Posts Tagged ‘write’

Words from our readers

More readers respond to “Dance Studio Lingo” by Diane Gudat, DSL, August 2009:

Here are a few we use at our studio:

Prostatot: 3-year-olds costumed in thigh-high fishnets, short-shorts, and crop tops and shake their butts to inappropriate hip-hop songs at competitions

Cha-no-no or cha-ne-ne (nay nay) turns: chaînés done in second position, or without spotting, or moving both arms at the same time
Denise Danzo
Danza Dance Academy
Castle Rock, CO

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Pas de bour prep: pas de bourrée that ends in fourth position pirouette preparation

Pas de bourr-no: a pas de bourrée where the dancers cross back, step open, and then cross front instead of sus-sous (fifth), second, sus-sous (fifth)

Extreme piqué: any piqué move where the dancer is as high in relevé as physically possible and on the straightest leg possible
Toni-Lynn Miles
Middlesex Dance Center
Durham, CT

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Devil-oppé: a painful extension of the leg
Atti-besque: an arabesque than never quite straightens
Pas de canard: step of the duck (a pas de chat done with flat feet)
Barbecued ribs: a protruding ribcage (courtesy of teacher Richard Munro)
Hula hips: an inadvertent circling of the hips in rond de jambe

I really enjoyed the whole list of terms—very amusing!

Name withheld by request

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Thank you for the article on Luigi. It was wonderful to see that Luigi and his professional students live by his motto of “Never stop moving.” It seems that most articles on Luigi reflect his life in the past. It was nice to see his life reflect what is happening now, because he really “never stops moving.”
Alisoun Price
Assistant to the Assistant Artistic Director|
Luigi’s Jazz Dance
New York, NY

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.

Words from our readers

I have just read the vocabulary list by Diane Gudat [“Dance Studio Lingo,” October 2009]—how funny. We label our crazy parents as family members—the crazier they are, the closer members they are. For example, the craziest are labeled a certain teacher’s sister or mother. The lesser of the crazy moms are called aunts and cousins. Thanks for the good laugh!
Cathy Finne
Artistic Director, Studio 1014
Jacksonville, FL

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Thanks for providing an outlet for dance teachers and studio owners. I find your material therapeutic, inspiring, and very useful. Thanks for helping me do my job better and giving me strength to be true to my vision and integrity when at times I can feel the pressure to please the parents. You are making a positive difference!
Danelle Watson
Alexander Academy of Performing Arts
Maui, Hawaii

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This has to be the funniest thing a parent has ever done! It certainly cheered me up this week. Not only have I been dealing with a former employee who opened her own studio and asked her employees to steal my summer camp info, a new ballroom studio in my shopping center that wants its sign to read just like mine, a parent I wanted to get rid of who’s staying (and I think I made a new friend), an employee who filed for unemployment because she had a baby (but was never fired), and the gym that offers free lessons across the street from me that tried to get my hip-hop teacher to leave me and teach there. Oh, the life of a dance studio owner! 

This note is to give you permission to auto-charge anything I am supposed to pay in regard to costumes, competition fees, company fees, damages to property, reimbursement to the snack center, and possible charges for excessive chatting and preening. Due to my total and utter lack of organization, if you don’t charge me I will most assuredly be late and may possibly pay in loose change from my car that could have bits of food and lint stuck to it, so really I’m doing you the favor here. If this doesn’t work, I’ll start putting the change in an old soda can to keep it all together.

Thank goodness for some parents!
Darlene Giordano Cummings
American Dance Academy
Hockessin, DE

Dear Rhee,
I have a student who has a mischievous side that seems to come out when she is at my school and, from what I understand, at public school too. She does things like drop mean notes in the other students’ dance bags. Sometimes she calls them fat or ugly and is always just plain mean. She never signs her name to the notes, but we have determined that it is her because of the handwriting.

On the other hand, she is a model student in class and is always respectful of the teachers. I feel like I’m dealing with a Jekyll-and-Hyde personality. I’ve never run into anything like this before—it’s a scary situation!

