Summer is right around the corner, and with that comes summer training programs! What a wonderful season! I remember those days when I was young, saving up all of my student teaching and paper route earnings so that I could go to 3, 5, 6, and (later) 8 week-long intensives. In a family of 7 kids, there isn’t a whole lot of moolah floating around, so I had to pay for all of my summer training … and every pair of pointe shoes! When most people hear that, they gasp and ask what my parents were thinking. I say they were teaching me to appreciate and not waste the training that I had saved my hard-earned money to get. There were so many girls in my classes that didn’t really want to be there, whose favorite part of the programs was hanging out at the dorm at the end of the day. Yes, that part is fun, but the part you take home with you is the knowledge and technical strength that you gain. My first intensive was 2 weeks long, and I was 11 years old. Every year I added a week or two until I was practically spending my whole summer dancing.

When I finally got accepted into the ABT New York summer program, it was a big deal. I had auditioned the year prior and went to their program in Detroit, but NYC was a whole new ball game. For one thing, I had never been to the city that never sleeps, and I was going there all by myself. It didn’t have a set dorm that everyone stayed at, like most of the programs I went to and, being from Eastern Oregon, I had no idea what to do about housing. My parents left it up to me to figure it out, and eventually I did. My miniscule salary from teaching and the paper route was not even going to pay for the cost of rent for the summer, so I started fundraising. I wrote letters so all of my extended family, asking for donations. They published a story in the local newspaper and we had a booth set up at the dance recital. Somehow, I raised enough money to go.

It gave me a new motivation, because I knew that there were people back home that had invested in my future and believed that I could succeed in a career in dance, and I wasn’t about to waste their money. I kept a notebook in my dance bag and would write down comments or corrections that the teachers gave. It helped me utilize the information I was given, plus I could look over my notes from weeks back and review. I had full days of class and rehearsals from 8:00am-6:00pm, and at the end of the day my roommates and I wanted to collapse at the apartment. But we couldn’t just lay there and waste our time when there was an entire city to be explored! After I got used to the Subways and knew what Uptown and Downtown meant, I would just hop on one and get off at a random station to see where I ended up. I discovered many landmarks accidentally, as well as the amazing bagels! Every time I go back to NYC, I have to get a bagel with walnut raisin cream cheese. It’s to die for!

Anyway, back to my point. Take advantage of this summer and I hope you realize what a privilege is that you get to dance… and make sure you have fun! You will come back filled with knowledge, stories, and memories that will last a lifetime.
-Lizzy

Are you going to any training programs this summer? Have you had good experiences with intensives in the past?

I want to begin this blog by apologizing for my long absence. There are a number of reason’s for this that I wanted to take this opportunity to explain.
I felt very honored when I was asked to write a blog for Discount Dance Supply a few months ago. With this in mind I assumed that my audience would be mostly younger dancers who are hoping to have a view into the life of a professional and therefore was writing the blog with them as my intended audience. However, I underestimated the exposure that I would receive and was surprised when the blog was discovered by many others who, with no bad intentions, posted links and comments on other ballet related sites. I even had a superior at my work place tell me he had enjoyed reading my posts. To be completely honest this scared me. I am semi-confident when it comes to dancing and performing on stage but writing is not what I consider one of my strong points. I am extremely self conscious and was afraid that people would begin to judge me on my writing skills.
Yesterday was my 26th birthday and I am going to make it my personal new year’s resolution to get back to blogging and overcome my writing fears. I still intend to write to the same audience because young dancers are the people that I have the most interest in communicating with. In this blog I hope to paint an honest picture of what it is like to be a young woman living and dancing in New York City. There are many dancers who sugar coat their experiences. I love my job, I love performing and I love New York but I want to present the whole story, the good and the bad as well as my experiences outside of the theater, at school and around the city.
I want to thank everyone who takes time to read my blog old, young, dancers, non-dancers and all those in between and want to encourage questions and suggestions for blog topics because more than anything I want this blog to help and inform.

Tess

Hi everyone!

