Despite her traditional ballet training in South Africa, Andrea Giselle Schermoly has always had a wide range of music tastes and sensibilities. “There’s always been this other drumbeat in my heart,” says Schermoly, who’s a three-time Outstanding Choreographer winner at the Youth America Grand Prix. That “other drumbeat” has become an integral layer to her […]
Nothing can get students excited for class quite like the sound of holiday music. There’s just something special about breaking out of your regular routine and playing something fun and festive. Sometimes finding good Halloween music can get a little tricky, but to help, we’ve compiled a playlist full of songs that your students will […]
Ask anyone at the University of Southern California’s Glorya Kaufman School of Dance how they feel about assistant professor of practice, d. Sabela grimes, and they automatically begin to sing his praises. Not only is he one of the department’s most beloved and dynamic educators, he is among the most respected and innovative facilitators of […]
“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 […]
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: […]
In 2011, when former American Ballet Theatre principal Michele Wiles departed the company and formed BalletNext, she found an artistic freedom she’d been longing for. Along with new collaborations with choreographers and musicians, she began working with trumpeter Tom Harrell, who introduced her to the multilayered sounds of jazz. “The dancers are another instrument to […]
Justin Timberlake dancer and “SYTYCD” favorite Ivan Koumaev offers teachers this killer playlist of songs. “I urge teachers to be music hungry,” says NUVO Dance Convention teacher Ivan Koumaev. “Search and find music, don’t just get trapped into pop culture, which is limited and not driven by creatives—it’s driven by executives. Use the creativity inside […]
It’s that time of year again! Dancers everywhere are pregaming for 4th of July festivities by wearing their best red-white-and-blue dance gear, and planning where their team will meet up to watch their city’s long-anticipated (and potentially illegal) firework show. It’s flat-out patriotic! To keep up with the celebration (and to solidify yourself as your […]
When a curious group of young dancers asked Leslie Scott what the lyrics to Nicki Minaj’s sexually explicit rap song “Anaconda” meant, Scott was mortified. “Have you seen the video? It’s basically the lyrics come to life. One of the 7-year-olds told me it scared her,” she says. Enlightening moments like this are why Scott […]
Music turns choreographers on. They listen all the time, looking for inspiration. From Bach to rap, there are more than enough choices to satisfy even the most particular. But it’s not simply a matter of choosing what they like. When selecting music for movement they have to find something that complements and enhances the work. […]