To Do List: Spring Break

Posted in Uncategorized by Cait (The Dance Buzz)

With the students on Spring Break, it’s time to actually get some work done at the studio!

One of these years I will actually take Spring Break off, but for this year, there is much to be done in preparation for the rest of the year.

Anyway, I figured I’d share what I was up to on my “week off”. What do you do when dancers are off from class? Share in the comments!

On my to-do list this week:

Design this year’s Recital T-Shirt
Schedule recital rehearsals
Work on summer schedule
Hang up ten classes of costumes that just arrived (see below)
Re-tape dance floors (one of my least favorite tasks)
Finishing up taxes (nothing like last minute… hah)
Choreograph
Shop for props for my modern class
Sew straps onto costumes
Order dance shoes

It is Spring Break at your studio too? What are you up to?

The UPS delivery guy is not a fan of costume time.

5Apr2012

April Blog Challenge: Dance Imagery

Posted in Blog Challenge by Cait (The Dance Buzz)

“Flip the pancake!” my ballet teacher used to say as we did our fouettes (jumps not turns). “Pretend your pelvis is a bowl of soup… don’t spill the soup!” was another one of her favorite metaphors.

This month’s challenge is to share your favorite dance imagery–either sayings that you use as a dancer or teacher, or favorite visuals your teachers use.

Share a your dance sayings on your blog and then come back here and leave a comment with a link to your post so we can all share!

If you don’t have a blog, you can still participate! Just leave a comment below.

Click here to see past blog challenges.

2Apr2012

New Music Mondays: Someone Un-Like You

Posted in Music by Cait (The Dance Buzz)

I never thought I’d say this, but I am tired of Adele!

Hey guys! It’s a turning table!

It’s mid-way through competition season for us and Adele has already won “most overplayed artist at competition” by a landslide. I have seen Turning Tables Turning Tables as a solo, a duet, a small group, a large group, with a table, with twelve tables, with no tables (and my studio is guilty of using it too). “Set Fire to the RainSet Fire To The Rain“, “Rumour Has ItRumour Has It” and “Someone Like YouSomeone Like You” have also been well represented.

So if you’re like me and want a change of pace, here are a few current songs I’ve been using in contemporary and jazz class lately that are not Adele. All links open in iTunes

Paradise – Coldplay (LINK) – I love the build-up in the beginning. My senior class really get into this one when the bass comes in around 0:34. I used it for across the floor and center combos with improv.

Night Drop – Act of Valor (Night Drop – Act of Valor) – The whole soundtrack is great for improv work and working on emotions – I especially like this track.

Keep Your Head Up – Ben Howard Keep Your Head Up – Ben Howard – I like this for warm-ups that start slowly and end up in big movements and small jumps (song picks up around 1:13). Somehow the refrain of “keep your head up, keep your heart strong” keeps me going 🙂

Black Sheep – Gin Wigmore – couldn’t find this one on iTunes – here it is on YouTube. Love this for a sassy jazz combo. **Warning it does use the word “h-e-double-hockey-sticks word” (h*ll) in the bridge, so may not be appropriate for your classes.

Holy Moses – Washington Holy Moses – Washington – This is a fun one for warm-ups. I have been using this song in tap class too.

Riverside – Agnes Obel Riverside – Agnes Obel – I love this haunting song – would work nicely for a small group. And it’s in 6/8 time… bonus!

31Mar2012

March Challenge Check-In

Posted in Blog Challenge by Cait (The Dance Buzz)

It’s almost April… did you do your March Dance Blog Challenge?

No?

Oh wait, neither have I!

Whoops…

Perhaps you are busy with recital planning, teaching classes, sorting costumes or choreographing? Going to dance class, going to school, going to work? Yeah… me too!

But there’s no time like the present! Here is the list of links to the past challenges.

March’s Challenge: Where do you dance?
February’s Challenge: A Day In The Life
January’s Challenge: Dance Firsts

It’s never too late to jump in and add your blog post to any of the challenges.

26Mar2012

A Studio Owner’s Prayer for Competition Weekend

Posted in Uncategorized by Cait (The Dance Buzz)

Dear Lord,

Please let my dancers and parents travel safely and on time to the hotel. Please let the hotel be clean and free of visiting boys sports teams. I pray for no midnight phone calls from security or parents, no early morning fire alarms and that my wake up call arrives on time.

Please let the venue have ample parking and an area to unload props. And a few strong men who are willing to carry props to backstage. May the door guard be understanding that I will be at this event for 14 hours and yes, I understand there is no food or drink in the auditorium but I may kill someone without this coffee.