For this blog I’d like to a little something different to spotlight one of my students who recently got accepted into the same school where I’m at – NYU Tisch School of the Arts. I highly encouraged him to apply and I had no doubt that he would get accepted. Here is his bio and his story:

Diego Andrés Gasca Ortega was born on April 8, 1992 in Los Angeles, CA. Academically, he has enrolled in the most strenuous coursework offered, including several honors and Advanced Placement courses. He is involved in various activities outside the classroom, ranging from student government (Speaker of the Senate), Key Club (President), Young Legislators, Mock Trial, California Scholarship Federation, Choir, Theatre, and Dance. From an early age of seven, he has had a passion for dance and a craving to perfect his craft. He has studied in the fields of Ballet, Contemporary, Jazz, and Hip-Hop and has trained intensively from instructors such as Alia Harlan, Alex Arnold, Robert Prescott Lee, and Tiffanie Siyavong. He has won several awards/scholarships at competitions and conventions, such as being a Finalist for Tremaine’s Teen Dancer of the Year and earning a scholarship for ABT’s Summer Intensive. He plans on enrolling into the Tisch School of the Arts in New York University in the 2010 fall semester with a dance major. He is excited to see what the future holds for him and the different ways in which he will explore and develop his dancing abilities.

From Diego:

When I first applied for NYU (the dance program, in particular) back in the beginning of December, I had absolutely no faith I would actually make it in. I believed it was an extreme stretch for a boy from Whittier, California to make into such a prestigious school as New York University and be able to dance in their well-respected program. Thus, I put it out of mind and focused more on schools that were in-state. When I attended the Tisch audition in LA in January, I was extremely nervous; yet, the further I made it along the audition, the more shocked I was that I had made it to the next round. I was asked to stay until the final interview portion and I was thrilled. Nevertheless, I still knew there was a large possibility I wouldn’t make it into my dream school. Here goes nothing!

I got in. Now what? Oh yea- money. =| It wasn’t bad enought that I had to wait to hear I got accepted or not; now i had to wait to see if there was any money attached to that acceptance. Otherwise, the chances of me actually going to the school were going to be pretty slim to none. I waited anxiously until April 9, which coincidentally happened to land the day right after my birthday. I checked the mail and saw that the Financial Aid letter had come in. I opened that sucker up and found just what I was hoping for – and then some! The Tisch School had granted me a weighty $39,000 scholarship for the entire school year. JACKPOT!!! Long story short: I tweeted like crazy, called the family to let them know (mother cried tears of joy), and here I am now – planning on leaving my comfort zone that I call Whittier to explore the concrete jungle in a mere 4 months. =) I can’t wait to see what new opportunities lie in store for me and where life will take me. NEW YORK BABY!!!!!!! =D

—————-

A HUGE congratulations to Diego. I am SO proud of him. It’s been an honor teaching him and now it’s going to be even better getting a chance to see him around the school. There’s nothing better than seeing your students succeed. Thanks for reading

Here’s a picture of Diego and I at my last class I taught in CA before I left for New York City:

From Dance Magazine

By Margaret Willis

It was a brief YouTube clip of her Kitri that set balletomanes abuzz. From the first moment that Bolshoi starlet Natalia Osipova was spotted in a short solo from Don Quixote, the link flew from computer to computer around the world. Her performance commanded the stage with sparkling personality and breathtaking technique. Tossing off multiple pirouettes with a laugh, she flew through the air, her head almost touching her back leg, with such exuberance that audience and fellow dancers alike cheered her on. Via cyberspace, her fame was well-established long before most of her newfound fans saw her in the flesh. Within four years, she rose through the ranks of the Bolshoi Ballet to first soloist. Under Bolshoi Ballet director Alexei Ratmansky, she has been given the opportunity to perform many roles and to develop a partnership with the equally exciting dancer Ivan Vasiliev.

My first live sighting of her was in 2006 in Southampton when the Bolshoi was on a regional tour of Britain. It wasn’t in some high-powered role, rather as one of the shepherdesses in Act II ofSpartacus. But there was something mesmerizing about the way she skipped, light as a feather while clutching her arms around her head, that foretold of a star-in-waiting. That summer, the company returned to London where Osipova, still a corps member, performed the full Don Quixoteto cheers and thunderous applause. The following year, partnered by the 18-year-old wunderkind Ivan Vasiliev, she again set the stage ablaze with her daredeviltry, pyrotechnics, and flamboyance. The tour also showed us more of her talent, and she received the 2007 top female dancer prize from the British Critics Circle National Dance Awards—a great honor considering how many fine and famous ballerinas graced the stages of Britain that year.

As Gamzatti in La Bayadère, she was an imperious, hard young woman who would not contemplate losing the affections of her betrothed to a mere temple dancer. Her whole performance was one of cold, calculating command, and her nuptial pas de deux with Solor was performed with possessive authority. In Ratmansky’s The Bright Stream, she showed a comic streak. In Tharp’s In the Upper Room, she danced with a vitality that was hypnotic for its fearless, slick, and fluid technique—all done with a terrific sense of enjoyment. For this role she received the Golden Mask award in Moscow last spring.

