Posts Tagged ‘dance teacher’

Patrick Armand will join the staff of the San Francisco Ballet School in September as the trainee program principal. He will teach the trainees in daily classes, stage and rehearse repertory, and oversee trainee performances. He will also teach in the school at various levels.

Born in Marseille, France, Armand won the Prix de Lausanne in 1980. He joined Ballet Theatre Français in 1981 and was promoted to principal dancer in 1983. In 1984 he was invited to join the London Festival Ballet (now English National Ballet), and in 1990 he joined Boston Ballet.

Armand served as a jury member of the Prix de Lausanne in 1998 and 2009 and returned as a teacher and coach for the 2010 competition. In 2006 he was appointed teacher and ballet master of the Teatro alla Scala in Milan.

The Department of Communication and Dramatic Arts at Central Michigan University is looking for a full-time temporary dance instructor for the 2010-2011 academic year.

The position’s duties include teaching modern dance and ballet technique, dance history, composition, rhythmic analysis, and body sciences, as well as supervision of the dance minor program, management and artistic direction of dance concert productions, and choreography for the dance company’s concerts.

Candidate requirements include an MFA in dance or an MA with commensurate professional experience; three years of college-level teaching; substantial dance performance and choreographic experience; experience with dance production; and excellent organization and interpersonal skills.

The position includes full benefits. Interested candidates should submit a letter of interest, curriculum vitae, copies of college transcripts, a DVD of his/her choreography or staged repertory, a statement of teaching philosophy, and the names, telephone numbers and email addresses of three references.

Send materials to: Dance Search Committee Chair, 333 Moore Hall, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI 48859   The College of Communication and Fine Arts website is http://www.ccfa.cmich.edu.

Kiner Enterprises Inc. has launched its second annual national recruiting campaign for dance teachers across America.

Kiner, founded in 2007, describes itself as the largest dance teacher staffing company in the U.S. It provides professional dance instructors and choreographers nationwide for last-minute subs, dance workshops, master classes, private dance lessons, and group lessons. Kiner also provides social media management and development for dance studios and dance companies, and consulting on marketing clients’ dance business.

“There are talented and experienced dance teachers across America who are looking for work and are not able to access the types of opportunities that they desire in their local area. We help to connect them with jobs at dance studios and schools in their area that they may not have been able to access otherwise,” says Ashani Mfuko, Kiner’s CEO and president.

Dance teachers should email their head shot, resume, bio, and two references to recruiting@kinerenterprises.net. Each candidate will be screened, and those who pass will be contacted for a preliminary phone interview.

The majority of Kiner’s registered dance instructors have a bachelor’s or master’s degree in dance or the performing arts, have taught internationally, are members of AEA or AGMA, and have from 2 to 25 years’ experience in dance.

To learn more, visit Kiner’s Facebook page at http://facebook.com/KinerEnterprisesInc.

By Cheryl Ossola and Karen White

The ABCs of Image
I hear a lot of talk about professionalism these days. I doubt I could find a dance teacher or school owner who doesn’t claim to have the training, experience, credibility, and expertise that we associate with being a professional. But even when you’ve got all those attributes, you need one more thing: presentation. If you make yourself look careless or uninformed—or even worse, uneducated—you’ve blown that professional image to smithereens.

What’s provoked this line of thought is a YouTube video that was all over Facebook not long ago, being widely ridiculed. Its title? “Grand battma.” That’s right—someone who claims to have enough expertise not only to teach but to produce a video demonstrating ballet technique—specifically grand battement—doesn’t even know how to spell the term. (As of press time the video was no longer on the site, but I did find another one posted by a similarly spelling-challenged person, called “jazz grande batma.”)

Maybe some dance teachers would shrug and say, “Nah, I can’t spell—but who cares? I’m a darn good teacher.” Who cares? Plenty of people. I’m not talking about typos; I mean inexplicable, gross errors that raise questions and eyebrows about someone’s ability, mistakes like “battma” instead of “battement.” That’s no slip of the fingers on the keyboard. And maybe, if you spell it that way in a handout for parents, they won’t know the difference—until, that is, their kids become complete bunheads and spend hours poring over ballet books and websites and discover its correct spelling. What would those parents think of your professionalism then?

Admittedly, I’m sensitive to these things—I’m an editor, after all—but spelling and its nasty companion, grammar, are critical, visible parts of a professional image. Would you go to a doctor who can’t spell “encephalitis” or a lawyer who stumbles on “jurisprudence”? How would you feel if your child’s high school math teacher sent home a note asking you for a “conferance”—spelling it that way not once but twice, so you know it’s not just a slipup? Sure, he teaches math, not English, but wouldn’t you begin to doubt whether he’s a good teacher?

Correct spelling of dance terms is only a click away, at abt.org/education/dictionary/index.html. Or keep a copy of Gail Grant’s Technical Manual and Dictionary of Classical Ballet on your desk. If your grammar is shaky, find a word whiz to double-check anything you write that will be read by students, parents, or prospective customers. And if you work in Microsoft Word, use its spell-check function—but with the understanding that its grasp of grammar is about as good as a 2-year-old’s. It can alert you to potential problems, but don’t assume it’s right. Look them up.

By the way, aside from its misspelling, the “grand battma” video itself came under a huge amount of fire, and rightfully so. But that’s a rant for another day. —Cheryl Ossola, Editor in Chief

Best of Both Worlds
Hello, fellow dance teachers. I can’t begin to tell you how thrilled I am to be the latest editor here at Dance Studio Life. It’s as if my two worlds have collided in the very nicest of ways.

My trajectory in dance followed a very typical path—years in a local studio lovin’ dance, but being pushed into a “real career” by parents and teachers who couldn’t be faulted for seeing only what my body could (or could not) do and for not seeing into my heart. “But you’re such a good writer!” everyone said, which led to 25 years of newspaper reporting and editing, plus plenty of freelance magazine and public relations work.

But I never left the studio, either, continuing to teach and take class. By day I was a writer of stories about wastewater treatment plants and bone-headed school committee decisions; by night, a dance instructor who could wrestle any class of “terror tots” into abject submission. People would ask, “What are you?” and if I answered one or the other, it felt odd, like an animal that doesn’t know if it’s fish or fowl.

But now, I realize where that schizophrenic career was leading—to a journalism job that’s all about dance. Dance all day, and dance all night! It may not be 32 curtain calls after Giselle, but it’s a triumph in my own little world. Cheers! —Karen White, Associate Editor

Non-Compete Clauses From a Teacher’s Point of View

By Suzanne Kirsch

Teaching dance is my passion. And though I don’t yearn to run a studio of my own, I enjoyed the article about teaching contracts in the August 2009 issue (“Once an Employee, Now a Rival”). I can appreciate the fact that studio owners need to protect themselves. But despite all the articles about studio owners whose staff have left and taken students with them, not all teachers have the drive to become business owners or the desire to use their employers’ information to establish their own enterprise. I know many teachers who want to be in the classroom, not at a computer or on the phone during their non-teaching hours.

Contracts can be valuable to both studio owners and teachers when they state the expectations of both parties and the consequences if the expectations are not met. I would expect a contract to include the time frame in which my services were to be rendered, details about recital/competition material, use of a syllabus, compliance with a dress code, and expected behavior, and when and how much I would be paid.

 For several years I have focused on teaching ballet, and I have not yet found a situation that could offer me a full teaching schedule (to me, at least 25 hours per week). Living in a metropolitan area, I have choices about where to work. But since many studios cannot offer a single-subject teacher a full schedule, it seems a bit much to have to travel long distances in order to avoid working for what one employer considers to be a competitor. Besides the loss of personal time and the cost of travel, a long commute means more childcare costs. And of course, my time on the road is unpaid.

After 15 years of teaching, I recently encountered my first contract with a non-compete clause. I had accepted a position with Studio A, a ballet-focused school about 30 miles from my home. I live in the automobile capital of the world, where the bus schedules are sketchy at best and there is no railway system to fall back on when car problems arise. Calling a taxi could lead to a good half-hour wait and easily eat most of a night’s teaching income. But I’ve aspired to work for a reputable ballet school.

Not long after Studio A hired me, Studio B, about 10 miles from my residence and far from Studio A, contacted me. When I pointed out that I had already accepted work elsewhere, Studio B’s owner responded that Studio A was outside the radius of their non-compete clause. (The owner did not want the same material being taught “just down the street.”)

I checked into some of my state’s employment laws regarding non-compete clauses. Contracts in many fields contain stipulations that do not allow people to seek employment in the same industry within a specified distance of a former employer. Much of my research suggests that in the dance education field, such contracts would not stand up in court. First, most teaching positions would be considered part-time work, and second, teaching dance is so specialized a skill that prohibiting access to similar positions in the area would lead to financial hardship.

I have a vast amount of education and experience in my field. I don’t feel that any studio can claim to “own” my knowledge. Yes, any choreography I complete for a school belongs to them; but I feel that I should be able to make a living teaching technique classes without having to travel vast distances. Technique classes must be customized to the dancers in each class, as well as conform to various time frames. Having taught for three schools at once, I cannot say that I have or could have taken material I presented at one place and pasted it onto students in a different environment. Dance is a living art form and must be taught as such.

I understand that studio owners might not agree with my perspective. It’s a view from the opposite side of the table. But studio owners entrust their business to their teachers, and often, the teachers are the ones who provide quality customer service and represent the studio to the public. School owners risk losing valuable players in their businesses by trying to “possess” the services of teachers.

The first annual Jersey Tap Fest will offer classes, a jam session, and a concert finale July 14 to 17 at the South Orange Performing Arts Center.

The festival is the brainchild of Hillary-Marie Michael, a New Jersey-born tap soloist, choreographer, and teacher.

The faculty, in addition to Michael, will include Harold “Stumpy” Cromer, Karen Callaway Williams, Maurice Chestnut, Nicki Denner, DeWitt Fleming Jr., Jeffry Foote, Yvette Glover, Jason Janas, Logan Miller, Deborah Mitchell, Sarah Reich, Jenne Vermes, Dorothy Wasserman, and Kyle Wilder.

Master classes are $30 for the first class and $25 for subsequent classes; tickets to the jam, student showcase, panel discussion, and the history and music theory classes are $10. Package deals are available, from $195 for a youth package for 8- to 12-year-olds to $325 for an “ultimate package.”

The festival-ending performance on July 17 will include Cromer, Williams, and many of the other faculty members, as well as Tap Con Sabor, the New Jersey Tap Ensemble, and other acts. Tickets range from $30 to $20.

To buy tickets or learn more, visit www.jerseytapfest.com.

Luigi has been invited to present his latest jazz work in a concert of pieces by 12 choreographers May 22 and 23 at The Ailey Studios in New York.

The celebrated jazz dance choreographer and teacher has set his five-minute, two-dancer work to Sammy Davis Jr.’s recording of “Something’s Gotta Give” by Johnny Mercer. It will be danced by Lisa Biagini and Curtis C. Howard III.

Other participating choreographers are Bob Boross, Kayleigh Doremus, Marian Hyun, Joyce King, Christopher Liddell, Cat Manturuk, Kelly Potter McHale, Liz Piccoli, Svea Schneider, Alan Spaulding, and Lara Wilson.

Tickets to the performances at the studios, 405 West 55^th Street, are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. To order, call 212.868.4444 or visit http://www.facebook.com/l/7e55b;www.jazzchoreographyenterprises.org/calendar.

By Cheryl Ossola and Arisa White

Flower Girls or Fair Ladies?
I’ve been listening to an intro to psychology course, taught by Yale University professor Paul Bloom and offered through iTunes U. It’s fun, and I’ve learned a lot. But I didn’t make any direct correlations between the course material and teaching dance until I got to Lecture 17: Self and Other, Part II. About nine minutes in, Bloom mentioned something called the “Pygmalion effect.” Bingo.

Bloom was talking about the effects our perceptions of other people have on their behavior. You’ve all heard the phrase “self-fulfilling prophecy,” and that’s exactly what the Pygmalion effect describes. The term comes from the title of a George Bernard Shaw play, a story most people know in the form of the musical My Fair Lady. In the story, Eliza says, “The difference between a lady and a flower girl is not how she behaves but how she is treated. I shall always be a flower girl to Professor Higgins because he always treats me as a flower girl and always will.”

Bloom describes a study by researchers Robert Rosenthal and Lenore Jacobson that demonstrates this concept in action in a classroom. Substitute the ability to dance for the preconceptions about IQ and it’s very clear how important a teacher’s attitude toward each student is on the results of dance training. Bloom says:

“. . . [T]hey told teachers that some of their kids were really smart and other kids were not really smart. They weren’t expected to show a huge jump or spurt in their IQ. And this was of course trickery; the children were chosen at random. But the children who were described as expected to show a jump in IQ in fact did show a jump in their IQ scores. And this isn’t magic. It’s basically, if I am told that you’re a genius, and your genius is about to be in full flower throughout this class, and it’s a small class, as these classes were, I’ll focus more on you. I’ll give you more of my attention. If I’m told, not so much for you, you’ll suffer relative to him. And so the Pygmalion effect shows how our expectations can really matter.”

Rosenthal and Jacobson published their findings in 1968, so this isn’t exactly news. But I managed to get through college and well beyond without hearing about the Pygmalion effect—so thanks, Professor Bloom, for putting it in such a way that it made me want to share it with any teacher whose expectations matter to their students. And that includes every dance teacher in the world. —Cheryl Ossola, Editor in Chief

Having a Creative Block?
All artists should foster the habit of going on retreats to revive and reinvigorate their creative juices. There is something about removing yourself from the daily goings-on of life that allows you to be more attentive to your creative process. As I’m writing this, I’m doing just that, as a writer-in-residence at Hedgebrook, a rural retreat for women writers on Whidbey Island, Washington.

Responding to the immediate needs of those around us often leaves us little time to create. Don’t get me wrong—I’m grateful for those ideas that “inconveniently” pop into my head when I’m on the subway, at the theater, or ordering tea. Then I’m in desperate need of paper or pen, and later hope I don’t forget to transcribe the idea from the back of my hand before washing it. But a more conscious effort needs to be made to fully receive the muse.

Imagine carving out a chunk of time—by renting a cabin by a lake, going to someone’s house in the country, or applying for a residency—where you can spend a week to a month working on whatever brings you joy. You get to take those ideas that you’ve written on scraps of paper and play with them, talk them out, move them around in all configurations until they become what you’ve envisioned.

Creative blocks happen because we are doing the same thing over and over again, in the same way. Going on retreat is the first step to shifting your perspective, forcing your senses and body to negotiate differently with your surroundings. Once you’ve removed yourself from the box, you get to creatively think outside of it. Breaking your patterns sets you up to see things in new ways—and that is imagination we all can use. —Arisa White, Editorial Assistant

By Carol Crawford Smith

Previews for Precious are rolling, as are tears down my cheeks. A mother in a scene from the film throws a frying pan at a child and later snarls, “You’re a dummy. Don’t nobody want you, don’t nobody need you.” Some people are embarrassed to find themselves crying at the slightest provocation (even Hallmark commercials can make me reach for the Kleenex), but I’m not. I like to think of my quick-on-the-draw emotional response as part of my professional equipment as a teacher. It leaves me open to moments that can touch my core and lead me on a spirit-filled journey of reflection and gratitude for a life in dance.

Recently, I cried private tears of joy as I watched Lucy, a longtime student, rehearse my studio’s signature piece, Heat, set to Peter Gabriel’s “Rhythm of the Heat.” Over the years since she was 4, Lucy has watched it performed as she has sat in the house of Blacksburg’s Lyric Theatre with the other children until it was their turn to dance onstage. Now 17 and a high school senior, Lucy is finally dancing in Heat, and I could not ask for a more appreciative and elated student to receive the privilege.

Heat is a rite of passage at my school. Younger students aspire to perform it because they’ve seen older dancers as well as their instructors conquer the choreography of controlled, staccato, and African-inspired movements. Through dedication, commitment, and years of study, students develop the strength—and show the humility and confidence—needed to perform its intense and intricate choreography.

As younger children look to the advanced dancers’ performances with high aspirations, my staff and I look to the students for inspiration and reasons to remain motivated. Not long ago I talked with a childhood dance colleague, Amy DeCesare, now co-owner of The Dance Corner in West Windsor, New Jersey, about teaching younger children. She says, “I have always found that if I look the little ones in the eyes, it reminds me of how spontaneous and full of life they are.” Like DeCesare, I find classes for children ages 7 and under to be lively, fun to teach and watch, and full of surprises. Like when one little dancer named Emerson always waves hello when I arrive to teach. Then, without fail, she gives me a big hug at the end of class. I teach two classes after Emerson’s, and on sluggish days her warm hug is a motivational boost that reinforces why I do what I do.

Heat is a rite of passage at my school. Younger students aspire to perform it because they’ve seen older dancers as well as their instructors conquer the choreography of controlled, staccato, and African-inspired movements.

I teach my classes, cast the dances, order the costumes, and hold performances year after year partly because of an inspiring, sweet hug from a bright-eyed 7-year-old. Or because of the show of appreciation from a high school senior, who jumps up and down with giddy joy when she learns that she will perform the dance of her dreams. These acts remind me that all of the efforts, sacrifices, losses, and gains of operating a dance studio yield the dividends of seeing a student graduate from high school and enter Harvard, or another one achieve a doctorate in aerospace engineering. These are my experiences. These are my student success stories. I like to believe these students achieve their accomplishments because they once watched or performed Heat. But I have no doubt that their discipline, commitment, dedication, and ability to follow through, all honed in the dance studio as well as onstage, are channeled into their academic and professional pursuits.

Previews of a heart-wrenching movie sparked a writing flame in me, reminding me that inspiration can be found anywhere. It has been found in an affectionate child, a grateful teenager, aspiring choreography, and dramatic media. Regardless the source, inspiration motivates me to maintain opportunities for dance enjoyment, achievement, and excellence, so there can be future casts of dancers who know success from performing Heat.

