Open Studio!

Stop the Devaluing of Dance

2011-10-25T09:05:00.000-07:00

In an effort to raise some valid points about raising strong girls, be careful not to mistakenly encourage girls away from a stereotypical 'female' activities, like dance that is very effective in reaching the goals listed in the attached link.

While dance in America is not exclusively for girls, it attracts girls far more than boys. Despite that, when taught correctly, dance builds strong sense of individuality (even in ballet), gender neutral roles (in modern dance, jazz, tap, folk and other genres), emotional resiliency, physical power, attention to detail, a healthy way to express one self, discipline, and so much more. These days, dance students dance about social issues as much, if not more than traditional ballet roles.

There is as much team effort in dance as there is in sports and no one keeps score, which is even better! Every lesson of dance requires a student to try new things, to move themselves past their own obstacles, and refine skills.

The formations and spacial awareness required of a dancer is similar thinking to that of an engineer. The exploration and experimentation required of a dancer is similar to a research scientist. The communication skills required of a dancer are worthy of a storyteller's. Dance is one of the most creative professions there is. While is is not valued and as financially rewarding as other professions, it is rewarding in so many other ways that other professions cannot claim.

Within the profession of dance, students can move into design, stage management, journalism, dance medicine, arts administration, and so much more. It is not limited to an elite few who become ballerinas (who by the way must master their mind, body and emotions...far more than most professions). Yes, do encourage your daughter to be creative, follow her dreams, work like an engineer or scientist, while learning to communicate with the international language of dance.

If you dance or have danced you know what I mean. Beware of and respond to writers who inadvertently put down dance.

October 26, 2011 3:04 AM

Word verification
Visual verification

Opening Yourself to Review, Assessment and Goal Setting.

2011-08-24T06:06:00.000-07:00

No one wants to be stagnant, but few are comfortable pushing past the familiar and safe. Everyone wants to be creative, yet the distinction between new and imitation is hard to discern. Few want to be reviewed, yet many want to succeed.

What can be done? If you are not used to self assessment, step outside yourself and acquire some input. Dancers and other artists rely on this. They need an 'outside eye' to guide their creativity, and make their expression reach an audience.

1) Learn to 'read the air' of your immediate surroundings. Pay close attention to the response of others around you. Notice their body language their facial expressions and their comments (if you are lucky that they elicit something more than polite neutral remarks). Notice if others engage with you or check out. Dancers tune into the stillness of their audience and the tone of the applause.

2) Do not expect others to recognize the mini-achievements you make until they amount to a collection of progressions. Until then, watch for the tiniest of personal break-throughs. Pat yourself on the back when you notice the slightest advancements. Be careful not to admonish yourself for not being 100%. As a side note, you are supposed to face adversity and difficulty; so that when you can, you will truly be able to help someone else along their life's challenges. Dancers are famous for being critical of themselves, yet learn to persevere past their inadequacies to achieve exceptional feats.

3) Ask for feedback and advice. Then be sure to incorporate some or all the input, otherwise you will not be given much more in the future. Some give helpful considerate input, others just seem to lend criticism. Do not get discouraged. Sift through the well-intended, but negative comments as much as you do with the cheers from your fans. Find some sensible ground to navigate your course. Dance teachers, coaches, critics, and audience members may all have different tastes and opinions, but dancers learn to navigate the discrepancies and nurture their art form.

4) Take a chance. Be an individual. Often the crowd culture will hold you back. Do not be afraid to look funny, fail, or find new acquaintances to support your goals. Some of the greatest mistakes are in fact successes: chocolate chip cookies, popsicles, silly putty and more! Skepticism is one way friends and family 'protect' us from failure. There is no such thing as failure if you learn from it and get back on course. Dancers learn that if you stumble, you make it part of the dance. You can apply a similar philosophy to your life.

Conversely, if you are comfortable with self assessment, and can do it without beating yourself up, notice when you are sometimes on target and when you slip. That is the place where you are likely to make a break-through. Start there with your efforts. Progress is on its way, but it needs to be nurtured and carefully guided. Weed out the distractions and stay the course. Impatience is a common obstacle. Small frustrations, too, can steer us away from a success that is often right around the corner.

Aim for consistency. Achieving a goal is the first step; the ability to live the goal requires the ability to repeat it. Pulling-off a quadruple pirouette once is exciting, but worth nothing unless a choreographer knows the skill is reliable. Practice, practice, practice! Turn your 'can't' into 'could.' Be an example to others to make it stick. Sometimes teaching someone else reinforces your ability. Soon you will have confidence in yourself and not only will you achieve goal #1, but you will have experience to apply to future goals.

At first, do not seek the goals that are not near your capacity to achieve right now, but do not lose site of them either. Wanting to be a professional dancer is out of the question at the age of six, but a goal such as that is achievable. Consult with a school that is known for nurturing those dreams and helping their students realize them. Then, allow these goals to take shape or evolve into a new dream as you go through life. When you open yourself to review, assessment, and goal setting with others, you close yourself off from isolation, struggle, and the likelihood of a rougher road.

Liberal Arts Education: Is It Undervalued?

2011-08-23T12:06:00.000-07:00

A classical liberal arts education is becoming lost in the pursuit of 'advanced placement', degrees, credentials, and employment, but it is exactly what is needed to survive difficult times like these. Studying the arts and humanities is a road map to learning of oneself. It challenges people to incorporate logic (mathematics and philosophy), creativity (arts and sciences), and responsibility to others (history and civics). Once thyself be known, navigating challenging times is as simple as confidently turning to another facet of one's abilities.