But things could have been very different and we might have been watching an Olympic champion rather than a ballerina. Osipova, 22, started out as a determined gymnast, with eyes on an eventual Olympic medal. A back injury sent her off to ballet classes for strengthening, but she was not a willing dancer. Despite being accepted into the Moscow Choreographic Academy, she felt she was just biding time until she could return to the gym floor.

“When I started ballet, I didn’t really like the classes,” she told me. “I was too flexible. While my limbs flew up easily in class, I didn’t have the control needed. I also realize now that I wasn’t a serious student. I believed that this ballet instruction was just a small period in my life and that soon I would be getting back to the sports world, which I loved so much.” But she eventually realized her back problem would prevent her from returning to gymnastics, and started to accept ballet. “It wasn’t until I performed onstage in a school concert and heard the appreciative applause of the audience that I suddenly realized that ballet was really important for me. I began to work hard. I’d danced a Russian dance and enjoyed wearing a costume, putting on makeup and becoming someone else. But I especially liked the applause—and,” she added with a cheeky grin, “I still do.”

Ballet competitions followed. At 17, in 2003, she won the Grand Prix in Luxembourg. In 2005, as a new corps member of the Bolshoi Ballet, she won the bronze in the Moscow International Competition despite having to cope with rehearsals and performances for two company premieres at the same time. In November 2005, she stepped out of the corps for a night to perform the fullDon Quixote with competition partner Andrei Bolotin, thus winning more fans.

So, after all these hard-punching bravura heroines, what about lyricism? When Johan Kobborg went to Moscow to stage his version of La Sylphide on the Bolshoi in 2007, he selected Osipova as the lead. Suddenly, in place of the powerhouse bravura and fiendishly technical challenges that she relishes, she transformed into a silky Sylph. She skimmed the stage like a smooth stone on a millpond. She offered the lightest of jumps, which exploded like milkweed pods. As her tarlatan billowed out around her, she gave the sensation of her feet not touching the ground. But she was also a sassy Sylph who delighted in teasing poor James. As in all her performances, Osipova immersed herself in her character so much that she was living the role rather than just playing a part.

In her debut as Giselle last fall she was a peasant girl with gusto rather than a demure seamstress. Her mad scene was so vivid that she received a phone call from her mother in the intermission, checking if she was all right. As a Wili, the ballerina born to balance on pointe evidenced fluidity and grace while remaining strong in character.

So where does she go for technique polishing and filigree detailing of all these roles? Osipova never hesitates to praise her coach Marina Kondratieva, who is the complete antithesis of the young dancer. The soft-spoken, introverted, and gentle Kondratieva was a Bolshoi ballerina of the ’60s and ’70s much loved for her lyricism, phrasing, and musicality. It was a surprise to everyone that Osipova pleaded with her to take her on. Kondratieva guides her pupil in the ways of long held Bolshoi traditions, regularly reining in Osipova, who would rather bring out her personality onstage than dance by the book. “Marina Viktorovna is a genius in explaining everything to me,” says Osipova. “We work out every minute detail from eyelash to fingertips.”

The pretty young Russian with raven-black hair and heavy mascara-ed eyes is a glutton for hard work, a perfectionist who demands 100 percent of herself even in rehearsals. She will ruminate over anything that she feels was not her best, and her brow will furrow with displeasure. But after some walking to and fro, she continues, no matter how tired, until the steps are perfected. Dance is a propelling force inside her and nothing can stop it—not even the virus and high temperature she suffered on her debut as Medora in Le Corsaire in April. Despite this, she danced full-out in a role well-suited for her with partner Ivan Vasiliev, who was also making his debut as Conrad and who won plaudits for his macho, comic bravura.

These two dynamos make for an exhilarating pairing. Anything can happen, and they set the audiences cheering. Osipova turns on a dime in her speedy multiple pirouettes and devours the stage while reaching the heights in her flights across it. Vasiliev, in true competitive spirit and with a great sense of fun and joy, will match her, streaking like an arrow in airborne jetés and spinning like a top in his jaw-dropping turns. The two of them have become the darlings of the international ballet world, not to mention they were each a Dance Magazine “25 to Watch,” she in 2007, he in 2008. During the festival of Ballet Nacional de Cuba in the fall of 2006, they challenged the Latins’ renowned virtuosity to flash their unique brand of excitement to crowds who erupted with enthusiastic and passionate cheering.

