Reduce, Reuse and Recycle

“I've been spoiled rotten with the costumes I've worn.”

-Natalie Dormer

Halloween season is here, that means trying to find an innovative costume idea quickly. That is not a problem for a dancer of several years that is enrolled in several numbers, such as myself. Every year a dancer needs a new costume per dance they are involved in, which turns into a closet of costumes by the time you are about to graduate high school.

Dancers are at an advantage when a costume is needed in a hurry, with so many options to choose from, they have the ability to recycle costumes used in previous years and wear as be, add a few touches or make into a DIY. Dancers that reuse costumes are most likely to have the most original and sparkly Halloween attire compared to their friends.

Taking old dance costumes and transforming them into Halloween costumes is a great way to get your money’s worth out of how much you originally spent on the costume, as dance costumes can range to be pretty expensive. It’s a great way to get a bang for your buck and look good on the night of October 31^st.

~Julia Brewer

Your Own Worst Critic

"I think the hardest thing to overcome is judging yourself and being your own worst critic so to speak.”

-Nile Rodgers

Getting pointed out for an error in dance class can be embarrassing, surprising and bettering. It shows that you are doing something wrong among the other dancers and is at a noticeable point. When being critiqued it may be eye opening into something you never knew was happening and become recognized as habit. Critiques can also give insight on how to perform the skills correctly which leads into furthering your dance horizons.

I find that most dancers can agree with the fact that they are their worst critic. Teachers, choreographers, judges, coaches, peers and parents can all give corrections, but it is how the dancer takes the correction that shows all. The frustration when a piece of choreography, technique or skill is not met can be the verge of a breaking point for a dancer. The dancer gets so hard on themselves, as many do when not hitting the goal of perfection. A dancer can take to the extremes and become their worst critic until getting the execution exactly right. No matter how many times you hear good job, you think you’re lying I could have done so many things bigger and better, because dancers hold themselves up so high, wanting to correct all mistakes made and problems that could be resolved.

Knowing that you have a dancing habit can become stressful and emotional, especially when the critiques keep piling up repetitively. Dancing in the mirror and watching video of yourself plainly shows all the critiques you’ve received and can slowly become the founding structure of negative vibes. As dancers work on their flaws, they see them occurring more noticeably, and as habit the critique will constantly reappear, but with focus the habit can begin to disappear.

Getting critiques points out the negatives of a dancer, but with the work ethic of being your worst critic the critiques resolve and become a positive part of the dancer. Critiques are a helpful part in dance as they point out the imperfections that need to be addressed and fixed and then correcting them. Critiques help better dancers to see what they are doing wrong, and although they can beat dancers up mentally they only help in the long run. Being your worst critic is at a balance. You constantly do not feel good enough, until you have reached the point of overcoming the critique, it is an accomplished feeling like no other for a dancer.

 ~Julia Brewer

 

NO BOYS ALLOWED?

“I got started dancing because I knew it was one way to meet girls.”

-Gene Kelly

 

Dance is perceived as being feminine, and there are some people who view dance as an all-girls sport. This is far from the truth. Although the sport is heavily populated by women it is not strictly females, nor is it odd that men do dance. Men are judges for being dancers, but dance is an enormous physical challenge on a male dancer’s body and mind requiring a high level of strength, positioning, concentration, technique, balance, passion, and muscle. Just looking at men like Derek Hough, Benjamin Millepied, Anthony Morigerato, Matt Steffania, Hok and Myles Erlick dance should be enough for any person to step back and consider everything that is required to be a male dancer.

Having men in dance is an important and crucial structure to the dance industry. Men are used in lifts, portraying stories and used at a very high level in professional companies and institutions. It is a fact that men are able to be more muscular than women, their genetic features enable them to be bigger and broader. Due to this genetic difference between men and women, men are an important key into doing difficult lifts. It requires an immense amount of strength, control, focus and balance for a man to be able to lift a woman into the air, with a look of ease, under the pressure of an audience for an extended amount of time. They must condition their body and mind under intense workout to execute lifting skills correctly. The element of telling a story for an audience is another significant role of a male dancer. There is only so many shows you can perform with an all-women’s cast, and there is only so much you can do to portray the high percent of female dancers in the business as male characters. Therefore you need men to fill those roles and bring the story to life for all viewers in attendance.

