THE FLOODING REALITY AND HOW TO TRULY HELP: A Dance Studio Owner's Personal Experience

I didn't feel it was appropriate this week to write about dance or my thoughts. My heart, like yours, is with those living horror caused by the destruction and aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. I felt the best way to serve the dance community this week was to help in the understanding of the flooding reality, and how to truly help. I reached out to a dance studio owner friend, and she volunteered her time to write about her experience with significant flooding.

The dance community is so loving and compassionate. This has been shown by the outpouring of willingness to help others during this devastating time. In hopes to help those offering support understand how best to help those in need, and to help those affected by Harvey on what to expect now, a precious studio owner has written about her personal experience from the Louisiana flood last year. Please take a moment to read her story and her suggestions. Please continue to pray for all affected by natural disasters.

MY STORY

My name is Gwyn De Frances. I own De Frances Academy of Dance in Baton Rouge, LA with my mother Catherine De Frances and sister Angie De Frances Snow. We are proudly and humbly celebrating our 47th year. I say "humbly" because it was one year ago this August that our area suffered the worst flood in our history. It was business as usual on August 11 as we began our new year meeting our new parents and students, teaching our classes and spreading our love of dance. As I prepared for bed that night, exhausted, I watched the weather as I always do. Rain was expected for the next day but nothing unusual. Things quickly changed. Our phones began alerting us to flash flooding at 6am. Baton Rouge doesn't have flash floods. Kids were already on buses on their way to their 2nd day of school. The rain was horrible! By 8am, roads were already flooding, schools were closing, and kids were stuck on buses trying to get them back home. By 9am, all colleges including LSU were closing. Our phones just kept going off with flash flood alerts! By noon, everything in and around our area was either already flooded or beginning to flood. It truly was an incredibly scary event.  At this point, my only concern was my family and their safety. Because my parents lived on the Amite River and we knew it was going to flood, we needed to move my parents furniture, boats, cars, and all my dad’s workshop upstairs to the 2nd story of their home. Their 2nd story is 14 feet up. They ended up getting 12 feet of water! Needless to say, we are very lucky to not have gotten water inside their home but it damaged their boathouse and the bottom level.

THE AFTERMATH

As we watched the continuous coverage on our local tv stations, we just couldn't believe what was happening to our city, our families, our friends, and our businesses. Little did we know it would be almost a month before we opened back up! We had about 30 inches of rain in 48 hours. There just wasn't anything any of us could do until the rains ended. We lost power, internet and phones!  Facebook became a lifeline. Who knew that you could even make a phone call through Facebook messenger? When I heard my iPad ring for the first time...I couldn't believe it! When our cell phones did work, I'd have about 10 - 15 texts pop up.  I'd have to hurry up and answer them before it went dead again. As you can imagine, it was chaos and very stressful. But it was also extremely sad, heartbreaking, and seriously overwhelming. So many people were being rescued by our infamous Cajun Navy in the surrounding neighborhoods. I actually saw pictures of some of our students being rescued. I watched my parents house on the local news become engulfed with rapids! We were trying to find our family and friends.  I was worried about my staff.  Were they ok? Come on phones...PLEASE WORK! I received a text late the first night from an old friend who recognized our family friends on a boat that the Cajun Navy rescued. I was able to find out what shelter they were taken too. My brother found a friend with an 18 wheeler to go pick them up. The water was too high for regular trucks. This went on for several days. The rain finally stopped but the damage was done and then the hard part started. We began going from one friend or family members house to another to throw EVERYTHING to the curb. Then, the sheetrock needed to be cut and bleach was put everywhere. Did you know that mold grows 12 inches a day? We do now. So cleaning needs to happen fast.

TRYING TO FIND MY DANCE STUDIO FAMILIES IN THE AFTERMATH

Now that my family was safe, as a dance teacher and business owner, I needed to get the word out to my parents, students, and staff that unfortunately we would not be open on our 2nd day. Emails went out, a note was put on the studio door, and we put a message on the answering machine. Then, we prayed. During this entire process moving from home to home, I was trying to get in touch with all of my students when I had internet. I asked a few simple questions. Did you flood? If so, what do you need? Are you still living in the area? Will you be able to come back to dance? Of course ,as I am asking these few questions, my life is flashing before me because not only have I just lost an entire month of tuition, but I may be losing an entire year. "Freak out mode" was at my doorstep! People were very slow to reply because most did not have power and let's face it, they were putting their lives on the curb and trying to find a place to live. Many of these people did not even have cars anymore! Some parents responded immediately letting me know they were ok and yes they would be returning to dance! Thank you, Jesus! Slowly over the following weeks, I heard from most. Some families I didn’t hear from because what I later found out is that I was emailing their work emails. They didn’t work there anymore or they weren’t receiving them. (Teachers, check the email addresses you have as you send emails out!) Many had to move away to live with family. Some that flooded told me there was no way they could return this year as most flood victims here did not have flood insurance. Others said they would return because they wanted their children to have some "normal" in their lives. I heard that word A LOT,  "Normal." Things were certainly NOT "normal." Many schools were flooded. When schools started back up 1 month later, platoon schedules were needed. Kids went to school 1/2 days so they could share with another school. This, of course, affected all after school activities, like dance.  Throughout this entire time, no one outside of our area knew what was going on because it wasn't getting much coverage on the national news. However, my dear friend Meredith contacted me because she saw her friend’s Facebook page. You see, her friend lives in this area, so she knew. I know now that the first time Meredith called me, I was still in shock. I don't actually remember much about that phone call except that she was the only person who had called me so far. No one else knew because it wasn't on the national news.  One-third of the entire state of Louisiana was under water ,and it wasn't on the national news!