While we can anticipate many more sparkling jewels in Osipova’s tiara to be unveiled in the next few years, it is her bravura that her devoted fans want to see most. She is often invited to guest with many companies—usually performing “Kitri, Kitri, Kitri” she laughingly states—bringing the house down as in St. Petersburg, where she repeated her 32 spot-on fouettés at the Kirov. She admits that her life as a gymnast would have been very short-lived, so she’s happy how things have worked out.

“Ballet is my destiny,” she declares solemnly.

Margaret Willis, a contributing editor to Dance Magazine based in London, has been covering the Bolshoi Ballet since 1977.

From Dance Magazine

By Max Pollak

One of my favorite tap scenes from a movie is a crazy up-from-underneath-through-a-glass-floor shot of three guys in tuxedoes wearing oxford shoes without taps in a Busby Berkeley extravaganza from the 1930s. It shows up close the flying feet, stomping soles, and the seemingly floating torsos of three great dancers executing a breakneck wing combination. This ingenious shot sticks in my mind because it illustrates two powerful aspects of tap dance: the rock-solid athletic dexterity, and the sophisticated musical confidence necessary to pull off such technical wizardry with style and grace.

What makes tap so different from other dance styles, even percussive ones like flamenco and Irish step dancing? It displays the ingenuity of people who over the last 160 years or so have merged several very different movement aesthetics from distant continents into a brilliantly versatile form of expression immediately recognizable as born in the U.S.A.

Many of us traveling ministers of the percussive sole are often asked about the history of tap dance. We usually answer to the best of our knowledge about the shared roots in Africa and the British Isles and try to explain the parallel development of jazz music and its sibling who can’t sit still: tap. The ultimate challenge is that there are virtually no written historical sources before the advent of the moving picture. Performance reviews of early tap champions like William Henry Lane (a.k.a. “Master Juba,” born a free black man in 1825) are scarcely accurate technical analyses.

From what I gather, Lane had learned Irish jigs and reels and combined them with his personal movement style and phrasing rooted in African traditions, laying the foundation of what would become the basic vocabulary of tap. Historically, the melding of African and Anglo-European movements can be traced to poor urban neighborhoods following the Civil War. Recent immigrants and freed slaves would challenge each other to show off their best moves. The Irish jig, English clog, and African shuffle fused into a uniquely American art form, marked by looser articulation, swing phrasing, improvisation, and relaxed body language. Unfortunately, as soon as buck dancing (as tap was called then) showed signs of commercial profitability, white impressarios and performers took advantage of it and presented it to a white audience nationwide, largely excluding black performers.

Since the early days, tap was dominated by versatile and charismatic figures. All of them were superb entertainers, multitalented, graceful, and often hilariously funny.

Bill “Bojangles” Robinson, with his crisp sound, thick ragtime groove, and impeccable elegance, defined the era of the split-clog. This shoe-instrument sported a loosely attached wooden sole under the front part and usually a solid wooden heel. While the sound was beautiful, the wood had to be replaced often.

The technological upswing of the 1920s left an indelible mark on the way we dance today: the aluminum tap. The much louder and more resilient aluminum on the balls and heels of the shoes opened possibilities for speed and musical advancement.

John Bubbles, with his multisound rhythm turns, athletic over-the-tops, and multiple heel drop cramp rolls, forecast bebop’s blossoming. My mentor Carnell Lyons (1917–1992) told me he used to dance on Kansas City street corners as a child in the 1930s with bottle caps between his toes, trying to emulate the sound of the new taps. The use of bottle caps was also common in other cities like Chicago and New Orleans where to this day you can find young dancers who fashion “recycled” taps for their own shoes.

With the heyday of vaudeville and variety theater came the element of fierce competition. Whoever had the most sensational eight-minute act got the job. High-class acts like the Nicholas Brothers, the Berry Brothers, Tip Tap and Toe, and the Four Step Brothers brandished unbelievable acrobatic feats. They tastefully incorporated steps like toe stands, splits, and slides into the rhythmic flow of their routines.

Elegant soft-shoe dancing to slower, more understated music, as epitomized by Charles “Honi” Coles (1911–1992) and Charles “Cholly” Atkins (1913–2003), became a popular contrast to hyperenergetic numbers. It required superior balance and delicate melodic control, deepening the form’s dynamic and artistic sophistication. Originally a novelty aspect of the soft-shoe, sand dancing used different foot movements to produce the wistful swishing sound that’s similar to the brushes on a snare drum.

