Capital City Dance Center News and Notes

CCDC News and Notes

All Content Copyright Capital City Dance Center
Unauthorized reproduction not permitted.

Visit the archives: 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008| 2009| 2010| 2011

02.03.2012: Grand Prix

Finals, 8am local time tomorrow morning:

"...Created in 1973, the Prix de Lausanne is an annual international competition for young dancers aged 15 to 18. Its goal is to discover, promote and support the world’s finest young talents. 65 of the world’s most prestigious dance schools and companies, such as the Royal Ballet School of London, the School of American Ballet in New York, and the Béjart Ballet Lausanne, are associated with the Prix de Lausanne and support its activities.
One of a kind, the Prix de Lausanne represents an exceptional platform for discovering youthful talents and is open to dance professionals who can observe and establish contacts with the candidates, thereby transforming Lausanne into the world’s capital for young dancers during the week of the competition...."

...Here's the link for streaming video.

...Participation in the Prix can mean opportunities even if you don't go to the finals:

"...Organised during the competition week, the Networking Forum gives the candidates who are not selected for the Finals an opportunity to be seen by schools and company directors from all around the world.
Following an audition class, meetings are organised for Prix de Lausanne Partner School and Company Directors who are interested in making an offer to one or more candidates. Meetings with finalists who do not receive a prize are also arranged after the prize-giving ceremony.
In 2011, twenty-six Prix de Lausanne Partner Institutions watched the audition class and had a meeting with thirty-five candidates who received one or more offers during those meetings, most of which were scholarships. As far as the Prix de Lausanne is informed, seventeen young dancers decided to take the opportunity to study abroad in a new institution, thanks to the Networking Forum..."

Here's one family's testimonial:

"...We came to Lausanne for the 2009 event and we had a spectacular time with all the family, and our daughter, Claudia Dean had a memorable experience too! Claudia did not go through to the final selection, however she received 7 offers to attend companies/schools from all over the world, including the Royal Ballet School in London.
In the Networking class for the non-finalist candidates of the Prix de Lausanne, Mr David Peden representing the Royal Ballet School invited Claudia to attend the school. The Director of the RBS, Ms. Gailene Stock AM, later confirmed Claudia’s commencement after winning the Alana Haines Australasian Supreme Award and scholarship to the school from September 2009, and Claudia has never looked back. From her dance beginnings with Carolyn Gilby Dance Centre, a Brisbane ballet school and Prudence Bowen’s Atelier on the Gold Coast to the Royal Ballet School are quite big steps. Claudia is also the recipient of the Genee International’s 2009 Gold Medal and Audience Choice Award.
Within 2 months of starting 1st year at the Royal Ballet School, Claudia was promoted to 2nd year and successfully completed this in July 2010 culminating with her first Grand Defile performance at the Royal Opera House. Claudia commenced 3rd year (Graduating year) in September 2010, and by December, was the first Royal Ballet School graduate to receive contract offers from 3 world renowned companies, including the Royal Ballet company which she has accepted. Her contract commences in August...
I simply wanted to share this with you and say many many thanks to the Prix de Lausanne for giving Claudia the start she needed for her professional career. Our family is very appreciative of the opportunity provided by the Prix de Lausanne and we encourage other young aspiring dancers to support your event..."

...You can get there from here.

02.02.2012: The Mormons Are Coming! The Mormons Are Coming!

Just in time for possible Mitt Romney overload, broadway comes to a theater near you...

