Guest Post: Insight Into ABT’s National Training Curriculum

Deb Young is a subscriber and regularly offers her thoughts and shares her knowledge and experiences in the comments here at Dance Advantage. After sharing with subscribers a bit about my experience at the Dance Teacher Summit in NYC this summer, Deb described her own productive and exhilarating summer adventures as a participant in American Ballet Theater’s National Training Curriculum program. I asked if she would recount this for you, and she happily did so with wonderful detail. Her article follows. Thanks, Deb!

What I Did Last Summer

(and This Summer, Too…)

During a break between classes at my fledgling ballet school a couple of years ago I picked up a dance trade magazine whose pages fell open to an interview with Franco De Vita, Principal of American Ballet Theatre’s Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School.  He was discussing the launching of ABT’s new National Training Curriculum, which he co-authored along with his colleague Raymond Lukens, also a teacher at the JKO school, as well as artistic associate for the ABT/NYU Masters Program in ballet pedagogy.

I remember thinking, Wow—ABT Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie really is taking the bull by the horns:  first he muscles his way into Congress and has ABT declared “America’s National Ballet Company,” and now he has hired two ballet icons to create a new national curriculum, with the JKO School and NYU serving as its petri dishes.

What impressed me most was the saturation of excellence both in the content as described by Franco himself, and in the striking panel of experts across many disciplines (including dance medicine, physical therapy, and child development) whose wisdom had been polled to develop the curriculum.  And now ABT was opening its doors to a planet full of teachers who work every day in the ballet classroom trenches, to share its experts’ collective knowledge.  Was it possible that the NTC truly represented a methodology with the health, well-being, and safety of the child as its cornerstones?  Now they had my undivided attention.

I began to see this as an excellent opportunity for my young ballet school to serve as a local ambassador for the ABT/NTC; it was something unique I could offer my community.  A few short months after reading Franco’s interview, and after a pep talk from my former ballet school roommate who had completed certification with the inaugural group of trainees, I decided to be brave and submit my resumé to ABT.  Insofar as the resumé itself, I discovered in short order that ABT is less concerned with stage credits than they are with an assurance that you’ve had decent training, and have obtained a high intermediate-to-advanced level of proficiency.  My classmates were a mixed bag of old and young, retired and current professionals, obscure teachers like myself and famous former dancers-turned-teachers.  But we were united in our desire to learn from the best.

The Training is organized as week-long intensives; candidates are asked to obtain certification in Primary Level through Level 3 of the curriculum before being allowed to continue certification in Levels 4 and 5, and then 6, 7, and Partnering (taught as two separate intensives).

Certification is achieved by passing written and oral examinations on the final day of the intensives.  But because ABT really wants its new certified teachers to have the benefit of working with the curriculum in their own classroms for an academic year before moving ahead, the Primary through 3 training is scheduled at the very end of summer, with 4 and 5, and 6, 7, and Partnering preceding it. So it is impossible to take all three intensives in one summer.

ABT’s Young Dancer Summer Workshop (ages eight to twelve) runs concurrently with the Primary through Level 3 training so that trainees can observe much of what they are learning firsthand in the JKO School’s classrooms.  Likewise, the more advanced summer intensives run concurrently with the higher level teachers intensives.

If You Go

Be advised that when ABT says intensives, they mean it.  Prepare yourself for hours sitting in an uncomfortable metal folding chair, taking in bounteous material while taking down lots of notes.  LOTS.  At the end of eight or so hours of this, you will be dog-tired, unless you are an alien. But then you will need to summon your second wind to review all those notes at the end of each day in preparation for the upcoming exams.

During the course of one day at the training, you might have…

• a two-hour lecture on the material itself, which is rolled out a level at a time over several days;
• a “progressions” lecture—these are very important, as they clarify the evolution of basic movements from one level to the next; an hour lunch break;
• a JKO School class observation; and perhaps a review session with opportunities for questions to finish the day.

Instructors at the Primary through Level 3 session I attended last year included Raymond Lukens, assisted by Kate Lydon and Harriet Clark, and ABT physical therapist Julie Daugherty. Trainees also have the opportunity to take a class in each level of the curriculum being taught, but this is not a requirement. About half of my group participated in the classes, and the rest observed and took notes.

I participated in some classes and observed others, but ultimately I found the notes I made from observing far more helpful once I returned home and began working with the curriculum in my own classroom; I frankly could not remember much from the classes where I participated.

Additionally, in the Primary through Level 3 training we were split into smaller groups and asked to prepare sample enchaînements in each of the levels we were learning to demonstrate for our colleagues and instructors.  Sounds intimidating, and it was, to be sure. When someone complained about being too nervous Raymond quipped, “You have no choice but to get over it.”

