My Choreography is on YouTube!

I have figured out technology - and there will be more to come!

Turning Tips from Travis Wall via Dance Spirit

Fun for advanced dancers...

Reminder...Switching Channels

Thomas Meehan Performing Arts Center - Stratham, NH.

BNE students may attend for FREE and family members for $5 per ticket!

Inspiration Video of the Week : Soulescape (again) As You Sleep

This post is for my jazz class

This is the piece As You Sleep, choreographed by Justin Giles. The piano break is what we've been working on as a combination at the end of class. (NOT FOR PERFORMANCE - just for fun).

Enjoy - they're phenomenal.

Ballet Mime for Little Ones

The post is for my Creative Movement, Combination and Pre-Ballet classes.

Even though dance is a communicative art form, sometimes it is difficult to communicate an idea through movement. In ballets we use simple mime to get across important ideas in the story. It's the equivalent to sign language for ballet, (and in fact some of the actions are taken from signing), and are very easy for little ones to learn.

This is what we have learned thus far this month:

I/Me: point to your chest
You: point to your friend
Love: cross hands over heart
Beautiful: make a circle around your face with one hand
Listen/Listening: cup your hand over your ear and lean towards the sound
Anger/Angry: bend your elbows with your fists pointed towards the sky and shake them
Making a Promise: Point two fingers, like a peace sign only with fingers held together, to the ceiling.
Stop: Palm out
Dance: Hands circle one another moving from first to third position of the arms
Kiss: Touch your lips with one or two fingers
Engaged or Married: Point to your ring finger

The more that you practice these at home, the more that they will stick with your children. You can use these to make simple movement sentences such as "I love you" "You're beautiful" "I promise to listen" "I love to dance."

At home activity: Teach your children how to play charades. Pick an action like brushing your teeth, or pouring a glass of milk. The ability to effectively mime everyday things in dance is so important. The more realistically they can do it - the better! And it's fun to play!

***IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT*** My computer has died, and as I cannot afford to get a new one, posting will be sporadic. I will make every effort to get computer access so that I may keep you updated as to what your children are doing in class, but it may not be weekly.

Inspirational Video of the Week : Fallen Angel

Just beautiful...

Musical Awareness for the Creative Dancer

Welcome back from vacation everyone! I hope that you all enjoyed some time to rest and relax.

This post is of interest to my students in Creative Dance, Combination Class and Pre-ballet

I feel that it is of utmost importance to instill a sense of musicality in my students when they are young. Therefore March is devoted to reviewing musical concepts that we have already worked on earlier in the year.

Working at home with your child: The more children listen to music, the more they will be able to understand it. Three year olds should be able to learn how to clap or pat their knees to the beat and count to eight over and over. Four year olds should be able to do this as well as adding pauses, such as clapping for eight and then holding for eight. Five-year olds should be able to clap to four and hold for four, getting a little more complicated, and six-year olds should be able to clap on the "one" of a waltz. (ONE, two, three, ONE, two, three)

Do not be afraid to put aside children's CDs in favor of classical music. Children have enormous ability to understand classical music. Finding the beat, with the absence of words, will make transitioning to the music used in a classical dance class setting easier for them.