At my seminars, I always tell the attendees that it isn’t the number of their students who move on to professional careers or awards they have won that determine their success as teachers. Instead, it’s the impact they have on the average student in their classrooms. Teachers are most effective when they recognize that all children deserve to feel special, whether or not they are the most talented. I have always believed that it’s possible to instill a passion for the art of dance in every child, regardless of the level of dance achieved.

More than 30 years ago, I taught at a low-income housing project in Brockton, Massachusetts, where my family’s school is located. I was about 15 when I started and I taught there for five years. There were no mirrors in the studio, but when it became dark we could see our reflections in a row of windows in the front of the room. At the time, the tuition for the school was $12 a month. Some of the kids’ parents couldn’t really afford it, but somehow we all dealt with it and I managed to keep the school going. These were kids who needed dance in their lives.

Although I don’t remember all of my students from those years, I often drive by the complex and think how lucky I was to have the opportunity to hone my craft with those kids. I have often wondered if any of them remember their dance lessons from all those years ago. Recently, when I got this note from Debi Johnson-Holland, I discovered that at least one of them does.

Rhee, you probably don’t remember me as I’m sure you taught a million little girls how to dance, but I sure remember you. It’s so fitting that you have moved on to be such an inspiration in the world of dance because as a young man you were the inspiration to many of us low-income kids from Chatham West in Brockton. I took three or four years of tap and jazz with you back in the late ’70s. Perhaps you remember that our “Star Wars” dance took a second-place award at Terpsichore Awards one year when no one thought we were good enough. I even was picked to do a duet with Lisa Allred. (I think that was her name—she has a sister, Rachel, and her mom did the books for you.)

My mom could never afford the classes and would somehow find a way to pay you right before the recitals. We didn’t have a lot of money, but my mom knew how much I lived for your classes. Mrs. Allred never let me forget that I wasn’t paying, but I never let that stop me from going to your class every week. I’d sneak into the class before she’d see me, or go around to the pool-side doors. I’m now 42 and still love to dance. As an overweight kid from the projects, I didn’t have much confidence in myself, except when dancing. I know I can dance. You gave me that. I’m so happy to see firsthand that you are still giving that to many, many kids. Thanks for making a difference.

I share this letter because I want you to know that as teachers you have an impact on all of your students, and you never know which ones will bring you joy 30 years later. Treat them all as though they were special. If you convey the message that each of them means the world to you, what you give to them will come back to you. Guaranteed.

By Julie Holt Lucia

I have a confession: I am the other woman. Sort of. The other teacher, actually. I worked for someone and left to open my own studio. But it’s not what you think.

Once upon a time, I was a burned-out college dance major. I decided that I wanted to be a “normal” person and did not want to change clothes three times a day. I took a break from college, had an awesome summer internship at a museum, changed my major to philosophy, and graduated from college and into a staff position in higher ed. But I didn’t leave dance cold turkey. I kept thinking about it, going back and forth in my mind and taking classes when I could. Finally, after a big move and marriage, I began teaching part-time for the very studio where I had danced as a young teen. It was a full-circle moment.

My relationship with that studio steadied over the next couple of years. I taught minimally, given my 40-hour workweek behind a desk, but even so teaching reminded me how much I missed being immersed in the dance world. It had sparked something in me, restoring the dancer I had all but cast aside in my efforts to be “normal.” And so I began to nurse thoughts of having my own school. I began exploring the idea, improving my dance skills and business acumen. I started a business plan, working on it haphazardly for nearly a year.

I never intended to cause friction. The studio owner knew of my plans, however distant at the time, and though I think she might have been initially surprised, she encouraged me and allowed me to discuss it candidly. If I followed through with it, my school would open a good 20 miles and 30 minutes away in a neighboring town, and none of my current students would know. (Nor, do I think, would they have traveled out of their way for me, given the dance studios on nearly every block in between.)

But I can’t help acknowledging this unshakeable feeling—even years later—that I should have gone farther or done more to preserve the relationship with the lady who had become a subtle influence, like an unintentional mentor. I did not think of my leaving as a betrayal. But now I wonder if she thought of it that way, even in the slightest, and put on a happy face to wish me well. I did not take any students or staff members away from her and I set up shop in another city, but I wonder if I could have done more to put her mind at ease. Or perhaps she didn’t give my departure much thought. Either way, it’s clearer to me now that I came close to crossing a line that is not normally touched in our industry.

I don’t regret my decision. My studio is like a second home, a second family. I love my customers. I love my employees to death; I am immensely proud of them and would be very sad to see any of them leave as I did. It is rewarding to see how my school has grown and how it’s different than I expected. I’m excited and nervous to see what’s next for us. But I might not have done it at all if it hadn’t been for that chance opportunity to teach years ago, to nurture my passion again.

I promise I’m not writing this to assuage any guilt. But I give in to the “what-ifs” at times, and the questions do hit me: “What if she didn’t see it the way I did?” and “What if the bridge I thought I left intact is actually in an ashy heap?”

So Cindi, if you’re reading this, let me say this better than I did in that silly thank-you note four years ago: Thank you for real. Thank you for giving me a chance. Thank you for inspiring me. Thank you for letting me read your Goldrush (the precursor to Dance Studio Life). And thank you for letting me go and make my own little dance world possible. I believe—no, I know—that we are all a product of our collective teachers, and I’m glad you were one of mine.

Ballet master, Meg Segreto’s Dance Centre, Davie, FL; artistic director, Dager Ballet Institute for Dance Education, Boca Raton, FL

NOMINATED BY: Meg Segreto, employer: “German Dager is a ballet and pointe instructor as well as a talented choreographer and director. He is also a private coach, judge of regional and national competitions, and leader in liturgical dance productions. He is frequently asked to teach master classes for local studios and organizations as well as national dance conventions. He had a successful studio in Colombia and now teaches in South Florida. We are blessed to be graced with his talents and expertise.”

AGES TAUGHT: 8 to adult.

GENRES TAUGHT: Classical ballet, pointe, variations, repertoire, and pas de deux.

TEACHING DANCE FOR: 24 years.

WHY HE TEACHES: My motivation is the deep love I have for ballet, plus the desire to transmit all my knowledge to a new generation.

GREATEST INSPIRATION: When I started my dance training, it was Mikhail Baryshnikov. Then the movie Fame came out and changed my life and inspired me to keep dancing and training. Also, I was impressed by the teachings of Agrippina Vaganova and the results I have seen—generation after generation of amazing dancers. Another great inspiration is Magda Auñon, my mentor and teacher. Up to this day I keep learning incredible things from her.

PHILOSOPHY OF TEACHING: My philosophy is to instill dedication, vision, great expectation, and a desire to see results and achievements in my students. I stress the importance of giving my best in order to get the best out of those whom I teach.

WHAT MAKES HIM A GOOD TEACHER: I would cite these things: The love and patience I have for the children and parents; my sincere attitude toward instilling the knowledge I have in each of my students; and the respect and admiration I have for them and the value I place on them.

FONDEST TEACHING MEMORY: Here in the United States, we are very much exposed to dance. There is practically a dance studio in every neighborhood. In 1988, when I started my own school in Cartagena, Colombia, I was in awe to see all those hundreds of students who registered for the first time in a dance studio and had never taken a ballet class in their lives, all eager and with such a desire to learn. It was the first time they had heard the words “plié” and “battement tendu.” It was such a challenge, but at the same time it was an awe-inspiring experience.

BEST PIECE OF ADVICE FOR STUDENTS AND/OR TEACHERS: To dance or teach with passion, with all your soul and strength, with soaring dedication and determination to achieve your highest possible level.

WHAT HE WOULD DO IF HE COULDN’T TEACH DANCE: Teaching is my life and my passion, so I would like to be an educator in theology and Spanish.

MORE THOUGHTS ON DANCE AND TEACHING: Teaching is one of the most rewarding careers. The satisfaction of seeing your students progress from Ballet 1 until they become seniors—and then seeing them accepted into the best dance colleges and dance companies in the nation—gives you amazing fulfillment. To see your students grow from little kids and to spend a whole life pouring your expertise into them as they mature as artists is just overwhelming. It is an amazing blessing to be a dance educator!

DO YOU KNOW A DANCE TEACHER WHO DESERVES TO BE IN THE SPOTLIGHT? Email your nominations to Arisa@rheegold.com or mail them to Arisa White, Dance Studio Life, 10 South Washington St., Norton, MA 02766. Please include why you think this teacher should be featured, along with his or her contact information.

Part 4 of our serialized saga of dance-school drama and intrigue

By Julie Holt Lucia

The story so far: Dolly Drummersing, owner of Dolly’s Dance Academy, faces new competition from a school opened by a deranged ex-customer, Winifred Beauregard, and her partner, Carlotta Aquilino. Carlotta’s husband, Sal, is a janitor at DDA, and her daughter, Isabella, is a student. But Dolly has proof that Sal was snooping in her office, and it looks like her worst fear is true: Sal is spying for his wife. And if that’s not enough, Isabella told her classmates—including new wunderkind Michael Garland—that she’s leaving DDA. Dolly, determined not to let Winifred destroy her, plans to fight back, and she’s called a meeting with Sal to confront him. 

Dolly drummed her fingers on the table at Karma Coffee and sipped her “skinny” latte. One of these days I’ll splurge for a manicure, she thought, eyeing her fraying cuticles. And a pedicure and a massage and a facial and whatever else is relaxing. Just as soon as I get a money tree. Glancing at the clock, she brushed a stray lock of hair out of her eyes and blew out a jittery sigh. She’d been waiting for Sal for nearly 15 minutes, but then again, she’d arrived early to give herself a caffeine boost and pep talk before he got there.

She thought about what she was going to say, the words tumbling over each other in her head in time to her drumming fingers. One thing was clear: she was going to have to let Sal go. And while it would break her heart, she couldn’t continue to put her business in jeopardy. It was too much.

“Hey, Dolly!” Sal’s voice thundered as he pushed his way into the busy coffee shop. “Am I late? Sorry if I am.” He flashed a broad grin and pretended to tip his hat.

Dolly waved a hand dismissively. “Would you like a drink, Sal?” 

“Oh no, that’s OK. I’ll get one later,” Sal replied. He sat down and scratched his beard. His smile faded. “Dolly, I think I know what you want to talk about.” He looked down at his clenched hands. “It’s my fault for putting it off.”

Dolly shook her head. “No, I should have asked you about it as soon as I noticed something was missing.”

“Missing?” Sal cocked his head in confusion. “I thought you wanted to ask me about Carlotta’s new job with Winifred.”

Dolly raised her eyebrows. “I did, Sal, but more importantly, I want to know why you stole Isabella’s registration form from my filing cabinet. Did you think I wouldn’t notice?” Dolly managed to keep her voice low, but her fingers trembled and she could feel angry red blotches sprouting on her face.

Sal’s jaw dropped. “W-w-what? You mean—?”

“Yes!” Dolly felt the latte rising bitterly in her throat. “Yes, Sal. It wasn’t a very smooth theft. You left my filing cabinet key on the floor and the drawer unlocked.”

Sal wrung his hands harder. “I meant to put it back—Dolly, I’m so sorry. I meant to borrow it and put it right back, I swear. I was going to put it back tonight. I didn’t think you would know.” His face twisted into a frustrated frown.

“Why, Sal? Why would you breach my trust for your own daughter’s registration form? Do you have any idea what I was thinking when I figured this out?” Dolly folded her arms and stared out the window.

Leaning over the table, Sal tried to make eye contact. “I don’t know what to say except I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have gotten into your files without permission.” He took a deep breath. “If it makes you feel any better, I took the form because I needed to prove to Carlotta that I was the one who enrolled Isabella.”

Dolly turned to him. “That doesn’t even make sense.”

“Yes, it does. Listen, I wasn’t going to bring any of this up, but now I realize that I have to anyway. I needed to show Carlotta that I enrolled Isabella so that I can keep her at Dolly’s Dance Academy. Carlotta wanted to enroll her at this new school, but I’m against it. Carlotta and I agreed that whoever signed the registration form could decide. She chose the school, but I signed the form. So I get the last word.”

A heavy pause filled the air while Dolly processed this information. Sal was on her side? “But aren’t you supposed to be supporting your wife?” She knew the question was probably too personal, but she couldn’t not ask it.

Sal shifted in his seat. “Yes and no. When she took this job, I was happy for her. But in the last few weeks it’s turned into a circus. It’s almost like she’s been brainwashed by Winifred—that lady’s crackers, if you ask me. Completely unbalanced.”

“Well, you’re right about that,” Dolly said. “But why couldn’t you just ask for the registration form? I would have helped you.”

Sal flushed. “Pride, Dolly. I’m a guy; I don’t need help, you know? And it’s a little embarrassing to say that my loyalty lies with you and not my wife. With dancing and all. It’s not like things are going really well at my house right now.”

“Oh, Sal.” Dolly couldn’t help feeling bad for him. “I was really mad about the snooping. Well, actually, I still am. But I really, really appreciate that you were sticking up for me, and DDA. I don’t want to be the cause of your, um, problems at home, though.”

“Well, that’s my business to take care of, right? Just remember that when it comes to dance, I’m on your side.” Sal looked down, then met Dolly’s eyes. “Are we OK? Do you still want me to clean for you?”

Dolly paused. She had come here bracing herself to say goodbye to Sal, and here she was at an unexpected crossroads. She could let him go for violating her trust, or she could keep him on and chalk this up to a miscommunication.

“Yes, Sal,” Dolly said, smiling for the first time that morning. “We’re OK. Just do me a favor?”

Sal raised his eyebrows.

“No more filing cabinet incidents. Please.” Dolly gave Sal a friendly punch on the arm—like punching a brick wall, she thought—and headed to her car. It was the first time in weeks that she felt this light. Knowing that Sal was on her side made her feel taller, a bit more confident. Today just might be a good day after all. 

***

Dolly’s good mood carried over into her classes. Michael Garland, the new wonder kid, was taking every class he could, and that night he showed up for Dolly’s beginning jazz class. At first the girls had giggled and acted shy, but when they realized how good he was they began fighting over who got to dance next to him, as if his talent would sweat off onto them if they got close enough. Michael seemed oblivious to it all, concentrating so hard that his arms would get stiff and his mouth would dangle open.

Dolly winked at Michael when they came to grand battements, the step he had attempted when he kicked a hole in the lobby wall. His face lit up when he realized what they were practicing, and Dolly hoped with all her heart that he would never lose this innate joy. Having a hole kicked in her wall was worth discovering Michael’s love for dance. How had they not discovered him sooner? She shook her head in wonder.

She felt sick to her stomach, like she had failed DDA. If only she had listened to herself eight months ago, the first time she met Marta—here was her proof that her gut was right all along.

Michael’s sister Mira was a different story. That evening, in her Intermediate Ballet class, Dolly watched as Mira caught flies during her arabesque, stumbled over her scrawny legs during petit allegro, and winced in pain anytime a movement required more energy than picking lint off her leotard. She wasn’t alone, though. The class had quite the assortment of unfortunate habits. Take Pepper Ruby, who was known for forgetting to open her eyes while dancing. Still, the girls had a lot of heart (most of the time) and worked hard (usually) and the Ballet Class of Misfit Tweens, as she affectionately called it, remained one of Dolly’s favorites—weaknesses, bad habits, and all.

Tonight was no different. Dolly flapped her arms and yelled corrections while the dancers finished their last combination. Her back was drenched in sweat, her flushed face a blur of messy hair and moving mouth. “Pepperrrrrrrrr!” Dolly screeched over the music. “Open your eyes before you crash!”

Pepper’s eyes flew open just in time to avoid smacking into Samantha Martinez. She landed her grand jeté—on her feet—with a loud thunk. “Oh, my gosh, I’m so sorry, Sam,” Pepper sputtered, out of breath.

Sam looked at Pepper with relief. “It’s OK. I think I was on the wrong count anyway.”

 “Timing, ladies,” Dolly said, relieved to have avoided disaster. “Next week, same combination. With our eyes open.” She nodded at Pepper, who blushed.

On her way out of class, Dolly felt a tug on her jacket.

“I just wanted to say,” Pepper said, her eyes closed, “that I will try harder to open my eyes and focus and you are a really good teacher and thank you for helping me.” She smiled, opened her eyes, and blushed even deeper.

“Oh, Pepper. Thank you!” Dolly hugged the girl and smiled back. “I love having you in my class. I hope you know that.”

Pepper nodded and darted off to the dressing room. Dolly lived for moments like this one. She hugged her attendance notebook to her chest and made her way to the office, still smiling.

Dolly had asked her staff to stay an extra half-hour to discuss her plans for the grand re-opening celebration—the campaign to fight back against Winifred’s Winning Dance Academy. She hoped to go head-to-head with Winifred’s opening event on the same day and time—just a couple of weeks away. Sure, she would be deliberately stepping on Winifred’s toes by doing this, but Dolly couldn’t pass up the opportunity. Feeling pumped up after her great day, Dolly walked into the office, where Kim, Nikki, April, and Marta perched on plastic Ikea office chairs around the tiny desk, ready to get started. Or so Dolly thought.

Marta stood up and handed an envelope to Dolly. “I’m sorry to do this now,” Marta said, her face stony. “Here.”

Dolly felt her great day slip through her fingers like sand and her blood pressure rise. She didn’t have to open the envelope. “You’re resigning.” Dolly tried not to let her voice waver. “Tonight.”

Marta nodded and Kim, Nikki, and April stood up to leave.

“No. Everyone sit,” Dolly said, pointing to the chairs. “Marta gave me this letter during this meeting, so we’ll all stay put for a few more minutes.”

Everyone sat. Marta’s eyes flicked nervously from face to face.

Dolly held up the letter. “You’re leaving, effective immediately.”

“Yes. We’ve established that.” A nasty tone crept into Marta’s voice.

“Please explain.”

“Dolly, I don’t have anything else to say,” Marta replied, clutching the arms of the chair as if she were about to bolt. “I’m sorry to put you in a bind in the middle of the semester, OK?”

