The entire dance world is right in the midst of the competitive dance season, and I get can't enough! I actually turned the tables on myself this past weekend as I became a dance spectator on the competition scene, almost like a 'dance mom'... ugh, did I just say that!
Shouts out to Hall Of Fame Dance Competition who live streams all of their Regionals, including multiple stages from some events. I know this is not a new concept for dance events, and there are many other competitions doing it, but I just wanted to say how impressive that amount of live coverage is from them! I like the idea of sitting at home in my pj's and watching dance on my iPad! You'd think I'd need a break from over-the-top lyrical solos, hair pieces and rhinestones on stage, but honestly I don't! With this live feed I get to watch the routines that I want, while lying on the couch. The schedule with studio names that they post on their website is also very helpful with the live feed, since that way I can totally pop the screen back up when a routine is on that I want to see!
I'm very impressed Hall Of Fame, and I even went as far as emailing the US Competition I attend to tell them that they needed to jump on this bandwagon! I think it's great for family members and friends who can't travel to competitions to be able to watch it online. But it also fills the void for crazy, insomniac dance teachers like myself who just need our weekly fill of it!
So, not only did I teach on Friday night but then I stayed up all night watching live streaming from the West Coast Time Zone. I woke up Saturday, on very few hours of sleep, to head to the studio for 9 hours of work and then you'd think I'd want to go home and crash... oh contraire my friends! I headed over to a local theatre to watch another dance competition live!
Now, I don't normally talk down on others too much on my blog (well I try not to), but I really have to say that this competition was a train wreck. From the fact that you couldn't buy programs, to the long pauses between dances, to the boring awards ceremonies... seriously people! It is not a large US competition organization that was running this event, but it was an exam organization hosting a competition for their members/studios. Regardless to me, I expected the same amount of effort to be put into it. I'm sure the entry fees for the dancers were just as much as any other competition, so why would you expect anything less in quality?!?!?! This could get me off an a tangent about how 'old school' this organization's syllabus is, and therefore, the studios competing were among the same lines, but there could have still been a fun announcer hired for the kids!
As much as I was disappointed in the level of the dancing and the quality of the competition organization itself, I still went back on Sunday for more. I opted to go over during lunch time for a bit before the live streaming from Hall Of Fame got into the groups I wanted to see. It didn't get much better on Sunday by any means, but it definitely got me thinking about a lot of things going on the dance industry. I have blog post after blog post just swirling around in my head regarding everything. I've already started four of them, but I have to sit on them for a while and check back on my tone before I post them!
I literally felt more passion, enthusiasm and energy coming through my computer screen from the dancers and hosts at Hall Of Fame then I did live from the B.A.T.D. Competition I went and watched. So who creates that feeling... the dancers, the teachers, the competition, or everyone involved in general? I think I even acquired some sympathy for dance parents who sit through days and days of dance competitions as spectators. Normally I tend to watch the bare minimum at competition (besides my own students) so this was a whole new experience for me. One that reminded me why I opt to use my time off during dance competitions doing other things rather than spectating! I don't say that to be rude, but my eyes can only take so much, good or bad.
We still have two weeks off before our next competition, so I'm sure I'll make my way over to another local event before then. Luckily for me the theatre closest to our studio hosts a dance competition every weekend, or maybe that's unlucky?! Good news is that they're free to attend... oh wait, I heard recently that there is a competition (cough, 5678 Showtime) that still charges an entrance fee per day for audience members. Just while were on the subject of talking about competition features that I like and don't like!
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
"Rolling In The Deep"
Let me just start off today by saying how much I LOVE the new Adele album 21. I'm also really happy that I had not started one of my kid's solos until it was released last week, so that I could actually use one of her new songs for a number! Some of you might think that's cutting it pretty close to competition time, but it's just cause you're jealous that I got to use a new Adele song and you didn't!
So we have our first competition of the year starting this Thursday... insert small freaking out sound here!
I'm excited to see all of my creations on stage for the first time this year, but I also have an overwhelming sense of 'the first day of school' syndrome. Will they like me (meaning my work)? What will everyone think? What should I wear? Not that what I wear is important, but more like which pair of sweat pants and shoes can I physically run around in all day?!?!?!
I think regardless of how long you've been doing competitions or shows as a studio owner there is always a sense of wanting to be appreciated and acknowledged for the work you've done that year. Of course parents are going to love their kid's routines, cause it's their kid, but do they love what you've done with them? Can they see improvement and appreciate changes and risks you've taken as a choreographer? Sure, not everyone is going to love everything you put out there, including the judges, but there is always my pride that makes me want to try!
At this point what's going to happen at the competition is going to happen. There is nothing more I can clean up in the next two days that will make a difference. It will be more of a statement of how I have prepared my students for this throughout the entire year. We can't just expect the kids to pull off things on stage that they've never done in the studio correctly. I have to be confident that I have done my job all year and therefore my students will be able perform to the best of their abilities.
So the wine for my hotel room is packed and the Starbucks route has already been mapped. My trusty little red iPod has been filled with our music and the camera batteries charged. Minor detail that I'm still waiting on 36 tutus to arrive, but then I remind myself again that the wine is already packed!
It's going to be a great week regardless of naked back sides!
Cheers.
So we have our first competition of the year starting this Thursday... insert small freaking out sound here!
I'm excited to see all of my creations on stage for the first time this year, but I also have an overwhelming sense of 'the first day of school' syndrome. Will they like me (meaning my work)? What will everyone think? What should I wear? Not that what I wear is important, but more like which pair of sweat pants and shoes can I physically run around in all day?!?!?!
