Dance Blog - Kick It Up A Notch Academy of Dance

Summer Programs!

Kick It Up A Notch Academy of Dance — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 10:21:04 -0700

After a large number of requests for summer dance programs, Kick It Up A Notch is proud to offer 2 different options for dancers this summer.

Kick It Up Summer Intensive - A week long program for the advanced dancer will run August 9-13th and will feature award-winning choreographers from Kick It Up A Notch. The week is perfect for dancers with a 2+ years experience who want to push themselves in preparation for the 2010-2011 year.

Kick It Up Summer Hip Hop - Kick It Up A Notch invites you to come and be part of our hip hop classes. The week is designed for, as Lil C says, "the buck dancer" and runs August 27-31st.

Click here for more info or contact the studio at 604-856-5980 or use our contact page!

See you there!

Choosing the right dance studio

Kick It Up A Notch Academy of Dance — Thu, 06 May 2010 20:07:00 -0700

Choosing a dance studio can be an extremely important decision as this choice can impact your child for years to come. Before registering for a studio, it is important to feel confident that your choice is the best for you or your child. Prior to deciding, a few items should be considered:

Why do you (or does your son/daughter) dance? Do you dance because you are passionate about dance? Do you dance for fun and fitness? Do you dance to compete? Do you dance to perform? Each studio tends to focus on one or more of the aforementioned options so be sure that it fits you or your child’s reasons for dancing. If your child is new to dance, you may want to focus on the philosophy and culture of the studio (see below).

What is the philosophy of the studio? Does the philosophy of the studio align with the goals you or your child have for dance? How does the studio and teachers encourage their students?

In which genre(s) does the studio focus? Does it focus on ballet (and contemporary, lyrical, jazz)? Hip Hop? Tap? Does this align with your goals?

Is Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) certification important to you?

Does the studio have sprung floors? If a studio does not have sprung floors, it provides no give to the students’ bodies and can cause permanent damage to knees, hips, etc

What are/is the fees/tuition? You generally pay for what you get so does the tuition fit into your goals?

What is the culture/environment of the studio? Talk to the studio teachers and students. Visit the studio and see what feeling you get when you are there.

Because selecting a studio is a major decision, it is important that you do your due diligence and ask the right questions. The aforementioned questions are just a few that can get you started. We hope these help you to choose the studio that will best benefit you or your child’s dance career.

Originally posted in 2009.

Summary of the Chilliwack Festival

Kick It Up A Notch Academy of Dance — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 21:47:34 -0700

The students of Kick It Up A Notch started the dance season of with some great performances at the 2010 Chilliwack Lions Club Festival. It was a great opportunity for the students to showcase their new choreography on stage for the first time. Many of our solos, duos, and groups walked away from the event with their heads high as they performed well and received feedback from the judges that will help them to better their dances.

Congratulations to Taylor and Jessica (duo), Lauren (solo), and Sweet Dreams (contemporary group), for being asked to perform at the Chilliwack Lions Club Festival Honours Performance.

Also, congratulations to Lauren Tokiwa for being named the 2010 Fraser Valley Representative for the Provincials in Duncan!!! This is the 2nd year in a row that Lauren has received this honour. In 2009, Lauren was also named the winner of the Provincials in Prince Rupert.

Take Action!

Kick It Up A Notch Academy of Dance — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 18:06:08 -0800

With the new year always comes New Year's Resolutions and goal setting. We all know how important it is to set goals and then try reach those goals; this is no different in dance.

The most common reason why people do not reach their goals is because the goals are all results-based and lack in ACTION. Each goal must include the action that you are going to take to accomplish those goals. What do you need to do to reach those goals? Who can help you? What stands in your way and how do you overcome this?

Although goals are important, without the action they will always remain goals and never become accomplishments. So when you are setting your goals for this week, month, or year make sure that you include the steps you will take to achieve these goals; make sure you include ACTION!

Dancing Into The Christmas Spirit

Kick It Up A Notch Academy of Dance — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 13:06:38 -0800

As the Christmas season is upon us, taking the family to see performances of "The Nutcracker" is a perfect way to promote ballet and get the family that much more into the spirit of Christmas. Watching these beautiful perfomances is a tradition of many families and we hope to continue this by promoting this festive event.