Dolly lifted her chin. “A ‘bind’? Quite the understatement, Marta, but believe me, I’m not asking you to stay. I only have one question. Are you going to work for Winifred? Like you said you wouldn’t?”

Marta nodded.

An overwhelming crush of emotion hit Dolly. It was as if she had known this was coming but could do nothing to stop it. Now she’d have to find replacement teachers for Marta’s classes, tell the kids and parents about Marta’s defection. She felt sick to her stomach, like she had failed DDA. If only she had listened to herself eight months ago, the first time she met Marta—here was her proof that her gut was right all along. Dolly bit her lip, trying to ignore her stinging eyes. How could she not take this stuff personally? It was like being punched. Punched and spat on. Punched and spat on and run over by a truck.

April, with her natural gift of timing, gave Dolly an almost imperceptible look of reassurance. “Well, it sounds like we’re done here. I’ll escort you to the door,” she said, grabbing Marta’s arm and lifting the startled woman from her seat.

Dolly cleared her throat. “Goodbye, Marta,” she managed to say. Kim and Nikki sprang into action, moving their chairs next to Dolly’s behind the desk. Dolly put her head on the cool desk. She could feel her blood boiling, a hammering in her ears. Kim held out a tissue, and while Dolly fumbled for it, Nikki put her arm around her shoulders. The three of them sat in silence.

“I don’t think she expected that kind of exit,” April said as she burst back into the office, a smug smile on her face. “I locked the door behind her.” She dragged her chair over to the others.

“Thank you for the rescue,” Dolly said, still fighting tears. “Don’t worry. We’ll work it out. It could have been worse. Thank goodness I still have you three.” And at that the tears came. As sad and angry as she was about Marta, she was grateful for the wonderful employees she could also call friends.

“Dolly, you know we love you,” Nikki said, squeezing Dolly’s shoulder.

Kim handed over more tissues. “You can be a human being, you know. We don’t mind.”

“And we do not blame you for this,” April added. “That Marta was always a Negative Nellie anyway.”

Dolly managed a laugh. “Don’t you mean a Nervous Nellie?”

“No! Well, maybe we can call her both.” April laughed too. “I can never get those expressions right.”

Dolly wiped her eyes and blew her nose. “Thanks, you guys. You really are the best. We’re probably better off now, but we have some work to do.” She sighed, feeling the roots of a headache planting themselves in her temples. “I’m going to need your help to reorganize, and fast. Kim, see what you can do with the schedule for the next two weeks, and Nikki, you and April make notes about what we’ll say to the kids and the parents. I’ll start working on a job posting for Marta’s replacement.”

The tiny office bustled with chatter and the scratches of pen to paper, fingers to keyboard. Dolly felt almost reenergized at the sight of her team working so hard—even after hours. She couldn’t let them down again, not after this. “We don’t need her,” she announced.

She might have meant Marta and she might have meant Winifred. She might have meant both; she wasn’t really sure. As far as Dolly was concerned, DDA and WWDA were even: she still had Sal, and Winifred had stolen Marta. Dolly knew that customers would be next up for grabs and she was not willing to sacrifice anyone, not even the mom who thinks tuition is due on the 11th, or the little girl who picks her wedgie throughout tap class, or the sullen teen who leans against the barre during hip-hop. From now on, no one was negotiable. DDA would protect itself and its customers. She would out-dance, out-work, and out-smart Winifred’s Winning Dance Academy if it was the last thing she did.

Tune in for more fun in July as the story continues . . .

Surviving pregnancy and new motherhood

By Misty Lown

The journey into motherhood is a winding road filled with twists and turns, highs and lows. For dance teachers and dance studio owners, the journey comes with additional challenges to navigate, often in a very public way. I’ve traveled this road five times now in the last eight years. Here’s what I’ve learned.

First trimester: A whole new world
While many women experience morning sickness, be prepared for variations on a theme. I battled through a special dance-teacher brand of “evening sickness” and fatigue, feeling my worst when it was time for classes to start. On the positive side, getting into the classroom almost never failed to make me feel better. A steady stream of crackers between classes and sips of 7UP helped keep me going, too.

When to tell students
Mothers-to-be debate the merits of sharing the good news right away or cherishing it privately for a while. Some people can keep their news a secret through the first trimester, but I’ve never been able to hide pregnancy. As soon as I see that double blue line on the pregnancy test, it seems I can no longer button my pants. As many dance teachers can testify, clients tend to notice the smallest change in your health or appearance. It’s understandable if you want to keep your condition private for a while, but announcing it might gain you some understanding on days when you’re struggling with nausea or fatigue. I’ve been blessed with students and parents who have been very supportive during those times.

Taking it in stride
If you haven’t developed a sense of humor from being a dance teacher, pregnancy is a great time to do it. During my second pregnancy, I was about 11 weeks along when classes started. I thought I still looked pretty trim in my leotard on the first day of class, but when I announced to a class of 6-year-olds that I would be having a baby later in the year, one little girl said, “Oh, I thought you looked fatter this year!” Insert forced smile here. Well, at least it wasn’t during open house!

Taking care
The foundation for most of your baby’s development is being laid during the first trimester, so now is the time to put all the health knowledge you’ve accumulated as a dance teacher into practice. Take your vitamins, get your rest, and drink, drink, drink— water, of course! Make time for real meals and cut out the caffeine. Get to bed regularly at a decent hour. Carve out some quiet time for yourself during the day, especially if you have other small children at home. Pregnancy can be a great catalyst for making healthy lifestyle changes.

Second trimester: Glory days
You are finally starting to look pregnant instead of like you’ve spent a little too much time at Dairy Queen. Morning sickness is replaced by a cute little bump, and your energy returns. Maternity clothes actually fit the way they look in the advertisements. By week 16 or so, you may sense some flutterings or feel that first kick. And, if you are a planner like I am, you can try to find out if you are having a boy or a girl around weeks 18 to 20. Even though you’re feeling good, don’t forget to listen to your body and pace yourself.

Body stressors
As weight gain picks up during the second trimester, so can low back pain and hip soreness (see “A Better You,” page 75). Dance teachers will notice increased elasticity in their joints, which is not to be confused with a sudden gift of flexibility. Going beyond your physical limits in pregnancy almost always exacts a heavy price the next day. The second trimester is the time to start moderating how much (and what) you demonstrate and honing your other teaching skills. Keep moving, but don’t overdo it. Take a little more time to warm up and cool down, even if you have to do so on your own. Keep hydrated and don’t forget to rest, even though your energy has returned.

Third trimester: The home stretch
The third trimester has been aptly described as a “season of nesting.” This is the time to get everything prepared for your new arrival. For dance teachers and dance studio owners, “everything” includes a lot more than diapers and onesies. Lesson plans, substitute teachers, and office help should be at the top of your list of things to get ready this trimester. Now is also the time to get a demonstrator for your classes.

Daily challenges
By the end of the third trimester you will likely have gained 23 to 35 pounds. Full demonstrating for advanced technique and choreography is out of the question. Even teaching children’s classes becomes a challenge. Your balance won’t be reliable, but a sore back will be. Avoid lifting heavy things such as costume boxes, props, and barres. To ease swollen ankles, get off your feet for an hour at midday. Boost your energy with small, protein-packed meals and frequent rests. I have also found third-trimester relief in a trip to the chiropractor, a pedicure, and milkshakes.

Two birth plans
Every expectant mom knows she needs to make a birth plan with her health care provider. Don’t forget to make a birth plan with your other provider—your dance studio. If you communicate your plan clearly to your staff or employer, students, and parents, they will be willing to give you the time you need to get ready for and take care of your new family.

Dance teachers will notice increased elasticity in their joints, which is not to be confused with a sudden gift of flexibility.

If you’re a school owner, make a written statement about who will be handling what while you are gone—and stick to it. Spend time equipping your staff to handle daily challenges while you’re gone. Take a few days off for a trial run of what maternity leave will be like. Your staff will gain confidence and you will gain comfort, not to mention some time to get things ready at home.

Recital solutions
For two of my five pregnancies I have been very near full term at recital, which poses a unique set of challenges. Producing a recital in your third trimester requires extra planning, including scheduling time to rest during rehearsals and shows as well as a backup plan in case you go into labor right before or during the show.

Your backup plan should include people to cover every task you normally take care of during recital time. Make a list and have others review it. (You will be amazed at how much you do.) Once the list is written, start assigning tasks. Chances are you won’t need it, but don’t take chances—be prepared!

On a lighter note, you might want to ignore the impulse to hide backstage and make the most of your condition by putting yourself in the show. One year I made a guest appearance as “The Big Apple” in our “New York, New York” number. Another year I dressed up in a “Mrs. Potts” costume from Beauty and the Beast. Both numbers were the hit of the show!

Fourth Trimester: Say what?
The pregnancy journey doesn’t end at delivery; it just transitions into the postpartum period. In my experience, not enough attention is given to what can be the most daunting time—the fourth trimester. Most women envision their postpartum period as one of rocking the baby to sleep, nursing leisurely, and dressing up the baby for cute photo opps. Those things are part of the picture, but so are hormonal changes, sleep deprivation, and the stress of adjusting to a new “normal.” The three months following delivery are just as important to your health and the health of your baby as the first three trimesters.

Dance teachers who choose to nurse their babies face the additional challenge of finding time to nurse or pump when they return to the studio. Unless your teaching schedule is organized into two-hour segments with a nice break for nursing, you need to schedule time to pump when you go back to work. Plan to have an assistant cover your warm-up or rehearsal for 15 or 20 minutes while you pump. You’ll get relief from possible engorgement and build up your milk supply at the same time. Practice at home a few times so that you’re comfortable with the equipment before trying to pump at the studio.

What happened to my body?
One of the most disconcerting aspects of pregnancy I experienced as a dance teacher was the way my body felt postpartum. My recovery experiences, depending on the timing of my pregnancies, have ranged from taking two months off from teaching to performing five weeks after delivery. And while my body appeared to have recovered to most people, I can tell you there is a big difference between getting back into your pants and getting back into your game. Be careful when you go back to teach or dance for the first time. If you do too much, you’ll know it. Regaining strength takes time. Your six-week postpartum checkup is a good time to consult with your doctor about when you can get back into motion and how much activity is appropriate. Be patient with yourself. You will recover, you will get back into your dance clothes, you will sleep again—but not right away.

Baby blues
Experiencing mood swings during the first couple of weeks after delivery is considered a normal part of recovery. Surround yourself with support, even after those first few bumpy weeks are over. You won’t be very emotionally resilient until you start getting some decent sleep. Let a trusted staff member handle those tricky interactions with parents and other similar scenarios until you’re in command of your emotions and able to deal with stress calmly and rationally.

If a few weeks pass and you feel you aren’t getting back on your feet emotionally or have lost interest in the things that used to excite you, see your doctor. Ten to 20 percent of women develop postpartum depression, which is treatable.

Take time off
Give yourself a maternity leave. It doesn’t have to be three months, but it does have to be written down or it won’t happen. If you’re a school owner, give the office staff a script about how to handle persistent questions during your leave. You may be pleasantly surprised to find that some of your teachers have management potential when you give them an opportunity to step up.

Delegate, delegate, delegate
For many dance studio owners, being unable to teach is a double burden, financially speaking. Not only are you not making your teaching wage, you are paying someone else to handle your classes for you. Even so, the fourth trimester is not the time to scrimp on help at the studio. Plan for extra help at home as well. For those who are used to doing it all, and doing it well, you need to know that exhaustion is not a character flaw—it is reality. Take time for your baby and yourself and let others pick up the slack during this unique season of life. You’ll never get these special moments back, as any grandmother would be happy to remind you.

Bottom line
Falling in love with your baby takes an instant, but figuring out how the pieces of your new life fit together takes time. Be patient with yourself as you find a new balance of family life and studio life.

By Rhee Gold

“You’re an artistic genius! How do you come up with an idea like that?” “Motivated to be different” is the motto of the teacher who choreographed the piece that everyone is raving about. She’s the one who doesn’t want to be like anyone else or follow the current trends in choreography. Tricks like grabbing a leg and yanking it behind the head (often, unfortunately, with a turned-in supporting leg) are nowhere to be found in her art. The even bigger feats like fouetté turns or multiple jumps are not in her choreographic vocabulary. Yet she continues to awe audiences, judges, and even the choreographers who pepper their dance numbers with tricks.

So how does she do it? It’s this teacher’s personal rule not to use music she has heard before or a concept that she has seen onstage. Throughout the creative process she often stops herself because her mind flashes a “too typical” sign; her reaction is to go to a new artistic place. She just can’t stop herself.

This dance teacher is the same one who invents new curriculum ideas to continually attract fresh faces to her classrooms. Her goal is to constantly place herself in the category of “unique” in the pool of dance schools in her area. She knows that being different is her way of staying on top, and her enrollment numbers reflect her philosophy.

Each time she creates a new program concept, the majority of dance schools in her area follow suit by imitating her offerings. Yet those concepts usually don’t work for the other schools because they don’t have the same philosophy, personality, or clientele that this creative dance teacher does. Simply put, the competition thinks that they can re-create someone else’s success by doing what they do. But it doesn’t work that way. Instead, they need to think creatively and establish programs that are unique to the characteristics of their school. That’s how to become a leader rather than a follower.

The simple message here is to do what you do best and forget about what anyone else is up to. But keep your eyes, ears, and mind open to what you see around you—take all that sensory and mental input and craft from it something distinctive. The world is your inspiration, and the diversity of that world is what we bring to you with this issue. Our focus on dance of various cultures is proof positive that there is more than one way to see the miraculous accomplishments that make up human life—and many ways to interpret them.

I believe that each of us follows a life path that is a personal journey, with the route embedded in our instinct. Having the ability to tap into that instinct can be the difference between success and failure. Know that you are a unique individual with something special to offer this world, both in dance and in life.

Feel free to add your thoughts in the comment box (below)–Rhee

See Rhee Gold share his passion for teaching dance in this special keynote address at the 2009 DanceLife Teacher Conference presented to more 600 dance teachers and school owners from across the world. His words are thought-provoking, humorous, and refreshing as he reinforces all the reasons we have chosen to become dance educators in the first place. Viewers will feel rejuvenated as they listen to Gold explain why we’ve chosen the “greatest profession in the world!”

Back to DanceLife TV viewer guide

By Mignon Furman

Tip 1
Batterie is often overlooked in classes when time is a consideration. So make sure the first allegro combination is suitable to be performed with batterie. For example, if the warm-up is four sautés in first and four changements, the changement can be changed to royale (changement battu). Or try four changement and two échappé sautés. Beat the changement and the closing movement of the échappé.

Tip 2
When beginning the allegro section of class, make the first combination simple, with small jumps off of and alighting on two feet. Tell your students to think of the feet pushing the floor away. I remember well my teacher, Anna Severskaya, a leading teacher in London, saying, “Treat the floor as your enemy”—push it away—“and it will be your best friend.”

When it comes to smoking, it’s good to be a quitter

By Suzanne Martin, PT, DPT

Did you start your day with a typical dancer’s breakfast? In the not-too-distant past, that would have meant a “continental breakfast” of a cigarette and black coffee.

Personally, I dodged the smoking bullet. My parents, both children of the Great Depression generation of smokers, quit the habit cold turkey when I was young. Both parents developed cardiovascular disease; my father succumbed to it when I was a teenager. My two siblings and I never became smokers, probably because of that early example. (I remember being able to find my mother in church by the sound of her cough.)

It has taken a long time for the anti-smoking message to take hold, even among medical practitioners. When my interest turned toward the medical field, I was concerned that I couldn’t do it because of my aversion to the billows of smoke in the medical institutions I explored. But now designated smoking areas, found in outdoor spaces near work and social areas, are mandated by laws in most states as a result of the pressures of social and political correctness, as well as research. The simple pleasure of smoking is not as simple as it used to be.

Why all the fuss over smoking? If people enjoy it, leave them alone, right? One big problem is that people start smoking voluntarily, yet their habit turns into a loathed addiction. When I was a student of researcher George Brooks at the University of California at Berkeley, doing my prerequisites for physical therapy school, I was deeply impressed by something he said: If you laid out all the cells of the lungs, they would cover a tennis court. This stunning fact made me realize why ’tweeners couldn’t care less when their parents wag their fingers and ground them for sneaking smokes. Youngsters don’t see other kids hacking and dying. The lungs are so cellularly dense that it takes about 20 years before they show the effects of a smoking habit.

Now that the government is bracing itself to cover the increasing public health costs of the aging boomer generation, the door to permissiveness about smoking has slammed shut. Smoking is a leading cause of lung cancer, and lung cancer is lethal. Unequivocally, smoking is not the attractive habit it was once touted to be (and still is, according to its marketing). Smoking exacerbated my father’s heart condition, and it interferes with anything to do with the lungs, causing emphysema (permanent trapped air that causes a loss of elasticity), asthma, chronic bronchitis, and pneumonia. And this list is only the tip of the iceberg. Smoking increases the incidence and severity of colds, makes asthma worse, impairs vision, decreases physical fitness, increases the risk of early heart trouble, and causes early skin wrinkling, hoarseness, and bone thinning. The list of negatives is almost endless.

Challenges to quitting
Think you can sidestep addiction and just smoke every once in a while? Think again. Aside from the physical addiction, there’s the psychological pull. The tobacco industry’s advertising is so pervasive. The Federal Trade Commission estimated that the tobacco industry spent $8.2 billion to market its products in 1999. Not only have marketers targeted young boys with campaigns like the now-defunct Joe Camel one, they link smoking to independence, self-reliance, popularity, and self-fulfillment in order to market to young women.

One big reason women often won’t quit is the fear of weight gain. According to Arden G. Christen, DDS, of Indiana University’s Department of Oral Biology and Nicotine Dependence Program, a 6- to 12-pound weight increase is typical after quitting. A fitness trainer told me that when she quit smoking, after a year of doing aerobic exercise, her metabolism eventually changed. She can now eat the same amount of calories that she ate as a smoker without gaining weight.