HOW TO HELP

Meredith immediately wanted to help, and I honestly didn't know how she COULD help.  So after another phone call a few days later, we came up with a plan. She would put me in touch with a studio in another state that was of a similar size. She connected me with several amazing dance teachers that I had never met. They all wanted to send me things. I began getting images in my head of my studio, which by the grace of GOD did not flood, being overtaken by floor to ceiling boxes of dance wear, clothes and cleaning supplies. I didn't have time or the space for this!  It was so overwhelming...but I also didn't want to be rude by not accepting these items. So, Meredith and I came up with another plan. Each of the studios she put me in touch with started collecting individual gift cards. These gift cards were for $10 - $25 or more to Home Depot, Lowe’s, Wal-Mart, and Target. We were also blessed to have a dance competition from New Orleans help the dance schools in our area with brand new dance clothes and shoes! So when the day came to distribute these items, we were able to hand each parent a gift card from these awesome dance schools from out of state. One item though that made a huge difference, stuffed animals. As I was able to hand gift cards to families as they picked up the needed new dance wear, I was able to hand the child a stuffed animal. That stuffed animal put the biggest smile on their face! That gesture made a difference! There were many tears and hugs of appreciation that day.

Although we very much appreciated all the items sent, needs change very quickly in this type of situation. Space is also extremely limited. There just isn’t room for storage of items while you are waiting to distribute them. Time is also of the essence and there isn’t much extra time to sort through items since homes and buildings must be gutted, and gutted quickly. The best way to help is to help financially though gift cards. Gift cards can be used by families to purchase what they need at a specific time. Samaritan’s Purse is also a wonderful organization that made an impact.

I know you want to help. Believe me, every one of the dance teachers, students, and parents affected will be extremely grateful for your help. If you do want to send something besides a gift card, here are a few helpful hints. PLEASE only send dance items that are only slightly used. PLEASE make sure shoes are paired with a rubber band. Cleaning items are not needed. Small stuffed animals are :-) Make sure your gift cards have the receipt with them because we found that some visa cards didn't work :-(  Again, a rubber band can be put around the receipt and card.  If you are a dance teacher, don't feel guilty if you can't re open right away. Take care of yourself and your family.

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM FEMA AND WHERE TO GO

FEMA is slow, and they do not give you as much money as you would hope. FEMA trailers took up to three or four months before they were delivered to people's properties. After the trailer arrives, it will take another 2 to 3 weeks to be hooked up! People can expect to stay with friends or family that did not flood for that amount of time. FEMA paid for some people to live in hotel rooms. However, there are only so many hotel rooms available. Every apartment building will be full so it is best to find one immediately.

Contact any church for help because they are all willing to donate their time and resources. Samaritans purse is the best because all of the money donated goes to helping people. Do not donate to Red cross! They do not distribute all of the money. Just look what the director of Red Cross makes in one year and that will tell you everything!

OUR STUDIO AND SUGGESTIONS BASED ON WHAT WE DID THAT WORKED

We felt awful about not being able to pay our staff for the month of August. Our students had paid us for August but we didn't feel it was right to keep it. So we applied it towards September tuition instead if they were coming back. Our parents were grateful, and our staff understood. After 2-3 weeks, if you can, try to have a "fun" night at the studio. Email parents to drop off their child for a couple of hours of fun. We had one ballroom learn a Hip Hop dance, another ballroom doing arts and crafts, and another ballroom playing games. We had feather boas and picture frames to take pictures with and put all of this on our Facebook page. This was a much needed break for parents, kids and honestly...for ourselves and our staff! It was "normal." We were able to re open after Labor Day! If you are a parent or student, please be patient.

IN CONCLUSION

You may not have flooded but your teacher and the staff may have. Your studio may have flooded, and a new facility may be needed. Patience, hard work, empathy, and prayer is the key to getting through this horrible catastrophe. Parents, please contact your studio owner as soon as possible. Let them know if you flooded, and your plans of returning to the studio or not. Texas and southwest Louisiana WILL recover. With people pulling together, it will be "normal" again!

It's been 1 year, and we are STILL trying to get through it! We took a huge hit losing about 120 kids. That's a lifestyle change, but we got through it. Our numbers are still low. Our city has changed, and many of our families have either moved away or just cant afford to dance because they now have a 2nd mortgage. We all have higher car insurance because so many cars were lost. Parents have lost their jobs, and some are still losing their jobs. The last pile of trash was just picked up 2 weeks ago, and FEMA trailers are finally beginning to disappear. But we got through it. I wanted to share my story so you can try to understand what dance teachers will be going through because of Harvey over the next year and even longer. Please continue to keep all flood victims and cities in your prayers.

Gwyn

Much love to you all and as always.... Dance hard. Dance Smart.

Meredith

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FINDING THE PERFECT UNIVERSITY SERIES: PART 1

After a busy summer of competition, teaching, and choreography, I'M BACK! I'm thrilled to re-enter the blogging world with something new for me. A series as well as blogs highlighting the  personal experiences of others! I am always striving to help anyone and everyone, in any way that I possibly can. It is my sincerest hope that this series of blog posts will be useful and informative to those in the search of "what's next" in their lives.

For some, it is time to start seriously considering universities, dance programs, and collegiate dance teams. As exciting as this time is, it can also stressful on both students and parents. In effort to alleviate even the smallest amount of confusion, I reached out to the dance world for help in this project. What better way to "get the real deal" of information than to have the students of the universities, and parents, whom have recently gone through this process, share their experiences.

Over the next few weeks, I will continue this series.  The blog posts will be actual statements about personal experiences at different universities, information on college dance teams from members, and things parents wished they would have known to ask. This week, my series will be begin with dance majors and minors.