Vaudeville tap greats like Willie Covan and Buddy Bradley began coaching and choreographing for white movie stars like Eleanor Powell and Ann Miller. In doing so they helped shape the world’s image of tap. Ultimately what drew so many people to tap in the golden decades were the chorus dancers who made it look like anybody could do it.

“Baby Laurence” Jackson (1921–1974), Teddy Hale, and Juanita Pitts in the late 1940s and Jimmy Slyde in the 1950s revolutionized tap by leading the art form back to its jazz roots: improvisation. This meant creating a continuous rhythmic line or solo reacting to the other musicians.

This innovation carries over to the present day, having shaped the styles of many artists who are defining where tap is going in the future. The one and only Gregory Hines took his rock and funk drumming knowledge, applied it to traditional tap technique, and then let it flow. Savion Glover followed on Hines’ path and tripled the speed.

Luckily today tap technique is being passed on, blurring the racial lines that marked earlier chapters. Great women dancers including Brenda Bufalino, Lynn Daly, Heather Cornell, Linda Sohl-Ellison, and Jane Goldberg helped bring the masters of past generations back to public attention in the 1970s and ’80s. Today they are fervently teaching all over the world. Younger dancers (Melinda Sullivan, Michelle Dorrance, Kendrick Jones, Jared Grimes, Joseph Wiggan, and many more) are now pushing the boundaries of the humanly possible. More and more tappers are finding inspiration in unusual musical forms and diverse ethnic traditions, which leave an imprint on their sound and movement (see “Global Tap,” May 2007). What we all share is the need to express ourselves in movement, theater, and music.

Tap dance is a highly personal art form. Ever since Master Juba, the technique has served one purpose: to make the audience hear what you have to say.

Max Pollak is artistic director of RumbaTap and a freelance writer.

From Dance Magazine

By Julie Kent

One of the few American stars of American Ballet Theater, Julie Kent is known for her luscious and limpid quality. She is a favorite of audiences for her portrayals of Giselle, Odette/Odile, Cinderella, Kitri, and many more roles, both classical and contemporary. She has starred in  the films Dancers (opposite Baryshnikov) and Center Stage (opposite Ethan Stiefel). Here Kent answers the question Why do I dance?

It is a profound question…why do I dance?
It is like asking, “Why do I breathe? Why do I laugh? Why do I cry?” It’s so natural, so intricately connected to every aspect of my life for as long as I can remember. Whether I was floating around the house in my mother’s wilted tutu as a young girl or regarding my sister with great reverence as she donned her leotards and tights for ballet class, dance was always there.
But dancing and performing are different things. Dancing is just that—expressing your feelings through movement. It is for everyone; it is for your lifetime. Performing is an exchange; it has many layers and many complexities that can be exquisitely rewarding and challenging. Performing a dance is as personal as any art form could possibly be. You, yourself, are the instrument. Your body is the voice and you have to be willing to give yourself completely to finding the right voice for every role.
This commitment starts very early. In my own life, it was an easy sacrifice of my time because I loved it. But, as often happens, there does come a time when one struggles, when one wonders if the right path has been chosen, when excitement about what is to come is sometimes matched with anxiety. But this is not exclusive to dancers. This is a part of discovering and defining yourself. In my own life, I found that these periods of struggle serve a purpose. They strengthen your character and help develop a deeper understanding of yourself, even if in retrospect, you realize you made mistakes. In the end every decision, every conflict, and every accomplishment become part of what you bring to the stage—if you are willing.
But the rewards are immeasurable. Not only the gratification of striving to create something of profound beauty and then developing the freedom to express it fully, openly, and generously, but the entire journey—the people who come and go, the music, your partners, the audience, the theaters—this all becomes your life. And if you are lucky enough to share it all with one other person, as I am with my husband Victor Barbee, ABT’s associate artistic director, then it becomes part of your family, as it now is for us and our 3-year-old son William. I imagine that he will say in years to come that in his life, dance was just always there.
Natasha Makarova, whom I greatly admire, once quoted in a note she wrote to me that “beauty could save the world.” It is a dancer’s privilege to spend a lifetime aspiring to contribute something of true beauty to our world.

