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

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.

From Dance Teacher

By Lauren Kay

For Joshua Bergasse, who teaches theater dance at Broadway Dance Center in New York City, jump sequences are the highlight of any routine. That much was evident in a recent class—from the way his smile expanded and his energy rose as he explained a series of sautés ending in a huge, turning jump with one knee bent and the other in second position.

Bergasse is not alone in his preference. Powerful jazz, contemporary, hip-hop and modern jumps explode both in the studio and onstage. Fortunately, the basic jump technique students learn in ballet classes will bolster their large jazz jumps, making classical training a must for all students hoping to achieve impressive—and safe—ballon (air time). But, while the underlying elements are the same for all jumps, the extra layers of theatricality, dynamism and musicality make for different challenges in jazzier genres.

DT talked to top jazz and musical theater instructors to learn more about mastering jumps outside of the ballet world. (Ballet jump technique, was covered in-depth in “Joyous Jumps” in the September 2008 issue.)

From the Ground Up

Just as in classical ballet technique, a jump’s ballon, safety and comfort are highly dependent on the quality of the plié that precedes it. In Bergasse’s words, “It’s simple: A better plié equals a better jump.”

Chris Hale, a fellow NYC teacher and dancer, notes that only when the plié is deep enough can a dancer’s legs reach the full, straight length necessary to create beautiful lines during a jump. “The plié is one of the building blocks of a jump, as are truly straight legs—not hyper-extended and not bent—that come from it,” he says.

Rebecca Blanchard, a NYC-based doctor of physical therapy, adds that the plié following a jump is no less important; using the bend in the knees to its full extent absorbs shock. “A correct plié allows the tissue to stretch upon landing and creates a natural rebound, like an elastic band,” she says.

Since jazz, musical theater and contemporary dance jumps are often more forceful than feathery, Michéle Assaf, master teacher at BDC and President of Tezoro Productions emphasizes this point in her classes. “You can’t sit in the plié. Hit the plié and then immediately rebound,” says Assaf. “It’s ‘and a’ timing, as in ‘and a jump’, instead of ‘one, two, jump.’”

When it comes to the switch leaps, barrel jumps and stags synonymous with jazz, strength is another essential factor. In addition to utilizing a proper plié, students can achieve the force necessary to execute these larger jumps by activating the inner thighs, hamstrings and abs. “The quads are the breaks and when the inner thigh is engaged and rotating forward, it cradles the entire jump,” explains Hale.

Blanchard agrees that the entire leg and its cumulative strength of the whole legs helps a dancer achieve a great jump, noting that there needs to be balance between the muscle groups of the upper and lower legs as well as the foot and ankle to avoid over stressing muscles and joints. “Dancers also should not underestimate the importance of hip and core strength,” she adds.

With strength comes control—allowing dancers to release tension while in the air, creating the illusion of suspension. Assaf refers to a photo of dancer Desmond Richardson in a huge jeté to back up the point: “When jumping is done correctly, you can’t see the effort in the air, because all of it has been expended while pushing off from plié, leaving the jump to look like floating,” she says.

Momentum and Style

Bergasse believes that once dancers have mastered the basic elements of a proper plié, adequate muscle strength and foot technique (rolling through the foot, not pronating or suponating upon landing), momentum is what sets jazz jumps apart from ballet more than anything else. “You need momentum to go high and have the swing of jazz or theater involved,” he says. “Momentum builds like a wave, and in jazz, where you have license to use this force, you should.”

To create this momentum safely, Bergasse suggests hopping or marking a jump until the placement feels comfortable before attempting it with full force. Then he helps students add elevation followed by momentum. “You can build on the layers until it’s perfected, because the first couple of times you try a new jump your feet are tangled. You need to understand the placement and landing position first,” he says.

Bergasse then warns students not to place their newly found energy incorrectly by traveling out, instead of up, on a non-traveling jump. Doing so in jumps like axles or sautés can be dangerous for knees and ankles.

