Props - I love when a dance has props. Chairs, umbrellas, mirrors, coat racks, photos in a frame, benches, and plenty more. Props are fantastic BUT don’t forget about them. I see too many situations where a prop is introduced, used for 1 maybe 2 8 counts and then forgotten about entirely. Many dancers forget they even had a prop by the end of their performance and leave stage as if the prop never existed. If you introduce a prop be sure it is included in the performance more than once and not just sitting there to “set a mood”. When used properly a prop will enhance a dancer’s performance and not be a distraction from that performance. If you introduce a prop, use it!

Wigs - I have always said I LOVE the use of wigs. It really gets students/performers into a different mind set when performing. It typically enhances the performance and drastically helps dancers become the Character. “Perform as the Character would perform, do not perform as yourself”. The wigs help get that desired performance.

Hair - along with wigs is hair style. How many professional dancers, when performing, wear a Ballerina Bun all the time. Your hair needs to be right for each performance you give. Hair could be out and flying around when you do hip-hop or straighten when performing stylized jazz, etc…..Your hair can also be a prop when performing….So let down and let it out….No more Buns for every dance your perform in one competition.

Quick Changes - simple. If you have many numbers to perform in one day, this is the perfect time to practices “Quick Changes”. It should never take you more than 3 dances to change from one costume to the next. Don’t panic! If you rush and panic it takes longer to change costumes. Be sure costumes are pre-set. Breath. concentrate, and focus. Changing up to the last second before hitting the stage isn’t professional and doesn’t put you in the right mind-set just before you are about to dance. Take your time and you will become a master of the “Quick Change”. Oh, and it never hurts to ask a friend to help - BUT ask before you need the help NOT in a mound of sweat and craziness at the exact moment their help is required….

Hope that info is helpful….

Tw/uS, A.

I see all students going from their “dolly dinkle” patten leathers to flat taps. I think this creates a problem with lifting heels when Tapping. Ideally I would like to see students n a small heel until they are about 12 years of age. I do not like to see Tap Dancers in a flat tap shoe until they have a greater understanding of technique. It isn’t until about 13 years of age that i move them to a flat tap shoe. This means the shoe choice actually aids in the learning curve of the dancer/student. I keep them in Blochs until their foot stops it’s quick growth spurts and then move them into a Miller & Ben shoe - Where they Tap happily ever after.

On a different dance shoe note. Remember the shoe is part of the leg line when you dance any style. Don’t forget about your Character shoes when performing a Theatre piece, a stylized jazz dance, or any other dance mood where a heel is more fitting for the performance than a flat shoe. Much to often I see the wrong choice of footwear on dancer’s feet when performing/competing.

Hope this helps - and as always

Tw/uS, A.

Thank you Jahna for such accurate quotes and your interest in my views on the current state of Tap in America. Jennifer, your photos in the paper were great. I also enjoyed the picture included in the digital version of the article. Thank you both.

Legendary tap dancer feels he’s teaching a lost art.

Tap w/u Soon,

Anthony

I got my dancebutton from Alison & Megan in North Carolina and it still sit on my cork board years later. My dancebutton is #584.

I highly recommend you introduce www.dancebutton.com to as many studios as you can!

I choose these 10 because they apply to 90% of the the dances I adjudicate. They are here to help you avoid the most common pit falls I encounter. Sometimes the hardest thing to do is see ourselves - but when we do, we can become the person we want to be by working on what actually makes up who we are as a person. Then we love ourselves and have the ability to love others. It works that way with Critical Criticism! Listen to what everyone has to say, Take it all with a grain of salt, then place appropriate value to all you have heard and apply it properly to your life!

A lyrical report is a book report for a song….You should listen to the words and the way the artist’s voice changes during the song. What emotions are expressed? How do I express them properly? What are the right moments to express them? and so on….This will help you perform on stage rather than just “spit dance steps back” at your audience…..It is hard to put yourself out on the line emotionally in front of a wide variety of people BUT that is what we should do when performing a lyrical dance.

