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Tips For High School Dance Teachers

April 12, 2013 by 4dancers

Photo by Catherine L. Tully

by Lucy Vurusic Riner

I loved high school.  I know, most people are kind of shocked when I say it, but I did. It’s where I first remember trying to form some sort of identity.  When I look at pictures of myself from freshmen year to sophomore year I go from the bad 1980’s poof hairdo prep-ster look to a shaved head, dark goth lipstick and combat boots.

Only in high school can you pull that off.

It’s also in high school that I rekindled my love for dance.  I had taken class as a small child and hated the structure.  My sophomore year a lovely woman named Rosemary Doolas brought dance to my all girl’s Catholic high school and here I am now.  It made perfect sense to me, at age fifteen, that I was going to be a dancer.

High school dance programs in Illinois run the gamut in terms of structure.  People are usually surprised to find that there are anywhere from 30 to 40 schools in the state that actually have full-blown programs.  By this I mean that there is someone in the high school that is employed to teach dance classes as part of the daily curriculum.  Larger schools have up to four or five faculty dedicated to teaching dance full-time while smaller schools or programs have one full-time faculty or part time positions offered throughout the day.  Beyond the actual school day, hundreds of schools in Illinois offer extra curricular activities in dance.  These programs also range the gamut from dance teams and orchesis companies to other specialized dance clubs (focusing on breakdance, Latin or improv).

So when I went to college and found out that I could teach my first love, DANCE to my second love, HIGH SCHOOL it was a no-brainer for me.  Almost twenty years later I have taught at three different area high schools and have had the pleasure of serving as the Chair of the Illinois High School Dance Festival.

As a dance educator, I have tried to find ways to expose high school students to dance in a number of different ways.  As with any other subject in high school, teachers are always hoping to increase the number of students they can get involved in their programs.  Below, I have compiled some of my thoughts on teaching dance, particularly modern dance, within the high school curriculum.

Photo by Catherine L. Tully

Know your audience

These are adolescents.  They are completely self involved and utterly dramatic.  You also have a wide range of levels and experiences.  There are students that take class at their studios and students that you are trying to expose to dance for the first time.  How do you develop ways to keep both of these populations interested?  Your advanced ballet student that competes at her studio is a very different person than the beginning dance student who is mortified to put on a leotard and tights.  You have to be sensitive to your audience and know who you’re playing to.  Otherwise you have the potential of losing some really amazing opportunities with new movers that you can mold into your program as the years progress.

Build relationships with your students

These are high school students.  They are social beings.  The more you get to know your students and invest in who they are as people, the more they will invest in trusting you.  And if they trust you, you can expose them to far more advanced ways of looking at dance.

I share at least one personal dance experience with my classes each week.  It helps them to know me not only as their teacher, but also as a student of dance.  It also doesn’t hurt to let them know you’re a person outside of dance class as well.  I share stories and pictures of my own family with my students and it allows them to see you through different lens.

Give a little to get a little

Being an artist is a vulnerable thing.  And let’s be honest, most kids don’t come near liking high school as much as I did.  For many students it’s a means to the end; they imagine how they’ll get through it.

I believe in fun.  I think it’s pretty basic:  I love dancing because it is fun.  And in it’s “fun-ness” I am able to express myself and nurture my creativity.  Is it also challenging?  Yes.  Does it also take a lot of self-discipline?  Yes.  But all the hard work is worth it because I have walked out of the classroom feeling satisfied.  And for me, satisfaction is fun.

(As a side bar, we as dance teachers sometimes think that having fun doesn’t mean that we are working hard or learning valuable lessons.  This is not true.  You are allowed to have fun in any level class you teach, in whatever content you choose to teach that day.  You can be serious and still have fun.  And if you allow your students to see your love and investment in dance they will relate to you more.  You might become the bright spot in a potentially stressful day and they’ll be happy to see you.)

Photo by Catherine L. Tully

Have a well-rounded curriculum

This next point is a philosophical one and it’s just my opinion but here goes…

You have to teach more than just what you love.  I love modern dance but I’m not going to assume that all my students do too.  In fact, in most cases, I’m trying to expose them to modern dance for the first time.  My practice initially is to include modern dance in an introductory course and than offer more specific classes after they have had a taste of it.

