dance blogs – Page 2

4dancers Turns 2

November 24, 2011 by 4dancers

What began for me in November 2009 as a very part-time, “side thing” to practice blogging for my writing site, Freelance-Zone.com has almost become a full-time job. For those of you who don’t know, I started 4dancers on a whim. As I developed the site, to my pleasant surprise, I found that there is a pretty amazing audience of dancers, dance teachers and other dance lovers out there on the web.

When I began the blog, there weren’t as many sites out there dedicated to dance. Nichelle, with the popular site, Dance Advantage was one of the biggest out there (and still is!), and there were other fun dance blogs I discovered along the way too. I had no idea at the time how rich the online dance world would become. Now I am fortunate enough to be in the good company of sites such as Tights and Tiaras, Tendus Under A Palm Tree and Move. Create. Educate, all of which are featured for 2011 in the new column, “Dance Blog Spotlight”. I’ll be adding to that list in 2012–there are plenty of sites out there to highlight!

Today 4dancers has a network of 2000+ Twitter followers, a stable of 11 amazing Contributors, and because of you–the readers–this blog will be my primary focus in 2012. I’ve found “home” here in the online dance community, and since 4dancers is turning 2 this month, I thought I would take the time at Thanksgiving to say a big thank you to each and every one of you that have supported me and the other writers here along the way.

After all, this site isn’t for me–it’s for you.

In the coming year you can expect to see more interviews with Joffrey ballet members, information on the upcoming documentary “Joffrey-Mavericks of American Dance“, interviews with members of Ballet San Jose and other companies (TBA), more on The Rockettes, teaching tips, products and video. There’s plenty to come!

If there is something in particular you would like to see on the site, leave a comment, or shoot me an e-mail at info (at) catherineltully (dot) com. Over the next month I’ll be putting an editorial calendar together, and I’d be happy to include some things with input from readers.

Once again, my most heartfelt thanks for visiting this site. Have a lovely Thanksgiving holiday, and check in on Monday to see the first interview with a member of Ballet San Jose.

– Catherine

Dance Blog Spotlight: Dance Advantage

November 11, 2011 by 4dancers

Today on Dance Blog Spotlight we have Dance Advantage–one of the leading blogs about dance on the web. Read about how Nichelle got started on this endeavor below…

Nichelle-SatinStitch — Nichelle Strzepek, Photo by Lorie Garcia, Studio 4d4, Satin Stitch, Frame Dance Productions

1. Can you tell readers a bit about your background in dance?

I grew up in a small town, next to a slightly larger college town in Pennsylvania. I was very involved in the arts: community musicals, school plays, band, church choirs, color guard, and of course dance. My childhood dance school is a pretty typical ballet/tap/jazz studio, with one exception, and that is that the owner’s specialty is none of those. In her “creative modern” classes movement is a medium and she helps children and youth “paint” their own pictures, giving them the structure and the tools to express themselves artistically. It’s creative movement very much in line with Virginia Tanner and Anne Green Gilbert. I firmly believe that foundation and the care with which it was provided is why I am still in love with dance today.

I did it ALL at that studio from about age 5 through high school. It was not a pre-professional dance education but when I majored in dance, what I lacked in training I made up in enthusiasm, dedication, and diligence. The technique came along and I had some fantastic teachers. I married my husband halfway through college and when I finished, I did a lot of teaching in all kinds of environments: college, studios, community programs, homeschool groups, theaters. I danced in a few modern dance companies and choreographed at every opportunity.

Though I’ll admit there have been times I’ve wished I was just spectacular at ONE thing, I am a Jack of all trades (master of none) with a variety of experiences and skill sets. It’s not a bad place to be, actually. [Read more…]

Dance Blog Spotlight: Tendus Under A Palm Tree

September 9, 2011 by 4dancers

Welcome to the latest 4dancers feature–Dance Blog Spotlight! Each month we will be highlighting a blog on the web that we want to share with readers, and this month it is Tendus Under A Palm Tree. Read on to learn more about the author and what kind of content you can expect to see on this wonderful site!

Can you tell readers a bit about your background in dance? I am a Corps de Ballet dancer with Miami City Ballet and have been with the company for five years.

When did you begin your blog- and why did you start it? I began my blog, Tendus Under A Palm Tree, in June of 2010. I have always enjoyed writing and the idea of starting a blog had come up before, but I was not convinced that people would be interested in what I had to say. One morning, in the middle of the company’s summer layoff, I was sitting in my apartment and came across a friend’s blog, http://rhymeswithdarling.blogspot.com. I realized that there was indeed an online demand for the writings of a professional ballet dancer. On a whim, Tendus Under A Palm Tree was conceived. Since then I have become very dedicated to this venture; I take it very seriously and consider it to be a part of my job.

The career of a ballet dancer is fleeting and can often be cut short without warning. As a result, dancers find it necessary to prepare themselves with a career back-up plan. These days, social media is a rapidly growing field that is becoming infinitely more important to businesses. In the future I can see myself pursing work in this area as a career transition, and Tendus Under A Palm Tree is a perfect way to gain experience.

What does your blog cover? [Read more…]

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!

10 Questions With…Nichelle Strzepek

January 3, 2010 by 4dancers

Welcome back to our new feature…10 Questions With…

This week we have some time with Nichelle Strzepek, Owner/Editor of Dance Advantage, a wonderful dance resource on the web…enjoy!

