We’re the Lucky Ones.

You know…

We are pretty damn lucky to be dancers. I don’t ever think how much my life would be changed or effected by dance when I was to be the age I am now. Back in 1988 until 2001, dance was class. It was something I knew I loved and couldn’t live without and something I looked forward to every single day.

I did not at the time realize who the people teaching me were going to end up being. World famous choreographers and entertainers, convention owners, dancewear company owners, et cetera. Little did I know that those people would end up being my friends, while still being mentors, all these years later. When I have the opportunity to be in their class, either to take or to observe, I listen to every single word they say and STILL absorb it all. Even if it is the same speech that they have been giving since I was 14, I still cling to every word. Because even 16 years later, they still hold true. 

Little did I know that what I was learning and what I was doing at the time would effect how and what I would create as a choreographer. Little did I know that what I would eventually create, would bring people to tears. Little did I know that those tears would motivate people to reach out to me and contact me for work or even just to thank me for doing what I do. Little did I know how often I would be moved to tears by such beautiful and authentic choreography and dancing. It is such a beautiful thing to be able to experience once a month or so. 

Little did I know, that the lessons I learned as a young dancer would then be passed on for generations as I became a teacher. The ones that go beyond pointing your feet and straightening your legs. Lessons of preparation. Lessons of responsibility.  Lessons of accountability. Lessons that turn into a strong work ethic. The lessons that in turn, make you an effective adult in society. The ones that get you jobs and promotions. 

Little did I know, that I would be able to sit and watch people dance, day in and day out and never tire of it. Little did I know that this teaching and dancing thing that I love so much, would take me around the globe. 

Little did I know that I would be a student for the rest of my life. I thought once I left the studio, that I was a pro. Little did I know how little I actually knew. We often think we know everything between the ages of 13 and 23 (roughly). Boy. Was I wrong. 

My good friend Mark Meismer once said “We aren’t curing cancer. We aren’t fighting the war. We are doing chaine turns. We are dancing. It’s not that serious. So have fun.” I have always tried to keep that mentality. Through every thing I have done in this dance world. Winning is cool, but having fun is cooler. Life is so much easier when you aren’t pressured. Yes, we all want to do well and improve, but if there is no joy in it, those trophies, ribbons, first overalls and everything that came along with it, are all pointless. 

Stop being concerned about the ‘best dancer,’ because that ‘best dancer’ is only concerned about themselves. Remember why we do this. Think about where you want to take these experiences, both in and out of the studio, and just dance. Happy Monday, everyone.

#TechniqueTuesday – Turn Out For What? Everything.

It’s been awhile since i have posted a blog for #TechniqueTuesday, and I found this one very important to touch base on. This past weekend, I sat through roughly 400 dances, give or take a few. Of course, the competition spanned many styles – even some clogging and Irish step dance, which was refreshing to see between the ‘regular’ studio styles. As always, there was a ton of lyrical and contemporary and lots of ballet. The one thing that I am always aghast at is the lack of attention to true balletic technique in these styles, especially ballet.

You would think that if you are competing ballet, that there would be attention to the use of true turn out, not faking it from the ankle. I don’t know how many times I cringed at the sight of pique arabesques on a completely parallel foot, out fouettés a la seconde that, when dropping into the plié, I saw the knee cap pointing straight to the audience, or the developpé a la seconde that was neither parallel or turned out, but turned in. Yes…turned in, towards to center line of the body. 

Growing up, the use of turn out was drilled into my brain. It is second nature. So much so that I started to walk in a turned out position. When I was a student, and even now as an adult and educator, when I sleep, I make sure my pelvis is neutral and I turn my legs out when I sleep. (I sleep on my stomach in a side attitude, basically.) I was constantly thinking about the rotation of my hips. We spent hours warming up those joints to get them nice and mobile. If our supporting legs weren’t turned out, we were reprimanded. If our hips opened up to cheat an arabesque, we were reprimanded. There was zero tolerance of such discrepancies and disrespect to the art of ballet technique, even in a lot of our jazz pieces. 

As I left the auditorium Sunday night, I busted out my trusty ballet dictionary and went to see what it said about the use of turn out. My good friend Gail Grant defines turn out as “the ability of a dancer to turn his or her legs and feet to a 90-degree position. This turn our, or en-dehors, is one of the essential of the classical dance, giving the dancer freedom of movement in every direction.” 