My solution was to have my students leave their dance bags in the school office. Now they are receiving anonymous emails with basically the same messages they got in their dance bags. When the kids write back, they get a message that says, “Undeliverable; no such email address.” I feel like I need to speak to the student and her mom, but this mom volunteers to help with anything we need and is always praising the positive impact our school has on her daughter. I think she would be shocked to hear this about her daughter, and I don’t want to hurt her feelings. Please offer me some ideas on how to handle this. Thanks. —Frustrated Teacher

Dear Frustrated,
You are right that her feelings will be hurt, and she shouldn’t blame you. But don’t be surprised if she does get angry; as often happens when people get upsetting news, they “shoot the messenger.” Once she has time to process what she’s learned, I’ll bet that she will realize that her daughter, not you, is the problem and do what is necessary to get the girl the help she needs.

Remember that this child might have a lot of insecurities that have nothing to do with dance class or your school. This could be her way of telling the world about those insecurities. She is probably hoping to get caught because she needs help and this is the only way she knows how to get it.

Most likely this is a child who needs dance and the confidence that it can build. Do your best to let her know how much you appreciate how well she does in class and that you want the best for her. Believe it or not, I dealt with the “notes in the dance bag thing” myself, and the student who wrote those notes is now a professional dancer and choreographer who really has her “stuff” together. I hope that’s how this turns out for you. —Rhee

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Dear Rhee,
I’m curious about your opinion on opening a second school. Our school is completely filled and now we are turning away students. We can either open a second location or expand at the space we have right now, but I’m not sure which direction to go. Any suggestions would be appreciated. —Kaylynn

Hi Kaylynn,
This is a good problem to have! From a business perspective, I recommend expanding at the location that you already have. Although I know many school owners who have more than one location, some tell me that they have a hard time giving both equal attention. You will have more control managing a business that is all under one roof than you would have traveling from one location to the other.

Expense-wise, it would be cheaper to simply expand your current school. With two locations you need two of everything, from telephones to office staff to maintenance to equipment. It’s better to expand with lower overhead than to double your expenses. —Rhee

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Dear Rhee,
I started my studio at age 20 (10 years ago), and in that time the studio has expanded and I have gotten married. Over the past five years I have struggled with the studio, business, and family life. Knowing that my lease was up in five years, I have tried everything—delegating, not teaching as much, and being home at night, then still not being happy and going back to teaching full time on top of dealing with the business end. It’s an endless cycle.

Here we are five years later, and in May I have to sign a lease to continue if I want to. Then here comes the economy—enrollment has dropped a tad and my rent is well over $5,000 a month. I know that in order to keep paying my rent I’ll have to keep raising my tuition prices. So I think, “Move, downsize,” but I have done that already. Now I want to spend time on my house. But my family members say, “How can you let down 300 kids?” And my response is, “What about me? Can’t I spend my Saturday with my family like they can?” (And please keep in mind that there are 15 dance studios in my town.)

I can’t stop thinking about what will happen to the 300 kids that I will disappoint. My husband says I need to be happy and live for me. I am just afraid of what will happen afterward! Please tell me that you have some success stories on this issue. —Sheila

Dear Sheila,
It is admirable that you wonder what will happen to your students if you decide to close your school. However, with 15 other schools in the area, I have a feeling that your students will find a place that they can call their “dance home.” And maybe you can find yourself a teaching position at one of those schools that will offer you the personal time that you need.

School ownership can be very rewarding if you can manage a sense of normalcy, but when you feel overwhelmed or don’t have time to be with your family or work on your house, then it just might be too much. And that’s OK. An alternative to closing might be to hire additional staff to take on some of your responsibilities; however, if that would add a financial strain to the pressure you are already feeling, then don’t go in that direction.

I recently met a dance teacher who had owned a school for nine years but eventually found herself in the same place you’ve described. She closed her school, raised her kids, spent time living a “normal life,” and then opened a new school 10 years later. She managed to have it all and has a much larger school the second time around. I guess you could say that she had the best of both worlds, and so can you. Put yourself first—I think that’s a good thing! —Rhee

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Dear Rhee,
This is my 30th year of owning a school and I’ve loved every minute of it. Believe it or not, I have had the same office manager for the entire time that I’ve owned the school. She is part of the reason that I enjoy what I do so much—she’s always smiling, supportive, and looking out for my best interests. Last week she told me that she is moving out of the state to live with her daughter and grandchildren at the end of this season. Although I understand her decision, I feel like I will be lost without her. I fear that I will never have a person like her again. Where do I look for someone to replace her? And how will this new person be able to fill her shoes? —Joanne

Hi Joanne,
How lucky you are to have had the same studio manager for 30 years! Be thankful that she has lasted as long as she has—but you must understand that life changes constantly and this is her change (and yours). My suggestion is to look for a former student’s mom who knows the history of your school and is familiar with how your office manager does things. I don’t recommend hiring the parent of a current student, because that can turn into a conflict of interest.