Blanchard takes this idea one step further, suggesting that teachers not approach difficult jumps at all until small jumps that land on two feet are completely mastered. The time spent on working on these simpler jumps is also an ideal opportunity to check that students tracking their knees over the feet, instead of letting them fall forward.

Hale agrees that new jumps should be approached with restraint, even if that means taking the force down a notch until movement is mastered. Then, to maintain that control, he says that dancers should never “run at” the jump or fling arms, which leads to both sloppy movement and injury-prone situations. Instead, he suggests that dancers try to always move arms through first position to a pose when possible.

Just as momentum is more acceptable in jazz, stylish, twisted and unusual jumps can make more of a lasting impression than traditional choices that audiences have seen time and again. “A lot of people continue to choreograph jumps like big Russians, and that’s fine,” Bergasse says. “But I like doing a double stag, with an arch in the back, while turning, because in jazz and theater, you can!” Even so, style and details should always be a conscious choice, not a habit—and simple jumps should be mastered first. “A lot of dancers can’t take the affectations they’ve learned out of their jumps,” he says. “With so many different choreographers, styles don’t always cross over. You have to be able to strip that away and adjust.”

Fortunately, once these issues are addressed, the joy of jazz jumps is readily achievable. As Bergasse explains, “In big jumps you don’t have to fight yourself. Instead, you find the momentum, and through it, you find your power.” DT

Lauren Kay is the assistant editor of Dance Spirit, as well as a dancer and writer in New York City.

Hello Everyone!

What motivates you?

I have many motivating factors.  Whether it be with my kids, my husband, with my daughter’s dance or son’s sports, it’s requires motivation.  It is about completing a job well done.  I always reach for higher expectations than I could go for.  There is no job I take on to do half way.  I think that in life when you give more than you have to, you will almost never regret putting the effort in.  Even if the outcome isn’t what I expected or hoped for at times, it still makes it all worth it.

Of course there are always the wins.  The times where you reach high…almost too high and you surprised yourself.  There is never shame in shooting for the stars, even if you fall short.  There is only shame in not trying hard enough.

So now I ask…what will you reach for next?  How high will you strive to climb with that dream?

Competition season is upon us, and this is such a great experience for dancers, but it can also be very stressful.  I have come up with a list of competition essentials to help dancers get through this crazy time.

#1 – Get plenty of sleep.  If you are not well rested, there are greater chances of injury and forgetting choreography.  Get at least 7 hours of sleep the night before you compete so you can be refreshed and ready to go in the morning!

#2 – Always eat something.  Your body depends on food to give you energy.  If you are performing all day, you are going to need plenty of energy to perform your best.  Make sure to eat plenty of fruits and light carbohydrates.  Stay away from junk food and heavier foods that may make you feel too full.

#3 – Always have an extra pair of tights.  You never know what can happen when dancing on stage, and there is always a chance that you will get a big run in your tights during a performance.  If those are the only tights you have, you will be stuck with them for the rest of the competition.  Another mini tip: Have clear nail polish on hand; if you put this around the run, it prevents the hole from getting bigger.

#4 – Make sure to wear blush and lipstick.  The lights on the stage can make a dancer look very pale.  Wearing lipstick and blush will bring color to your face and not drown you out on stage.

#5 – Warm up and stretch properly.  A dancer should always warm up and stretch before any type of dancing to help prevent injury.  Many dancers forget to do this during competition because they are very busy with costume changes and running their choreography back stage.  Try to arrive at the facility early so you give yourself plenty of time to warm up and stretch.  This will lower the risk of injury during the performance.

#6 – Relax and stay confident.  Try not to panic before you go on stage;  just let all of your hard work and practice show in your performance and you’ll be fine.  The more confident you are in yourself, the better you will be;  for competition and for the rest of your dancing career.

Competing is a great experience for a dancer; it can teach you many things that you can use now and throughout the rest of your life.  But most of all, have fun!