After reading that, I got even more upset at the amount of lack of turn out in these dancers. I asked myself, “Why, as a teacher, would someone not correct this issue and ultimately limit their dancers?” The Holy Grail of ballet spells it out loud and clear. Turn out improves the range of motion and movement in EVERY direction. One of the aspects of choreography that I pride myself on is giving the dancer or dancers I am working with an adequate skill set while still challenging them within the choreography set on them. I do not give them anything that isn’t as technically sound as possible for their level. Every dance does not need fouettés. Not every dancers is flexible. Not every dancers has beautiful feet. Why do we feel the need to give these lofty skills to dancers that we know are not at that level to execute these skills properly? 

I constantly tell my dancers to dance with what they have today, while still striving for improvement. If you only have 35 degrees of external rotation, or turn out, I want you to use it every single last degree of that turn out. Consistency in using the turn out will build up the strength and improve your turn out. Of course, very few people will ever reach a true perfect turn out of 180 degrees. That’s not what I am asking for in a dancer. I want you to use what the good Lord gave you and use it to the best of your ability. 

Teachers, I am implore you to start correcting this massive technical deficit in your dancers. Get your dancers at the barre, stand in a parallel first position, then rise to a quarter relevé, engage the tailbone and glutes and use the inner thigh to press the heels forward before lowering into their turned out first position. In their battement tendu, get them to rotate to a parallel position and back to the turned out tendu. Make sure they don’t sink into the hips. Focus on building the strength of the muscles that serve as rotators around the hip joint and in the legs. If you aren’t sure, educate yourself so you can educate your dancers. Attention to detail is imperative. 

Dance is not easy. We know that. Dancers must be multitaskers. We have to think about every aspect of our body while looking graceful all at the same time. We need to know out choreography so well that our body has memorized it through muscle memory. We spend hours and hours rehearsing to perfect a three minute dance. We spend hours working on the basics, stretching and wamring up before we even dance! There is so much we have to be mindful of. It is easy to forget but you have to make a clear choice to point your feet and straighten your legs to make it a habit. Start to focus on the amount of turn out you are using. 

To quote the dance movie classic, Center Stage, “Use what you have and turn out!”

Don’t Shoot the Messenger!

Today is one of those days where the phrase, “no one is ever satisfied,” rings incredibly true. I belong to a couple groups on various social media platforms that are comprised of other teachers and professionals. Over the recent few weeks, I have seen more and more of them openly bashing judges and what they are saying and or not saying on their scoresheets and critiques. To that I say, stop paying people to judge you if you aren’t ready to be judged. As someone who is both a teacher and a judge, I am very offended by these comments and posts that I see. I understand that dance is dance and it should be fun and carefree, but don’t present yourself as a ‘classically trained’ dancer or studio, then get upset when people are giving corrections.

Growing up, we were truly thankful for the corrections given. I would be worried when I wasn’t getting critiques, corrections, or feedback. Even to this day, I am constantly wanting feedback and critique. To be honest, I think I want it more now than ever because I don’t get to take classes on a regular basis. I look at it as a fresh set of eyes that may say something I have never seen because I see these dancers and pieces of choreography every day. I look to my colleagues who are judging my pieces for not only feedback on my dancers, but on my choreography as well. I like the objectivity in the critiques we receive at the end of the weekend.

No judge is ever coming from a malicious place. No one is ever being mean. Most of the time, we don’t even know what studio you are from because we work with studio codes to keep it fair. We start to see trend of training and style, but we never know exactly who is from what studio. So no…competitions are not rigged. They are judged SOLELY based on what you presented in that three minute piece or over the entire weekend. If you don’t like the scores or rankings you received, it is time to take a good, long, hard look at what is happening in class. Sometimes, it is based off of how a student or group of students rehearse. Other times, it’s because the teachers don’t have a finely tuned eye and are not correcting what turns into costly mistakes.

Again, people say it’s about more than just technique and dancers should feel more and think less, etc. But those same people who preach that are up in arms when these ‘dancers’ are poorly representing us in these clothing and fitness ads. It’s those same people who most likely aren’t pleased with the scores they received and take it to social media and just complain and moan about what they didn’t receive. People have complained that judges talk to much. People company that judges don’t talk enough. I understand not talking can be a bit disheartening, and I am guilty of it as well. We have a lot more going on at that table than you think. We are multitasking for hours. Days, even.

