diPA Highlights

Things You Need to Know

Inspirational and educational highlights for you and your dancer!

TAKE SOME TIME TO DIVE DEEP INTO THE LIVES OF THE BALLERINAS OF THE ROYAL BALLET AND EVEN WATCH AS THEY TAKE THEIR MORNING CLASS.

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How to be the Perfect Dance Mom!

Things You Need to Know

1. Have your child to class at least 15 minutes early. This cuts down on the possibility of being late due to traffic. It gives your child time to socialize with their friends which cuts down on talking during class. Your child will have time to warm up and get focused as well.

2. Make sure your child has the proper dress code. Good schools have strict dress codes. There are many reasons for this. When all students look the same, mistakes stand out better and can be corrected more quickly. It’s important for a teacher to see the body to check technique, footwork, placement and alignment. Having the hair slicked back in a bun helps the child master spotting for pirouettes. I understand many parents want to save money by buying shoes a size or two up, but this is very dangerous to the dancer and can cause injury, so can dancing in shoes that are too small or in pointe shoes that are dead.

3. Make sure your child is eating healthily. Dancers are athletes that need to fuel their body properly. My mom cooked most of my meals and packed my lunches herself. She made sure I had a good breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. She was constantly on me to drink water. She never kept junk food or soda in the house and she gave me fruits and vegetables at every meal. My dad planted a garden every summer so we would have enough homegrown veggies. If she knew I was dancing all day, she’d pack me a huge salad, fruit, nuts, pretzels, etc. and lots of water. I ate a lot and I ate often, but she made sure it was all good food.

4. Make sure your child gets enough sleep. I hated my mother for it at the time, but there was never a television in my bedroom. If I had grown up in the computer age, I guarantee I wouldn’t have had one of those in my room either. ‘Your bedroom is to sleep in,’ she would say. The result was that I got a restful sleep without distraction or a reason to stay up. I had a bedtime when I was younger, which got me used to having a full night’s sleep. When I was older, once my homework was done, I would usually go straight to bed without prompting. (Probably due to the fact that I was exhausted from a long day of school and dance classes.)

5. Stock your child’s dance bag. Every dancer needs band aids, bobby pins, hairnets, a brush, extra tights, extra leotard, tampons, safety pins, a spoon and fork, tissues, toe pads, lamb’s wool and emergency cash. My mother would make sure I had all these things and while she was in my bag she would check my shoes to make sure they were in good shape and check for any handouts that might not have reached her. When I turned 13, it was then up to me to stock my own bag.

6. Stay informed. It’s important to read all paperwork thoroughly and put important dates on your calendar. Read all bulletin boards at the studio. Ask older students’ parents questions and spend a little time getting to know the faculty.

7.Start a summer program fund. Because my Mom did the above, she overheard many older students’ parents complaining about the cost of summer programs when I was about 8 years old. She asked how much it cost and about what age students were expected to participate in summer programs away from home. My parents didn’t have much money, so she realized she needed to act fast. My parents created a separate savings account for my summer study the next week and by the time I was ready to study away from home at 12, they had enough saved for me to go.

8. Volunteer. My parents, my mother in particular, were amazing volunteers. It made me feel that they respected and supported my decision to dedicate my young life to dance and it made me feel loved. My mother ran fundraisers, taught other moms how to put kids’ hair in a bun, cleaned up the waiting room on occasion and would pick teachers up at the train station when asked. My mother was costume mistress even though she wasn’t a seamstress. She hand sewed hooks and eyes, fitted costumes, decorated tutus, made head pieces, dyed things and anything else that was needed. She worked backstage in the dressing rooms and didn’t see me dance on stage from the audience until my final year of high school when the other mothers made her go out front and watch. My Dad worked backstage as well, pulling the curtain, running the fog machine and changing gels. My mother’s advice, ‘Don’t just help your own kid, help the others too, it’s very rewarding.’

9. Listen, but don’t react. Your child is going to get in the car and cry, say the teacher hates them, say casting was unfair, tell you they want to quit, say they should be moved up, say they aren’t getting as much attention as others and tell you the other students are mean to them at least a few times a year. This should sound familiar to you because these are the same things you say to your spouse various times during the year about your job. You say these things to vent and to get a little sympathy, but you would die if your spouse picked up the phone and called your boss to try and fix your issues with work. Your dancer is no different when it comes to you calling their teacher or artistic director. They want sympathy, they want to vent and they want to feel they’ve been heard, so listen to them. The only exception is if this is happening every day for over a week or seems to be an ongoing issue, then you should call and schedule an appointment with the teacher to talk over the issues.

