4dancers – Page 106

Just Dance Talent Search

May 21, 2010 by 4dancers

Just Dance is an outstanding success and the best-selling third party game on Wii^TM since its launch. If you are a choreographer who is interested in the possibility of winning a contest to have your work featured in the next “Just Dance” game, you can learn more about how to enter on the Just Dance Game Facebook page.

Robin Antin, founder of the Pussycat Dolls and Girlicious is the celebrity guest judge, and she will evaluate the top ten finalists to choose a winner. The prize? The winner and a friend will be flown to the Ubisoft Paris studio to meet the development team and have their own choreography recorded and produced for inclusion in the upcoming Just Dance video game.

You Gotta Get A Gimmick

May 20, 2010 by 4dancers

by Lucy Vurisic Riner

In the United States today, it takes a lot of blood, sweat and tears to keep dance companies, especially contemporary modern dance companies, afloat. I started my dance career in grass roots companies that couldn’t promise me a set amount of cash for my performances, let alone rehearsals. It never bothered me, I did it for the experience and the networking. Eventually, I found myself working for a mid-level company in Chicago that could pay me for some rehearsals, always paid me for shows and even gave us per diem when we toured. I think I can safely say that I have run the gamut when it comes to the types of performances I have done and the money it has (or has not) gotten me.

When my good friend Michael asked me about starting our own company (or artistic partnership as we like to call it) I was excited but anxious about where this could lead. We had both served on boards for other dance companies, had both planned our fair share of fundraisers and produced more than just a spattering of our own shows. It seemed that this be the natural step. But how were we going to make this company different? How were we going to set a foundation that had the potential to prosper? In the words of one of the cheesiest musicals ever, “You Got A Get A Gimmick.”

And so RE|Dance was formed (that is Riner/Estanich Dance in long hand for the curious) in 2009. We are still a fledgling company that is working on it’s not for profit status and considering what our board of directors might look like, but we do know one thing for sure: We are creative partners dedicated to the presentation of dance theatre works that explore personal, intimate human relationships through long distance collaboration. Yup. That’s our claim to hopeful fame. Michael is a professor of dance at the University of Wisconsin in Stevens Point. I am the dance program director of Oak Park and River Forest High School in Illinois and the dancers that we have working for us now live in Chicago, San Francisco, Madison and the Twin Cities. We come together for intensive rehearsal processes that last about a week or two and then we all go back to our home bases and reflect on that process. This same cycle occurs several times within the creation phase of a work until it’s time to be performed.

It’s definitely an unconventional way of working but it has its merits. No, we do not see each other on a regular basis for class and rehearsals, so we have to really stay connected via video, internet, and phone to talk about the work, ask questions and plan. We have found that working in this manner has opened pathways to making dances that have developed characters and rich emotional content. We spend anywhere from 40 to 50 hours immersed in the learning of movement phrases, partnering and identifying the themes and motifs that are part of the work and then we are able to step away from each other, sometimes for a few weeks or months only to come back with a deeper understanding of what we were creating. We have found that our process works much in the same way as a writer’s might; to step away from his or her work and come back to it later to reread and reevaluate the words on the page.

Yes, there are challenges in determining when everyone is available for our intensives and yes we have to be committed to staying in contact with each other in our times apart to discuss video footage, journaling and any other production aspects that might come up for the work. But long distance collaboration also has many benefits, especially for our fledgling company, in that it is generally more cost effective (no, we still aren’t at a place to pay for rehearsal time) because our time is so condensed. Dancers do not have the same time commitments as other companies might ask of them. When we do come together, it can feel very much like a travel adventure for the dancers in the group that are coming to a city they are not yet familiar with. At these early stages of our development we can pay our dancers for their performances and offer them other perks of the job (free lodging, food, and other amenities) when we are together. But the idea is that in collaborating across state lines, we build an audience base that is not dependent on any one city we visit, but that builds upon itself with each city we perform in. Where most companies work towards building a budget that allows them to tour, we are dependent on our touring to build a budget.

Michael and I knew we could work successfully with each other based on our history, so making dances while he was in Stevens Point and I was in Chicago did not feel very risky. We also realized that through both of our combined dance experiences, we had dance friends in about 12 different states. Creating a company that could collaborate and share shows with some of our cross country connections has made for more performance opportunities as well as allowing us to curb our production costs when we can share a show. We get to bring our art to other places in the US and those cities are exposed to what contemporary modern dance looks like in other parts of the country. So far, it’s been a win/win for all.

So that is how RE|Dance has become another chapter in my life. Is our long distance collaboration gimmick a ground-breaking idea? Hardly. But it has provided RE|Dance with a successful first year as a tiny dance company trying to make it’s mark. It all starts with an idea…..

If you are interested in knowing (and seeing) RE|Dance when we come to a theater near you, here is our summer touring schedule and become our fan on Facebook as well!