Hello Everyone!

My name is Shelli, and I’m here to answer your dance questions! But,  I guess the best place to start is to give you a little history about myself.

To begin, I wear a LOT of hats in life.  Like most moms, I am completely twisted and pulled in all directions, at all times.  I am a mother of 3 amazing kids (I know we all say that…but they really are).  My kids are very close in age but for the next month I don’t get to look completely insane and tell you that my kids ages are 21, 21, and 19.  Until my baby turns 20 March 2^nd.  Then the head scratching begins when I say my kids are 21, 21, and 20!  So yes, I did have twins (boy & girl) and a 3^rd just 15 months later.  They are a dancer/business owner, a senior at Chapman University (Graduating with top honors), and a sophomore at Idaho State who also plays football for them!

But aside from a mother of 3, I am a wife of 23 years, a business owner for the last 20 years and the matriarch of my entire family. I am also a grantie (yes that’s spelled right) of 5 nieces, mother to my 4 dogs, 3 cats, 3 bothers, 1 sister and sometimes my Husband & my father.  I am also partner in a dance wear business with my daughter, and the PR & Special Projects Manager for Discount Dance Supply.

So what does that have to do with my knowing anything about dance and dancers?  Well, I guess it begins with my daughter.  She’s an amazing young woman who has navigated her way thru the maze of being a student, a competitor, a protégé, a professional, a teacher, a judge and a business owner…all in the world of dance.  So without a conscious effort dance and the dance world have been a very big part of my life for 15 years now.

What I would like to accomplish with blogging is to talk.  About every possible subject in the world of dance I can  speak with relative confidence about.  I know that as a mother of a dancer, there were so many moments that I needed a friend…a confidant…an advisor who knew the road I was on.  Hopefully I can provide some of this to you.  I have been through it all as a mother of a ballerina and now out there watching it all from different angles in the business world of dance and competitions.  So feel free to comment back to me…ask questions…give me your thoughts.

I want to leave you with some questions to begin the conversation….

What’s your goal in dance with your child?  What motivates you?  What motivates them?

Hello everyone!

I want to give a little thought to competitions, primarily how you cope when things go wrong.  A few weeks ago, I watched students from my studio compete in a competition, and most of the transitions from piece to piece were smooth and seamless, but the tension built up when one of my friends was about to go on and they turned on the wrong music.  The announcer said “Attention judges:  the next number will be …” The next girl stepped onstage and took her pose, but her music was wrong as well.  They had switched it with my friend’s piece!  Then came the awkward part where the announcer asked the dancer to please leave the stage.  My friend had to wait through about five dances before they straightened out the music and went back to her.  By that time, there is no telling how much her adrenaline and nerves had built up.  She did fairly well, but you could tell that she was past her peak as far as stress levels go.

I once fell during the Medora variation from Le Corsaire, right at the beginning of the piece.  When landing from a jump my foot slipped behind me (slippery stage + pointe shoes = disaster) so I catapulted forward and fell right on my face.  The audience gasped, but for some reason my mind was so calm and set on giving them a show, I bounced back up and didn’t miss a beat in the music.  The crazy part is, I look back and remember that performance as one of my favorites.  After that fall, there was nothing worse that could happen, so I just danced my heart out and the audience cheered at the end.  It felt great!  I find nothing more invigorating than giving a good show.

In my years of competing, I have had several experiences with mixed music, costume malfunctions, and falling flat on my face onstage.  The question is:  how do you cope when something goes wrong?  For me, it all comes down to mental preparation.  A few years ago, my parents gave me a motivational cd series called the Psychology of Winning.  That it my top choice when I need to get in “the zone”.  It’s not necessarily about winning, but having a mindset that anything is possible.  After all, you become what you think about most of the time.  I always perform best when I take a few minutes to be in a quiet place by myself, close my eyes, listen to my ipod, and get in “the zone”.  How do you prepare for competitions and deal with mishaps?  Embarrassing stories welcome!