I personally give a little more critique to those dancers that are so close to great things. So yes, I will harp on you falling out of that triple. Yes, I will tell you that I think your arabesque could be higher or more behind you. Yes, I will tell you to strengthen and stretch your feet. I will also quickly tell you how to achieve these new goals. I will tell you these things because in the 2 minute and 37 second solo, I saw the amount of potential you have. In that 2 minute and 55 second group piece, I felt your passion. Over the course of the weekend, I saw that you and your fellow dancers love dance just as much as I do.

My job as a judge is to help facilitate growth. To give feedback. And yes…to JUDGE. Do I think we should move to a compulsory rubric of what is required at what age and level? No, I don’t. That takes the artistry out of what we do. We are not cheerleaders. We are not gymnasts. Their artistry is completely different. We are dancers. We are choreographers. I rarely give perfect scores. I can count on one hand, without using all five fingers, that I have ever given a perfect score to a dance or dancer.

I always tell my dancers, different day, different judges could make a completely different outcome. I constantly remind them that it is all based on someone’s opinion. I am also telling them that they need to dance for themselves first, their teachers second and judges third. If I say you did a great job, guess what…? You did a great job. If you are just out to win trophies, go for it. If you are okay with mediocrity and filling your kids with millions of little white lies that they did great, that’s on you. But remember, you are cultivating these young adults who will eventually go on into the real world. If tell a kid she has the most beautiful arabesque you’ve ever seen and she goes out on an audition and is told that her leg is not straight, nor is it behind her and she isn’t using her proper turnout, that’s your fault. And remember that us judges tried to tell you that one day.

XO,

#DanceTchrProbs

Is Technique Dead?

I watch so much dance a week both in person and via television and other media. So much that it’s kinda sad, ha! But I like to be a well-educated dancer because that’s how I was raised by both my parents and my teachers. I also look to others for inspiration and to remain a humble student, because my parents and teachers also taught me that there will always be someone better than you.

As I watch all of this new dance on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, SYTYCD, and the like, I compare it to the dance of the past eras. I can’t help but ask myself if technique is dead. I understand that there are different types of technique these days, but for the most part, I see stuff that doesn’t even fall into the other disciplines.

When I was growing up, my ballet teacher was a crazy but amazing lady that taught a Vaganova based style of ballet technique. She held us accountable for upholding the virtues and discipline of ballet. My jazz teacher was also a great teacher. His ballet technique was just as strong as my ballet teachers, but he preferred teaching jazz. He taught me many things about the strength and precision of jazz. Between the two of them, I am able to be the type of teacher that I am today. They instilled the importance of each technique in me and why it is important.

With that being said, I see these preparations for turns in neither a parallel or turned out position. One foot will be one way and the other, another. I see half relevés in turns, at best sometimes. I see fourth positions that are far too wide, forcing the dancers to just wind up and gun through those turns. I see ballet pieces being competing with zero attention to maintaining turned out positions. I see piqués en tournant that go nowhere. It makes me question both students and teachers. Are some teachers just allowing kids to get away with no regard to technique? Or are there dancers that are refusing to make these corrections? Or is it that we have teachers that show and say what to do, but do not know how to actually TEACH what we preach…?

I unfortunately think it might be a little bit of both. When I travel to other places to teach, I realize that kids get a lot out of my classes. When I was training as a kid, my teachers took the time to break down everything. Down to proper pliés and tendus. I now use that knowledge in my teaching. If there is something I don’t know or can’t remember, I take it upon myself to research and learn what I can about that certain move or person or technique.

We owe it to not only our kids, but to ourselves, to uphold what we have been taught and continue to teach ourselves. The second us teachers stop learning is the second we start to fade out. Hold your kids accountable to technique. If they desire to get in to more of a concert dance career, they won’t get jobs without the proper training.

I recently had someone tweet me an image that spoke on putting the fun back in to things and not being so hard on kids. While yes, I am all about fun and relaxing, but the reason our parents pay us is to correct their children. Just like they do a soccer coach, basketball coach, or golf coach. They entrust their children to our teaching and to give them all the tools that we can to make them the best they can be. If you don’t want to be a professional dancer, that’s fine. If you don’t want to be a competitive or company dancer, that’s fine too. But if you sign up for a higher level of training, you’ve made the decision to make yourself the best dancer you can be for yourself and for your fellow company members. It would be unfair to both the dancer and the company group to allow them to flop around.