There are many stereotypes with men, although the most common is that male dancers are gay. Some say that because they spend all their time with girls, that they draw away from crushing on them and instead become one of them, thinking, speaking and acting like them, drawing closer to the affection of a man. That is ludacris. Yes, there are gay male dancers, but nothing of the fact that all men who dance are gay. Why does being a man in dance make you gayer than a football player? Football players are around men all the time, therefore you could say because they share so much time together they must have deeper, sensual relationships. Again, people assume and can make judgments about any sport, which is extremely unnecessary. I’m not saying football player are gay, but it is a point that we should not assume because a man dances, or plays football that he automatically must be gay. It is a stereotype of the world that needs to be put to rest and instead of insulting the male dancers we come to know, appreciate them for all the dedication they put into the field.

Saying that only women can be dancers is false and a stereotype by many. Just because there is a higher ratio of women to men does not mean that men are not and cannot be amazing dancers. In fact male dancers have a very high amount of strength, their mental capacity is extremely strong as are there physical strengths. Male dancers are essential to dance and are overlooked by the general public, which is a change that I hope is broken, as all male dancers should get the appreciation and respect they deserve for the efforts they have put in to be amazing dancers.

~Julia

 

Auditions

“I do not know what the spirit of a philosopher could more wish to be than a good dancer. For the dance is his ideal.”

-Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche

The process of auditioning is an extremely important part of the dance world. It shows who is ready to take on a new challenge and be part of a new branch in the dance industry. Although it can be extremely nerve racking, it has to be done, and it has to be made professional.

Going into an audition, you should feel prepared and set to go. An audition is not created for the dancers to have one last practice on what they aren’t confident on, it is used to show off all the talent they do have and the effort they have put forth in rehearsal to make the piece come together.

To prepare for an audition, you should attend all rehearsals that choreographers and directors have set. Show up early, wearing the correct attire, and not draw to much attention to yourself, as you want to stay humble while still showcasing your talent. Also be quiet, courteous and attentive. During rehearsals you should always think about how you want to be seen by others around you. It can be displaying to those hiring you whether you are loud, cocky, rude or lazy if you do not represent yourself well while practicing. In all honesty the audition begins as soon as you step in, they are judging how you work with others, yourself and instructors, so treat every second as if it is the audition.

Outside of set rehearsal times it would be very beneficial to practice on your own time. Start a small, hardworking group with some of the other dancers, so you can ask questions and get the feel of dancing with someone else. Also practice in private on your own spare time. It would be very helpful to rehearse in front of a mirror and progressively turn away and get use to no mirror once you have the choreography down. To audition you have to be abundantly confident in your performance, so practice full out, rehearse constantly, experiment with moves and if appropriate make it your own, otherwise clean it precisely in order to positively stand out amongst the rest of the group.

In your audition you want to be consistent, patient and polite. In many instances they may have you repeat the dance several times. For example you may have to try out individually, then with a partner, small group and whole group. It’s important to be consistent so you are easily recognizable and not unpredictable. Patience is also key in an audition, the judges may want to see more or less than you expect, or take longer or shorter than what you know. Handle it maturely and do not get down or frustrated with yourself, especially in front of them. Finally show you are polite and easy to work with, if you can take correction responsibly it creates a better image for yourself. Be prepared for whatever they want you to do, stay calm and follow directions.

Yes, auditions are nerve racking, but just enjoy yourself and make sure you are comfortable. Take time to be prepared and show directors, choreographers and judges yourself in the best possible light. You want to represent yourself as mature, polite, relaxed, hardworking, kind, attentive and talented.

It’s life that you may not make the cut for everything you audition for. It is okay because it happens to everybody and you never know, just because you do not book a job with one, does not mean that you did not impress anyone else. By auditioning for anything you open up your horizons for so much more to come. You gain more confidence and knowledge every time you attend an audition. Auditions can only help you grow as a dancer and lead you into more and more contacts through the dance world. If you really want to go somewhere in the dance industry you should keep going to several auditions and showcase your talent, attitude and name. It will only help expand the brand you are trying your best to promote.

~Julia Brewer

 

Caution Wet Floor

“Somebody just gave me a shower radio. Thanks a lot. Do you really want music in the shower? I guess there's no better place to dance than a slick surface next to a glass door.”

― Jerry Seinfeld

Dancers go through a lot in a day. They dance with long hours and tiring nights whether that is from rehearsal, performances or practicing. It is only natural to continue out that dancing from the place of dance to their own home. If there is a place to dance at home a dancer seizes that opportunity, it could be the hallway, the closet, the garage, the basement, the stairway or even, yes the shower!

A nice, hot, or cold, refreshing shower after a long day’s work of dancing is oh so very nice. It is a calming relaxation to rest the muscles, take some deep breaths, wash out all the hairspray and to wipe the makeup away.

