For dancers, dance teachers, and those who love dance. – Page 169 – A website for dancers, dance teachers and others interested in dance

No Audience Left Behind

August 17, 2011 by 4dancers

Recently 4dancers Contributor Lizzie Leopold said something that made me think….she talked about including program notes for the audience in effort to help them understand more about what was going on through the dance performance.

Brilliant. I wish more people would do this.

Back when I was growing up, ballet had this air of mystery surrounding it. It was almost as if the audience shouldn’t be allowed up close and personal. As if the magic would somehow be lost. I’m not the first person to point this out–but it was definitely a different atmosphere, and a very closed one. Still, it was set against a backdrop of story ballets, making it comfortable for the audience in terms of watching the dance performances and understanding the story.

These days, with Modern dance and other Contemporary dance performances, it is easy to leave the audience in the dark–but is it necessary–or even wise to do so? [Read more…]

Jersey Tap Fest 2011

August 16, 2011 by 4dancers

It’s time for the 2nd annual Jersey Tap Fest!

If you missed this fun event last year, join the large gathering of tap dance professionals (and students!) for 4 days of instruction, exploration and networking in the Garden State.

Held in Bloomfield, New Jersey, classes are offered August 25th through August 28th, from 10 am to 6:30 pm, and events for the public take place at 7:30 pm each evening.

Over 30 dance classes will be offered, and there is something for every level of tap dancer.

To learn more about this event, please visit the website, where you will find information about the instructors, the performances and more.

10 Questions With…Lisa Harris

August 15, 2011 by 4dancers

Today on “10 Questions With…” we have pianist Lisa Harris…

1. Can you tell readers a bit about how you got into music?

I studied music and Dance at The Ohio State University. They have a great music and dance department.

2. How did you wind up working on music for dancers?

I majored in dance and music and ended up getting a job in Monte Carlo Monaco at the Princess Grace ballet school. What a great experience. From there I was offered a job in London at The London Festival Ballet, and at the Ecole de Danse de Geneve.

3. What are some of the special things you do when playing music for dancers?

Watch the dancers, and not look at the music–and become one with the dancer. When they are dancing I feel like I am inside their body dancing and we have an amazing connection.

4. What do you enjoy most about working on this type of music?

I love being one with dance and being able to travel and work with amazing artists all over the world in beautiful theaters.

5. What kind of music do you listen to for enjoyment? [Read more…]

Coming Up On 4dancers…

August 14, 2011 by 4dancers

From time to time I like to do a little preview of things that will be coming up on 4dancers, and this week I have a lot to share! In addition to the new column we have “The Business of Dance” by Lizzie Leopold, we are also adding two new features in the upcoming weeks….

Join us for “Finis” – a new monthly column that will feature a dance photo at the end of the month, and “Music & Dance” – a column that will highlight a composer/producer’s take on the relationship between sound and movement. You’ll be meeting both of the new contributors soon in our “10 Questions With…” series. And good news for those of you who have enjoyed our SYTYCD contributor, Kimberly Peterson’s writing…she’ll be staying on to write more for 4dancers on other topics…

Also–look for more interviews (on Mondays) and dance music reviews (on Wednesdays) as we finish up the summer and settle into fall. I am going to be taking more time to work on this blog, so expect to see more content overall as we take 4dancers to the next level.

Let us know if there is something you’d like to hear more about, and in the meantime, we’d just like to thank you for taking the time to visit. If you haven’t yet taken the time to link up with us on Facebook and Twitter why not join us now? There’s going to be a lot going on!

What Dance Blogs Are You Reading?

August 12, 2011 by 4dancers

I started this blog in November 2009. Back then, there were a handful of blogs out there on dance (at least that I was aware of), and I wasn’t even sure I would have much of an audience on 4dancers. To my surprise, I got a wonderful response from the online dance community. It encouraged me to keep at it, and, in truth, the readers are really what helped this blog blossom and grow into what it has become today.

Now, as I look around at the amount of dance blogs on the web, I find it very exciting. The online dance community continues to grow and expand, and it seems I can’t even keep up with the amount of sites that are popping up all over the place. There are some wonderful new voices, and many of those that have been around a while have grown and included contributors to round out their offerings. It’s wonderful.

So why this post, you might ask…

I’m reaching out here to see if you can help me. I’d like to hear what dance blogs you are checking out these days. Although I attempt to find the new ones, I am not always successful, and I really hope that I can be a part of spreading the word when I discover them.

So…can you post any links in the comments section here for me to check out? Please feel free to include your own blog in the mix–this is not just for me, but for 4dancers readers as well. Let’s all work together to help spread the word about what is out there to read–there’s so much!

Even if you don’t normally post comments, I’d really love it if you’d share just one or two dance blogs you read–

Thanks to my readers, and thanks to the online dance community–I’m happy to be a part of something so amazing!

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