This month on 4dancers, the focus is on health/wellness and injury. We are pleased to welcome back Jan Dunn, MS who will be posting on Dance Wellness, and Dr. Sinkoe, who will be sharing information about warts on the feet and toenail problems.

Emily Harrison, MS, RD, LD will provide a great healthy recipe you can make and offer up a post about hydration for dancers, and dancer Emily Kate Long will start her new column on “Finding Balance”…but that’s not all.

We’ll hear a bit about Dance UK and what they have done to support health in dance professionals, and learn more about the field of dance therapy from a practitioner in the field. In addition, we will take a look at a wonderful organization that does dance therapy programming for children and young adults with cancer.

You can also count on the usual mix of interviews and informational posts that you’ve come to expect from 4dancers. This is all part of our “monthly themes”–which we thought would be a fun way to present content to our readers. Next month…Adult Ballet!

Let us know what you think of our new format by leaving a quick comment below–and thanks for reading.

Catherine

• A dance wellness column, written by 4dancers new contributor, Jan Dunn
• January will focus on the pointe shoe–giving you inside information, tips, tricks and foot care info
• February will be our health/wellness/injury month, with content from physicians who have treated dancers, a nutritionist and more
• Fresh content from our wonderful contributing writer staff!

We look forward to serving you in 2012! Happy holidays!

Civil’s work is truly unique in that the tracks don’t sound familiar–they sound fresh. Some ballet class music can have a “typical” feel to it that just doesn’t add anything to the barre or centre exercises. This is not in that category.

The music here taps into emotion and feeling–something I think the good ballet music composers understand as necessary for it to be something dancers will want to move to. Teachers too find this type of music inspiring, and it can add a measure of creativity to the class environment overall to have such beautiful music.

The CD has a simple barre (10 tracks) and centre music (port de bras, adage, pirouettes, allegro, etc.) and a number of bonus tracks as well. You can listen to samples on her website.

As always, I appreciate the amount of effort that goes into creating original music for ballet class. Civil does it well, and this CD is a great one to own if you teach ballet.

If you’d like to own it, or listen to her other CD, visit her website.

Dance does not require music, and especially for those whose lives and art are deeply involved in the world of dance, movement can be expressed in silence or with a simple and abstract sound design. Much more often, though, dance and music move together through the space called Choreography, and the opportunities and challenges of understanding how music works with dance — or fails to — is the subject of this new series, Music and Dance, at 4dancers.org.

The ideas that such a series could cover are bounded by two nearly opposite perspectives on music and dance. One perspective would see most clearly the contrasts and contradictions of two very different worlds, and different they are. The worlds of Dance and Music are culturally, economically and socially different in many ways, and in ways that make for important differences in how each art is inspired and expressed. Yet ultimately, in a truly successful dance performance, there is little or nothing to separate the two arts, because the movement and the music express together the same artistic vision. When does that happen, and more importantly, how does that ever happen? That’s the outline for this series.

There are artistic questions to explore, like talking about ways to choose music for choreography, and each artistic question leads to more practical questions. What are the best places to find that music? There are technical questions, like discussing how different musical selections can be arranged so that an audience is inspired, rather than distracted, by the changing musical panorama. Among all of these questions, the most pressing are probably those that have an immediate impact on creating, performing, and enjoying dance, and first among those would be a look at how — and why — music effects the artistic success of dance. That’s where we’ll start next month, but here’s a preview:

The heart of this question is a more basic question: why is there an audience for dance at all? More than any other single reason, it’s because people love to share what dancers do, and when you choreograph or dance, success is perhaps best measured by how much of what you can do, you can share. The love of music is very much the same, but there is a difference in the two arts that is important for making dance and music succeed together. An artistic vision is at its essence spiritual — spiritual in the broadest sense in that it ventures beyond a day-to-day awareness of what is already understood. Dance and music are both arts of the spirit, but while dance is the art of a spirit moving in space, music is an art of the spirit moving in time. In the art of Choreography, music can inspire — and often defines — the sequence, the progress, and the success of what is shared.

Next month we’ll take a closer look at how to make sense of the seemingly endless choices that come up when you’re choosing music.

John Nevin

Contributor John Nevin is the Resident Composer and Sound Designer for Thodos Dance Chicago, as well as an independent record producer, and a founding member of the group ‘ohana Dreamdance. In addition to his work as a composer, John works with choreographers and other artists in the sound design for their creative works, and writes extensively about music and dance at aotpr.com

Stacey Pepper Schwartz

Here are some essential tips and tools for college dancers looking for the best steps towards a dance future.  These simple do’s  will provide a solid foundation for the academic year as well as for many years ahead. (Since I write about college dance frequently, if I have repeated myself at all in this list know that I think it doubly important!)

