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10 Questions With…Pam Zeidman

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Today on 10 Questions With… we have Pam Zeidman…

Pam Zeidman with Debbie Allen

1. How did you become involved with dance?

I started dancing at age 9 because I kept waking up with dance moves running through my head and needed an outlet.  My mom enrolled me in jazz and tap – a perfect fit for me.  I started choreographing and teaching the neighborhood kids at age 12 – putting on dance recitals in my garage with the parents sitting in lawn chairs on the drive

2. What are you currently doing in the field?

Currently I am the Midwest Program Director for American Dance Training Camps, an instructor for Trilogy Performing Arts (Lake Zurich, IL) and Christian Youth Theatre (CYT).  I am also an adjudicator with Spotlight Events.

3. Would you share a special moment from your career with readers?

I’ve had many “special moments” in my dance career, but probably the most memorable was when I got to meet Debbie Allen after I choreographed “Fame – The Musical.”  I’ve always admired her rise to “fame” and respected her passion for dance.

4. What is the best advice you have ever received from a teacher or mentor regarding dance?

Mme. Peff Modelski, a wonderful fount of knowledge, has imparted some simple truths to me:  “Don’t tell the brain you can’t do something.” “Fear and dance don’t live in the same house.” “Use your body parts for what they are made for.”

5. What has been your greatest challenge? [Read more…]

For Young Dancers: The Duckle Dance Giveaway & Sweepstakes

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First of all, enter the 4dancers giveaway to win the prize package pictured here by leaving me a comment with your child’s shoe size and whether they are a boy or a girl. I’ll do a random drawing on the 1st of September and the winner’s information will be sent to the promotion company so you can get your prize! But there is more…

Parents can enter a video of their child’s performance in the Duckle Dance Sweepstakes Presented by Capezio and Wisharoo Park for a chance to win the special prizes and/or dance scholarships provided by Capezio and Wisharoo Park.   To enter parents simply upload the video to their facebook or YouTube account, and then visit www.wisharoopark.com/duckledance where they submit the facebook or YouTube video link as part of the easy entry process.

Step one is for parents and kids to sit down together to watch the Duckle Dance video  in order to see what the the Duckle Dance is all about.  Once you are both familiar with the dance, invite your child to follow the steps or create and perform their very own version of all or any part of, the Duckle Dance — either to the ballet or tap music provided at the entry site. Parents join in the fun by capturing the child’s performance on video.

The Duckle Dance is a little bit of ballet, a little bit of tap, and a whole lot of whatever you want it to be…and be sure to keep in mind that although our promotional Duckle Dance video teaches specific dance steps, the Duckle Dance Sweepstakes Presented by Capezio and Wisharoo Park is all about fun, so dance submissions are completely open to individual interpretation.  In the Duckle Dance no step is wrong, no leap falls short, no tap is off…you get the idea…

The Duckle Dance Sweepstakes Presented by Capezio and Wisharoo Park is open now through September 1st, 2011 for video submissions.  It presents countless opportunities for preschool dancers’ Duckle Dance videos to spiral out over the Internet as the next viral video stars.  In keeping with Wisharoo Park’s mission, the promotion is intended to encourage children to ‘get moving’ and help them build confidence and self-esteem, encourage innovation, and above all have fun!

Enter the 4dancers giveaway by leaving a comment, and the sweepstakes by doing your very own video! Let us now how it goes!

Additional Info:

Wisharoo Park is dedicated to promoting positive self-image and self-esteem in preschool age children. It was originally introduced by airing as a children’s TV series on PBS stations across the country and is now rolling out as a dynamic multimedia program which includes the interactive website WisharooPark.com, DVDs and more! .

Unique among preschool programs, Wisharoo Park is designed to help children age 3 – 6 recognize and appreciate their individuality. With its groundbreaking technology-based curriculum, Wisharoo Park helps children discover and understand their personal strengths and put them on the road to developing greater self-esteem.  The Wisharoopark.com enchanting online community stars a whimsical cast of loveable animated, puppet and human characters who are featured in games, videos, music and more!  Each week exciting new activities and content are added that are sure to keep parents and their kids coming back again and again.

Wisharoo Park is proud to partner with Capezio.  Dedicated to the art of dance since 1887, Capezio revolutionized the dance world with dancewear and footwear products for every dancer from beginner to professional. Capezio operates retail stores carrying the full lines of all Capezio/Ballet Maker Inc. brands in New York City and several major cities nationwide. For more information, visit http://www.capeziodance.com/.

10 Questions With…Denise Caston

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Denise Caston is today’s featured dancer on 10 Questions With….

Denise Caston

1.      How did you become involved with dance?

It started when I was 3, taking tap lessons in a teacher’s basement. That’s all I did for 8 years until I decided to start studying all of the disciplines.

2.      What are you currently doing in the field?

I founded and direct the Detroit Tap Repertory, produce the annual Motor City Tap Fest, am on faculty at tap festivals and workshops around the country, and perform in various shows from time to time.

3.      You were a Rockette—what was the best part about your time with the group?

The whole experience was wonderful, and grueling, and demanding. It was the first job I was ever hired for, and it took me to a level that I never thought I was capable of achieving. It created a work ethic that I wouldn’t have without that experience.

4.      What is the most valuable advice you have received from a teacher or mentor? [Read more…]

10 Questions With…Andrew J. Nemr

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Today’s 10 Questions With… features Andrew J. Nemr, a tap dancer and artistic director that was mentored by Gregory Hines…

 

Andrew J. Nemr

1.      How did you become involved with dance?

I was very young, roughly three years old, and being home-schooled at the time. As an only child, my parents wanted me to do something with other kids my age and dance was the option that we collectively chose to explore. The first class I observed was a combination tap, ballet, and tumbling class taught by Chris Collins in Alexandria, VA. I think the fact that it was a male teacher was helpful for me. At any rate, I took to the activity and rose through the ranks of the studio, taking private lessons, joining the performing troupe, and competing. In 1989 I saw the movie TAP, starring Gregory Hines and Sammy Davis, Jr., and that proved to be the next turning point. I immediately began pursuing the more vernacular style of American Rhythm Tap, and have been stuck to it ever since.

2.      What are you currently doing in the field?

I find myself involved in all aspects of the craft. I perform as a soloist in a number of musical collaborations from traditional jazz (Jake Sanders Band), Hard Bop (Nat Adderley Jr. Trio), world music (Max ZT), and electronic (Sean Hagerty and the 1to1Project). Exploring ensemble choreography with my tap dance company CPD PLUS (Cats Paying Dues), I’ve produced evening-length works since its founding in 2004. The most recent, Echoes In Time included reconstructed works of tap dance masters, tribute pieces, and original works, all telling the story of a tap dancer’s introduction to the craft from the first lesson in a classroom to the freedom of personal expression. In the hopes of supporting the preservation and promotion of the craft I co-founded the Tap Legacy™ Foundation with Gregory Hines in 2002. Chartered with a goal of building a cultural center in New York City dedicated to tap dance, Tap Legacy™ producing programming geared to re-igniting the oral history through which tap dance has been passed down over the years, while preserving and championing the craft’s history.

3.      Would you share a special moment from your career with readers? [Read more…]

Dance In The US: Alabama Dance Theatre

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

Name: Alabama Dance Theatre

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…

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