Current education is becoming lop-sided. Mathematics is becoming less about logic and more about correct calculations. Philosophy? It is a rare person who has even scratched the surface of philosophical thinking. Science is getting a big push at the expense of art programs everywhere. Responsibility? Community service is on the rise at the individual level, but when hidden behind a group entity, responsibility submits to the bottom line more.

"The aim of liberal education is to create persons who have the ability and the disposition to try to reach agreements on matters of fact, theory, and actions through rational discussions." "The Aim of Liberal Education," DiText, September 1, 2003.

A classical education draws upon what is tried and true, not for this century, but for all centuries. In a classical setting, teachers are allowed to focus on their lessons for the students instead of their research. Class sizes are more intimate. Students are challenged to think, debate, and design plans of action with preparations to handle positive and negative consequences. "Too often we... enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought." John F. Kennedy

Now that undergraduate degrees, once the vehicle for a liberal arts education, are turning toward specific areas of study, one would think that high schools would hold true to a classic education, but alas, high schools are competing to increase the percentage of their students able to churn out information and score the highest. This approach creates an individualistic, competitive way of working which is not entirely bad if balanced with a collaborative and civic spirit born in a classical education.

The gradual departure from the classics in our children's education is slipping past parents who are busy trying to keep up, stay on track, and maintain their jobs. Unwittingly, we are creating a generation who does not understand the value of the arts and humanities because few were exposed to a proper arts education. This and the next generation will need a renaissance to save our civilization from another dark ages. We need a resurgence of artistic intelligence to fight for the humanities and minimize the stressful hoops we are creating for our children and selves.

You can do something about this. It took a long time for our educational system to slide to its current state; it will take as long to resurrect it. Children should not be made to wait. Be sure children you know are vested in a classical arts education where they grow up with discipline, self direction and personal reliance: the underpinnings of all arts.

Write back and tell others what you are doing to bring a renaissance to today's educational world. I lead an academic day school for serious students of dance, as well as an enrichment dance program for avocational students. In these programs I encourage searching for one's buried treasure, inspire students to lead with thoughtful exchange and example, and engage their artistry and technique in local touring seasons to renew the value of a liberal arts education.

I encourage you to write back and inquire what / how I do what I do. I am not secretive or competitive. The more people that embrace and take action to further a liberal arts education the better.

Patriot's Footbal Training Camp

2011-08-01T15:46:00.000-07:00

I love watching athletes almost as much as I love dancers. Their movement is fascinating. When combined with a professional work ethic, it is amazing. I recently watch the Patriot's football team work out for a couple hours. The experience was riveting for me and the fans in attendance; but I know I looked at what was happening very differently than most.

While spectators cross referenced the roster of players with their practice jersey's, talked about potential signings and cuts, applauded the glamorous maneuvers, I remained steeped in the way in which the session was run, the workings of the staff, the work ethic of the players, and their body mechanics. I study and analyze movement in a flash. I delighted in the build up of short drills into more complex patterns. I was happily surprised to be right at home with the format. It mirrors a dance rehearsal.

Dancers, and athletes alike, build their physical skills, discipline their time, and train their mind to accomplish unearthly feats beginning in childhood. After years, those who persevere, are healthy, and learn the ins and outs of working with like-minded people take their training to a court, field, or to the studio and stage.

Before pros bring their work to the public, the practice or rehearsal time is key. These highly skilled people come to their training session or rehearsal previously warmed-up with years of skills in place only to unite it with team mates or cast members. In dance or athletics, the method is the same; the terminology is different.

I watched the aspiring football players, already drafted and considered pros, work together like a well choreographed production. By the definition of some, they have already 'made it.' because they are now in the NFL. But these players worked to improve, and earn higher ranking on the team as dancers do in a company. These football players worked in small groups on basic drills: scrambles, punting, hand-offs, catch and roll, passing and receiving like dancers working on sequences of choreography. The only music to keep these athletes in time was the whistle of the coach who kept them moving from drill to drill until they came together by offense, defense, special teams. First and second teams ran plays for some time, then at the coaches whistle, the players broke off into smaller groups again for practicing jump and roll, dive and slide, running patterns and more. There was little time spent on real tackles due to the new safety rules for the players, but is was fun when muscles memory of the experienced players caused accidental take-downs...all in good humor.

The only major difference between a training session and a dance rehearsal that caught my eye was the extensive support staff tracking every move, calculating every statistic on these players. The success of a dancer is not in the statistics, but in the unmeasurable depth by which they grab the audience by their heart strings.

Jacob’s Pillow makes Dance Interactive!

2011-05-18T06:49:00.000-07:00

Dance people tend to work with less emphasis on time and budget and do whatever it takes to bring an idea to life. Money is rarely the motivation for the dance industry. Colleague-ship is! Ideas are born in an artists heart, and created with support from a vast number of generous people helping with the working, reworking, and development of creative projects. This generous spirit draws in colleagues who collaborate to move creative projects into reality. I do no know what or how many people it took to bring Jacob's Pillow's new project to life. I do not know the financial output, but I am sure it is due to the discipline and dedication that is so well known in the dance industry.

From this generous spirit, Jacob's Pillow provides so much for the international dance community and is one of the most successful in maintaining itself, passing along the legacy for generations to come. Kudos to them for launching this innovative project and lucky for the world for having access to it.

Those of us who give and those who receive, as in this Jacob's Pillow project, help insure the future of dance so that together we can continue making in roads toward bridging communities and solving some of the world's issues. Because dancers are universal communicators who are very effective in stirring emotions, illuminating an issue, and sometimes inciting action, they can easily work politically, socially or simply to beatify. Whatever the means and motives, dance often makes inroads toward understanding. This is why dance is so important. That is why this Jacob's Pillow project is a big deal. Dance is universal in the way that is can communicate and bridge people together.