The problem when you mix shower and dancer, is the fact that dancers like to dance anywhere. Moving and grooving in the shower is no different, especially when you have music to accommodate you.

Now dancers, just be careful as shower floors are most commonly found wet during showers and you wouldn’t want a shower slip to result in an injury. Yes, of course keep dancing your heart away, just be cautious so that you don’t get hurt after all the work you put in that day. Enjoy the refreshing shower and stay prepared for all the upcoming performances. Lesson to be learned, it is understandable that dancers take their art to the extremes of washing themselves, just want them to use caution when floors are wet, so they are not carried away, from the soap beneath their feet.

~Julia Brewer

Growing Up Dancer

“People have asked me why I chose to be a dancer. I did not choose. I was chosen to be a dancer, and with that, you live all your life. ”

― Martha Graham, Blood Memory

Growing up dancer is strangely different than any other childhood. You act, hear and learn things differently than others. People ask why you behave, listen and perceive differently than them, and it can be a challenging obstacle to understand.

I have not known a life without dance. I grew up finding the counts to every song my family listened to in the car, pointing my feet to fall asleep, dancing around the grocery store, tap dancing under my desk and having a fast, long term memory.

Having to grow up dancer can be a challenge. Dancing becomes habit, and life learns that it needs dance to survive, serious dancers quickly begin to eat, breathe, sleep and live as a dance. This is because growing up dancer, you have no idea what a world without dance at your center is.

There is a certain fascination about growing up dancer. Some ask, how do they do, what they do? With the response being, what do you mean? Dancers come into a habitual state where all they do, and want to do is be out dancing. The effect being as I said earlier, finding counts in any type of music, pointing feet whenever given the chance, dancing around endlessly wherever you may be and making it the number one priority.

Growing up dancer is strangely different than any other childhood, and a childhood that no serious dancer could ever give up. It is a love and passion that others sometimes don’t understand. To a dancer a life without dance is a life of misery. I know personally I could never go a day without dancing. It makes me so incredibly happy and positive on how I want to live my life through dance. Although growing up dancer is different than other childhoods, it is one that gives a new perspective on behaving, hearing and learning that a serious dancer wouldn’t know how to live without.
 

 

~Julia Brewer

Musical Theatre

“Man must speak, then sing, then dance. The speaking is the brain, the thinking man. The singing is the emotion. The dancing is the Dionysian ecstasy which carries away all.”

-Isadora Duncan

Musical theatre is an entertainment form of dance. The dances are usually taken out from plays, musicals, or showy, popular numbers. It contains several characteristics of Broadway dancing, acting, character work and singing. It is a great way to perform a show with drama, especially because it is popular among all age groups. 

The dancing in musical theatre ranges from the intermediate level all the way to advance. Young and beginning dancers usually perform musical theatre as simple steps with more standing actions and facials. Older, more experienced dancers have the ability to add in creativity with several intricate skills that show off talent and technique.

The style is elaborate and requires a lot of acting to be performed by the dancers. The style can be out of a lot of people’s comfort zones, and is typically best performed with over the top drama, in order for the story to be shown and understood by the audience.

Character work is the foundation of the musical theatre genre. It is based on the change, exaggeration and portrayal of character through the use of costuming, posture, personality, facials and scenery. Younger dancers learn the ropes of musical theatre by performing more common children songs, making it easier for them to understand. Older, experienced dancers are able to portray a wider range of characters with a large amount of drama and facials. The strongest of musical theatre dancers can transform completely into their role, as if that is who they truly are. A full fledge performer in the industry shows their capabilities by indulging themselves into their characters shoes.

Many acts of musical theater incorporate singing, but it also dependent on age. Several younger performers sing on stage, simply because their dancing is not far enough to lead them out in a strong musical theater piece. However, lip syncing is extremely common in dance, especially by the older dancers. Leading to the fact that not all dancers are great, aspiring singers. Singing during a whole show can also become exhausting if that’s not the normal training. Furthermore, singing on stage can also become a distraction to the audience.

Musical theatre is a great way to extend your styles as a dancer. It gives you experience in telling a broad story not only through dance, but by acting. It is very dramatic and showy, and a fantastic way for all ages to reach out of their comfort zone in front of an audience.

~Julia Brewer

Dancers, Don't Get Down on Yourselves

“Everybody makes mistakes. Everybody has those days.”

-Hannah Montana

Everybody does make mistakes, but it is what we learn from those mistakes that will help us in the future to prosper as dancers. Making a mistake as a dancer can at times feel like the world can’t go on and you will never be able to redeem yourself, the pressure can get to you and make you feel incapable. In this position I challenge you to shake it off and not get upset over the little things, or even the large scale things for that matter. It is important to have confidence and not to become discouraged with yourself, because everyone makes mistakes.

