A website for dancers, dance teachers and others interested in dance
(This is a courtesy post for a dance job. I have no information other than what is here.)
Who: Jump Smokers (music).
What: Jump Smokers are auditioning for hip hop dancers for the B96 Jingle Bash at the Allstate Arena on December 12th. The performance will take place in front of over 20,000 people.
Where: Lou Conte Dance Studio (Hubbard Street Dance Company), 1147 W. Jackson Ave. Chicago, IL 60607. Phone: 312-850-9766 or 312-850-9766.
When: 5pm
Bring a Headshot and Resume if you have one.
Have you ever wondered about the history of pointe shoes?
It is interesting to see how they evolved into what we use today. Modern pointe shoes are a very far cry from what they were many years ago. It’s fascinating to think about what they will be like in the future…
When I was actively dancing, I used lamb’s wool to wrap my toes when I first started out on pointe. I found it to be miserable–it shifted around like mad, and wadded up in all the wrong places inside my shoe. As soon as my feet toughened up I switched to paper towel. A rather unorthodox substance, but it worked well for me. Some dancers I know used nothing, or toe pads… [Read more…]
First of all, the disclaimer–I’m no doctor, I am not a nurse–don’t take anything I say as medical advice. This is for informational purposes only. That said, this is about bunions. If you are a female dancer who has done pointe work for any length of time, you know what I’m talking about. Not all dancers get bunions, but many do–and they can be painful. If you want to learn more about them….start by visiting the Calgary Foot Clinic (photo is from them as well) for a good primer.
Nijinsky. Even the name has a sort of mystical, dramatic feel to it. He is one of a handful of men who have received the spotlight in ballet. I think that more should share in that honor. Men are as vital to ballet as an art form as women are–yet women get the bulk of the attention. George Balanchine once remarked, “Ballet is woman,” and although I totally get where he is coming from, it should not negate the value of men.
Where there is no man…no ballerina floats. For the yin of the delicate solos of women in pointe shoes and pink tutus, there really needs to be the yang of men leaping powerfully across the stage without reserve. It is in the contrast of these two that the magic of the danse really shines through. It represents the forces within us all. The softness and the hardness. The subtle and the forceful.
I’m sure this has been remarked on before, but today I just wanted to highlight it again and send out a thank you to all the men in ballet. Without you…it just wouldn’t be magical.
Your dance bio on Twitter is a make it or break it thing…people will decide to follow you or ignore you based on that alone. I found a good resource that will help you think through how to write one. Want to share photos on Twitter? Did you know you can? You can use one of the photo sharing tools that have evolved to help out. While you are on TwitterTips, check out some of the other great info they have. Very helpful site.