As students begin to realize that modern dance is a form of self-expression, they become more invested in studying it more deeply.  But within that curriculum I want to offer what they “know” as well.  I love hip hop and jazz.  That’s what I loved as a child.  I love teaching hip hop and jazz.  And honestly, there is still a lot I can teach my high school students about dance forms that they “think” they already know.  I value those dance forms as much as I value modern dance; I just happen to enjoy making and performing modern dance more as an adult.  But I have to remember to put myself in my high school shoes.  Had I not already been in a major identity crisis my sophomore year in high school, I may not have walked into Rosemary Doolas’ modern class.  And the reason I loved it is because I wanted to be different; and that stuff was DIFFERENT.

But most high school kids are not trying to be different. Most high school kids are just trying to fit in.  They want to feel safe in their explorations of who they are and I have found the best way to do that is give them options.  This is the time in their life where they should be exposed to a variety of different dance forms and choose their own path in what they find interest in.  I am there to be the guide.

Don’t take yourself so seriously

Clearly this could also be a life lesson right?

Do you have any tips for teaching teens? If so, leave one in the comments section!

modern dancer
Lucy Vurusic Riner

Contributor Lucy Vurusic-Riner is a native Chicagoan who has been supporting and contributing to the dance community for over twenty years. She received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Dance Performance and Dance Education from Illinois State University.  Lucy has been a member of Molly Shanahan/Mad Shak, RTG Dance Company and Matthew Hollis’ “The Power of Cheer.”  She has also had the opportunity to be part of the community casts of White Oak Dance Project and David Dorfman Dance.

Lucy has taught modern, hip hop, and jazz at numerous studios and high schools in the Chicagoland area.  She was the Director of Dance at Oak Park and River Forest High School from 1999 to 2012. In 2005, Lucy completed her Masters Degree in Education from National Louis University and also received the Midwest Dance Teacher of the Year award and was the youngest of four finalists in the running for the National Dance Teacher of the Year award.  Lucy and artistic partner, Michael Estanich, formed RE|Dance Group in 2010.  RE|Dance Group investigates humanity in movement through long distance collaboration.

In 2012, Lucy joined the dance faculty at New Trier High School in Winnetka, IL.  When she is not immersed in dance, she is at home with her two great kids, Margie and Luka, and her very supportive husband, Jim.

Filed Under: Teaching Tips Tagged With: dance programs in illinois, high school dance, high school dance programs, hip hop, illinois high school dance festival, modern dance, teaching teens

Student Spotlight: Julio Sierra

November 21, 2012 by 4dancers

Yesterday we featured dancer Jamie Sierra, and today we have his twin brother, Julio…

Julio Sierra
Julio Sierra

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

I’ve always wanted to study ballet when I was younger but never tried to do so because of financial issues. This is until my mother called a local dance studio in our city and I received an amazing opportunity from the artistic director, Francisco Gella, to study at Nuevo School of Contemporary Dance under a scholarship. I immediately started dancing during the last week of August 2011. Taking my first ballet class at Nuevo, I can honestly say I instantly fell love with the art. I now train for at least 22 hours a week at Nuevo School of Contemporary Dance taking as much ballet I can take. I’ve also joined their pre-professional performance company in August 2012.

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

The thing about taking classes is you can never learn too much, that there is always room for improvement. Especially since I’ve only just started dancing, classes are the best way to try out new things that will work best for your body.

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

Learning different styles of dance. Trying to switch gears from classes like Ballet to Hip Hop is the most difficult thing for me. Ballet feels so pure and elegant that when I try to do Hip Hop it constantly throws me off. Hitting hard beats and the fast choreography confuses me a lot. Also the musicality of it is so different. I played an instrument and I listen to a lot of classical music so it makes it a bit easier for me to count to Ballet music, while Hip Hop can be so random that I often won’t hear the beats as clearly.

4. What advice would you give to other dancers?

When I first started dancing, I noticed how amazing others were so I paid close attention to them. Aside from learning from my teachers, I also learned from my peers. However, I started to get discouraged because of the fact that I started to compare myself to others who were far ahead of me. The only advice I can give to dancers is try not to compare yourself to others. Every dancer is different and worrying how others are doing does not benefit you in any way. Focus on what you’re learning, improve on what you do best, and work on your weaknesses. You should always pay close attention to your peers and get as much from them as you can, but never compare yourself to others who may or may not be better.