'Dancers don't have problems; they solve them' is an understood mantra from the youngest dancer student to the masters passing on their legacy. Solving problems is what the world needs. We have so many of them. The imagination of people in the dance industry is often seen in choreography, sometimes in media projects (like Jacob's Pillow's), and sometimes addressing world problems.

Thank you to Jacob's Pillow and the many other parts of the dance industry for their support in upholding the traditions and propelling innovation in the international dance community.

I love the dance industry, full of imaginative, generous, and responsible people who dedicate themselves to the universal language of dance. Everyday my work as a dance school director grows out of the inspiration around me: from the legacy that was entrusted to me by my predecessors to the eager hearts that await guidance and exchange of ideas in my class, as well as from my colleagues who share their teachings and performances to the audience members who share the experience.

Jacob’s Pillow makes Dance Interactive!

I See a Future for Everyone With Out a Crystal Ball

2011-04-12T11:54:00.000-07:00

I couldn't be a teacher if I didn't have hope for each student's future. I believe with diligence, curiosity, and time, every one I teach will have a solid future...maybe in the dance industry, maybe not. I believe each individual should have their choice of professions and not be limited to what others dream for them. Every profession requires what dance training brings out: discipline, diligence, attention to detail. All jobs will be more enjoyable with the emotional resiliency, creativity, and manners that are mastered with long-term dance training. Life will be healthier with the good posture, active life-style, and rigor that a dance education instills.

It is my happy task to be sure that each student will have the nature and skills to be employable in the dance industry should they reach for it. Whether a dance photographer, journalist, therapist, designer, manager, teacher or performer, introducing my students to these vocations in the dance world expands their dreams. Why take such a serious approach? Because dance is no less important than math, science, or language. Few students become mathematicians, scientists or language scholars, yet, society highly regards their pursuit for the intrinsic value in life. Regrettably most experiences in the arts are relegated to 'enriching' rather than fundamental. It's purpose has been lost and a child that is superficially educated in any area has less of a chance to fulfill his / her potential.

I am never discouraged if a student aims for a profession unrelated to their study of dance, nor do I teach them any differently than the one shooting for a career in dance. Similarly, I do not get overly excited when a student announces their dream to work in the dance industry. 1) students change their goals all the time. 2) dance training is really training for any profession. I remain undaunted in my pursuit to give students a full and well-rounded education in dance. I am happy that a student has an aspiration that motivates them. Studying dance fits into any future plan.

Teaching How to Dance is Different From Teaching How to Be a Dancer

2011-04-11T14:09:00.000-07:00

Teaching how to dance is similar to teaching how to speak a foreign language. There is vocabulary, punctuation, and intonation to master. There is style, expression, and meaning to convey. There is form and order; but teaching how to be a dancer involves immersing students in the culture of artistic demeanor as well, including: independent discipline, balanced with trusting camaraderie, and creative collaboration. The ability to dance and being a dancer are vastly different.

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Children-s-Dance-Festival-Invites-YOU-.html?soid=1102191521547&aid=Pu1lJ6VGAV8

2011-03-18T04:34:00.000-07:00

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Children-s-Dance-Festival-Invites-YOU-.html?soid=1102191521547&aid=Pu1lJ6VGAV8

Dancing Arts Center - Holliston, MA

2011-03-17T10:47:00.000-07:00

Dancing Arts Center - Holliston, MA

2011-03-17T10:45:00.000-07:00

Do Everything Healthier

2010-12-23T06:31:00.000-08:00

Don't wait until a special day to improve what you are doing. Change does not stick because it is implemented on a particular day. Change sticks with nurturing a goal over time. I want to share this web site: http://www.newhealthyattitude.com/ to help us all become healthier over time. No matter where you are on your 'good health journey', making a small effort each day will add up over time.

Good health is defined in terms of fitness levels, diet, mental state, and so much more. Over time, you will improve in all areas if you simple start with one and allow it to evolve to other areas. Good health is a joyous lifelong pursuit. Do everything just a little healthier and soon you will be a lot healthier.

Dance Is For Everyone!

2010-12-10T08:23:00.000-08:00

We often think that dancers need to be long and lean to dance. Parents often talk to me with doubt in their voice about their child's ability to dance simply because of his / her build. Sigh. Hearing this breaks my heart, however, I understand the worried parent just wants to protect his / her child from disappointment. In another place and time, that may have been true, but today people are returning to age-old-wisdom and realizing once again that dance is not only universal, but inclusive.

Dancers come in all sizes, shapes, and abilities just like mathematicians, lawyers, councilors, and any other professionals. True, dance is a visual art, but it is also a therapeutic art.

Dancers have varied personalities and may gravitate toward the performance aspect while others gravitate toward the therapeutic aspect of dance. Some may use their dance to expand their life, incorporating it with other aspects of their life. Others simply acknowledge their time spent in dance to be a refuge, allowing one to study the depths of his / her self without interference.

The first lesson my students learn is, the most important part of their body to dance with is their own heart. Anyone who is alive has a heart and therefore can dance if they learn to get in touch with it and develop ways to express what is in it. Dance is a language that everyone can understand. Anyone who has anything to communicate, can speak with movement. Even those who feel limited in range of movement, ideas or skill can learn to dance. Range, ideas, and skill can be expanded with time and experience in dance.

To dance is an exchange of giving and receiving even if the dancer is alone in his / her space. It is where the abstract becomes visible. It is when energy is transformed. It is how spirits become free. Dance breaks personal, social, and physical barriers. Do not let preconceived notions of body-type keep you from exploring its possibilities for you!