The following performances of the Nutcracker are taking place in Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley in 2009:

The Royal City Youth Ballet presents The Nutcracker on the following dates:

Date	Venue	Time
Saturday, November 28	Abby Arts Centre (Abbotsford)	2:30pm
Sunday, November 29	ACT (Maple Ridge)	1:00pm & 4:00pm
Friday, December 11 Saturday, December 12 Sunday, December 13	Surrey Arts Centre	7:30pm 2:30pm & 7:30pm 1:00pm & 4:00pm
Sunday, December 20	Massey Theatre (New Westminster)	1:00pm & 4:00pm
Monday, December 21	Centennial Arts Centre (North Vancouver)	2:00pm & 7:00pm

The Fraser Valley Academy of Dance presents the Nutcracker on the floowing dates

Date	Venue	Time
Friday, December 18 Saturday, December 19	Clarke Theatre (Mission)	7:30pm 2:00pm & 7:30pm

The Goh Ballet presents The Nutcracker on the following dates:

Date	Venue	Time
Thursday, December 17 Friday, December 18 Saturday, December 19 Sunday, December 20	The Centre for Performing Arts (Vancouver)	7:30pm 7:30pm 2:00pm & 7:30pm 2:00pm

Has SYTYCD Canada gone too far?

Kick It Up A Notch Academy of Dance — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 12:30:21 -0700

Do dancers need to be in skimpy outfits and dance provocatively to entertain Canadians? If you were to look at Luther Brown’s choreography on SYTYCD Canada you would have answer ‘yes’. Through 5 seasons of SYTYCD (USA), they have had huge and continued growing success by choreographing respectable dances that showcase the dancers’ strengths and tell the audience a story; choreographers such as Mia Michaels, Tabitha and Napoleon, Tyce Diorio, and Travis Wall have all proved that when dancers are encouraged to express themselves through character, audiences will become truly captivated. Conversely, SYTYCD Canada seems to be attempting to push the envelope through private-part grabs, provocative positioning, and skimpy outfits. What does this say about Canadian dancers? What does this teach our young dancers?

In addition, we are growing tired of the comments from the judges that provide feedback to dancers about their looks. Jean-Marc’s googled eyes and judges’ comments such as “you are so hot” or “you are such a gorgeous girl” not only take away from the choreography and the dancer’s talents but give the impression that you must be a “hottie” to be a good dancer in Canada. Giving feedback based on someone’s looks is just like saying, “Congratulations, you have great DNA!” Feedback should be used to help dancers continue to do what they are doing or work on certain aspects of their movements; how are dancers supposed to improve their looks or body type? It is well-known that dancers often struggle with body image; by continually making comments about the attractiveness of certain body types, is this not reinforcing this image to our young dancers? I, as a dance teacher, work tirelessly to promote healthy bodies, passion, and hard work in my dancers; if the judges’ comments focus on body image, this can negate all that I have worked for with my dancers because they soon realize that if you want to be on this show and noticed by the judges, you have to have a certain physique. Having said this, I also believe there is nothing wrong with female dancers trying to look attractive and feminine – but this must be done in a tasteful manner that does not portray women’s bodies as tools to get people to watch a TV show. Judges need to stick to providing feedback on movements and character representation as this is something that can be improved; if they cannot find something to say other than about the ‘looks’ of the dancers, why are they a judge on a dance show?

The So You Think You Can Dance series has done amazing things to promote the world of dance to people around the globe. Now that the show is on such a big national stage, it must be careful of the image it portrays. Dance is an art form that takes years of hard work and dedication; this should not be minimized by comments about dancer’s bodies or choreography that features dancers in provocative situations. Also, what are these dancers giving up? Are they trading their morals and ethics for fame? Are they willing to do anything for choreographers such as Luther Brown? Maybe it is time for dancers to stand up for themselves and state that they are not willing to sacrifice their beliefs for 2 minutes of distasteful choreography.

SYTYCD Canada should be a TV show that can be watched by families. I work hard to try and promote dance as a way that people can express themselves, stay healthy, work together as a team, and find their passions; I do NOT want parents thinking that if they encourage dance for their children, they will end up being pressured to dance provocatively in skimpy outfits on stage. So has SYTYCD Canada gone too far? The fact that some parents are not allowing their children to watch the show should answer this question. For now, maybe tune in to the American version where the focus seems to be more about dance.

Our 3rd Year Begins!