10. Stay positive. Be excited for your dancer no matter what part they get. Find the bright side of things. If they have to repeat a level, tell them they will be the best dancer in the class. Encourage them to work harder. Empower them. I remember when I was asked to understudy a part I really wanted and I was very upset. My mom listened sympathetically and then asked me, ‘what are you going to do about it?’ I didn’t know what she meant. She told me, ‘If you really think you can do the role better, then prove it. Learn it faster and dance it better than the girl who got it. If it doesn’t make them reconsider, it will at least leave a positive impression on them and make them think about you the next time they cast a work.’ You know what, it worked, and more than once too. I got that role over the girl who was originally cast. I also had two choreographers insist on adding a second performance for me, the understudy, to be able to have a chance to dance the role as well. It taught me that: I controlled more than I thought, that hard work does pay and that just because you’re cast in a role, doesn’t mean it will stay yours. Hard work beats talent, especially when talent doesn’t work hard.

content via http://www.allthatdancecompany.com/blog/

Dance Class Etiquette

Things You Need to Know

What you should know before stepping foot in a dance class!

20 BASICS OF DANCE CLASS ETIQUETTE

  1. Come prepared. This includes the appropriate dress, shoes, and grooming for participating in your class. Leave dangling or sharp-edged jewelry at home or in your bag.
  2. Leave food and drinks (unless your teachers OKs a closed water bottle) out of the dance space.
  3. Don’t chew gum in the dance space. It’s rude to those around you and actually unsafe for to do while you’re dancing.
  4. Never wear dance shoes outside the studio or wear street shoes inside the studio.
  5. Before stepping onto the dance floor with tap shoes, check your shoes for loose screws.
  6. Come to class showered and with brushed teeth or freshened breath.
  7. Use a dressing room, if one is available, for the personal items you have with you but don’t need for dance class. If a dressing room isn’t available, leave personal items at the back or sides of unused studio walls.
  8. Turn off and stow your cell phone. You have no use for your device during class. Completely silence it by turning it off – not simply setting it to vibrate – so that it will not disrupt class from your bag.
  9. Don’t arrive late. If this cannot be avoided, enter the class very quietly.
  10. Don’t leave class early. If you cannot avoid making an early exit, talk to the teacher before class. If your exit is an emergency, do so as quickly and discreetly as possible.
  11. Don’t talk – not even a whisper – while the teacher is talking.
  12. Be attentive at all times. Help class move along for everyone by staying attentive in line as you wait your turn.
  13. Pay attention, participate and follow your teacher’s directions. Listen before asking questions. When you do ask questions, make sure that they are necessary and relevant.
  14. Approach your class and activities in your class with a good, positive attitude. It helps you and everyone else in your class to learn more quickly and accomplish more.
  15. Never sit down unless you are instructed to do so.
  16. Watch your language, even when you mess up. The dance studio is no place for expressing yourself inappropriately.
  17. Be respectful of others. Allow them the same opportunity you have to learn and participate and space to do it in. The best way to achieve this is to exhibit the Golden Rule at all times.
  18. Respect the dance studio/space by keeping it clean and neat. Pick up after yourself – trash that you generate or that you see. Make sure your clothes and other personal items are neat and in the appropriate place when you’re in class and when you’re not.
  19. Don’t use things that are not yours or that you don’t have permission to use. Do not turn things on, off, up, or down in the space without express permission.
  20. Use good posture. Don’t slouch or hang on the barre (or anywhere else) and be aware of negative body language (like folded arms). After all, dance is about using your body to express a beautiful art form.

via www.jackrabbitdance.com

PRESENTATION/ATTIRE

  • Hair should be slicked back into a low ponytail or pulled back in braids and secured to your scalp. (examples of such styles are listed below)
  • Jewelry is generally not permitted. Small studs or pearls are appropriate as long as they are not distracting.
  • All dancers should be aware of what their specific attire requirements are for their classes and should come prepared and ready on time to take class

diPA-Presentation

 

THINGS THAT SHOULD ALWAYS BE IN YOUR DANCE BAG:

  • Deodorant
  • Healthy snacks
  • A water bottle
  • Hairbrushes
  • Sticky bandages
  • Hand sanitizer
  • A phone charger
  • Foam rollers or resistance bands.
  • Dance Shoes
  • Extra Dance Clothes

Check out these fun WHAT’S IN MY DANCE BAG VIDEOS!

for tiny tots/itty bitties:

for young kids:

for teens:

for adults and parents:

ALWAYS REMEMBER WHY YOU ARE HERE WHEN YOU STEP FOOT IN CLASS. THIS IS THE TIME FOR YOU TO PUSH YOURSELF TO BE YOUR BEST AND ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS. COME TO CLASS JUST AS INSPIRED AND EXCITED FOR YOURSELF AS YOUR STUDIO AND COMMUNITY IS EXCITED FOR YOU!