Dancers, put your best foot forward. Think about what your teacher is saying and why. Push yourselves in every class. Hold your selves accountable to yourself, your teacher and your company members/classmates.

Teachers, stay hungry. Allow yourself to relate what is being done in our ballet and technique classes to how it helps and effects your dances. Keep pushing your kids at an appropriate level. Hold them accountable.

Do our forefathers of dance justice. Keep those heads high, and your relevés higher.

XO,
DanceTchrProbs

What Competition Dance is Really About…

There is unfortunately a really bad stigma with us “competition dancers” or “competition studios” or whatever else people may want to label us as. People that don’t completely understand what it is that we do or the goals we set out are quick to judge and say things like, “You’re just paying for a trophy,” or “It’s not all about winning,” or anything else of the sort.

Yes, it partly is about winning. I would be lying if I said otherwise. I am a naturally competitive person so of course, I want myself and my dancers to come out on top. And if all of these naysayers didn’t feel the same way, they wouldn’t register their kids to COMPETE. The operative word in the entire phrase ‘dance competition’ is competition. So yes, there will be a ranked winner. Just because you aren’t top 3 or 5 of your category, doesn’t mean you lost. It just means that your A-game wasn’t as strong as those other people’s A-game’s on that day. And that’s okay.

I come from the days of awards ceremonies consisting of 1st place, 2nd place, 3rd place and everyone else got an Honorable Mention. It was a pat on the back, it was a ‘good job, but maybe next time.’ It was a reminder that they valued us being there, but to keep training. It was never taken as “I’m not good enough,” or “My costume doesn’t have enough rhinestones,” or anything else. Just to keep trying. And that was okay. I am sure that there were times I was upset, but it never stopped me.

So is it really about getting a Double Platinum? Double Diamond? Or whatever buzzword that insinuates being the best at any particular circuit? No. Is it about leaving with the biggest or the most trophies? No. Not for me. For me, as a teacher, it is about my dancers doing their personal best. Let’s be honest. Everyone goes home with trophies or plaques or ribbons and pins, so how do YOU feel about what YOU presented? We know when we did well and we know when we did not so well. (Sidenote: I don’t want to haul all those damned trophies around. I could care less ha!)

What it is about is getting a tangible representation of the hard work put into these dancers and dances. My parents still have all of my trophies as well as those of my siblings in other activities. From the top ranking one, to the lowest ranking one. It’s nice to be able to look back at your journey in those frivolous trophies and ribbons.

It is about my message and voice as a choreographer being seen, heard and understood. It is a chance for us choreographers to get feedback from our peers in the judge’s critiques. We all know that we can drill the exact same thing week in and week out, but the second that Andy Pellick from NYCDA or Kim McSwain from NUVO, or anyone else for that matter, can say the exact same thing and it clicks. And if that is the only good thing that comes of the entire weekend, then I will gladly take it.

It is about boosting the dancer to work harder or keep working as hard as they have. These trophies and ribbons and plaques that we ‘pay for’ are a physical measure of our commitment to our craft, our team, and our studio.

So no, it’s not about winning. It is about being rewarded for our level of dedication. Sometimes we come out on top, sometimes we don’t. I always tell my dancers – If you want a platinum level ranking, you need a platinum level rehearsal and mentality.

When studios set out to get X amount of platinums or scholarships, that’s when it goes awry. It puts an insane amount of pressure on your dancers and they are so concerned about being the best as opposed to being themselves that they may fall to the side. Nurture talent and artistry, not trophies and platinums, friends.

In the meantime, keep training and loving dance.

XO,
#DanceTchrProbs

Beauty in All Ballet Bodies!

We as dancers are faced with the scrutiny of body image day in and day out in many realms of our industry. 8 million people have been estimated to suffer from eating disorders. 10% of that is taken up by males. 1 in 5 female ballet dancers fight eating disorders. In a world where we are driven by beauty and image, and in an industry where you can be cut from an audition because you don’t look the part, there are very few beacons that encourage diversity in body type.

When I heard about a show on Ovation called Big Ballet, I was immediately drawn to it. Daniel Jones is the Artistic Director and Choreographer of the Big Ballet UK. They are a company made up of dancers of all shapes and sizes. I watched the show and fell in love with the idea of embracing someone’s passion and love for dance instead of limiting them due to their size.