OK, so now you’re convinced you can never stop because you’ll gain weight. Take heart. Remember, with persistence and fortitude, you can quit smoking and reset your metabolism to remain lean, or even become lean again. We all know women who have succeeded in quitting without becoming overweight, so it can be done.

Where to find help
Help is available from many sources. You can get medical help and perhaps consider taking an antidepressant medication such as Bupropion, commonly called Wellbutrin. For smoking cessation, it’s sold under the brand name Zyban and is supposed to reduce cravings and withdrawal effects.

More help is available online. You can find 20 free tips on how to quit smoking at quitsmoking.com/info/articles/20tips.htm. Another great source for personal help is an online coach at quitsmokingcoach.org, a site run by Blair Price, who has psychology training. I encourage anyone who is serious about wanting to quit to try her eight-week counseling method. She has a high success rate; she is affordable; and she is completely accessible by email on a daily basis. When you sign up and pay for her coaching, she gives you an e-book with advice and tips. Of interest to dancers is her advice on weight control: Wear a nicotine patch in gradually diminishing amounts. Give yourself a realistic year in order to reset your metabolism, especially if you’re a longtime smoker.

One method of increasing your success at stopping smoking could be via the nicotine patch. In a study cited in Nicotine and Tobacco Research, “The Role of Nicotine Replacement Therapy in Early Quitting Success” by Nancy Amodei and R. J. Lamb (November 6, 2009), half of 400 smokers were given the patches two weeks before their quit date, and the other half got placebo patches. Then both groups got standard therapy for the next 10 weeks. The people in the group that received nicotine patches were twice as likely to quit smoking and were still abstinent 10 months later. The patch instructions say to quit smoking before using the patch so you don’t get an overload of nicotine, but research shows that doubling up does not have adverse effects. However, if you choose this method, switching to light, low-nicotine cigarettes while you wear the patch is recommended.

Just can’t seem to say no? Consider alternative methods of quitting. Acupuncture, hypnotherapy, meditation, or counseling could be the right method for you. One client of mine quit cold turkey after getting acupuncture, although before that she had tried to quit numerous times. Hypnotherapy, a “back door” route to cessation, works for some people; your subconscious helps you bypass your conscious mind to form a new behavior pattern. Meditation and talk therapy can help you handle stressors and find productive and effective coping mechanisms to replace cigarettes. It may take trial and error to find which technique is right for you.

What not to do
One smoking-cessation method to avoid is something called the “e-cigarette,” a plastic electronic device that looks like a cigarette and even “lights up.” It gives you a nicotine hit when you suck on it. It was created as a way for people to “smoke” without violating the new laws and rules about secondhand smoke in public environments, since it limits the vaporous contents to the smoker. Unfortunately, the Food and Drug Administration has found that this device transmits toxins like those found in antifreeze.

Quit for your students as well as yourself
Aside from being a personal health problem, your smoking habit can affect your students. Teachers, like other adults, serve as lifestyle role models for youngsters. I remember the thick smoke of the mothers puffing away in the foyer while I was in class as a child. Seeing people smoke at dance-related activities makes it seem normal, like what adults do. I have a dance teacher friend who is a mainstay at outdoor café tables, where he can smoke. His students are in awe of him, yet it’s little wonder that now I see them lighting up outside the studio. Adults are known to say, “Do as I say, not as I do.” But the fact is, children are more inclined to imitate what they see.

Think twice before you light up, for you, for your family, and your students. You can find a way.

I have faith in you.

By Cheryl Ossola and David Favrot

Critiquing as a Learning Tool
I’m a fiction writer, working on my first novel. With such a solitary task, it helps to find a group of like-minded souls with whom to share travails, epiphanies, and complaints about the sorry state of publishing. But the greater purpose of such groups is to exchange pages of works in progress and provide constructive criticism. I’ve found critiquing others’ work to be as valuable as the input on my own work is (and at times more so), and it occurs to me that this process of learning through analysis could be true for dance students as well.

The typical studio climate tends to discourage students from criticizing others, in an effort to keep bruised egos and fountains of tears to a minimum. And that’s as it should be. But what about attending local performances with your students and sitting down for a critique session afterward? As long as no one knows the choreographer or any of the performers, the stage is set for a safe, frank discussion of what worked and what didn’t. In that duet with unison dancing, why did the movement seem so much more evocative on Dancer A? What went wrong when Dancer B fell out of her fourth pirouette? If you got bored, was it because of the choreography, pacing, poor technique, or lack of stage presence? What changes would you make to improve the piece or the performances?

Though there might not be a single right answer, certain rules apply. It’s tough to reach creative heights in your chosen art form if you don’t have a strong foundation of technical skill and comprehension of concepts. As a writer I need to understand point of view, story structure, and characterization, and sometimes it’s easier to grasp those elements when they’re demonstrated well (or poorly, for that matter) in someone else’s work. It’s one thing to be told what to do; it’s another to get out the magnifying glass and make discoveries that you can then relate to your own work.

Kids as critics? Why not? There’s much to learn. —Cheryl Ossola, Editor in Chief

Time Machine’s Bumpy Ride
Most people have dreamed of traveling back in time. For Christmas, I did just that.

For an afternoon I was perched once again in a nosebleed seat in San Francisco’s War Memorial Opera House on a miserably hot July 17, 1988, for an eye-opening performance of Le Sacre du Printemps. My much-younger self was a perfect match for Louis Armstrong’s recollection of his own boyhood—“I didn’t know nothing and didn’t even suspect much”—and I’d never seen anything like this before.

In those days, not many people had. The touring Joffrey Ballet was performing a then-new reconstruction by Millicent Hodson and Kenneth Archer of Le Sacre as seen at its Ballets Russes premiere in 1913, with Nicholas Roerich’s costumes and decor and Vaslav Nijinsky’s choreography. The Paris premiere was one of the great scandals in dance history: a storm of booing, catcalls, and fisticuffs in the audience, with Nijinsky backstage screaming counts at his dancers, unable to make himself heard above the din. (If I had a real time machine, that evening would be one of my first stops.)

My afternoon of time travel—thanks to a gift DVD—had a kink. I wasn’t watching the Joffrey, with Beatriz Rodriguez incandescent as the Chosen One. But in a better world, I could have been. A 1989 documentary, The Search for Nijinsky’s Rite of Spring, included a Joffrey performance of the full ballet and interviews with Hodson and Archer. It “was broadcast throughout the U.S., Europe, and we think also Japan,” Hodson now says. “At any rate, as it was never released for purchase, it has been widely pirated.”

So instead, I was watching the Maryinsky (Kirov) Ballet of St. Petersburg, Russia, in the reconstructed Le Sacre. It was fun, and Stravinsky’s score is one of conductor Valery Gergiev’s showpieces. But it wasn’t the Joffrey. And they were first. —David Favrot, Associate Editor

Words from our readers

I’m sure whoever wrote “Mary” that horrible note will be mortified to see it published [“On My Mind,” November 2009]. This is sad but typical. Wasting time with sour grapes is no good. Small businesses are closing their doors every day. If your doors are open and you’re paying your bills, celebrate. Nonprofits with their noses in the air are going to have a hard time when the handouts dry up. Instead of alienating neighboring studios, they need to mend burnt bridges.

I’ve given up reaching out to local studios. National dance teaching organizations offer a better support group. Maybe the distance between studios removes the threat.
Shelly Beech
Art of Motion Dance Studio
Bartlesville, OK

I recently subscribed to your magazine. Thank you so much for the amazing articles and information that you can’t find in any other dance or dance teacher magazine. I love your attention to making things applicable to the classroom and for every age group and how you incorporate wonderful musical selections for all levels, as well as classroom ideas. Bravo!

I commend you for writing about creating bonds for dance teachers. I feel that a lot of dance teachers view each other as competition and do not treat each other respectfully. Two wonderful teachers in my city have become my mentors. Some people are scared about their students leaving them, but I’ve come to realize how amazed I feel when one of my students becomes so talented that she must go to the professional ballet company school. I’m just happy to be part of the journey.
Brettainy Sutherland
Instep School of Dance
Calgary, Alberta, Canada

I was very pleased to see the article on the Cecchetti method of ballet, which my studio teaches [“Class à la Cecchetti,” January 2010]. My highly qualified ballet teacher continues to study with a Cecchetti master several hours a week. Another dance teacher in our area has made derogatory comments about the method in an effort to encourage our students to study with him. Because he once performed with a professional ballet company, a few parents have been persuaded. I have posted your article on our studio bulletin board to enlighten the masses. Thank you for reminding me of what a quality program we are providing.
Doreen R. Freeman
Doreen’s Dance Center
Colchester, CT

We’d love to hear from you!

Send your comments to arisa@rheegold.com or mail them to Editor, Dance Studio Life, 10 South Washington St., Norton, MA 02766. Letters may be printed in the magazine and posted on dancestudiolife.com.

Owner and instructor, Kim’s School of Dance, Statham, GA

NOMINATED BY: Laura Wharton, student and assistant teacher: “I’ve been taking dance from Miss Kim since I was 4 years old. I don’t even want to imagine what my life would be like if my mom hadn’t signed me up for lessons. Knowing Miss Kim and taking dance from her have been among the biggest blessings in my life. Not only does she teach dance, but she gives me wisdom and guidance for life. Miss Kim is kind, patient, unselfish, hard-working, and loves all her students ‘as her own.’ She makes dance lessons fun, while teaching us lots and encouraging us to do our best. She’s filled me with such a love for dance. She lets us live our dreams.”

"I want students to have self-confidence, to dance, and to not be afraid or ashamed to express their creativity," studio owner Kim Lampp says. (Photo courtesy of Kim Lampp)

AGES TAUGHT: 3 to adult.

GENRES TAUGHT: Tap, ballet, jazz, lyrical, clogging.

TEACHING DANCE FOR: 35 years.

WHY SHE TEACHES: I love people and getting to know each one on a personal level and teaching them to express themselves in the movement of dance.

GREATEST INSPIRATION: As a child I always enjoyed seeing Shirley Temple in the movies. She was so cute and talented. I only wished I could do half of what she did. Then when I was a teen, Fame was a TV show and Debbie Allen became my hero. I wanted to teach dance just like her.

PHILOSOPHY OF TEACHING: I want students to have self-confidence, to dance, and to not be afraid or ashamed to express their creativity. A student once gave me a tote bag that bore this message: “A dance teacher helps their students find the song in their heart, the beat in their feet, and a passion for life.” I like that, and I hope that I can give that to every student who walks through my door.

WHAT MAKES HER A GOOD TEACHER: I think it’s my faith—the fact that I look inside people to find their strength to believe in themselves. Every person is somebody, “because God don’t make junk!”

FONDEST TEACHING MEMORY: I have so many memories that I have often said I wish I had written them all down when I started teaching—I would have a nice little book. After 35 years of teaching, it’s great when former students bring their little ones in for me to teach, enjoy, and share. I call them my grandchildren.

BEST PIECE OF ADVICE FOR STUDENTS AND/OR TEACHERS: If you can believe it, you can become it. You have to believe in yourself because “I can’t” isn’t part of the dance vocabulary.

WHAT SHE WOULD DO IF SHE COULDN’T TEACH DANCE: In my late teens I worked for a nutritionist and chiropractor, so I would probably work in one or both of those fields.

MORE THOUGHTS ON DANCE AND TEACHING: I love the Lee Ann Womack song, “I Hope You Dance.” That would be my advice to everyone: “And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance, I hope you dance!”

DO YOU KNOW A DANCE TEACHER WHO DESERVES TO BE IN THE SPOTLIGHT? Email your nominations to David@rheegold.com or mail them to David Favrot, Dance Studio Life, 10 South Washington St., Norton, MA 02766. Please include why you think this teacher should be featured, along with his or her contact information.

Modern dance technique concepts, for anything and anywhere you teach

By Bill Evans

I started teaching in 1953 and began developing my own method in 1968, drawing from many influences, including various styles of modern dance, rhythm tap, ballet, Laban Movement Analysis, Bartenieff Fundamentals, anatomy, kinesiology, and learning theories. In sharing my work with teachers, I’ve discovered an exponential impact; they pass on to their students what they find meaningful in my work. I am thrilled to know that dancers whom I will never meet are experiencing the ideas and practices to which I have devoted much of my life.

Bill Evans keeps the energy level high as he leads a class at the DanceLife Teacher Conference in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Richard Calmes)

I was invited to share my work at the DanceLife Teacher Conference for the first time in August 2009 in Orlando, Florida, where I was delighted by the positive responses to my classes. In this article, I share some of the basic concepts and practices that define the Bill Evans Method of Teaching Modern Dance Technique, with the hope that readers will find them applicable to their work.

How it all began
I became motivated to find my own way of working after experiencing chronic injuries that had made me consider giving up dancing. Even though my early teachers were dedicated, generous, and nurturing, I had been exposed to many of the “myths” popular in the teaching of dance at that time. I had learned to grip my butt, turn out my feet, press my shoulders down, suck my “stomach” in, lift my insteps, resist going down in a plié, “bevel” my feet. I always wanted to please my teachers, so I followed those instructions willingly.

But because none of those practices are congruent with the organic needs of the human body, I evolved from the naturally gifted mover I was at age 8 to a stiff and over-muscled 28-year-old whose movement habits permitted almost no shock absorption. I had learned to ignore the bodily wisdom that could have informed me that I was working against my own best interests, and I was in almost constant low-back and neck pain, so severe that often it could be alleviated only by cortisone injections.

As I developed a new method of teaching, I felt myself changing as well. I will be 70 years old in April, and at my last physical exam my doctor told me that I have the body of a 55-year-old. I have not had chronic pain in any part of my body in decades. I dance vigorously every day and perform solo concerts several times a year. Because the concepts that guide me and the methods I have developed are so useful to me, I am eager to share them with others. I’ll focus on a few that have been very meaningful.

Replace myths about the body with reliable anatomical information.
In the 1940s and ’50s, when I was receiving my foundational training, most teachers did not have access to scientific body knowledge. I started to integrate such information into my technique teaching in the late ’70s, when Karen Clippinger (who was at that time making the transition from dancer to dance kinesiologist) and I co-taught a series of classes at the Evans Dance Company School in Seattle. Since 1980, Kitty Daniels has taught Karen’s work in my summer programs and has developed her own images based on the body’s organic functioning. Kitty’s teaching has helped generations of students develop a healthy balance of stability and mobility throughout their bodies.

Some of my workshop participants, such as teacher Joanna Cashman (Wild Grace Arts/Center for Yoga and Dance, Olympia, Washington), have noted the value of a dance-science–based dance practice. “I found the technique to be based on sound kinesiological concepts that were rejuvenating,” Cashman says. “The Evans Method allowed me to resuscitate my love of dance and reclaim a vital part of myself without reactivating an injury that had caused me to stop dancing.”

Create a safe and positive environment.
Students are free to give themselves fully to the learning process when they feel safe and know that they will not be judged. I let students know immediately that they will be compared only to themselves. I learn every person’s name on the first day, try to call each of them by name at least once in every class, and end classes with a circle hug and a thank-you. Referring to the atmosphere in my workshops, Sara Keys (Dance Davidson, Davidson, North Carolina) says, “I think about how much it meant to me that [Bill] cared about me as an individual, and it reminds me of how important it is for me to do so with my own students, to build a trusting and meaningful relationship.”

Melissa Hauschild-Mork (Expanding Harmony Dance Studio, Brookings, South Dakota) also brought some of my practices into her school. “Our studio is a place where young people come to learn about themselves and the person they can become,” she says. “No one fails; everyone comes for a different purpose. All are loved for who they are and what they bring to the space.”

As a student, I was often asked to leave my emotions outside the studio. But since it is from our emotions that we create personal artistry, why would anyone want us to leave them outside?

In my method I ask students to write letters about themselves—their backgrounds, goals, fears, successes, and anything else I should know in order to help them grow. I don’t give criticism; instead, I offer guidance and affectionate support. When speaking to one student, I have all the others gather around to watch, listen, and contribute perceptions and affirmations. I try to avoid generic praise, instead pointing out what is good and why, so that students receive clear and specific acknowledgement of their attempts and achievements.

As Kimberly Cisek (Commack High School, Commack, New York) observes, “often, students misconstrue criticism for dislike. Their damaged feelings morph into protective walls that barricade learning.” She says that the kind of positive reinforcement she experienced in my workshops “motivates students to persevere through challenges, accept constructive feedback, and still feel like a valued member of a community of learners in which growth is possible.”

Replace externally focused dancing with movement based on internal awareness.
When students learn primarily by copying a teacher or demonstrator and focus extensively on their reflections in mirrors, they have access to only a superficial understanding. I remind them to pay attention to and learn from the living body and to honor the bodily wisdom that each of us has inherited. I guide students into internal awareness of their bones, muscles, and other bodily systems to fully activate the kinesthetic sense. I encourage them to bring their own feelings into each movement experience, to develop personal expressivity along with technical skill.

Since 1977, when Peggy Hackney began teaching in my Seattle school, I have incorporated concepts and language drawn from Bartenieff Fundamentals into my teaching. This system of movement exploration and re-education, developed by dancer and physical therapist Irmgard Bartenieff, enables us to become aware of subconscious movement habits and determine whether they are serving our best interests. If students wish to replace inefficient habits with patterns that will serve them better, I offer conceptual tools and movement practices that can lead to positive change.

Some of the Bartenieff concepts that have guided me toward transformation are: “Movement rides on breath,” “A change in the part creates a change in the whole,” and “Life is movement and movement is change; constant change is here to stay.”

Marlene Leber (Hathaway Brown School, Shaker Heights, Ohio) affirms the value of such ideas in her work with teenage students. By explaining movement concepts to her students in Bartenieff-centered language, she says, “I have witnessed remarkable growth in my students’ ability to grasp and implement movement concepts quickly, because they are assimilating information on a mind–body level instead of by rote imitation.”