From Dance Teacher

By Jennifer Anderson

While many dance studios have begun to make hip-hop classes a staple in recent years, colleges have not exactly followed suit, and many students are getting frustrated. “It only makes sense that hip hop should be included in higher education,” says Ithaca College senior Kay Cotton, who is president of the student group IC Hip Hop. “It’s going to continue to be in high demand from dance students, so doesn’t it make sense for future dance educators to learn and understand the style?”

Nonetheless, it’s not always obvious where it fits into the higher education setting. Some colleges and universities make sure to offer credited classes, while others offer it as part of a jazz curriculum or bypass it altogether. Meanwhile, student-run hip-hop clubs are sprouting up at colleges everywhere. Here, we talk to dance professionals and students about how they view the artform’s place in higher ed.

Trend or Mainstay?

What came first, the surge in classes or the hit television shows? It’s hard to pinpoint cause and effect, but one thing’s undeniable: Hip hop’s popularity shows no signs of slowing down. Television programs like “So You Think You Can Dance,” “America’s Best Dance Crew” and MTV’s “Dancelife” are just a few examples of the genre’s heightened exposure.

“It’s such an entertaining, fun style to watch and perform,” says Cotton, who joined the college’s recreational hip-hop club, IC Hip Hop, to compensate for the lack of courses offered at Ithaca. And she’s not alone in her pursuit. Due to increased student demand, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, recently added hip hop to its roster of classes, says Jeff Friedman, PhD, assistant professor of dance at Rutgers’ Mason Gross School of the Arts. Even so, it’s only a portion of the jazz curriculum.

A Place in This World

The debate is whether hip hop “should receive the same amount of serious contextualization as classical ballet and contemporary forms,” Friedman explains. “All world forms have need for context, and college dance departments need to consider this factor.”

Like world dance forms, hip hop has a rich history. It is a folk art “created among the common people as an expression of their everyday lives,” writes dance educator Kelsa Rieger in Cityfolk Enews, an online newsletter about traditional and ethnic performing arts. “It emerged from the inner-city streets of the South Bronx in the early 1970s: a new style of music, instrumentation, dance, fashion and visual art that together made up a rich and colorful expression of life for the people, place and time in which it was created.” (Until the college suspended operations in June, Rieger taught hip hop in the dance program at Antioch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio.)

Antioch’s dance program included the courses “Introduction to Hip Hop Dance and Culture” and “West African Drum and Dance” as part of its curriculum. “Kelsa Rieger really wanted students to have an understanding of the cultural context that generated hip hop,” says Jill Becker, former dance program director. “She brought in guests and had the students do readings. Some were really interested in understanding the social, political and economic context.”

Still, many view the artform as a pop-culture phenomenon, explains Becker. “But I take it seriously, and think students can learn a lot about the culture that generated hip hop.”

Perhaps the problem is that some college faculty members don’t know where to find “authentic” hip hop. In the e-newsletter, Rieger talks about how the artform has changed drastically (due in large part to the media) from its beginnings and what is currently being taught. She likens the two styles to the way that samba can refer to either “the raw, authentic, hip-driven dance seen on the streets of Rio de Janeiro, or the smooth, elegant, partnering danced at ballroom competitions in the U.S.; the two look almost nothing alike. The ‘hip hop’ taught in most dance studios across the country today is a far cry from anything you would have seen at one of DJ Kool Herc’s block parties in 1975.”

The educational worth of hip hop extends far beyond the movement involved, and dance professionals like Rieger and Becker are doing their part to spread this knowledge in the higher ed setting. “It’s important for students to value vernacular dance alongside performance dance,” says Becker. “I would like to offset the high art/low art/folk art distinctions—it’s all high art.” And, of course, students are speaking up. “Hip hop is here to stay,” says Cotton, “so the dance community can only benefit from accepting and including it.” DT

Jennifer Anderson holds a BA in Dance and English from Rutgers University and is the rehearsal coordinator for American Ballet Theatr

From Dance Teacher

By Michelle Vellucci

Rebecca McGregor’s high school guidance counselor told her she’d never make a living teaching dance in the K–12 sector. At the time, there were only three full-time high school dance teachers in all of Vermont, her home state, and no dance programs in any of its elementary or middle schools, aside from guest-artist residencies.

McGregor studied dance in college anyway. And not only did she prove her counselor wrong by landing a job, but, in a twist of poetic justice, the school that hired her—Lyndon Institute—is her alma mater’s rival.