Arts Supprt Academics

2010-12-09T05:54:00.000-08:00

Creativity and imagination add interest where students may not have it. Arts draw on additional senses to deepen and personalize understanding of complex subject matter. Arts offer additional ways in which students can realize success. When children are good at something their confidence rises and they become willing to try in other areas. When the art is dance, it taps into the kinesthetic sense which is so strong, yet under-engaged in children.

Incorporating dance into academic lessons addresses two contemporary issues: learning the subject matter more fully, and increasing the activity level of the students. Enhancing the established curriculum with personal movement is not only fun and keeps a student's interest, but actually teaches quantity, quality, and clarity of a concept. Plus, once students are more active in the class room, they are more comfortable using their body for other activities. Then the learning sticks and the physical activity increases. Win-win!

Keeping children physically present in school is less of a challenge than keeping them engaged in school. Transportation is often provided to insure arrival at school. Teachers take attendance to be sure the transition from the front door to the classroom is successful. What is done to be sure the mind is open, alert and productive other than explanations, discussions and worksheets? Art, and in particular, dance awakens more than the commonly used visual and auditory senses. Students who move while learning absorb information through the eyes, ears, muscles and more. Schools understand that manipulatives engage a better understanding of subject matter. As a society, let's go beyond the hands to include the whole body in the discovery of knowledge.

The old retort of "I didn't have art with my science and I'm just fine" isn't a good enough reason not to do better by this generation. Fine is the enemy of excellence.

Nervous tax payers worry about the added expense for complimenting the three "Rs" with art. Paying X amount for 'fine' may be adequate, but paying X plus a little more to achieve much more is the best deal. Who doesn't like to pay a little more for the best.

If we don't do our best for this upcoming generation, how can they? Reaching for the brass ring doesn't mean we will get it every time, but we are more likely to get it sometimes than if we don't reach at all. Ask your school system to employ dance teachers who can bring astronomy, math, chemistry, creative writing and other subjects to life, even if on a part-time basis. Then watch your investment blossom into more enthusiasm for school, and more success on the report card.

Holiday Dance Concert, featuring E.T.A. Hoffman's The Nutcracker

2010-12-02T12:48:00.000-08:00

The libretto for "The Nutcracker" was adapted from the classic story "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King" by E. T. A. Hoffmann. It premiered at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg on December 18, 1892–118 years, to the day, before the Dancing Arts Center performance–on a double-bill with Tchaikovsky's opera, "Iolanta."

Don't miss it! Shows are at 2 and 7 PM at Mass Bay Community College McKenzie Auditorium, Wellesley, Ma.

Warming Up Goes Beyond Sweat

2010-11-02T07:26:00.000-07:00

Simply moving faster and longer than one usually does will create sweat, but that is not enough to prevent injury or increase facility. Warm up sessions must be carefully designed to increase stamina, strength, stability, and stretch. They must engage the heart, mind, and soul to inspire super human ability. They must build speed, range of motion, and agility. Effective warm-up sessions are more than a regime of stretching and light calisthenics for 20-30 minutes. They involve starting with gross motor skills that advance to fine motor skills patterned after the anticipated activity. They aim to improve balance, breathing, and reflexes. Creating a sense of inner alertness during the warm up session is key to productive activity.

Everyone, every day, needs to warm up for their day-to-day activities focusing on proper alignment and mechanics; otherwise, the body will accumulate poor motor habits that create wear and tear injuries over time. Targeted warm up needs to be incorporated into any (recreational or competitive)physical endeavor, such as sports, dance, hiking, biking, skiing, etc. Don't take your body for granted. You have only one.

While warm up sessions consume energy, they make the main activity easier and safer, ultimately consuming less energy. Athletes can run and jump, dancers can turn, leap and balance without warm up, but their bodies will be less willing, requiring more effort and risking sudden injury. If working on a team or within a cast, an individual who is not thoroughly prepared through warm-up risks hurting others with poor balance, speed, spatial awareness, and more. A thorough warm up is necessary for all involved.

It is the responsibility of the individual to pay attention to how their body feels and do additional individualized exercises to prepare. There are many reasons why an individual may need to start earlier or stay longer than their counterparts in the warm-up session. Anyone going through a growth spurt or change of size and weight will need added time to connect with their changing physique. Anyone who is coming back from time away will need extra time to get back in shape. Anyone who is advancing in age will need more time to move in and out of full range motions. Plus, anyone who has experienced an injury will need added time to devote to their weak areas.

Sometimes an individual may need to re-warm-up if the body had been still for a period of time. With all the things we need to do these days, who has time for another full warm up?! Fortunately, the second warm up usually requires less time. This is the best argument for morning work-outs. A full warm-up, work-out, and cool down, makes the rest of the day more mentally efficient, and physically productive.

Specifically to dance, a warm up is the tune-up for the instrument of expression...the body! A dancer continues to increase every ability competing with oneself. The warm up is essential. Ready? Let's do it!

Can Your Town be Healthier? Can you Be a Part of That?

2010-10-20T05:52:00.000-07:00

The city of Somerville is doing something GREAT, not revolutionary, but still I applaud them for reinstating healthy, traditional ways of living. They are in the process of updating their infrastructure to encourage 'walk-pools' to work, and 'walking buses' to school (a parent or two walks the route picking up children on the way). Somerville is taking measures to eliminate trans fats from restaurant menus, add more fresh produce to school meals, and is investing in educational literature for their citizens.

