For dancers, dance teachers, and those who love dance. – Page 101 – A website for dancers, dance teachers and others interested in dance

Choreography: When is My Dance Done?

February 12, 2013 by 4dancers

double edge theatre — “The Grand Parade” by the Double Edge Theatre, Photo by Maria Baranova

by Lauren Warnecke, MS

So you’ve managed to make a dance. How do you know when it’s really finished? When your music runs out? After about 20 minutes? When you run out of “moves”?

Rule number one in finishing a dance is a narrative arch. This doesn’t necessarily mean you have to tell a linear story, but each dance must have a clear beginning, middle, and end. Where you choose to place arches within these sections is largely up to you, but they are important for guiding your audience along the journey.

Once your journey is up, so is your dance, but choreographers often find themselves dissatisfied and wondering if the dance is, in fact, finished. The Grand Parade, created and performed by Double Edge Theatre at The Dance Center of Columbia College last Saturday is a piece with a strong narrative and massive production elements that include a fury of projections, mannequins, rigging for aerial circus arts, and perhaps a few hundred props. Yet, even with all these things going on, Double Edge’s history of the 20^th Century in 55 minutes is a work they insist is not yet done. Seeing The Grand Parade reinforced my view that no work is ever, really, done.

A colleague of mine once said of her work, “It’s not done, but I’m done with it.” She viewed a performance as a slightly more formal Works-in-Progress showing… with fancier lights.

I think her point speaks to the idea that dance is a living, evolving art form. Dances have a transient nature that is unlike, say, visual art. The Sistine Chapel will always be the Sistine Chapel, but Peptipa’s choreography will be ever changing to a certain degree based on the venue, the dancers, tempo choices, costume, etc.

On a more contemporary note, sometimes it is only through live performance that you truly learn about a piece and see what it needs. You might figure out that your ending is really awkward and the audience doesn’t know when to clap. Or you might discover that you want the whole thing to be presented in reverse order to what it is. The stage is a beautiful place to discover these things, but that’s not to say that everything is stage-worthy…

Ultimately, you’re asking patrons to pay money to watch your product. Most people wouldn’t fork over $12 to see an unfinished movie, and besides, that’s what free or inexpensive WIPs are for. But given the inevitable stages of development a dance undergoes, it may need to be presented multiple times, in multiple iterations. Each iteration that takes to the stage, however, should a finished quality that is worth paying for. These are a few things I look for in a “finished” dance: [Read more…]

Student Spotlight: Max Azaro

February 11, 2013 by Rebecca H. Walker

In this week’s Student Spotlight, we’d like to introduce you to dancer Max Azaro from Princeton Dance & Theater Studio…

1. Can you tell readers how you became involved with dance?

My mom tells me that I’ve been dancing around the house since I was a toddler. In fourth grade, she started asking me if I wanted to try a dance class, but I refused. Naturally, I thought that dance classes were for girls, so I didn’t really consider it. At the time, I was content with gymnastics which I had been doing for a few years. But as the year went on, her suggestion kept coming back to me and I decided to try a ballet class. I’m not really sure how I came to that decision – maybe I thought something different would be a good idea. My mom took me to a trial class before I had time to change my mind. My first class was a boys’ class with Henri Valendia at Princeton Dance and Theater Studio. I have little recollection of the class, but what I do remember is that I fell in love with ballet instantly.

2. What do you find you like best about dance class?

The part of class I enjoy the most is petite allegro, or small jumps. Even though this is not one of my strengths, I find it particularly fun because it challenges my mind and my body to coordinate at a very fast pace. Sometimes, the quick changes of direction make my brain go numb and my feet get tangled, but a good petite allegro combination makes me determined to do it again and again until I get it right. There is nothing more satisfying than mastering a mind-boggling combination that makes me have to change my position and weight on a dime. Petite allegro is the perfect physical and mental challenge.

3. What is the hardest part about dance for you?

The hardest aspect of dance for me is flexibility. I am not naturally turned out, I don’t have natural splits, and I don’t have perfect feet. I had to work extremely hard to get where I am now, and I still have more work to do. These things don’t feel natural for my body like they do for some dancers, so I have to work much harder to achieve them. Every dancer has strengths and weaknesses. The challenge for me, and probably most dancers, is to train the weakness instead of always working on what comes easy.

4. What advice would you give to other dancers? [Read more…]

A Less Guilty Valentine’s Day

February 9, 2013 by 4dancers

4dancers would like to welcome our latest contributor–the Team from Barre. A Real Food Barre. Each month you can look forward to a post from one of the team members about food–a topic that we wanted to cover more on the site.

