Twitter is a great way to discover emerging websites, services, and businesses within the dance world. It was on Twitter that I first encountered DanceSignUp, a web-based application designed to bring together dance competition organizations and dance studios to simplify many of the tasks that are cumbersome when it comes to competitive events, like registration, scheduling, payments, and communication. (Click here to visit DanceSignUp on Twitter) A lot of work goes into preparing for competition season. So, with a sneaking suspicion that you might be interested in something that could help streamline the process, and because I see a lot of potential in this this newly developed site, I chatted recently with Bret Robertson. His design company, Honu Studios, is responsible for bringing DanceSignUp to life.

Bret, you are a web designer and developer. Do you dance, too?

I’m proud to say I don’t dance, and if you ever saw me try you would be proud that I don’t dance either. My wife does hula and my business partner Brian and his wife took a dance class over the summer. Overall, we enjoy watching much more than we actually participate. We have a respect and appreciation for those who dance and dedicate themselves to the craft.

What has been like to find yourself in the “world of dance?”

It really amazes us how large the dance community is. Whenever we mention DanceSignUp to someone we’re surprised how often the response is “Hey, I used to compete” or “I’m a teacher”. We think it’s great that many are so enthusiastic and willing to share their passion for the art form. We’ve met some really great people, thanks to social networking sites like Twitter, who have been really encouraging and helpful with great advice and a wonderful spirit. We look forward to meeting more, as we feel like we’ve just started to scratch the surface.

Even I feel sometimes that I’m scratching the surface of a very large community, one which I’ve observed has grown tremendously online since I began Dance Advantage a year and a half ago. The culture that surrounds dance training and education, in particular, is broad and varied. Competitions are currently a big part of that culture, which brings me to your project and how it serves the dance community.

In a nutshell, how might the competition registration process improve for dance teachers and studio owners who register for competitions through DanceSignUp?

The biggest improvement is centralized management, everything is in one place.

Studios maintain only one roster of students for all the competitions they want to sign up for. Age eligibility is automatically calculated as are routine prices, so there’s no math involved! All registrations, schedules, and payments for every dance competition are kept in one place. There’s no longer the need to copy or print off each registration form for each routine then try and remember where you put each one six months ago when you registered. We also make it easy to change a routine in case a dancer gets hurt or needs to be swapped out, there is no need to call or email the competition.

Finally, we make payments for studios, groups, individuals, and competitions really easy. We’re using Amazon’s Amazon Payments service. The great thing is that most people already have an Amazon account so there’s no need to open a new one. Plus, neither DanceSignUp or any competition sees your credit card information. Amazon is known and trusted and completely PCI compliant. If the issue of a refund does come up, they can be issued just as easily in full or in part by the competition back to the studio’s account.

Without actually exploring your application, it can all sound pretty complicated. Let’s see if I’ve got this right. Studio owners/teachers can add students to a single roster (complete with details on their age). Then when registering for whichever competitions are of interest, dancers can easily be pulled from the roster to routines which are then submitted for registration. And studios pay the competition’s fees through Amazon, all from DanceSignUp. You must be charging a service or convenience fee, right?

No, teachers/studios don’t pay anything to use DanceSignUp. They only pay competitions to register routines within the application.

We do charge the competitions a small fee for each transaction. A transaction can include one or more routines. We looked at two pricing models, subscription and pay-as-you-go. Ultimately since dance seasons don’t last the entire year the subscription model didn’t seem too practical being that there are months where registrations may not be submitted. With pay-as-you-go small or large competitions have a level playing field, neither pay anything until they have registrations coming in.

I have had the opportunity to explore the site, and one of my favorite features is the “Coming to Your Area” section which appears on a studio’s dashboard when they login. Can you tell me more about this?

Sure, the “Coming to Your Area” section shows a list of upcoming dance competitions that will be hosting events near you. This is a great way to learn about new competitions, maybe sign up a few small groups, and check them
out.

The cool thing about this feature is that it levels the playing field, so to speak. It gives the smaller competitions a chance to compete with the larger ones. Now, we understand that there might competition and politics in the dance world. Naturally, you have large competitions and small competitions, large studios and small studios. It can seem like an uphill battle for smaller competitions to get their events out in front of studios and for smaller studios to make their mark at larger competitions. With “Coming to Your Area” there are no large or small competitions, just competitions.

We’ve talked about the advantages for studios but what are the benefits for competition organizations that get involved?

The benefits for competition organizers are numerous. The biggest of these are the savings of time and money. We eliminate the need for paper since everything is online. We’ve even done away with the need for Copy and Paste. On the registration side, you will no longer have to deal with illegible faxes, or attached email PDF’s coming in from all over the place.

Payments are handled securely and immediately online and give studios or individuals the option to pay with any credit card. No merchant account is needed, competitions only need an Amazon Business account. All payment records are kept for reference along with current event and season totals. Routine scheduling is quick and easy, routines can be sorted and ordered by any criteria. So if you want to view Small Group routines only, you can. Once scheduled and posted the schedule is completely online and available to studios, teachers, and parents. We’ve even formatted the schedule for mobile devices like the iPhone so that it can be followed in real time during the event.

Finally, we understand that event programs are a fun keepsake but often are a pain to produce; especially when last minute changes come in and a deadline is looming. To remedy this, we’ve created the ability to export an event’s schedule that can easily be imported into your page layout application like Adobe InDesign or given to your graphics person.

For brevity’s sake we’ll just stick to these, but there are numerous small benefits and advantages, and many more in the works.

Speaking of what’s up your sleeve, I’ve got some other stuff going on at the site too. I’m pretty sure I saw that you are offering desktop wallpapers on your blog. What other fun things are you planning to add to the site?

“Fun” can be subjective; we find code fun, so for us it’s all fun. We do offer desktop wallpaper which is hopefully more fun than code; it’s just our way of expressing our creativeness and giving back to the dance community. We’re planning on offering a new wallpaper each month and would love to hear from the dance community through picture submissions. Otherwise we’ll have to resort to pictures of us dancing. Details can be found on our blog about how the images will be used, how credit will be given, as well as where to send them.

We’re also thinking about doing some giveaways, maybe something like a discounted fee event. And also bringing in some guest blog posters to write about what’s happening in the dance community.

Above all, I’ve found DanceSignUp easy to use. Like other familiar “Web 2.0″ applications, there’s a drag and drop feature and cool little windows pop up. Studios can also subscribe to a competition’s season feed, which means they can sort of “follow” them to easily discover when new events are added. Plus studios and competitions have their own profiles. They can “see” each other in a way that perhaps isn’t possible when dealing with a paper trail or other online registrations. Do you envision this going further? Will studios and competitions be able to rate or talk about the different venues? Will there be opportunities for teachers to offer feedback regarding competitions? Interact profile to profile? Hmmm, am I getting ahead of myself here?