Should we be thankful for the rising increase in obesity to launch such actions? I guess, but it would be better if, as a society, we could just do what is right and not wait until a problem occurs. Many human beings ignore good advice until bad habits are entrenched, and problems require monumental effort to unravel (usually costing more than an individual can bare, so that it falls to government to fix it). Choose to be different. Choose to be a trend setter, like Somerville and its citizens.

Look in your town. What does it already provide for a healthier lifestyle? Sidewalks? Bike trails? Dance programs? Sports teams? Clean water? Are the restaurants and stores selling healthy options and minimizing the junk? If so, spread the good word. Are the activities increasing the stamina, strength, and coordination of the town's folk? Make the good news travel so that the usage goes up and the service grows. If the health of your community is not such and needs improvement, take action!

Look at your way of living, also. Do you already have regular physical activities and healthy meals on which you can build? Be the example. Do what you think others should do. Take the stairs, park further away and walk the distance. Dance and play sports with your family.

Send the message that vegetables are yummy and they are not something we need to sneak into foods and drinks. Vegetables add color, texture, and nutrients, and are not just to counterbalance the junk food. The advice from my aunt rings true today: 'you can eat all you want if you just eat the right things.' Family gatherings can be just as joyous around healthy food. Celebrations can lead to a life of many more celebrations if good eating and physical activity are part of our every day life.

We all do better if we have a support system to sustain our endeavors. Rally your town government. Clear areas for outside play, walking, and biking. Petition the town bylaws to support healthy living standards. Gather your family around some basic action steps: Grocery shop and eat out better. Organize walk-pools and walking buses to your destinations. Get into dance class! These are simple ideas that Somerville, Ma has already started. Don't wait until there is a problem, or count on someone else to take action. Our society's trend toward obesity and low muscle tone did not happen in recent years. It has been a growing problem. It can be reversed if we continue our efforts over as much time. Creating a healthy lifestyle for your self is contagious and will lead to others following suit. Start today!

Nutrition Tips for Healthy Bones: Calcium

2010-10-15T10:07:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, our lessons at DAC go well beyond teaching dance. During the month of October we emphasize bone health. We teach that students need to have (on average) at least two servings of green leafies (which goes beyond lettuces: broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, spinach, cabbage, beat greens, and others). However there are difference in the quality of these good vegetables, for instance: red leaf lettuce is not as rich in calcium as Romaine lettuce.

Students also need 10-20 minutes of sunshine (for vitamin D3) everyday with other sources of calcium, like tofu, soy milk, sardines, and milk products like low fat milk, yogurt and cheese. The point is not to rely solely on dairy products for one's calcium supply. The calcium in pasteurized products is not very absorbable and studies suggest may lead to calcium deposits (kidney stones, gall stones, bone spurs) later in life. Availability, accessibility , absorbability are different ways to define calcium. Absorbability is the factor we need to address. Calcium is available and accessible in foods like cow milk products, but not very absorbable. However, it should not be counted out...just not counted on!

While I don't want students to rely on fortified foods to get their calcium and other nutrients, I do recommend foods fortified with calcium citrate, like orange juice. Calcium-citrate is very absorbable. Calcium phosphate, calcium carbonate (cheap and common), and others are not.

I would recommend at least 1,200 mg of calcium for children 11-25 years of age. Since most DAC students are female and growing, they need more than the recommended 1,000mg. . http://paleodiet.com/losspts.txt

As you probably know, the body absorbs calcium better when taken in moderate does, so students should have some at each meal.

Fortunately, DAC students, I do not believe, are drinking alcohol or smoking. Thirty minutes of exercise a day, plus eating a variety of the foods mentioned above will help students to easily get their required amount of calcium. I recommend anyone drinking decaffinated beverages eliminate eliminate them, because they still has caffeine in them, and caffeine prevents the absorption of calcium. I also recommend limiting chocolate for the same reason...I know horrible to say just before Halloween.

For obvious reasons, I suggest banning soda. Most sodas contain phosphoric acid (not on the ingredient label) that leaches calcium right our of the bones.

I also suggest lowering salt and sugar from the diet as there are studies indicating an adverse effect on calcium absorption. http://paleodiet.com/losspts.txt

It is best to get most of your fiber through fruits and veggies and not rely on whole grains. As you know, I am a BIG advocate for whole grains over enriched wheat flour products, but too much bran from whole grains can inhibit calcium absorption. Keep your grain products to a moderate amount and have another salad!

Have fun at home planning better ways to help each other get your needed calcium.

Eat Better and Save Money

2010-10-01T07:13:00.000-07:00

Everyone needs to eat better, not just dancers and athletes. The old saying, you are what you eat could not be truer. Good eating isn't just for producing slim, trim coordinated entertainers. It is to stave off illness, injury, and increase longevity for everyone.

Eating better may cost more in the grocery store, but it reduces higher priced medical expenses. Processed and junk foods are cheap in price and can appear to be a good way to fill shopping carts and stomachs; but alas, they are also cheap in quality and contribute to a myriad of health problems.

From teaching dance for over thirty years, I have seen a rise in allergies, acid reflux, and bone fractures. I have seen a decline in emotional stability, immune responses, and muscle tone over the decades. While not all of this can be attributed to our diets, much of it can.

Living in the USA where the quantity of food is at its highest and the quality of food is at its lowest, it is a struggle to teach my students and their families to eat better. When the peer group is eating a compromised diet filled with refined grains, sugar ladened yogurts, over salted restaurant meals, topped off with daily treats, few see the correlation between the dip in society's emotional well-being, the softening of the public's muscle tone, the increase in annual viruses, and so on.