Today’s post is a Valentine’s Day special–just for you…

February 14^th is a day for love, candy, chocolate, and fancy dinners. With audition season in full swing, it could be hard to find a balance on this special day between indulging with your sweetheart and wanting to stay in tip-top shape for that cattle call on the weekend. However, there is a way to have a sweet treat AND feel confident in your leo and tights the next day! Though these sweets aren’t totally guilt-free, you can treat yourself (in moderation, of course!) knowing that they are providing substantially more health benefits that those conversation hearts and lollipops. They’ll also make your Valentine’s fare a bit more interesting than the same old candy you’ve had every year.Dark Chocolate: Valentine’s Day is practically synonymous with chocolate. It’s one of the first treats people turn to when deciding what to give loved ones on the 14^th. This year, ask your special someone to forgo the caramel filled truffles and instead buy you a bar of high quality, extra dark chocolate. Believe it or not, dark chocolate has quite a few health benefits!

Heart Healthy: Recent studies in Germany and Switzerland have found that one serving of dark chocolate per day can help lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart failure by a third!

Weight Healthy: Dark chocolate is more filling than milk chocolate, ultimately helping you to eat less of it and still feel satisfied. It can also help reduce your cravings for sweet, salty and fatty food. Just make sure you stick to small portions!

Brain Healthy: Dark chocolate is rich in flavanols, antioxidants that improve blood flow to the brain, thus improving short-term brain performance and alertness. It may even help you remember an extra tricky pirouette combo!

Good Earth Sweet and Spicy Tea: If you’re craving a sweet drink to relax with after your date, forgo the hot chocolate or soda and try this flavorful tea! Great on its own or with a little bit of milk, this sweet tea will warm you right up with its aromatic spices and satisfy your sweet tooth with its unique flavor. I like to call it “Dessert in a cup!” Better yet, it has zero calories and comes in a caffeine-free version.

Hail Merry Coconut Macaroons: If you’re a fan of coconut, you haven’t lived until you’ve tried these vegan, gluten free, and utterly delicious cookies. Rated the best new vegan product by VegNews Magazine, these responsibly sourced macaroons are rich, flavorful, satisfying, and even a little healthy! They contain coconut oil, which has been found to aid in weight loss because of the triglycerides present. The fiber in these macaroons will also make you feel full sooner, helping to prevent overeating.

Coconut Bliss: Another dessert for coconut lovers, Coconut Bliss is a delicious vegan, gluten free, soy free, and kosher dessert that, in my opinion, is a million times better than ice cream. This rich and creamy dessert comes in a wide variety of flavors and is made from coconut milk instead of dairy milk. It is also sweetened with agave, a natural sweetener with a low glycemic index. Coconut Bliss has less saturated fat and sugar than your typical ice cream and is made from whole food ingredients at a sustainably operated farm in Oregon.

Chocolate Covered Strawberries: Keep this classic sweet treat on the menu this Valentine’s Day! These bite-sized treats provide you with some of your daily fruit needs, and are relatively low calorie. If you dip them in dark chocolate, as opposed to milk, they’ll also provide you with all the health benefits that chocolate has to offer!

Sorbet and Frozen Yogurt: These two frozen desserts, like Coconut Bliss, are healthier alternatives to ice cream, providing you choose the right kind. Sorbet is low fat, vegan, and has fewer calories than ice cream. If you choose this fruit-based dessert, try to buy one that doesn’t have added sugar, corn syrup, or artificial flavors and colors. If you decide to treat yourself to some froyo, pick one that is nonfat and has live active cultures so you receive the full benefits of this creamy dessert.

Happy Valentine’s Day from the Barre team!

~Caroline~

BIO: The Team at Barre contributes posts about food, snacks and healthy eating for 4dancers. The mission of Barre is to provide exceptional nutritional fortification for dancers and everyone else who demands clean, wholesome, nutritious and great tasting sustained energy. To accomplish this goal, Barre produces and distributes health-minded snacks and performance products specially formulated to live up to the rigors of such a demanding artist-athlete lifestyle. Learn more about their products here.