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Performance Prep 101

Things You Need to Know

We’re walking you through what you need before you hit that stage!

Makeup

THINGS TO REMEMBER: foundation or BB cream should match your skin tone. concealer should be 1-3 shades lighter than your skin. darker skin tones should you a more yellow toned powder/setting powder. brows should be natural and defined. Bronzer and blush should be a natural color and should create a natural glow. Mascara should be black and lip color should be natural and lips should look moisturized and supple.

Hair

Here is a list of hair tutorials for a right side parted low bun on natural hair. PLEASE INSURE THAT THE PART AND BUN LOCATION IS CORRECT!

Always be sure to arrive on performance day with hair secured in a headscarf, preferably satin or silk material.

Nails

THE ONLY COLORS ALLOWED ON NAILS SHOULD BE A NATURAL NUDE OR A NATURAL PINK COLOR. TOES AND FINGERS SHOULD BOTH BE MANICURED.

20 Essential Items to Pack in Your Dance Bag for Recital Day

1. Comfy Sneakers/ Post Performance Outfit

You’ll need something to wear on your feet while prepping for the show. You’ll also need something elegant to wear after the show in case there is a signing or an after event.

2. Extra tights, leotard, and warm-ups

In case of tears, runs, stains, or excessive sweating, you want to have a backup pair of tights and a clean leotard. And as temperatures in studios and theaters are unpredictable and can vary widely, it is important to have warm-up clothes that you can layer on top and remove easily.

3. Hairbrush, comb, elastic ties, barrettes, pins

Classical dancers in particular need to be meticulous in sporting a neat hairstyle that will stay in place and not interfere with the look or execution of their movements. Also, there is frequently a dancer who forgets, loses, or breaks her hair tie, and it looks good for your professionalism and preparedness when you can be there with a spare elastic or barrette to offer.

4. Towel

Even in cold weather, dancers sweat, often profusely. Particularly when doing partner work, you will want to periodically wipe the perspiration off your body, as overly sweaty skin can be dangerous when doing lifts. (You may also want to pack an additional clean towel to use after showering.)

5. Deodorant

No one likes working with a performer who stinks up the studio.

6. Perfume or cologne

On those busy days when you don’t have time to shower after rigorous classes or rehearsals, a quick squirt of a mild cologne can make you feel and smell fresh.

7. Antiseptic wipes

Good for cleansing a minor cut or scrape or even just dirty hands, particularly when it’s inconvenient for you to leave the studio or stage area.

8. Antibiotic ointment

To prevent infection, you should apply something like this immediately after cleansing any kind of cut, scrape, or tear of your skin.

9. Band-Aids

A large assortment of these is always important!

10. Breath fresheners

A courtesy to your fellow performers and to make a pleasant impression on anyone to whom you may be speaking at an audition.

11. Plastic shaver

For last-minute touchups or, ladies, in the event that you have to change into a different style of leotard or tights than you were expecting to wear.

12. Makeup bag

In case you need to re-apply makeup to go to an audition after class or rehearsal, or at auditions if you need to repair smears, smudges, etc.

13. Plastic water bottle

It is vital that you stay hydrated during long days of rehearsing or auditioning, and if you can’t get out to purchase more beverages, it’s smart to have a plastic bottle that you can easily refill from a water fountain or sink. Warning: Never carry glass bottles in your dance bag. Should they break, no matter how well you think you’ve cleaned out your bag, tiny glass shards may still be in there that could seriously hurt you if they got into your clothes or shoes.

14. Protein bar

On days when your schedule requires you to skip a meal, a medium-size protein bar will adequately satisfy your hunger.

15. A healthy snack

Most dance nutritionists advise eating small amounts of food periodically throughout the day. So especially on those days when you’re not sure when your breaks will be, or when you are going to an unfamiliar neighborhood and don’t know what the food purchasing options will be, you should be sure to have a healthy snack in your dance bag. Also, it’s usually less expensive to bring your own snacks from home on a regular basis. The most recommended snacks for working dancers are nuts and fruit.

16. Plastic bag

For wet dance clothing, towels, etc.

17. Notebook and pen

You never know when you’ll need to record an important piece of information.

18. Reading material

For the downtime, when you tire of texting or when it’s inappropriate to use your electronic devices, always have a good book or magazine with you. What do I recommend? Why, the latest issue of Backstage, of course.

via https://www.tututix.com/