The action of the head is important but do not forget the role of the eyes in spotting. It helps to spot something like a photograph, painting, or word and really SEE the SPOT on each TURN. If you are using your head properly but still getting dizzy, it is probably because your eyes are not focusing. You need to get the head around with enough zing (see above) to have time for this, though.
Archives for September 2010
One With The Music: Accompanying Dancers Part One
The very first ballet class I played for was a big surprise, because I had no idea what to expect or what would be expected of me by either the teacher or the dancers. I walked into the studio and the first person I saw was the teacher (who seemed to me to be very old), holding a lit cigarette in one hand and a cane in the other!
Sunday Snapshot: Mr. Curiosity
![[Photo] Dancer Austin Meiteen in Dance Institute's Mr. Curiosity, photo by Rene Michaels](https://www.danceadvantage.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/MrCuriosity-Austin-133x200.jpg)
“From my perspective as a dance photographer, it’s about capturing the passion in the moments during a routine that translates the music visually to the audience through dance. A picture is worth a thousand words.” Of the young man in the photo above, Rene adds, “Austin does a great job of transferring his passion visually in this shot.”
Teaching Tap Improvisation: Exercises for Beginners
Begin with a very structured 4/4 song that does not have any strange segues or extra measures. Have all students beat their hands on their legs, clap or snap to the beat. Continue their time keeping, but have them now count out loud – “1..2..3..4”. Be sure you do not have them count “5..6..7..8”. This is a cardinal sin in the music world, as you’ll find out if you dance with live musicians! Explain to your students that each set of four counts is a measure, or a bar. I often use this with my elementary students who are learning addition and/or multiplication.
Presenting Hip Hop In a Positive Light
![[Photo] Dancers from World Hip Hop Championship in red and black](https://www.danceadvantage.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/HipHop-International2-300x200.jpg)
Back then, hip hop wasn’t about derogatory comments, threats, and how much money you made. It was about family and belonging. It was about taking your world and making sense of it…through dance (b-boying), through music (DJing), through art (graffiti), through words (MCing). THAT is where your philosophy needs to come from.
Melissa Hough On Competition, Rubies, and Being a “Newbie” at Houston Ballet
![[Photo] New Houston Ballet Soloist, Melissa Hough in rehearsal](https://www.danceadvantage.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/MelissaHough-133x200.jpg)
“When I became more serious about which direction I wanted to focus on, I auditioned for the year round program at Kirov Academy. I lived at the school for four years, while still taking my jazz, tap, lyrical classes and participating in competitions, and working on summer correspondence courses so I could graduate early. I also took some voice lessons, because for a long time I wanted to be on Broadway, but during my time at Kirov I decided I wanted to go for it- try to be a ballerina. My (Russian) teachers never thought I’d go very far in a ballet company. They felt I was more suited for contemporary, which at the time I was.”
