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Win an iPad with the RAD!

July 7, 2012 by 4dancers

The Royal Academy of Dance are running a summer photo competition: RAD Members & Friends can send in their photos showing how they are celebrating the summer through dance, either individually or in a group.

First prize is an iPad, with other great prizes on offer too. Entrants should visit www.rad.org.uk/membershipcompetition for details about how to submit their photo. Entries must be received by the closing date of 31 July 2012.

To enter you must be an RAD Member or Friend – RAD membership benefits include: receiving the RAD flagship publication, Dance Gazette, discounts on RAD Enterprises purchases, priority bookings for international events and access to the exclusive ‘Members’ Area’ of the RAD website. For more information about becoming a Member or Friend of the RAD please visit www.rad.org.uk/membership

Dance In The UK: Adult Ballet

March 15, 2012 by 4dancers

by Jessica Wilson

Jessica Wilson

Having seen a huge influx of dance and the performing arts in the media over the past few years – think Andrew Lloyd Webber’s search for his next big hits, Dancing with the Stars, and Black Swan – the number of adults indulging in ballet classes has increased profoundly. A survey conducted by YouGov in 2011 in the prelude to the Dance Proms at the Royal Albert Hall found that just over 1 in 5 British adults have become interested in dancing as a result of shows such as Strictly Come Dancing and So You Think You Can Dance, not considering those throughout the rest of the world. It seems the ballet bug is here to stay, having turned a fad into a trend!

The appeal of ballet runs far and wide, and today seems to have taken on a more of a popular culture persona as more people are becoming aware of ballet and its benefits. Pirouetting against the stereotype, ballet does not have to be girly and strictly disciplined; there are a huge variety of ballet and dance class choices in the exercise world today, meaning that there is an option for everyone. No sooner had gym culture taken over our lives, dance cults began to make an appearance, such as Zumba, reinforcing the notion that engaging in physical activity does not have to involve a treadmill.

Not only does ballet engage and stimulate the mind, it also provides participants with an environment which is of alternative appeal. Tapping into your artistic side really does have its benefits, for adults as well as children!

The Royal Academy of Dance teachers of London have affectionately referred to this recent ballet trend as “Black Swan Syndrome” – despite such dark inferences throughout the film – considering the number of adults they have seen sign up for ballet classes in the wake of the blockbuster movie. Some may argue that the increasing commercialisation of dance may cause it to lose its intrinsic artistic value, yet if the combination of the media with promotion of dance is able to entice more adults to dance in such a profound way, something must be right! Indeed there has been a significant increase of dance-related films that have emerged over the past few years, in addition to screenings of dance performances in numerous cinemas, putting dance well and truly on the map. [Read more…]

Review: Learn To Speak Dance

October 14, 2011 by 4dancers

I just finished reading Learn to Speak Dance and I was pleasantly surprised at how well this book was put together, as well as how interesting it was. It is very current in that it speaks to kids as they are today–with contemporary language and a warm, engaging tone. Geared for children between the ages of 9-13, this 96 page dance book covers a lot of ground.

The author, Ann-Marie Williams speaks with serious authority. She is the director of the Movement Lab, a dance school for kids, and she is also a certified RAD (Royal Academy of Dance) instructor–and she has also written for The Dance Current. Williams has a knack for simplifying the information she shares about dance while still being interesting–a tough combination that she pulls off with considerable skill.

Some of the topics covered in this book include: what dance is, how to make dances, performing, promoting a show, making costumes and dance videos and information about several styles of dance, including ballet, contemporary dance and flamenco. Peppered throughout are a bunch of quotes from professionals in a variety of fields, which is a cool way to add interest to the book for kids of this age. It’s educational–but it’s fun too.

The language is right–hip and cool without trying too hard, and I think it addresses a lot of the questions that children this age may have about dance–especially if they don’t have a lot of prior experience or aren’t sure how to get started. The book helps to make dance accessible rather than mysterious, which I loved. It really was written in an encouraging tone.

The illustrations by Jeff Kulak were a nice touch as well. Visuals definitely help bring concepts to life, and the imagery worked very well here.

All in all I think this is a great book with mass appeal for the age group it was intended to serve. There’s a lot of information packed into the pages, and I think it is quite readable. A great resource for the dance community–and for parents.

Learn more about the book or purchase it for your child.

If you’ve read it–I’d love to hear what you think!

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