Image by PBoGS via Flickr

We absolutely envision DanceSignUp going further. It is a web application which means it’s web-based software so there’s no downloading or updating that needs to take place on the user’s end. Consequently, updates can happen frequently, at any time.

Without giving too much away about our future plans, I can say that venue comments or ratings has been discussed and has a good possibility of showing up in a future update. One upcoming feature that we’re excited about involves enhancements for the judging process itself (for example more immediate posting of scores, and the upload/download of judges notes, as opposed to the old cassette tape system). In an effort to keep the application focused and simple we don’t have any plans to integrate any “social” features. Mostly because there are sites that do that already.

The site is fully functional right now but just went live in September. I’m sure you are looking for feedback from studios as well as competitions. Sign up is free so it’s easy to go in and look around. Can folks contact you with feedback or get support?

Absolutely, we’re completely open to feedback and looking for companies to collaborate with on existing and potential features. We’re constantly tweaking and adding features which is why we look forward to hearing from our users. We want to talk with competitions and studios. We want to find out what they want and need and build off of that.

Support is offered in several ways. Once you have an account we have a support ticket system that allows users to submit requests directly. We also have a growing library of help articles and screencasts that will walk a user through step-by-step how to do something. Finally, we have a special Twitter account to announce software updates and system status.

As I mentioned, DanceSignUp is brand new. There are advantages for both competitions and dance studios to use the service but organizations from both sides have to come to the party. Currently, Bret and the folks at DanceSignUp are making connections and spreading the word. You can be a part of that by sharing the site with colleagues and competitions. I encourage you to visit DanceSignUp.com and have a look around. If you have thoughts or suggestions, you can contact Bret via the site or simply leave comments below.

©2009 Dance Advantage. All Rights Reserved.

Related posts:

1. Taking Your Website into Your Own Hands — Danceregister Web Services
2. A Master Class for Studio Owners
3. Role Reversal: What are the Pros and Cons of Dance Competition

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I love holidays in the dance studio and Halloween can be especially fun. Below is a list of songs and albums that may inspire you to get a little ghoulish in your classes this year. The categories just give an idea of which groups the songs could be used for, however, feel free to mix and match or go on your own little witch hunt for music – many popular Halloween tunes have been covered by multiple artists. If you have a song or album you’re just dying to share, let us know about it in the comments below!

Creepy Kid Stuff

• Monster Boogie – Laurie Berkner
• Spooky – Lazy Town
• Clownfoot – Jo Jo’s Circus
• Witch Doctor – Alvin & The Chipmunks Soundtrack
• Purple People Eater – Sheb Wooley (original)
• Doin’ The Zombie – Chubby Checker

Mickey’s Monster Bash – DisneyIncludes a Disney Monster Mash, This Is Halloween, and Sound Effect/Instrumental tracks	Boo Cackle Trick or Treat – Sue SchnitzerSome sweet, original tunes for young children
Halloween Songs and Sounds Pooh, Tigger, and other Disney friends get scary

For More Grown-Up Ghouls

• Thriller – Michael Jackson
• Spooky – Dusty Springfield, or try Imogen Heap
• I Want Candy – Bow Wow Wow, or try Melanie C
• Somebody’s Watching Me – Rockwell
• Witchy Woman - The Eagles, or try Kristen Chenoweth (from Bewitched soundtrack)
• Black Magic Woman – Santana, or try Fleetwood Mac
• I Put A Spell on You – Creedence Clearwater, Fame Soundtrack, Marilyn Manson, etc.
• I’m Your Boogie Man – KC and the Sunshine Band, or try White Zombie (still has the disco beat!)
• The Boogie Monster – Gnarls Barkley
• This is the Night or Do the Hippogriff or Magic Works – Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (the “Weird Sisters” band in the movie include members of Pulp and Radiohead)

Nightmare Revisited – Various Artists (including Marilyn Manson’s version of This Is Halloween)

Hair-raising Hip-Hop

• Addam’s Groove – MC Hammer
• Halloween – Arsonists
• Every Halloween – Insane Clown Posse
• Scary Story – Will Smith
• A Nightmare on my Street – DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince

Bone-chilling Ballet

• Great Pumpkin Waltz – Vince Guaraldi Trio
• Resurrection Waltz – Hellraiser Soundtrack
• Estasi Dell Anima – Zombieland Soundtrack
• Tubular Bells (Theme from The Exorcist) – Mike Oldfield
• O Fortuna/Carmina Burana – Carl Orff
• Theme from Halloween - John Carpenter
• Toccata and Fugue in D Minor – Johann Sebastian Bach

	Sleepy Hollow Soundtrack
	Dracula – Philip Feeney
	Dracula – Philip Glass and Kronos Quartet

Alarming Alternatives

• Raining Blood – Tori Amos
• Halloween – Dave Matthews
• Halloween or Spellbound – Siouxie and the Banshees
• Halloween – Misfits

©2009 Dance Advantage. All Rights Reserved.

Related posts:

1. Five Favorites: Music for Children’s Dance Classes
2. Richard Maddock Music — CD Review and Giveaway!
3. A Celebration of Dance Moms

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In classes, I’ve heard teachers talk about a grand battement “coming from underneath.” This can sometimes lead to confusion about which muscles do the work in grand battement. Working muscles contract or shorten to create movement of the bones. Because the hamstrings are at the back of the leg, it is impossible for them to be doing the work of lifting the leg in a grand battement to the front or side. Instead your quads and iliopsoas, as hip flexors (or hip creasers), are responsible for this.

Now, it is possible to OVERwork or create unnecessary tension in the quads. This is not conducive to getting the leg higher in grand battement and can hinder the height of the leg. Learning how to release and let go of excess tension is important. I believe most teachers talk about the grand battement “coming from underneath” to try to encourage less effort. In my classes, I typically try to encourage this release by asking students to imagine energy or breath flowing down the spine, the back of the leg, and out from the toe in a “J” shape as the leg lifts in grand battement. When the focus is on this rather than pulling the leg upward, I find most students let go of some of that excess tension.

Note that the language in the phrase I’ve repeated above, “coming from underneath,” could easily be interpreted by students as implying that the muscles underneath the leg (the hamstrings) are responsible or must be used to lift the leg. It seems to me that this may be how the myth of lifting with the hamstrings gets passed along.