I think regardless of how long you've been doing competitions or shows as a studio owner there is always a sense of wanting to be appreciated and acknowledged for the work you've done that year. Of course parents are going to love their kid's routines, cause it's their kid, but do they love what you've done with them? Can they see improvement and appreciate changes and risks you've taken as a choreographer? Sure, not everyone is going to love everything you put out there, including the judges, but there is always my pride that makes me want to try!
At this point what's going to happen at the competition is going to happen. There is nothing more I can clean up in the next two days that will make a difference. It will be more of a statement of how I have prepared my students for this throughout the entire year. We can't just expect the kids to pull off things on stage that they've never done in the studio correctly. I have to be confident that I have done my job all year and therefore my students will be able perform to the best of their abilities.
So the wine for my hotel room is packed and the Starbucks route has already been mapped. My trusty little red iPod has been filled with our music and the camera batteries charged. Minor detail that I'm still waiting on 36 tutus to arrive, but then I remind myself again that the wine is already packed!
It's going to be a great week regardless of naked back sides!
Cheers.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
"What's My Name"
I think I'm back on track here with my blogging... so stay tuned for lots of great stuff while I'm away on vacation!
Yes, you heard me vacation... 3 weeks before competition! Sigh. Dates didn't work out so great, but my best friend is getting married in Punta Cana and I am being forced to go! Sigh. Not only do I think it will help ease my stress before competitions start, it will also be a great time for me to catch up on my writing.
I figured it might be a good time to start a new weekly tradition here, we'll call it - the best parent email of the week! I know all studio owners have tons of great ones stored away, but I figured this one was very appropriate for this time of year!
I spend quite a bit of time re-typing competition schedules out for my students so that it is on a chart for them to clearly see. It lists their call-times (their be there in costume, hair and make-up perfect, in the rehearsal hall stretching/practising, without their parents time!) and the Awards time for that session and everything. I think that's pretty generous of me considering I could just post it on the studio bulletin board and let them all fend for themselves. But, that's beyond the point.
So I wanted to get the first competition schedule out before I left on vacation. Just another thing to cross off the to-do list. Thanks to the organization of the competition director I was able to do so for all of my parents. Sure, I could have held onto it and sent it out when I got back, but I do like to help my parents get organized too.
I emailed out the schedule as soon as I had it completed this week so that parents could book their hotels right away and plan accordingly. I also always send home hard copies at the studio, just to make sure that everyone got sufficient notice and nobody can ever say 'I didn't know!'
This year I have a very large Production that includes all 45 of my competitive students. It is the only routine they are all in together, and for some of the students it is even their only routine. It is very clearly themed and titled, but I figured I would BOLD it on the competition schedule as it pertained to everyone. It wasn't even an hour later that I got an email back from a parent, who's child is only in the Production this year. I'm almost sorry I wasted the extra ink bolding that section!
Hi Robin,
Thanks for the schedule but you didn't put performance on it. I'll get her to look at it again, but she doesn't even know what dance she's in. Can you send us her specific schedule.
Thank you.
I have since invested some time in learning how to use Photoshop on my new computer so that I can add images to the schedule and change the color settings for each child's routines. That way there won't be any confusion moving forward.
I wish I would have received that email while I was on the beach, with a margarita in hand. My response would have been so much more appropriate.
Cheers everyone!
Yes, you heard me vacation... 3 weeks before competition! Sigh. Dates didn't work out so great, but my best friend is getting married in Punta Cana and I am being forced to go! Sigh. Not only do I think it will help ease my stress before competitions start, it will also be a great time for me to catch up on my writing.
I figured it might be a good time to start a new weekly tradition here, we'll call it - the best parent email of the week! I know all studio owners have tons of great ones stored away, but I figured this one was very appropriate for this time of year!
I spend quite a bit of time re-typing competition schedules out for my students so that it is on a chart for them to clearly see. It lists their call-times (their be there in costume, hair and make-up perfect, in the rehearsal hall stretching/practising, without their parents time!) and the Awards time for that session and everything. I think that's pretty generous of me considering I could just post it on the studio bulletin board and let them all fend for themselves. But, that's beyond the point.
So I wanted to get the first competition schedule out before I left on vacation. Just another thing to cross off the to-do list. Thanks to the organization of the competition director I was able to do so for all of my parents. Sure, I could have held onto it and sent it out when I got back, but I do like to help my parents get organized too.
I emailed out the schedule as soon as I had it completed this week so that parents could book their hotels right away and plan accordingly. I also always send home hard copies at the studio, just to make sure that everyone got sufficient notice and nobody can ever say 'I didn't know!'
This year I have a very large Production that includes all 45 of my competitive students. It is the only routine they are all in together, and for some of the students it is even their only routine. It is very clearly themed and titled, but I figured I would BOLD it on the competition schedule as it pertained to everyone. It wasn't even an hour later that I got an email back from a parent, who's child is only in the Production this year. I'm almost sorry I wasted the extra ink bolding that section!
Hi Robin,
Thanks for the schedule but you didn't put
Thank you.
I have since invested some time in learning how to use Photoshop on my new computer so that I can add images to the schedule and change the color settings for each child's routines. That way there won't be any confusion moving forward.
I wish I would have received that email while I was on the beach, with a margarita in hand. My response would have been so much more appropriate.
Cheers everyone!
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