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Since its inaugural season in 2012, Leap! National Dance Competition has been all about the little things. “I wanted to have a ’boutique’ competition. One where we went out to only one city every weekend, so I could be there myself, and we could really get to know the teachers and watch their kids progress […]
The pressure young dancers feel to succeed at competition can lead to unhealthy stress levels that take the fun out of performing. To help your students feel calm, cool and collected before dancing, teach them these three stress-reducing exercises to do before going onstage. Trust us, learning how to manage anxiety will benefit your dancers […]
Last night marked—finally!—the first live show of Season 15. We made it! And so did the Top 10. Now, it’s up to the viewers (that’s you!) to determine which contestants end up in the Top 4 and, eventually, which one will snag the sweet prizes up for grabs: $1 million, the cover of Dance Spirit […]
At the start of last night’s episode of “So You Think You Can Dance,” 41 dancers remained. An hour later, we had a Top 20. And then there was a BIG FAT TWIST. (We’ll get to that.) The 41 still-standing Academy dancers showed up at the Dolby Theater in L.A. ready to tackle three rounds: […]
Heaven bless Instagram for bringing constant videos of fantastic dancers to our fingertips every day. Our eyes and hearts are VERY happy about it! Here are some of our fav convention videos on Instagram this past month—we’re pretty confident you’re really gonna love them, too 😘. Check ’em out! 1. Courtney Schwartz in Talia Favia’s […]
When it comes to the competition circuit, each new year brings a plethora of choreographic, music and fashion trends to the dance floor—from dancing in socks to dancing with props. To cap off a great year of dance, Dance Teacher spoke with competition judge Lauren Renck about four of her favorite trends she saw this […]
Lindsay Arnold is hoping this is her season to win the Mirror Ball on “Dancing with the Stars,” and we’ve gotta say—it really could be! With her gorgeous choreography and her partner Jordan Fisher’s natural ability, we won’t be surprised if they, “take the lead,” so to speak. On the road to this glamorous career, […]
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 […]
Q: What’s the best way to help my students get over stage fright before competitions? A: I think the best way to deal with stage fright is to take steps to minimize it. First, I make sure that my dancers are as prepared for competition as my staff and I can possibly make them. We […]
Balagna (in black) teaches her students how to make the most out of the competition experience. Seen and Heard at the Dance Teacher Summit Steppin’ Out—The Studio Lee’s Summit, Missouri 450 students Phyllis Balagna has been taking her students to conventions and competitions for 25 years, as long as her studio has been open. She has […]