Remember:  you are there to learn, and one of the best ways to do that is trial and error.  Nobody cares about your arches or extension—the thing that matters is whether you can teach the material you are learning.  Best to throw caution to the wind and demonstrate as if your own students are watching you, instead of other teachers and JKO faculty.

You will also have the benefit of learning some excellent exercises your colleagues give in their classes at home.  (Think cookie swap, but with ballet combinations.)  And best of all, you have ABT’s instructors at your disposal to offer constructive criticism—what an incredible opportunity.  I found their remarks to be helpful, and always delivered with professional aplomb.

The Curriculum itself is presented as guidelines, as opposed to a planned syllabus of study; it comes packaged along with ABT’s Healthy Dancer text in a gigantic three-ring binder that is included in the cost of the training. The authors borrowed from the French, Russian, and Italian schools in designing it, with a heavy emphasis on classic Cecchetti, and a healthy dose of Vaganova thrown in for good measure.

It is a very clean, simple, developmentally appropriate set of guidelines focused on correct placement and slow, careful technique building, with an emphasis on developing core strength and stability beginning in the very earliest levels.

In the Primary Levels (which may be divided into three years of study), there is no barre work given; all exercises are executed in centre floor or moving across the floor or in patterns.  The more traditional barre/centre floor format is introduced in Level 1, for children at least eight years of age.

The NTC is also an allegro-intense curriculum, with no fewer than twenty minutes of each class devoted to jumping.

Finally, the curriculum seeks to develop musicality beginning with very young children, and ultimately to keep the artist alive in young dancers.  This is accomplished in the Primary Levels through counting and clapping exercises, imaginative games that lay the foundation for correct technique, and improvisation exercises.

So You Think You Can Be An Affiliate

Once you’ve obtained certification in Primary through Level 3, and the higher levels, you are eligible to present your students in those levels to an examiner from American Ballet Theatre, who will travel to your school to adjudicate examination classes. With seventy-five percent of students achieving a passing score, ABT will bestow its affiliate status on the certified instructor who gives the exams.

I engaged my parents early last fall to be brave pioneers with me and allow their children to participate.  After ABT chose a date for us and sent the exam guidelines, I planned spring term with plenty of lead time for preparation, as I strongly believed it was very important that all my students enjoy success. About six weeks ahead of the big day I gave them their exam materials, which they practiced diligently week to week.

All levels above Primary are required to memorize the class; there is no teaching during the exams—you simply announce each exercise, and the children dance them.  But an exception is made for the  Primaries, who are quite young; the teacher can lead them through their classes so long as there is very little talking, and no correcting.  I presented two levels of Primaries who all performed very well, in addition to Level 1 and Level 2 classes.

The biggest excitement of all during this process was the news that Franco De Vita himself would be coming to our little ballet school.  But because my school population is still very young, most of the participants were undaunted by his presence. The entire experience was a tremendous success, and felt far more celebratory than nerve-wracking; all twenty-four children I presented achieved passing scores, with seven citations for Merit and two for Honors. Each child was given a beautiful certificate from ABT, and the overwhelming majority expressed immediate interest in repeating the exams in the coming year.

As I have explained to parents who ask me why their child should participate, the examination process is an excellent barometer for the quality of instruction at the school.  In short, it tells us all whether I am doing my job well, and that should matter a great deal to parents who entrust their children to me for classical ballet instruction.

I found that this affirmation also translated directly into my improved confidence as a teacher.  We all question ourselves from time to time, but it is very nice indeed for American Ballet Theatre to give you its official thumbs-up.

This summer when I stepped off the elevator on the 4^th floor at ABT to continue training in Levels 4 and 5 of the NTC, I had a little epiphany.
Had anyone told me a few years ago that I would be teaching classical ballet (after a very long absence from the ballet world), at a school I founded, and traveling to New York to train at American Ballet Theatre, and that the principal of the JKO School would in turn be traveling to my school to evaluate my students, and by extension, my teaching, well…you can imagine.

Even if you are not in a position to use the curriculum—if you teach in a large school with its own plans or syllabus, for example—there is so much wisdom to be gained from attending the intensives that can be used in any ballet classroom environment, the training is easily worth the time, money, and effort it demands of you.  I can’t wait for the chance to step off that 4^th floor elevator once more.

Deb Young received early classical ballet training in Memphis from Balanchine disciples, Yuri Chatal and Victoria Fedine; she continued Cecchetti-based training with her own mother, Pat Holden, studying concurrently with many distinguished instructors at the National Academy of Arts in Champaign, Illinois during summer intensives for several consecutive years.  After a short stint dancing with a small ensemble in Colorado in the early 1980s, she hung up her pointe shoes to go to college.  In 2006 Deb discovered herself serendipitously at the front of the ballet classroom as the founding director of Knoxville Ballet School, where she is happily the wearer of many hats.  She is certified in American Ballet Theatre’s National Training Curriculum in Primary Level through Level 3.  In May of 2010 American Ballet Theatre named her an Affiliate Instructor.  She is also a certified fitter for Gaynor Minden pointe shoes. Deb lives in Knoxville, Tennessee with her husband and son.