-Lizzy

In July 2009, Dance Teachers from all over the country converged on New York City Dance Teacher Summit’s recital costume preview and fashion show…and the time has come again! The conference is a 3 day line up of 900 of your fellow dance teachers, 3 motivating days of dance in NYC, World renowned dance instructors and much, much more.

To help gear up, below is a clip from the 2009 summit;  Discount Dance Supply provided all of the clothing that the dancers so elegantly presented.

Get your passes for the 2010 Dancer Teacher Summit today!

Hello everyone!

I hope you are all entering a great 2nd week into February. I’m about to embark on my 4th week of school, and the semester has been so busy already! I mentioned in the last blog some of the projects I’m working on this semester so I thought I’d update you all regarding them.

First, I’m performing in “Showing 4″, which is one out of the 5 “showings” we have featuring work by student choreographers. I’m in a piece choreographed by Mandarin Wu, who is a 2nd year MFA and graduated from UCI for her undergrad. We actually know each other through mutual people including my future sister-in-law, Genevieve, because they worked together in LA this past summer. Anyway, Mandy (short for Mandarin) is choreographing a pointe piece, and I’m very excited and scared to perform it all at the same time. It’s been a long while since I’ve performed pointe on stage so I hope that I don’t fall on my face! We will be performing this piece next week – Feb. 18th and 19th. Wish me luck!

My next project I’m working on is a piece I’m choreographing for the MFA 1 concert. All 1st year MFAs get their own concert to feature choreographic works if they wish. I am choreographing a piece set on 6 women, and it is going to be FIERCE. Here’s a little preview of their costumes (still a work in progress…and was custom made and sewn by my MOM, Monica Chua – my Mom is the best!!! :

Don’t they look so awesome! The piece is also set to music composed by Elias Constantopedos (who also composed my solo from last semester) – the music is a fusion of a Baroque fugue mixed in with electronic sound. I wanted to have this regal and courtship look to the piece, and the music suits the choreography perfectly. You can preview a rehearsal video here – just remember it’s still a work in progress:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IP5voHFwoWU

This piece will be premiering in 2 weeks – Feb. 25, 26, 27th. The show is FREE so if any of you readers are in NYC and would like to come to this performance or the one above then come to 111 2nd Ave, 5th floor. Both shows are FREE! I am so looking forward to this performance because not only are my mother, her boyfriend, and my grandmother coming to see the show, but my fiancé, Chester, will be here too! This will be the first time Chester has come to see me here in NYC so I’m so excited!!!

Lastly, the third project I’m working on is for my Choreographers, Composers and Designers class. I’m working with two other ladies, Julia and Wen-Jen, and we are collaborating with set designers, a costume designer, and music composer to choreograph and produce a work. It’s been such a brain-filled experience so far because everyone has such great creative input and ideas that when I walk away from our meetings my brain hurts! Our concept deals with technology, and how it affects our communication – whether it helps or leads us to miscommunication. We are working within that realm, and if you start thinking about technology and how it is taking over our lives this can become a very broad and deep topic. However, we want to keep this piece light-hearted and somewhat humorous. We will be scaling down and concentrating on specific communication through the use of social networking like Facebook and Myspace and how that can affect relationships between 2 or even 3 people. We have 1 female and 2 males in our cast so we might try to work out some kind of love triangle or something to that extent. We are still in the very beginning stages of this project so I will keep you all updated. Here’s a poem that we found that inspired our concept for this piece (it’s actually really funny):

http://www.jamesshuggins.com/h/tek1/rememberwhen.htm

I will keep you all updated on my many projects coming up this semester. Hope you enjoyed reading and hope you have a great week. Thanks!!!

Sometimes people have a hard time applying their makeup with brushes. The reason for this is because of the amount of pressure they use while holding the brush.

When you choose a makeup  brush, try to use one with a longer handle, and hold it on the far end. This will help you to gain control while applying eyeliner and shadow.