Q: I’d like to integrate some academic subjects into my dance classes this school year. What online resources do you recommend I use to get started? A: In my choreography class, I spend nearly as much time teaching my students how to craft dances as I do honing their ability to watch and talk about […]
Q: I’m looking to hire new instructors. How can I create a competitive job listing? A: We’ve found the best way to attract qualified applicants for teaching positions at our studio is to be as specific as possible with our expectations, while communicating what makes our studio a great place to work. Here’s an example […]
No matter how hard I work to change it, I’m often told that I have a shallow plié. Is there any hope for improving the depth of my plié through special stretches to make it juicier? I’m doing a lot of exercises, but I don’t seem to getting any results. Looking forward to reading your […]
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 […]
A few months ago, both my knees started hurting after I would exercise. Now, the pain occurs at the bottom of my kneecap and is the worst when I lock my knees. I’ve been doing a little research, and I was wondering if this could be Osgood-Schlatter disease. If it is, do you have any […]
What’s your opinion regarding the use of weight vests on young female dancers? I’ve heard that it helps them strength-train, but I’m concerned it could do damage to their weight-bearing joints and cause compression of the spine. You’re right to question the use of weight vests for dancers. We know the impact force of running, […]
Dance teachers are a special breed of people. Known to eat, sleep and breathe their trade, they can be found living at the studio, sporadically shouting out “5, 6, 7, 8” and choreographing in random locations like the grocery-store line. In an effort to find out what characteristics and quirks are unique to our community, […]
As another season of the popular show “Dance Moms” just wrapped, many are left wondering, “How is this still a show?” The switch from Abby Miller, now behind bars, (wonder if she’s able to watch from her new home?) to ballroom’s sweetheart Cheryl Burke, to the cat-fighting between moms and daughters, clawing their way through […]
I was taught to consistently squeeze my gluteals when dancing, to assist in turnout, and have encouraged my students to do the same. Recently, though, I experimented with relaxing these muscles and have discovered immediate relief from chronic hip pain. Have I been teaching my students incorrectly all along? What you have discovered is that, […]
As a young dancer, Alvin Ailey principal Jamar Roberts learned more than just how to pick up choreography quickly from his teacher and mentor Angel Fraser-Logan at the Dance Empire of Miami. In a recent New York Times article, Roberts, says that Fraser-Logan “taught me how to be an artist—the importance of dance being a […]
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