As you know, I write from the heart. I like to just "keep it real." These wonderful people were so gracious to give of their time, write from their heart, and keep it real right along with me. I am incredibly thankful to each and every fantastic person for jumping in head-first with me on this project. I hope you enjoy and benefit from their experiences and the information they have provided.

Dance hard. Dance smart.

Meredith

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Jazmin Thomas – CHAPMAN UNIVERSITY

Chapman University is known as one of the most sought after colleges in Orange County. I graduated in four years with a BFA in Dance Performance, and a minor in Public Relations. Chapman drew me in with its small class sizes, which allowed for more one on one attention with professors. What made my decision to choose Chapman’s dance program apart from the other programs I applied and auditioned for was jazz as part of the curriculum. The three main focuses are ballet, modern, and jazz. They also offer some fun elective courses such as hip-hop, ballroom, tap, Pilates and yoga for dancers. There are also many performance and student choreography opportunities provided. With three shows each in the Fall and Spring semesters, students will definitely get the chance to perform. Starting sophomore year, students also have the opportunity to choreograph their own pieces for one of the Fall shows and all Spring shows.

Performance scholarships are offered as well as academic. Chapman also gives out financial aid that majority of the student body utilizes. As a dance major you can either receive a Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Dance.  Most dance majors have a minor or cluster, while a few decide to double major. What’s great is that Chapman makes it possible to double major and graduate in four years. The dance program encourages you to choose your own path and provides guidance in doing so. Dancers coming out of Chapman go in many different directions like company based work, commercial dance, dance instructors, Broadway, and so on. I am very lucky to have gone to an amazing school like Chapman with such a welcoming environment that will always feel like a second home.

Sienna Kresge – CHAPMAN UNIVERSITY

I transferred to Chapman University after my freshman year at Oklahoma City University, for various reasons, and I had a rocky transition, so my experience is a bit atypical. In general, I made the switch because I wanted more freedom to really personalize my education. This is what attracted me to Chapman in the first place. Luckily, I was accepted after sending in an application and a video, but the department scholarships are competitive and were already allocated by the time I applied (although I did receive an academic scholarship). The program equally requires classes in ballet, jazz, and modern, and students may also choose from various electives like hip-hop, tap, ballroom, yoga, and Pilates. Most of the dance concerts are based in modern or contemporary choreography, but there are other opportunities to perform outside those styles in various clubs, student choreography shows, and the huge College of Performing Arts fundraiser show in the fall. What I think makes the Chapman dance program stand out among the rest are the many opportunities to cultivate creation and student choreography, as well as fostering physical intelligence and academic knowledge about anatomy, kinesiology, somatics, dance history, and choreographic theory. There is a BA and a BFA degree offered, the latter of which must be auditioned for at the end of your sophomore year. The only major differences between the two are that the BFA is more focused, requiring more technique class credits, an second choreography course, an additional BFA-only technique class on Fridays, and, as of recently, a BFA solo showcase at the end of your senior year.

I was accepted into the BFA program and participated in that curriculum for a semester before realizing it wasn’t for me. As a transfer and somewhat of an introvert, my first year and a half at Chapman was quite lonely. Likewise, with my mother in the dance industry and literally being surrounded by dance in almost every capacity from the womb until I was 19, I struggled to connect with my dance peers who could be excitedly nourished by the social microcosm of the dance school. I transferred craving freedom to explore my interests and passions outside of dance, but I only ended up frustrating myself with over-commitment because I didn’t know how to take one foot out of the pool—instead, I found myself knee-deep in burnout.

Luckily, I had wonderfully empathetic professors who pushed me in a direction where I could more fully realize myself and my needs. I switched to the BA and picked up a double major in philosophy. Instead of auditioning for every possible thing and wearing myself out physically and emotionally from the inner political hierarchies and back-to-back rehearsal hours, I picked up other academic classes of interest, took singing and piano lessons, started writing for an online magazine and the school newspaper, began a Pilates certification, and watched a lot of Bill Murray films (we all need something to fill the void, right?).

The biggest mistake anyone can make going into college is marrying a plan and expecting to love it for the next four years. I wish I could tell my high school self that you don’t need to have an all-or-nothing relationship with dance. Wherever you pursue higher education, what’s most important is building experiences and expanding your worldview. In turn, these things will inform your craft and make you a better, smarter dancer and human.

Jasmine Pham - UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT IRVINE

The University of California, Irvine Department of Dance is a world-wide recognized program for graduate and undergraduate dance study. The program is conservatory based and has a heavy focus on ballet and modern. As a dance major in the UCI Dance program, you are able to choose between three different degrees offered. The most basic degree offered is the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), which is a general, well-rounded dance education experience. You also have a choice between two different Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A) programs: performance or choreography, which is a more rigorous schedule and requires additional work in the specific field of study. The UCI Department of Dance offers many different classes for a student including ballet, modern, African jazz, beginning tap and breaking, health and nutrition, dance history, music for dancers, and kinesiology.

As a dance major with a focus in choreography at UCI, I found the program very different from what I grew up doing as a studio competition dancer. There were no rhinestoned costumes or flashy musical theater routines. Instead, the program focused more on how to develop your artistry without relying on your tricks to wow the audience. The movement you work on in the program is less geared towards dancers looking to work in the industry, but more tailored to dancers hoping to be a part of modern or ballet companies. The UCI Department of Dance puts on many shows a year giving dance majors the opportunity to perform and choreograph for a large audience. The environment of the program is supportive without smothering their dancers. They allow you to have other commitments outside of their program, like competing on hip hop crews, working as a parade dancer at Disneyland, or traveling with dance competitions on the weekends. As long as you put your education at a high priority, the faculty and your peers will work with you to help you achieve your goals. UCI has a pretty hard audition that lasts about 7 hours, but it varies from year to year.