5. How has dance changed your life?

Dance has only entered my life recently, but has changed almost every aspect of it. I believe that dance is my escape, it is a way for me to truly express the way I feel. It has changed the smallest detail about me, like from the way I think and to what clothes I wear. Without dance, I wouldn’t be the person I am today. It has turned me into a better person and has only been a positive influence in my life. Dance is my passion. It is my love and my dream. If I wasn’t dancing now, I would be truly lost. I believe that dance has found me and is leading me to a better path.

Bio: My name is Julio Sierra and I am 17 years old. I am from Chino Hills, California attending my junior year in Chino Hills High School. I am a conservatory and pre-professional company member at Nuevo School of Contemporary Dance.

Filed Under: Student Spotlight Tagged With: Ballet, ballet class, dancer, dancing, francisco gella, hip hop, nuevo school of contemporary dance

Choreography Help From DancesToGo.com

May 26, 2011 by 4dancers

Today we have with us Frances Hellens McDonald, co-founder of DancestoGo.com, talking about the site and introducing one of their newest choreographers…

Frances Hellens McDonald, co-founder of DancestoGo.com

Can you tell readers what DancesToGo.com is, and who it is for?

DancesToGo.com is a unique website featuring a collaboration of award winning choreographers, talented performers and teachers. It offers specialized and exclusive choreography for all age groups in a variety of dance styles. Whether you are a studio owner, dance teacher, performer, or school teacher, DancesToGo offers excellent choreography and musical dance activities. Our notes are easy to read and our suggested music is linked directly to iTunes from DancesToGo.com. Obtaining, reading the choreography and purchasing related suggested music from iTunes becomes very easy and convenient. We also offer some videos of the routines and will be producing a larger selection. DancesToGo is proud to be a monthly choreography contributor over at DanceStudioOwner.com.

What types of dance are covered by DancesToGo.com?

DancesToGo.com features a wide variety of dance styles including Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Lyrical, Modern, Hip-hop, and Pre-School. We even have The School House Rocks section for choreography and upbeat dance and learning activities for grade school. The dance world and dance studios are our primary focus.

What are some of your most popular items? [Read more…]

Filed Under: 4teachers, Online Dance Resources, Studios Tagged With: Ballet, choreography, dance studio owner, dancestogo.com, hip hop, jazz, lyrical, modern

Dancers Unite Fine Arts Academy LLC

March 9, 2011 by 4dancers

 Today we are running a feature on a dance studio for all you studio owners (or potential studio owners) out there. Take a closer look at Dancers Unite Fine Arts Academy in North Carolina…
Elizabeth Emery

Your Name/Title: Elizabeth Emery/Owner

Studio Name: Dancers Unite Fine Arts Academy LLC

Years in business: 2

Your studio’s philosophy: First and foremost, we want to make sure our dancers are learning the right way to do things.  We want top quality instructors who teach our dancers correct terminology and body placement so that if they want to become professional dancers they have the proper tools to do so.

Secondly, we want it to be a postive environment.  We want it to be a safe place to try things.  We want to encourage our dancers to try difficult steps in an encouraging way.  We are a family owned and operated studio, and we want all our customers to feel they are part of the Dancers Unite family.

Thirdly, we want them to have learned skills that would help our students in any aspect of life.  For example, learning how to try new things if you fail, learning how to perform in front of large groups of people and learning how to accept criticism are all wonderful skills that can be used in any career choice.

Dance styles taught: Ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, hip hop, tumbling, pointe, contemporary, musical theater dance, bellydance, zumba

Approximate # of classes per week: 40

Approximate # of teachers: 7

Biggest struggle in getting off the ground and how you handled it: Getting the word out about our studio.  A lot of people choose a dance studio based on what their friends & neighbors recommend, and as a new studio it’s going to take awhile for your studio with the best word of mouth.  You just have to be patient, not give up and work hard at building good relationships with your customers. 

Also, try to get your name out in the community by working with local schools.  For instance, my dance studio teamed up with a well respected private school in the area to host a dance camp out of their facilties. 