Why I’m Psyched For The Dance Teacher Summit

For a long while now I’ve wanted to attend the Dance Teacher Summit in New York City. For reasons beyond my control I have never before been available to go. However, I’m happy to share that August 2-4, I’ll be hanging with some of the best in the business for the 3-day conference.

Seven Reasons Why I’m Psyched

• We’re all in this together. I’ve spent summers at intensives and dance artist workshops, but there is something especially validating about sharing ideas, taking class, and continuing your education with other dance instructors.
• The line-up of dance artists, master teachers, and presenters. Every single one has contributed so much to the dance world and to dance training. Legends and long-time educators like Frank Hatchett, David Howard, Bill Evans, Finis Jhung, Zena Rommett, Denise Wall and my former professor at Slippery Rock University, Thom Cobb. Plus luminaries like Sean Curran, Mandy Moore, Travis Wall, Mike Minery, and Andy Blankenbuehler.
• I’ll be meeting up with some of my best online buddies. Suzanne Blake Gerety and her mom Kathy Blake of DanceStudioOwner.com are presenting again this year and will share their extensive knowledge about running and growing a successful dance studio. Plus, I’ll be seeing my friend, fellow SRU alumni, and blogger, Maria Hanley, and plenty of other Twitter pals.
• Uh, hello! New York City! I’m sad to say since moving to Texas and having a child, I just don’t get back there enough. The Summit will be held at The Hilton near Rockefeller Center and well, all the other great stuff in Midtown Manhattan. (P.S. The Hilton NY has VERY few rooms remaining at the discounted rate for attendees – book now!)
• The event keeps going and going… The hardest part for me will be choosing which of the seminars and master classes to attend. I know that I’ll have to make some coin-toss decisions. Making this just a little less painful will be the post-event Summit-To-Go online access.
• Parties, Performances, and Goody Bags. Need I say more?
• Last but not least, YOU! With something like 900 other attendees, I know at least a few of you will be there and I am thrilled that I will get to thank you in person for reading Dance Advantage! But even if you won’t be attending, I know I’ll be inspired with plenty of new ideas and thoughts that I can share with you and I’m excited that, in that way, you’ll receive a valuable portion of the experience as well.

Wanna Go?

It is not too late to reserve your spot for the Dance Teacher Summit. If you are the last-minute type, you still have time to register. There’s no deadline but it is better to reserve in advance so that everything is ready for you when you get there.

I’ll be sending out a message to Subscriber Plus members via email tomorrow with an exclusive Dance Advantage discount. There’s a quick sign-up form at the top right of the blog if you want to make sure you’re on the list.

If you register THREE teachers from your studio the fourth can come for free.

If you’ll be in New York but cannot attend the seminars and classes you can still walk the Exhibit Hall for free (and get a goody bag). Tickets to the Capezio A.C.E. Award competition, Fashion Forward and the Cocktail Party, and the closing night Gala are available for individual purchase.

There are 4 ways to register, including online. Go to DanceTeacherSummit.com to register now.

If you haven’t made summer plans

Let me encourage you, whether or not you attend the Dance Teacher Summit as I am, to seek out a workshop or conference this summer.

Here are my Top Ten Reasons Teachers Should Continue Their Education.

If you just can’t get to a conference this summer (believe me I’ve been there), here are fourteen other great ways to Activate Brain and Body During Summer Break

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Special thanks to the folks at Dance Media for inviting me to the Dance Teacher Summit. I’m looking forward to a great three days!

I’ll be doing a bit of “live blogging” during the event via Twitter and Facebook so if our geo-locations are crossing, please take a moment to say hello while you are at the Summit.

Don’t forget to let me know in the comments if you are going, too!

Sunday Snapshot: Role Model

This photo is from the Hoboken Dance Academy recital and was taken by Sherry, a photographer and mom to one of the school’s students. She says, “I took this picture because I admired the close relationship between the teacher and the student. I love to catch lovely memories.”

I am attracted to the rich color of this photograph as well as the familiarity of this student-teacher moment. It also brought to mind some of my own childhood dance performances. Less formal affairs than the elaborate showcases which are the norm at dance studios across the country, these were often held in small or unique spaces. Seeing this photo reminded me that as a child, what mattered to me was not the stage, costume, or bright lights. I wanted to do my very best because in performance there was the thrill of showing my family what I had learned, the feeling of accomplishment at hearing their applause, and the approval and smile on my teacher’s face at the finish. How enchanting that this image also caught my lovely memories! That is, I suppose, just some of the magic and allure of photography.

