Dance, My Diva's, Dance

I hope everyone is having a very merry Christmas and hope that the new year brings joy and new dance adventures. I wish you well and hope to introduce you more into the world of dance over the next year. :-)

Diva's dance with easy, so dance diva's dance.

Pirouettes

                                        This is pirouette perfection

Audition tips

                  This is so helpful. She has some really great tips!

Assigment

Marianela Nunez swan lake st pas deux

Get yourself a cup of tea, comfortable seat, sit back and watch this pas deux on you tube. 
This is what the music looks like!.

Bring the noise!

This dance session begins with an all over warm up which includes stretching, muscle isolation's exercises, as well as basic dance techniques. 

It is followed by a motivating dance routine, which is easy to follow. 

Pick music that makes you feel good. 

Create and develop a style with a move it! Move it! Happy  feel to it.! 

Part 3.... .Some thoughts on ... What makes a good teacher!

Part 3.... .Some thoughts on ...
What makes a good teacher!

* Don't be afraid  to give corrections. It is your responsibility as a teacher! Think about the  priorities of your corrections.

* Get the base of the body (for - hip placement)  right before worrying about how the head is held. (This is just a general rule - the overall picture is not to be forgotten).

*  Teach age appropriate material. For example: young children have different muscle structure and their bodies look more baby-like, their abdominal muscles are not fully developed. They will find isolation of torso or other exercises  using  their abdominal quite hard.   Or before the children can't exercise a good tendue (point the toes) to the front, don't teach a side tendue.

I am not saying you can't teach certain things ever (you  could  introduce them as a challenge) just reflect on the expectations you have of your students.

Part 2.... .Some thoughts on ... What makes a good teacher!

Part 2.... .Some thoughts on ...
What makes a good teacher!

*  Maintain a certain energy level in your class. Think about how you present yourself to
the students (try to sit down as little as possible in class!!!)

* Demonstrate correctly. You are the only person that the students can get the necessary information from.   Show each exercise as nicely and  precisely as you want your students to do it ( again this is about your energy level as well as your technique ).   

* Don't assume anything. From being in dance education for a long time you might have forgotten that you have to explain the ground  rules of dance. Students new to dance don't know why
- you always count from one to eight
- plus "en croix" ( front,side,back & side ) is not a logic pattern to them 
- work from the corners might have to be explained in general .

Be prepared to explain things you might think are logical. With little children it might actually help if you explain - why you want them to stand still, be quiet or not to go to the toilet during class ( "if your dancing on a stage with a big audience watching you ........." )  

* Don't  be ...........

Diva Dance Chat: Eric Oberdorff

       Which star sign you are? 

       Pisces

       What's your favorite food to eat?

       Raw fish in coconut sauce (Tahitian recepe)

    What's your favorite saying, life code or     quote?

I've got two :

"Never have cheap dreams"

"Ni dieu ni maître!" (literally 'Neither God nor master')

Which color do you love the best? 

Blue

Some thoughts on ...... What makes a good teacher! part 1

Part 1........Some thoughts on ...
What makes a good teacher!

By teaching children you are given a big responsibility. Here are some ideas that might help you to make the best out of it. All the following is meant only as a guideline with some of the things mentioned below might only apply in certain situations, but I hope they stimulate some thoughts.

People have different personalities therefore every person has to develop their own style of teaching. You can learn a lot from watching other people teach. Ask try o remember your own teachers and what you think made them a good or bad teacher. Even though I believe teaching has a lot o do with personalities and there are also some ground rules that all of us should try to follow:

*  Only someone who like teaching makes a good teacher.

*  Maintain a certain energy level in your class. Think about how you present yourself to

Dance, Money and Amazing Films

I went to go and see this film earlier this year and immediately fell in love with it. In my opinion, this clip sums up the strive to compete against the corporate companies and high end bosses. What better way to do it, than through dance? Although I must say this never happens to me when I go to the office!

Dancing Diva Mathilda

I hope I'm still dancing a bit like this, when I get to be 97 years old!