As for “extension,” or raising the leg above 90 degrees, when the ilopsoas is engaged and allowed to do the work of creasing the hip and stabilizing the spine, there is a sense of release for the quads. In addition, as the leg gets closer to the body (as it nears the head), the hip flexors or quads fight less against gravity – it’s the same reason that it is easier to hold a heavy box overhead than out in front of you – gravity always pulls straight down on whatever you are lifting. Perhaps people who experience this sensation of release assume (based on what they’ve heard about these miraculous hamstrings) that they’ve found a way to leg the underside of the leg take over?

Deb Vogel has an article on her blog that may also help bust this myth: click here

I won’t bust any other myths in this post (this one is enough to digest for now). But, I want to ask…

What are some other long-held myths or impossibilities you’ve heard passed on during the training of dancers?

©2009 Dance Advantage. All Rights Reserved.

Related posts:

1. Introducing the Iliopsoas
2. A Jeté That’s Truly Grand
3. How and Why to Strengthen the Inner Thigh

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Ladies and Gentlemen, children of all ages!

It is my particular pleasure to introduce to you, the iliopsoas, a thrilling group of three muscles which are exquisitely fundamental to the function of the hip joint. As an indispensable stabilizer of the lumbar spine and pelvis, and the one and only muscle group that has within it a sufficient power to flex the hip joint and lift the leg above, with appropriate amazement, 90 degrees, it seems a gloriously gigantic understatement to call this muscle merely important. It is clear this wondrously complex muscle group not only deserves but demands your supremely scrupulous attention. I am outstandingly overjoyed to dazzle your eminently esteemed self with the following…

Okay, sorry to get all Barnum & Bailey on you. I promise the rest of this article won’t be nearly as dramatic.

Some of you, I would bet, have never even heard the term iliopsoas (ill-ee-oh-so-az) before. Meanwhile others of you have teachers who are devoted advocates for these miracle muscles but perhaps you still have questions. I’m going to try to answer some of the basic ones.

Why is the iliopsoas important?

1. The iliopsoas has a profound influence on alignment of the pelvis. Because of this it has a great affect on posture and coordination in dance. A dancer that moves smoothly and efficiently is utilizing the strength  and stability of their center or core, of which the iliopsoas is an essential component.
2. The iliopsoas is the primary hip flexor for the leg when it is above 90 degrees. The coveted “extension” of professional dancers is powered (in part) by these mighty muscles.
3. The iliopsoas can be a source of injury in dancers who repeatedly perform movements which flex (crease) the hip joint. Strains in the lower back, snapping hips, and leg pain are known outcomes to an imbalance of movement patterns which can be caused when a dancer compensates for a tight or weak iliopsoas.

Let’s get something straight, through. The muscles which make up the iliopsoas play an important role in a few crucial components of dance. While increasing your awareness, understanding, and proper use of these muscles can have enormous benefits, please note that the muscles of the hip, pelvis, spine and upper leg are complex. No single muscle group could possibly be the root of or solution to all of the issues that arise in these areas. With guidance from a teacher who has a firm grasp on the power and function of this muscle group, however, your increased awareness has the potential to lead to those wonderful “ah-ha” moments which can change your dancing.

What and Where is the Iliopsoas?

The iliopsoas is the only muscle (well, technically group of muscles) that attaches to the spine, pelvis, and femur (or, thigh). There are three muscles which make up the iliopsoas. The iliacus, the psoas major, and the psoas minor.

Though it has some involvement in the “lifting” of the pubic bone to correct alignment, the psoas minor has been found to be absent in a large percentage of people (a bi-product it seems of our more sedentary lifestyles). The major players are the psoas major and iliacus. Psoas major is attached to multiple points along the lower spine. It then meets up with the iliacus, which is attached to the illiac fossa (For reference, when you put your hands on your

“hips” you are placing them on the crest or upper rim of the ilium. The iliacus attaches to the inner, concave surface of this large, bony structure). The muscles then cross the front rim of the pelvis and the hip joint to attach to the lesser trochanter of the femur (thigh bone).

Lengthening and Strengtening

When standing, a person with a chronically short, tight iliopsoas will stand with hollowed or swayed arch to the back (which in turn limits turnout and causes other inbalances). Therefore a lenthened iliopsoas in important to alignment of the pelvis and health of the lower back.

Sometimes dancers are trained to engage muscles which are not necessary to hip flexion (lifting the leg) and this leads to a weak ilopsoas. Sometimes the iliopsoas is weak and stronger muscles take over to compensate for this weakness. Either way, practicing techniques that simultaneously strengthen and lengthen the iliopsoas are of benefit to dancers. In addition, making the most of the iliopsoas in your dancing will require visualization and awarenss of how this muscle functions.

How Can I Build Awareness?

The iliopsoas is a deep muscle, running very near the spine and beneath other major muscle groups. Therefore, awareness of the iliopsoas must come through visualization. You will not necessarily “feel” the muscles working and no single image will spark understanding in every dancer. Therefore it is extremely helpful to have a knowledgeable instructor that can guide you through this exploration.

First steps include locating the attachment points of the iliopsoas, visualizing the muscle that runs between these points, and analyzing how the muscle affects the bones and structures to which they are attached. Picture the muscle contracting from the center, moving the attachment points toward each other along the path of the muscle. How would this affect the leg? the spine? the pelvis? Now picture the muscle lengthening with the attachment points moving away. What are the affects?

As you move (in a deep plié, or as you lift or swing your leg), use your mind’s eye to transfer your knowledge to the moving body. Again, a teacher can help you discover and experience images that will help you to use the muscle with ease, fluidity, and power. These visual images may involve water, sand, strings, mechanics – anything that will help you engage the appropriate muscles and release the unnecessary ones.

Further Reading

I won’t pretend to be an expert on anatomy or kinesiology. College classes, books, resources, and experiences have shaped my knowledge of the subject. I welcome and encourage the sharing of your own experiences and ideas below in the comments.

©2009 Dance Advantage. All Rights Reserved.

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1. Lifting Your Leg From Underneath and Other Impossible Feats
2. How and Why to Strengthen the Inner Thigh
3. How to do a Proper “Crunch”

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Image via Wikipedia

I’m always on the lookout for new sites and blogs for dancers, teachers, and enthusiasts. New ones pop up all the time so I watch them for a little while to get a feel for the information they provide and how it is presented. I try to share the most interesting ones with you.

4Dancers Blog has been around for a few months and I like what I’m seeing. Here’s why I think you will too.

1. Diverse

Posts at 4Dancers run the gamut. From dancewear, accessories, and gifts to tips on using social media to featuring studios and audition opportunities. There is a little bit of everything at this blog.