About the Photographer: Ya-Chi Sherry Liu is a native of Taipei, Taiwan. A well-traveled individual, Sherry is now living and working in New York City. Bringing her worldly sense of place and being to her images, she looks to convey the new and unique. Having a fresh perspective on the world, she brings joy and life to her photographs and those who view them. Sherry and her husband Aaron have recently launched a new web site dedicated to their shared passion for photography. You can view more of their work at Zao Imaging.

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Friendly Reminder: Please respect copyright online. Unless permission is granted through Creative Commons or other licensing agreement, please do not publish copyrighted photos without the permission of the owner. Thank you!

Teacher’s Top Three: Little Movers

Maria Hanley holds a Master’s degree in dance education from New York University and a Bachelor’s degree in dance performance from Slippery Rock University in Pennsylvania. She is an independent dance educator around New York City and is currently a teaching artist in public elementary schools for New York City Ballet. In addition, Maria teaches tap and creative dance at Mark Morris, she is a movement specialist for 2-3 year olds at York Avenue Preschool and teaches the ballet program for young families at the Jewish Community Center in Manhattan. Recently, Maria has started her own creative ballet classes called Maria’s Movers for young children.

You may remember the feature I did on Maria’s blog Move.Create.Educate., one of my favorites because Maria is journaling her daily experiences, inspirations, and challenges as a teacher. This time, I wanted to pick her brain a bit and find out which three CDs she just couldn’t live without in her work with young children. Here’s what she had to say:

“If you are a teacher you probably know how hard it is to find great music to use in your classes that are all on the same album. Here are my top 3 picks that have it all. They are creative, inspiring, and leave a don’t-forget-it-at-home impression on me. I am always looking for new music to spice up my classes, so I hope these will help you! I tried to feature a little something for everyone!”

Maria’s Top Three

1. Wee Sing and Pretend

This is my all time favorite. I use this in all of my preschool classes, creative dance classes, and baby ballet classes. It has everything from a dinosaur dance to a song about a washing machine. Every song takes young dancers on a new adventure, or to a new place. I love it most because it gives room for their imaginations to grow, my philosophy as a teacher of young ones.

Note from Nichelle: Incidentally, I happen to use this CD with my little ones too! The variety of topics is a really nice feature. To adult ears, I have to say they may not seem like much, but my kids got really attached to the ones I used in class most often — particularly Row, Row, Row Your Boat and Jack-in-the-Box.

2. pas de tot

This CD is a great addition to a PreBallet class. I use it for everything from teaching the positions to across the floor steps like chassé. There is a song for every exercise and it even repeats the song over for teaching the other side or repetition of a step. I love to use the Reverence song to end my class. It’s such a refreshing CD to have on hand whenever you are looking for the perfect song!

3. Tap Your Troubles Away

I love this CD because it has something for every level. I use it for the little ones, right up through the teenagers. I find it to be progressive through the exercises and many of the songs have an even beat for counting purposes. I love to choreograph combinations and parents day showings to this CD. A well rounded CD for any tap teacher!

Bonus!

Maria couldn’t resist sharing a few more recommendations. Check these out too!
Baby Jamz: Nursery Rhymes, Vol. 1: Solange Knowles
Wake Up and Wiggle: Marie Barnett

Do you teach little movers?

What are your Top Three?

Guest Post: Preparing For An Intensive Summer Program

Today’s Guest Post is from Nina Amir who blogs over at My Son Can Dance. I have enjoyed following Nina’s adventures in parenting a son who is pursuing serious study of dance. Dancers are receiving acceptance letters about now for intensive summer programs in cities all over the country. If this is your first big intensive, excitement for what lies ahead is probably charged with uncertainty and stress over preparations. Here, Nina shares what she and her son experienced their first summer at American Ballet Theatre’s summer program in New York City. No matter where you are headed this summer, these tips offer great advice from someone who has been where you are now.

You’ve just gotten the email. Your son or daughter has been accepted to the American Ballet Theatre Summer Intensive in New York City. This acceptance means so much—your child has enough talent to attend one of the premier (if not THE premier) ballet summer programs in the nation, your child has to be ready to endure the rigours of such a program and you have to figure out how to handle the logistics of an unchaperoned summer intensive in the middle of the Big Apple.

Last year I faced these same issues for the first time when my son was accepted into the ABT Summer Intensive program. We went to New York to spend seven weeks together while he danced and I worked. We had some idea what this entailed, but to some extent, despite the bright lights of the city, we entered into this adventure in the dark so to speak.

This year, we are going back to New York again for a second year at the ABT Summer Intensive. We will return with our eyes open and knowing more about what to expect and how to prepare.

Tips For A Successful Summer

For those of you going off to New York for the ABT Summer Intensive for the first time, here are some things to consider as you get ready for your experience—probably the best experience your child has ever had as a dancer—and some tips that might make the program more successful for both you and your dancer.