Capital City – The Civic Center announces the National Tour of THE BOOK OF MORMON, winner of nine Tony Awards including Best Musical, will play a strictly limited engagement at the Civic Center Thursday, Jan. 24 to Sunday, Feb. 3, 2013 as part of the 2012-2013 Willis Broadway Series.
Tickets for THE BOOK OF MORMON will go on sale next fall. As the Civic Center expects the show to quickly sell out, officials stress that the only way to guarantee seats is by renewing or purchasing Season Tickets for the 2012-2013 Willis Broadway Series. Season Ticket packages are scheduled to go on sale in April. The full line-up of the upcoming 2012-2013 season will be announced Monday, April 2.
“We are thrilled to present THE BOOK OF MORMON in the first year of its national tour,” said Civic Center President & CEO Jeff Chelesvig. “This is the fastest a major blockbuster has made its way from Broadway to the Civic Center Stage – less than two years. It’s the strength the support of our over 10,000 Season Ticket Holders that has positioned the metro as a top destination for these world-class productions in their first national tours.” For more information about THE BOOK OF MORMON at the Civic Center, visit CivicCenter.org...

02.01.2012: "Smash" Hit! Or Myth?

Just finished watching a sneak preview of the premiere of the new NBC television series Smash. You've probably seen the promos on the peacock network, maybe even read some other advance reviews. And, I have to agree with whoever said "this is GLEE for grown-ups!" It's a star-studded cast: Debra Messing, Angelica Huston, E-P Steven Spielberg. It's the classic story of a newbie trying to break in on the great White Way, up for the lead in a new musical about Marilyn Monroe. There's some expert singing and broadway style show choreography. What's not to like? If you're ready to graduate from Rachel, Mister Shoe, Sue Sylvester and the gang at McKinley High, make Smash "must see TV"! Set those DVR's now! Premiere is coming up this Monday after the SuperBowl. (Or you can download a preview like I did from iTunes, DirecTV or on-line!o)

01.31.2012: Ballet Bowl

Never mind the NFL! The "super bowl" of young ballet competitions will be held this weekend. You can follow along with all the sites linked below (or our FB page has direct links to photos and video!o):

"...Prix de Lausanne 2012 - Blog, video and internet live broadcast.
After the success of the previous years, the Prix de Lausanne is renewing its videoblog experience. Internet aficionados will be able to follow some candidates throughout the competition week, which will provide a different and more intimate view of the candidates’ experience of the Prix de Lausanne here.
Emilia & Linda, the bloggers from "theballetbag.com" will tweet about their experience during the week of the Prix de Lausanne. Follow them through the week of the Prix here.
The Finals of the Prix de Lausanne 2012 will be broadcast live in high quality on our website on Saturday, February 4th starting at 3pm CET. here.
This year the live streaming of the Finals will be commented in different languages by four of our former prize winners :
Name Language Year Current company/position:
Sylviane Bayard French 1973 Guest teacher, coach and balletmistress, first Prix de Lausanne prize winner
Monica Zamora Spanish 1989 Teacher, former Principal with the Birmingham Royal Ballet
Mizuka Ueno Japanese 1993 Principal, Tokyo Ballet Company, Japan
Hannah O'Neill English 2009 Opéra national de Paris, France
You will be able to send your questions by email, a selection will be forwarded to the commentators...."

...BTW, 3pm Central European Time is 8am Central Time in the U.S. That means you can start live streaming the finals of The Prix this Saturday morning at 8!o)

01.30.2012: Early Kudoz2All!o)

Congratulations to all the CCDC students reporting early acceptances, scholarships and room+board offers from nationally-known Summer Dance Intensives! Be sure to jot those down in a note or e-mail once you're done auditioning and I'll be sure to acknowledge those here eventually. (If you don't tell me more than once, don't blame me if you don't get listed!o) Meanwhile, here's a note from a parent who accompanied their dancer to recent audition:

"..."...When we were leaving the audition a parent said it was obvious that our dancers were friends & that they r very supportive of each other. Gotta love CCDC!..." ..."