Taylor Valadez - UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN

The University of Michigan Dance Department is mainly focused on ballet and modern. In a typical week dance majors will take one ballet technique class and one modern technique class every Monday through Thursday. We have the same teachers every Monday and Wednesday and different teachers every Tuesday and Thursdays. On Tuesday and Thursday, we also have our composition class and this is a very student work driven class. Here, we are given many tools and assignments that will help us produce our own work all gearing up for our senior concert. On Fridays, we have our lab classes and these are only once a week for two hours. Lab classes are my favorite because they offer a lot of different classes outside of just modern and ballet, like Yoga Lab or Improv Lab.

The Major requirements are a lot more extensive compared to the minor. But for both programs you must complete a certain amount of technique classes and composition classes to graduate. One difference between the Major and the Minor is that for the Major you also have to do your senior concert, which is when you produce an eight-minute-long group piece and a four-minute-long solo. These pieces are performed at one of the theaters on campus and seniors typically combine their pieces with three other seniors to create a two hour long Senior BFA Show.

There are so many performance opportunities at the University of Michigan, but the biggest of them all is the yearly Power Center Show. For this show, a couple Dance Faculty will create works on the dance students as well as two outside guests. Some other awesome performance opportunities are the Senior BFA concerts. At the beginning of the school year, the Seniors will audition all the Freshman through Juniors for their pieces. Then, you usually will get casted in one to three of them. After that, you have weekly rehearsals with them preparing for their senior concert. The Senior BFA concerts happen at the end of first semester and the end of second semester.

Auditions for the dance department are pretty simple. You have to submit the normal application through the Common Application, and you also must send in a pre-screening video where you demonstrate some exercises that are pre-recorded for you to replicate. You also submit a solo. Once you make past the pre-screening round of auditions, you will be offered an in-person audition at the Dance Building. There you will be shown around the dance school and have the opportunity to talk to some faculty, the dance chair, and some current students. After that, you will take a modern and ballet class where the faculty will observe you taking class. Then, you will go into a room where you can warm-up for you solo. One by one, you will be taken into a separate room to preform your solo for the faculty. Once everyone is done, you will meet with a faculty member and have a casual conversation(interview) with them about your plans for next year. They also want to know why you chose Michigan, and all that fun stuff. Once your interview is done, the audition is over and you are free to leave. Trust me it sounds scary, but it is actually so much fun.

Scholarships are offered at the University of Michigan. You can either receive an academic one for grades and SAT/ACT scores, or you can receive one from the Dance Department. Scholarships from the Dance Department are determined at the live auditions and those are based off of dance ability.

Justin Quandt - UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA

This program offers a triple track! You can focus on jazz, modern, or ballet! I chose this program due to the emphasis on jazz which is a true passion of mine, but left being well rounded in all 3 aspects of dance. Many schools do not offer jazz so this was a natural choice.

There are many performance opportunities throughout the year in concerts put on by faculty to the chance to choreograph yourself and audition your own pieces to be performed or the school even travels worldwide for performances as well! This school will get you physically, mentally, and emotionally ready to conquer all aspects of the professional world, whether it be performing, teaching, choreography and anything in between!

You have to audition to get in the program and there are definitely opportunities to get scholarships from the minute you arrive at the school! They hold the annual Arizona Jazz Dance Showcase, which is a great opportunity to get a feel for the program, watch one of their concerts, and even audition to get in the program!

The faculty is well versed and have all had outstanding careers in the field. The dance department was my second home and the faculty and dancers were my family! I couldn't speak highly enough of this program!

Megan Carcioppolo - UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA

My name is Megan Carcioppolo and I graduated from the University of Arizona. There was no doubt in my mind that I wanted to go there because they have one of the top dance programs in the country. My degree is in Arts, Media and Entertainment with Jazz minor in Dance. Since I knew this was where I wanted to go, I applied to the University my junior year of high school and auditioned that same year. Programs like these only take a small group of incoming freshman so if they see you have already been accepted to the school they will assume you will be attending and not auditioning for other programs. They have multiple audition dates and opportunities to come out audition. The program offers three different degrees, Ballet, Modern and Jazz so that’s what they base their audition on. Like any audition, you wear a black leotard and pink tights and you start with ballet, then jazz and modern following that. Then you wait…within a month you receive a letter from them finding out where you have been placed. All letters come with some feedback on what they thought about you and your audition. This is always nice because you can take their critiques and come back and audition again, if you have not already been accepted in the program.

My classes elevated my technique and I became a stronger dancer because of their program. Even though my emphasis was in Jazz, I was able to take classes in Ballet, Modern, hip-hop, technique and choreography. The classes are smaller so you get individual help, which pushed me to be a better dancer. Being surrounded by other people who have the same drive and passion as you makes you enjoy it that much more.

Angela Price - AMERICAN MUSICAL AND DRAMATIC ACADEMY (AMDA)

Hi, my name is Angela Price and I am a fourth semester student at the American musical and dramatic academy (AMDA) in New York City. Amda is a a two-year conservatory program so we do not take regular academic classes at the New York campus. There is an LA campus that offers a four year program in order to earn a BFA, but I do not attend that campus so there isn't much more I can say about that! I came to Amda because I wanted to be an all-around performer, not just a good dancer. No matter what program you are in at Amda (dance theater, integrated, studio) you learn the basics of dancing singing and acting. Since it is only two years it is a very fast paced program. Our wonderful and accomplished teachers try to feed us as much information as possible in the short time we have together. In the dance theater program we have all types of dance classes, acting classes, musical theater classes, as well as classical voice training. Amda is a theater based school, so definitely make sure you are interested in it before making a decision. Research all of the schools you are applying to. Going to this school is hard work but it has been very good for me. I was primarily a dancer my whole life but since coming to Amda I now consider myself an actress and singer as well. I never could have gotten this training at home. No matter what you decide, remember to always work hard and have fun!

