Alright, people. Summer is officially over, and fall is upon us. What a ride it’s been! From intensives to Nationals to workshops, you teachers have been FABULOUS! To recap, we thought we would share three of our favorite class videos that came from summer 2018. They’re just so good. Enjoy! 1. Kyle Hanagami: “God Is […]
“This is what I like to call my ‘PG but LIT’ playlist,” says Showstopper Dance Convention teacher Taylor Quinn. “That means all of these songs are great for kids 8 and under, and I get to enjoy them, too. I use this playlist for our stretch and warm-up, going across the floor and sometimes even […]
In a windowless subterranean studio under the New York State Theater, I pulled back an imaginary arrow and let it fly. “Good!” said ballet master Tommy Abbott. “I think you’re ready. Tomorrow you rehearse with Mr. Robbins.” I was slated to play Cupid in Jerome Robbins’ compilation of fairy tales called Mother Goose. It was […]
Once Adriana Pierce caught the choreography bug as a teenager, dancemaking came naturally. More difficult was navigating the tricky situations that would arise when choreographing on classmates and friends. “If a rehearsal didn’t go well, I’d worry that people didn’t respect me or didn’t like my work,” says Pierce, who went on to participate in […]
We’ve all been there—standing in front of a sea of eager students, ready to create the next eight counts on them, when our brains decide to shut down. All the creativity we’ve been cultivating in preparation for this choreography session has disappeared, and we are left completely blocked. YIKES! What do we do?? Have the […]
When New York City–based dancer Dan Lai began choreographing Figure 8, he had a specific vision in mind. Inspired by a song by FKA Twigs, he wanted the movement to represent the music’s “dark and twisted vibe.” “My thought process was to make shapes and phrases that were abstract and unique that complimented the intricate […]
Help your dancers improve their performance—and scores—with this advice from veteran competition faculty: Martha Nichols, Judy Rice and Suzi Taylor. Connect with your ensemble. Everyone can be dancing at the same time, but not necessarily together, because they don’t acknowledge each other. “Relax and have a good time,” says Martha Nichols of New York City […]
This past weekend was a busy one for us at DT—we’ve been in Long Beach, California, attending our Dance Teacher Summit, which included honoring our DT Award winners Award winners (best acceptance speech of the decade goes, hands down, to the fabulous Joe Tremaine) and the Capezio A.C.E. Award champions on Saturday night. It was […]
Al Blackstone only recently found his true stride in the dance world. Growing up taking class at his parents’ studio and going to competitions, he loved nothing more than performing. But now, whether he’s teaching a room full of professional-level dancers in New York City, a group of kids at a convention or at the […]
Seeing Faye Driscoll’s work is like attending the zaniest, most uninhibited birthday party you can imagine. Her most recent production, Thank You For Coming: Attendance, included maypole skipping, unflinching eye contact, a fantastical funeral scene and even a complete breakdown (and reassembly) of the stage, mid-performance. It also involved a considerable amount of audience participation—that […]