2. Concise

Speaking of little bits, that’s exactly the format this blog has adopted. The short bursts of content are bigger than a tweet but superfluous they are not.

3. Connections

Like the shared links you get on Facebook or via email from your friends, the posts at 4Dancers typically lead you onward to gather more information or check out the latest find. You are bound to find something new if you follow along.

©2009 Dance Advantage. All Rights Reserved.

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1. Are You Following Me? — Getting Twitter to Work for You (Part I)
2. Top 10 List: Reasons Teachers Should Continue their Education
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If your child is having trouble maintaining their attention in class or has difficulty responding to instructions from his/her dance teacher, there are things you can do to encourage and help them to listen in class. These are discussed in a previous post and are an important prologue to the article below. I encourage you to read Part One, if you have not already.

Appropriate class material is essential for engaging young dancers.

Remember that ballet is a discipline that cannot and should not truly be undertaken until a child is around 7 years old. The maturity, physically and mentally, of a child under 7 is not developed enough for the dedicated study of barre work and technique required for ballet.

Most dance studios teach a mix of creative dance, movement games, and some fundamental ballet postures and ideas in their preschool classes. There are some studios that pay little attention to child development and getting that “mix” right for their youngest students. Perhaps the children spend a lot of time in lines or standing in one spot, perhaps the teacher isn’t as enthusiastic as he/she needs to be or doesn’t set clear limits/expectations for the children, perhaps the children are asked to spend too much time on one thing. Some children do have a disposition that allows them to “hang in there” for some time, even when they are bored or under-stimulated, other children do not. In fact, a rare preschool child enjoys or tolerates the methods of repetition often used for students only a few years older.

Overall, young children do best when things move quickly, there is a lot of variety, when their imaginations and creativity are fully engaged, and when dance is packed with learning that feels like play. Dance at four-years-old should have a strong emphasis on creativity and interpersonal and classroom skills. Its focus should be the development of problem solving, movement (direction, body awareness) and motor (jumping, galloping, kicking) skills. Greater emphasis on technique and choreography becomes appropriate as children begin to advance and increase their dedication to the discipline of dance study.

Consider the teacher’s experience and style.

Not every qualified teacher works well or has experience with young children.

• Experience – Way too often, classes for a dance school’s youngest children are given to the school’s most inexperienced teachers. Not all dance schools consider child development and the benefit of an experienced teacher when they provide classes for children. Reasons abound but none of these change that this occurs in dance schools throughout the U.S. (and perhaps elsewhere).
• Style – Experience is not everything. Therefore, consider the way your child’s teacher interacts with students, how he/she develops a rapport and relationship with your child, how your child feels about the class, and what you’ve seen of the teacher’s methods. Watch carefully with your child’s interests and feelings at the forefront.

If you feel your daughter is losing interest or having trouble listening because of the class structure or teacher, you might try out classes with another teacher or studio. This will allow you to observe how your child reacts in an alternative setting. Remember that a child may simply respond more positively to a different style, and an improved result does not necessarily mean that the previous teacher or school used poor or inappropriate methods.

Is ballet or dance right for my child?

Whether or not your child will have a desire to continue in ballet (or any other dance discipline) when the focus IS more on technique and choreography is hard to predict. However, laying a solid foundation for future study begins with discovering a joy and passion for movement. This is what carries a student through the difficult periods of training which inevitably a student will face as he/she advances.

Even if your child says the social aspects of the class are fun, I doubt that a class is truly enjoyable or beneficial if he/she is being corrected or disciplined frequently, or doesn’t care for the activities. I wouldn’t give up on dance until you’ve considered the possible reasons he/she is not listening or maintaining attention from every angle. I’ll repeat a statement I made in Part One of this article: I’ve rarely encountered a child that does not enjoy moving (and learning about the principles of movement) when it is presented in a developmentally friendly way. This, in my humble opinion, should be the focus of early dance education.

©2009 Dance Advantage. All Rights Reserved.

Related posts:

1. Help! My Child Doesn’t Listen to the Dance Teacher!
2. A Window into Dance Teacher Wages
3. When Should My Child See A Doctor for Dance Injuries?

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Image via Wikipedia

Concerned parents sometimes send questions regarding their child’s dance education. Keeping in mind that email questions often paint a limited picture, I do my best to offer sound advice based upon my experiences as a teacher. Recently a reader approached me with a series of questions. Based on her daughter’s difficulties with listening to the ballet teacher, this particular mother was wondering if perhaps ballet was just “not right” for her four-year-old daughter and was considering discontinuing her involvement, but wanted a second opinion.

Without observing the class or the child, it is obviously impossible to offer more than guidelines or things to consider when a child is not responding or responding negatively to instruction. Knowing that other parents may be asking themselves similar questions, I am offering an expanded version of the advice I gave to the parent mentioned above.

My child is not listening to the teacher. Is this a developmental phase?

Children do test limits and this is not limited to preschoolers – How does one know where a boundary is and feel secure that it will always be there if one does not occasionally walk to the edge of it?

Teachers and parents help children by making boundaries and expectations clear (often before the child has a chance to test them). When a child continually resists or pushes, even when limits are clear and consistent,  I suspect that something is interfering with the child’s ability to respond accordingly. A wide variety of things could be the source of this interference. Taking steps to discover what is going on with an individual child and what does work for him or her is a big step toward improvement of the child’s behavior in class.

I suggest you make an appointment with the child’s teacher to discuss what he/she is seeing in class, as well as set up a time to observe the class if possible. It is important for teachers and parent(s) to work together on possible solutions.

Is a preschooler (under 5-years old) too young to be expected to listen?

Absolutely not – in fact, the benefit of an early start in dance has more to do with the practice of following instructions in a class format than it does with preparing for later success as a dancer (some of the greatest professionals have had “late” starts). I’ve rarely encountered a child that does not enjoy moving (and learning about the principles of movement) when it is presented in a developmentally friendly way. This, in my humble opinion, should be the focus of early dance education.

What can I do if my child isn’t following directions in class?

1. 

   Image by Oude School via Flickr

   Keep your routine at home as predictable and peaceful as possible. Make sure your child is getting enough sleep, eating well, and try to relieve any stress or anxiety he/she may have at home or in class (is this a new teacher from last year, is there conflict between your child and another, has the class environment intensified in some way?) Sometimes even small or unexpected things can affect a child’s attention and behavior.