"We cannot procrastinate. The world of the future is in our making. Tomorrow is now."      -Eleanor Roosevelt

Hannah Davis - SOUTHEASTERN LOUISISIANA UNIVERSITY

I am a general studies major with a dance concentration at Southeastern Louisiana University. This university doesn’t offer a major, but does offer a minor. The dance focus at SLU is contemporary, and unfortunately due to the lack of funding for our program, we only have one teacher, so our classes are limited. There is also a strict focus on artistry and the technical part of dance is better left at home. Since I've been dancing for 16 years and am a competitive dancer, and wanting to open my own dance studio, this isn't particularly my most ideal place to be, and I will be transferring soon due to this. However, for those who are not in the competitive field, it's a great place to be. There is creativity overflowing from this dance program, and it really stretches how you process concepts, movement, and themes.

If you are interested in contributing to this series, please email me. meredith@thecompetitiveedgebymeredith.com

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For class, choreography, or booking information, please email: meredith@thecompetitiveedgebymeredith.com

You can also read The Competitive Edge by Meredith on Dance Apps Inc's app with NappyTabs, Dancer's Toolbox under Dancer's Dish.

NATIONAL FINALS: KEEPING IT IN PERSPECTIVE, AND KEEPING IT ALL ABOUT THE DANCERS

With the competition season coming to an end and National Finals upon us, I thought I would take a moment to communicate directly to dance parents. Being a dance mom and a dance dad is time consuming, and it can be costly. When you mix those two things with your care and concern for your child, it can bring on a tremendous amount of stress. As a parent, I get it. Every parent wants their child to be healthy, happy, and successful. As parents, it is important to remember that dance teachers love your children. They also want them to be healthy, happy, and successful. It is worthy to note that dance competitions want all the children to be healthy, happy, and successful too!

DANCE COMPETITION REALLY IS ALL ABOUT THE KIDS....IT SHOULD BE ALL ABOUT THE KIDS. 

Dance competition, especially national finals, should be a fun experience for dancers. It should be a place for children of all ages to show off their hard work and enjoy their moment in the spotlight. National finals is the big finale to the year! Everyone wants to do their best and go out with a bang! Families have traveled, taken vacation time from work, and spent a lot of money for their children to compete. Often times the competition is incredibly tough! Put all of these elements together, and you have the perfect storm if you don't keep things in perspective. Every dancer and teacher has worked hard all season. Parents have shelled out a lot of money all year. (Parents, it is important to remember that entry fees do not go to the studio, but to the competition. Those payments do not benefit the teacher.) Everyone is tired. If you stop and think that the dancers are only children once, and you will realize that you only have this one time to experience being a parent to your child at this age. Savor the moment and encourage them to savor it as well. Make it fun! Let your child know they aren't there to dance for a trophy but rather to dance out of joy and for the love of it. 

IMPORTANT! ALWAYS REMAIN CALM.
Dancers feed off the vibes, words, and tones of their parents. Keeping this in mind, having a warm smile and remaining calm allows the children (of any age) to enjoy the privilege and opportunity you have provided, instead of making them feel guilty, stressed, or worried. Yes, there will be quick changes. Yes, you may have a child that messed up onstage whom you will need to comfort. Yes, the competition may be ahead or behind schedule. Please remember that as a parent, all eyes are on you. The dancers need their parents' encouragement and support. Parents set the tone and mood for a competition not only with the dancers, but with the teachers and even the competition staff. 

Although your child is competing, the teacher is working. It is their job. More than likely, they are not getting paid or not getting paid very much to be there working. Contrary to what many may believe, studio owners make very little money off competition students. Competition takes up the majority of a studio owner/dance teacher's time with the least amount of pay. Studio owners and dance teachers provide extra performances and competitions because they love your children, and want them to have the benefits of the experience. They are working long hours, and often times do not get breaks as parents and dancers do throughout the week. It's important to keep this in mind. 

One way to eliminate your stress is to be informed. Make sure to communicate with the studio owner and/or dance teacher to confirm that you have all the correct information. Another way to eliminate worry is to double and triple check that you have everything on your dancer’s checklist. Last, but not least, arrive earlier than the scheduled time set by your dance teacher or studio owner. You may also want to check in with some to see if the competition is running ahead. Once you do these to things, you are good to go!!! From there, you can sit back and let your studio owner and dance teacher take the reigns!

Try your best not to go into overdrive, even if your dancer starts to get anxious. Try to calm them down, and encourage them to have fun and enjoy the experience! When you, as a parent, are calm, cool, and collected, you can enjoy the experience setting the tone for your child. You will see the stress and pressure drift away from your dancer allowing them, and you, to create wonderful lasting memories that dance certainly provides! Connect with each other and bond with other families. Laugh. Appreciate those around you, the talents of others, your child's talent, your gifts, and the friendships you have made through dance. Take note of all that dance has taught besides choreography and technique. MAKE IT FUN BECAUSE IT IS!

Dance hard. Dance smart.

Meredith

thecompetitiveedgebymeredith.blogspot.com

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For class, choreography, or booking information, please email: meredith@thecompetitiveedgebymeredith.com

You can also read The Competitive Edge by Meredith on Dance Apps Inc's app with NappyTabs, Dancer's Toolbox under Dancer's Dish.

MUSIC: WHY IS IT SO HARD?