01.27.2012: Search4Art

Perhaps YOUR opportunity to exclaim, "At last my prints have come!o)":

CAPITAL CITY (January 2012) This year, The Art Center invites artists living and working in the state to submit original works created from 2008 to the present that utilize print media. Works may include—but are by no means limited to—traditional printmaking media (such as relief, intaglio, lithography, screenprinting and stencil, including photography-based printmaking media, and monotypes). Works may be editioned or unique. Artists also are welcome to submit (for example) typographic works, including printed artist’s books and broadsides; artist’s postcards; printed fabric; digital prints; and mixed media works—including installations and videos—which contain printed elements or refer to printing; embossments; and printing matrices.
Amy N. Worthen, the Art Center’s curator of prints and drawings, is the exhibition curator. An historian of prints, she is also a working artist. Worthen has organized over 50 exhibitions of works on paper for the Art Center.
Print will be presented at the Art Center from October 5, 2012 – January 13, 2013.
For additional information, please contact Laura Burkhalter, associate curator, at iaartists@desmoinesartcenter.org.

01.26.2012: Vidz 'r' Us!o)

It's Video Thursday!o):

DANG! I know I talk a lot while teaching my ballet classes, but, watch this Russian teacher in Perm! (Wouldn't you love to know what she's saying? Where's Dima when you need him!o)

...And, here's an excerpt from BRB's Beauty And The Beast:

Birmingham Royal Ballet - Beauty and the Beast Act I Ravens from Rob Lindsay on Vimeo.

...And, here's some video from a not well-known summer intensive one of our CCDC dancers recently auditioned for...

...Here's what your future competition is doing right now half-a-world away...

...and here's a link to a glimpse inside another summer intensive several CCDC dancers auditioned for.

...Peek inside a Russian pas de deux class:

01.25.2012: The Plot Quickens

Three-thousand miles and three years apart, two nationally renowned ballet masters posed the exact same question in a ballet class I was taking. And, because of Nolan Dingman of the Honolulu City Dance Center (Note the resemblance and homage in my current studio's name), I was able to answer Larry Long of Ruth Page's question. So, what was the question, Larry King? It was: "Why is a ballet jump like a short story?" All kinds of answers and tangents flitted through my mind the first time I was asked that. Hmmm...because it should "elevate" you? Because without character development, there's no "lift"? If you can't "turn-out" a good plot-line, you'll fall flat? Was it a joke? Is there a punch-line? No, brise'-breath, it "turns out" the answer is..."A good ballet jump is like a short story because it has a beginning, a middle and an end". A good jump should show all three...a good story should take you from point A through Pointe B to pointe C. (BTW, the beginning and end of every jump is the same: a plie' or a fondu. Leave those out and the "story" of your jump will suffer!o) When the EXACT SAME question surfaced again in Larry Long's class years later, I was ready. I raised my hand and told him the answer. He was a little non-plussed, but, like the good teacher he was, he took it in stride and made his pointe. Posing the question was to force the students to think about the answer. Just telling the correction ("Show all three parts of every ballet jump!") wouldn't have had the same impact. Mister D made me think...and Mister L made me remember. And, now, YOU can answer that question whenever another ballet master asks it. Or, better yet, you can use the answer to improve your jumps, so no one EVER asks you that question at all! Merde for CCDC class, rehearsal and summer auditions!o)

01.24.2012: "Mavericks of Dance"

New movie coming out about the Joffrey...

"...Joffrey: Mavericks of American Dance, the first film to chronicle the legendary Joffrey Ballet Company, is set to premiere in New York City at the Dance on Camera Festival January 27-28 2012. The feature length documentary takes a look at this ground-breaking cultural treasure, known as the first truly American dance company and chronicles how the Joffrey revolutionized American ballet by daringly combining modern dance with traditional ballet technique..."

...And, here's the trailer:

...but, I checked the website and, unless I missed it, there's no local screening! Wasabi wid 'dat? There's got to be more appetite for culture here than what's found at the bottom of a yogurt container! Isn't there? ISN'T THERE? ...it isn't there?