June 4, 5 and 6 in San Francisco at the Dance Mission Theater

August 6-10 in Minneapolis as part of the Fringe Festival (Southern Theater)

Sept. 3-5 in Chicago as part of the Fringe Festival (theater TBA)

And later this fall in Madison and Stevens Point Wisconsin

Quick Dance Quote From Isadora Duncan

May 19, 2010 by 4dancers

Another dance quote I saw and thought I’d share…there are many out there that I haven’t heard yet, even after being involved with dance for such a long time…

“If I could tell you what it meant, there would be no point dancing it.”
– Isadora Duncan

10 Questions With…Dr. Linda Hamilton

May 18, 2010 by 4dancers

When I was a young dancer I can remember getting my first subscription to Dance Magazine. In it was a column that I absolutely loved–one that answered some of the burning questions I had–but that I was afraid to ask. I always flipped to it first and eagerly read the advice…

That column was written by Dr. Linda Hamilton–who was kind enough to spend some time sharing her insights here with us on 4dancers today. I’m honored to share them with you now…

1. You have had a long, successful career helping dancers. What is one thing about them that stands out to you after working with them all these years?

There are many things that make dancers stand out from the crowd. However, if I have to narrow it down to one factor then I’d say it’s their extraordinary passion for dance. While most performers love what they do, serious dancers love it almost to excess. This can be a double-edged sword. It helps them to excel in dance because they are so eager to make progress. However, this same drive can also sabotage their best efforts if they ignore pain and fatigue.

Linda Hamilton (c) Paul Kolnik

2. What are the primary injuries and issues you have seen over the years in the dance world, and have they changed with time or do they remain largely the same?

Overall, the most common concerns in dance include overuse injuries, burnout, mental stress, and eating problems. The good news is that today’s dancers are better informed about a variety of health issues. The problem is that the training and choreography are much more intense. As a result, it takes more than dance class to survive. You also need to consider good work habits, cross-training, nutrition, weight control, and stress management. We’ve integrated these elements in our wellness program at New York City Ballet, and the weeks lost to disability have dropped almost in half.

3. You have done a good deal of research during the course of your career…what was the most surprising thing you found?

The biggest surprise was how similar dancers are around the world. We compared dancers from Western Europe, China, Russia and the United States and found that they were all experiencing the same mental and physical stresses. Isn’t that amazing? The main factor that separates dancers, regardless of the country, is how pro-active their schools and companies are in terms of preventing these problems. Fortunately, the International Association for Dance Medicine & Science is a wonderful resource that can help you get up to speed. I highly recommend becoming a member (www.iadms.org).

4. How did you begin writing for Dance Magazine?

Writing for Dance Magazine coincided with my becoming a licensed clinical psychologist. I wanted to focus on the entertainment industry after working with different performers at a clinic that specialized in the area. However, I knew that dancers can have a hard time discussing problems because the training rewards you for being stoic. So the idea of an advice column where dancers could write to me and ask for help without using their real names held great appeal. I proposed the column to Dance Magazine and it’s been running ever since. It’s been highly rewarding for me on a personal level. More important, I hope it’s shown dancers that reaching out when you have a problem can be empowering.

5. What is it like to work with New York City Ballet?

It’s like going home! I grew up at City Ballet and performed with them for almost two decades. Helping to develop and implement the wellness program is like a dream come true. It allows me to bring everything I know about dance medicine to the Company. Now every young dancer receives an annual orthopedic, fitness, and nutritional screening to identify potential problems before they become serious. We also offer seminars when time permits, where I may discuss ways to prevent burnout. I’m also available for dancers who need more personalized help, such as recovering from an injury. It’s an honor to give back to the dance community that has brought so much joy and meaning to my life. To do this at City Ballet is a gift.

6. In your mission statement it says, “you no longer have to suffer for your art form to excel”. Can you explain what you mean by that?

It means that a lot of the suffering that occurred in the performing arts was due to lack of knowledge and resources. Dancers need to be thin but they can lose weight safely by knowing what to eat and how to cross-train. The same is true for working with your unique body type without getting injured, using mental skills to reduce performance anxiety and increase self-confidence, and knowing when to seek medical help to take advantage of that one-month magic healing period.

7. Are there any psychological issues that dancers tend to be more prone to?

I’d have to say perfectionism! Obviously, you need a hefty dose in order to practice the same dance steps over and over again. This trait is inborn and common in gifted individuals. The healthy aspects include high standards and the organizational skills to meet your goals. The less adaptive parts that can trip you up are never accepting anything less than perfection (which is unattainable) and looking at mistakes as a sign of failure rather than an opportunity to learn something useful. Perfection is an ideal, not a reality.

