self-actualization. All three intertwine to create some perception of success in all of us, that ultimately can never be acheived.

In Grind, this idea manifests through the eyes of four 1950′s american housewives. For me, this is an era in which evidence of the “perfect” family and the “perfect” woman were ever-present in the media and every woman strived for this, even when things were falling apart around them. The piece is deeply satirical and manifests as an absurd comment on the state of success. I first premiered Grind last August in Chicago, and since then it’s undergone a huge evolution into a brand new piece. This new iteration premieres Feb 10-12 in Chicago at the Drucker Center.

DA: Tell us about your collaborators for Grind and a little about the artistic process.

LW: I rely heavily on games, chance devices, and a meticulous process to create a work. This 30-minute piece was largely created from one 16-count phrase manipulated in many, many, many different ways.

Grind is part of a pilot program at Links Hall called the Apprentice Producers Program. Through this program, we are offered two venues at discounted rates over the course of 9 months, as well as a paid production manager. This allows the artist to focus more intensely on her work and not have to worry about things like press releases, schedules, etc.

I’ve been working with the same dancers (Katie Matteson, Vienna Willems and Jenna Dillon) since March 2011, developing the piece. After the initial premiere in August I knew I wanted to keep working with the same dancers, the same idea and the same movement vocabulary, but essentially everything else has changed.  I enlisted sound artist, Russell Weiss to create a sound score that uses era-specific sounds such as kitchen appliances, old commercials, and 1950′s love songs. Lighting is also very important to me, and Francesca Bourgault has beautifully lit both versions of the piece. Without having had the opportunity to perform this piece and hear feedback from that first experience, I don’t think Grind could have evolved to this point, so I think it’s a fantastic luxury to have become involved with this program.

DA: Congratulations on your successful Kickstarter campaign. That’s gotta feel good. Any quick tips for others who want to give Kickstarter a try?

LW: Kickstarter was great, but also really challenging! The potential problem with Kickstarter is that if you don’t reach your goal, you don’t get anything. In some cases, I think this inspires more pledges, but it’s a dangerous game to play.

I chose our goal extremely carefully, and put tons of time and energy into the campaign, as did all of the dancers and collaborators.  I posted updates about once every two weeks and continually pushed on social media and through emails.  I saw people coming out of the woodwork and donating who I either hadn’t talked to in years, or had never donated before. This is great, but you can really only do a campaign like this every few years. When I see people continually “Kickstarting”, you can easily tap out people’s enthusiasm because it’s something you have to push really hard at in order for it to be successful.

Ultimately, raising money to make dances is hard no matter how you slice it!

DA: What’s behind the photos we’re seeing here? You’ve created calendars from the shoot?

©Kelly Rose Photography

LW: I started talking to photographer Kelly Rose very early in the process. Kelly and I have known one another since 3rd grade, and reconnected over this project. She has shot a lot of pin-ups, and I didn’t exactly know why, but I knew I wanted to work with her on Grind. Our conversation really helped me to find the connection between success, perfection, and the vintage housewives.

Consequently, I also recently bought a fixer-upper with a vintage “party basement”.  The style of my basement perfectly compliments the era that I’m working with in the piece, and dancer Katie Matteson happens to have a closet full of vintage clothes. The photos are loosely based on images that are seen in the piece, and on the interpersonal relationships of the characters we have created.  I really wanted Grind to be more than a dance…. the goal is to create a visual world around these four women and this iconic decade that is more tangible than a 30-minute dance.

The calendars were dreamed up as a marketing alternative to the same old posters and postcards you see, as well as an additional way to bring some income to the project. Plus, Kelly’s photos were so amazing I couldn’t just pick two for the press release and let the others go.

DA: Grind isn’t the only dance on the program in February. What’s the low down on Refill?

Refill is the part-two of the Apprentice Producers Program.  We will premiere the latest (and last) version of Grind, and are splitting the bill with another choreographer, Enid Smith.  The show is Feb 10-12 at the Fasseas Whitebox at The Drucker Center (1535 N. Dayton, Chicago).  You can buy tickets at fanfueled.com or at the door.

Win a Grind calendar!

To enter, all you have to do is leave a comment with your favorite “success” quote.

I’ll select 4 winners randomly from the comments.

Should you be a winner, you’ll have the good fortune to look upon Lauren and her 1950s housewives crew every month of the year when you win a Grind wall calendar featuring fabulous photography by Kelly Rose.

You must be 18 or over and a U.S. resident to win.

Contest will end Saturday, January 21st at NOON EST.

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© Nichelle Strzepek for Dance Advantage, 2012. | Permalink | Category: Beyond the Bubble, Blog, Dance Media, Dancethropology, Giveaways, Interviews, Photography | Who's talking about this article?

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]]> http://danceadvantage.net/2012/01/17/lauren-grind/feed/ 6 http://danceadvantage.net/2011/09/01/new-season/ http://danceadvantage.net/2011/09/01/new-season/#comments Thu, 01 Sep 2011 13:36:32 +0000 Suzanne Gerety http://danceadvantage.net/?p=12797 Fresh. Trends. New. Latest.

When planning, promoting, and launching into the start of a new season, you want to be in the lead both artistically and with your business practices.

The constant strive to better your best or out-do last year is an inherent part of the process of being in business.

Foundation. Technique. Original. Quality.