01.23.2012: Talez From 'da Hood!o)

So, I've been sharing the story of the hardest audition I've ever done in CCDC dance classes recently and I thought I'd post it here...(Stop me if you've heard this one: Cue mysterious music, faraway look fading into quick montage of old black and white photos...) I was living in Chicago at the time. I had just finished a season as a principal dancer in that little northern hamlet I've written about . I was working days at the sushi bar, working nights training at the ballet barre and auditioning for everything interesting that blew through the Windy City. (You get better at auditioning by auditioning.) One day, word came that a very well-known contemporary choreographer was auditioning for dancers for her company. It wasn't strict ballet, but, I thought I'd give it a try because working with this internationally-renown choreographer would be a rare opportunity. Several hundred dancers showed up at the auditorium that day. It started off with a former soloist from ABT giving the ballet combination. (Almost all dancer auditions start with the ballet. Cuts are made and, then, other dance forms or choreography are given.) I worked my way up to the front of the crowd. Ballet was my forte and I wanted to make a strong first impression. I remember the auditioner (Did I mention former *ABT Soloist?*) telling me specifically "You don't have to jump so high!", but, that fell on deaf ears: ballon and elevation were my strength and I \ was dancing to impress. Then, the modern audition started. The other company dancers demonstrated repertory of contemporary choreography, 32 or so counts of mostly tricky footwork. I was barely able to remember it by assigning ballet names to most of the moves: This was an turned-in ballet echappe' that jumped to a contraction parallel retirre'...and so on and so forth. We worked on it and we went in groups to show what we could do with it. Then, we moved on (or so I thought) to a second combination. Mostly upper body, 32-or-so counts of mostly upper body movements. (You might be able to guess what happened later, but, let me tell the story as it happened!o) Hard to assign ballet moves to those: I had to use my martial arts background. Punch here, swing right arm there, push head, slap floor left hand, etc. Again we went in several groups. Again, I barely held my own. I thought we were nearly done for the day and that I had survived. But, then, they said, "Okay, put the two combinations together!" And, all the demonstrators sat down! It was up to us to connect the two disparate combinations! My heart sank! I felt myself backing away from the middle of the floor. Putting together the two would be difficult for dancers who trained exclusively in modern, nearly impossible for a ballet-focused performer like me. I tried, but, I could feel myself giving up. This was after several hours of dancing, I was tired, hungry and cold. My mind wasn't working and I could feel my resolve shrinking away. WHICH IS EXACTLY THE POINTE! The choreographer gave us a nearly impossible task to see how we would approach it! She wanted dancers who relished a challenge and would respond to difficulty. I'm ashamed to say I wasn't that dancer that day. She had every right to cut me and she did. (She did give every auditioner a ticket to the cheap seats of her performance that night, though!o) But, I want the dancers I train not to make the same mistake I did that day! If I give you something you think is nearly impossible to do, it's for a reason! Learn to show your auditioners you're willing and able to take on impossible choreographic tasks and can rise to the dance occasion with relish! Learn to cut the mustard! (Okay, 'nuff food references! I'm getting hungry!o) So, merde for your auditions!o)

01.20.2012: Man Dancing

When a professional danseur tweets you the link to a video you should take the time to watch. Here's some video that's a marvelous mix of movement, music...AND video editing and camera angles:

...The more you watch this, the more you appreciate! And, hey Peterson! THAT'S what we're working towards!o)

01.20.2012: Use Ur Museum

Not your father's Art Museum. Some interesting events scheduled for the DsM Art Center

(Capital City) – On February 3, the Art Center will open Miguel Angel Rios: Walkabout, an exhibition that will run through April 22, 2012 in the Anna K. Meredith Gallery and video galleries.
Since 2000, the New York- and Mexico City-based artist Miguel Angel Rios has been creating haunting and poetic works in video and mixed media. Walkabout presents a selection of five video and multimedia installations along with paintings and works on paper that demonstrates his unique relationship to the South American and Mexican landscapes. The title of the exhibition invokes the traditional associations to rites of passage, spiritual awakenings, and self-awareness that come from solitary encounters in the desert landscape..."

...and...

Yoga + Gallery Talk
Saturday, March 3 / 9 am
Lobby / Anna K. Meredith Gallery
Limit 50 participants
Reservations required*
Yoga novices and enthusiasts alike are invited to practice yoga in the lobby of the Art Center (participants should provide their own yoga mats). Voted as Cityview’s 2011 Best Yoga Instructor, Ben Easter will lead a 60-minute session, followed by a 45-minute gallery talk by Senior Curator Gilbert Vicario on the exhibition Walkabout..."