2. Be clear and consistent with expectations at home and compare these to the class expectations. Of course, your style at home and the way your child’s teacher runs his/her class will not be identical. However, communicating and receiving (with an open mind) ideas about what works (or doesn’t) for a particular child can enlighten a plan for how to help a child cooperate, both at home and in the studio. If the rules/guidelines at home or within the studio are not in line with each other (for example the child is expected to not interrupt the teacher while talking but this behavior is pardoned at home, or at home a “countdown” warning is given before leaving or moving on to another activity and in class activities change without warning), the child may become confused about what is expected of him/her. Consistency is key.
3. Help your child establish a good relationship with his/her teacher. On her website, Dr. Laura Markham offers some tips on how to include your child’s teacher in daily conversation in a way that will help your child form an emotional and familiar attachment with him/her. Click here to read the article, which also includes other ways you can help your preschooler learn to listen to a teacher.

I have a bit more to add on this subject. Tomorrow, look for the continuation of this post in which I discuss class structure for young dance students and how certain experiences may discourage your child’s attentiveness in class.

©2009 Dance Advantage. All Rights Reserved.

Related posts:

1. Help! My Child Doesn’t Listen to the Dance Teacher! (Part Two)
2. When Should My Child See A Doctor for Dance Injuries?
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Some people collect stamps, others collect toys, Tammy Stanwood apparently collects ballet exercises. It’s a good practice actually for teachers and students to record dance combinations for later use.

“I found the single most valuable way to learn how teachers put combinations together is to begin recording them in a notebook. Now, when you first start doing this you will not be able to recall every combination from class; begin slowly and jot down one or two barre combinations that you remember and one or two center combinations.” – Tammy discusses the practice of recording exercises on her site.

Her blog, simply titled Ballet Combinations, has become a space for Tammy to share her collection with others. Most I am sure come directly from her years of experience as a teacher. She’s taught ballet at Indiana University, University of Arizona, University of Kentucky, and Eastern Kentucky University, as well as the School of Lexington Ballet, School for Creative and Performing Arts in Lexington, KY, and Town and Village School of Dance in Paris, KY. On the blog Tammy also seems to write about whatever moves her or is on her mind in regard to dance training, education, and performance.

Perhaps you are feeling stuck or needing some inspiration in planning your ballet classes. Keep an eye on Ballet Combinations!

©2009 Dance Advantage. All Rights Reserved.

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2. A Boost for Boys in Ballet
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Image by StevenM_61 via Flickr

It is a pleasure to see people and programs proving that dance is not only for the young. I’ve come across a few examples recently and I wanted to share them with you. If you are an older adult and find these inspiring, let me assure you that it’s never too late to get moving… literally. However there are some things you may want to take into consideration before diving into dance.

“You’re not supposed to exercise just because you know it’s good for you. You exercise doing something you love!” - Huntley Hoofers and Hunks participant

DanceLifeTV recently highlighted The Hoofers and Hunks of Sun City Huntley, Illinois. The average age of an ensemble member is 60 years and features women and men who had never danced (or even dreamed of it) before joining the group. The video demonstrates director Sandy Oldham’s unconcealed passion for teaching, her student’s obvious love for what they are doing, and some great performance footage. The penguin routine is adorable and I love the nod to the dancing little old ladies from The Producers.

I can’t embed the clip here but head over to the Profiles & Features channel on the DanceLifeTV website and check it out. While you are there, don’t miss some of the other inspiring stories about dancers and educators who are making a difference through dance.

Dancing with the All-Stars?

The latest craze in the NBA seems to be dance teams composed of sassy seniors. The New Jersey Nets auditioned and brought together their own NetSational Seniors who perform hip-hop during half-time. A new documentary has come out chronicling the experiences of the original 13-member team. The film is showing in limited cities and festivals over the next few months. Check the Gotta Dance website to find a screening near you, or sign up to host your own. Meanwhile you can check out the clips on the movie’s YouTube channel. Here’s the trailer:

So You Think You Want to Dance?

If you are an older adult and want to begin dancing for exercise or for love of the art form, don’t let age stop you! Prepare yourself for what is ahead and be smart and safe by following a few basic guidelines.

• If you are over 50, have a disease, disability, are taking medication, or have other concerns such as high blood pressure, arthritis, or dizzy spells, check in with your doctor to evaluate your physical condition and keep an eye on your progress once you’ve begun taking class.
• If you have been inactive, begin slowly. Don’t push too hard and choose a teacher or class that includes an adequate amount of time for warm-up and cool-down (10 to 15 minutes for each).
• There is a learning curve.  It will take some time for some basic movements to begin to feel second nature. Be patient with yourself.
• Bring a buddy if you are feeling nervous or need a little extra incentive to get moving on a regular basis. The social aspects of dance are one of the many important benefits for older adults.
• Wear supportive and comfortable attire (particularly shoes).
• Always listen to your body. Pay attention to any discomforts or unusual symptoms you experience. And don’t be too hard on yourself if you need to ease-up or take a break.

©2009 Dance Advantage. All Rights Reserved.

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Do you have an interest in taking your dancing to the professional level?

Our guest post today is by Ashani Kiner, an experienced dancer, teacher, and business owner. She is offering sound advice for those who wish to pursue a career in dance.

Here are some inside tips on what you need to survive in your career as a professional dancer:

1. Realistic Expectations

If you think that because you were the strongest dancer at your local dance studio, in your high school, or anything along those lines, that you will automatically be highly sought after as a professional, you will get a pretty harsh reality check when you see some of your competition in the professional dance world. My advice is, know your strengths, and always play them up, along with your uniqueness as a dancer. Additionally, learn your areas of weakness, and work tirelessly on getting stronger in those areas. Understand that there will be auditions and jobs that you simply won’t get based on politics, type-casting, or other non-personal reasons, so you must develop a tough skin in order to survive.

2. Professional Photos/ Resume

This goes without saying. Presentation is everything, so don’t scrimp on your photos. Save up the money you need in order to get professional photos taken. Also, make sure that your resume is in the proper format for performing arts resumes, which is different from the format for a regular job resume.

3. An Education and Other Non-Dance Related Skills

I have a Bachelor of Arts in Dance, and after having that experience, I highly recommend getting a college degree. I also have a B.A. in Hispanic Studies, as I always wanted to have something else to fall back on, in case I ever got injured or something, and could no longer dance. Maybe college isn’t for you, or you can’t afford it. Finish high school, in the least, and involve yourself in professional internships, or other jobs, to develop your skills, and build a professional resume. This will not only help you to have a more successful career as a professional dancer, but it will allow you to have more options when you’re in between dance jobs, or still building your dance resume.