The private high school in the rural  community of Lyndon Center, VT, (about 80 miles northeast of Burlington) is where McGregor has spent the past six years building a dance program and cultivating relationships with teachers across the state to ensure that dance in Vermont thrives. “I took it upon myself to make connections with the other dance teachers out here and find ways of bringing us together,” she says.

First Steps

McGregor started dancing in her hometown of St. Johnsbury, VT, at age 8. When a Costa Rican dancer named Liliana Cubero moved to town a few years later and took over the local studio, McGregor began taking class several nights a week, as well as assisting with baby classes and teaching a summer dance program. Through Cubero, she discovered a healthy approach to movement. “I knew that was what I wanted to do,” she recalls. “I wanted to teach.”

Fast-forward to McGregor’s senior year of college, when she traveled throughout Vermont to research school dance programs. “I learned that no one in the dance field knew of each other,” she says. “It became my goal, if I ever got a teaching job, to increase dance awareness and opportunities in schools.”

Her chance came earlier than expected, when her mom spotted a newspaper ad announcing that Lyndon Institute was looking for someone to start a dance program. Though she still had a semester of student teaching ahead of her, McGregor decided to interview for the position just for practice. Two weeks later, she was offered the job. “They waited a semester for me to finish my degree,” she says.

Anatomy of a Dance Program

McGregor started teaching part-time in January 2003, and by the end of the year, she had attracted enough students to support a full-time position the following September. Today, there are about 80 in the dance program—not too shabby for a rural school with a population of 623.
“My students are from all learning levels and socioeconomic backgrounds,” she says, noting that dance has given these children another way to succeed in school. Headmaster Rick Hilton agrees. “It is a delight to see her students strive for excellence, achieve it and receive the approval of the community,” he says. “Rebecca’s stage is a joyful place.”

Classes take place in the school’s historic Lyndon Town House, a sunny, spacious building with high ceilings and wood floors. McGregor teaches two sections of Dance I in the fall and Dance II in the spring, as well as yearlong courses in jazz and lyrical ballet. Her well-rounded curriculum covers history, technique, choreography and principles of anatomy and kinesiology.

As the school’s only dance teacher, McGregor feels it is essential to expose her students to guest artists as often as possible. “Each semester, I try to bring in people who do things differently from me so that my kids can learn something new and get experience from different teachers,” she says.

Serious dancers may audition for Pulse Dance Company, a troupe for sophomores, juniors and seniors. Company members perform and teach in local elementary and middle schools and participate in talent shows and competitions. McGregor also offers independent study courses tailored to students who are planning to continue their dance education in college.

LI’s after-school tap club and dance club, which explores styles from various cultures and time periods, such as bellydance and swing, are geared toward recreational dancers. “It’s about trying to excite kids about moving their
bodies,” McGregor explains. “We let loose and ham it up.”

Reaching Out

When McGregor started her program, she decided to befriend the local studio owners rather than try to compete with  them. The gesture paid off. “The other teachers are very supportive,” she says. “They want their students taking class with me.”

She communicates regularly with the studio teachers, sending her syllabi and weekly outlines to those with students in her classes so they know exactly what she’s covering. “I make it a point to connect to studio teachers so they feel I’m trying to stay on the same page,” McGregor explains. “We share ideas. It’s important for us to connect and talk about the students, because that’s how they’re really going to progress.”

To connect with dance educators and students on a broader scale, McGregor founded the Vermont State Dance Festival. Now in its sixth year, the annual event brings about 150 teachers and students from around the state to the LI campus to participate in classes and performances. In addition to offering professional-level classes, it allows dance teachers from throughout Vermont to meet, collaborate and learn from one another, McGregor says.

Meanwhile, nearby elementary and middle school students get a taste of LI’s dance offerings, thanks to visits from members of Pulse Dance Company. And each spring, McGregor invites other schools and studios to participate in a benefit recital. Four schools took part in last year’s show, and she’s hoping for a few more this year. Admission is free, but donations are accepted; the proceeds go to organizations that promote child wellness. “We usually have about 500 people in our audience,” she says. “In the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont, where hunting is the biggest sport, that’s pretty exciting.”

Looking Ahead

One of McGregor’s plans for the future is to encourage local schools and dance studios to get involved when guest artists come to town. “It would be great to establish a rotating schedule,” she says, “and have dancers from other high schools and studios participate in the master/open classes offered by the artists in residence.”