Age - I know lyrical is very enticing to all ages BUT remember a few things. For younger students I tend to introduce them to expression on stage with Theatre and Character dances. This teaches students that it is O.K. to dance with different expression and emotions on stage and to perform as a character and NOT dance like themselves….Plus it is hard to judge a lyrical dance when the student is 10 and she is smiling through a whole dance about being a battered wife…I see things like this every weekend when I judge and it happens ALL DAY, NOT JUST ONCE OR TWICE!

If you have younger students who really want to become great lyrical dancers, start with the theatre dance and easier character stuff when they are younger so they can get used to expressing themselves in front of an audience - This will make it easier to transition into heavier, deeper, and more mature emotions when they get older and tackle lyrical pieces.

O.K. - That is all for this topic at the moment…Hope this is helpful…..It seems like teachers really fine my lyrical report system useful and I hope you do to…

Tap w/u Soon,

Anthony

I originally injured my back while performing in Tap Dogs. I slipped why tapping UP the ladder during a show in NY. Tore up my whole lower back! I have never been the same since. That was with 2 1/2 weeks of physical therapy.

I have never been out this long before and it is driving me a bit crazy! Let’s remember - dance teachers don’t have a union. I used to be a SAG member years ago but have let that go since not Living in NYC for many years. That means, no 401k, no health coverage, and the real problem - NO SICK DAYS -

Anyway, I was using stumble upon (one of my favorite internet tools EVER!) and found an interesting site about dancers and health. I copied their about section and posted it below. The name of the site is “The International Association for Dance Medicine & Science”I think any person related to dance will bookmark this page for future reference, I know I did……

“The International Association for Dance Medicine & Science was formed in 1990 by an international group of dance medicine practitioners, dance educators, dance scientists, and dancers. Membership is drawn equally from the medical and dance professions, and has grown from an initial 48 members in 1991 to over 900 members at present world-wide, representing 35 countries. The organization has held an annual conference since its inception, drawing several hundred participants each year. Beginning in 1997, a separate “Day For Teachers” has been held before or after the annual conference. In 2005 a “Special Interests Group (SIG) Day” was held in association with the Annual Meeting for the first time and included separate programs for dance educators, kinesiology teachers, and orthopaedic surgeons. The 2007 SIG Day included separate programs for: dance educators; physiotherapists and other allied health professionals; and dance movement researchers.

The 16th Annual Meeting was held in West Palm Beach, Florida, USA in October 2006 with 300 delegates in attendance at the full meeting and 190 attending SIG Day. The 17th Annual Meeting was held in Canberra, Australia in October 2007, with 370 delegates in attendance at the full meeting and 260 attending SIG Day. (Click here for a complete table of past Annual Meetings.) The 18th Annual Meeting of IADMS will be held in Cleveland, Ohio, USA on October 23-25, 2008. “Special Interest Groups Day” will be held Sunday, October 26, 2008.

IADMS was formed to foster several related goals in the dance medicine and science field; the purposes and objectives of the organization are summarized in its Mission Statement:

The International Association for Dance Medicine and Science was created to serve as a forum for education, promotion of research, and public service in the field of dance medicine and science. The organization is committed to providing continuing education for the dance and medical communities as well as the public regarding efficient training for dance, correct physical conditioning to prevent illness and injury resulting from dance activity, proper nutrition for the dancer, and appropriate treatment and rehabilitation for dance-related injuries. The education is in the form of meetings, publications, audio-visual resources, and other media. Communication and cooperation are encouraged and developed between dancers and those persons in the fields of medicine, science, and education concerned with dancers’ physical and psychological welfare. IADMS works to enhance the visibility of dance medicine/science specialists within the dance community and the general public.

IADMS has always striven to promote an international network of communication between dance and medicine. To this end, membership and conference participation is recruited internationally from both fields, and a balance of medical and dance professionals is maintained among the officers and Board of Directors.”

Tw/uS,

A.