5, 6, 7, 8….

5, 6, 7, 8….

That sound makes my heart race,
I have to move
My feet can’t be stuck in one place,
There’s nothing to lose

In my element, I’m free
Easy as 1, 2, 3
Just breathe
passion takes the lead

Take your chance
Hold your stance
No second glance
Just dance, dance, dance

-Poem by Brittany Lombardi

 

Thanks to dance

Practice

We’re often told to “practice our dances,” but what does that really mean?

What does practicing at home look like if we don’t have a dedicated dance studio in our mansions? When can we fit practicing in to our busy lives? How much time should be spent in practice? These questions can leave us stalled, but here’s the great news- they’re actually pretty simple to answer!

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Elevate Dance Center

Spring Show: Why and How

Spring Show is a time of celebration for dancers. This is the moment where the kids’ hard work and dedication gets showcased on stage. We want them to feel like stars, and it’s the show that really gives them their time to shine. The Spring Show is an event. And like any event, pulling it together requires resources- time, money and many hands. Here’s the truth- a production requires more than plopping down a folding chair for an hour long soccer game. Allowing our children to experience what it takes to perform live theatre entertainment can get cumbersome for the adults.  As parents, you’ve got a huge role to play. There’s costuming, dress rehearsals, tickets, videos, pictures and more. The commitment is significant whether your child performs in one number or 15, and there is time spent planning, preparing and just straight up waiting. For this alone, parents deserve a standing ovation.

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Two Things All Studio Owners Really Need From Parents

While judging dance competitions in cities throughout the country, I get the pleasure of meeting studio owners and directors everywhere I go. Many things vary from region to region, but one constant truth from Chicago to L.A, in Arkansas and Michigan, is that there are only two things dance studio owners really need from parents. A Denver owner said it best when she told me the story of one of her former students who grew up to become a meddlesome dance mom, “Listen,” she told the mom, “You danced all your life, so you know better. There’s truly only two things I really need from you. One, I need you to love your daughter unconditionally. And two, I need you to pay your studio bills as soon as they’re due. That’s honestly it.”Read More

dancers of all ages get on stage

When I Dance

When I dance, I know exactly who I am. The chaotic world orders itself, and I know where I fit. There will be no auditions or rejections. I’m not in training anymore. In my genres, I’m a master now. So when I step into the studio every week, my heavy invisible backpack slides off my back and gets dropped at the door. I am fully alive, wide awake and comfortable in the present moment. I am ready to create.Read More

ballerina's health and mind work together

Book Review: Ballerina Body by Misty Copeland

Misty Copeland, one of America’s most celebrated ballerinas of modern times, has recently released a third book. This time she steps into the Health and Wellness arena with Ballerina Body: Dancing and Eating Your Way to a Leaner, Stronger and More Graceful You. When many people think of a “ballerina body,” often what comes to mind is a waif-like supermodel shape. However, Copeland defies many conventional norms of what a ballerina looks like. Besides the fact that she is strong and toned, she is African-American. In fact, in 2015, she became the first African American woman to be promoted to principal ballerina in American Ballet Theatre’s Company. According to Copeland, skinny is over. In her book, she asserts “Standards have changed: what women do want is a long, toned, powerful body with excellent posture.” Read More