Diva Dance Chat: Carol Straker

Which star sign you are?
Gemini

What's your favourite food to eat?
Cou-cou with fish

What's your favourite saying, life code or quote?
"To whom much is given, much is required"

Which colours do you love the best?
Black Orange

Council International Dance

I'm happy to inform everyone that I am now a member of the Council International Dance CID which was founded in 1973 within the UNESCO headquarters in Paris, where it is based.

It is the official umbrella organization for all forms of dance in all countries of the world.


UNESCO is the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

Diva Dance Chat

I want to have a chat with some of the dance diva's out here. So,  what can we chat about?

I liked to know

Which star sign you are?

What's  your favourite food to eat? 

What's your favourite saying, life code or quote?

& Which colours do you love the best? 

I know what I'd like to know, if you can add one more. That would be brilliant.

Alvin Ailey Dances watch and have a nice day.

I thought this was something interesting

What was the dance or dance style, that made you begin? Part...2

I always love to turn, spin, well! do Pirouettes. Around and around, I love to go.

Pirouettes are such fun!

You should have a try, if you've not done one in a long time or ever before?

How did you get on with your pirouettes?

What was the dance or dance style, that made you begin? Part....1

Dances from around the world. I'm always willing to try out a new dance or a new style. Now a days there's so much to choose from. Plus, remember each country has its own traditional dance as well. Where do you start?...

What was the dance or dance style, that made you begin ?

Shoes with Heels Part...2

Dancing in heels is one thing but one has to be able to walk in them first. Which sounds easy, but its not? Truth be told walking is one of the hardest skills to be mastered.

To make it look easy is the art and grace your trying to find.

Everyone loves wearing heels.

Shoes with heels Part...1

I love learning the whole dance. “Faster maybe you can do this step fast and next really slow.”

Kicks, turns, jumps some steps with both arms up in the air out of the way."Higher, doubles and faster then hold still."

Then only to be told at the end ………… “Now, here are the shoes I want you to perform in…………….. The heels have a support brace”

All you can do is, put them on, and go for it!

What else can you do?

To dance in Ballet Shoes

I have loads of pairs, but most loved are the first of many. My first ballet soft flats, which in fact were not soft but extremely hard. Made of pink leather, that had my feet working over time to get a little bit of bend out of them.

They made me dance, not red but they still had that desire to make me dance, more and more. My first Pointe/toe shoes, shiny again pink, but this time satin with all the accessories that have to be attached with them to help, these shoes. Help, pain, stress, joy all the same thing when it come to these shoes.

Pretty but warning can bring pain depending on how your foot is shaped? Today you could buy even more help for your toes including Lambs wool, fleecy pads for toes, and pouches for the Ouch, cushions / pads for your toes; they even come in the form of gel, suede and silicone.

One can get bunion guards and a ray of toe tapes, ribbons, elastic, darning trend, carrying bags plus resin.

Well I never! I’m surprise one, can get the shoe on after that lot.

A DANCERS BAG

You need a strong dance bag, not to big because it may get too heavy.

You may need tee shirts, leotards, tights, skirt, tutu, jazz pants, dance underwear, shorts, exercise band,  socks, legwarmers, weights, foot roller, cross over cardigan, sweater, sweat suit, dance soft ballet shoes , tap shoes and Pointe/toe shoes, gel toe pads . Don’t forget the towel, soap, tooth brush, shampoo, wash bag. Head / hair band, a pen, tissues, spray, comb, brush, hair grips. Body lotion, hand cream, make-up, book, water, food snacks, sewing kit, scissors, an outfit to wear after woulds and ………………… Back Support. 

What Items did I miss?

Rehearsal

Dancers spend most of their day in class, then rehearsal going over and over and over, over the same steps and other steps building up a route of movements only sometime to be told “forget that I want this step instead……………………on this count and with this beat of music.” “Oh………………………… ok………………….. From, which bit of the dance????????????? “

“Oh, that bit, after the jump in the air after the first 16 counts.”

That’s how they become one with each other and link with the music. Everything is in balance with its counterpart. So all the audience can see is the whole creation the choreographer is putting / bringing together. Dancers have to remember all details and then forget them. So it all can become one, to show the tale to be danced.