Please let the competition staff be friendly and organized. May the event run on time and in order, and backstage be free of chaos. May the other teams and their parents be as polite as my students and realize that everyone is there to do their best.

May the dressing rooms be well-lit and without windows and not more than one flight of stairs up or down from the stage. May my male dancer receive a dressing space that isn’t the men’s bathroom.

Please let my CDs work without issue. May the sound guy (or girl) play them at an appropriate volume and not start the music until the dancers have taken their places. May there be floor microphones so my tappers’ sounds are not lost in the music.

May the stage be an actual stage with an even and non-slippery surface. Let there be no dances immediately before mine that litter the stage with powder, paint, excessive glitter or feathers.

May wigs stay on and shoes stay tied. May tights stay intact and straps secure.

Please let quick changes be swift and easy, may parents fingers be nimble with hair and deft with make-up. May there be no arguments between mother and daughter.

Let each dancer have an abundance of safety pins, bobby pins and hair spray and that we receive no comments suggesting that we “spray down those fly-aways” or “the dancers should really pin those straps”.

May there be no need for the ice pack, ace bandage, knee brace or extra costume accessories I brought.

Let feet be stretched and arms be sharp. Let lines be straight and spacing even. May formation changes be clean and smooth. May my dances be more powerful on a large stage than they were in the studio. Let my dances perform better than they did at dress rehearsal.

Please let the judges be fair and impartial, with insightful comments and words of advice. Let the competition hold true to its decree that it takes off points for inappropriate costuming and song choices and I pray that the awards reflect this.

May my team act like a team and be supportive of each other and share in each other’s victories. Let the memories they are making be of performing and friendship and not the size of the trophy they won. Let them know that their value as a dancer is not determined by the awards at the end of the day.

And most of all, let my students dance.

Let them perform to their fullest, enjoy their time on stage and feel accomplished at the end of the day.

Amen.

———

This post was in response to “A Dance Mom’s Prayer for Competition Day” over at Your Daily Dance.

5Mar2012

Cleaning Dance Routines

Posted in Uncategorized by Cait (The Dance Buzz)

Originally published February 25, 2011

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Polishing, cleaning, fine-tuning… whatever you call it, its necessary before a performance. I thought I’d share some of my favorite techniques that I’ve picked up over the years as a student and teacher.

The first key is making sure everyone knows the dance – break the routine into 8 counts, count by count and analyze and correct everything from the head placement, arms, feet, legs (bent or straight), and tempo. If you’re low on time, start at the messiest part of the dance.

Once everyone knows the dance, repetition is key! One of my teachers would not move on until each section (usually 8 counts) had been performed correctly and cleanly three times… in a row. If we messed up on the third time, she started over. She called it her “Rule of Three’s” and used it for only the messiest parts of dances because it can get very frustrating, but yields results.

March Blog Challenge: Where Do You Dance?

Posted in Blog Challenge by Cait (The Dance Buzz)

Right click + save as to grab this foryour blog!

This month’s challenge is a PHOTO / VIDEO challenge:

Where do YOU dance?

Share a picture or video tour of where you dance on your blog and then come back here and leave a comment with a link to your post so we can all share!

Click here to see past blog challenges.

28Feb2012

February 2012 Blog Challenge Update!

Posted in Blog Challenge by Cait (The Dance Buzz)

February’s Blog Challenge, A Day In The Life, was a little more intensive than January’s photo challenge, but that’s what makes it fun. Check out our participants so far:

So what are you waiting for? Add your blog to the list and share what your life is like! And remember, you can post any time (not just February).

Share your dance life with us!

26Feb2012

February Challenge: A Day In The Life

Posted in Blog Challenge by Cait (The Dance Buzz)

For those who work in the arts, every day can be so different from the next, but that’s part of what I love about my job and what makes it so much fun. It keeps me on my toes! (pun intended… groan.)

Here’s one of my more ‘typical’ days:

7am – Wake up. Contemplate exercising or yoga before I shower, but not today.. the blankets and snooze button are calling my name. Shower, eat breakfast, remember that I am going to take pictures for “Day In The Life” post today!

9:30am – Drive to the studio – weather’s looking a bit icy.. better keep an eye on it.

10:00 am – Admin time. Pretend to be Beyonce much to the chagrin of my office manager… “I’m all up in these costumes like my job… admin time”. Follow up on some back-ordered costumes and work on handouts. Dance party in the office to the hold music (hey Weissmans, at least you have some good tunes!).