1. Choose your accommodations carefully.

Quite a number of children in the 15-18 age group stayed in dorms without chaperones. They seemed to enjoy this and handle it quite well. Many moms also stayed in New York University dorms with their daughters, although they aren’t a cheaper alternative.

The majority of the dancers arrived in New York with one or more parents who had sublet an apartment somewhere in the city or in the surrounding area. A few of the kids stayed with relatives in New Jersey or in areas that afforded them the ability to ride into the city by train.

We sublet a very small—too small—studio apartment in an attempt to save money. It was on a lovely, historic street in the East Village. However, we needed more space as well as Internet hook up and cable TV, neither of which did we have. I also failed to ask the owner of the apartment if the kitchen was well equipped for someone who wanted to cook everyday; it was not. So, don’t assume that all New Yorkers cook. Be sure to ask about the amenities included in the apartment. If at all possible, send someone you know to see the apartment, or ask for additional pictures to be sent to you via the Internet.

Also, if an apartment seems to good to be true, it probably is. Try to find a realtor to help you find a place, or be sure you are dealing with a real person. We almost got scammed by one person…I think. So, be careful about the people with whom you deal.

By far, finding housing is the hardest part of going to this summer intensive. It’s time consuming and housing is expensive.

2. Add extra classes, weight lifting or exercise prior to attending the intensive.

Unlike some of the other programs, the ABT summer intensive really is intense. The first week has the kids dancing, doing yoga and pilates six hours a day. They come out tired and sore. In particular, my son was muscle sore from “pressing” girls and partnering them.

Based on what I’ve been told by some experts, I’d suggest that kids add in some sort of cross training—running, jumping rope, swimming, or something else in the weeks prior to the program’s start to increase their stamina. See this post for additional advice from Rasta Thomas. (And this one…)

3. Be prepared for the difference in weather.

My son had some trouble with dehydration the first week. We live in California, and I didn’t really think that would be a problem since we were coming from a dry, hot climate. However, it was so hot and humid in New York that he sweated more than usual and didn’t drink enough. The kids need to have electrolyte packets and other sports drinks along with water to keep them hydrated.

Also bring a variety of clothing. We had tons of rain and some chilly weather early on. Then it got beastly hot.

4. Include vitamins, herbs, and nutritional supplements to the daily regimen.

I added in extra vitamins and herbs to my son’s regimen of nutritional supplements. I found some of that helped prevent overuse injuries. Despite the fact that he also danced on Saturdays and some evenings at other studios in the city, he had very few overuse injuries. Watch my blog for information on great supplements to keep your kids dancing healthy and uninjured.

5. Make use of wellness resources made available

Be sure your son or daughter takes advantage of the physical therapist provided by ABT if they run into any problem. (Most of the kids had some sort of foot problems or shin splints.) She is great and really helps. My son had one problem early on with his foot, and she solved it quickly with exercises. We also found a chiropractor who was a former dancer. He was super. (You can contact me if you need him.)

6. Take advantage of the city (but don’t walk too much)!

There is lots to do in the city, and the dancers have the weekends off. It’s easy to get around using the subway. It’s also pretty safe, despite what people think about New York City.

Be sure to have good walking shoes, and insist that your dancer wear them, too. ABT requires that the kids not wear flip flops or other sandals (but the kids don’t listen). Their feet are tired at the end of the day, and walking on the pavement doesn’t help. My son’s feet and legs were extremely tired the first two days we were in the city, and he refused to wear the good running shoes we had bought just for that purpose. He did wear them more after that.

7. Let your son or daughter enjoy being with the other dancers in the program.

Many parents are afraid to let their children leave the studio during lunch. However, the kids tend to go out for lunch in groups. The area is pretty safe and doing things together breeds friendships. My son regretted not doing more with the other dancers, such as in the evening and on weekends.

8. Take advantage of the dance happening all around.

Go see dance. Let them take extra dance classes on the weekend (but make your child take at least one day off to rest). We went to see modern and contemporary dance at The Joyce and The Joyce Soho as well as taking advantage of the discount tickets offered to us to American Ballet Theatre productions.

My son also took tap classes at least twice a week at Broadway Dance Center and hip hop classes as well. (We found that these didn’t use the same muscles as ballet; thus, we weren’t too worried about overuse injuries from the extra classes.) We then stayed in New York City for an extra week, and he danced every day for another six hours at Broadway Dance Center. Next to his time at ABT, this was the best experience he had in the city. Many of the dancers also went to Steps on Broadway for additional jazz or ballet classes; we just never made it there.

9. Offer encouragement to help your child through a rough beginning.

Dancers need to know the program is harder than anything else they may have done before. At the end of the first day they are tired. The next morning, they may be wondering how they’ll make it through the second day. At the end of the first full week, they will wonder if they can make it through the whole program. However, by week three, they have settled into the routine and adjusted to the strenuous nature of the program. At the end of the six weeks, they will be in great shape and wish the program weren’t ending yet. They’ll know they could dance for six hours a day every day…and they’ll want to do so.