Peggy Hackney’s book, Making Connections: Total Body Integration Through Bartenieff Fundamentals, is a guide to investigating developmental movement stages that allow us to sense and feel more deeply and become more connected, efficient, and expressive. By investigating movement via the developmental patterns through which the body/mind evolves, we discover, for example, that in order to move efficiently one must yield to the earth and push from each point of contact before reaching away from the earth and then pulling oneself to a new point in space.

KLee Moore (Pioneer Dance Arts, Sequim, Washington) has put this concept into practice in her own teaching. “All of my students, children to seniors, pre-ballet, tumbling, ballet/pointe, jazz, tap, hip-hop, and modern, are constantly reminded to yield and push to reach and pull,” she says. “This concept is especially important for the geriatric generation. My retired adult students regularly give me feedback on how they have changed: standing taller and with more ease, improved muscle tone, and better total health due to breath support.”

Thought creates action.
Thoughts become words. Words become actions. Actions become habits. I choose words carefully, because dance teachers can exert a major influence on the body–mind habits of students throughout the rest of their lives. My study of Laban Movement Analysis has given me clear and nonjudgmental language to use in describing any movement event. I can choose to describe it in terms of what is happening in the body, of how the body is relating to its spatial environment, of the body’s process of changing its form, or of how the body is revealing inner attitudes.

When dancers have clarity of intent (in terms of body, space, shape, or effort) they move with enhanced mind–body integration and expressivity. Julie Anderson (Parker Dance Academy, Denver, Colorado) shares one of her experiences: “I have a group of 11- to 13-year-olds who had been fixated on seeing movement in the mirror rather than feeling qualities and changes in their bodies. I taught them choreography built around Evans movement with clear spatial intent, using Laban words like ‘strong,’ ‘bound,’ ‘free,’ and ‘sustained,’ and the dancers made up some descriptive words of their own. The result was a stunning piece of work that the students could not have been more proud of. They were discovering themselves inside the movement, perhaps for the first time in their lives.”

Not every teacher can become a Certified Laban Movement Analyst, but everyone can learn some basic Laban terms and theory by seeking out workshops that include LMA and through reading. Melissa Hauschild-Mork stresses the value of Laban’s theories to her students: “The more tools we have to express our feelings and emotions through movement, the more articulate we can be as choreographers and dancers.” 

Teach the whole person.
I don’t teach technique; I teach people. By this, I mean that I am doing much more than sharing movement knowledge and patterns. In the words of Deborah Birrane (Creative Dance Center, Seattle, Washington), “students experiencing an Evans-based class will soon discover that there are many choices to explore, and that the exploration doesn’t stop when they leave the studio. If they choose to continue to pursue dance, they will do so from an ego-less perspective because they will have been taught to perceive, sense, and feel from a truer, more honest level of self.”

I consider it my responsibility to perceive all people as unique individuals and invite them to bring their thinking, sensing, feeling, and intuiting selves to each class. As a student, I was often asked to leave my emotions outside the studio. But since it is from our emotions that we create personal artistry, why would anyone want us to leave them outside?

I have learned that each student has an individual learning style; the language and teaching strategies that work for one may not be appropriate for another. Therefore, I try to offer multiple inroads to each movement experience. I must go beyond my preferred way of learning and try to serve the needs of all the people in the room. By embracing Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences, I have learned to address the various ways in which students might process information.

Learning is active.
Too many students adopt passive attitudes when studying technique. They might be physically involved, but often they are not fully engaged. Effective learning requires that students be present in body, mind, and spirit. I consider myself to be in dialogue with each student, no matter how large the class.

Effective teachers are not authorities who bestow knowledge on their students. Rather, they are guides and facilitators who lead students into a process of exploration and discovery through which they generate their own knowledge. I remind myself frequently that it is my job to help students become so empowered that they no longer need me. They become self-reliant when given opportunities to reflect on and make personal meaning of our shared experiences and to use their developing knowledge to solve problems.

In every course I teach, students work with partners to observe and offer and receive feedback. Through this “pair-and-share” process, they learn to analyze what their partners are doing, and they learn that their perceptions can be meaningful and relevant.

Another practice that helps keep the class fresh and alive is changing the location of “front.” Sarah Joyce-Dyer (Holland Hall School, Tulsa, Oklahoma) has adopted this practice in her teaching: “I spend less time conducting classes facing mirrors, and ‘front’ has become an internal consciousness, not an external obligation. I find that students learn combinations faster, make corrections more quickly, and internalize sensation more readily. Students are more observant of my demonstrations, ask pertinent questions about pathways instead of destinations, and swiftly commit choreography to memory. They are able to concentrate on movement, not poses.”

I include structured improvisation in every technique class. It is one thing for students to investigate concepts through choreography, and it is something else for them to continue to investigate those concepts in their own spontaneously created dances. When they can apply ideas to their own movement, they have begun to take ownership of them and to understand how they can apply them in other areas of their lives.

Pass knowledge on.
As a teacher, it is my responsibility to help students recognize their personal strengths and how they can draw on them to solve problems in this world of accelerating change. It is my job to help them learn, as I had to learn, that they can continue to change and grow throughout their lives. I must try to prepare them for their future, not my past.

For more information on Evans, his work, and his workshops for dance teachers, visit billevansdance.org and see Dance Studio Life: “Summertime Teacher Training,” February 2010 and “FYI,” November 2008.

Suggested Reading

• Dance Anatomy and Kinesiology by Karen Clippinger.   Every studio should have this book as a reference for its teachers. It covers common alignment and technique errors and includes exercises and cues that can be used to improve strength and flexibility.
• Laban for All by Jean Newlove and John Dalby.  A reader-friendly introduction to some basic Laban concepts that are readily applicable to the dance classroom.
• Making Connections: Total Body Integration Through Bartenieff Fundamentals by Peggy Hackney
• By Howard Gardner: Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences
  Intelligence Reframed: Multiple Intelligences for the 21st Century

Last Saturday, DLTV went to the Gold School to shoot some of the baby classes. I decided to take some still
pics of some of the youngest children . . . this is one that I couldn’t resist sharing. Enjoy–Rhee

By Rhee Gold
 
Dance Studio Life readers sound off on the meaning of this common term for dance teachers

When I raised the question “What is a ‘Dolly Dinkle’ dance teacher?” on our website several months ago, little did I know what a response I would get. Apparently the term means different things to different people, and readers spoke their minds emphatically. In its more generic use, it refers to the owner of a small, neighborhood school, often one with primitive facilities (low ceilings and tile or concrete floors, perhaps). But for some people the term has a negative connotation, signifying a poorly trained teacher who has no qualifications to teach others; for others who perceive it more positively, a Dolly Dinkle school has humble origins but is often run by a teacher with high standards and great drive and passion. Emotions run high in this debate, and it affords us an interesting look at personal biases in the context of the labels we use for others.

It all began with a conversation I had with a teacher friend of mine, who had trained with me at my mother’s school in Randolph, MA, some 40-odd years ago. She referred to another teacher in her town as a “Dolly Dinkle” teacher. All my life I’ve heard the term but I had never asked anyone what they meant by it—but this time I did. My friend replied, “It’s someone who hangs out a shingle and opens a school in her basement.” That didn’t sound too terrible to me. Then she added, “Who doesn’t have a degree in dance.” In a condescending tone of voice she finished her description with “Do you know that this teacher has no secretary? She actually collects the tuition and teaches her classes!”

Instantly I shot back with “Don’t you realize that you and I are the products of a Dolly Dinkle teacher?” I explained that she had just described my mother, our first teacher. When my mother began teaching, she hung up a shingle, taught in her basement, and had no degree in dance. She was the secretary and the janitor; she cleaned the mirrors, bathrooms, and floors and did all the other jobs that come with owning a school. My friend seemed very surprised at first, as if she thought I didn’t know what I was talking about, but she then realized that she had made a negative judgment about a teacher who was just like her own teacher. I think it made her do a bit of soul-searching.

My friend and I (and my brother) became dance teachers because my mother decided to pass on her passion for the art of dance in the only way she could afford to—with a shingle, a basement, and no support staff. More than 40 years later, my mother’s school is housed in a huge building, has a flourishing enrollment, a national reputation for producing professional dancers, and a successful recreational program, all under the direction of my brother Rennie. If my mother was a Dolly Dinkle dance teacher, I’m thinking we need more of them!

In response to my website posting, quite a few readers wrote in. Tracy Davenport of Performing Arts Centre, Inc., in St. Charles, MO, writes, “I had no idea ‘Dolly Dinkle’ was a universal term. This gal gets around! I have heard the term in reference to a stereotype of teachers who have had only a few years of training as a child or adult and then open a studio. They are not dedicated to the art form; teaching is just a business to them. These teachers are not continuing their own education, thereby passing on an education that leaves a lot to be desired.”

Several teachers say that based on my friend’s description they would qualify as Dolly Dinkles themselves. “Your description of Dolly Dinkle puts me right there,” writes Terrie Legein of Legein Dance Academy of Performing Arts in Coventry, RI. “I did the exact same thing 29 years ago. I think the only thing that sets us former ‘Dinkle girls’ apart from the rest is that we join an organization that can help us become better dance educators and work toward becoming the best we can in our field. I wouldn’t change a thing from my studio past—I think it’s what makes us better administrators and business owners.”

“I am a ‘Dolly Dinkle’ teacher and have been for 31 years,” writes Kathie Jamison Cote of Northern Lights Dance Arts in Maine. “I helped support our family of seven with studios in Florida for 16 years, and now that shingle hangs in three towns in Maine, where I continue to do my life’s work. [My parents] provided every opportunity for me to expand my knowledge as I was growing up in the remote state of Maine. Fortunately my teacher, Jheri McQuillan, recognized my passion for dance and mentored me with annual classes in New York City with some of the finest master teachers: Luigi, Gus Giordano, Danny Hoctor and the Caravan folks, Kit André, Melita Brock- Warner, Joey Puglisi, Frank Hatchett . . .” Commenting on the unfair judgment that is sometimes levied on teachers who do not have a degree in dance, Cote adds, “I share my passion, love, and knowledge lovingly with my dancers. They know their technique and terminology, and we are constantly questing to learn from those dancers and teachers, classes, videos, and books that set the high standards that the dance world enjoys.”

“I am one of those teachers as well,” writes Debbie Donaldson, artistic director of Dreams in Motion Performing and Fine Arts School in Gananoque, Ontario, Canada. “I had taken dance all my life; then when I had my three girls I started taking them to dance classes in the nearest city. I drove 45 minutes each way to watch them take a class for 45 minutes. At the end-of-the-year show, I sat there thinking, ‘I can do better than this,’ and my mother, who was sitting next to me, said, ‘You can do better than this.’ So the next year, with 17 students, I started a dance school in the basement of our house. Now, 22 years later, there are times when I feel I am not good enough, especially when I go into the [public] school system and [the teachers there] turn their heads the other way because I do not have a teaching degree. But my school has become a performing and fine arts school and a charitable organization. I love teaching dance and bringing the joy of the arts to this area. I belong to a dance teachers’ organization, and I do what I feel is right for my students. ‘Dolly Dinkle’ or ‘Debbie Dance’—that’s me and I am proud of it!”

Melanie Kirk-Stauffer, artistic director of Dance Theatre Northwest in University Place, WA, had never heard the name “Dolly Dinkle” before, but she can identify. “I started my school years ago in the basement of a nursing/retirement home in a donated space and in gratitude did numerous performances there. We still do several performances each year in senior-care facilities; it is a win–win for all. My school grew from nothing, and I guess I didn’t notice that much because I am so passionate about both dance and teaching.”

Suzanne Perdue of Dancers Edge in Marlborough, MA, writes to defend the argument that a “Dolly Dinkle” teacher is someone who should not be teaching dance. “They have had poor or no training, education, or performing experience when they start teaching, much like someone who decides to practice law without the necessary training. It doesn’t have to do with opening a studio in a basement or not having a secretary. Often it’s a student who says, ‘Hey, I can dance; I can do what a teacher does.’ Sometimes they have had no dance education beyond their own teachers (who also might have had no education beyond their own teachers); they don’t take classes or workshops to improve themselves or their studio; they put kids on pointe at age 8 or demonstrate a complete lack of understanding of what is developmentally appropriate for kids.”

She goes on to cite the example of a teacher with more than 20 years of experience who told a student preparing to take her first pointe class to “buy any pointe shoes and walk around in them during the summer. When the girl started classes in the fall, this teacher told her, she’d be on pointe. The girl was 10. She had had one year of ballet, one class per week. In her first class wearing the pointe shoes (after not dancing for three months), she dislocated her knee. I learned about this when she became my student the following year.” She mentions another teacher she knows who “studied with only one teacher and claimed she had no desire to do anything further in dance, including teacher workshops, but wanted to be a dance teacher. Never more than a beginning-level student, she became a dance teacher at age 14.”

So let’s make a proclamation that not all Dolly Dinkles are created equal. Excellent, dedicated teachers who enrich their students’ lives through dance and challenge themselves to learn and grow throughout their careers may start out in humble surroundings, but their “shingles” represent good training, passion for dance and children, and the desire to contribute to an art form. That’s a far cry from someone with the same roots who opens a school but lacks what it takes to shape a dancer—and a life. The next time you hear the term, or are tempted to call someone by it, consider what it might mean to them. Depending on the context, it could be an insult—or a compliment.

If dance is your life—as a performer, teacher, student, or studio owner—your week to shine is just a month and a half away! National Dance Week, under the sponsorship of the United Dance Merchants of America, runs from April 23 through May 2 this year—and yes, we know that’s actually 10 days. But this big an effort to expose the public to the variety and the joys of dance needs two successive weekends to pack it all in.

Here’s a sampling of what’s going on across the United States:

In Coeur D’Alene, Idaho, the Inland Northwest Dance Association is sponsoring DanceFest 2010 on April 24, with an all-day showcase of dancers of all ages, cultures, and abilities; an evening concert with Irish dancers and a flamenco company; and a health fair, art gallery, vendor booths, and a “learn to dance area” where visitors can try out a variety of dance styles.

Professional, university, and dance studio companies in St. Louis, Missouri, will perform and demonstrate the gamut of dance genres starting at noon April 24 in St. Louis Union Station, South Plaza.

Step One Dance Studio in Cookeville, Tennessee, will put on a five-block-long outdoor kickline on April 24.

The Pythons Drill Team of Kansas City, Missouri, will be the centerpiece of the “Planet Rock Drill and Dance Team Show” on April 25, along with a hip-hop troupe and 10 other drill teams and 10 dance teams.

To find out about what’s going on in your area—or to publicize what your organization is doing to mark the week—visit www.nationaldanceweek.org.

National Dance Week began with the formation of the Coalition for National Dance Week in 1981 by a group of dance-related organizations. 

In 1991, the United Dance Merchants of America made a commitment to National Dance Week as a part of UDMA’s campaign to encourage the growth of dance in America. In 1994, Marianne Prinkey, a former UDMA president, agreed to assume the role of national chairperson for a National Dance Week Committee. On her recommendation, Patricia Goulding became the NDW business manager in 1991, and two years later was named the executive director. However, the grass-roots work is done by a volunteer work force of NDW delegates.

One-stop shopping is a powerful concept. It’s made Walmart and Costco into retail giants. And it’s what makes the UDMA Dance Resource & Costume Show a must-visit event for the savvy dance studio owner or teacher.

Whether you’re looking for costumes, shoes, dancewear, flooring, music, competitions, or business tools, it’s all under one roof—and it’s all hands-on. You don’t have to hope and pray that the Mouse King costume you’re considering will look the way it does in the catalog or on the website: You can examine the stitching and see the colors for yourself.
You also can talk one-on-one with experts whose tips on everything from advertising to light boards can make your business run more smoothly, so you can focus on what you care most about: teaching dance.

You’re trying to stretch every dollar a little farther in these tough times; suppliers will have special show-only deals and opportunities to offer you. And admission is priced right for the recession-weary: It’s free.

Plus, this year the show has an added attraction: A teacher appreciation party on the showroom floor.

With five cities on the 2010 schedule, chances are that one will be handy for you. Here’s the lineup:
September 18-19: Long Beach Convention Center, Long Beach, California
September 25-26:
Gwinnett Convention Center, Duluth, Georgia
October 2-3: Humble Civic Center, Houston, Texas
October 9-10: Meadowlands Exposition Center, Secaucus, New Jersey
October 16-17: Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center, Schaumburg, Illinois (suburban Chicago)

To learn more or to register, visit www.udma.org.

By Rhee Gold

What seems like a bad attitude might just be low self-esteem.

“Susie, you eat too much!” exclaims a young dance student’s mom. “Susie, you’re a pain in the butt!” screeches her older brother. “Susie, can you just be quiet for one minute!” yells her dad.

This is the language and message Susie has heard, day in and day out, for her first 10 years of life. As a result she has a big problem with self-esteem. In school she’s quiet and doesn’t smile very much because she’s afraid she’s not good enough or that someone is going to yell at her. At dance school Susie is intimidated too, but there she seems to pout all the time. Her teacher has no idea what Susie’s home situation is like, so she reads the pouting as evidence of a bad attitude. In reality Susie loves to come to dance school and looks up to her teacher; she just doesn’t know how to express those feelings because she has no confidence—a direct result of her upbringing.

Susie’s dance teacher gets frustrated with her pouting and tells her that with that attitude she will never be a dancer. Susie used to get so excited to go to dance school to escape from the negativity at home, but now she has another adult in her life who is tearing her down. Each week her dance teacher makes a snide remark that duplicates the atmosphere she has at home. She becomes even more intimidated, thinking that her dance teacher doesn’t like her. Even worse, she tells herself, “I stink at dance, too!” Before long she drops out of dance. Why go to dancing school to be berated when you can get that at home?

Children like Susie can be frustrating, but as dance teachers we must accept the responsibility that we will have a major influence on each child in our classroom. Understanding that responsibility means that we have an obligation to help build self-esteem and to encourage all children to be the best they can be.

