“I once took six months off from ballet when I was 14. My school commitments were growing and it was becoming seriously difficult to juggle everything. It reaffirmed for me, however, that ballet was my one love and out of everything what I should have been doing.”
Dance Styles
Lightbulb Moments: Pas De Chat
Every jump in ballet is preceded by a counter-movement, namely, a plie, and this is exceedingly effective in getting more height out of a jump (try jumping from straight legs and see what happens), not to mention protecting the achilles tendon from injury. In fact, people have studied jump height and found that maximum vertical height in a jump is higher using a counter movement than not (3). So it makes sense that we bend our knees before jumping.
Guest Post: The What, When, Why, and How of Clogging
“Yes, it’s kind of like Tap. No, it’s not like Riverdance. Clogging is every dance – a dance form that includes everything from Irish step dancing to hip hop and everything in between. Cloggers perform choreography to anything from “Uncle Penn” by Ricky Skaggs to Ozzy Osbourne’s “Crazy Train.” It is a dance form that defines who I was, who I am, and who I always will be.”
Teacher’s Top Three: Books For Ballet Teachers
![Ballet Studio: An Inside View [image]](https://www.danceadvantage.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/ballet_studio-an_inside_view.jpg)
“I love this book because it doesn’t just give combinations (though there are combinations from each teacher listed at the end of the book). It really brings insight on teaching artistry and simple joy of movement as well as tips on teaching turns and jumps, etc. Additionally, it is a fascinating read; the first time i read it i could hardly put it down.”
Today Is National Tap Dance Day!
Discover details about National Tap Dance Day, more about Bill “Bojangles” Robinson and his relationship to this event, and ways you can celebrate with the rest of the world.
The Truth About Well-Rounded Dancers
Experience and exposure in a variety of dance styles is important for creating versatile dancers and may even be a necessity for aspiring professionals. Being well-rounded in dance is a good thing. Exposure to different dance forms, starting at a young age, is a great thing. So where’s the myth? It lies in the misplaced emphasis on experience and omission of training.