Kick It Up A Notch Academy of Dance — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 10:42:51 -0700

Choreography work has begun for those students performing solos and duos in the 2009/2010 year. The Summer RAD Ballet Syllabus schedule is completed and posted on the site; ballet students will complete this syllabus week during the first full week of September with regular classes set to begin on September 14th.

You can feel the excitement at the studio as those students who have been away from dance for the summer enter the building ready to dance! New students are also touring the building, getting a feel for what the studio is all about, and demonstrating their growing enthusiasm to get the dance year started. With only a few weeks until regular classes, current students are looking forward to returning and new students are eager to begin.

A great way to start the year off is at our OPEN HOUSE. On Sunday, September 13th, from 1:00pm to 4:00pm, students, parents, and community members are invited to stop by the studio and tour the building, meet with staff, get acquainted or re-acquainted with students, watch some dance, and take in some snacks and refreshments. With classes beginning the following day, the Open House provides a great avenue in which to celebrate the start of our 3rd year at Kick It Up A Notch Academy of Dance.

Take a break... but stay in shape

Kick It Up A Notch Academy of Dance — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 19:54:31 -0700

Summer is upon us and it is the opportunity to take some time to relax and refuel for the upcoming dance year. Although rest (physical, mental, and emotional) is crucial at this time, it is also important to remain physically fit.

Take the time away from dance to become involved in other sports and activities that keep your heart rate up. Dance is a perfect example of a sport that involves the 5 components of physical fitness: flexibility, muscular strength, muscular endurance, aerobic/cardiorespiratory endurance, and body composition. So during the time away from dance, begin to explore activities that will maintain your fitness level and ensure that you continue to lead an active healthy lifestyle.

During summers in BC, there are ample opportunities to participate in outdoor and indoor recreational activities; activities such as yoga, fitness classes, running, swimming, cycling, roller blading, etc all will ensure that your muscles stay fit and your heart and lungs remain strong.

Taking a break from dance but remaining physically fit will ensure that students come back with that strong passion for dance as well as the fitness level that will help to decrease the chance of injury that could possibly occur when a student has been away from dance for a few months.

Enjoy the sun, enjoy BC’s outdoors, and let that passion for dance build for the upcoming year!

Annie: A Memory Cherished By All

Kick It Up A Notch Academy of Dance — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 22:36:05 -0700

Wow, what a great way to end another year at Kick It Up A Notch! The production of “Annie” did not disappoint with 2 amazing shows this past weekend.

The first show was the Saturday night show and starred Morgan R. as Annie. The performers arrived at 11:00 to set up props, organize costumes, and complete the last full rehearsal. By 6:00 the audience members started to trickle in as the performers tidied up the last scenes. The nerves were racing at 7:00 as the curtains opened to the orphanage scene in the first ever production by Kick It Up A Notch Academy of Dance. The little “orphans” started the show with some great confidence and energy and the cast continued this right through to the end. When the final curtain dropped, the entire cast cheered and hugged to celebrate a great accomplishment. The feeling to be part of a production like that cannot be written in words. In theatre, the actors have no choice but to work together... and when it is all over, the sense of achievement and satisfaction of completing the event together as a group is overwhelming; there were many tears and emotions of heartfelt joy to end Saturday night.

The Sunday show, starring Michelle E., lived up to the standard set by the first show and was performed in front of an even larger crowd. Everyone was bang-on in their performances and the crowd responded with the same high energy. As the curtain fell to end this performance, there was that same sense of satisfaction but also a sense of sadness as the show, “Annie”, had come to a close. This sadness demonstrated how close the cast had become during the past month; all the hours of dancing, memorizing, rehearsing, and singing caused the group to become more like a family... and during these final moments, everyone knew to look around and congratulate all who made it possible – because every single person involved in the production, from the director to the performers to the costume designers, made Annie what it was; something that will be cherished by all those involved.

Annie This Weekend!

Kick It Up A Notch Academy of Dance — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 00:08:26 -0700

Well, the props have been bought or built, the costumes have been designed and purchased, the lines have been memorized, and the dances have been choreographed. It is just about show time. This weekend, 25 students (including 3 adults) from Kick It Up A Notch will take to the stage to present the family favourite musical “Annie”.

Although the performers have been part of a musical theatre group since September, they have been focused solely on Annie for the past 3 weeks (since the year end show) and have been at the studio for 5-6 hour days a number of times this month and the hard work is definitely paying off.