10. Know that as a parent you’ll be in the city on your own while your dancer dances.

Parents are not allowed into the ABT building or up to the ABT offices in general until the one—yes, one—parent observation day. So, find something to do or bring something to do. I work from home, so I was busy every day in our tiny apartment. Other parents shopped or visited museums or went to Broadway shows. All the waiting around, walking back and forth from the ABT studios and hearing about your child’s day second hand will be worth it, however, when you see the final performance and see how much he or she has improved.

For more information on the ABT Summer Intensive experience, check out my blog, My Son Can Dance, and read the archived posts under the category titled “summer dance programs.”

Nina Amir is a journalist and author currently writing a book meant to mentor young boys (age 10-17) who dream of becoming professional dancers. She realized what a difficult road it was for young male dancers early in her son’s career. She interviews top male dancers and teachers asking for their advice, experiences, and tips so young boys who want to follow in their footsteps will have the strength, inspiration and tools to do so. My Son Can Dance is meant to chronicle Nina’s struggles, what she has learned and the experiences with her son in the hope that she might be a mentor other parents of young boys who want to dance.

Answers to Your Questions About College Dance

Prospective college students have a lot of questions!

Of course you do! You are making important decisions regarding your future. Not to mention the transition from high school to a university is one of the largest leaps you’ll ever take. Dancers that want to continue their dance education at the college level have their own unique concerns. The number of questions you have about auditioning, health and nutrition, expectations, and more may feel overwhelming but there are plenty of resources online to help!

I’ve taken some time recently to look at two websites that I think any aspiring dance major should pay a visit. The logos are a bit cliché but the contents are high quality and will answer many of your questions about college dance.

DanceU101

The magazine’s of Macfadden Publishing, which include Pointe, Dance Magazine, Dance Spirit, and Dance Teacher, have funneled tons of relevant articles into this college dance hub. Not to be missed are the FAQ’s, where experts answer your questions about what it’s like to be a dance major or study at a conservatory, the application process, and financial aid. Or, you can visit the forum and gather answers to your questions. There is a lot more here, too, from articles on dance careers to highlighting individual college programs and dance departments.

Stay informed with Twitter: @DanceU101

Dance(212): the college years

The same folks bringing you DanceU101 have produced their own take on reality TV. Last summer they debuted the online video series Dance(212) which gives insight into the lives of real dancers. The second season is just beginning and this time the 5 young dancers are college students studying dance in New York City’s top dance programs. You’ll have to stay tuned to see how things unfold for these dancers but it is sure to offer a window into life in the dance department.

Stay informed with Twitter: @Dance212

The Dance Advantage College Guide

Of course, I have to mention that here at DA, the college dance experience is a stone not left unturned. As a dance department alum myself, I’ve offered articles on how to select the right program and also plenty of useful tips which come directly from my first-hand experience. You can find contents and links by checking The College Guide. I’m also happy to try and answer any questions you have so feel free to contact me if you can’t find what you’re looking for on the site.

You can follow me on Twitter too: @danceadvantage

More College Links

• College Parent Central – written by a parent and college teacher, this site is aimed at preparing parents and students for every aspect of college life.
• MyCollegeGuide – the magazine’s online hub
  
• Unigo.com – “students tell you what the colleges won’t”
• MoreThanGrades.com – create a customized profile for review by college admission officials

College Students,

Are you interested in writing about dance or your college experience? Dance Advantage is always looking for real dancers that can share their first-hand knowledge and observations. If you think you’d like to gain some writing experience and get published here on the site, learn more about the process here and contact me with your ideas!

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This Dancer’s Response to World AIDS Day

Today, on World AIDS Day, people across the globe will raise HIV/AIDS awareness with events, discussions, and more. There are hundreds, maybe thousands of ways you can get involved in your own country or your own community. To mark the day, I’d like to highlight Dancers Responding to AIDS, a U.S.-based organization offering opportunities for dancers to make a difference in the lives of other dancers and performing artists, and invite you to support me in raising money to advance their efforts.

What Is Dancers Responding to AIDS?

Dancers Responding to AIDS (DRA) is a fundraising program of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS (BC/EFA). Founded in June 1991 by former Paul Taylor dancers Hernando Cortez and Denise Roberts Hurlin, DRA seeks to mobilize the dance community, increase awareness, and raise money to provide direct financial assistance and desperately needed services to dance professionals with HIV/AIDS. The funds raised go specifically to individuals in need and the organizations that serve them.

DRA raises these important funds by producing events and conducting audience appeals in New York City and beyond. Special projects include the annual Fire Island Dance Festival, Dance From the Heart and Dance Student Outreach Project (formerly DRA Studio of the Year), which enables thousands of young dancers to actively involve themselves in helping those living with HIV/AIDS.