I recently had the opportunity to interview one of their dancers, Donna Hargreave, about her time with the company and what she has learned throughout the process. Read on to see her side of dance!

DanceTchrProbs: Tell us a bit about your background as a dancer.
Donna Hargreave: I started to dance at the age of 4, I did all genres, ballet, tap, modern, tap and stage. From day one, I was hooked. I continued to dance until I was 18 years of age. At this point I reached a crossroads in my life. At only 4 feet 11 inches I am considered small in the dance world. So I followed my head and chose a career in Nursing, which I have to say I have never regretted. I never ever let the dance go, it is a passion, so I continued with adult classes, but mainly in modern and tap. I still do exams with the International Dance Teachers Association in tap.

DTP: What made you want to be a part of Big Ballet?
DH: Initially I was very unsure, as it would be a large undertaking and commitment. My husband, Nigel, family and dance teacher encouraged me to audition, as I think they realised how much I would gain from the experience. I wanted to be part of something that challenged the preconceived ideas is shapes, sizes and in my case age in the world of ballet. And hopefully inspire others and change, dance should be accessible to all!

DTP: I am located in the US and we only got about 5 episodes of the show. Is the company still together? Do you have an on running series still?
DH: Yes. 11 of the original 18 are still together, and have formed the company, Big Ballet UK, under the Artistic Direction of Daniel Jones. Although there are no plans as yet to televise more of our journey, the journey still continues. We train 1-2 times a week, doing Circuit training, classical ballet training and preparing choreography for new performances. In August we were fortunate to be invited to perform at the Royal Ballet School, London. We performed excerpts from The Nutcracker, choreographed by Daniel Jones.

DTP: Where did you find your biggest supporter? What about your biggest critic?
DH: In my younger years I am eternally grateful to my parents. I am the eldest of 4children, 3 girls all dancers. My parents never questioned a penny, despite money being tight. My dance teachers were and still are an inspiration, for the endless hours spent improving technique, sharing their dance knowledge and planting the seed of love for dance in my heart. I am my biggest critic!!!!!!

DTP: What about the company? Who was the biggest supporter? Biggest critic?
DH: Whilst training for the programme and to this day, the company ballerinas spend a lot of time together. We very quickly became a family, brought together from different backgrounds, through auditions with an overwhelming passion for dance. Daniel Jones, Monica Loughman, Wayne Sleep and the production company believed in us and the impact we could have on the dance world. I suppose we have many sceptics, who does not when they are trying to inspire change? But this is the Big Ballet Uk’s journey. It has been truly magical and continues to be so.

DTP: What is our favorite part about being a part of the Big Ballet?
DH: The chance to dance, ‘ live the dream’. At the age of 49, it’s the reawakening of endless possibilities. I have found the ballerina in me again.

DTP: What advice do you have for any dancer facing adversity because of body type?
DH: Embrace who you are. Celebrate your womanly curves, we are all a product of our relationships and life. Big Ballet Uk hopefully showed that whatever your size, shape, age, nothing is a barrier. Dance from the heart, beauty is from within.

DTP: What has been your favorite production?
DH: The two productions I have performed in, have been very different, mainlydown to the circumstances. Swan Lake, was a truly amazing experience, that started this magical journey, culminating into a great sense of achievement. The Nutcracker, with the new company and Daniel Jones, was equally as awe inspiring, but it also felt that it belonged to the ballerinas involved. With that comes a responsibility, which we embrace and a great sense of pride.

DTP: What inspires you?
DH: My children, Kathryn is 20, a dancer/dance teacher. Ben is 17, in upper sixth at school and captain of his senior rugby team. They are the best thing I have ever dine in my life, they accept me for who I am, support all I do, criticise me for all I do wrong! But most of all it’s the unconditional love.

DTP: Do you have any desire to choreograph or further the creative portion of your dance career?
DH: My real job is owner of a beauty salon and boutique with my sister Tracey. My job is fulfilling, creative fashion excites me, people interest me, and I get great satisfaction from helping ladies, play dress up and go home happy, feeling beautiful. These skills have also been of great help in my new role as Head Of Costume with Big Ballet Uk. I will definitely leave the choreography to our expert, Daniel Jones, he creates beautiful movement that compliments our diverse ballerinas.