 

The Warm up

Always take or make a little time to warm up, your body will thank you later. It all depends on how much time you have and on what your body needs. It may be a full class or just one or two of the main basic steps. It could be in a sauna or another form of excise but all the same do one; it helps to relax before the show/ performance and ready to go over any step that is playing up in your mind. Keep the body warm with the track suit, leg warmers and any thing that allows you to still move about with easy.

Wear a robe, scarf and old jumper.

I love the old sweat pants or tracksuit bottoms, cut the seat out and wear it up side down; this is the Dancers fashion tips.

Dance Education Outreach

Dance Education Outreach can develop many students of all age groups. By breaking down the age range so that the youngest children can keep up to their own level and so on, as the groups go on.  If it is on going or can happen by seasonal sessions, that’s also good as it forms a timetable. 

A few of the main aims are to enable better access to dance education, to the dancers, to encourage and inspire students. This will improve the understanding of the arts of dance. The workshops should cover a wide range of dance style and topics, which can be used for presentation or as mind keeps.

Demonstrations

Now this is a great way to find out how some of the amazing moves are performed on stage.  As a young dancer, I would think of this as my own extra class. If I listen really, really, really hard I would find out some tricks of the trade. I could act as if I was one of the dancers on stage listening to all the instructions. The dancers now, are already to show their steps and turns. Sometimes they start off with a warm–up this most likely the seventh warm up of the day but they made it look like the first one.

Knees are bending, legs swinging higher and higher trying their best to touch an eye, nose and an ear or two. “If you think it, you can do it” but just don’t hurt yourself.

Note:- because when, dancing the power moving through your limbs can be a real force ……………… that’s why everyone needs their own space.  

Back stage

Backstage the dancers are warming up for the hundredth time that day maybe, getting or sometimes getting very nervous, talking a lot or not at all. This really depends on the dancer. Some like to eat a little, some like sweets, some don’t, while others start acting out a role or two. The art of putting on your make-up and doing your hair can really, really, really calm you down. Rub your muscles if they need it. Go to toilet but there could be loads of other dancers wanting to go as well. Hearing the stage manager’s over calm voice “This is your 5min call before the show starts or curtain up”     

Followed by echoes of “Break a leg”

Break a leg” Break a leg” Break a leg”

Break a leg” from all the dressing rooms

and pray circles, Break a leg or two”

Pre Talks

Before a performance and sometimes per talks to a Performance lecture demonstration this gives a chance to the creators to speak. 

Now, a days you can get to hear from the Artistic Director, Director or Choreographer about what the driving force behind a Ballet or new work was. They can explain how it came to be? Who’s performing? What the music is? Costumes and set design are in relation to the new creation, the audience is about to see. While, they are having a calm talk in the front out house, they get to explain. These talks can sometimes lead to the audience getting to chat with them and asking a few questions. Which always comes in handy when seeking the answers to how to dance?

Performance lectures

Through this, a company can bring their company members out and introduce the art form of dance to many children and young people helping them to understand how the form can develop. Also an appreciation, an expressive and creative medium like this exists in all cultures and civilisations that make up global human family. The Performance lecture is great for schools and community groups. Most of the companies I’ve dance for, would have a performance lecture demonstrations. The students really enjoy meeting the dancers, asking questions and taking part in the specific dance steps or movements on stage.  It’s a lovely, caring and special way to share our gifts of dance.

Master Classes

These classes are so helpful, really a bit of a treat. They come in all styles Ballet, Street Jazz, Contemporary, African, Caribbean, Ballroom, Tap etc the list goes on and on and on. You name it, I’m sure you’ll find what you’re looking for. It could be a one off class or a short course. It can run longer than a normal class and some times has a Diva Star from that field / style of dance as the tutor.  They are wonderful to find out tips and hints on how to fine comb some details you need to perfect. You also learn important like performance does and don’ts. Some times you learn real repertory. You can benefit from some of the history behind movements and steps, why and how they were created. The other great thing about master classes are, you also may meet a long lost dance friend or make a new one.

Running a Dance workshop.

 Which is designed to; develop a group of students?

Should, offer a class, so that the students can learn how to warm up.  The tutor can bring; in a creative or choreographic section for the students to develop their skills and understanding of dance ideas. Maybe, using some of the steps that were in the class would benefit their movement range. If there’s a project or theme, to basic it all on, even better. Working within a residency, the tutor can create a performance piece that is performed at the end. This works best when the students have a longer period of time to engage with the Dance experience. They will talk, laugh and remember about it for years.