Messing up on stage in front of a large audience can be humiliating, whether it’s performing a solo, small group or huge production. In the moment you think all eyes are on you and the mistake you made is all the audience can see and think about. Truthfully, it is not as noticeable as you think. Yes, timing may be scattered or you may have a complete blank, but that’s okay. It happens even to the best of us.

A point to remember when you become flustered over an error is that your audience is very forgiving. They understand there is an immense amount of pressure on you when you take the stage and it is not the end of the world if you make mistake. The audience has come to watch you dance, and they want to see you do well.

After making a mistake on stage instead of getting angry and worked up over it, try to calm down, take some deep breaths, and get yourself into an open mind set for your next curtain call. If the routine you made a mistake in performs again in the future, try and prepare yourself for it in order to master the sequence and feel accomplished in your performance.

It is hard, but everybody makes mistakes and gets down on themselves. Rise above the negativity and keep a positive stance. Have a clear mind and remember the less deal you make over it, the less people will remember the mistake. It works like magic.

Enjoy your time on stage and know that the audience wants you to succeed and feel great about your performance. The clapping at the end, yeah that’s for you, so smile and be happy even if that mistake is working over your confidence. You can redeem yourself later, and you will be absolutely fabulous.

 

~Julia Brewer

Satisfaction of Inspiration

“To be inspired is great, but to inspire is an honor.”

 ― Stacey T. Hunt

Growing up in a dance studio you learn to admire and gain inspiration all around from the older, more talented and higher experienced dancers. As I have grown as a dancer, I am both honored and humbled to be looked at for inspiration by those younger than myself, while still being motivated by those who inspire me.

My whole life I have looked up to older dancers, instructors and professionals. I wanted to work hard so I could be just as great as them one day. They made me want to practice, want to stretch and want to do my best. However in the last few years I have noticed a shift in interest. Parents and young girls from my studio watching through the window, asking me questions about improvement and complimenting me constantly on my dancing and positive attitude. This was the beginning of how I not only became inspired by others, but others began to take inspiration from me. 

It’s important to remember that behavior, attitude, work ethic, talent and kindness all are representative of the inspiration you give to others. As we get older we see the younger generations looking up to us for guidance, attention and inspiration. To be inspiring role models dancers must show leadership and positivity as a dancer and a person.

At dance I do my best to show leadership, have a positive attitude, strong work ethic and an overwhelming amount of kindness. I want to be a positive inspiration to the younger ones and lead by example both in and out of dance classes. I genuinely enjoy hearing about children’s interests, likings, activities and life. I am very interactive with them and encourage them put in 100% effort.

I have gained a lot of knowledge from those who have inspired me most and I am proud to say they were great people to look up to. They have created me into the dancer and person I am today and shape my way of thinking about the world. On the contrast, being able to inspire others is a blessing. It makes me overfilled with joy to hear that I have guided a dancer into a better person and make them smile because they have found their passion and never want to let it go. Seeing the smiles of all the young girls brings me so much happiness, and because of them I know too that I would never want to be anywhere else. I am truly honored to be able to inspire the young dancers that I once was too.

~Julia Brewer

 

The Magic of Mirrors

"The practice mirror is to be used for the corrections of faults, not for a love affair, and the figure you watch should not become your dearest friend."

- Agnes de Mille

Mirrors are used in the dance facility to focus on problems when correcting yourself. Such as when you are out in ballet center and are working on alignment. To make sure your body position is proper, the mirror comes in very helpful. You are able to look at yourself and fix your mistakes. A problem with correction of the mirror may come when dancers leap across the floor. It is in habit for many dancers to watch themselves in the mirror as they do grand jetes from wall to wall. This is not a good characteristic to have because it throws your hips out of alignment. Your whole body shifts weight as you open up your hip, which may become habit and can hurt the execution of the leap in performance.

The availability of mirrors are also useful when choreography is just beginning to be taught, and watching of the instructor is needed. This is extremely helpful when teaching younger children, because they need to see your constant direction. On the other hand it is also very beneficial to older dancers being taught choreography in a very quick fashion. It gives them a chance to search out for help and ask questions when parts do not match. The problem with watching during choreography is that some dancers tend to overuse the mirror and rely on them for their memory of choreography. This will result in the dancer not knowing the routine by the time of performance. A solution to the problem is to cover the mirror and force dancers to retain choreography week after week. This helps tremendously in long term memory of choreography for older dancers, as well as get younger dancers to focus and remember theirs too.