Improving eating habits includes changing our language surrounding food. We can talk in ways that create interest in better eating. Instead of boasting, I'm a meat and potatoes person, or pointing out in a derogatory tone that some one eats rabbit food, we can talk about fruits, vegetables, and whole grains with a positive spin. Instead of begrudgingly vocalizing compliance with healthy eating in order to eat junk, make the healthy food the treat. Changing the way you talk about food will change the way you think, behave, and ultimately how you feel. Eating better will make you feel better and save money in the long run. Begin today!

Arts and Culture, Seaparate from the Day to Day?

2010-09-23T08:02:00.000-07:00

Some people perceive arts as a separate part of life. They talk about artsy people as if they are different from any other people. Some categorize art as a luxury, others de-value it putting their money toward more tangible events where scores are tallied and merchandise is counted. ...and why not? Music is free on the radio if we can bear the incessant commercials, sculpture is in our parks for all to enjoy, paintings are down graded to digital prints, and reproduced for affordability.
Exposure to music and visual arts in our day to day living is common, but taken for granted because they are often in the background of our existence.

Theater or dance cannot be in the background, mounted on a mantle, kept for all times in the park, framed on a wall or experienced fully on the radio. As the most encompassing of all the arts, but also the most fleeting of the arts, they can be a turning point in one's emotional understanding. Connecting with expressive and engaging human beings in a production, who are as real as our selves, is powerful and lasting.

Change your life for the better. Become a patron! Make a commitment to attend concerts or shows. Allow yourself to respond and embrace those moving experiences. Talk about your theater and dance experiences, and engage others to do the same. That additional human exchange will broaden your horizons. Include theater and dance in your weekly life. You will find yourself becoming closer with humanity and your deeper self.

Dancers Dance Year Round

2010-09-17T15:57:00.001-07:00

Growing children learn very differently than adults. Mental, physical and emotional development is inseparable. One impacts the progress of the other. When a child is emotionally strong, he /she is likely to make more of a physical commitment to the endeavor and thus reap a deeper understanding. Conversely, when a child is uncertain, the action needed is likely to be fuddled until understanding is clear and confidence has grown. Growing is rarely a clear, straight-forward process.

For children to grow mentally, it requires memory building. If you, as an adult, have trouble remembering what you had for dinner last week, imagine how difficult it is for a child to remember something from last week unless there is much repetition through the week to instill the memory at the reflexive level. I am an advocate for routine at home and year round education with breaks every so often.

When children grow physically their bodies change leverage, width, weight, and angle. It is most visible after a break...maybe because we have time to notice. Summer is the longest break for children. They appear to grow most significantly over those three months. If children study dance through their growing years, they acquire the refined shape and poise of a dancer, and keep the emerging muscles, bones, tendons, and nerve endings coordinated through the process. A start and stop approach it hard children's confidence and physical development.

To grow emotionally children need an array of emotional experiences. There is so much beyond happy, sad, worried, and satisfied. Allowing children to feel the full range of emotions and teaching them to handle their feelings in a productive way helps them grow confidently and resiliently. Keeping children on an even keel for the ease and coping skills of others takes away a growing opportunity. The dramatics involved in dance training provide grounds to explore one's emotional range in a safe environment. When and if the emotions surface at home and become difficult for parents (especially), observe, don't get upset at seeing a new emotion. Children who study dance regularly, grow emotionally resilient especially when their exposure is consistent.

To not study dance, or take long breaks for dance training sets a child back mentally, physically and emotionally; requiring a session as long as the break to catch up with their growth, not to mention to return to a refined physical form, and an artistic frame of mind. When parents pay good money and spend precious time so that their child can reap the benefits of dance training. No one wants their time, effort, and finances to be for not. This is why dance lessons are not seasonal like sports. Dancers dance year round.

What is Your Alert Factor?

2010-09-14T08:20:00.002-07:00

Noticing when and where your thought process brightens or dims is crucial to self awareness and growth. Everyone's concentration fluctuates. It is important that attentiveness be allowed to ebb and flow so that the mind can absorb and associate information. Addressing the timing and control of fluctuations is worth some thought.

Extending the duration or depth of your alertness depends on your energy level, interest level, and personal discipline. It is easy to be attentive when well rested and nourished. It requires no effort at all to maintain interest with pleasurable things. Conversely, when tired, disinterested or unmotivated, alertness is hit or miss. Your alert factor determines how much you get out of life. Being unaware of your alertness means you are probably unaware of your surroundings and unfortunately missing out on what life has to offer. Ignorance is bliss. However, if you want to get more, give more...more attention, more discipline, more purpose.

Being purposeful in the intensity of your concentration takes practice. Start by paying attention to how you pay attention. Naturally, some new or complicated endeavors require an increased volume of steady deep thought; while familiar, simple tasks need less. Going beyond that which is natural, depends on change. Better concentration can come with maturity, but not necessarily. Implementing intentional degrees of concentration (as opposed to counting on maturity) is a more reliable way to develop an effective attention span. This takes discipline.

Discipline that is enforced is effective as long as the enforcement is present. Discipline that is cultivated and grows from within is the most reliable, productive, and long-lasting. There are three situations that motivate human beings to improve anything, including discipline: fear of retribution, anticipation of reward, or for the greater good. I opt for the latter because improvement for the greater good depends least on others, benefits the most, and is easy to repeat and become a lasting effect.

In summary, you can get and give more from life with purposeful alertness born out of self-discipline. Go for it! Any increase in the duration and depth of your alert factor will enhance your surroundings.

