Kids' Summer Fun Dance Camp

Here we are half way through our week with the Kid's Camp. It's so fun to see the kids come in on Monday kinda shy and reserved. By Wednesday....BAM their true personalities are beaming through. I mean this in a good way. Today is Pajama Day and it seems to be a favorite. We have decorated breakfast cups and shaked our sillies out just in time to "roll out of bed" during our obstacle course.
It is always so rewarding to see not just the "little ones" having a ball but also our great mentor volunteers. Haleigh has been our "photographer" Sarah our "reader" and Jess and Katie floating around helping kids during craft time. All 4 girls have been so wonderful engaging with the kids during our free dance time, playing "telephone" etc.
Tomorrow wraps up this week with Superhero and Princess day!

Who felt the joy most?

Yesterday Debbie and I took our Performance Ensemble to Class Inc in Lawrence and Presentation of Mary in Methuen to perform for some very special people.
Our first stop was at Class Inc. Class Inc is a day facility providing services to individuals with disabilities. This is our second trip to Class Inc. The students performed a 30 minute presentation of dance - everything from ballet, tap, jazz, musical theatre and contemporary. The adults watching the performance were smiling great big smiles, clapping and cheering. What a great feeling we all had leaving the facility. The girls were saying "I feel so great now" "Performing in this setting makes me so happy" Seeing them feel joy from bringing joy to others is what dance should and can be about.
Next we arrived at Presentation of Mary in Methuen where we were to dance for the retired nuns. Another wonderfully rewarding experience. These women were so welcoming and excited to see the girls perform. They too were clapping along and tapping their feet to the beat of the music. Many of the nuns were surprised by  the students' ages and years of dance experience.
The day was full of joy and fulfillment. As NECB's school director I have always wanted to broaden the students' performance opportunities and now with the help of Debbie and the creation of our performance ensemble we are on our way.
Seeing the girls' take pride in bringing joy to others through their dance was such a sweet beginning to summer!

Here comes the break......gasp

Here comes the break I shudder at the thought Why???.....The last few weeks of our school year I have been pushing my girls....intense core work in jazz.....pointe upon pointe upon pointe.....to their tunes of "why do you hate us so much???"  after 100+ leg lifts and "wow I am terrible" upon completion of frappe with releve/on releve etc etc. It's big girl panty time I say over and over and you know what..............I LOVE IT!!! I love to see girls pushing to places they never imagined, love giving the opportunity to "younger" dancers to play with the "big girls" and the "big girls" the shocking realization that you have to keep pushing to reach new heights-there is always someone behind you who wants it just as bad if not more. Complacency is the curse of death. Well okay maybe not death but it is the curse of stale plateaued  dancing. Get out there and push yourself in class, on break, in life!

Spring back

I am not the kind of dancer/teacher that thinks everyone HAS to be a "winner" The truth of the matter is in dance as in in life we all face moments of being at the bottom. I can think of so many situations where having someone hold your hand or inflate your ego is not only unnecessary but actually damaging Let's face it no one likes to see someone they care about sad or disappointed no one likes to feel that way themselves but we all MUST go through these feelings and situations. So you don't agree with a role you were given, a teacher's criticism, a judge's critique so be it...take the good you can find in the situation and leave the rest. But also realize that directors, teachers, judges etc are trained, talented people. So consider this; you may be too close to the situation to take their feedback openly take a step back, take a breath and move forward. In the end you are becoming a better dancer and a person with stronger character.

Learning to Fly

The other night while I was teaching I started thinking about how to get yourself to the place where you are still working on your technique but not dancing as a technician.I can see all my students dissecting themselves in the mirror and agonizing over that releve arabesque that was just not quite square and think....ahhh they are missing the beauty and passion of the moment. Then-it happens, even if just for a brief moment the dancer feels it! She moves through technique not forcing technique. Part of me goes back to the great Merce Cunningham quote " The only way to do it, is to do it". Maybe it is that simple! Maybe we all make it to be so much harder than just that.