The DDA way

  When I was around 3 years old, my mom signed me up for dance class to help with my confidence, as I was a very shy child. When I was five or six years old I saw Savion Glover on Sesame Street. I was in awe of his tapping and how much joy he emitted while he danced. I knew right then and there that I wanted to share dance with whomever I could in hopes I would bring the same joy into their lives, as he had to mine. I looked for him every time Sesame Street came on TV, and was so happy whenever he was on the show.     Around that same time, I was also highly inspired by Michael Jackson, as so many in my generation were. His movement was unmatched by anyone that preceded him, and I absolutely made it a goal to be able to learn choreography from music videos and put on shows in my living room to whoever was willing to watch (at times it was only my stuffed animals).    I learned to love moving and it became my outlet. Whether I was having the best day or worst day...

  Dance is a performance art. The dancer uses their body like a carefully sharpened pencil creating the art of the choreographer. Keeping a dancer's body strong and injury free should be one of the top priorities inside and outside the dance class. This can be rather challenging when the dancer is continually pushing to advance their skills or they are in a competitive season. For much of history dancers have been known to grind it out even through injury, however times have changed and that mentality no longer is what is supported.  So, you might question as a parent and definitely as a dancer how can I prevent injury inside and outside of the classroom?  As a certified personal trainer and dancer of 30+ years, I am hoping the information that follows will add insight on how to keep the dancer in tiptop condition all year round. Cross training Shoes Rest Myofascia release techniques Seeking medical advice Cross training: Like any athlete, dancers have seasons. ...

  Ballet provides so many wonderful benefits for young children all the way to adults. I can often spot a ballet trained dancer just by seeing them walk by me at the grocery store due to their posture. Ballet has so many health and mental benefits so here's a list of 5 to provide a deeper understanding!  1. Posture Ballet trains the body to use so many muscle groups for posture all the way from around the shoulder blades, abdominals, hips, and even the neck to provide a long spine and support. Not only does it look beautiful but it creates graceful movements and allows for the body to organically move correctly even for turns, jumps, and extensions. One of the many posture tips I tell the beginning ballet students is to stand as if they are balancing a cup of hot chocolate on top of their head while they are doing slow movements at barre.  2. Technique base for all forms of dance Ballet provides a solid base that improves technique for every single style of...

We are in the final weeks of our dance school year and with it comes the anticipation of a break from the busy schedule of dance classes, rehearsals, performances, and competitions to a more relaxed time of being outside with friends, vacationing with family, and giving our bodies a rest. Before you pack your dance bag in the closet and grab your beach towel, you might want to consider some of the benefits of summer dance! Summer is the perfect time for discovery! Trying a new dance style that might become your new passion. Being challenged by a guest teacher during The Dream Dance Intensive . Or igniting your imagination in one of our themed camps or workshops. During the summer, kids can focus on dance without the stress of school work or other extracurricular activities in a positive and safe environment where they can express their creativity and be inspired while developing confidence, discipline, and independence. By continuing their training over the summer, dancers stay s...

  What is the difference between a jazz pirouette and a ballet pirouette?    One of the hardest transitions between jazz and ballet are the pirouettes. There are many differences, and teachers often find themselves giving corrections in class....over and over...and over....that are related to this! Read on to learn more:   The prep and "take off" Even the prep to take off has several differences. The little steps leading into the pirouette are different to begin with but we will save that for another time! For the actual position to turn from in jazz, the feet are in a parallel 4th position with the back heel up. In ballet, the feet are in a turned out 4th position with both heels down. In ballet you can also do a pirouette from 5th position. However, all of them you have to use a plié to take off from.    P.S. - Use your plie! How many times do you hear your teacher say that?   The turn Basic pirouettes use a passé position and tur...

The silence is deafening...when you walk through the doors of a place you've worked your entire life to build. Every little piece of it. But there is nothing but silence. Six weeks of silence. Silence in a building that normally boasts hundreds of dancers and parents, hallways with kids running down them, music blasting from four different rooms, tap shoes clickity clacking, and the front door opening and closing a thousand times a night. Since I was 16 years old, I've worked my tail off. I always loved working. Truly. In high school I loved working so much....that my senior year, I was part of a business program that allowed me to leave school at 10:30am and work the rest of the day. The only things I ever enjoyed about school were the social part and electives (classes like cooking and graphic design). And of course gym because I got to take dance. I hated the rest. I would have to study for hours upon hours to get a B or C in classes like Science and Math. ...

This post has nothing to do with the studio, and everything to do with using my platform on social media and my position as a business owner in St. Charles…to recognize a woman who was so instrumental in the St. Charles community for 20+ years. Kathy Loubsky. Kathy passed away in November, and was my boss at the St. Charles Convention and Visitors Bureau (which is sadly no longer as of last year). She was the Executive Director of the CVB for around 20+ years (my memory isn’t as good as it used to be since so much has filled my brain since then – but something like that!)   She hired me in 2006 and truly changed my life as far as my career goes. I was a few years out of college and wasn’t happy in the job I had been in for the 2 1/2 years after college as it didn’t fulfil my career goals. I still remember clear as day coming home from my interview and thinking how badly I wanted that job! If I remember correctly, she called to offer me the job before I even went to my second in...