DRA fundraising efforts support BC/EFA which annually awards nearly 500 AIDS and family service organizations through their National Grant Program, as well as supports various programs of The Actors Fund, including The AIDS Initiative. If you’d like to know more about the various programs DRA and BC/EFA support, visit Your Money At Work on the Broadway Cares website and explore the links to the left.

Get Involved!

World AIDS week kicks off with World AIDS Day and lasts through December 7, 2009.

If you are a studio who wants to help raise money for Dancers Responding to AIDS, consider following the lead of Mark Morris Dance Group, Broadway Dance Center and STEPS on Broadway – these dance institutions and their instructors will donate a percentage from all dance classes this week to the work of Dancers Responding to AIDS.

Consider ways you might join them in raising funds this week…

• Place a container at your sign in desk for loose change.
• Create a raffle, giving students the opportunity to win credit toward private lessons, recital fees, or scholarships.
• Make “Dancer Votes” for students to sell for $1. The dancer that collects the most votes wins a prize (a gift card or perhaps studio merchandise like a dance bag or jacket).

…and beyond!

• Audience appeals (pdf)
• Hold a Spaghetti Dinner or Pancake Breakfast prepared by dancers (invite people from the community and charge per person).
• Offer Valet Parking at your recital (get parents and friends involved).
• Collect gently used shoes and costumes for resale at a studio bazaar/market.
• Sell VIP or “Front Row” tickets at your next performance.
• Call DRA and locate AIDS organizations in your area and work together on some promotional or fundraising ideas.

For fundraising ideas visit the DRA website. For where to send checks, or other info you can also visit DRA on Facebook.

Take Action Now

FIRST — Read and take to heart these 5 ways you can Respect & Protect yourself and others to stop the spread of HIV and end HIV prejudice.

SECOND — Join me in responding to the needs of dancers living with HIV/AIDS and sponsor me as I try to raise $300 for Dancers Responding to AIDS as a member of the DRA Dream Team. It’s easy, visit my sponsor page, click Support Nichelle and donate! You can also join my team and help me reach my goal by collecting your own donations!

OR

Create your own Dream Team! Start your own studio Dream Team, set a goal, and begin right away!

Don’t Miss…

Alicia Keys performing LIVE on YouTube tonight!

If you are a fan of this dynamic performer, pull up a computer and check out her streaming concert. One Night. One Voice. One Life at a Time. 8pm E.S.T.

Not in the U.S.?

How will you mark World AIDS Day? Let us know in the comments for this post!

If you are unsure, please visit the World AIDS Day website or the World AIDS Campaign website for ideas, events, and charities in your region.

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Guest Post: The Professional Dancer’s Survival Kit

Do you have an interest in taking your dancing to the professional level?

Our guest post today is by Ashani Kiner, an experienced dancer, teacher, and business owner. She is offering sound advice for those who wish to pursue a career in dance.

Here are some inside tips on what you need to survive in your career as a professional dancer:

1. Realistic Expectations

If you think that because you were the strongest dancer at your local dance studio, in your high school, or anything along those lines, that you will automatically be highly sought after as a professional, you will get a pretty harsh reality check when you see some of your competition in the professional dance world. My advice is, know your strengths, and always play them up, along with your uniqueness as a dancer. Additionally, learn your areas of weakness, and work tirelessly on getting stronger in those areas. Understand that there will be auditions and jobs that you simply won’t get based on politics, type-casting, or other non-personal reasons, so you must develop a tough skin in order to survive.

2. Professional Photos/ Resume

This goes without saying. Presentation is everything, so don’t scrimp on your photos. Save up the money you need in order to get professional photos taken. Also, make sure that your resume is in the proper format for performing arts resumes, which is different from the format for a regular job resume.

3. An Education and Other Non-Dance Related Skills

I have a Bachelor of Arts in Dance, and after having that experience, I highly recommend getting a college degree. I also have a B.A. in Hispanic Studies, as I always wanted to have something else to fall back on, in case I ever got injured or something, and could no longer dance. Maybe college isn’t for you, or you can’t afford it. Finish high school, in the least, and involve yourself in professional internships, or other jobs, to develop your skills, and build a professional resume. This will not only help you to have a more successful career as a professional dancer, but it will allow you to have more options when you’re in between dance jobs, or still building your dance resume.

4. An Emergency Fund

Financial pressure is real! Unless you’re living at home with Mom and Dad, or have someone sponsoring your daily living expenses, you’re going to need money to survive. Most importantly, with the many inconsistencies in this business, you will need to have some serious savings to carry you through the slow times and unexpected emergencies. Not to mention, to free you from doing “anything” to make a quick buck, because you’re desperate for money. That’s never a good frame of mind to be in.

5. A Support System

Whether it’s your faith, your friends, or your family, you will definitely need some support outside of yourself from time to time, when you don’t get that job or audition that you really wanted. Or, for those days when you look at your bank account, or how hard you’re working, and wonder if it’s all worth it.

