Once I was chosen for the hip-hop dance team, I was embraced with open arms by my fellow dancers! The young ladies on the team loved having a male around and would often ask me to assist them with the unfamiliar hip-hop vocabulary they were being taught. As a young male, I felt that I had it made. I was naive and believed that all dance environments would be as accepting of male dancers. Boy was I wrong!
Archives for April 2010
Sunday Snapshot: Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear
Dance studios are alive right now a dance recital costumes are rolling in. Students finalize and perfect their performance numbers, parents flurry in and out of offices, and teachers and studio owners hope for the best while preparing for the worst… just in case! The vibrant color of this sweet memory reminds me that the time is at hand for these special events.
Film Review: Dancing Across Borders
Bass resists a Cinderella telling and provides, with ample footage of Sy’s progress, an unflinching glance into the rigorous training and hard-won rewards of ballet. She also does not shy away from Sy’s inner conflict as a young man trying to reconcile two worlds, two cultures, and find his place within each.
Why Does Dance Matter To You?
Affirm the impact dance has on the lives of individuals and communities. Between Arts Advocacy Day (April 12) and the close of National Dance Week (May 2), participate in Why Dance Matters, a virtual event that rallies the dance community on Facebook and beyond. Begin by attending the event (found here: http://tinyurl.com/dancematters) and sharing it with others. From updating a status and donning a profile badge to creating a video or blog, choose your own level of participation, but take action and share Why Dance Matters to YOU!
Pointe Readiness and What To Expect
Every ballet dancer wants to dance en pointe. But not every ballet dancer should. How will your teacher decide if you are ready? Why might she decide you are not? And what can you expect from a pointe class?
You Just Might Find, You Get What You Need
As I begin my third year of blogging, I recognize that what I really want is to give you what you need. It’s a funny thing about leadership, that it demands the willingness of both “followers” and leaders to be led by the other. But I don’t really like the word followers. I’m not looking for disciples, devotees, or minions, but compatriots. Fellows not followers.
