In every dancin’ boy’s life (and girl’s life) there comes a point when it’s time to say goodbye to the current studio. It’s never easy, but the change must be made if your son is going to progress. How do you know if that time has arrived? Here are a few signs to watch for. […]
How a Ballet Program in Rural WA Attracts and Trains Male Dancers
When I received an email from Mick Gunter, who own and runs the Centralia Ballet Academy with his wife in Centralia, WA, I took notice. They started the school three years ago in a small rural town in the southwestern part of the State, yet in the first year of the program, they attracted a […]
Small Ballet School vs. Large Ballet School?
Every since Julian received that merit scholarship two weeks ago, we’ve been discussing the merits of the ballet school he now attends, City Ballet School in San Francisco. It seems that New York City Ballet tends to give out merit scholarships to kids they would like to see in their school, the School of American […]
Dance Stores and Studios that Don’t Meet Dancin’ Boys Needs
OMG! When you really need a dance belt, you can never find one. A dance store should not call itself a dance store if it not going to carry dance belts in all sizes and in all styles. I mean really…to show up at a store in dire need of a dance belt fast and […]
Still Dancin’ Up a Storm in New York City
Julian began his final five days of dance classes today. We started off at Steps on Broadway, where he saw several girls from ABT and a boy from Complexions. As we were leaving, he ran into one of his best friends–a boy from ABT. The dance world is small. I was surprised to see that […]
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 […]
Dancin' Boy Issues: Post #2
Okay…finally back after a brief hiatus. Sorry about that. I can’t even remember what all has happened since my last post…A Chorus Line is over. We are on to Spring Concert rehearsals. Anyone who follows me on Facebook can see Julian’s solo from A Chorus Line. Someone posted it and I shared it. I’m not […]
Denise Wall On Raising Dancin’ Boys (Part 3)
In this third, and last, part of my interview with Denise Wall, owner of Denise Wall’s Dance Energy in Virginia Beach, VA, and coach of such star dancers as her own sons Danny Tidwell and Travis Wall (Travis is also a star choreographer), she offers tips on raising boys who dance. (To read the first […]
OMG! Home 2 Weeks and No Time to Write!
A recap of our final week in New York City and the teachers Julian enjoyed most at Broadway Dance Center. Also, a quick look at what we’ve been doing during the two weeks since we returned to California.
Last Day in New York City
As I write, Julian is enjoying the last 30 minutes of his last class at Broadway Dance Center, an old-school hip hop class. He’s taken so many great classes the week, I can’t begin to even write about them — at least not right now. I’m too exhausted! I can’t imagine how he isn’t tired, […]
Meeting Debbie Allen and Experiences at DADA
We took off for LA on Tuesday morning, skipping dance on Tuesday (and a Passover seder on both the first and second night — Wednesday and Thursday — of the holiday) so we could make it to UCLA for a tour by afternoon. That was the start of three days of intensive college tours primarily for […]
What Does a Boy Need from a Dance Studio?
After that long post yesterday, I thought to myself: What does a boy actually need from a dance studio, and does a young male dancer need something different from a dance studio than a young female dancer? To the latter questions, I answer, “Most definitely, yes.” In fact, in many cases boys who dance need […]
Is This the Right Dance Studio for My Son?
We have been on a quest for the right dance studio for our son it seems forever, which is not to say that we haven’t been happy with some of the studios where he has danced. I’m sure that the mothers of female dancers struggle with the same issue, since finding a good fit for any […]