Today was the last day of classes at the ABT Summer Intensive 2010. I watched Julian’s technique class–the only time all summer I was allowed “upstairs.” Tomorrow I will get to watch both performances; he is in two pieces–one in the earlier performance and one in the later performance. (That’s kind of lousy; it necessitates […]
Choosing A Dance Program For My Preschool-Aged Son
For ages I've been asking my fellow dance blogger Nichelle Strzepek to write a guest post for me. She finally complied and wrote something absolutely perfect! Since Julian is already 16, I tend not to think about the younger boys. Nichelle, on the other hand, has a three-year-old son she is just thinking of starting […]
Don’t Miss TDC 2010- 2011 TDC Season Auditions
Hey N. CA dance parents. TDC will soon be holding auditions for the coming year. Remember, TDC is a pre-professional company, and it’s a non-profit. All the money parents pay in tuition goes to the dancers. Everything, including studio space, is there for the kids. There’s almost no competion–no fees for costumes. There’s tons of […]
Fear of Injury Setting In
Despite my focus on positive thinking and strong belief that our thoughts are creative, I’ve found myself falling into a fear of Julian injuring himself. After all, he’s doing more than he did last year and I’m confronted with dancers getting injured. You need only watch Fox’s 2010So You Think You Can Dance to see […]
A Mouse in the House and the Start of the Complexions Summer Intensive
I can’t believe the ABT summer intensive has just two weeks left. Time flies…in the heat and with a mouse under my bed. Yes, I paid almost double this year for our apartment in the West Village, and we got a pull out couch, a desk for me to work at, a great kitchen, a […]
Don’t Forget to Sign Up for TDC Summer Intensive!!!
For those of you in the N.CA Bay Area, don’t forget to sign up for the TDC summer intensive. This year there’s a great line-up of teachers. The faculty is truly great and it’s a wonderful opportunity to check out TDC. The week ends with an audition for the pre-professional company as well, so if […]
Summer Intensive Week 3: It Gets Better From Here, Right?
Well, they say it get’s easier after the third week of a summer intensive. The first two weeks the kids are exhausted. They start to feel better during week three…stronger, less tired. Yet, that’s when the injuries start showing up as well. Overuse and stress injuries. Tomorrow marks the end of week number three; three […]
Keeping Your Kids Hydrated During Summer Dance Classes
The kids were off yesterday for the Fourth of July. Good think because it got hot, and it is going to stay hot until Thursday or Friday. Really hot–98 or 100 and humid. Yuck. If your son is dancing somewhere where it’s hot this summer, remind him to hydrate well. Water is great, of course, […]
The Power of Thanking Your Teachers
Two weeks ago Julian had the opportunity to take a three hour master class with Desmond Richardson of Complexions. He was upset because he didn’t get a chance to thank him properly. The class ended late, and we were in a hurry to leave for an information session at Alvin Ailey/Fordham University. He gave Richardson […]
ABT Summer Intensive: Week 2
So, Julian didn’t skip two levels. He went from Blue to Green. He had hoped for Violet. He says there’s some unwritten rule that you have to be 16, although I know some of the JKO kids are younger and in Violet…and maybe some other kids, too. Oh, well. He wasn’t too upset. He’s got […]
First Day at ABT Summer Intensive 2010
The first day of the ABT Summer Ballet Intensive seemed a bit anticlimactic after last year. Julian walked very fast to get there; our walk is about five minutes longer this year (20 minutes). He was the third one in line…still the early bird arriving at about 7:30 a.m. when the kids are not allowed […]
What to Bring to a Summer Dance Intentsive
For those of you going off to a summer dance intensive like American Ballet Theatre, San Francisco Ballet, or any other that lasts a good four weeks or longer, I’ve reposted here the guest blog I wrote for DanceAdvantage.com. Also, here’s a list of items to bring with you (in addition to what they tell […]
What to Consider When Attending a Summer Dance Intensive
You’ve just gotten the email. Your son or daughter has been accepted to the American Ballet Theatre Summer Intensive in New York City. This acceptance means so much—you child has enough talent to attend one of the premier (if not THE premier) ballet summer programs in the nation, your child has to be ready to […]