Shoes For Spanish Dance

February 8, 2013 by 4dancers

As part of our continuing focus on footwear and foot care this quarter, today we are excited to bring you the basics on footwear for Spanish dance…

by Karen Stelling

The dances of Spain, loosely categorized as regional, classical, and flamenco each put a unique foot forward–quite literally! Many regional or what are traditionally called folk or peasant dances, often utilize a soft shoe, a sort of a tie-on slipper. Although they look rather flimsy, these types of shoes such as those worn in the Jota Aragonesa are quite comfortable and actually offer great cushioning for the jumping that a dance such as the Jota requires.

Spanish Classical or Ballet Espanol dances are usually performed to Spanish classical orchestrated music and are very balletic in style. The shoes preferred for Ballet Espanol have a taller, thinner and more “shapely” heel than flamenco shoes and feature a soft sole to allow greater flexibility of the foot and a more elegant line when the foot is pointed. There may be some “zapateado” or heel work in classical Spanish dance but not as intense or as deliberate as in Flamenco.One of the most identifiable traits of flamenco dance is the intricate footwork. The shoes are the instrument the dancer uses to create and compliment the various flamenco dance rhythms. Flamenco shoes can be as varied as the dancer who wears them.

“Zapatos” need to be sturdy with solid heels but heel heights can vary depending on the dancer’s preference. Most flamenco shoes are made of smooth leather but suede is very popular and as far as colors and designs are concerned, anything is possible! Straps, ties, lace-ups are all incorporated in these shoe’s designs. Many women flamenco dancers like to coordinate their shoe color with their costumes for a unified look. Most professional flamenco shoes are hand- made in Spain and a dancer submits individual foot measurements for a custom fit.

In addition to leather soles, the toe tips and heel bottoms of flamenco shoes have tiny nails embedded into them to add a slight tapping sound when the feet hit the floor. This feature is unique to flamenco shoes. However, the real sound is produced by the strength of the dancer’s body as all her energy is directed into the lower legs and feet.

Character shoes are not the same as flamenco shoes! While character shoes can be used as Flamenco shoes for the beginner who has not decided to invest in an expensive pair of Flamenco shoes, Flamenco shoes are not interchangeable for character shoes. It is not a good idea to try and dance in Flamenco shoes for a non-Flamenco dance class. The nails at the bottom of the soles will be extremely loud and possibly damaging to the floor you are dancing on! As one might imagine, many flamenco dancers and their shoes are not especially welcome in many dance studios! The shoes pictured below are made by Begona Cervera and Gallardo, well known Spanish manufacturers.

Contributor Karen Stelling Began her Spanish Dance training in 1975 and since then has performed in many venues around Chicago, the Midwest and beyond. She was the First Dancer of the Ensemble Espanol Spanish Dance Company from its inception in 1976 through 1987, performing flamenco, neo-classical and many of the regional dances of Spain. Highlighted performances included the chance to dance with the Chicago Symphony, at the Theater of the Riverside Church in New York City, for migrant workers in the fields of Southern Illinois and in many lecture-demonstration and concerts for Chicago and suburban school students.

After leaving the Company, Karen continued to perform at a variety of concert halls, festivals and special events as a soloist/guest artist, and as a member of the flamenco trio, Los Tres. Karen was a guest artist and choreographer in 1999 and again in 2002 with the Ole Ole Puppet and Dance Theater directed by Wendy Clinard.

In 2007, Karen provided choreography for the Halcyon Theatre’s production of Yerma, by F. G. Lorca. Karen has taught private and group flamenco classes for over two decades including work for Hedwig Dance, the Evanston Park District, Danza Viva, Harper College Dance Program, The Salt Creek Ballet and currently at the Flamenco Arts Center and SPACE in Chicago. She received flamenco and Spanish dance training from many masters of both “old school” and the “Nuevo” styles. Karen also enjoys playing the cajon, a box drum used frequently in flamenco and teaching castanet technique.

Dancers: Proactive Job Searching & Electronic Casting

February 7, 2013 by 4dancers

Are you a dancer that is looking for a job? Dance jobs are out there, but you may not be doing all that you can to find one that is a good match for you…

Rick Tjia is a Senior Artistic Talent Scout in the Dance Sector for the Cirque du Soleil Casting Department, and 4dancers asked him to share some thoughts on what dancers can do to connect with jobs out there. After all, there’s nothing quite like getting advice from someone who selects dancers for a living.

Here’s what he shared with us…

I was a dancer for about 27 years, of which about 15 of it was as a professional. I have been a talent scout for dance at Cirque du Soleil for the last 9 years, and in my experience there is something that stands out to me about the way that many dancers approach job searches: dancers seem to wait until they see a casting call to act. Their career management strategy is generally to wait for a role or a position to open up, to wait for opportunities to come their way.