DTP: What was the response to Big Ballet in the UK? Where are you located and where do you train?
DH: The response to Big Ballet, was phenomenal, beyond anyone’s expectations. We train 1/2 times a week, more if we have a performance, at Shona Boocock Academy Of Dance (one of the swans). Our journey and plans continue under the direction of Daniel Jones. All I can say, is watch this space!!!

DTP: What have you learned from being a part of the Big Ballet Uk?
DH: Patience. To believe in myself. I have a willingness to learn. I have an eagerness to please. I need to challenge myself. I also needed to fulfill a childhood dream.
I am 50 next year a milestone age, I am super excited about what life has in store for me. My new role as a ballerina, with Daniel Jones andBig Ballet, is the biggest challenge, but I know the rewards will be phenomenal. I am ready to work hard, fulfill my new role and enjoy every minute.

DTP: What is next for you and the Big Ballet?
DH: I am 50 next year a milestone age, I am super excited about what life has in store for me. My new role as a ballerina, with Daniel Jones and Big Ballet, is the biggest challenge, but I know the rewards will be phenomenal. I am ready to work hard, fulfill my new role and enjoy every minute.

For more information on Big Ballet UK, be sure to like their Facebook page and follow them on Twitter!

Dance For Dalton Day!

I would just like to take minute and reflect on the week our dance world just had. I am finally able to sit down and take a look at a lot of the hashtags and I am completely overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support for this event.

As most of you may or may not know, Dalton Levine is a 16 year old dancer in Colorado who has been diagnosed with adrenal cancer. From what I understand, it is very fast moving. No one deserves cancer or any illness for that matter, but it is always heart wrenching when a child is diagnosed with something this severe. When my dear friend Patrice, co-owner of Cutting Edge Dance Center, reached out to me to get involved, I knew I had to. I have always stressed the importance of friendship and family to my students. You just never know when you will run in to that one girl from conventions and competitions at auditions, so you have to network well and maintain solid relationships. With that being said, if this was one of my dancers or someone that I worked with, I would want the exact same amount of support from people that didn’t know the dancer at hand.

I don’t know Dalton. I hope to one day. I understand that he is loving and hard-working, caring and compassionate, dedicated and driven. That’s all I ask for in a student and that is all I ask for in a person. I have always said that dance is about so much more than the tendus, pliés, and grand jetés, but what we learn and how it makes us all great additions to society.

I am always proud to be a dancer, but this week has just upped the ante. I would like to thank all of you for being so incredibly supportive of this movement. You all put UNITY in the phrase dance community and it was absolutely beautiful to see. I would also like to thank Patrice for getting me involved. So blessed to be a part of this movement of love and support. I would finally like to thank Dalton for being such a great kid. Keep fighting that fight, Dalton. You have thousands of people behind you. You will be in our thoughts and prayers through this process.

I am proud to be a dancer. I am proud to be a dancer against cancer. And I am proud to have you all as my follower base. You guys are the best. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

XO,

#DanceTchrProbs

#TechniqueTuesday – Hip Hop Edition!

So last week while watching the ever-addictive So You Think You Can Dance, a hip hop dancer auditioning used to term ‘pop-locking,’ to which I tweeted and said that there was no such thing as ‘pop-locking.’ A lot of people asked why and I clarified for them, but I figured I may as well use this opportunity to break down the three original styles of hip hop dance a little further.

I have already written a very brief rundown of the history of hip hop, introducing the bare minimum of the culture. There is so much more to it than I included, so if you feel the need to further educate yourself, PLEASE DO. It is our responsibility as teachers to educate these kids, not just show them the cool stuff. So go read that, then come back and learn more about breaking, popping and locking!

Breaking was the first of the original hip hop styles to be created. At first, it was a lot simpler than what it was now. The term breaking comes from the break in the music that deejays would loop and elongate so people could get down on the beat. The style started out as rocking. The movement was done standing, and has now grown into a vocabulary and style all it’s own. The top rock, salsa rock, indian step, the apache, and many others make up the basis of rocking. It is all about the style and finesse in which you personally give it. It is just as much a crowd pleaser as the big, showy power moves and freezes that were later introduced to the style. It is all about musicality. One of my favorite rockers to watch is Bboy Ynot from The Legendary Rock Steady Crew.