The audience will find themselves singing along to Broadway hits "Tomorrow", "Hard Knock Life", "NYC", and "Never Fully Dressed".

We invite you to come and enjoy the show and experience the singing and dancing of our production of Annie.

For more information please call the studio at 604-856-5980 or email info@kickitupanotch.ca.

Click here to view the promotional video!

Showtimes are Saturday, June 27 at 7:00 and Sunday, June 28 at 1:00 at Chief Sepass Theatre in Fort Langley (9096 Trattle St). Tickets are $20 each and will be available at the door.

The cast includes:

“Annie” - Michelle Evans and Morgan Reimer

“Grace” - Jessica Whatley

“Lily” - Brooke Thompson

“Molly” – Mya Chen and Hannah McGuckin

“Pepper” - Hannah Cenaiko

“Drake” and “President Roosevelt” - Simon Thorogood

“Miss Hannigan” – Sherry Reimer

“Rooster” – Wayne Danielson

“Oliver Warbucks” – Chris Wejr

Plus many more as orphans, Warbucks’ staff, etc!!!

Special thanks to Liza Cenaiko and Kevin Reimer for all their effort in costumes and props.

More than just dance...

Kick It Up A Notch Academy of Dance — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 23:35:23 -0700

When we see the students perform, we are always amazed at the skills they have learned and how far they have come; however, we often do not get to see the other learning that takes place – the learning that impacts the students’ lives beyond the stage.

I have had the opportunity over the years to read many thank you cards that students offer to their teachers. I am always interested in the cards that mention aspects of teaching that go beyond skills and technique. In addition to thanking their teachers for teaching these skills, students often mention and thank their instructors for “the after class chats” and “life lessons” and “being more than just a teacher”. You see, education does not only occur within the four walls of a classroom; students learn more life skills through meaningful conversations, extra-curricular activities, and challenging events. Teaching, learning, and education all are built on the foundation of these important relationships.

Although many teachers do a tremendous job teaching skills to their students, what separates a good teacher from a great teacher is the relationship that one has with his/her students. It is the after class chats, the unwavering belief in the students, and the endless teachable moments that help to form a critical bond; one that not only results in students working consistently hard in class, but also a trust and a belief that the choices the teacher makes are what is best for the student.

Larry Cuban, an educational philosopher, wrote, “HOW you teach becomes WHAT you teach”. I cannot help but think how this statement relates to the student-teacher relationships at Kick It Up A Notch. It is not necessarily only the skills and techniques that are taught, it is also things like respect, trust, patience, support, and care; these characteristics are difficult to teach. It is important that it is modeled and, with this, the WAY in which the teacher educates and leads can often become more important that WHAT is being taught.

Through the years I have always been so delighted to see that students have understood the power of positive relationships and the impact that this can have on the student. Effective learning can only take place when there is a relationship based on trust and care. To see the sadness in the faces of students following their last class of the year confirmed the important bond between the students and teachers at Kick It Up A Notch Academy of Dance. It is through these relationships and the extra moments that take place in and out of dance class that make students realize that a quality teacher is about more than just dance.

Now that was a show!

Kick It Up A Notch Academy of Dance — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 02:27:52 -0700

Wow, what a way to celebrate a great year. Passionate performances, emotional crowd, awesome lighting by the tech crew, and great support by all the volunteers and parents.

We arrived at Chief Sepass at 10:45 to set up and rehearse for the afternoon show. All dancers made their way there around 11:00 and then met on the stage for a studio meeting.

After rehearsing the finale and discussing the way the performance is to proceed, the curtains were shut and the crowds began to filter in. The students peeked through the curtain with excitement from the knowledge that the people in the audience were there to watch THEIR performance.

Carlee's stage solo "Wilkommen" started the afternoon show by engaging the audience with an entertaining routine. The 12 minute production of "Annie" followed and demonstrated all the hard work that had gone on throughout the year. The matinee did have some minor bumps: wardrobe malfunctions, music problems, and confused dancers. The reason for the confusion was that for these dancers, this was their first true performance of the year; all other dances were competitions in which the lighting had to be the same for every dance. During the year-end show, there are no time restrictions so the choreographer gets to choose the type of lighting and is able to offer more variety for entrances and exits. As I said in the previous blog, it is unfortunate that dance competitions cannot be more like performances - as that is where the dancers truly shine. All in all, the matinee show was a huge success. Parents were so happy to see their children on stage doing what they love - and no lighting or costume problems can ever take that away. The show finished with a finale that included all the dancers in the studio and ended with a huge round of applause that filled the dancers with emotion.