Pull out your old roll books and look back at some of the moms who loved bringing their children to your school and who would feel nostalgic about returning to the source of such fond memories. They make the best office managers for dance schools.

You need to realize that you will not find a replica of your current studio manager, but in time you will discover that your new manager will bring something fresh to the office. It’s a good idea to bring the new person in to work with your current manager for a couple of weeks before the end of the season; that will give her a better understanding of the school and your needs. And be sure to let your longtime employee know how much you appreciate all that she has done for you. I wish you all good things in this transition. —Rhee

By Cheryl Ossola

“I love this dance!” That’s what one of my Balboa partners says nearly every week after class. If you’ve never heard of this dance, you’re not alone; within the larger swing-dance community, Balboa dancers are a relatively small subset. But if you ask us, of all the dances that fall into the category of swing, Balboa is king.

Many people equate swing dance with Savoy-style Lindy hop, with it crouched stance, sock-hop dress style, and flat shoes (great for landing those aerials but not as elegant as high heels). That’s what Lacey Schwimmer did on So You Think You Can Dance a few seasons ago. But there’s another world of swing out there, one that’s smooth, elegant, and infinitely variable, jazz dancing that swings as hard as Louis Prima or Chick Webb. Sure, you can jitterbug to rock ’n’ roll, but to dance Bal (as we call it), you need musicians who really know how to swing.

I’ve heard old-timers say that Balboa doesn’t look like much, but wherever my friends and I go dancing, people come up and say, “What are you doing? That is so cool!” One reason why Balboa stands out is its elegance—no crouching and stomping here, and we women wear heels and, often, vintage dresses—and the other is its speed. When a very fast song comes on, most swing dancers leave the floor—but that’s when we Bal dancers hit our stride. Songs played at 180 to 280 beats per minute (or even 292—think of the fastest version you’ve heard of Count Basie’s “Jumpin’ at the Woodside”) are what we love, though we can adapt to slower tempos.

The Balboa was born on Balboa Island, off the coast of San Diego, CA, in the mid-1920s, becoming popular in the 1930s. It was born of necessity: Dance floors were too mobbed for the space-devouring moves of the Lindy. During the swing revival of the 1990s, dancers who wanted to learn the Balboa sought out the old-timers who had originated it, including Maxie Dorf, Willie Desatoff, Ann Mills, Hal Takier, and Dean Raftery, many of whom danced in movie musicals in the 1930s and ’40s. Through the swing revivalists’ efforts the Balboa, which had been mostly limited to Southern California, started spreading and changing.

In its original form (now called “pure Balboa”) the partners danced in closed position at all times. Its very close, torso-to-torso position allows the lead to be given and received with the whole body. In some of my early classes, we practiced without using our arms, learning to communicate via directional movements that originate in the lead’s center. In Balboa, weight shifts are everything.

Pure Bal’s showiness is all in the feet—fast footwork, with a rhythmic pulse (often subtle) that keeps the partners together musically. In some old footage, it’s smooth enough that if you saw a couple from the waist up you’d think they were skating, or maybe not moving at all.

(Other swing dances, by comparison, are far more linear.) Once you separate, you’re doing Bal-swing, which the inventive Maxie Dorf was doing as early as the 1940s.

The next generation of Bal dancers built on that foundation, including one fabulous champion couple, Steve Garrett and Heidi Salerno, who call their unique style “Jitter-Bal.” But descriptions aren’t enough—go to YouTube and search for “Balboa by Steve and Heidi” or “Joel and Alison at All Balboa Weekend 2005” for a great taste.

If you like speed, swing, and inventiveness, Balboa is for you. I’ve learned so much from great teachers such as Steve and Heidi, Alison and Joel Plys, Zach Richard and Maryse Lebeau, Sylvia Sykes, Jonathan Bixby, Marty Klempner, Brenda Collins, and Jeff Kroll. There are teachers and workshops all over the world, so jump into action! Or go to Bal’s birthplace and attend the Balboa Rendezvous in San Diego (www.2plyswing.com). Why am I telling you this? It’s simple: I love this dance!