Maybe Susie’s dance teacher could look at her and say something like, “Susie, I know you have a beautiful smile—let me see that smile right now!” or “Come on up to the front of the class, Susie. I want you to help me today.” With that sort of interaction the teacher can change Susie’s behavior; she can create a safe haven for this child that will allow her to come out of her shell. Susie might become a confident adult because her dance teacher made the choice to encourage, rather than to discourage, her.

With more than 3 million children filling classrooms in dance schools each week, teachers should count building self-esteem as equal in priority to teaching the dance curriculum. The following are some suggestions to help all teachers create a caring dance experience for every child.

●  Reward students. Offer praise or recognition when they accomplish a certain movement or when they seem to be giving their all in your classroom. Do all that you can to emphasize the positive things that they do, and don’t hound them with the negative.

●  Take your students’ emotions and feelings seriously. Don’t belittle them with phrases like “We’ve been working on this so long; I don’t understand why you don’t have it yet” or “You’ll never be a good dancer because you don’t try hard enough.”

●  Define policies clearly but allow breathing space for your students within those limits.

●  Be a good role model. Let children know you feel good about yourself and that you have a passion for teaching them. Sometimes it is good to let them know you make mistakes and that you learn from them.

●  Have reasonable expectations for your students. Realize that they need to learn the basics before they can accomplish the big stuff. Combining movement that they feel comfortable with and steps that are more challenging is a good way to balance your class. Always end the class with something that every student will feel good doing.

●  Discuss issues or problems without putting blame on a student’s character. Those who feel like they’re being attacked will go deeper into their shells rather than trying to come up with a solution.

●  Use positive comments like “Thank you, that was much better this time” or “You really impressed me this week.” Avoid criticisms like “Why can’t you keep up?” or “How many times have I told you?”

●  If your students compete, do not put them under pressure to win. Encourage them to be the best they can be and be satisfied with that. Never confront them with demeaning language if they do not perform well or if they don’t win what you had hoped they would. Use encouraging language so that they don’t feel that they’ve let you down. There will be plenty of time to work on the flaws when you get back to the classroom.

The Susies of the world create an opportunity for dance teachers to learn how to deal with various kinds of personalities, because all of us will deal with children who seem withdrawn, belligerent, disinterested, or frightened during our teaching careers. Before you leap to passing judgment on them, remember that there is much that dance teachers don’t know about their students. By challenging yourself to come up with a friendly way to deal with these often misunderstood children, they can leave your classroom with their self-esteem intact or even boosted, even if they have to go home to a bad situation. By creating the right atmosphere and using a nurturing approach, you can make dance class a refuge for children who have little else that’s positive in their lives.

DLTV stopped in beautiful Santa Fe, New Mexico, to visit Cathy Roe. In this episode DLTV goes behind the scenes as we tour Cathy’s state-of-the-art production studios and hear her story of success as a teacher and as an entrepreneur running one of the largest video production companies in the world. She is also the director of her own national competition company. Cathy shares her frank insights into the competition world and offers inspiring words on what dance means to her.

Back to DanceLife TV viewer guide

Dear Rhee,

I am strictly a ballet teacher employed at a professional school in the Midwest. I teach both the company dancers as well as many classes in the children’s program. Although I love working with the company, there is something uniquely rewarding about working with children. Many students at the school will never be ballet dancers but might become strong dancers in another style of dance. I think some of them should be taking jazz or modern classes along with their ballet, and I have told several of them to look for a school that offers those styles. I also tell them to continue taking their ballet classes for a strong foundation.

Last week I was called into the school director’s office, where he scolded me for suggesting that my students should be taking anything other than ballet. He explained that jazz and modern are not recommended by the school and that we can’t afford to send our students to other places. When I told him that we have many students who would never become ballet dancers but who could have a future in another form of dance, he responded that it isn’t our place to tell them that. When I suggested that we add jazz and modern to our curriculum, he wouldn’t hear of it, telling me that we are a “pure” ballet school.

My daughter started taking ballet at this school, but she also took jazz and tap at a local school. Today she is a professional Broadway dancer who would never have found her place in the dance world if we had not been open to all forms of dance.

I called in sick this week because I don’t know if I can continue to teach the children. If I am a real teacher, I should be able to point my students in the direction that best suits their needs. If I don’t, my conscience tells me I am cheating them. Please help me decide what to do. —Michelle

Hello Michelle,

First, thank you so much for writing. I have enormous respect for ballet teachers who appreciate and understand that all dance is created equal.

If it makes you feel better, there are many schools that have strong jazz, modern, or tap programs with children who should be training as serious ballet dancers, but their teachers don’t want to send them to a professional ballet school, either. It seems that guiding a student to another school or certain style of dance that better suits their capabilities is often taboo in our field. That goes across the board with the private sector, professional schools, and even some higher-ed programs. Too bad for all those dancers (especially the children) who never had a chance to discover the form of dance that they are best suited for.

I feel uncomfortable advising you on whether or not you should remain at this school without knowing your financial status or what the potential is to find another teaching position in your area. However, I recommend not making a drastic move until you know where you are going next. Consider remaining at your current school while you send your resume to other schools in your area. You may find that many school owners would love to have a strong ballet teacher who has as much respect for all forms of dance as you do. Or you might want to consider continuing to work with the company dancers while teaching children at another school that appreciates your integrity.

It is teachers like you who inspire me to do what I do. Please let me know what happens. —Rhee

Hi Rhee,

I’m a new school owner about to enter my second season. Last year we competed in three dance competitions and a national competition last summer. The problem is that most of my entries didn’t score very well because I have a slew of beginners.

Each time we went to a competition, I lost at least one student to various schools from my area that competed in the same competitions we did. Next year, I want to do more competitions, but I don’t want to lose students to the schools who have been competing for years. Should I hire outside choreographers or maybe bring in someone to coach my kids?

Dear Marjorie,

Don’t take this the wrong way, but honesty is my best policy . . . what the heck are you doing competing in the first place? It’s one thing to go to observe a competition to see what’s going on or taking your students to see a competition to inspire them, but there is no way your students are ready to actually compete with the schools who’ve been competing for years. In my opinion it takes 5-10 years before students are prepared for the rigors of competition.

You need to rethink your goal of opening a school for the purpose of competing and forget about winning. Your goal should be to teach beginner students how to dance. As I always say, competition is only a part of what we do, not all we do.

Slow down, forget about competition for now, and figure out how to build your business. Remember advanced dancers don’t just walk in the door. You build them slowly from basic movement to a more advanced level each year. This process takes time.

If you don’t change your goal to something like attracting preschool students or teaching simply the basics, I’m afraid you’re going to continue to lose students. Opening a new school should be motivated by your passion to offer every child the opportunity to experience the wonderful world of dance, and not to win trophies. —Rhee

When I do my seminars, I always ask, “How many of you were the best dancer in your class?” In groups as large as 500, only one or two people raise their hands, and sometimes no one does.

This tells me something that I think is really important for dance educators to know. Most of the time, it is not our best students who move on to become the pro dancer or teacher. Often, the best take their natural talent for granted and never feel the passion that burns in every committed dancer.

Instead, it turns out to be the little dancer in the second row who struggles with her turnout and never hits a real passé who someday takes the Broadway stage by storm or becomes the awesome teacher whom you take pride in having trained.

Look for and appreciate the little dancer in the second row that may not be as strong as the others—but boy, does she have the passion. Grab her by the hand, bring her to the front of the classroom, and make her day. It could be the moment that gives her the confidence to become you!

Feel free to share this post with you dance teacher friends–Rhee

Some dance people on Facebook post that they are going to kick butt at a competition. I wonder if they are missing the point? Are they passing the “kick butt” mentality on to their students and parents who will be disappointed if they don’t end up kicking butt? Instead should we express how excited we are to see other …dancers do their thing? We need to understand that dance is a gift, not a tool to beat others? ~Rhee Gold

February 2010

Columns
Ask Rhee Gold
2 Tips for Teachers
A Better You
On My Mind
Teacher to Teacher
EditorSpeak

Departments
Thinking Out Loud
Mail
Teacher in the Spotlight | Paula E, Welter

Feature Articles
Higher Ed Voice | The Hip Hop Project
Ballet Scene | Ballet in the Big City by McKenna Karnes and Melanie Eccles
As the Dance Teacher Turns by Julie Holt Lucia
Computerized Choreography by Gina McGalliard
Too Much Too Soon by Melissa Hoffman and Debbie Werbrouck
Goodbye Indiana, Hello, Rome! by Debbie Werbrouck
All Together Now by Jennifer Kaplan
Students With Something Extra by Steve Sucato
Culture of Positivity by Sophia Emigh

By Mignon Furman

Tip 1
Repetition, repetition, repetition—the only way to perfect a ballet movement is to do it over and over. Think of concert pianists who practice for hours to perfect only their fingering. Then think of dancers who have to perfect feet, legs, head, upper body, arms. How can you make this constant repetition enjoyable and meaningful for young dancers?

The trick is to do the same movement in different ways. Changing the timing, the placement of the head or arms, or the direction of the step adds interest and new challenges to the familiar.

Tip 2
Boredom is the greatest sin in teaching. A teacher who is infected with boredom spreads it to her students. Do not let burnout burn you up. Motivate yourself and prepare your class well. Act enthusiastic and smile a lot. Attend a teachers’ course to be refreshed and inspired to instill the joy of dance in your students. Remember, it was that joy that made you choose to become a teacher.

What you say, and how you say it, are as important as what you do

By Suzanne Martin, PT, DPT

Having a nice day? As teachers and studio owners, you’ve probably noticed that the quality of your day has a lot to do with the people you deal with. Dance education means lots of face-to-face interaction, and that means running the gauntlet of myriad personalities and their varying emotional states. When customer satisfaction is a necessary goal for survival—as it is for anyone involved in teaching dance—it’s important to work toward positive outcomes in both business and casual interactions.

It’s easy to forget that clients and employees often have their own agendas, which might be different from your own. All of us can learn from Mahatma Gandhi, the premier model of self-control in extremely difficult human relations. In one story I heard, when Gandhi was anticipating potential violence with soldiers as he held fast to his civil disobedience, he said he trusted that the soldiers would behave as what they were—soldiers. He didn’t expect them to act or behave any differently than as they were trained to do: to follow orders and provide military defense when instructed. True story or not, it’s a good example of the kind of thinking you should strive for.

If you don’t think like Gandhi—in other words, if you trust that people will behave in a way that they probably won’t—you’re setting yourself up for problems. Unrealistic expectations can lead to faulty communication. Remember the famous quote by cartoonist Walt Kelly, “We have met the enemy and he is us.” Make sure that you’re not contributing to communication problems by expecting others to behave or think as you do, or as you think they should.

Communication should be a two-way street, but it’s often one-way instead, with more twists and turns than San Francisco’s famed Lombard Street. To help you recognize verbal volleys, take control of your words, and dodge and dart your way to having a nice day, here are some tips inspired by Oakland-based communications consultant Sharon Strand Ellison’s Taking the War Out of Our Words: The Art of Powerful Non-Defensive Communication.

Power of words
Words contain power, packaged as questions and statements. To shed some light on how convoluted communications affect us, let’s start with the simple question. Or is it so simple?

Questions
Questions can be loaded with hidden meanings, containing either intentional or not-so-intentional adversarial statements. Consider two seemingly benign questions. First, one for students: “Do you want to be a professional dancer?” Spoken in different ways in different contexts, the meanings could range from “You need to work harder” (showing irritation or unmet expectations) to a non-loaded inquiry about future plans: “Are you considering dance as a career?” Add tone of voice, body language, and qualifiers like “always,” “ever,” and “never,” and the question’s meanings become even more layered and judgmental.

Now, one from a parent: “When will Susie perform [insert coveted role]?” The meaning could range from a simple request for a chronological date to a not-so-veiled expectation that Susie should be promoted, and soon.

The most volatile questions come with multiple choices that offer no appropriate answer or are self-incriminating. I know someone who was asked in a job interview whether he would prefer to kill someone with a knife or a gun. The poor guy was so taken aback that he completely blew the interview. (Oddly enough, the interview team didn’t understand what the problem was.) Before asking such a question, think about how you would feel if you were offered only compromised answers to choose from.

“Why” questions, a common form from children, often make us feel like we’re being interrogated. Students, employees, and inquiring parents might have innocent intentions but are not always tactful. Some zingers from children: “Why don’t you wear less makeup?” and “Why are you so fat?” Even in the face of such outrageousness, think before you answer. It’s easy to laugh off a child’s lack of social skills, but when dealing with adolescents and adults, use the three-second-wait rule. That brief delay helps you avoid knee-jerk replies that may come off as defensive, sarcastic, or judgmental.

Make sure that you’re not contributing to communication problems by expecting others to behave or think as you do, or as you think they should.

Adults might not understand that they are overstepping boundaries by asking questions that are none of their concern (why the school is run the way it is, for example) or that are distracting. Two questions I’ve gotten are “Why do you work so hard?” and “Why are your eyes so dark?” These questions are particularly annoying when I’m giving a client extra time and attention. A momentary lapse of decorum on my part could mean losing the client—and even worse, my response could zip along the gossip hotline and cause ill feelings with many people.

Ellison advocates replacing “why” questions with “what” questions whenever possible. Instead of “Why don’t you pick up your children on time?” try asking, “What’s stopping you from picking up Susie on time? She was upset the last few times you were late. How can we work together to resolve this?”

Statements
Now consider the other primary mode of common speech, the statement. Statements seem straightforward, and that’s the problem. Statements define authority, but they can mislead as well.

Definitions of authority
Start observing three things: how others use inclusive pronouns, state their opinions as facts, and speak in generalizations. Analyzing these practices will show you how to exert authority with conscious skill.

Inclusive pronouns such as “we,” “you,” and “they” can suggest superiority; they distance the recipient. Saying, “We plié with the ankles first, then open the hips,” comes across as fact, whether it’s accurate or not.

Start taking note of how many people speak in generalizations, which can instantly turn opinions into “truth” (like “Everybody’s doing it, Mom”). The same thing happens when you use absolute verbs (“is,” “are”) to pass judgment (“Ballet dancers are dumb” or “Men aren’t flexible”). “They say” is a prime example of unsubstantiated authority (who are “they”?), as are unqualified percentages (10 percent of people think/do whatever) and the popular “Studies show [insert desired ‘fact’].” A simple “What do you mean?” can counter such empty statements.

Negative statements can be tough to counter. Try responding with a “why” question when someone says, “It won’t work,” or “I can’t do it.” But use one that rephrases the question in a positive way. Responses like “Why do you say it won’t work?” or “Why do you say you can’t do it?” suggest that a positive outcome is possible.

Although this kind of response allows negative people to be heard, they might not want to give more information. Ellison advocates allowing them to refuse to respond. Think about your own experiences. Coercing information out of someone can feel like theft or a violation.

Statements as predictions
Statements can become predictions, which hypothesize about a potential outcome. Parents often use predictions with their children; for example, “If you don’t stop by the time I count to three, you won’t get dessert.” However, beware the fake warning. Nothing undermines your authority like making a prediction you won’t carry out. If those parents give their children dessert even though the undesirable behavior continues, they lose credibility as authority figures. Even small children know the score on that one.

According to Ellison, predictions can be protective, foretelling, or neutral. They are protective when you give cautionary instructions, such as telling students to sew their elastics on their shoes (because using safety pins or staples would be harmful). Foretelling can be judgmental, as in “If you wear that, you’ll be on the worst-dressed list.” The best choice is a neutral prediction.

Being neutral means predicting only how you will respond to the potential choices the other person could make. You will offer two alternatives and you must clarify each choice in order to avoid having people make assumptions. For instance, if you tell a hysterical parent, “If you continue shouting at me, I will have to walk away,” and you stop there, the parent could assume that the conversation is over and there can be no positive resolution. However, adding an alternative, such as “If you stop shouting, then I will do my best to listen and find a solution,” offers a chance of a win–win resolution.

Accountability
Acknowledging your own verbal accountability—for how your words come out and how they’re received—is important in maintaining a non-defensive posture, even if the person you’re in conflict with refuses to do so. Remember that excellence is born in doing the right thing. And doing the right thing doesn’t necessarily mean it will feel good in the short term.

It will take practice to remain neutral in your questions, statements, and predictions. Start to notice your interactions, and then take your cue from Gandhi and take a non-defensive stance.

I have faith in you.

By Nina Koch

As a dance teacher, I know it is hard to find balance between creative play and structure in toddler or preschool classes. I also know that when young dancers are challenged they will stay engaged, interested, and excited to come back to class every week. And when you have high expectations for these children, they will meet or exceed those expectations if they are given the tools to do so. And when you do, you end up with students who are ready to enter a program in which they are expected to advance every year.

At my studio, East County Performing Arts Center in Brentwood, California, I take children at 2 years old. Not many dance studios will take dancers that young. But I know that even these youngsters will thrive in a class with a consistent, structured format. Of course, the biggest challenge with 2-year-olds is getting them comfortable enough to leave their moms; when they reach that point, they are ready to be in a structured program.

Last season I was working with my 3- to 5-year-old students with the goal of making them into great listeners. On the first day I sat down with them and talked about the rules of class: Eyes on Miss Nina; be nice to your friends; be a good listener; after your shoes are on, line up with your toes on the line. On the second day I walked into the dance room and all eight of them were standing in first position with their toes on the line.

Now, I am not a “mean” teacher. I am loving and fun and silly—but I’m also firm and the kids know I mean business. So how do I create this environment of cooperation and attentiveness?

First, I am clear about my expectations with the parents and children. Not taking the time to explain the class rules and expectations is a big mistake. Children can follow rules only if they know what the rules are. Even those as young as 2 or 3 are capable of knowing what’s expected of them, and I can tell that they feel proud when I praise them for meeting those expectations.