Surprisingly, after all their efforts in the matinee, the energy of the evening performance was significantly higher. The dancers were running on pure adrenalin and feeding off the audience; at some points, I could not even hear the music because of the cheering from both the audience and the dancers back stage. Kaitlynn and Anna's pre-primary ballet duo "Shhh" grabbed the audience and then Lauren's Jazz solo and Carlee and Brianna's hip hop duo kicked the energy level up another notch. The tech guys from LFAS took it to a new level for this performance with lighting that truly exemplified the choreographer's vision of the dances. The first half finished with the uptempo and sassy Breakin' Dishes and as you walked through the lobby, you could hear the discussions and reflections about the first half; the best part was that there was still another half to go!

"Baila Baila" started the second half with more energy for the audience; this atmosphere continued with all the dancers performing at their highest level. As MC, I could not help but recognize the camaraderie and support going on back stage as well as the huge support from the audience... my thoughts from the last blog, "The Greatness of a Year End Show" became so evident during the performances. As the clock approached 9:00 with the dancers having been there 10 hours, you would think the energy levels would start to fade. During the finale, however, their seemed to be more team spirit and energy than before! When the dancers hands raised at the end of the song "Human" you could see the pride and emotion in every single face in that theatre; from dancers to parents, from volunteers to dance fans, each and every person had a twinkle in their eye that said, "Now that was a show!".

Thank you once again to all the parents and students for their continued hard work and dedication to Kick It Up A Notch. You are the heart and soul of this studio and your efforts will never go unnoticed.

A reminder that registration for returning students in June 12th from 4-8 and for new students, June 30th from 4-8.

Don't forget that the year is not over!!! Come out and support "Annie" on Saturday, June 27 or Sunday, June 28 at the Chief Sepass Theatre.

by Chris Wejr chris@kickitupanotch.ca

The Greatness of A Year-End Show

Kick It Up A Notch Academy of Dance — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 02:42:20 -0700

I have spent the majority of my life competing: competing for love and attention, grades, victories, jobs, and many other things. Unfortunately, rarely do we get to put all this aside to just showcase our passions and efforts. At the year-end show, though, this opportunity presents itself.

I am not saying that competition is a bad thing; I think that it is an important part of life that drives some people to be their best. I am saying that once in a while, a time comes when people are given the chance to perform, without the threat of failure or a loss. I have been to a number of year-end shows and I am always impressed at the amount of passion that emanates from the dancers. Whenever a dancer performs in front of an audience, there is pressure; but during a year-end show, the pressure is only to do your best as there are no judges and no other groups to 'beat'.

Is there any other time, when every dancer at the studio is there to cheer and support every other member of the studio? Large competitions often take days to finish so the dancers don't get to support each other as they often perform on different days. During the year-end recital, the true camaraderie of the studio becomes obvious - seniors helping intermediates, intermediates helping juniors and all students supporting each other back stage.

I think people start dance because they love to perform. The recital is a performance that offers students the freedom to showcase their passion and effort in a way that brings emotion to all that watch.... and that is the greatness of a year-end show.

by Chris Wejr

Welcome to our blog!

Kick It Up A Notch Academy of Dance — Fri, 22 May 2009 00:46:00 -0700

Welcome to the official launch of the Kick It Up A Notch Academy of Dance website! The purpose of this blog is to provide insight and updates to the dance world, particularly at Kick It Up A Notch in Aldergrove, BC.

The blog will be written by the owners, Chris and Tonya Wejr. Chris is a principal of an elementary school so the blog will often discuss educational issues that impact the topic of dance - from giving students effective feedback to the way dance is brushed aside in many of our public schools. Tonya is the owner and director of the studio so she will provide insight, opinions, and updates on events and issues that surround the studio and dance in general.

Please come back and check out new blogs on a weekly basis. Also, watch for our video blog which will showcase dances from students at the studio as well as activities going on in and around Kick It Up A Notch Academy of Dance.

Welcome to our blog and welcome to our website!!!

Chris and Tonya Wejr