...and...

Walkabout Film Series
This eclectic film series, inspired by Rios’ exhibition, explores aspects of violence, human nature, and spirituality. All films will be shown in Levitt Auditorium. For descriptions of the films, visit desmoinesartcenter.org.
Sunday, March 18 / 1 pm
DOUBLE FEATURE

Simon of the Desert, 1965
Luis Buñuel, director
43 minutes, not rated
Walkabout, 1971
Nicolas Roeg, director
95 minutes, not rated
Sunday, March 25 / 1:30 pm
Maria, Full of Grace, 2004
Joshua Marston, director
101 minutes, rated R

01.19.2012: Money4Nuttin', Gitcher Battements4Free!

Attention graduating CCDC Seniors:

"...Capital City News—The deadline to apply for a Prairie Meadows Scholarship is Friday, April 6, 2012.
Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino offers every high school in Polk County two $2,500 scholarships to graduating seniors who will be enrolling at an accredited Iowa institution for the fall 2012 semester.
Applications are available online at www.prairiemeadows.com and are also available at each participating high school in Polk County.
To qualify, applicants must be a graduating senior of a participating Polk County high school; accepted at an accredited Iowa institution; enrolling as a full-time student (12 credit hours or more) in the fall of 2012; a United States citizen or permanent resident for at least two consecutive years; and have a minimum cumulative high school GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale..."

01.19.2012: Game On!

I'm teaching ballet "self-defense" classes at Capital City Dance Center this next week or so. What does that mean? Well, it's audition season and a lot of CCDC students have started or will be trying out soon for national summer intensives over the next few weeks. Sometimes this means taking class from caring, concerned teachers who are looking out for your best interests. But, it also means you could end up taking a class from someone who doesn't care for you and is determined to weed you out. That could mean a barre that doesn't allow you to properly place or warm-up for class. And, it could mean tricky combinations in center that would be difficult for even professional dancers to perform. In fact, one CCDC student came back from Chicago this weekend and told us she just had "the hardest audition" she'd ever taken! So, the faculty this next couple of weeks will be challenging the dancers to learn how to "defend" themselves from indifferent, apathetic or, even, hostile teachers. You can't always depend on your teachers or auditioners to worry about your placement and give appropriate combinations for your level or age-group like the CCDC faculty does. And, there are common "tricks" that auditioners like to give to test applicants (including some that we've been told just started showing up recently). We'll be giving those combinations in classes over the next few weeks. Like I say in class, we don't want the first time you try those steps or combinations to be during an audition! Merde and..."game on"!

01.18.2012: Beauty And The Beast

So, there I was this weekend watching Tom Brady and the Pats putting a beat-down on Tim and the Tebowz, when my Twitter started exploding with tweets about how well Miss Iowa was doing in the Miss America pageant. So, I dutifully switched from our recording of the boring game to ABC's more exciting live contest competition coverage. And, since this is the 21st Century, I was able to pause and rewind live television and watch most of Jessica Pray's rise to to the top ten. Good for her! She's also apparently a former dance student who participated in the IDT Nutcracker, but, because this is a #ballet blog, let's turn our attention to the abysmal dancing in the talent portion! Maybe former professional opera singers didn't like Saturday night's singers, but, except for some unfortunate screeching on the part of one contestant, I found nothing to complain about with the vocalists. (Memories in Italian? Why? Just because you can?) But, as a former professional dancer/current teacher/choreographer, I feel most of the dancers left a lot to be desired. I didn't mind the Irish dancer. At least she didn't show the easy-to-lampoon parts of Irish dancing: the wigs and stiff arms. But, as for the others, one was obviously a former competition dancer, her piece was chock full of standard competition trick dancing. Just moves, no artistry. But, my eyebrows shot to the ceiling during Black Swan's performance. I couldn't watch it! It gave me a headache! It should've been a Saturday Night Live parody, it was so ludicrous! And, then, she fumbled with her tutu and sprung "wings"! SHOOT ME NOW...was what I was thinking! I don't know how the judges didn't fall off their chairs from laughing or from clawing their own eyeballs out! (The panel included professional ballroom dancer Mark Ballas of DWT***!) The artform of ballet was set back a century by that ridiculous rendition of an odious Odile! I'll search for some video of the performance, but, when I compare your dancing in my classes to Miss California, IT'S *NOT* A COMPLIMENT!o( It's a vile insult!o)