Best advice you can give someone who is opening (or thinking about opening) a dance studio: Save up as much money as possible before opening a studio.  I opened a studio with my sister and we worked hard in high school to get full scholarships for college and then lived at home with our parents and shared a car.  Opening up a dance studio takes a lot of capital and there are expenses that you probably wouldn’t even think about before opening a studio!

One mistake you think potential dance studio owners make: Bending over backwards too much!  People don’t appreciate it, and often the ones you bend over backwards for still aren’t happy and leave your studio anyway.  Make sure you don’t spend so much time trying to please the hard to please that you forget about your supportive base of customers!

Specific tip for having a smooth recital: We had a checklist of every possible thing we would need for our recital going into it, and that really helped make sure we didn’t forget anything.

Best marketing move you’ve ever made: Having a really great website that my sister runs herself so it is constantly updated.  We also constantly work our social networking.  We’ve found most of our customers have found us through the internet.

Most rewarding moment: Walking through the lobby during intermission of our recital and seeing all the pleased parents.  It was so nice seeing so many proud, happy parents and knowing that I had helped make a wonderful, memorable afternoon for them.

BIO: Elizabeth Emery began dance at the age of three, and started teaching dance at the age of thirteen. She taught dance throughout middle school, high school and college. She danced competitively since age seven and her routines won numerous overall awards. A personal favorite dance performance of hers was Disney World, a favorite vacation spot of her family.  In addition to teaching and dancing at her studio, she was a member of the Charlotte Catholic Dance Team for four years. She was the only freshman on a team that placed first runner up in a national competition..

She graduated Charlotte Catholic with honors, and her dance and academic achievements helped her receive the Thomas Cooper Scholarship to the University of South Carolina. She then graduated cum laude from the nationally ranked Darla Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina with a bachelor of science in business administration. She double majored in business economics and marketing, and minored in sociology where she took such courses as Childhood Sociology.

Elizabeth’s combined loves of business, dance and working with children has made owning a studio a natural dream of hers. Elizabeth strives to provide children with self-esteem, but at the same time provide them with a good dance background. Elizabeth continues her dance education today, and has taken numerous classes up and down the east coast, most recently at Broadway Dance Center in New York City, the Boston Ballet School, the Dance Complex, and the Jeannette Neill Dance Studio in Boston.  She has taught hip hop and jazz for the after-school program for the Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools (St. Patrick Catholic School, St. Ann Catholic School, St. Gabriel Catholic School, St. Matthew Catholic School, and St. Mark Catholic School) and the Summer Dance Camp at Charlotte Latin School

Filed Under: 4teachers, Dance In The US, Studios Tagged With: Ballet, bellydance, dancers unite fine arts academy, elizabeth emery, hip hop, jazz, lyrical, musical theater dance, pointe, tap, zumba

10 Questions With…Javin Rogers

February 21, 2010 by 4dancers

One of the things I want to make sure that I do with this feature is give a voice to less traditional dance styles, as well as young performers who are putting their heart into what they do. To that end, today I would like to share with you some words from a young dancer who lives in Beloit, Wisconsin.

Here is 18-year-old Javin Rogers…

1. What type of dance do you do?

 Hip hop.

2. How did you get into this style of dance?

 I saw the way Usher and Micheal Jackson danced and it automatically made me want to be just like them.

3. What is it about dancing that you enjoy?

When im dancing I feel free and I love entertaining people. That makes me really enjoy dancing.

4. Can you tell me a little bit about the moves in hip hop?

There are alot of different styles in hip hop dance and the moves come about through the styles.

5. How do you learn new moves?

Practice and lots of music videos.

6. Where do you perform?

I perform for local artists, and talent shows.

7. What makes a good hip hop dancer?

Technique and the will to never give up.

8. Has the style changed at all since you started doing it?

The style changes a lot, theres a new twist on dancing every month.

9. What do you see coming up in this type of dance?

I think hip hop dance will always have some thing different to learn and it will make you step your game up.

10. What advice would you give to others who want to learn how to do hip hop?

I would tell them to practice every day, never let someone say you can’t do something, have fun but take it seriously.

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Filed Under: 10 Questions With..., 4dancers Tagged With: hip hop, javin rogers

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