Intro: I am Nichelle Strzepek. No one ever has a clue how to pronounce that Polish last name! I say it as if the ‘z’ were silent – Streh-peck. I won’t attempt the Polish pronunciation.

I am the writer/editor at Dance Advantage and a full-time mom to a busy and beautiful 2-year-old boy. Before that, I worked as a dancer and dance teacher. I’ve taught consistently since I was a teenager so I have about 17 years of teaching experience in studios, community programs, at a university. Plus, some years of assisting before that. My degree is in dance and I’ve dabbled in professional performance with modern dance companies here in Houston and “back home” in Pennsylvania.

1. What made you create this dance blog?

Dance Advantage really grew out of the experiences I had as a teacher, feeling as though there was just never enough time to say or express all I wanted my students to learn in the limited time I had with them each week. Also, in the early part of the last decade (getting used to thinking of the 2000’s that way), I was a young teacher, using the internet to get ideas and look for resources, and was coming up with little. I actually began thinking about a site then, had the name and everything! I was just too busy teaching to do much with it. When I had my son in 2007, I began using a blog to update family and learn from and connect with other parents, I saw an opportunity. I had decided to stay-at-home with my son so, while I won’t say I had the time, I was at home, near a computer, and could devote some energy.

2. What are the top three pieces of advice you have for other dance bloggers?

Do some research. Work and plan ahead of yourself. Be yourself. When I started, I did do a bit of research (enough to know that WordPress was a preferred platform for publishing and that self-hosting sounded scary)! It was good that I had done a lot of thinking about the material I wanted to share, it helped shape the focus of the blog. What I didn’t do is write and plan before getting started. I just jumped in with both feet and, looking back, I wish I had gotten a head start before ever publishing a word. As for being yourself, the blogosphere is a busy and talkative place. Share who you are and what you are passionate about because that’s what will make your blog special.

3. What is your organizational routine when it comes to blogging (for example, do you research one day and write the next….do you post every day…etc.)?

Ha ha! Organizing has been the toughest part of all this for me. I’ve been learning to be a mother and a blogger at the same time. Plus early on, my writing got noticed and I was encouraged to cover dance happening in Houston as a critic, and I still wanted to dance! Last year I was mad enough to do all those things on top of everything else.

I’ve always been so structured in my teaching – planning classes, designing curriculum for the year. Sometimes my perfectionism gets in the way of true organization but I’ve always been very methodical. Organization is a different game when you have a child. I’m not sure I’ve settled into a blogging routine as much as I have worked around my routine with the kiddo. I generally research a post over time. Some require more research than others so I intersperse these with the ones that are easier to write from the top of my head. I generally post 3-4 articles a week, though, I’ve had to be satisfied with some flexibility and forgiveness of myself when I just can’t get it done.

4. What would you say are your blog’s strengths?

The blog is really an extension of myself and my interests. I’ve never been good at talking about my own strengths (that was always the interview question I hated!) so this is a hard question for me. I feel Dance Advantage succeeds in providing a high-quality reference that continues to grow in scope. I pour much of what I learned in college and plenty of research into the blog. I also feel that while it has a wide audience (students, teachers, and parents) that it is very focused on the community that surrounds dance education.

5. Do you have anything new coming up on the horizon?

Newest this year has been adding a professionally rendered logo and re-working the site to match. I’m also working to step up the newsletter content that I provide to people who invite Dance Advantage into their inbox. In addition, readers will be hearing from some “columnists.” These are folks that I’ve come to really respect as I’ve navigated the online dance world and I am so happy to add their voices to the blog on a regular basis.

6. If you had to describe your blog in just five words, what would they be?

Thorough. Fieldguide. Constructive. Convenient. Wholehearted.

7. Can you recommend another dance blog?

There are so many different kinds of dance blogs! There is a new crop of blogs focused on dance training. I am excited about 4dancers as well as move.create.educate but, an instructional blog of which I’ve been a fan for some time is Deborah Vogel’s The Body Series blog, which was formerly the Dancing Smart newsletter. For performance recaps, reviews, and even updates on SYTYCD, I enjoy Tonya Plank’s Swan Lake Samba Girl.

8. Who are your all-time favorite dancers?

Coming from contemporary dance, I don’t know that I hold that same kind of reverence for individual dancers as one who comes from the ballet world might. I enjoy strong ensemble dancing that makes me think and feel. With that said, my all-time favorites reveal my love of theatrical dancing and musicals – I find I always stop what I’m doing when Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire, Cyd Charisse, and Ann Miller (both ladies Texas natives, I might add), come on the screen.

9. What is your favorite piece of music?

The music I listen to is often different from the music I dance to. Classically, Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata Adagio never fails to take my breath away. It’s wonderfully melancholy and dramatic, gorgeous and tender. A more modern all-time favorite is Bittersweet Symphony by The Verve. Surprisingly, not a U2 song though it shares that big, expansive sound I love (if you get to know me you’ll know I’m a shameless U2 fan).

10. Tell us something about yourself that may come as a surprise…

People might be surprised that I never aspired to be a writer. I had many friends growing up that wanted to be journalists or novelists. I enjoyed writing in school and tried pouring out my heart in poetry as a teenager. I had a college professor in dance who emphasized repeatedly that my written work was strong and suited for graduate work. But I planned to dance and teach. I never really saw myself pursuing any kind of writing career until I started writing Dance Advantage.

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