Words from our readers

I just had to write and let you know how I laughed at Diane Gudat’s “Fantasy Comebacks” [DSL, September 2008]. Oh my gosh, I have had some of the same questions! That was the best laugh I have had in a long time. Thank you for your magazine; it is very inspiring.
Fran Norris
Miss Fran’s Dance & Tumbling Studio
Ponca City, OK

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I was on the treadmill listening to my iPod and reading the September 2008 issue of Dance Studio Life (by the way, love this magazine!) and I came across the article titled “Fantasy Comebacks.” I haven’t laughed that hard in a long time. It was a hysterical but a realistic article. Many times I’ve had to be professional instead of saying exactly what I was thinking. I really enjoyed this article and made copies of it for my friends who own studios in other towns. Thank you so much for a great laugh!
Lisa Brown
Sunset Academy of Dance
San Francisco, CA

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I was reading the letter from a teacher who had two of her teachers leave and open a studio close by [DSL, “Ask Rhee Gold,” September 2008]. My advice to all dance studio owners is to get a contract (and yes, it would be worth the expense of getting an attorney to do it) stating that the teachers employed cannot teach within a 10- mile radius for a period of two years following the end of the contract without written permission of the studio owner. How awful for someone to do that—but it happens, and studio owners must be very careful.
Louise Taitz
On Your Toes Academy of Dance
Buffalo Grove, IL

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I love, love, love your publication! It has helped me more times than I can count—and as I am entering my ninth year of studio ownership, that is saying a lot!
Jill Robinson
Adams Dance Academy
Pittsgrove, NJ

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I thoroughly enjoy your magazine and every article is real-world! So helpful to a studio owner. Keep the great issues coming because we look forward to new ideas every month.
Elizabeth Huebner
Classical Dance Center
Newport Beach and Tustin, CA

Dear Rhee,
My school has been open for 14 years and for the most part we have been extremely successful. We always stay on top at the competitions and usually go home with the high-score cash awards. Over the past few years I have added several teachers to my staff, especially those who are good with the competition program. They are all fine teachers, but most of them don’t like to teach the untalented students, or as you call them, the recreational students. I understand because I don’t like to teach the beginners or the babies, either.

Like most teachers, we all complain or make fun of the recreational students because we know that they’ll never be as good as our competition kids. But I try to explain to my teachers that they need to fake having a good time when they are teaching the beginners because that’s where their paycheck is coming from.

To date we have lost more than 40 beginners and babies in the first three months of the season. Obviously I am not saying the right thing to my teachers to make them understand that we can’t keep losing these students, but it just doesn’t seem to sink in. Do you have any advice? —Nancy

Dear Nancy,
From my perspective, you are the root of your problem. Your faculty will not change their attitude until you change yours. If you don’t like to teach the recreational students and you freely share those feelings with your faculty, why should they want to teach them either? When you suggest to your faculty that they should fake enjoying these students, you set an example that I wouldn’t encourage any school owner to do. Your students and their parents can see through your façade and that’s why they’re dropping in such large numbers.

You wrote that all teachers complain about or make fun of the recreational kids because they are not as good as the competition kids. In my opinion you are completely off base with that statement. Teaching a beginner student who masters a chassé or a simple shuffle should be as rewarding to the teacher as any student who wins a trophy. And “recreational” is not a synonym for “untalented.” There are plenty of talented kids who do not aspire to a career in dance or even want to make dance the focus of their lives. Their interest in other activities or academics may limit their participation, but it doesn’t mean that they have no talent.

It is time to stop adding faculty to your competition program and start hiring teachers who actually like to teach dance to all students, regardless of their skill level. If you don’t like to teach the babies and neither does your faculty, your school probably doesn’t have much of a future. Those babies are your future.

The best advice that I can offer you is to get off your high horse and stop judging your students by whether they win awards. Then maybe your attitude will trickle down to your faculty. Until then, I have a feeling that you will continue to lose students. Ultimately you may find yourself with all the trophies but no school to display them in.