8. You have recently written a book called The Dancer’s Way. Who should read this book and why?

I think everyone in the dance community can benefit from the book, including dancers, teachers, directors, and healthcare specialists. I wrote it to help reduce occupational stress and achieve peak performance in any dance technique, not just ballet. It shows you how to develop a wellness program tailored to meet your unique needs, and includes New York City Ballet’s screening protocol and the resources to duplicate it. I just heard that The Royal Ballet is considering adopting it after reading the book. I also know that Jerry Mitchell, who’s choreographed numerous Broadway hits, wants to make it mandatory reading for his gypsies. It’s also being used by a number of dance schools and BFA programs. Frankly, it’s the book I wish I’d had when I was a performer.

9. Can you share a particularly meaningful moment from your career?

Actually, that question is easy to answer because it just happened. I was invited to speak at the first dance medicine conference in Monte Carlo, which happens to be the first city where I performed on tour as a 16 year-old dancer with New York City Ballet. I felt like my life had come full-circle. As a young dancer I had the honor of being introduced to Princess Grace. This time her daughter, Princess Caroline, was in the audience. It was a very special moment that brought two careers together in a highly meaningful way.

10. What is next on the horizon for you?

Well, it seems like I always have another project on the table. This time it’s focusing on my new website for all types of performers. I have monthly wellness tips on topics like self-esteem and dieting, surveys that target constant concerns such as technique, photos on different sources of occupational stress, and a daily discussion forum. It’s meant to provide both information and support. I invite everyone to visit, check out the tips and resources, and join me in the forum at www.wellness4performers.com. This is for YOU!

Biography:

Former New York City Ballet dancer Linda Hamilton is a clinical psychologist specializing in the performing arts. In addition to her private practice in Manhattan, Dr. Hamilton is the wellness consultant for New York City Ballet and The Ailey School. She writes a monthly advice column in Dance Magazine, and has three books that deal with occupational stresses in the entertainment industry. Dr. Hamilton’s website provides the community with useful tips and resources, as well as daily support in her discussion forum (www.wellness4performers.com).

The Jersey Tap Fest

May 15, 2010 by 4dancers

This is a post for all you tap dancers out there…4dancers is pleased to share some information about Jersey Tap Fest, and its founder, Hillary-Marie…

1. Can you tell readers a little about your background?

I am a tap soloist, performer, choreographer and teacher who specializes in the American art form of rhythm tap dance. I established an entrepreneurial stance at a young age by managing local musicians in the tri-state area under Fireshot Promotions and am now the Founder and Director of Jersey Tap Fest.

Hillary-Marie Promo Shot 1 — Hillary-Marie

I have been mentored by and assistant to Dr. Harold ‘Stumpy’ Cromer since 2007 and mentored by Karen Callaway Williams since 2004. As a belter and actress, I made my theatrical debut as Val in a regional production of A Chorus Line and now provide audiences with an afternoon of song and tap dance in my new show, What’s On Tap? I proudly became a member of the New Jersey Tap Ensemble in April 2006 and have since become a principal dancer for the New Jersey Tap Ensemble under the direction of Founder and Artistic Director Ms. Deborah Mitchell. I have been so fortunate as to work with the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, Princeton Symphony Orchestra, New Jersey Ballet, Russian Moscow Ballet, American Tap Dance Foundation, as well as award-winning composers Marvin Hamlisch, Leonard Oxley and Nikki Denner.

I have performed in many New Jersey venues, including Cafe Arabica, the Edward Nash Theatre, Montclair Arts Museum, the Morristown Community Theatre, the NJ State Theatre, NJPAC, Patriot’s Stadium, Pianos, the Richardson Auditorium, Skipper’s, the South Orange Performing Arts Center, The Priory, the Union County Performing Arts Center, the Westminster Arts Center and the Wilkins Theatre, as well as New York City’s Battery Park, Cobi’s Place, the Duke Theatre on 42nd Street, the Fashion Institute of Technology Haft Auditorium, Peter Norton Symphony Space, Small’s Jazz Club, Showman’s, The Kitchen, Washington DC’s Duke Ellington Theater and Smithsonian Museum, St. Louis’ Blanch M. Touhill PAC, and Los Angeles’ Hamilton Performing Arts Center.

Outside of teaching and performance, I write for Terrence Taps’ Tap Dance Blog and am a member of the International Tap Association and New Jersey Jazz Society, where I dedicate myself to keeping the art form of tap dance alive.

2. Briefly, can you explain what Jersey Tap Fest is?

Jersey Tap Fest is an annually fantastic New Jersey tap dance event that will educate and serve diverse students with a passion for tap dance. Founded by Hillary-Marie, Jersey Tap Fest provides repertoire classes to celebrate today’s young, emerging tap dance artists and master classes to celebrate the tap masters and allow them to train the artists who are the future face of the tap dance community. We are committed to tap dance by being dedicated to its advancement for the purposes of promoting and preserving its tradition, history and musicality as an American art form.