1. If you don’t know ask.  One of the hardest things to do and most beneficial.
2. Introduce yourself to the teacher/guest artist and thank them for the class.   When a teacher knows your name that are more likely to pay attention to you.
3. Find a mentor. This should be a person you can seek out for advice from what courses you should take to the best place to buy cheap leotards.  Preferably  a dance major a few years ahead of you so you can learn from his/her experiences.
4. Have a dance journal.  Write about what inspires you. Write about your dreams.  Write about what you want to accomplish in the dance world as well as the world beyond.
5. Don’t live, sleep and dream dance.  Yep – take a break every now and then. Experience fun things outside the dance studio.  This is necessary so you don’t burn out and because life is not just about one experience.
6. Get sleep and eat well.  Eat real food.  Lack of energy results in poor concentration and poor performance.
7. Ask your professors/dance teachers/guest artists for feedback.  How are you doing?  What can you work on?  What do they see as your strengths?
8. Be the first one at rehearsal and the last one to leave.  (Translation: demonstrate your work ethic, enthusiasm and commitment by not running in the last minute and running out the first minute you can.)
9. Ask to understudy.  If you do not get cast in a dance piece you wanted to perform ask to understudy.  It is a great way to work with a choreographer, gain experience and a possible performing opportunity.  Asking to understudy shows commitment and determination.
10. Think positively.  Negative thoughts breed negative behavior, mood, and outlook.  Choose a positive perspective.  Learn from the disappointments.  This doesn’t mean to pretend to be happy, but it does mean have a good attitude.   Choreographers/teachers are drawn towards positive personalities.
11. Read.  It’s a great hobby and a portable one.  Find enjoyable ways to pass the time when waiting for the bus, rehearsal, class, etc.  I found that instead of dreading the bus in and out of the city I looked forward to reading my book.  (It’s also a great way to relieve stress.)
12. Research.  Learn about the history of the dance/company/artist you are working with.  This will make your experience richer and you will be a better dancer/choreographer/student for it.
13. Know everybody’s names and say thank you.  Show your appreciation to the costume/prop/backstage crew/etc. who help you along the way.  A thank you can go far.  When you need help with a last minute problem you will know who to ask for and they will know who they  are helping.
14. Enjoy the moment.  You are fortunate to be following your dreams.  Dream big and enjoy the journey.

Please share other must’s, do’s and don’ts that every college dancer should know.  I would love to hear your feedback!

Contributor Stacey Pepper Schwartz received her BFA in dance performance at Montclair State University and her MA in dance education from Teachers College, Columbia University. She has taught as an artist in residency and guest artist in public and private schools for over twelve years.

Stacey is the Founder and Director of Leaping Legs Creative Movement Programs. The focus of Leaping Legs Creative Movement Programs is to help people regardless of age, experience or ability, become educated about their movement potential, develop kinesthetic awareness, and become more physically fit and healthy together as a family, and community.

Leaping Legs promotes its goal through the original Up Down & All Around DVD. The DVD received Dr. Toy’s 100 Best Children’s Products Award and 10 Best Active Products Award. The DVD has also been featured in many magazines including Dance Retailer News, The National Dance Teachers Association dance journal dancematters, and Dance Teacher.

Before embarking on dance education, Stacey was a professional dancer and choreographer in New York City.

Look for:

Ballet Class CD Reviews

New interviews

The first post by new contributor Lizzie Leopold

Hope you have been having a great summer so far!

Catherine

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There is something magical about hearing the instruments warm up as you walk through your steps backstage. It adds to the excitement. There’s a synergy that dancers and musicians have that is unlike anything else. One feeds off the other–creating what amounts to live art. It’s astounding.

This isn’t the only place that dancers and musicians cross paths however. Many times a ballet classroom will have a live pianist, which is a treat, as anyone who has experienced it knows. In my day I had several, and I remember them all quite well. First there was Edith. She drove a yellow Volkswagen and was quite a character. I also had a reserved, thin gentleman who was amazing at the keys, and a dark-haired woman from Russia who had the most fantastic, dramatic music I’ve ever heard. Hats off to them all–they made my classes wonderful.

Is there a particular musician or pianist who stands out in your mind? It would be fun to hear your thoughts on this too…I’m sure that I am not the only one who has been impacted by the gift of live music in class or on stage…

Dance Chicago, in conjunction with the Cliff Dwellers Arts Foundation, gave awards to several choreographers this year–including the Choreographer of the Year, Sam Cortez (Mexican Dance Ensemble). Mr. Cortez was selected based on the volume and depth of the seven distinctive works he created.   

In addition to the Choreographer of the Year award, otheres were selected to receive the Dance Chicago Outstanding Choreographer (Body of Work) Award for their significant contributions to the 2010 festival, they are:

1. Billy Siegenfeld (Jump Rhythm Jazz Project)
2. Chris Courtney (Culture Shock Chicago, Chicago Dance Crash) 

There were also awards for Outstanding Choreography (New Voice):

1. Melinda Wilson (Curie Metropolitan High School for the Performing & Technical Arts)
2. Jessica Deahr (Chicago Dance Crash, Independent Dancers)

And finally, The Dance Chicago Outstanding Choreography Award (Team Choreography) was awarded to:

1. Trae Turner, Angelina Grima, Susan Skrzymowski (BOOM CRACK! Dance Company)

Congratulations to all of the participants and winners this year!

As you can see, 4dancers is building a new look for 2011. We will be featuring some new content for the new year–including video–so stay tuned.

I hope that everyone has a warm and happy holiday. Thanks again for reading.

Best,

Catherine

If you have enjoyed this blog during the past year, I’d love your vote. All you have to do is comment in the section below to vote for 4dancers.

I’ve really had a good time creating this blog and developing sections such as “10 Questions With…” and taking on wonderful contributors, such as Matthew Powell (Post Curtain Chat) and Lucy Riner (read about all our contributors here). I hope to do even more in 2011!

Thanks much for your consideration–I appreciate your readership! (I won’t be giving my thanks out in the comments section, as I think that would be cheating…the amount of comments selects the blog for the next round of votes…)                  -Catherine