I apologize if this response seems harsh, but if you read this magazine on a regular basis you would know that you are writing to a person who believes that every child should experience the wonderful world of dance. And I don’t care if they can do multiple pirouettes or simply clap to the music. —Rhee

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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 whose owner appreciates your integrity. It is teachers like you who inspire me to do what I do.—Rhee

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Dear Rhee,
I am one of the lucky dance teachers with a husband who supports what I do. He has dinner waiting on the table when I come home and he takes on as much responsibility with our three children as I do. For years he has been encouraging me to buy a building for my school because he calls the rent that I pay “highway robbery.” Together we have been saving for three years to come up with a down payment for a piece of land that we know is a fantastic location for the dance school of our dreams. We are ready with a down payment, building plans, and the financing to make it a reality.

The problem is that I am not sure that I want to continue teaching dance. After having my school for 11 years, I feel burned out. I’m scared that if I build this building, I may never be able to get out. This doesn’t mean that I would stop teaching now, but paying rent makes me feel that I have an out when I’m ready. I really don’t see myself doing this for another 10 years. Probably I would teach for someone else, and then later I would like to go back to school.

The problem is that my husband is so obsessed with this building that I am nervous about telling him that I don’t think this is what I want to do. I am confused because this is what I wanted when I married my husband, but my priorities have changed. I’m afraid my husband is going to be disappointed or not support my wish to continue paying rent. What would you do? —Elaine

Hello Elaine,
Right about now we have many readers who are thinking, “I will take her husband and the chance to build my own building any day!” But the reality is that you can’t move forward on building this school if you are feeling burned out before you ever lay the foundation.

I am a big one for going with your instinct, especially when you have to make a life decision like this. I’m sensing that yours is telling you that this is not the right move at this point in your life. If your husband has dinner waiting on the table and is so supportive of what you do, then I have a feeling that he will also support your decision not to move forward on this project.

Maybe it’s time for the two of you to decide whether there might be another business that you could go into together. Or maybe your burnout will not last and five years from now you’ll decide that building your school is something you want to do. Whatever the next chapter is, it sounds like you are very levelheaded and that you are extremely lucky to have the husband that you do. Go with your instinct and don’t be afraid to share your feelings with your husband. All the best to you. —Rhee

Words from our readers

Great article by Nancy Wozny [“Two Worlds, One Dance Planet,” Dance Studio Life, October 2007]. I don’t think I would have my job if we did not have forward thinkers like [Houston Ballet artistic director] Stanton Welch. I came from a studio background and now run one of the largest schools in the U.S. The lines are definitely blurred as we evolve and mesh the best of both worlds, commercial and not-for-profit, as well as university life. As a leader in the field and one who has seen thousands of dancers as I recruit, I am amazed at how versatile students are now, and that is due to teachers in both studio schools and professional schools acknowledging the value of one another.

I am also proud to say that I feel I am from the generation that has recognized the change, accepted both genres, and is now responsible for teaching the next generation how to plan for a career that has many options. Dance is growing and the jobs are limited. Students, as well as leaders in the field, must think about that. Students/dancers must be open to all the options available.

Perhaps you could do an article about the value of a dance degree. Parents think (and I admit that I have thought this in the past) that there is nowhere to go with a dance degree. I met with Robert Cohen (he danced with Martha Graham) this summer and he changed my thinking. He said that a dance degree is a liberal arts degree, a way to get to know oneself, and it is no different than another liberal arts degree. I changed my thinking from that moment on.

Keep up the great work, Nancy. The dance world applauds you and we love you for it.
Shelly Power
Associate Director, Houston Ballet’s Ben Stevenson Academy
Houston, TX

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I finally got the chance to read the September issue of Dance Studio Life. It just keeps on getting better! Loved so much of the information and articles—“Ancient Dancers,” “Bringing in the Boys,” “Zeroing In on the Zeitgeist,” just to mention a few. Especially loved “1,000 Words.” Congratulations!
Mike Robertson
Costume Gallery

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I want to thank you for giving the dance teacher world such a worthwhile and meaningful publication to educate us on all aspects of our job. Most of all I appreciate the tasteful front covers of Dance Studio Life. Last month, when I received two other dance-related magazines, I was appalled at the covers. Quite frankly, I didn’t even want to leave them lying out for anyone to see because I thought they were indecent. Today, as we are all battling over inappropriate costuming and dances at competitions, it seems a shame that now we have to see it on covers of magazines designed for the dance world. I appreciate the fact that I don’t have to worry about that with your magazine. Keep up the great work!
Beverly Smithey
Stage I Dance Academy, Greenwood, IN

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The magazine is looking great; very impressive this month [Dance Studio Life, October 2007]. Excellent job with the layout on the “Ballroom Blitz” story!