On the other side of setting yourself apart from the rest is the pull to re-commit to the fundamentals and solidify the foundation at the heart of it all.

How do you balance the demands to separate yourself from the rest with the latest and greatest tools, trends, and technology…

While also firmly supporting your foundation with what really matters when it comes to running and growing your dance studio business?

As we embark on this year’s dance season, I’d like to share some observations from having been a part of the seminar faculty from the Dance Teacher Summit but also as a studio owner myself.

1. We can honor the past and the present at the same time.

Dance teachers and studio owners are excited to give their students a chance to the learn about the legends and history of dance AND from the latest stars of today’s reality TV shows.

The Lesson: You are in a great place to give your dancers exposure to a wide variety of performance and education – more than we’ve ever been before.

The Question: HOW do you do it?

How do you tie history to the present? What are the ways you educate and prepare your dancers for digesting past and current performance and choreography?

Ideas, Next Steps, and Further Reading

• So You Think You’re Prepared For Fall? Curriculum and TV Dance
• Everything Old Is New Again
• Teaching And Exploring the History and Evolution of Dance
• Why and How to Encourage Dancers to See Concert Dance
• Watching and Discussing Dance

See also the History of Dance category…

• What is Artistry and How Do I Develop It?
• Dance Interactive – Past and Present Pillow At Your Fingertips
• 9 Dance Biographies For Your Lobby Library
• Dance on DVD, Sent Right To Your Door
• TenduTV – (a little about TenduTV)

2. Before you try the latest and greatest marketing strategy, you have to master the fundamentals.

I met one studio owner had just invested hundreds of dollars into a postcard mailing with a QR code as the focus for her registration promotion. When I asked her where that QR code went, she said it went to her website which had NO online registration! You had to scan a QR code to go to a website where you had to then print off a schedule and either call the studio or come by with a check to register for classes. This was a very low-tech response required in contrast to a high tech marketing strategy call to action.

While the popularity of QR code scanning is on the rise, be sure to take the time to know if the population and age group who are actually scanning the codes are your target market.  I know for sure that in this case, the studio owner was mailing to primarily women who are mothers of school-aged children…not young, wealthy men!

The Lesson:  Start with making it easy for people to do business with you and then you can test the latest trends.

The Question: HOW do you do it?

What are the fundamentals? What is your strategy? What sets you apart? How do you communicate this? Where and with what new methods/technologies do you communicate it?

Ideas, Next Steps, and Further Reading

• Leveraging Your Dance Studio’s Identity to Grow Your Business
• 4 Costly Dance Studio Ad and Marketing Mistakes
• Four Ways To Make An Impact With Low-Cost Marketing
• 67 Creative and Effective Ways To Get Students To Register For Dance Class
• Why “Dance Moms” Is GOOD For Your Business
• Give the Gift of Dance in Your Community
• How To Build Enrollment With School-Aged Dancers
• S.T.E.P. Your Way To Social Media Success
• Confessions of a Busy Dance Mom
• The “Dancepreneur’s” Secret to Success

How do YOU honor the past and present at your dance school?

How do YOU market your dance school? What new trends have worked for you?

We want to hear from you!

Answer either question above or respond to the observations in this post with YOUR thoughts in the comment section below and you could win a full year’s membership at DanceStudioOwner.com.

One lucky commenter (must be 18 or older) will be chosen randomly from the comments. You have until 8pm (EST) Monday, September 5th to submit your comment. Already a member? No worries, we’ll add the year to your current plan!

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© Suzanne Gerety for Dance Advantage, 2011. | Permalink | Category: Blog, Studio Admin | Who's talking about this article?

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]]> http://danceadvantage.net/2011/09/01/new-season/feed/ 6 http://danceadvantage.net/2011/07/02/giselle-in-3d/ http://danceadvantage.net/2011/07/02/giselle-in-3d/#comments Sat, 02 Jul 2011 12:33:53 +0000 Nichelle (admin) http://danceadvantage.net/?p=11974 Probably not.

But hopefully it’ll get close with the world’s first ballet production shot and presented in 3-D!

Pre-recorded at the historic Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia and shown using RealD™ 3D technology Giselle in 3D, presented by NCM Fathom and More2Screen, aims to capture the beauty and movement of a world-class performance by the Mariinsky Ballet (you may know them as the Kirov Ballet) in a new and multi-dimensional way. The ballet stars Natalia Osipova as Giselle with Leonid Sarafanov as Albecht.

This is a ONE-DAY-ONLY U.S. showing! Giselle in 3D will be presented in more than 160 theatres across the country on Tuesday, July 12 at Noon and 7:30 p.m (local times)

Is the show coming to a theatre near you? FIND OUT HERE.

Then WIN tickets to see it! Details below.

So you know the story of Giselle, right?(...)

Continue reading "Even Better Than The Real Thing?"

28 comments

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© Nichelle Strzepek for Dance Advantage, 2011. | Permalink | Category: Blog, Dance Media, Dancethropology, Featured, Film/Video, Giveaways | Who's talking about this article?

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]]> http://danceadvantage.net/2011/07/02/giselle-in-3d/feed/ 28 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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© Nichelle Strzepek for Dance Advantage, 2011. | Permalink | Category: Blog, Dance Bag, Dance Library, Dancethropology, Giveaways, Product/Website Reviews | Who's talking about this article?

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