01.17.2012: Pick Pix Payoff

Put that smartphone camera to good use!o):

"Snapshot Iowa” Youth Photography Contest Announced
(Capital City News) –The Iowa Architectural Foundation is pleased to announce the second annual “Snapshot Iowa,” a photography contest for 7th – 12th graders. This program is proudly sponsored by the Architecture in the Schools Committee of the Iowa Architectural Foundation, and is open to all Iowa students in these grades.
The theme of this year’s contest is historic Iowa architecture. One $100 cash prize will be awarded to each of two categories: 7th – 9th grade and 10th – 12th grade.

...Download a poster with more info here

01.16.2012: I Hope You Dance...

Hey, CCDC Dads! Don't let her wedding dance be the first and last time you dance with your daughter(s)...

"...Capital City – Get your tickets now for the 2012 Father/Daughter Valentine Dance to held at Blank Park Zoo’s Discovery Center. This annual event is sponsored by the City Parks and Recreation Department and Boesen The Florist.
This is a great chance for Dads come out and spend an evening with your daughter(s) and enjoy desserts, soft drinks and much more! For more information contact the City Parks and Recreation department...."

..."Parks and Rec?" Wasn't that the valet service that just took your car keys? (Bah-da-bump-bump!o) Speaking of: remind me to write about the time I danced with a company that actually offered "ballet valet service" at their fundraiser to park cars!

01.13.2012: Ballet By The Bay

Here's what my favorite ballet company is up to later this month:

01.12.2012: Lambada With La Luna? See!

Another reminder! Never mind "dancing with the stars!" How about Dancing With The Moon?

Sixth Annual State Playwrights Workshop Dancing with the Moon by Tom Deiker
Directed by Jerry Eisenhour
In Dancing with the Moon, earthy, middle-aged Kate, who is divorced and looking for love in all the wrong places, tutors virginal graduate student Francis on ways to woo women. In the process, they both get much more than they bargained for.
Performances
7:30 p.m.
Fridays and Saturdays
January 20 – February 4
Location
Rex Mathes Auditorium
1401 Vine Street
More information here.
Sign-language interpretation for February 4 performance available upon request.
Tickets are $12, and may be purchased on-line.

01.11.2012: Money4Nuttin', Gitcher Battements4Free!o)

Here's where all your dance training may pay off if you're planning on majoring in the fine or performing arts in an in-state college. Hurry! Deadline's approaching:

Scholarship for the Arts Applications Due Feb. 1
Local high school students planning to enter college next fall with a major in an arts discipline can apply for a 2012 Scholarship for the Arts by Wednesday, Feb. 1 2012.
The Arts Council offers the scholarship annually to Iowa students who will graduate from high school during the 2011-2012 academic year and have a proven artistic ability in dance, literature, music, theater, traditional arts or visual arts. The application is available at www.iowaartscouncil.org.
Each recipient will receive $1,000 toward his or her 2012-2013 college tuition and related expenses as a full-time undergraduate at a fully accredited in-state college or university with a major in one or more of the disciplines considered for the award.
To be considered for the award, students must complete the scholarship application available at www.iowaartscouncil.org, write an essay about their future career goals in the arts, provide a work sample and include two letters of recommendation.

...CCDC students who need letters of recommendation should speak with their teachers or contact the office. Merde!