Becoming an Artist

2010-09-10T12:12:00.000-07:00

Becoming an artist involves searching oneself to a depth previously unknown and allowing one's creativity to blossom in fresh new ways. Artists become artists through the willingness to take a risk and being open to unexpected possibilities.
With the guidance of a teacher, and a format of exploration and collaboration, an artist learns what makes the desired impact. Trial and error is a necessary part of the work. Invention is often born from this process: silly putty and popsicles are a couple examples that you may already know.

Asking students to leave their day-to-day life and transform themselves into a productive frame of mind (generous, inspired and imaginative) before entering the classroom is a HUGE endeavor and practical life skill. Once in the studio, building effective skills of communication without uttering a word takes many repetitions to refine and clarify the purpose of every nuance in a movement.

Thus, it is necessary for performers to perform in the studio and on the stage even if it is not seemingly ready. Performing art is fleeting. Its life is limited to the time it is in action and for as long as it is remembered. Its impact can live on in an emotional state.

Art is art when it touches the senses and arouses a thought or feeling beyond the status quo. Art is not always appealing. It can insight negative reaction and inspire adversity. Art reflects life. It changes the audience's thoughts or feelings about a matter.

Everyone has an artistic side. Not everyone cultivates it. Someone who becomes an artist can move another being into another state of being. How powerful is that!

Busy? That's the new badge of honor.

2010-09-09T19:32:00.000-07:00

How frequently do you address parring down your schedule to the most important aspects of life? I do it often. Yet, we are becoming busier. I wonder; are we failing our goals or delving deeper by taking-on more in the few areas of our lives that matter?

Years ago, each time when my children where moved on from one phase of life to the next, I promised myself to dedicate more to what matters and less to the distractions. Now that they are grown and on their own, I am still working toward that goal. Why? I am disciplined, dedicated, and purposeful in my living, but I am also passionate, not satisfied with mediocrity, and love a challenge. So, I am still trying to find the right balance for my life.

Balance? That's laughable. There really is no such thing. Society has given us a framework to keep ourselves burning brightly without burning out: an eight hour work day, an eight hour sleep cycle, and another eight hours for everything else to be divided as each sees fit. This formula for living may work if you still lived in the 1950's.

The challenge for anyone who wears many hats as I do in this 21st century is that an eight hour work day is not so well defined, anymore than eight hours of sleep or eight hours to....you get the picture. I suggest we let the old 1950's eight-hour segmentation of life be a thing of the past, and embrace the 21st century with a new definition of purposeful living: 16 hour days containing a blend of family, friends, and work, and stop the unnatural divide of life.

Incorporating family tasks into the work day is more common these days; Including work in the life of the family is even more common. I think if we welcome this trend, we will be no less busy, but more relieved from guilt and able to give time and attention to the aspects of life that matter. If you wear the 'busy' badge of honor well, you will probably sleep better, too!

Adjusting the definition of productive living takes away the stress of meeting an out-of-date expectation. Stay busy, and be happy with the continuing challenge of a full day mixed with work, family, and friends. What matters most is being alive, able, and accomplished.

DAC Photos

2010-07-23T13:50:00.000-07:00

The Relationship of Audience and Performer

2010-07-22T05:17:00.000-07:00

With over 30 years in the business of teaching, choreographing, and directing, I know there are many view points on the premise of performance. Some think it is a show for performers to garner applause, flowers, and gifts from the audience. Others think it is a recital for performers to demonstrate one's advancing skills to a group of on-lookers. I, and many colleagues share the view point that performance is an interaction of performers and audience. Performers give of themselves to move viewers from one state of being to another. Audience members are expected to experience and react in their own individual way.

Liking or disliking is irrelevant to the performer, not because he / she is apathetic, but because the performer is seeking a deeper emotional reaction and meaningful change of mood or mind in the viewer. I teach my students that their primary goal as a performer is to impact the audience's current emotional position. Make them laugh, cry, hold their breath in suspense, etc.

In order for students to give so much of themselves in performance, they must give themselves to the lessons of every class and build an arsenal of skills, including a vast vocabulary, articulate quality, and the ability to make various connections with people. The first connections are with their peers in class. Learning to trust classmates requires mutual respect and support. The more trust that is built, the more safe a student feels to risk following an idea. The more risk that is taken, the more that is learned. The more that is learned, the more there is to give an audience.

A performer's dedication to their craft can appear to be selfish and indulgent, but in reality it is to acquire enough to give back to the audience in performance. Some audience members understand that their connection to the performer extends beyond the performance into supporting the continued development of the performer as a fan. When the exchange between performer and audience is mutual and continuous, civilization is renewed.

Choreographing

2010-07-19T12:31:00.000-07:00

For me, choreographing is the creation of art through the medium of movement. Sometimes it takes shape from improvisation or a dancer's movement. Other times, it grows out my reaction to music, fabric, an image or story. Occasionally, my choreography is based on design only, like abstract moving sculpture. I've created dances to fit music, poetry, explore the movement of a costume, the framework of a structure, as well as to feature some dancers.

Because of the way I staff my classes, I most often choreograph in the vernacular of modern dance. Now and then I choreograph in jazz and ballet. This summer I am working on a Tarantella, very musical and upbeat character dance (in ballet), a musical theater / soft shoe piece, entitled, Out of the Poor House, and a new modern piece or two (TBD). Right now I'm experimenting with the dancers' movement and a range of music.

I am also happy to write that this summer I am helping my students learn to choreograph for themselves, which always brings me back to my foundation. Similar to literary or musical composition, architectural construction, and landscape design, there is motivation to begin, develop, and end. I feel that motivation is all around us. I love new ideas and find it very easy to get started. My choreography will most often be based on a framework of thematic movement phrases, not necessarily created in chronological order. My imagination often exceeds reality. Reaching toward the ideal and editing my imagination is my main challenge. My dancers know that I always reserve the right to change my mind and alter previous decisions. My less experienced performers rarely experience much change in their choreography because there are fewer options for their skill level. My more experienced performers 'try-on' many variations until I settle on the most effective movement for the piece.