Plus 3 More Survival Tips:

• A Healthy Lifestyle — It is very important to eat healthy and stay in shape. You want to be ready at any time for great, unexpected dance opportunities.
• A Habit of Learning and Growing – From taking dance classes regularly, to learning from online videos/classes, or simply working on your skills/choreography in your home, you must continuously strengthen your skills, feed your creativity, and challenge yourself.
• Tenacity, Persistence, and a Positive Attitude — The only true failure is giving up. Don’t let rejection, other people’s success, or a longer road to your dreams than you expected, get you down. Nothing worth having comes easily. You must fight for your dream, and know that everything happens for a reason. The path that is for you, is specially-made for you only. So, don’t focus on others, on your obstacles, or setbacks, focus solely on being and doing your best in all that you do.

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Ashani Kiner, a New York City native, graduated from Connecticut College with a Bachelor of Arts in Dance. She has 20 yrs of experience in the dance industry and has trained, taught, and performed at the world-famous Alvin Ailey American Dance Center and Steps on Broadway in NYC. She has also taught at Ballet Hispanico, as well as numerous NY Metropolitan area dance studios, public and private schools, and non-profit arts organizations.

She is also the president and CEO of Kiner Enterprises Inc., the first dance teacher staffing agency in the U.S. They provide dance teachers in all genres of dance, with credits ranging from former Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater company members, Broadway and Broadway tour performers, dancers and choreographers for recording artists such as, Ashanti, Beyonce, Kat DeLuna, Hannah Montana, and Snoop Dogg, as well as the Knicks City Dancers, and dance companies including, The Metropolitan Opera Ballet, The San Francisco Ballet, and Complexions.

Follow Kiner Enterprises via Twitter or become a fan on Facebook

A Window into Dance Teacher Wages

Kiner Enterprises, a dance teacher staffing agency, has produced a report on industry salaries and trends in the New York City Metropolitan area. The report is simple and to the point, covering average hourly wages for teachers with less than 5 years experience and more than 5 years experience, as well as the average number of classes taught and the percentage of studios covering transportation costs for their teachers.

“We wanted to offer the dance community a neutral source of information regarding what is really happening in the dance teaching industry in the New York City Metropolitan area. We are able to offer a unique perspective based on our extensive work in the dance teaching industry, while providing dance studios with qualified dance instructors” ~ Ashani C. Kiner, CEO/President of Kiner Enterprises Inc.

I spoke with Ms. Kiner to dig a little deeper into who was involved in the survey and how information was collected. She shared with me that participants were interviewed via phone and e-mail and are clients and teachers working with the agency. The information in the report has been gathered over the last two years. One hundred dance teachers, twenty-five entities categorized as public/private schools or non-profit arts organizations, and one hundred dance studios are represented in the report. One-third of the dance studios are within New York City, while two-thirds operate in the NY Metropolitan/Tri-State area.

The full 2009 report can be viewed online on the KinerEnterprises Inc.’s Dancer’s Blog. Ms. Kiner stated that they’ll be publishing this report annually and are looking to expand it’s reach into other parts of the United States.

Even if you are not from the New York area, you may find these results interesting. If you haven’t clicked the link above yet, you may want to do so now. Be sure to come back though because I’m curious to know how you feel this compares to your own locale…

• Are the wages in your area similar or even close?
• Are you compensated for things like transportation to classes?
• Are you offered benefits outside your hourly wage/salary?
• Are some of you salaried teachers?
  
• Why do you think hourly wages are higher within the metro area as opposed to within the city itself?
• How many classes a day do you teach?
• Do most dance teachers live (pay rent, food, bills) on their income?
• How does location, experience, studio size, etc. affect dance teacher wages where you live and work?

I encourage you to leave your comments, thoughts, or even your own questions here and/or on the Kiner Enterprises blog. I’d like to broaden the discussion and facilitate positive dialog on compensation for teachers, as well as provide a realistic picture for those considering or entering the work force as a dance instructor.

Want to know more about Kiner Enterprises?

Kiner Enterprises Inc., the first dance teacher staffing agency in the U.S., provides dance studios and schools with talented dance teachers for last-minute subs, dance workshops, choreography, and temporary and permanent teaching positions. Dance studios throughout the New York Metropolitan area have already taken advantage of this revolutionary service since 2007. In Jan. 2009, Kiner Enterprises Inc. expanded nationally and launched a nationwide campaign for dance teachers. They have the largest dance teacher staffing roster in the U.S., and are industry leaders in the dance community.

In addition to the website www.kinerenterprises.com, and blog, Kiner Enterprises also operates two networks for U.S. teachers and studio owners:

For Dance Teachers:
http://danceteachersusa.ning.com
For Dance Studio Owners:
http://dancestudioownersusa.ning.com