And I don’t underestimate their capacity for learning. At my studio we start teaching proper technique and terminology right away, to 2-year-olds. As a result, all of my 4-year-old students know the basic ballet positions and their correct terms. If you dropped in on my “babies” classes, you’d hear common terms and phrases like arms en bas, à la seconde, tendu en croix. And you’d see them approximate basic movements like plié, tendu, bourrée, sauté, glissade, and jeté. And yes, they know those terms too.

I am introducing values that will help these children grow into adults who do not accept mediocrity in their lives or in themselves.

If you use correct terminology and engage children with questions like “Who can show me arms en bas?” or “Who remembers how to do a sauté?” and reward them when they answer correctly, they will learn it. And they will love learning it.

Why is it important to put so much energy into toddler and preschool dance classes? Of course we all want to grow great dancers; we feel fulfilled when our competition teams win top honors or when a graduating dancer gets accepted to a college dance program or hired for a great dance job. But my reasons for putting so much energy into my “babies” program are bigger than that.

Children, especially young girls, need to be encouraged to be smart, encouraged to advance past mediocrity. These early lessons in dance class are not necessarily intended to develop them into prima ballerinas; they are life lessons. Along with dance basics, I am teaching them how to be good listeners, be respectful, connect with another person, and rise to challenges. I am teaching them self-respect and self-excellence. I am introducing values that will help these children grow into adults who do not accept mediocrity in their lives or in themselves. Those lessons need to start very early on, and those values will help these children change the world.

The next time you are preparing for a toddler or preschool class, ask yourself if you are just going through the motions because it’s a “no-brainer.” Or are you making the effort to challenge these young minds, trying to make a difference in their education? Through dance, we can start building a foundation for a positive life education.

Owner/teacher, Viki Parkes Stars of Tomorrow, Port Charlotte, FL

NOMINATED BY: Jean Mercado, Donna Burbidge, and Sara Bacher, students’ mothers: Paula is a “people person” who works to maintain an excellent business atmosphere while encouraging creativity in her parents, student assistants, and staff. Paula’s favorite saying is: “ ‘Can’t’ means ‘Won’t try!’ ” Patience and vision make her a great teacher, and she is always staying current with trends in the field and continuing her own dance and theater education.

Paula Welter works out some steps with tap student Paul Elliot on his 89th birthday. (Photo courtesy of Paula Welter)

AGES TAUGHT: 2 through seniors.

GENRES TAUGHT: Tap, ballet, jazz, musical theater.

TEACHING DANCE FOR: 35 years.

WHY SHE TEACHES: Passion, experience, and just a great rapport with people—I love watching students finally get it! I was inspired by this studio’s philosophy, which emphasized training and performing more than competition. I worked here first for seven years and then purchased the studio.

GREATEST INSPIRATION: My teachers, Orest Siergievesky and Constance Moore. I studied with Orest in New York and he was a wonderful mentor in both dance and business—he taught me a lot of Russian history as well. Miss Connie founded the Children’s Theater workshops in Milford, Connecticut. She was my second mom and provided many opportunities for me to study with some wonderful teachers—Tom Kelly, Paul Draper, Gregory Hines, and John Bubbles, just to name a few—and acting and voice classes too. She never discouraged, but she did let her students know how much goes into a career in dance and performing, and I try to do the same.

PHILOSOPHY OF TEACHING: Anyone can learn to dance and appreciate the art form if they have the drive to do so. Dance should be part of everyone’s life—even if only at the audience level—and be available to all no matter what their financial situation.

WHAT MAKES HER A GOOD TEACHER: Flexibility, experience, passion, and training. Also, tuning in to students with empathy, not sympathy, tempered with a whole lot of caring about them. Most of all, there’s the “if it’s not enjoyable, why do it?” fun factor!

FONDEST TEACHING MEMORY: My students with disabilities who have succeeded beyond all boundaries! Students who take their dance training and dance friendships into their future lives are the best memories for me. I am now teaching their children and grandchildren, and the beat goes on.

BEST PIECE OF ADVICE FOR STUDENTS AND/OR TEACHERS: If you don’t really love teaching and aren’t staying up to date—especially with what is happening in your students’ world—do something else. This profession requires dedication and a lot of your time to do the job correctly.

WHAT SHE WOULD DO IF SHE COULDN’T TEACH DANCE: Spend a lot of time helping children with disabilities and seniors. Also, I’d make films, direct plays, and travel more.

MORE THOUGHTS ON DANCE AND TEACHING: I am continually amazed at things my students have accomplished and become because of their dance training. Most still keep in touch. I am in awe of the great teachers and masters of the past and present and try to pass along their knowledge. One of the reasons I kept Viki Parkes’ name on the studio was that she and her daughter, Molly Parkes, worked very hard to build an excellent reputation. They performed all over the area, from nursing homes to community theater. I wanted to honor their work and commitment.

DO YOU KNOW A DANCE TEACHER WHO DESERVES TO BE IN THE SPOTLIGHT? Email your nominations to David@rheegold.com or mail them to David Favrot, Dance Studio Life, 10 South Washington St., Norton, MA 02766. Please include why you think this teacher should be featured, along with his or her contact information.

Collaboration means education for university dance and theater students

By Alyssa Schoeneman

The hip-hop movement can be viewed as one of social and cultural integration, as the ascension of a minority group into the mainstream of society. The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) recognizes the importance of such integration in “Hip-Hop Project: Insight Into the Hip-Hop Generation,” a collaborative project of its theater and dance departments.

Written by Penn State faculty member Steve Broadnax and directed by UIUC Department of Theatre alumnus Aaron Todd Douglas, this hip-hop celebration presents a deejay, dancers, poets, graffiti artists, and emcee B-Boy All Star as they speak their minds on sex, death, art, politics, fashion, and respect. (The show has been presented twice before, including at the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival in Washington, DC, with the name Word Up!) Choreographer Millicent Johnnie, former rehearsal director of Urban Bush Women, lends her distinct fusion of hip-hop and capoeira to the project. The cast features UIUC acting and dance majors, as well as lyricists, b-boys, deejays, and salsa dancers from the campus community.

The broad casting pool allowed Douglas and Johnnie to include dancers with interest and experience in dance forms that fall outside of the Eurocentric techniques commonly offered by university dance departments. These dancers’ contributions “brought additional texture and depth to the work,” says Douglas. “[They helped us to] acknowledge the Latin influences on the birth of hip-hop culture and on b-boy forms in general, an influence that is often overlooked.”

The script calls for dance sequences with distinct regional flavors such as the “Dirty South,” the Midwest, the East Coast, and Jamaican. Johnnie drew from her background in Louisiana as she integrated Southern hip-hop culture into the show.

Stylistic challenges
Johnnie introduced different styles of hip-hop by explaining their geographic origins and by showing the dancers related videos online, working to dispel the commercially shaped notion of hip-hop as a hypersexual art. “It’s more of a celebration of being able to give life than it is of being sexual,” says UIUC dance major Katherine Roarty.

Johnnie notes that the dancers were initially intimidated by her unfamiliar movement vocabulary and that five days of peeling away layers allowed the dancers to move away from their studio dance hip-hop backgrounds. “What you learn in the studio is different from what you learn on the street,” says Johnnie. “We had to teach them not to just imitate me but rather to have a truly authentic experience of the movement.”

UIUC dance major Leila Henry notes that Johnnie was less worried about arm placement and shapes in her choreography; ultimately, she was concerned with the essence and integrity of the movement. Johnnie used the phrase “embracing the genitalia” to inspire a sense of weight and groundedness in the dancers, and to drive home the idea of celebrating maternity.

Though the choreography was set primarily on the dance majors, the acting ensemble learned its fair share of movement for the performance. Johnnie approached the actors with a willingness to adapt choreography and to break down movement to a level that they could understand. “Most choreographers don’t do that,” says Jonathan Butler-Duplessis, a UIUC acting major. “They just come in at a level and say, ‘Meet it or get out of my show.’ ”

“What you learn in the studio is different from what you learn on the street. We had to teach [the dancers] not to just imitate me but rather to have a truly authentic experience of the movement.” —choreographer Millicent Johnnie

Many of the actors initially felt silly and out of place during the dance sequences, but they soon realized that Johnnie’s high expectations for them were both realistic and achievable. “We don’t use our bodies like dancers do, but we should be able to because it helps so much with our acting,” says ensemble member Anastasia Pappageorge of herself and her fellow actors. “All of these dancing days have helped all of us more than we already know.”

The collaboration has proven beneficial for all involved. “It is great because [the actors and the dancers] get to experience each other in their elements, and they get to see each other’s strengths and build on that,” Johnnie says. “The cast is so supportive of one another and nurturing. It is really beautiful.”

Roarty says that working with the actors influenced her pursuit of stylistic authenticity; the level of integrity with which the actors portrayed different characters raised the bar for her as she worked on unfamiliar styles of dance. Similarly, Butler-Duplessis, a self-diagnosed dancer “with three left feet,” has found the dancers’ presence in rehearsal to be invaluable. “We have the trickle-down effect. Millicent teaches the choreography to the dancers and they help the better dancers of the actors, and then those actors teach me,” he says, laughing. “It has been one big family of just helping those who might know less than you.”

One happy family
The familial element of rehearsal was enhanced by Johnnie’s ritual of a daily check-in and checkout. Forming a circle at the beginning and end of every rehearsal day, each person in the cast described how he or she was feeling at that moment, adding positive energy to the circle. Though the process acknowledges individual gripes and challenges, it holds that a positive note must always be addressed; projecting a negative attitude into the circle may prove toxic to others’ work.

Johnnie gleaned the check-in process from an organization of activists and artists called Alternate Roots, and she says the process centers on the “Each One Teach One” philosophy. It recognizes that values and ideals are shared across cultures and allows all involved in it to learn something. “It’s kind of like punching a time clock,” Douglas says of the cast’s ritual. “We’re agreeing to devote all of our energy and concentration to the task at hand and then assessing what we think we’ve accomplished at the end of the night.”

Actors have a similar check-in/checkout process, but it usually amounts to a sort of community prayer before performances. Butler-Duplessis and Pappageorge agree that the process let them get to know their fellow cast members and quickly built a family feeling among them.

The dance world is full of community-driven learning experiences that could benefit from such a process. Reserving time at the beginning and end of technique classes or rehearsals provides a valuable opportunity for synthesis and feedback about both the creative and the learning processes. Checking in and out allows students and company members to feel like participants in the process and helps to draw out feedback that might otherwise be suppressed. Also, the stronger emotional relationships often fostered by the group discussions can enhance onstage interaction.

Authenticity and innovation
The show’s topical subject matter placed an emphasis on authenticity in performance; hip-hop culture carries with it an array of social, political, and artistic implications. “Since we’re not doing a play about people in a faraway land at a faraway time, we have to keep it current,” says Butler-Duplessis. “We can’t be playing at it. We have to be experiencing it.”

The project worked to break down preconceived notions of hip-hop and bring a new audience into the proscenium theater. To raise awareness about the project, a street team of actors, rappers, and dancers took part in an “art burst” or “flash mob” on UIUC’s main quad, where the artists freestyled and passed out flyers advertising the performance.

Douglas and Johnnie hope that the show will increase audience awareness of the social injustice issues presented; a major goal of the project was to inspire a growth of academic scholarship and theory research surrounding hip-hop culture.

“The actors and the dancers have a lot of heart,” says Johnnie. “When you walk into a performance space and you see that kind of heart, it makes you want to do something, whether it’s making your own work, having a conversation about it, volunteering, or supporting someone else’s work. Maybe [the audience] will even say, ‘I had no idea hip-hop is more than So You Think You Can Dance and America’s Best Dance Crew.’ ”

Hip-hop presents the good and the bad, the profane and the poetic, the righteous and the superficial. “I think [hip-hop] is an accurate reflection of society,” Douglas says, “of what goes on in the streets as well as in the boardrooms.”

At its best, hip-hop culture embraces poetry, music, dance, and the spoken word—elements celebrated in institutions of higher learning as well. By these criteria, hip-hop is an underrepresented fine art in many schools. “I don’t think there are many things in this type of programming in university theater and dance,” says Douglas. “I think it is considered bold programming, but it shouldn’t be.”

Part 2 of our serialized saga of dance-school drama and intrigue

By Julie Holt Lucia

The last time we met studio owner Dolly Drummersing, she had just heard the news that an irate ex-customer, Winifred Beauregard, was planning to open a new dance school across the street. And as it turns out, Winifred’s business partner is Carlotta, the wife of Dolly’s dance-dad janitor, Sal—and to make matters even worse, it looks as though one of Dolly’s teachers, Marta, is being recruited for the new school. We resume our story just a few days later . . .

“Pepper!” Dolly said in the middle of her Ballet Class of Misfit Tweens. She could tell the girl was daydreaming again. “Un-bite your lip, please. Stop fidgeting! Let’s focus instead on stretching your leg and lifting from your sternum!”

She watched as 12-year-old Pepper Ruby gripped the barre with one sweaty hand and reached the other far in front of her face, in second arabesque. The girl glanced in the mirror at her crooked, turned-in arabesque and bit her lip in a show of concentration. Her curly, dirty-blond hair floated out of its bun in crimps and pleats around her face, and she swatted at the hairs.

Dolly knew what Pepper was thinking. She’d been that girl herself, the girl who wanted to be beautiful and knew—but couldn’t explain how—that ballet class was the way to do it. Now Pepper was discovering that ballet wasn’t as easy as it appeared. Dolly sighed and turned to Mira, whose arabesque leg she had captured. Mira’s eyes were squeezed shut, probably from the intense pinching in her back.

It was in this particular class, often while working one-on-one with the dancers, that Dolly always kicked herself for forgetting to tell the girls to wear deodorant. By the time the class made it to reverence, she felt like she was swimming in a bowl of freshly chopped onions. Some days, like today, her eyes actually watered. Nevertheless, this class was usually her most enjoyable since it included some of the hardest-working dancers at Dolly’s Dance Academy. Mindful of this, Dolly always tried to check for smiles at the end of class.

“Are you all right, Pepper?” she called out as the class port de bras–ed.

“Oh, um.” Pepper lost her balance as if startled from a trance but recovered quickly. “Yes! Yes, I’m fine.”

“OK, then. Let me see your beautiful smile!”

After curtsies and applause, the dancers noisily filed out of class, headed toward the dressing room, with Pepper trailing the others and singing softly, “Rain-bow Grot-to elllllfkins, oh!”

Dolly followed the girls, gulping in the stale-yet-fresher air in the lobby and fanning herself with a ballet CD. The studio was nearly empty of customers, with only a few of the Misfit Tweens’ parents waiting for the end of class and the teachers wrapping up in the office with Kim, her office manager.

A sudden scream from the dressing room froze everyone in place. Dolly felt her blood pressure shoot up, her heartbeat thudding in her ears. A minute might have passed. Or maybe it was only a few seconds.

Going into panic mode, Dolly threw her arms out wide. “Nobody move,” she said, her eyes scanning the girls. “Let me investigate.”

Feeling all eyes on her, she headed there as if she were demonstrating a slow-motion chassé. Opening the door, she walked past the benches and cubbies and froze at the sight of a capsized Nikki Farr, one of her most popular teachers, hunched in the corner near the out-of-order bathroom stall. Her heart beating even faster, Dolly grabbed Nikki by the shoulders and shook her.

Nikki’s eyes rolled open. “The . . . smell . . .” she whispered.

Dolly felt a wave of foul air hit her face. A pair of pink tights lay wadded up in the sink. She pulled her shirt over her nose and mouth to block the hideous stench. It was definitely coming from the tights. Even the fluorescent lights seemed to dim and flicker in protest. She plucked the offending pink tights from the sink and turned to Nikki. “You OK?”

Nikki nodded feebly. “So . . . gross . . .”

Gross indeed, Dolly thought, a grim look on her face. What in the world had happened to those poor tights? she wondered as she wrapped them in three plastic grocery bags. Who would have done such a thing—and why?

After helping Nikki into the lobby, Dolly gathered the waiting parents, students, and teachers. “We would appreciate it very much,” she said, making eye contact with each person, “if you would tell us if you know anything about this incident. Anyone?” She shook the grocery-bag-wrapped tights as evidence, half expecting the plastic to melt from the fumes.

Nobody said anything. The dancers shifted their feet and looked at one another. The parents glanced at their watches.

“Well,” Dolly continued, “if this is for real, then everyone, please wash your tights. If this is a prank, then it is not funny. Ms. Nikki almost fainted and that is no joke.”

Nikki whimpered obligingly and slumped against the wall.

Dolly continued. “One way or another, we’re going to figure out what happened here. I want you here 10 minutes early to class next Thursday unless someone confesses to me sooner. All right, girls? This is clearly unacceptable.”

The group nodded solemnly while the parents continued to sigh and glance at the clock, and Dolly watched the girls file into the dressing room. Pepper, as usual, seemed to be only half-listening, mumbling something about a Rainbow Grotto and elfkins. And, if Dolly didn’t need to have her hearing checked, pet flying squirrels. She shook her head.

After the students and their parents had left, Dolly herded Nikki, Kim, Marta, and April into the office for a quick interrogation. “Can any of you recall suspicious activity in the dressing room today? Or recently?” Dolly paced the short length of the office. “Any sibling high-jinks or embarrassed dancers that you remember?”

The women shook their heads.

“Maybe it was a fake, planted there just to distract everyone,” Marta suggested.

“It was pretty bad—and not very funny,” Nikki said. Some color had returned to her cheeks and she looked angry now. “Marta’s right; there’s no way those tights were for real. There was something really odd about that smell. Plus, we would have noticed before now. I mean, come on—tights in the sink?”

“I check the dressing room every couple of hours,” Kim said. “And I don’t remember seeing—or smelling—anything unusual this afternoon. You know, besides sweaty feet and hairspray.”

Marta nodded. “And what if we blamed someone and it wasn’t their fault? How could we prove anything? I definitely think it was a prank.”

“You seem pretty sure now,” April said, glancing sideways at Marta.