Mirrors are helpful during turns when you need to spot, you’re able to locate and lock your eyes on an object as you rotate. When there are sparse places to look in front of you the mirror can help you find an object on every wall of the room. A point to remember in this situation is that you should never spot yourself or any other moving object. It can throw off your spot and will most likely result in travelling across the floor.

Mirrors are an amazing device for dancers of all kinds to use, however they do have their drawbacks in some situations if not used properly, or if dancers become accustomed to them for too long. Point be that you should not rely solely on the mirrors in your dance facility, but of course use them when provided and beneficial to you.

~Julia Brewer

Ballet Dress Code

"Ballet class is like Life Lessons 101. You learn some of life's most important lessons here that you will carry with you forever."

 -Joanne H. Morscher

A ballet dress code is very common among dance studios and dance companies. A ballet dress code is enforced to bring discipline, unity and order to the ballet class. Companies keep the tradition of a ballet dress code because it has proven its efficiency in a simple fashioned way, which is beneficial to both the student and the instructor.

A standard ballet dress code would include wearing a leotard, tights and ballet slippers, or pointe shoes, and hair in a slicked back bun. The leotard would most likely be wanted in black to give a clean canvas for the instructor to look out onto. Black is the best color for ballet dancers to wear in class, because there is only one shade and it makes obvious of mistakes in body positioning and alignment. Ballet studios and companies, will most likely ask their students to wear pink tights to all ballet related classes, because that is what is typically worn by well-established ballet institutions in performance. It brings a professional essence into the ballet class for students and teacher alike. It makes logical sense. Staying on the idea of tights, there should be absolutely no rips, runs or holes, because that too would be highly unprofessional of a company. Of course, properly tied and laced ballet and pointe shoes will always be needed in class. Finally the hair should be tightly secured on your head, fastened with hairspray, and bobby pins, a hair net and possibly a bun maker. Fly aways are not orderly and should not be present in a formal ballet class.

Discipline is achieved with a dress code because it develops the dancers into a regular procedure, as to what they should wear and look like for their ballet class. A common dress code of students displays the students as one union, due to the act of all of them being clothed in the same manner and color scheme. Order is kept by the teacher in showing authoritative structure over their pupils and giving the ballet class the respect of a professional environment. A ballet dress code is simple and efficient. It’s used for the teacher to easily polish the dancer, benefitting both the dancer’s corrections and the teacher’s critique.

~Julia Brewer

 

Dance Bag Essentials

“Do it big, do it right, and do it with style.”

-Fried Astaire

It can be frustrating, when you get to dance after a long car ride and come to realize that you have accidently forgotten something. Instead, get a check list going to make certain you have not left anything behind, and it is all there with you. There are several dance essentials that you need every day to practice. With my experience I will share some ideas, but use this guide to customize your dance bag to your own essentials.

Obviously every dancer should have a dance bag where they can keep all of their shoes stored. As a competitive dancer you need a larger space for more items to be stored. So, as my first piece of advice, I would suggest investing in a large dance bag, with several pockets and zippers. Make sure it is sturdy and will not break if you have a lot of weight in it. A useful type of bag, may be a backpack, duffle or over the shoulder. If you’re into the color pick one you really like and one that is neutral, so you don't get tired of it.

Next aspect to think about is making sure you have every style of shoe, for each class. Yes, that means one left and one right. Hello? No one wants to be known as the dancer with two left feet, literally! An organization method for shoes is using, a Victoria’s Secret or Toms bag to keep them in, and have them separated. This decreases the time you might take searching for your shoes and reduce the smell of your dance bag.

Oh no! Its ballet day and you forgot your leotard, good thing you were prepared for this and have an extra set of dance clothes in a compartment of your dance bag. Having extra clothes is essential. You may not be prepared for a surprise and need to change quickly. Have extra undergarments, socks, a pair of tights, spandex, hair ties, bobby pins and a hair brush. It will make life so much easier, and it is also helpful if someone else needs something.

Jumping into the fact that hygiene is extremely vital for a dancer to take care of. Always have a stick of deodorant with you, dancers sweat a lot, and it never hurts to be prepared. It’s simple, it’s fast and it’s easy. Perfume is also good to have although not as necessary as deodorant. I would also highly suggest putting in a just for girls bag, as a just in case matter, for all things that a girl may need. Wink, wink!

These essentials will help make the start of the dance season more organized. You will feel ready to go and will look awesome doing it. It's a lot of fun to customize your dance bag, but it's also important to keep it organized all season.
 

~Julia Brewer