Jersey Tap Fest provides non-competitive opportunities of self-advancement and networking for the basic tapper, tap teacher, tap enthusiast, pre-professional and professional artist and tap master. This stimulating, demanding and rigorous program will serve diverse students with great passion for tap dance in the tri-state area, allowing them to improve their technical abilities and increase their overall knowledge of the art form. All participants will be awarded opportunities of performance to give them valuable experience in which they can reflect on. Overall, Jersey Tap Fest is focused on serving tap dance, teaching its history, preserving its percussive traditions and promoting it for what it is, a cherished American art form.

3. Who should attend?

Everyone! Classes are based on skill level

Kids – There are youth classes and a youth rep for children between the ages of 8 and 12 (the choreography learned in the rep classes will be performed in the main stage show on July 17^th at SOPAC theater, amazing performance opportunity!)

Teenage, college, pre-professional and professionals – There are open intermediate and advanced classes and intermediate and advanced reps (the choreography learned in the rep classes will be performed in the main stage show on July 17^th at the SOPAC theater… another amazing performance opportunity!) Classes can be registered for individually, but as always… packages are the way to go!

Adults – There are adult beginner classes all three days of the festival towards the end of the day, before the night time events. This is a great opportunity to brush up on childhood dance skills, start a new hobby, or learn about what your child does in dance class and give you something in common, a new dinner table discussion!

Tap Teachers – Attending Jersey Tap Fest will provide you with new steps, techniques and routines to teach your students.

Tap Enthusiasts – Not a tap dancer, but love tap dance? There are classes and events for you! History with Dr. Cromer and “Music Theory for Tap Dancers” can be registered for individually. There is a free Shim-Sham class and everyone can purchase tickets to the night time events, including the Jam Session, Panel Discussion, Participants Showcase and the main stage faculty show.

4. Can you tell readers about the people who will be teaching at the event?

Honoree:

Living tap dance legend Dr. Harold ‘Stumpy’ Cromer of the song and dance comedy team “Stump and Stumpy” with James Cross. Credits include, Du Barry Was A Lady, Early To Bed, The American Dance Machine and special appearances with Frank Sinatra, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn and many more!

Rep Teachers:
Logan Miller (A.C.G.I., St. Louis Hoofers)
Sarah Reich (A.C.G.I., LA Ironworks)
Alicia Smith (New Jersey Tap Ensemble)
Kyle Wilder (New Jersey Tap Ensemble)

Youth/Int/Adv/Early Bird/Technique Teachers:
Karen Callaway Williams (Riverdance, New Jersey Tap Ensemble)
Maurice Chestnut (Bring in ‘Da Noise Bring in ‘Da Funk, New Jersey Tap Ensemble)
Dr. Harold ‘Stumpy’ Cromer
DeWitt Fleming Jr. (Banana Spheel, Broadway Underground, New Jersey Tap Ensemble)
Jeffry Foote (New Jersey Tap Ensemble)
Jason Janas (Imagine Tap)
Hillary-Marie (Founder and Director of Jersey Tap Fest, New Jersey Tap Ensemble)
Deborah Mitchell (Founder and Artistic Director of New Jersey Tap Ensemble, Black and Blue)
Jenne Vermes

Hip-Hop:
Tom McKie

Music Theory for Tap Dancers:
Nicki Denner (The Nicki Denner Latin Jazz Trio)

Special Guest:
Yvette Glover (Mother of Savion Glover, Jazz Vocalist)

5. Would you talk about a few of the highlights of the Fest?

Beyond the amazing faculty and 40+ classes that Jersey Tap Fest offers… there are public nighttime events and extra classes!

Wednesday, July 14^th

**“Music Theory for Tap Dancers” can give any tap fanatic a better understanding the percussive and improvisational elements of tap dance,

**Open Jam Session – musicians and tap dancers are invited to call their tune and jam with the live jazz band!

Thursday, July 15^th

**The free Shim-Sham class is a great time to learn the classic tap dance finale, “The Shim-Sham Shimmy”

**Panel Discussion

Friday, July 16^th

**Learn about tap dance history from history itself with Dr. Cromer!

**Jersey Tap Fest participants are provided with the opportunity to share their talent and perform for the public (acts are not limited to tap dance)

Saturday, July 17^th – Main Stage Show

**An AMAZING faculty performance that you do not want to miss! (This performance will include rep pieces learned during the festival)

6. What else can you tell readers about the Jersey Tap Fest experience?

Tap festivals provide tap dancers of all skill levels and ages with opportunities to learn, grow, network and perform. Don’t miss out on this amazing event.

All events will take place at South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC). This is an amazing theater that is allowing us to use their Loft to hold the classes and their stage for the culminating main stage show. SOPAC is conveniently located next to the South Orange train station, which is only a 30 minute train ride from NY Penn Station.

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