4. An Emergency Fund

Financial pressure is real! Unless you’re living at home with Mom and Dad, or have someone sponsoring your daily living expenses, you’re going to need money to survive. Most importantly, with the many inconsistencies in this business, you will need to have some serious savings to carry you through the slow times and unexpected emergencies. Not to mention, to free you from doing “anything” to make a quick buck, because you’re desperate for money. That’s never a good frame of mind to be in.

5. A Support System

Whether it’s your faith, your friends, or your family, you will definitely need some support outside of yourself from time to time, when you don’t get that job or audition that you really wanted. Or, for those days when you look at your bank account, or how hard you’re working, and wonder if it’s all worth it.

Plus 3 More Survival Tips:

• A Healthy Lifestyle — It is very important to eat healthy and stay in shape. You want to be ready at any time for great, unexpected dance opportunities.
• A Habit of Learning and Growing – From taking dance classes regularly, to learning from online videos/classes, or simply working on your skills/choreography in your home, you must continuously strengthen your skills, feed your creativity, and challenge yourself.
• Tenacity, Persistence, and a Positive Attitude — The only true failure is giving up. Don’t let rejection, other people’s success, or a longer road to your dreams than you expected, get you down. Nothing worth having comes easily. You must fight for your dream, and know that everything happens for a reason. The path that is for you, is specially-made for you only. So, don’t focus on others, on your obstacles, or setbacks, focus solely on being and doing your best in all that you do.

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Ashani Kiner, a New York City native, graduated from Connecticut College with a Bachelor of Arts in Dance. She has 20 yrs of experience in the dance industry and has trained, taught, and performed at the world-famous Alvin Ailey American Dance Center and Steps on Broadway in NYC. She has also taught at Ballet Hispanico, as well as numerous NY Metropolitan area dance studios, public and private schools, and non-profit arts organizations.

She is also the president and CEO of Kiner Enterprises Inc., the first dance teacher staffing agency in the U.S. They provide dance teachers in all genres of dance, with credits ranging from former Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater company members, Broadway and Broadway tour performers, dancers and choreographers for recording artists such as, Ashanti, Beyonce, Kat DeLuna, Hannah Montana, and Snoop Dogg, as well as the Knicks City Dancers, and dance companies including, The Metropolitan Opera Ballet, The San Francisco Ballet, and Complexions.

Follow Kiner Enterprises via Twitter or become a fan on Facebook

©2009 Dance Advantage. All Rights Reserved.

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YAGP Junior & Senior Winners

Outfits aside, these two young men have a different style:

Baby Bang – Talang 2007

George Sampson – Britain’s Got Talent 2008

Putting in the practice time

Five-year-old Tap Dancer

Arianalyn in the Studio

Personality! These kids are all a little cheeky.

Jalen Testerman on Ellen

Anaheim Ballet’s Tiny Dancer

The Cheeky Monkeys

This guy gets honorable mention just because he cracks me up every time:

Low, low, low, low

Okay, I have to post one baby video. These kiddos have had their talent digitally enhanced, however.

Roller Skating Babies

I’m sure you have some of your own favorites! Share them in the comments below!

©2009 Dance Advantage. All Rights Reserved.

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Joseph Walsh in Stanton Welch's Swan Lake // Photo: Amitava Sarkar

I do a bit of writing and reviewing in Houston and it has been my pleasure to have the opportunity to interview some of the area’s finest dance talent. I don’t always cross-post my stuff here but when I get to talk with someone about their training and experiences, I like to share that with Dance Advantage readers. Last season I interviewed graduating HBII dancer Garrett Smith. This season I was fortunate to speak with one of Houston Ballet’s rising stars. Enjoy!

Houston Ballet corps de ballet member Joseph Walsh is having a great season so far.

This summer it was announced that he had been recognized as an emerging talent in dance with a Princess Grace Award. As a recipient he’ll be joining the esteemed company of past winners such as Ethan Steifel, Robert Battle, Gillian Murphy, as well as five previous winners from Houston Ballet (Yin Le, Carlos Acosta, Tiekka Schofield, Li Cunxin, and Martha Butler).

Now, hot on the heels of a performance in Manon which kicked off Houston Ballet’s 40th Anniversary season,  Walsh will perform this weekend as the company unveils Without Boundaries. The program features three works that traverse that sometimes tenuous line between classical ballet and modern dance and will include the world premiere of Artistic Director Stanton Welch’s Elements, as well as company premieres of Twyla Tharp’s In The Upper Room and Jiří Kylián’s Falling Angels. Despite his busy schedule, Walsh took a moment to speak with me about developing as an artist, performing classical versus contemporary works, and attracting young audiences to ballet.

Dance Advantage: First of all, congratulations on being honored with a Princess Grace Award.

Joseph Walsh: Thank you so much! This has been quite the whirlwind start to the season. I cannot say enough about how honored I feel to have even been nominated for this award by our artistic director, much less how amazing it feels to receive it! I will be attending the award ceremony in New York City next month, which is extremely exciting.

Joe Walsh in rehearsal // Photo: Amitava Sarkar

DA: I read your essay which was part of the application process for this award and was impressed with your candor. You describe the feeling that the stage sometimes feels safer than the studio. It is said that we are our own worst critics, do you think that is particularly true for dancers?

JW: Absolutely!  Dancing professionally, there is not as much instruction or coaching on a daily basis as there might be in the school in terms of really showing the dancers exactly what to do.  In that respect, self-critique is important because there are so many company members and our instructors can’t possibly focus on every individual as much as they would like. As a student we become accustomed to getting critique in class, but in a company you are in charge of your development; it is up to the dancer to understand how their body is working, what he or she needs to work on.  The mirror is sometimes the tool that helps us to understand that.

“The lesson for me to learn is how to bring the stage to the studio. It is finding the same level of confidence that I have on stage even with all of those “faces” in the studio standing before me, including the one I see in the mirror.” — To view Walsh’s essay visit Houston Ballet’s blog.

DA: You give examples of lessons you are working to internalize so that you can more fully trust your instincts as an artist. Are there steps you take or things you say to yourself to stay focused and confident when doubts creep in?

JW: Although I am still figuring out better ways to keep my focus throughout the process of rehearsing and performing in roles, something like the Princess Grace Award has really shown me that I can have confidence in myself and in the choices I make in classical or contemporary roles, so long as I deliver them in a way that I understand. Also trying to really open myself up to feedback from the artistic staff and other dancers from Houston Ballet has helped tremendously.

DA: In your essay you also mentioned overcoming a fear of leaving home to attend a boarding school for the arts in Massachusetts. I’m a Pennsylvania native and to my younger self, I might well have gone to school on the moon as to leave home for Boston. How old were you?