The faculty at University at Buffalo have made complimentary comments about the new look and even my partner, Thomas (a college academic VP), sees a difference in its value for dance educators. Congratulations.
Tom Ralabate
Associate Professor of Dance, University at Buffalo
Buffalo, NY

Words from our readers

Recently, while on a flight to nationals, I was reading [the July 2007 issue] of Dance Studio Life. As I read the story “Middle School Girls Gone Wild,” I had no idea what lay ahead. Maybe I am sheltered here in Oregon or just need to give credit to the teachers in my area. I had no clue what atrocities were going on out there.

These were not middle-schoolers. They were dancers in the 8-and-under and 9-to-12 divisions—little girls wearing vinyl bikinis, chaps, and garter belts [performing] one dance after another of butt shaking, back arching, and straddling toward the audience. The music selections were often songs I wouldn’t use even for a teenage dancer.

I felt so sad for these little girls. I talked to teachers who said that the parents say they will go along with whatever it takes to win. So they are teaching these little girls that using your body and sexuality will get you what you want in life. These same parents are screaming, “Shake it, baby!” and “Work it!” from the audience. What got to me is that the dances that I found most offensive received special awards. So are we saying that is what you have to do? If this is what it takes to win, the problem is much bigger. It starts with the judging, and the judging starts with what the competition allows. If these dances stop winning, things will change.

The dancers at the competition were talented and amazing. Their teachers are obviously good at what they do. I only wish they would look at these little girls as what they are and remember what the lessons of dance were to us as children. Kids are growing up way too fast as it is. Shouldn’t we reward what is good and decent? There was one studio from Montana that shared my views, and I was pleased to see them take home many awards. Maybe there is some hope left.
Molly Kaleikilo
Innovative Dance, Wilsonville, OR

I just got a chance to read Nancy Wozny’s article “Navigating the Landscape of Injury” [Dance Studio Life, August 2007]. It was beautifully written! Nancy has a gift with words, and I appreciate the care with which she wrote about a challenging topic. Thank you!
Deborah Vogel
Oberlin, OH

Thank you for the article on teaching special-needs children. I was a special-needs child and now I am teaching special-needs children. I want everyone to know that just because they have special needs does not mean they are not capable of learning; in fact, most special-needs people are very intelligent. (Look at Einstein.) I really enjoyed this article.
Kim Lindquist
Salt Lake City, UT

In January, my husband and I were in a head-on car accident with a drunk driver. After three weeks in the hospital, my studio was closed and a close friend that I do Nutcracker with absorbed my students into her recital. My 22-year-old daughter drove two hours each way every Tuesday to teach dance at a YMCA for me and still managed to graduate from college on time! I am not sure what my plans will be in the future as far as dance is concerned. I read [Dance Studio Life] and keep hoping that I can do more, but reality says, “Not yet.” Your words keep me inspired, even after 27 years of teaching. I like the “I am a teacher; I change the world” attitude! My outlook on life has changed, but I have no regrets, for I have touched as many lives as have touched mine.
Donna Collins
Fun Times Dance & Gymnastics, Bixby, OK

[At dance competitions], why do parents find it impossible to acknowledge the performances of dancers in competition with their children? Applauding a beautiful performance by Studio A in no way diminishes the performances of their own dancers. How sad it is to see 12 mommies trying to applaud loud enough for their children to hear them while 200 other people in the audience sit in stony silence. I wonder what their children learn from watching them practice such rude behavior. Every child up there deserves to be acknowledged for their hard work, or at the very least for the gumption they’ve shown by getting up on that stage. I’d be very grateful if you could get the word out that no one’s hands will break if they applaud an “evil rival studio.” We need to teach our children that everyone deserves to be acknowledged. Being gracious never hurt anyone. It only makes all of our lives a little more pleasant.
Sue Waite-Langley
Dallas, TX

I have always enjoyed your magazine, and now after being at [the DanceLife Teacher Conference], I can tell why it is such a success. We can easily see how passionate you are about what you do! Thanks for all you do for dance teachers.
Barb Jackman
Moose Jaw, SK, Canada