General good management practices, however, dictate that leaving actions to the last minute are usually a poor planning choice for just about everything. Acting last-minute means that people end up having to go with the only choice available, instead of increasing the odds of obtaining the ideal choice. Dance career management often falls under this last-minute type process. Part of what talent agencies actually do is to manage this last-minute industry model.

Since most people tend to make choices that favor situations they know, many hiring choices will be made with the tried and true: if the hirer knows whom he’s hiring already and has a good idea at the outset what he’s getting into, he will have a tendency to go with that.

Napoleon Bonaparte is quoted as having said, “Ability is nothing without opportunity.” I would follow up by saying, “Intelligence and vision create opportunity.” One needs to create an environment where opportunity is most likely to visit. Part of that is being proactive and not reactive; letting people know who you are before a job opening even exists. There is the general impression among employers that familiarity means less risk. So let employers know you’re there. The truth is, many times when a casting call is advertised—when an audition is posted—it is in actuality already too late.

But it is an art to let people know you exist and how you dance without harassing them. Overselling is as bad as not selling at all.

Since I have spent almost the last decade casting for Cirque du Soleil, let me put this into context with respect to Cirque du Soleil. Cirque has gone so far as to set up its entire casting system on this preparatory principle. Most auditions (what we call “general auditions”) are done simply to get to know you and what you do—and to get the best of that on video. When the casting call comes… well, we too go with what we know: we pull out videos of people who have already auditioned.

Think about it: a very slow casting year at Cirque du Soleil would be to cast about 200 artists. If we were to go about casting in the traditional way – that is, post the casting calls as they come, then hold an audition to fill the call – we would be doing a minimum of 200 auditions per year. That’s more than one audition every two days. And with the reputation of having some of the best artists in the world in our casts, statistically the odds are not in our favor that the best artist for the job would always be available for an audition on the exact day of the audition. That is, IF they happen to be in the same country as the audition.

It doesn’t take an experienced casting agent to know that this does not make any sense, neither time-wise, nor economically. So we hold general dance auditions for every dance role possible all at the same time, videotape it for our electronic database, and make preliminary casting choices when the casting calls come using that video footage. That way we can hold one to three auditions per discipline family per year, instead of 200 or more.

And when no pre-auditioned dancer in the database fits the casting call? Then we look at the video demos of artists who are waiting for the next audition—hence, the importance of actually sending us one, not when you see a casting call, but as soon as you’re ready to show us what you’ve got.

But nothing can replace seeing people dance live, right? True. But a first choice by an artistic director can easily be made on video (no matter what a lot of them might say ;-)). After that, a follow-up audition would already be a first callback. Much less hassle and much less expensive for everyone involved, both for the company hiring and for the dancer(s) being considered.

Moses Pendleton, artistic director of Momix, was quoted by Dance Magazine as saying:

“Technology is going to develop in ways that could radically change the audition process. I imagine a time when there will be an international web registry of dancers. We could draw from a wider pool, and it would be more democratic. Right now, we are limited by who can actually fly to an audition. We would like to be able to hunt for talent much the way Cirque du Soleil combs the world for the best gymnasts. In the future we will be able to do that via the web.”

He’s absolutely right. I would just like to add that we hunt for all talent that way, not just gymnasts, and that our “international web registry of dancers” already exists. All you have to do is put yourself in it.

BIO: Born in Columbia, Missouri, Rick Gavin Tjia spent most of his youth in Gainesville, Florida, where at age eight he began studies in tap dancing. Over the course of the next several years, he branched out into professional studies of classical ballet, jazz and contemporary dance, eventually training with such teachers as David Howard, Finis Jhung, Christine Busch, Bruce Marks, Laura Young and Geri Houlihan, among others.

He also began training in music, spending nine years playing the trumpet which led to the beginnings of composition at age 14, eventual professional playing contracts, and, more recently, guitar studies. After having had an extensive career in dance and acting that includes performances with companies such as Ballet Austin, Boston Ballet and Delta Festival Ballet, as well as three years of work in film and television in Los Angeles (working with choreographers like Twyla Tharp, Joe Layton, and film directors like Mark Rydell, and James Brooks), Rick joined La La La Human Steps in Montreal, Quebec, Canada in1993. After an eight year stint with La La La Human Steps which ended in December 2000, Rick has returned to music composition (both classical and alternative rock) and choreography.

He has also been a Talent Scout at Cirque du Soleil since 2004.

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