Theme Playlist: "Circus"

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Fill your show with death-defying dances inspired by the big top!  This post was inspired by the SYTYCD routine by Tyce Diorio “The Circus Sets Up” (music from Water for Elephants soundtrack)

Welcome To The Big Top!
Charmed I’m Sure – Circus Contraption Charmed, I'm Sure - Grand American Traveling Dime Museum – very dark and scary – definitely for mature dancers
At The Circus – Dance A Story – Richard Maddock Dance-a-Story
Happy Boys and Happy Girls – Aqua Happy Boys and Girls - Aquarium– a cute young jazz or hip hop
Glitter In The Air – Pink Glitter In the Air - Funhouse (Deluxe Version)– slower lyrical song

Animals & Performers
Animal Crackers – my favorite version is Joanie Bartels Animal Crackers In My Soup - Sillytime Magic
Talk To The Animals – The Broadway Kids Buy From Amazon

Lion Tamer – Sylvia – Prelude: The Huntress Sylvia, Ballet Suite: I. Prelude: The Huntresses - Delibes: The Best of French Ballet
Ponies – any sort of prancing ballet music

Treats Under The Big Top
Popcorn – Crazy Frog Popcorn - Crazy Hits
Cotton Candy – Melany Cotton Candy - Kidstuff By Melany– great for Kindegarten age
Circus – Britney SpearsCircus - Circus (Deluxe Version)

Clowning Around
Make ‘Em Laugh Make 'Em Laugh - Singin' In the Rain (Soundtrack from the Motion Picture)
Send In The ClownsSend In the Clowns - The Very Best of Judy Collins
Tears of a ClownTears of a Clown - All Time Greatest Hits
Rodeo Clowns – Jack Johnson Rodeo Clowns - On and On – a nice soft-shoe style tap song

Death-Defying Feats!
Tightrope – Janelle Monae Tightrope - Friends With Benefits (Original Soundtrack)– upbeat jazz or tap
Tightrope or Acrobats – Into The Spin – Dessa Into the Spin - A Badly Broken Code – the strings remind me of a tightrope
Acrobats – Tea Party – Kerli –Tea Party - Almost Alice (Music Inspired By the Motion Picture) great jazz or acro number
Sword Swallowers – Steel Dreams – Cirque du Soleil Steel Dream - Quidam (Soundtrack)

Marketing for New Season

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I can't believe that our studio's opening day is less than four weeks away!  Our last summer intensive starts this Monday and then we have a break before starting up in September.

This is a list of what I do to market my studio, including the failed ad attempts – hopefully it will help someone!

FREE – The best advertising is free in my opinion!

  • Internet Presence:  Make sure your studio shows up when you search "dance near ZIP CODE" on Google! Update or add your studio to Google Places, Bing, Yahoo, etc.  Check out this post for a way to see if your business is visible.
  • Facebook:  If you don't have a Facebook page yet, get one!  Post on your studio's facebook wall at least once a week if not multiple times.  For extra credit, mix up your posts between photos, videos and regular "Classes start soon – not too late to register!"
  • Twitter:  If you have a large Twitter following, that may be the way to go.
  • Email:  Keep an email list of everyone who has ever asked for information for classes.  Send email blasts once a month or so.
  • Demo Classes: Offer free demonstration classes and see if you can get them listed in local community calendars or websites.

Continued after the jump…
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2011 Song Selections

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Just wanted to jot down my song list from this past year for posterity!  (Or so I can look it up at a later time when I can’t remember what that song was I used way back when…)

All links open in iTunes, unless otherwise noted

And my favorite dance for the year:

Recital Crunch Time!

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To all my N. American studio owners and dance teachers… are you ready for recital yet?  At my studio, the recital is four weeks away!  Some of my dances are ready, others… ehhh it will be interesting to see how they pull together. 

How do you stay organized for the big day?

Here is my quick list for what I prepare as a teacher:

  • I type up all of my baby dances to have them on hand.  Why is it that the simplest dances are the easiest to forget?
  • A list of all of my students for each class as well as their line-up if they are too young to remember where they stand.
  • My ‘backstage kit’: filled with bobby pins, safety pins, shout wipes, band-aids, extra makeup and a little sewing kit
  • Extra props, headpieces, tights and accessories
  • Gifts for my assistant teachers
  • A comfortable outfit for setting up and then a dress to change into for the show
  • A back up CD of my music
  • Snacks and lots of water (and usually a large coffee in the morning)
  • My camera!

I am sure I am forgetting some things…

What do you pack when getting ready for recital day?

Link Love: Exercises to Target the Core

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Great articles and sites for building core strength!  I will definitely be adding some of these exercises to my teen and tween jazz classes (and my own personal workouts).

4 Great Core Exercises:  Click on the title of each exercise to see a video demonstration.

Max Capacity Training: Designed for body builders, this site has a bunch of great exercises for strengthening your core (and arms.. and legs…).  There are 12 exercises per week and exercises change every three weeks, so click on Weeks 1, 4, 7 and 10 to see all the exercises.

SOBuzz: Online Dance Directories

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As a business owner, your online presence is essential.  In addition to your business showing up in Google searches, here are a few online directories that will make your studio even more accessible.  Most of these sites are free or have a free option. 

GENERIC
http://www.superpages.com/ – the online Yellow Pages
http://theusaexplorer.com/ – a huge directory listing businesses by town and city
http://local.yahoo.com/ – city guide
http://phones.whitepages.com/ – the online White Pages
http://citysearch.com/ – city guide
http://www.yellowusa.com/

DANCE-SPECIFIC
http://dancestudiosusa.com/ – dance directory
http://www.getyourkidsoffthecouch.com/ – collection of kids activities
http://www.dancedirectory.com/ – ballroom dance directory
http://www.dancedirectoryplus.com/

You might also want to do some research and see if your city or town has its own online directory.  My city has an online kid’s directory that lists dance studios, gymnastics facilities, karate, etc.  Also check your local newspaper, radio and TV station websites for business listings. If you offer birthday parties, there might be an online directory for kids parties – make sure your studio is on the list!

Also, many of these are specific to the United States – for other countries, you might need to do a bit of googling to find directories specific to your country.

Anything others you can think of?

Black Swan Dance Double

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Just read a great thought-provoking article by Wendy Perron at Dance Magazine mentioning Natalie Portman’s much under-publicized “dance double”, Sarah Lane in the film Black Swan.  Apparently, Lane was discouraged from taking interviews and talking to the press until after the Oscars! Perron gives her opinion on what it means to be a dance double in the film industry.


Read the full article here

Bonus material:  YouTube video showing special effects including replacing Sarah Lane’s face with Natalie Portman’s.