Marta rolled her eyes. “Are you suggesting that I put them there, April? Really. Just because I’m the new girl doesn’t mean that I would—”

“OK!” Dolly interrupted. “OK. I didn’t mean we had to accuse anyone of anything. Just come to me if you think you know something, and we’ll talk about it again on Thursday. Let’s all get out of here and go home already.”

***

The following Thursday afternoon, at the stoplight at Main Street and Trinity Falls Road, Dolly adjusted her rearview mirror while Nikki, fidgeting in the passenger seat, watched her with narrowed eyes. Studying her reflection, Dolly ticked off her flaws. Frizzy hair beyond help? Check. Not enough makeup to pass for awake? Check. Nervous sweat beading on forehead, eyebrow, and upper lip? Check, check, and check.

She slid a pair of enormous sunglasses onto her nose and maneuvered her little silver Toyota, littered with CDs, jewel cases, and random notes on coffee-shop napkins, to the opposite side of Trinity Falls. Her curiosity could wait no longer.

“You know,” Nikki said in an unnaturally high voice, “it was really nice of you to give me a ride today, but, um, I didn’t realize we were going to spy on this new dance school.” She twisted in her seatbelt and turned to face Dolly. “Are you sure this is a good idea?”

Dolly sighed as she pulled into the parking lot, driving past the brand-new dry cleaners, the brand-new bank, and the brand-new nail salon. She didn’t answer right away. Then, sighing again, she said in a steely-but-calm voice, “I just want to see if it’s really true. I have no other objective but to turn this rumor into fact, or vice versa.”

She knew she was lying, and Nikki probably knew it too. But Dolly simply couldn’t stand not knowing the truth any longer—and she couldn’t ask Marta for more information. And she definitely couldn’t ask Sal. She was afraid to talk to Sal now; in fact, she was worried about his intentions as her night janitor. If the rumor was true.

Nikki reached for the door handle, but Dolly threw her arm across the seat, forcing Nikki back against the seat.

“No! Not yet,” she said. “We have to be better disguised.” She reached into the backseat and withdrew two truck driver hats, a puffy winter coat, and a red-and-black leather jacket. She tossed one of the hats and the jacket to Nikki.

“You can’t be serious!” Nikki hooted with laughter but pulled on the hat. “Did you get this jacket from the set of ‘Thriller’ or what?”

Dolly was too focused to reply. “Also, I need you to walk pigeon-toed and with a hunched back. If anyone sees us, we have to act like we’re not dance people.”

“You do realize that we have to be at the studio—your studio—in exactly five minutes, right?” Nikki asked, pointing to the car’s clock.

“Yes, yes,” Dolly hissed. “If you would please hurry with the jacket we could get out, get back here, and be right on time to open the studio.”

The two women emerged from the car and hobbled over to the seemingly empty storefront, where, just as Dolly suspected, a small sign was posted.

Winifred’s Winning Dance Acadamy—Coming Soon!

For information, please email awsomedancer@gypsymail.com.

A string of expletives left Dolly’s mouth before she could censor herself. Nausea washed over her like a bucket of ice water, and she swayed on the spot. It was true. She had known it would be, but this was solid proof. And that must mean it was true about Sal—Sal, who was now officially a mole.

Nikki waited a beat, looked at Dolly’s glassy eyes, and led her back to the car—carefully pigeon-toed and hunch-backed as requested.

Dolly drove in silence, going a few blocks out of her way in case anyone was watching, and jerked the car to a stop in front of her studio. “That witch can’t even spell!” she finally sputtered, ripping off her hat, sunglasses, and puffy coat.

“Which witch?” Nikki joked, offering a tentative smile. “Winifred or Carlotta?”

Dolly snorted.

“Come on, Dolly. You have to let this go before you become obsessive. And you know what? We have bigger fish to fry today: The stinky-tights culprit, remember?”

“I know.” Dolly pressed the heels of her hands into her eyes. “You’re right, you’re totally right. This is stupid.” She shook her head, trying to forget about the sign and her school’s new competition.

That evening, Pepper and her mom, Roxanne, arrived early for Pepper’s ballet class and asked to meet with Dolly privately.

“What’s going on, Pepper?” Dolly asked lightly, once Kim had vacated the office. Dolly thought she knew what was coming next: Pepper—poor, stinky, distracted Pepper of the Misfit Tweens—was going to confess to owning those nasty tights, and her mom was going to blame Dolly for humiliating her daughter.

“I believe Pepper has something important to tell you, Ms. Dolly,” said Roxanne, giving Pepper a nod and a nudge. “Go on. You need to tell her.”

Pepper’s ears turned a bright red. Then she inhaled deeply and blasted out the words in one breath. “My mom said I have to tell you that those were my tights and they were so gross because I tried to dye them with colored milk to go with my Periwinkle Princess idea and it didn’t work and I didn’t know they would smell so bad and I’m really sorry.”

Dolly made eye contact with Roxanne while Pepper took another breath, apparently relieved at having unloaded this admission. Roxanne shrugged as if to say, “Kids—what can you do?”

 Dolly was confused. “Periwinkle Princess idea?”

“Um, yeah.” A huge grin spread across Pepper’s face. “The Periwinkle Princess has the finest leotard, tights, and tiara in all the land.”

 “Well, thank you, Pepper,” Dolly said. “But I’m still not sure I understand. Who is the Periwinkle Princess and why did you try to dye your tights with milk?”

Roxanne stroked her daughter’s hair. “She has this crazy fantasy life, Pepper does, where she is a Periwinkle Princess and she has these little invisible friends—what are they called, honey?” She nudged Pepper again.

“Mo-o-om!” Pepper looked away from Dolly and crossed her arms. “Please don’t embarrass me.”

“Oh, right—the elfkins!” Roxanne went on, oblivious to her daughter’s agony. “Well, anyway, Pepper has this world of make-believe that she lives in, called the Rainbow Grotto, and I guess she thought she’d try to bring it to life. And the first thing she wanted to do was make herself a princess outfit. Hence, the tights.”

Dolly was slowly starting to put the pieces together. That’s why Pepper was always so distracted—she has these daydreams. Now she had gone so far as to bring her daydreams to life. And yet . . .

“Pepper,” Dolly said, “who told you to dye your tights with milk?” She knew Pepper wouldn’t have thought of doing that on her own.

“I don’t remember exactly,” Pepper mumbled, staring at her feet. Roxanne gave her a Mom Look and Pepper scowled and continued. “I was early for class one night and some lady heard me talking to myself. So I told her about my Periwinkle Princess outfit and she said if I wanted to be like a professional ballerina, I should soak my tights in milk twice in three days, then add food coloring to dye them just the right shade of periwinkle.”

Dolly groaned. Here it comes, she thought. “Did this lady have chin-length dark hair, olive skin, and a nice smile? And a little girl, probably wearing pointe shoes about eight sizes too big?”

“Oh, yeah! I think she did,” Pepper said. “Why? Do you know her?”

Dolly nodded grimly. Did she ever. And this was war.

Tune in next month for more fun as the story continues . . .

DC Dance Collective’s ’60s sensibility gives teachers freedom and students choices

By Jennifer Kaplan

Some people collect spoons, others, first-edition literary classics, or even Pez dispensers. Nancy Newell collects dance—of all genres—for her eclectic three-studio space in Northwest Washington, DC. With offerings that range from belly dance to Zumba, the three-story walkup is hopping and popping from 9:00 a.m. to midnight, or even later. Newell calls the 11-year-old operation DC Dance Collective (DCDC) because to her, an expert rhythm tapper, “that collective spirit is something I really like. I didn’t want [this place] to be ‘Miss Nancy’s School of Dance’; I’m a team player.”           

Five years ago, Gwoping Yang started as a student at DC Dance Collective; now he teaches two popping classes there. (Photo Photo by Arcadia Creative)

While Newell says tap is her first love, she wants all dance genres to stand on equal footing at DCDC. A tap teacher for 47 years, as of last fall she was teaching an astonishing 32 classes a week at DCDC and various studios in metropolitan DC. So aside from the eclectic decor featuring cushy sofas, a magazine-strewn coffee table, batik throws, and cozy blankets that make the lobby feel more like a living room, DCDC is an anomaly among studios in the region for both its collective approach and its vast offerings.

The schedule features varying levels of break and belly dance, modern, flamenco, capoeira, salsa, hula, ballet, tap, jazz, and Zumba. Newell doesn’t oversee or create a curriculum for her instructors to follow. She’s adamant about allowing her teachers creativity and independence. If that means offering advanced jazz without a beginning jazz class, that’s OK. What DCDC may lack in depth, it makes up for in breadth, including a fall 2009 schedule of more than 70 classes a week.

While Newell directs the studio and a separate nonprofit corporation—DC Artists Collective, which runs workshops, performances, and classes—there’s a 1960s sensibility about the place that has turned many teachers, parents, and students into stakeholders, even true believers, in Newell’s mission. “I don’t want to be in a position where I have to make a judgment about somebody, what they teach, and their style of dance,” Newell says. She values all genres equally, and under her guidance DCDC has become known as one of the most supportive studios for the burgeoning hip-hop and street dance styles in the DC area.

Newell, with her coppery, cropped curls and collection of tap shoes that coordinate with her outfits, notes the kinship that tap, originally a vernacular dance, has with current street forms. And she’s proud of the range of hip-hoppers, b-boys and fly girls, breakers, poppers, and lockers who have found a home base at DCDC. Among them, Boogie Bots, which competed on season 2 of America’s Best Dance Crew, featured teachers from the DCDC family.

“I think it’s cool that this is a studio run by an older white woman who is a tap dancer and there is so much urban dance,” says Ashley Shey, 18, a hip-hop student who volunteers weekly at the front desk in exchange for classes. “I decided tap wasn’t for me when I was younger. Right now I’m interested in hip-hop, and right here are the biggest hip-hop groups in the area, so you can get exposed to so many different groups.”

Karen McLane has been teaching belly dance at the studio since it opened in 1999. Although she has had opportunities elsewhere, McLane, who goes by the name Najwah onstage, remains a popular teacher at DCDC, home base for her company, Ancient Rhythms. “The studio has a very warm, welcoming feel to it,” says McLane, an interior designer. “Nancy is a very generous, inclusive, appreciative person for all forms of dance. She instills a sense of camaraderie. And, although of course she wants to make a profit, it’s clear that her higher goal is to celebrate dance in its diversity. That’s what draws me to DC Dance.”

The studio typically offers classes from 30 or more teachers weekly; some may teach a single class each week, others, half a dozen or more. “One of Nancy’s principles is that if someone has a dance style or new technique that they want to teach,” says Susan Galbraith, a longtime tap student and member of the advisory board, “if there is space and time for them, they can sign on and teach.”

Newell doesn’t oversee or create a curriculum for her instructors to follow. She’s adamant about allowing her teachers creativity and independence.

Galbraith, who oversees a program teaching English to foreign students, introduced her daughter, now 16, to tap. “It’s not like one person runs the whole show; Nancy is obviously the director,” she says. “But there’s much more opportunity for many more forms of dance to be represented and for people to chip in.”

And it’s also a place where anyone, of any age or skill level, is welcome. Five years ago Gwoping Yang took a chance on a few hip-hop classes after spending nearly 30 of his 35 years studying multiple forms of martial arts. “I wanted to find an activity that was a little less prone to injury with the same level of intensity and competition,” he says.

Today Yang teaches two popping classes at the studio and assists behind the scenes with online marketing and publicity. By day a computer database administrator, he says that teaching keeps him connected and giving back to the community that took him in when he was looking for a new experience. “I didn’t anticipate that urban dance would be the next phase for me, but it turned out that it had that same kind of energy and competition. But it didn’t hurt as much.”

Yang, like many teachers, students, and parents, has put in regular hours throughout the year to keep the studio running. He refers to the five or more hours a week he spends on DCDC as his “community service.” Newell is the only full-time employee. The desk assistants work in exchange for classes—every four hours at the desk equals two classes. A part-time bookkeeper manages the accounts and payroll, and one volunteer serves as the operations manager, training all the desk assistants to track class sizes, run credit cards, count heads, and get teachers to sign off on their class enrollment. Galbraith manages the rental schedule for outside rehearsals.

Newell decided early on that as a collective, all teachers, no matter the genre taught or years of experience, would be paid equally according to class size. Teachers receive half of what each class takes in and they must sign off on the attendance sheet to verify that their count matches that of the desk assistant. This means that teachers who market themselves can reap rewards of larger classes and a higher pay rate; Newell says that some of her teachers print and distribute their own postcards or flyers. Others are content with a smaller number of regulars. Students can pay by the class ($17 per one-hour class) or purchase cards of 6, 10, or 12 classes per session, which are discounted accordingly.

Like most studios, Newell’s has seen a drop in attendance over the past 18 months due to the economic downturn. But she still insists that her teachers teach, whether one student shows up, or 20. “I realize that everybody who comes to take a class either left work early, skipped dinner, or got a babysitter, and specifically planned to be here. Their lives revolve around that, so we should honor our commitment,” Newell says.

While the studio has about 300 active students on its books, receipts are down, so the number of classes per week or month they take may have dropped. To make up the gap between class and rental fees and the growing expenses, including a $4,000-plus monthly electric bill, Newell charges an annual registration fee of $15 per student.

Besides teaching and directing at DCDC, Newell choreographs about a half-dozen musicals a year for regional high school and community theaters. It’s rare that she has a moment to plop down on her cushy sofa and put her feet up. “Even though it’s a collective, ultimately the buck stops here,” she says, gesturing to herself. “I know that everybody here can just walk out the door except for me.”

But Newell thrives on the collective spirit she has nurtured at the studio: “I love the fact that I’m not insulated. If I don’t agree with something, it’s not like it’s my way or the highway. Everybody’s philosophy is totally valid.” That’s the DC Dance Collective way.

In Good Company

By Rhee Gold

Although I discourage using the word “lose,” it’s the best way to make my point. Some of the smartest and brightest people got that way from losing many of their battles. We learn from the losing process or by not getting what we want. It’s how we improve ourselves. When we don’t win or achieve the desired result, we go back to work, ultimately becoming better at what we do.

If you feel bad about losing, remember these events in the life of Abraham Lincoln:

• He failed in business in 1831.
• He was defeated for state legislator in 1832.
• He tried another business in ‘33. It failed.
• His fiancée died in ‘35.
• He had a nervous breakdown in ‘36.
• In 1843 he ran for Congress and was defeated.
• He ran again in ‘48 and was defeated again.
• He tried running for the Senate in ‘55. He lost.
• The next year he ran for vice president and lost.
• In ‘59 he ran for the Senate again and was defeated.
• In 1860, the man who signed his name Lincoln was elected the 16th president of the United States.

When we go to a dance competition without walking out as the big winner, do we try to come up with excuses? Maybe we tell ourselves and our students that the reason we didn’t do so well was because the “competition was fixed” or that the “judges didn’t know what they were doing?” Maybe we say, “That school knew the judges, that’s why they did so well and we didn’t.” Another one of those excuses, “That school spent so much money in entry fees, the director of the competition told the judges to score them high!” In reality, if a competition director told a panel of judges who had to win, they wouldn’t be in business too long. The dance community is small and people talk; most judges wouldn’t put up with being told who should win and who shouldn’t.

On the other hand, if we are always the big winner, how would we get better at what we do? Teachers and students who are exposed to stronger talent or choreography are really being given the opportunity to see how far they can go. Going home from the competition without the trophy, but excited to make yourself and your students better is really getting the most from the experience and your entry fees.

We can’t allow ourselves to cultivate a generation of young people who believe winning is everything. I’ve encountered parents who have completely lost their cool because of the results of a competition, and I’ve had teachers who were my lifelong friends refuse to speak to me or yell at me after a competition because their students didn’t score as well as they had hoped. They’re not thinking about the values we emphasize in educating dancers—courage, or perseverance, or passion. They’re thinking only about winning.

What do we do about it? Lighten up.

Dance is a performing art form, not a sport. It isn’t one team or the other scoring so many runs or goals; it’s far more subjective than that. Its artistic and technical qualities are subject to the interpretation of judges—who, remember, are using their own judgment—and who   happen to be human beings with their own whims, preferences, and emotions.

DLTV News, featuring Diane Gudat, is a humorous look at the dance teacher’s life, presented in a news-broadcast format. In this episode you’ll learn the current state of modern dance; a Massachusetts dance teacher is treated for shock; a Florida dance teacher takes a day off; and a lot more.

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Mrs. Complain A’Lot (featuring Sheila Rossi) knows more about dance than her daughter’s teachers. In this episode, Mrs. C takes over the school’s marketing campaign when she decides that the current one stinks!

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Mrs. Complain A’Lot,(featuring Sheila Rossi) knows more about dance than her daughter’s teachers. In this episode, Mrs. C questions why her daughter has to wear her hair in a bun for ballet class, among other things.

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A little bit of rejuvenation for the dance teacher’s soul. Rhee Gold offers encouraging words to dance teachers who feel overwhelmed by their responsibilities.

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Mrs. Complain A’Lot (featuring Sheila Rossi) knows more about dance than her daughter’s teachers. In this episode, Mrs. C complains about her daughter’s choreography and offers her expert advice to the teacher.

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Mrs. Complain A’Lot (featuring Sheila Rossi) knows more about dance than her daughter’s teachers. In this episode, Mrs. C announces her displeasure with this year’s recital costumes and decides to whip up a few costumes herself.

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Mrs. Complain A’Lot (featuring Sheila Rossi) knows more about dance than her daughter’s teachers. In this episode, Mrs. C gets her hands on Dance Studio Life magazine and decides to offer a reader her expert advice on dealing with the school down the street.

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The matriarch of Dance Educators of America, Vicki Sheer has been a leader in the national dance community for decades. DLTV journeys to Virginia to catch up with Vicki at one of her conventions, where she reminisces about the good old days and shares her frank opinions on dance and teaching in the 21st century. Her words vary from thought-provoking to humorous, with stops everywhere in between.

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