The Old, old and older story cont.......

Well, Dance helps to develop an appreciation and understanding of an expressive also creative medium that exists in all cultures and civilisations. Dance can offer the individual / groups spiritual, emotional, aesthetic and physical rewards. Many people take  up some form of dance or movement to help with their health. The reasons cover a wide range, which vary from helping Asthma to Stress. Those who lose weight with dance exercises tend to be more toned. But most of all, I have to say " Dance can be fun!, a great enjoyment to those who take part. It is a social outlet which the family can benefit from"

Old, old story .....

Telling the Dancer’s old, old story, there are many benefits gained by those attending regular dance classes. For children and most people, the exercises that are taken during a good class, can help in building up muscle strength, which in turn strengthens the joints, ligaments, tendons and bones making the body more supple and mobile. It also helps the development a better posture, co-ordination, breathing awareness, confidence and self discipline. Just as important, it allows you to channel your energies in a constructive and create way. It's fun, enjoyment and it makes you smile :^)   

Diva, Diamond, Dancers the triple D’s

Dancers are the Diamonds in dance. I have always understood and thought of dancers as being like Diamonds making the sheet music come ……….. Not the best words to use, its more like Moves the sheet music Alive. Dancers all have a sparkle; they come in different colours, different sizes, some are rough while others are like fine cut divas. ………… they bring the performances and shows to us. They are the team that works so hard to make the one vision that we see in balance on the stage.

All because, well you see and please do try and remember it’s because “they do make the best of friends.” Dancers grow up together. Do classes, rehearsals and performances.  All the while, in this time they are learning how to move with grace and with each other. That’s why they make such great friends.  They care for each other, lift one another and share the movements plus music with us through their instruments called the body to inspire us. Dancer is the surname of this family.             

Diva, Diamond, Dancers the triple D’s

Being in the zone or I like to call it the Diamond dancers moment.  At first when this happened, I was young. I thought, this is what real Dancers must feel like when they become perfect. I had no idea what was going on but I knew I was relaxed, actually I felt like a puppet and the master dancer was controlling my movements. I remember I was practising my turn’s pirouettes with a couple of friends after ballet class. I recalled all instructions I had ever heard. Start with a good 4^th position with the feet. Make sure weight is in the middle. Prepare, think bring foot to knee and quickly spot. I’ll look at that picture on the wall. Remember turns/spot note, when turning “head is the last to leave and first to arrive.”  

When I finally thought I was ready I breathed in and brought my hand in to meet the other one to make that circle of energy. My pointed toe to my knee and began to turn.  But, I found myself inside the turn. I was aware, I was turning but all I could hear was 1 turn, 2 turn, 3 turn. 4 turn, 5 turn, 6 turn and then the turns released me and I came down into a demi plie 5^th position.

When it finally release me, I had that “Did you see that look” with the biggest smile on my face. 

Diva, Diamond, Dancers

Diva, Diamond, Dancers

I know Dance is, so important to all cultures and it is a universal language. I would like to say “Let us not forget, our dance family” All the teachers, dancers & mentors or those who inspire us. Our family works so well together through the discipline, team work and our spirit of love for the art form of dance.  We have to write our own stories, tell our own history, record and remember our own memories of the people & things that inspired us, our Diamonds. 

I remember one Diamond day coming back from class. I helped a blind man onto the train, as I took his hand he asked “What job do you do?....” I quickly asked myself what? job did, I do? Because I though Oh! DANCER but, that’s so visual what shall I say? Then I remembered I had come from a Martha Graham class. So, I began to explain how the body had to move with the intake of air, breath & contract on the exhale. How one could turn and the air would suck the body in, to tight positions and release it, so it could be free again. Tell stories, show technique, how to jump, move or just express the feeling you wanted to share.  I explained how the hand would shape like a cup but only big enough for a small drink of water. When it was his stop, to get off the train he thanked and told me” The next time, I listen to music, I’ll listen in a different way now, I’ve met a Dancer ”