Ballet – Page 28

Dance In The US: Alabama Dance Theatre

January 8, 2010 by 4dancers

Continuing in our new series, Dance in the US, we feature our second organization from Alabama…

Location: Armory Learning Arts Center, 1018 Madison Avenue, Montgomery, Alabama 36104

About: Founded in 1986 by Kitty Seale, the Alabama Dance Theatre is a combination company and school. Classes are offered in ballet, jazz, modern, hip hop and tap dance.

There is both a company and a junior company, and the ballet style taught has its underpinnings in the Russian Syllabus. If you’d like to learn more, check out the news section on their site, which offers a glimpse of the dancers on YouTube.

As always, if you are from the company or the school and you would like to tell 4dancers readers something about your organization, please feel free to leave a comment…

Introducing…Karen Hersh

January 6, 2010 by 4dancers

In 2010 4dancers readers will hear from a range of guest contributors here and there, talking about different styles of dance, or just sharing thoughts about the dance world. Today I would like to introduce Karen Hersh, a teacher and performer in the American Tribal Belly Dance style. I’ve asked Karen to share some information about how she became involved in dance so that you can get to know her a little bit…

My name is Karen, but I dance under and answer to the name of Piper. I began dancing close to 20 yrs ago in California when I decided to get in shape. I signed up for a what I thought was a ‘ballet’ workout class but in reality, it was a ballet floor bar class that was taught by a woman who studied and performed in Russia.

After a few years of that, I moved back to the Chicago area and started taking modern dance classes in Oak Park and in Chicago, and eventually had the privilege to study for a few years under the direction of the dance company Deeply Rooted. While I loved dancing with Deeply Rooted, I felt I needed to leave and focus on my personal life (as I just moved in with my now husband Brian). After about a year being away from dance, he suggested I find something to do. And so I did: belly dance.

I took my first class at Belle Plaine studios with a woman named Taj. I had no idea that I was at the beginning of my tribal fusion dance career. After Taj, I moved onto taking American Tribal Style (ATS) with Gabrielle Deschaine in Berwyn/Forest Park. And the rest, they say, is history.

Since that little beginning with Taj, I’ve taken as many classes as possible to improve on my own unique style of tribal fusion. I’ve been blessed to have been invited to teach overseas in the UK at Tribal Ford in England, (which is a weekend long group of workshops held in the Ford Castle located in Northumberland, England), and then 2 different workshops in Dublin and Glasgow. I am currently teaching my style of tribal fusion at Pineapple Dance Studio in Forest Park.

It’s All About Balance

January 1, 2010 by 4dancers

On NY eve I was watching the latest Star Trek movie and the director was talking about how he opted out of using computer graphics for all of the shots. While he did take advantage of the technology, he also emphasized the importance of scenes looking real and he shot on actual sets whenever possible or practical. It made a difference.

This made me reflect a bit on dance and what I have seen over the course of my 36 years in the field.

I’ve now been around for a while…long enough to see some interesting shifts in dance. When I was growing up, ballet was the big thing. As I got older, modern dance moved front and center; pushing back against the strict, narrow bounds of classical dance. Everything was angular and contractions and shapes became the way people expressed themselves through movement. What is interesting is that after all the dust has settled, what we now have is a sort of marriage between the two.

Companies such as The Joffrey and Hubbard Street Dance Company (I’m from Chicago, what can I say?) have taken the best of both worlds–much like the director of Star Trek–and blended them seamlessly, creating a beautiful mixture of the two. It has been fascinating to watch, and I have to say that I really like this new type of dance. I can still appreciate the classics, and modern dance always spurs creative ideas, but the balance of the two is beautiful.

In the world of dance, one of the benefits to getting older is that you have more perspective. You can see the forces that shape present day performance at work on the stage–and sometimes even in the classroom. I’m sure everyone experiences this a little bit differently, depending on how many years they have been around, and what their background is, but today I just thought I would share mine.

Best wishes for a wonderful 2010!

4dancers In 2010

December 27, 2009 by 4dancers

Well if a new look and new site isn’t enough, you’re in luck…there’s more to come! 4dancers will be rolling out a lot of new content in the New Year, including:

+ Featured Studio – we’re going through the states in alphabetical order this year and featuring 2 per week that we have hand-picked. We’ll take a look at what they offer, why they stand out and what they are all about. Look for these features primarily on the weekend.

+ 10 Questions With… This new feature will highlight different people in dance, asking them ten questions about themselves and their art. We will feature fellow dance bloggers, dancers, teachers and more in this section.

+ More reviews – in 2009 we opened the doors to those in the dance world who have products for sale. We’ll be reviewing these for you throughout the year.

+ 4dancers t-shirts and bags – 4dancers will be introducing an exclusive line of t-shirts and dance bags that you will not be able to buy anywhere else. Designs will include ballet, Irish dance, Indian dance and more…

We’re excited about the New Year, and we hope that you will check back regularly to see what we have in store for you in 2010!

Teaching Tip: Adult Ballet Class

November 18, 2009 by 4dancers

If you are new to teaching adult ballet, there are a few things you may want to consider. Teaching adults is not the same as teaching kids–there are a different set of concerns, and they are often coming to class for different reasons. Here are a few things to keep in mind that can help get you started off on the right foot (sorry for the bad pun!):

+ Ask about injuries. This is a very important thing. Many adults will have some type of physical issue that can limit them in certain ways when it comes to taking ballet class. I have a student with a hip replacement, one with a bad ankle and one with a bad back. You absolutely must know about these things ahead of time. Don’t try to play doctor–ask your student to check with their physician about what they can and can’t do in ballet class–and remember to follow up so that you are aware… [Read more…]

Disclosure – Affiliate & Ad Info

Copyright Notice