Currently, I'm in the middle of writing my 6th annual teaching guide consisting of technique classes, progressions, and combinations in varies styles. This book has more classes than I can count, requiring numerous songs with different beats and tempos in various genres. My challenge isn't what to teach. My challenge is music. I'm also searching for music to use for choreography this season. Once again, the music challenge makes me crazy at times. The music problem seems to lie with jazz. Musical theater can present an issue too, but not like jazz! These days, jazz music is incredibly hard to find! It's like there is nothing new out there that is useable for the classroom or choreography. I'm sure other teachers must be nodding in agreement!

Most current music has a beat that is so fast there is no possible way you can use it to train dancers in technique classes. When I find new music that works for across-the-floor combinations and for training, most of the time the lyrics are less than desired. Of course, I run into this with music for choreography too. I cannot understand why artists must use profanity and inappropriate content in almost everything! Feel my pain? Regardless of whether a dancer listens to this music in the car, at home, or wherever, as a mentor and educator of children of all ages, I just feel it best to "keep it classy" at all times. I have spent HOURS editing music just for classes and I haven't even begun to work on choreography music!

When it comes to music for turns, leaps, and progressions classes, it is so important to have music with a beat that is easy to follow and very distinct. Once again, this is a challenge because this music is so hard to find, BUT it is imperative for the success of the class. Music that has an easy to follow and distinct beat makes it easier for the dancers to be on time with the music allowing them to simply focus on exactly what they are doing with their body placement as they execute the task given to them. They are also standing in lines waiting on their turn so they are listening to lyrics. It's just my opinion, but clean lyrics free of cursing, is very important even if the dancers are teenagers. Dancers need a variety of speeds during the training process too. It's important to be prepared by having multiple speeds of the same song together in your class playlist so you can quickly adjust to tempo for your student's needs.

For those who don't compete or perform a lot of jazz, jazz training is still important. Just like ballet training is necessary, jazz training is too. Jazz technique teaches quick and clean footwork, transitions, direction change, spot change, and weight change. All of these things are needed for contemporary and lyrical. Don't skip the jazz!!!!

When it comes to choreography, finding jazz music is probably the most difficult because I, like many of you, worry about digging to deep in the vault. Do you know what I mean? We all worry about music choices and one worry is this: using music that is old. Well, the truth of the matter is we are ALL using older music for jazz to an extent because there isn't much to choose from when it comes to current music. The beat is either way too fast or the lyrics are inappropriate. With the comeback of true jazz happening, we have to be ok with digging in the vault finding those oldies but goodies. Thinking outside the box with the oldies and bringing them back with current styles, and maybe even a twist, and mixing music together are great options to consider when deciding on music and choreography for this upcoming season.

For educators like me who have been in the business 20 years, this hard to accept, but it's ok to use music from days past....even though we used it 10 or 15 years ago. Even for newer teachers, I think this may be difficult. Think of music like jazz: it's making a comeback. LOL! Just remember when you are cutting music for choreography to use during competition season, just like music you use for class, it's always best to keep it clean, classy, and curse word free!

Dance hard. Dance smart.

Meredith

thecompetitiveedgebymeredith.blogspot.com

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For class, choreography, or booking information, please email: meredith@thecompetitiveedgebymeredith.com

You can also read The Competitive Edge by Meredith on Dance Apps Inc's app with NappyTabs, Dancer's Toolbox under Dancer's Dish.

AUDITION TIME = NEW BEGINNINGS

IT IS COMPETITION TEAM AUDITION TIME! It's such an exciting time, and it is such a stressful time. It is a time of new beginnings, and a time to worry about who is going to get their feelings hurt. There is the thrill of picking out new music, and the worry of choosing the right music and style. Why does it have to be so manic? Why can't it just be easy? Two reasons: internal politics and trying to please everyone.

Let's talk politics. Oh, that's one thing you are never supposed to discuss right? Just because Susie has danced with Jane for 12 years doesn't mean Susie should be in every group with Jane in the future.  Politically correct? No. Correct? Yes. In life, as adults, do we get every job or position within the company for which we apply? No. In school, do we get an A on a research paper just  because we want it? No. If we raise children to believe they always get everything they want just because they want it, aren't we setting them up for failure in the future? Just a random thought. When auditions happen, making the cut for a certain piece or group SHOULD happen because a dancer has EARNED the spot and fits in with that specific piece or group, not because they WANT the spot. The group as a whole has to benefit, not just one student. Putting a dancer in a piece, or giving them a solo, in which they are not ready only sets them up for failure. Teachers, please DO NOT feel obligated to place anyone in a group, give someone a solo, or keep everyone with their friends. Parents, please DO NOT pressure the teacher over placements or get upset with your child's teacher over their decisions. Dancers, please DO NOT get upset with your teacher over their decisions. No one wants hurt feelings, now or later. I'm a firm believer that if you tell me how to do my job, then I'll tell you how to do your job and we can see how well that works out. LOL! It's a sad but true fact that you simply cannot please everyone. It's also a sad, but true, fact that no matter what, some people will never be pleased. 