JW: I was 15 at the time.  I knew ballet was what I wanted to do.  I also knew I had to leave home to achieve my goals in dance by getting exposure to the best training I could. The initial fear was really a perceived fear.  Once I became fully involved in the program there was no time for fear, only hard but exciting work and a chance to perform in a significant way.

DA: Where did your interest in ballet originate?

JW: I have been attached to ballet for virtually my whole life, starting at age three when I was exposed to it while my sister was dancing.  It is actually hard for me to think that there was a time in my life when I did not dance. My interest in dance flourished over the years through intense training and exposure to amazing instructors and great people in the profession.

DA: You are certainly flourishing at Houston Ballet, this weekend you’ll be dancing in two of the three works on the Without Boundaries program; Stanton Welch’s world premiere of Elements and Twyla Tharp’s acclaimed In the Upper Room. Can you tell me a bit about your role in Elements and how it differs from the more classical works you’ve performed?

JW: I am the Element “Air.”  As Stanton Welch recently explained to us, Elements is a minimalist ballet piece, where character is not conveyed so much through acting, but through dancing.  When I contrast that to classical ballet pieces where there is a story line, the dancer thinks of giving more in terms of acting. In Elements we are trying to give exactly what the choreographer wants.  If we give any less or any more, it will lessen the integrity of the piece.

Elements — Choreography by Stanton Welch

Dancer: Ian Casady // Photo: Pam Francis

Dancer: Jonathan Davidsson // Photo: Pam Francis

Dancer: Peter Franc // Photo: Pam Francis

DA: In the Upper Room originally premiered in 1986 and is one of Tharp’s signature works. Why is it significant for Houston Ballet to finally have a Tharp piece in the repertory? And how is this opportunity significant for you personally?

JW: In my view, the introduction of Tharp’s work continues the efforts to bring to Houston Ballet world-class choreography.  Tharp is in that category and it is great to have her work as part of the resume of the company. For the same reason, it is just as important for a dancer personally, to dance in pieces of as many great choreographers as possible.

DA: The work can be pretty fast and furious, driven by the Philip Glass score. What has been the biggest challenge in learning and executing the choreography?

JW: As in most Philip Glass scores it is minimalist, but with much repetition.  Tharp also went along those lines In the Upper Room by introducing a lot of repetition and speed to go along with the score. There are many moments throughout when I will almost lose my place in either the choreography or the music purely because of the repetition in both. It can be a little disconcerting at points, but as we have started to put the piece on stage it has become much easier to handle.  It is an exciting and challenging piece.

DA: Do you think works like those being premiered in Without Boundaries can serve as a gateway for younger audiences to discover and delve deeper into the art of ballet?

I think what you are saying is really the basis of our company at this point; keeping the integrity of the art form while improving on it by bringing new life and energy through these types of pieces.

DA: Offering a little incentive doesn’t hurt either. In fact, Houston Ballet has been trying some new things lately to reach out to a younger audience. They recently launched their Young Professionals program for the “under 40″ crowd. And they have Under 25 Friday night performances for which 18 to 25 year-olds get a steal on tickets – $15 for one or $25 for two. I don’t think it is a secret that patrons of ballet and often dance in general are a more “mature” crowd. Why do you think it is harder to get younger “butts in the seats?”

JW: Young people are simply not as exposed to ballet as they are to popular sports and other forms of entertainment.  There is not the same level of cultural awareness of ballet.  Many younger people still see ballet as a stale art form. This is one reason Houston Ballet is doing exciting and fast paced ballet pieces like the triple bill next weekend.  And of course, approaches like the Under 25 program are helping to make it much more affordable.

Walsh in William Forsythe's The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude // Photo: Amitava Sarkar

Originally from Pennsylvania, Joseph Walsh trained at Walnut Hill School for the Performing Arts near Boston, American Ballet Theatre and Houston Ballet’s Ben Stevenson Academy. He was a member of Houston Ballet II prior to joining the professional company in 2007, and since then has been featured in a variety of contemporary and classical roles including Lensky in John Cranko’s Onegin, Charles d’Artoise in Stanton Welch’s Marie, and William Forsythe’s The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude.

Houston Ballet will give six performances of Without Boundaries at Wortham Theater Center in downtown Houston. Tickets may be purchased by calling 713 227 2787 or by visiting www.houstonballet.org

©2009 Dance Advantage. All Rights Reserved.

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1. Houston Ballet’s Got The Nutcracker Covered
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3. Ballet — Its Origins and History

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When it comes to summarizing the origins and over-500-year history of ballet, there are already resources online which frankly have it covered. I’m going to direct you to some of these below but first, allow me to offer the following super-abridged description of the origins of ballet as a starting point for continued investigation.

Ballet as we know and recognize it in the 21st century had its beginnings in the extravagant entertainments of Italy’s royal courts during the Renaissance. Italian by birth, Catherine de’ Medici, queen mother to three kings of France brought these ballets de cour (court ballets) to the French Court. She commissioned the Ballet Comique de la Reine (1581), which was choreographed by Balthasar de Beaujoyeux and is credited as the first ballet because it had a central story around which sets, costumes, and music were built. Ballets de cour peaked during the reign of Louis XIV, who was passionate about dance and its artistry. He worked directly with composer Jean Baptiste Lully and choreographer Pierre Beauchamp and, throughout his reign, often appeared as the central character in court ballets, most notably as Apollo, god of the sun.

Ballets de cour were typically performed in grand halls or ballrooms. The male performers (women at this time did not dance in the ballets) were usually masked and lavishly costumed. The movements were based on social dances of the time such as the minuets and pavan. In 1661, The Sun King (Louis XIV), established the Académie de Danse in Paris. It was in 1681 that ballet’s first female dancer, Mlle. LaFontaine made her debut. In 1670 Louis XIV retired from performance. It was at this point, as the training of professionals had been securely instituted, that ballet began to separate from the courts and moved to the stage. With this development came evolution. Performing in a proscenium environment necessitated more side-to-side movement, increasing emphasis on turnout of the legs. As a result of their training, professionals were able and encouraged to include jumps and leaps in their repertory of movements, and master teachers began writing and documenting ideals for form and execution which developed into the techniques we apply today.

Further Reading

One of the most comprehensive and easily-digestible sites I’ve come across which covers the history of ballet is written and organized by New York City dance teacher and writer, Dick Andros. Andros on Ballet is a real gem and I encourage you to visit and explore his articles on the many central figures in ballet history. His Timeline is a helpful launchpad for discovery as interesting facts and stories are sprinkled throughout the concise biographies and additional pages.