After running the show solo for the past six years, McGregor says she’ll eventually start delegating certain responsibilities—though she admits she often feels she could keep going forever. “I could easily work on lessons and choreography 24/7 or until I fall asleep in motion, because I am passionate about my job,” she says. “I love seeing the students grow physically, cognitively and socially.”

For now, she’ll continue forging ahead, doing what she loves. “Rebecca possesses that essential quality of great teachers: a passion for her academic discipline,” says Hilton. “Her lessons instruct her students, but her example inspires them.” DT

From Pointe

By Sara Leshen

You saw her on the cover of the February/March 2008 issue; now read a personal interview with Venezuela-born Tulsa Ballet dancer Karina Gonzalez. Find out how she got her start, what it was like to participate in a ballet competition and more.

How did your ballet career begin?
I danced at the School Foundation Gustavo Franklin, starting when I was 7 years old. After I graduated from the school, I wanted to find a good company where I could get experience. I heard the director of Tulsa Ballet was coming to do an audition in Caracas. I thought, “This could be a great opportunity!” Then the audition came and Marcello Angelini offered me a contract. My family and I were so happy.

What is one of the favorite roles you’ve danced with Tulsa Ballet?
My favorite has been Juliet in Michael Smuin’s Romeo and Juliet, because I always dreamed of dancing the part. The role is incredible. To have the opportunity to perform this ballet was amazing because the ballet allows you the freedom to be yourself. It is a combination of technique and artistry, and you can enjoy every step that you do throughout the entire ballet. I really loved it, and I hope I will be able to perform it again.

What was it like to compete in the New York International Ballet Competition?
To be in NYIBC was a great experience. To compete with so many great dancers from all around the world makes you believe in yourself and push yourself to be better each day that you are there. No one came knowing what they were going to dance and perform, so it’s really difficult, but you learn to become your own coach.

What do you enjoy doing outside of dance?
When I am not dancing, I really enjoy staying home, waking up very late, going to the movies, playing with my cat, Garfi, and calling home to talk with my family. Most of all, I try to relax in the short time I have free.

From Pointe

The Joffrey Ballet Artistic Director Ashley Wheater gives an insider’s perspective on what directors want to see.

What should dancers include in an audition DVD?

Everyone’s at different places in their career and what you include depends on that. If you’re just coming out of school, you need to be able to show some good center work, including adagio, good pirouettes, jumping, batterie and on up. It’s ok to include some barre work, but don’t spend a lot of time on it. With women I really want to see pointe work: how they roll up and down. For the men, I like to see big jumps, including double tours and double assemble; fifty percent should be partnering work, no matter whether you’re at the principal level or in the corps.

I also want to see a good classical variation, and good contemporary dance. Show you understand contemporary movement, whether it’s Taylor, Graham, Horton, etc. Sometimes with audition tapes I see a dancer do a lot of tricks but I don’t know if they can move across the room. I really want to see how you connect movement and how musical you are. Show your personality. Make sure you’re performing enchainements as opposed to just exercises.
Is there anything you’d like to see in more audition DVDs?

It’s really nice when the dancer introduces themselves at the very beginning of the tape. Ballet is so much about who you are, it’s important see a dancer’s personality.
Is there anything you don’t like in an audition DVD?

It’s difficult when DVDs come with a long explanation like, “I’m the second one from the left in the third formation.” Try to be as clear as possible who is auditioning. Also, I want to know what year the footage is from. It has to be current.
What should dancers wear in the DVD?
No black tights. It makes it really hard to see in a video. Women should wear a light colored leotard and pink tights. I like guys in grey tights.
How long should it be?

Around 15 minutes.
Can you tell when dancers are trying to camouflage certain weaknesses?
Yes. The material should be as interesting as you have the ability to perform. Choose a variation that shows you to your best advantage. Don’t change the variation. It just shows you can’t do the hard steps.
From first turning on the DVD, how long does it take for you to make a decision?

I’m pretty attuned to what I like. I can decide fairly quickly whether a dancer appeals to me. Directors are usually quite clear about what they need for their company. Sometimes we’re looking very specifically for a small woman at the soloist level. A lot of kids don’t understand that. Nonetheless, I almost always watch the whole DVD. If someone is really talented but I can’t hire them at that time, I’ll call them to give them advice for finding a great company for them.

Right now it’s a fragile time. The arts are struggling along with everyone else. Looking for a job in ballet is hard work. You have to be ready for it and understand what it is to work in pointe shoes for seven hours, look after yourself, eat well and pick up choreography quickly. Companies don’t have the luxury of having people hanging around and not being used.