The first people to take the movement to the ground were The Nigga Twins. They are recognized as breaking pioneers with their new, fresh vocabulary of movement to add the to style. From there, those in the newly born culture, took inspiration from what they saw and gave it their own spin. From then, the breaking footwork vocabulary was born. Some of the well known steps from the genre are the 6 step, switches, Russians, Russian sidesteps or CCs, half sweeps, full sweeps and so many others. From the birth of footwork, breaking got bigger and flashier. Freezes were introduced and it eventually grew to the power moves like head spins, flares, windmills, back spins, etc.

The Nigga Twins

The next style to emerge in the hip hop community was created by a man named Don Campbell and is called locking. It is one of the two funk styles – the other being popping. The music is a little different than what you would break or rock to, but not completely. It’s just a little funkier, more horns and other instruments. This dance form is a lot of fun to watch and perform. It is a very relaxed and animated movement. Everything is very exaggerated and it is often interactive with either a partner, hat or suspenders, and the crowd. The style itself was created by accident. Shortly after the rise of locking, Campbellock created a group called The Lockers – boasting a list of very well-respected dancers including Toni Basil and Shabba-Doo.

The vocabulary of locking consists of wrist rolls, Uncle Sam points, Atlas pose, and of course the lock, in addition to many other moves. When done in succession, there are moments of stopping, or locking, and that is how the style got it’s name. When I teach locking to those with zero to very little exposure to the style, I refer to Goofy, the Disney character. Everything he does is very animated and he has a natural bounce to his walk.

Don ‘Campbellock’ Campbell
Judges Showcase performance at Funkology in 2011

Just like the other styles of hip hop, it has since crossed the world and gained notoriety. Lockers have a very specific style of dress as well. You can normally find them in apple hats, stripes, vests, suspenders, and the like.

Hilty and Bosch Showcase at Bottle of The Year 2008

The final original style of hip hop dance is popping. This came to be in the early 80s and the movement is heavily influenced by the more electronic or almost robotic sound of the music of the time. Popping is achieved by quickly contracting and releasing, or flexing, of the muscles. That action is called a pop or a hit.

Within this style, there is also the movement qualities of ticking – the quick, flex and release in continuous movement; boogaloo – incorporates knee rolls and a more fluid movement; waving – movement that gives the appearance of a wave moving through the body; tutting – a sharp and precise movement that is inspired by the Egyptian hieroglyphics and King Tut with flat, 90-degree angles done with arms, hands and even fingers.

One of my favorite poppers is a founding father of the Hip Hop culture and someone I highly respect. Jorge ‘Popmaster Fabel’ Pabon is a member of The Rock Steady Crew and The Mighty Zulu Nation. I always love watching the ones that started it all still being very active in the community and art form.

Jorge ‘Popmaster Fabel’ Pabon Judges Showcase
Max Party – Taiwan 2014

The fashion style of a popper is a very dapper one, consisting of slacks, dress shoes, button up tailored shirts, and even ties and suit jackets from time to time.

So as you can see, while all these styles are under the umbrella of hip hop, they each are their own distinct, subculture with their own music, style and vocabulary of movement. While most hip hop dancers do cross train, the styles are never mixed – hence no such thing as pop-locking.

XO,
#DanceTchrProbs

We Are Dancers.

We are dancers. It is what we love to do. It’s what we think about day in and day out. A lot of people have asked me what makes up a great dancer and of course, there were things like technique and passion that first came to mind. Yet recently, someone asked me and I thought of a few words that summed up what I have learned in my career, which has now turned in to what I teach my students. Aside from the technique and dance moves and all that, of course.

Dedication is first and foremost the most important quality of a dancer. Within that is also perseverance because we are in one touch industry. Starting out as a young dancer, there is always a clear moment in which we each decide if this is sometime we truly want or not. Those of us that say yes, focus and hone in on our craft. We spend hours at the studio. We take as many workshop classes as we can. We concentrate on the corrections we are given, and know that we are able to make them. And if not, we know when to ask for help. We realize that the only thing between our self and our training is our self. We hear the comments form agents, casting directors, and even sometimes teachers, that we have to push through and stay dedicated to our personal training.

Action is also very necessary as a dancer. No one is going to get us up and go to class every day. No one will be there telling us that we need to keep our grades up or else our parents won’t let us dance. No one is telling us to get to that audition that we might book. Motivation is absolutely everything in this industry. In order to make it, no matter what capacity in which you want to be involved, you have got to act fast. Because if you don’t, someone will gladly take your spot.