Five “nutshell” portraits of the origins and history of ballet:

1. Dancing Online, History of Ballet
2. The History of Ballet at Dance Tutors
3. Origins of Ballet at History World
4. Ballet History at Dance4it.com
5. The History of Ballet (as well as its attire) on TipToe Dancewear

Texts for digging deeper:

Ballet in Western Culture: A History of Its Origins and Evolution

Ballet and Modern Dance: A Concise History

Watch this on YouTube:

A little ballet history courtesy of Dame Margot Fonteyn

Please Note: If you are here looking for info to use in your homework, term paper, etc., please review some of the articles and resources found at plaigiarism.org. These resources are provided by myself and others to inform and educate and should be properly cited in your work.

©2009 Dance Advantage. All Rights Reserved.

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“We wanted to offer the dance community a neutral source of information regarding what is really happening in the dance teaching industry in the New York City Metropolitan area. We are able to offer a unique perspective based on our extensive work in the dance teaching industry, while providing dance studios with qualified dance instructors” ~ Ashani C. Kiner, CEO/President of Kiner Enterprises Inc.

I spoke with Ms. Kiner to dig a little deeper into who was involved in the survey and how information was collected. She shared with me that participants were interviewed via phone and e-mail and are clients and teachers working with the agency. The information in the report has been gathered over the last two years. One hundred dance teachers, twenty-five entities categorized as public/private schools or non-profit arts organizations, and one hundred dance studios are represented in the report. One-third of the dance studios are within New York City, while two-thirds operate in the NY Metropolitan/Tri-State area.

The full 2009 report can be viewed online on the KinerEnterprises Inc.’s Dancer’s Blog. Ms. Kiner stated that they’ll be publishing this report annually and are looking to expand it’s reach into other parts of the United States.

Even if you are not from the New York area, you may find these results interesting. If you haven’t clicked the link above yet, you may want to do so now. Be sure to come back though because I’m curious to know how you feel this compares to your own locale…

• Are the wages in your area similar or even close?
• Are you compensated for things like transportation to classes?
• Are you offered benefits outside your hourly wage/salary?
• Are some of you salaried teachers?
  
• Why do you think hourly wages are higher within the metro area as opposed to within the city itself?
• How many classes a day do you teach?
• Do most dance teachers live (pay rent, food, bills) on their income?
• How does location, experience, studio size, etc. affect dance teacher wages where you live and work?

I encourage you to leave your comments, thoughts, or even your own questions here and/or on the Kiner Enterprises blog. I’d like to broaden the discussion and facilitate positive dialog on compensation for teachers, as well as provide a realistic picture for those considering or entering the work force as a dance instructor.

Want to know more about Kiner Enterprises?

Kiner Enterprises Inc., the first dance teacher staffing agency in the U.S., provides dance studios and schools with talented dance teachers for last-minute subs, dance workshops, choreography, and temporary and permanent teaching positions. Dance studios throughout the New York Metropolitan area have already taken advantage of this revolutionary service since 2007. In Jan. 2009, Kiner Enterprises Inc. expanded nationally and launched a nationwide campaign for dance teachers. They have the largest dance teacher staffing roster in the U.S., and are industry leaders in the dance community.

In addition to the website www.kinerenterprises.com, and blog, Kiner Enterprises also operates two networks for U.S. teachers and studio owners:

For Dance Teachers:
http://danceteachersusa.ning.com
For Dance Studio Owners:
http://dancestudioownersusa.ning.com

©2009 Dance Advantage. All Rights Reserved.

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2. Back to School 2009 — Teacher Edition
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dum

DUM!

PRACTICE.

As the older sibling, you’ve somehow been put “in charge” of getting results from the last person on earth who would want to listen to a word you say (except, of course, unless you’ve uttered a reportable offense for which you’re sure to be punished). So, how do you get the kid to cooperate?

1. When it’s time to work, don’t tell her. Just bring a CD player, iPod, or whatever to a place where she is nearby. Turn on the music and start working on or doing the dance yourself (don’t even acknowledge her at this point). If it looks fun (or maybe just because deep down she really does idolize you) she may want to join you or help.
2. While practicing, let her be the expert. Ask for her creative input, resist putting down ideas you don’t like and actually put them in the dance. If you are rehearsing, you might pretend to mess up on parts she already knows or “forget” and ask her what the next step is. Or, let her guess what comes next on parts she’s less familiar with. Even if it’s way wrong say “good guess but actually it’s this!” Make it a game – it’s okay if she knows you are pretending, if it’s silly enough she’ll probably play along anyway.
3. Offer incentives. Perhaps you have a goal in mind for how much more you want to accomplish today – perhaps three more steps, or 16 counts (Remember the younger your sibling, the shorter her attention span is likely to be). No, do not offer cash as a bribe. Try something like “Guess what? If we learn three more steps today, mom says we can put on a show for her!” If you’re not at the end of the dance, let her know that when she finishes with the parts she knows, she can dance however she likes until the end of the music. The excitement or possibility for positive attention from an “audience” or getting to do things her way may even carry her beyond your original goal. But, if all you get is three more steps, well, at least you got that far. Don’t push her to do more.
4. Don’t try to beat her, join her. Being bossy and controlling will not work. Forcing her to comply using threats because you’re bigger or older or more experienced will only be frustrating for both of you. Allow yourself to have fun interacting with your younger sibling. Try to be patient, funny, and energetic and you’ll see better results.



Image by The People’s Tribune via Flickr

5. Acknowledge achievement. When she does go along with you, remembers a step, or show that she’s eager (even if it is just a little bit), be sure to acknowledge her. “Thanks for watching so closely, you really got it that time!” or “You remembered the kick! Wow, you’re really working hard!’ It may sound silly but, saying thank you rather than good job is more effective. And, focusing on what she did, or the work she puts in is more effective than focusing on how beautiful she is when she does it right or how good she’s being for listening. Being pretty or good (something she already is, or can be, without much effort) isn’t usually enough to keep her dedicated to the task. She’ll more willingly put in time, creativity (and do what you want) when you show appreciation for her efforts, no matter how small.

I’ve used “her” in this example just to keep things simple. Believe it or not, this stuff can work for brothers too. Not knowing your sibling very well, I can’t say what will specifically work for you. You may have to get creative! But these are the keys to success:

• make it FUN
• ASK rather than tell (let her be the teacher, quiz her, or find out what she thinks)
• offer logical REWARDS for getting the job done
• do it TOGETHER (no bossing)
• and say THANK YOU!

©2009 Dance Advantage. All Rights Reserved.

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1. How NOT To Ask a Question in Dance Class
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