America’s Best Dance Studio Contest 2010

Everyone thinks his or her dance studio is the best.

Dancers, teachers, parents, here’s an opportunity to shout it from the rooftops.

America’s Best Dance Studio Contest 2010 wants to know what makes your dance studio unique – what makes it different from the other dance studios in your area, and from other dance studios across the country. Via the ABDSC social network, you will have the opportunity to submit testimonials, videos, and photos highlighting all of the wonderful things about your dance studio – your teachers, your students, the classes you offer, your involvement in charities, non-profit organizations, and even dance competitions! Here’s a chance to rally the community and make some noise in support of your dance studio.

Dance instructor staffing agency, Kiner Enterprises, Inc. are the architects of America’s Best Dance Studio Contest. President, Ashani Kiner has been busy shooting video at some of New York City’s biggest (and brightest) landmarks to let you know more about the contest.

Click here to view video on YouTube

So here’s the nitty gritty…

To enter, you need to head over to americasbestdancestudio.ning.com. Create a complete profile for your dance studio, and of course, invite all of your friends, family, and fans to join too.

A select number of dance studios will be featured in a special YouTube video series throughout the contest. If you’d like to be featured, enter the contest before Dec. 30th, and your studio may be chosen!

While voters and members of your dance studio community can independently sign up at the America’s Best Dance Studio Contest network, there are some rules and participation requirements for dance studios officially entering the contest:

• Entrants must be 18 yrs or older
• Entrants must be a U.S. Resident
• The Dance Studio must be in business for a minimum of 3 yrs.
• The Dance Studio must have a website

Enter before December 30th and pay the early-bird entry fee of $30 (may be paid by check or money order); after that entrants pay $50.

Further details regarding video submission and where to mail your entry info can be found at americasbestdancestudio.ning.com

10% of the contest proceeds will be donated to Child Cry, a non-profit organization that feeds hungry children around the globe.

Voting will begin on January 1, 2010 and the studio with the most votes will win!

What does the winning studio receive?

Click here to view video on YouTube

• A video feature on the DanceChannelTV.com website for an entire year
• A dance marketing video package and e-book with money-making strategies for your dance studio from Dance Marketing Queen, and CEO of DanceMassTV, Dawn Demendonca
• A stage backdrop from Grosh Backdrops and Drapery, for your end of the year recital performance
• A website banner or logo redesign from the web design and development experts at DanceSignUp.com
• An online press release and feature article on DanceAdvantage.net about your dance studio
• 6 Months of free Social Media Management for your studio’s Facebook fan page, Twitter, and Myspace accounts from Kiner Enterprises Inc.
• A banner to hang inside of your dance studio that reads, “The America’s Best Dance Studio Contest Winner 2010”

Yes, Dance Advantage has sponsored a prize for America’s Best Dance Studio Contest 2010! I will feature the winning studio here on Dance Advantage during National Dance Week (April 23-May 2). I look forward to showcasing the community that turns out in full force to support their dance studio.

Be positive, creative, and energetic!

Each and every dance studio is special and unique. I’m looking forward to witnessing the diverse ways you’ll show it. Good luck to all the competitors!

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YouTube’s Young Dancers

Dancing babies and YouTube seem to go together like peas and carrots. And there are some really funny and cute videos out there. Here is a fun little collection of videos featuring talented young dancers that are beyond the baby stage. Some are still pretty darn cute and a few are guaranteed to wow you.

YAGP Junior & Senior Winners

Outfits aside, these two young men have a different style:

Baby Bang – Talang 2007

George Sampson – Britain’s Got Talent 2008

Putting in the practice time

Five-year-old Tap Dancer

Arianalyn in the Studio

Personality! These kids are all a little cheeky.

Jalen Testerman on Ellen

Anaheim Ballet’s Tiny Dancer

The Cheeky Monkeys

This guy gets honorable mention just because he cracks me up every time:

Low, low, low, low

Okay, I have to post one baby video. These kiddos have had their talent digitally enhanced, however.

Roller Skating Babies

I’m sure you have some of your own favorites! Share them in the comments below!

Way More Than Dance: Anaheim Ballet on YouTube

Video sharing has become a massive part of online culture. YouTube is ranked as the third most visited site on the internet behind Google and Yahoo. In addition to the thousands millions of amateur dance videos posted on YouTube, many professional dancers, dance studios, and dance companies have joined the fray, adding their own videos to YouTube.

One ballet company in particular, however, has taken YouTube dance videos to another level. While many organizations focus solely on the performance, Anaheim Ballet has been prolifically creating video podcasts which feature way more than dance. In the almost two and a half years they’ve been podcasting, nearly 100 videos have been posted. These include profiles of past and present company members, “Ask a Ballerina” sessions which answer viewer’s questions, rehearsal and class footage, unique montage videos, and every once in a while some excerpts from their repertory. They raise awareness of important issues, they display ballet as an artistic and athletic art form, and they do it all with flare and personality. It’s relevant, it’s entertaining, and it’s smart! Anaheim Ballet’s video sharing initiatives have certainly enhanced their presence online and the presence of ballet as well.

Here is just a sampling of what you’ll find at the Anaheim Ballet YouTube Channel:

A fun explosion of stop motion

Ask a Ballerina

Raising awareness about genocide in Rwanda

Alum Aria Alekzander – now with Houston Ballet (woot!) – her parents are the artistic directors of Anaheim Ballet. Read a little about Aria’s dancing family and her love of the Nutcracker at Houston Ballet’s blog.

The silly side of things… don’t miss the blooper reel for this one!

• You may see more videos and subscribe via Anaheim Ballet’s YouTube channel or view the videos at www.morethandance.com.
• Want to purchase the original music that accompanies the videos? Check out morethandancemusic.com or search iTunes for Anaheim Ballet.
• If you’d like to learn more about Anaheim Ballet, visit the website. Or, connect with the company on MySpace for additional news, updates, and behind-the-scenes footage of podcast director, Evan Rosenberg in action.

Evolution of Dance Evolves

In 2002, “inspirational comedian,” Judson Laipply began closing his college tour act about “life and change” with a self-choreographed medley of dance crazes from American culture. A few years later a clip of this crowd-pleasing finale was posted on a fledgling website called YouTube and was shared over, and over, and over. The video is now YouTube’s #2 most viewed video of all time with over 100 million views.

By some chance if you have not contributed to this count, or just want to watch it one more time, here is the clip:

Right after the new year, on January 9, Laipply released a brand new Evolution of Dance video, aptly titled Evolution of Dance 2. The clip includes new songs and dances but covers similar territory by offering a relatively chronological account of dances popular in our recent history, beginning with a bit of James Brown and closing with the Soulja Boy Dance.

See it for yourself here:

The original video has often be recreated and emulated. Examples are littered all over YouTube. One that may be of particular interest to readers at Dance Advantage, is Evolution of Dance “Ballet Style” which was apparently performed at an undisclosed studio’s year-end recital.

It is a fun twist on Laipply’s material and got me thinking that between Evolution of Dance 1 and 2, there may lie inspiration for your next recital theme! Ha ha! To be honest, I just thought I’d share these fun little clips with you. After all, as Laipply himself likes to quote, “Life isn’t always the party we’d hoped for but while we are here we might as well dance!” I hope it has brightened your day!

Have any thoughts on these videos? Is there something missing you think should be included? Is the new one as good as the first? I’d love to know what you think!