As a parent, it is hard when my child isn't the best. I'm competitive. I want him to be the best but I don't begrudge another child or parent because another child is better. If my son is benched because he isn't having his best game, I don't yell at the coach. I don't talk negatively about the coach, the family, and especially the other children. I encourage my son to believe in himself, practice harder, and practice correctly as the coach has instructed. I teach him not to resent his better teammate but to emulate them.  It's not my place to decide who makes the team, starts the game, or who is benched. It is my job to help my child deal with the decisions made and help him grow into well rounded, well adjusted, capable, independent adult. So it goes with dance. The decisions of solos, duets, trios, and groups should be left entirely up to the professionals, in my opinion. They know best and really do have the best interest of each and every dancer in mind. No dance teacher wants any dancer to fail. Ever. Sometimes pressure from students and parents can cause the teacher to set the student up for failure. Without certain pressures, better decisions for everyone may be made. In my opinion, everyone should always take a step back, look at the bigger picture, stay positive, and never go into attack mode. After all, this is dance. Decisions on national security are not being made. It's dance and life lessons. When decisions are made to "please the parents and/or dancers," it NEVER turns out very well. In the long run, no one will happy because the outcome will not be what anyone wants. Its better to deal with the hurt feelings upfront from one or two than to deal with a year of negativity and fighting amongst literally everyone.

Now let's talk something a little lighter but something that still really needs to be addressed: MUSIC AND STYLES. There is one important word to remember. DIVERSITY! Diversity is the key! It is the key to a dancer's growth and to keeping a judge's attention. No one, I repeat no one, wants to sit through hours of contemporary or lyrical. Don't believe me? Go ahead and ask anyone. Ask a judge. Ask anyone who works for a competition. Ask a dance teacher, a dance parent, even ask a dancer. Amazing contemporary, story telling pieces, or beautiful lyrical dances may be your favorite, I love them too, BUT it's imperative that you step out of that box and go with a variety of music and styles instead of the same over and over again. Mix it up! Keep it interesting. Make it different. Make it fun! Do some jazz, musical theater, tap, acro, or even a group ballet set to a fun piece of music. I promise, your dancers will enjoy it, as will your judges and the audience. YOU will enjoy it! And the big bonus? Your dancers will grow by leaps and bounds by competing a wide range of styles and showcasing a variety of emotions. But only, I repeat, only do styles in which they are ready to perform for the general public. If they aren't quite polished in a style, give them a year of classwork in the style first before making a competitive decision.

Here's to new beginnings, a variety of music and dance styles, and hopefully the start to a great competition season ahead!

Dance hard. Dance smart.

Meredith

thecompetitiveedgebymeredith.blogspot.com

Facebook: The Competitive Edge by Meredith

Instagram: competitiveedgebymeredith

Twitter: @the_comp_edge

For class, choreography, or booking information, please email: meredith@thecompetitiveedgebymeredith.com

You can also read The Competitive Edge by Meredith on Dance Apps Inc's app with NappyTabs, Dancer's Toolbox under Dancer's Dish.

DANCE IS FOR EVERYONE!

Dance is for everyone.....Absolutely Everyone! I have written a few times on technique and training, but no matter your level of commitment, dance should always come from and be in your heart. When dance comes from your heart, there is joy. When there is love and joy, there is an indescribable beauty that cannot be denied, regardless of the dancer's ability level. You should never forget why you dance, and the answer shouldn't involve a trophy.

When I say dance is for everyone, I do mean EVERYONE. The knowledge and information shared regarding technique never changes, BUT intensity, the way knowledge is shared, and amount of information given changes based the needs and desires of the dancer. Not every dancer wants to attend classes 20 hours a week, or even 8 for that matter. Some dancers only want to go to class one or two days a week. And that's ok! I firmly believe these dancers should not be short changed and not taught proper technique simply because they don't want to take more hours of class and become the more serious student. The amount of class time doesn't determine their level of importance. Some students work hard, but also have a life outside of the studio and do not want to "live there".  That is okay too, because they love to dance and need the opportunity to experience all the wonder and joy found within the art, within themselves, and within the dance studio. The class structure, the way the information in presented, and the amount of knowledge taught at one time may vary, but it's still dance and it's still the same technique! And remember, there is so much more to learn than dance in dance class. Dance teaches life lessons that make an impact and last forever such as work ethic, time management, how to work together as a team, respect for self and others, manners, confidence, integrity, discipline, commitment, accountability, responsibility, and a healthy active lifestyle. Everyone who wants to dance should have the opportunity to learn these lessons through the gift of this wonderful art form!

As teachers, we need to reach every student. We have to get into their minds and try to figure out how they think and process information. There is no greater joy than to watch a student learn and accomplish personal goals!  We have to teach each class individually and uniquely to their level and mindset. It's just like in the work force. Not everyone wants to work their way up to be a leader or the boss. Some employees do a good job and they are satisfied right where they are. If you push them too hard they become miserable and quit. If you don't push them enough, they get bored and quit. You have to find the sweet spot. Then there are some employees who are driven and have the desire to do whatever it takes to make it to the top to be the best. Just as you would give these two employees different roles, responsibilities, assignments, and work loads, you must do the same for those different types of dance students with their various desires, needs, and expectations. Not everyone wants to dance past high school, but that doesn't mean they don't love it and enjoy it as much as someone else.

Problems can arise when a dancer wants to pretend that they want to be the "I'm all in, hard core, do it or die" student when really, they don't fall into that category. That's when blaming, misery, and the loss of love can begin. When a dancer is honest with themselves about what their expectations and desires truthfully are, then they can experience the joy of dancing again. Dance is happiness. If it isn't, a dancer needs to pause and figure out where the love went and why. Once this figured out, the peace, love, and happiness will return!

There is a dance class, a dance studio, and yes, even a dance competition for everyone. If you want to take one hour a week, there is a wonderful place for you! If you want to take 20 plus hours a week, there is a place for you! It doesn't matter if you can't walk, you can still dance. There is a place for you! Disabilities, handicaps, in the word of dance these words don't exist. We are all made to dance! Dance is acceptance! Dance is still hard work for whatever your level of commitment, but dance is true acceptance! Come one! Come all!