Networking is KEY to success in this industry. While yes, you need the technique to back it all up, but it is definitely who you know that can take you to greatness. As a student, no matter what age, go up to your teachers and thank them for sharing their art with you. Go to local classes that may come through your area. Go see shows. Talk to people at convention. Even if they are someone that you absolutely idolize. Funny thing about those people…THEY ARE PEOPLE! They are (normally) very nice. Go up and introduce yourself. Who cares what your friends think. Putting yourself out there is a huge part of our industry, so why wait? You both may be in an audition down the road and a familiar face and a smile can comfort even the best sometimes.

Creativity is a must. There is already a Travis Wall. We already have a Sonya Tayeh. And we have our Emily Shock. Find yourself. While these and many other dancers and choreographers are incredibly gifted and inspirational, you have to find what makes YOU bookable. Find the inspiration from them and let it do just that…inspire you. Don’t try to imitate what they do. We’ve seen it already. Same thing goes for things you see other dancers do in classes and such. If you see something they do, try to change it. We aren’t all the same in the mind, body and spirit, so why should we dance the same?

Evolution comes as a result of your creativity and training. My personal choreographic style can change from week to week within the same genre and there is no reason as to why it shouldn’t with everyone. Music moves us and each song we move to is completely different so our choreography should be different. Of course, there is a certain je ne sais quoi, or innate style, that should be a common thread as an artist, but music should dictate your movement. Let the music speak through your body the same way it speaks to your heart and soul. Allow yourself to grow as a dancer and choreographer and you will find your place in this industry.

If you’re following along, the last letter we have to spell dancer is R. And it is a very important one. REST. We need to allow our bodies to recuperate from the hours of rehearsals, classes and learning or creating choreography. We need that physical and mental respite to not only allow our brains and bodies to refuel, but to also let that creativity brew. It’s in the moments of rest where I am listening to new music that I have come up with some of my favorite combinations, choreography or concepts. In addition to creativity, we need to rest our body to prevent and repair injuries. It’s hard. Incredibly hard, I get that. But if we don’t allow ourselves to heal, it will only get worse over time.

Dedication.
Action.
Networking.
Creativity.
Evolution.
Rest.

All of these components are what make up a great dancer in my mind. It is these qualities that will give you longevity in your career. People will work with you once and won’t want to lose you. Stay dedicated. Take action. Network. Be creative (and original). Allow yourself to evolve. Listen to your body and rest when you should.

XO,
#DanceTchrProbs

If you want dancers, hire dancers.

Dear advertising and casting departments and agencies all over the world,

Hello, I am writing to you on behalf of the entire dance community. We really, really, really are very thankful that you see us as a niche market that hasn’t been tapped by mainstream brands. And to be honest, we like the product that you’re presenting.

But what we don’t like is the lack of respect that you are giving us in your promotional material. Whether it be a video showcasing a ‘dancer,’ or the models you are booking to be in your mailers and on your websites, it’s demeaning to our art.

We have spent years learning and training to uphold the values of the different techniques of dance. With dance in the forefront of pop culture these days, everyone can see what is appealing to the eye and what is not. You don’t to need be a professional dancer or educator, you just have to be respectful and honest. There’s no way that you look at advertisements and marketing and think that they look exactly like the artists you see on stage or film. Companies like Fabletics and Free People have the dance industry up in arms and I know of many people no longer buying their products because of it.

Under Armour did it right. They booked a professional dancer, Misty Copeland to be featured in the marketing for some of their products. I’m not saying you need a huge name, but I am saying if you want dancers buying and using your product, hire dancers. Instead of a just an open model call, have a dancer call with modeling experience. They don’t have to be perfect, because there is no such thing. Sickled feet, noodley arms/port de bras, and zero body awareness and dance ability is not a selling point nor a buying benefit. Your pictures will be much more appealing to the actual market that you’re reaching out to which will create revenue for your projects.

To be honest, when I see poorly casted images and videos promoting dancewear, the last thing I want to do is buy from that company. Why? It shows me that you’re in it for the money and not for promoting dance. Granted, that’s not your job, that’s mine, but if you golf, and a company released a golf line that was showcased with bad technique of the sport, you’d probably not buy from them either.

All I’m asking is that you take a second look at how you are representing the dance world. Even the untrained eye can wince at some of the things that are being released under the umbrella of dance.

I thank you for your time. I hope you listen to our plea. It will help your business tremendously.

XO,
#DanceTchrProbs