Welcome back! I hope everyone enjoyed Part 1 of Tap Is Music (And I Can Prove It). We’re halfway there so read on, true believers! So far we have covered how tap dancers can control their dynamics to make steps loud and soft and how they can sustain certain “notes”. This article will focus on […]
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Sunday Snapshot: Magic Moments
Scott W. Lewis doesn’t shoot professionally and has no background in dance, but has captured many magic moments with a camera. First, he photographed his daughters for keepsakes, later turning it into a hobby that’s put his work on the cover of Dance Studio Life and right here on Dance Advantage.
Dance/USA comes to Chicago!
Columnist and Chicago resident, Lauren Warnecke was in attendance for the Dance/USA 2011 Annual Conference. Sharing moments from the keynote speech and reflecting on one of the conference’s major themes, audience engagement, Lauren describes the value of getting dancers together in the same room.
Getting Knee Deep With Dr. Craig Westin
Dr. Craig Westin is an orthopedic surgeon for the Chicago Center for Orthopedics at Weiss Memorial Hospital and medical director of Chicago’s Joffrey Ballet. He has worked extensively with dancers, skiiers, and is a team physician with the U.S. Figure Skating Team. Dr. Westin generously took time out of his busy schedule to talk with Dance Advantage about knee problems, proper alignment, pain, and injuries common to dancers.
Tools for Tap Improvisation: The Time Step
Improvisation is an absolutely essential part of dance education and perhaps more so in tap than in other styles. Tap dance is a very virtuosic art form and the ability to ‘think on your feet’ is absolutely necessary in order to experience everything that tap has to offer. Learn how to use a time step structure as a starting point to hone improvisational skills and express individuality.
Life Lessons on Injury: Arriving at Plan C
“Rarely do we stop to consider the idea of not dancing, or having a plan B if it doesn’t work out. I always considered myself a careful dancer, if not a rational one. I am meticulous about technique and proper form to prevent the chance of injury, but when the occasional sprained ankle or ingrown toenail came up my instinct was always to dance through it, or “walk it off”, as the saying goes.”