As teachers, our first goal should be to make nice PEOPLE and not just produce dancers. We have to ability to help shape the future of our world and we shouldn't take that responsibility lightly. We should encourage every child to dance! We should also keep the love of dance alive and growing for all! Dance is such a gift and a blessing. Share it with everyone with a happy and grateful heart!

Dance hard. Dance smart.

Meredith

thecompetitiveedgebymeredith.blogspot.com

Facebook: The Competitive Edge by Meredith

Instagram: competitiveedgebymeredith

Twitter: @the_comp_edge

For class, choreography, or booking information, please email: meredith@thecompetitiveedgebymeredith.com

You can also read The Competitive Edge by Meredith on Dance Apps Inc's app with NappyTabs, Dancer's Toolbox under Dancer's Dish.

Photo: Kattie Hansen

DANCE IS PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY

Too often these days, I find that some dancers want to place blame on everyone other than themselves. Sometimes, the parents want to blame everyone but their dancer. It is the age in which we live, it appears. When it comes to dance, the successes and accomplishments one has within the art form, lies completely with the individual. For example, let's say a dancer didn't do as well as they hoped at the recent dance competition. They and/or their parents choose to blame the teacher, or say the choreography wasn't good enough. How about just admitting someone else was better that day at that competition? It's ok for someone to be better. It's also okay to appreciate the hard work of another. One of my teachers told me in high school, "Meredith, there will always be people better than you but there will always be people you are better than. Keep working." Instead of getting upset and playing the blame game, perhaps it is time to go back to the roots by looking in the mirror, do some good old-fashioned work, and appreciate the art of dance and all its glory.

Dance is an individual art form. It is extremely personal. You can have textbooks for references, but you must have a teacher, a mentor, to guide you and an open mind to learn. The dancers themselves are in complete control of the outcome. The individual decides just how far they will go by their level of commitment and determination, not just their level of interest. Training is HARD. Dancing can but fun, but it's not all fun and games. Dancing is about constant training and commitment to your mind and body. A dancer must decide to "dance smart" in order to maintain a level of accuracy and continue to grow with technique. Wonderful movement quality doesn't come overnight. It is developed with much practice. Practice with intent and purpose. As my own ballet teacher would say, "You can chose to be a dancer or an uncontrollable mover." Once a dancer reaches a certain level of achievement, without continued training, much can be lost in a short amount of time. You may have heard the saying, "If you don't use it, you lose it." Well, that is true. Often times, school dance team, for example, gets in the way. A dancer decides to be on the dance team at school and that can be time consuming. They decide to cut back on the "boring" classes, aka technique classes, and only take "fun" classes, such as choreography style classes like contemporary. Man oh man, will the ability level quickly fly out the window! Ballet classes also make a huge difference. You can't replace a good ballet class. Ballet is foundation of it all. A dancer cannot cut out basic, fundamental classes and expect to drastically improve.

Blaming the teacher for faults or disappointments the dancer may have when said dancer doesn't show up for class, rehearsals, take the recommended technique classes, or make the corrections given, isn't fair either. As I have written in another blog post, "You can lead a horse to water but you can't make them drink." A teacher cannot make a student have work-ethic or a desire to really learn. It not the teacher's job to stand on their head to motivate the class each week by saying, "Yay! You are so awesome!" It's the dancer's job to motivate themselves. A student can want to achieve all day long.  However, wanting it and working for it, are two very different things. Without the personal drive, the work ethic just won't be there. Often times, parents have more of a desire for their child than the child has for his or herself, and that creates a problem. If the desire isn't within the student, it doesn't matter how bad the parent wants it. The desire has to come from the dancer.

Let's talk about choreography for a minute. Blaming the choreography is never fair. Who is performing? The choreographer or the dancer? Let's say the choreography really is terrible. A brilliant dancer can make even the worst of the worst choreography look beautiful so that excuse holds no water. What a dancer does with the choreography is up to them. THEY must work. Another point I must make is a good competition judge knows to score on what the dancer DOES with the choreography, not ON the choreography. Now with this being said, choreographers can only give dancers what they are capable of executing. If choreographers are forced to give dancers choreography not suited for them, it can be a disaster. Teachers, dancers, and choreographers just need to be honest about what a dancer is actually ready to perform. I am all about giving dancers styles and elements that are out of their comfort zone, things to challenge them artistically and technically, etc. I believe these things to be necessary for advancement and growth, but that I believe is for the classroom not the stage. The stage is for performance ready qualities and skills. Patience is a virtue. Sometimes parents push the teacher/choreographer to give their child a piece and elements they aren't ready for and then blame the teacher/choreographer. Why? Because they just want it. They see others doing it and think they, or their child, should do it too.*Sigh.* Once again, dance is individual. Dancers learn, grow, and advance at different paces. Comparison is deadly.

The level of success a dancer can achieve lies within them. They need to be confident with who THEY are. It isn't about how interested a dancer or their parent is, it is about how committed the dancer is to the art. Dance is a way of life. Dance is all about personal responsibility, desire, and work ethic. A dancer only gets out of class what they put into class. No matter how tired a dancer is at the end of a class, they should  always finish stronger than they started. Like I always say, if you love to dance, you better love to work hard. Dance is so fulfilling when you feel accomplished and proud of yourself. Not proud by the trophy in your hand, but proud of the personal goals you accomplished.

Dance hard. Dance smart.

Meredith

thecompetitiveedgebymeredith.blogspot.com

Facebook: The Competitive Edge by Meredith

Instagram: competitiveedgebymeredith

Twitter: @the_comp_edge

For class, choreography, or booking information, please email: meredith@thecompetitiveedgebymeredith.com

You can also read The Competitive Edge by Meredith on Dance Apps Inc's app with NappyTabs, Dancer's Toolbox under Dancer's Dish.