The generous collaboration between the choreographer's process and the dancers' artistic development gives a piece life. I find it difficult to end the creative process when the choreography is giving to the dancers and the dancers are giving back to the choreography. Only the deadline of a performance date brings the evolution of any piece to a finished look. On the other hand when the choreography and dancers do not find that give and take relationship, I have to weigh out whether to persevere or start fresh. I first find my resolve in the dancers' faces, and then I check the calendar.

Trust between the choreographer and dancers is the MOST important underlying factor for the success of any piece. Choreographers who are reliable and committed inspire dancers to be the same. Choreographers, who make dancers look good and work constructively, develop dancers who give more to the process and make the choreographer look good...a win-win approach!

I choreograph to teach composition by example, to produce entertainment for concerts, and to satisfy my own creative itch. The way I audition and rehearse teaches dancers a few ways that they may take on the role of choreographer should they want to do so. No matter how much experience I have behind me, I look forward to what is in front of me and ahead for my students. Rarely, do I re-stage an old piece. I prefer to create new. There is always more to learn and enjoy.

Wearing The Hat of a Director

2010-07-14T09:58:00.000-07:00

My job is at least three-fold: director, teacher and choreographer. Some might add: councilor, coach, facilities manager, and other titles to my position. While my three larger responsibilities overlap, they are distinct in their purpose. I write about my role as director today.

In my position, I feel responsible for the livelihood of my staff and the futures of my students. I aim to stay on top of what is happening, where it is happening, and who the helpful contacts are for the sake of those who may need the next opportunity. As a student's director, I keep up with his / her development and interests, providing appropriate structure and experience as they grow. If (beyond dance class) a student is interested in costume development, they can work with my wardrobe staff. If a student enjoys photography, set development, journalism, nutrition, whatever, I give them a chance to gain experience with it. I believe it is important for students to expand their understanding of the dance world through related arts and sciences.

As a school's director I carefully build and guard the reputation of this program for those who are involved with it, and those who move on from it. When and where a student moves on is carefully planned and selected. Proper timing and placement of advancing students helps them prevail and enhances the regard of this school's program beyond our community. I aim to insure that the name, Dancing Arts Center serves as an entree for all because my driving motivation as director is the future of the students and school.

A Dance Teacher's Changing Approach

2010-07-13T06:05:00.000-07:00

Teachers have many approaches when helping students improve. Their strategy is based on each pupil's level of experience, physical maturity, intellectual capacity, and emotional confidence. When teachers change their approach, it is because the student's needs warrant it, not because the teacher is changing moods, personality or work ethic.

Students are suppose to gain skill and confidence in the learning process. In the study and practice of dance, students often build strength, increase flexibility, refine musicality, expand vocabulary, and much more. They are responsible for remembering and keeping their accomplishments so that their teacher can build on it. Students inadvertently become comfortable with their teacher's ways and can think something is wrong if their teacher works with another strategy.

Teachers are suppose to adjust to the level of each student's gains. As a student becomes consistent with previous accomplishments, dance teachers instill deeper understanding, inspire the student's use of independence, increase the speed in which new material is expected to be grasped, and embellish the material.

Change creates progress and is also a result of progress. Do not be afraid of change, but if you are uncertain, do ask to understand the reason for the change. Parents and students may be happily surprised that a teacher's changing approach means progress is being made!

The World of Dance

2009-11-03T14:26:00.000-08:00

The world of dance is a charmed place. Some people like to inhabit it, others to behold it; either way, it is rewarding. - Margot Fonteyn (Peggy Hookham)

10 Lessons Children Learn from the Arts

2009-10-22T06:13:00.000-07:00

10) The Arts Teach children that there are no limitations to the impact each person can have on the world.

Adapted from Beyond creating: The Place for Art in America's Schools. by Elliot Eisner, PhD Getty Center for Education in the Arts, 1985

10 Lessons Children Learn from the Arts

2009-10-21T14:16:00.000-07:00

9) The Arts teach children to articulate and expand upon the range and variety of their emotional capability.

10 Lessons Children Learn from the Arts

2009-10-20T10:34:00.000-07:00

8) The Arts teach children to think through and within various materials.

10 Lessons Children Learn from the Arts

2009-10-17T11:44:00.000-07:00

7) The Arts teach children that small differences can have large effects. Children in the Arts appreciate and understand subtleties.

10 Lessons Children Learn from the Arts

2009-10-14T06:41:00.000-07:00

6) The Arts teach children that the limits of language are not limits on cognition or expression. Neither words nor numbers exhaust what we can know, feel or ultimately become.

10 Lessons Children Learn from the Arts

2009-10-13T05:58:00.001-07:00

5) The arts teach children to embrace change.

10 Lessons Children Learn from the Arts

2009-10-09T14:15:00.000-07:00

4. The arts teach children that there are many ways to interpret the world.

Lessons Children Learn from the Arts

2009-10-06T06:48:00.000-07:00

3. The arts teach children that questions are often more useful than answers.

Lessons Children Learn from the Arts

2009-10-05T16:39:00.001-07:00

2) The Arts teach children that problems can have more than one solution and that questions can have more than one answer.

10 Lessons Children Learn from the Arts

2009-10-05T08:44:00.000-07:00

1. The Arts teach children how to understand qualitative relationships. While many subjects only value correct answers and rules, the arts promote sound judgment rather than absolute values.