01.09.2012: Audition Advice

So, I tweeted out something like this after this weekend's auditions:

"...as usual, some people succumbed to the pressure, but, some people danced much better than they had a right to expect! BE THAT DANCER!"

...140-characters more or less...here is where I expand on that thought. (Eventually, I plan to write a book, The Tweets of CCDC's @SirDanGuy Explained. It'll have 365 of my favorite tweets with photo or video and an expanded explanation of the source of that advice. Be sure to order several copies!o) But, first, here's another tweet:

"...At every audition or casting call, I look for the #dancers I can't take my eyes off! BE THAT DANCER! I CUT everyone else! "

...At every audition or performance, my eyes are attracted to certain dancers. Whatever the combination of training, talent or charisma, certain dancers stand out. Those are the people I watch, those are the people I cast. As an aspiring dancer, some things are out of your control. I plan to eventually tweet something like this again:

"...the second-most important decision you will make in your #ballet career is choosing the best teachers. The first is...choosing the right parents..."

...But, DON'T let your mind play tricks on you. Dance with confidence. Dance with joy! If you make a mistake, laugh it off. Be a quick study! Practice mental and physical agility, alacrity and all your other technique in your daily classes. The time to stress about your dancing isn't during an audition, it's during your daily training. Don't hold back! You may only have one chance to show what you can do before cuts are made. Make sure you've had as much sleep, nutrition, hydration, warm-up and placement as you need. Auditioning well is a skill separate from dancing well. Try to schedule a few you don't care about before you head for THE BIG ONE! (Hmm...feels like another tweet coming on!o)

01.09.2012: Ballet Backlog

Just finished watching a bit of the ballet backlog on disc and DVR we've amassed over the last year: Black Swan and NYCB's Nutcracker. Just a few comments about each. Ballet in BS was just a backdrop for the psychological disintegration of Natalie Portman's Nina, the ballerina. The ballet was incidental and only filmed in passing. Anyone who's looking for a focus on ballet would be better served by accessing any of the recent documentaries on the Kirov or the Paris Opera Ballet (looking forward to finding the THREE HOURS to watch that!o) or even the old propaganda film, Children of Theater Street. The only thing BS was successful at was making me nervous to ever cut my fingernails again! (My resident ballet consultant was also aghast at the "backwards" headpiece Nina wore as Odette...Which also begs the question: why weren't the characters' actual roles names ever used? What's wrong with Odette/Odile except that most people aren't familiar with those roles? Whoops! Just answered my own question...) More balletic and much more familiar was the PBS live broadcast of Georgi Balanchivadze's seminal Nutcracker. I guess I've never actually sat through and watched most of his version (tho' I'm guilty of fast-forwarding through some of the oh-too-familiar party scene). I'm surprised that he puts the Sugar Plum Fairy variation in the very beginning and cuts the male variation. But, Balanchine is the one who famously said "Ballet is woman!". There's also some music that I'd never heard or seen used before between Marie/Clara's return to the living room and before the entry of the mice. If any choreographer is looking for more opportunities to put more dancers on stage, that might be something that should be explored. I know Balanchine is revered as the preeminent classical choreographer of the 20th century, but, I have to admit I wasn't overwhelmed with his choreography nor his variations. The traditional Karinska costumes also looked ill-fitting and out-dated. Every choreographer stands on the shoulders of the ones who came before so everyone thinks his own version improves on the others. I'm guilty of that as well. One wonders what Balanchine would do with the old warhorse now as opposed to then?

01.06.2012: Gymnastics Hi-Gynx

Save your shekels! Fans of Neil Haskell will want to see the SYTYCD alum perform in this starting next month:

Capital City– BRING IT ON: THE MUSICAL, the explosive new musical comedy that raises the stakes on over-the-top high school rivalries. Set against the world of competitive cheerleading, this powerhouse new show hilariously proves that winning isn’t everything when it means losing something – or someone – you really care about. BRING IT ON: THE MUSICAL opens at the Civic Center on Tuesday, Feb. 28 to Sunday, March 4 for eight performances as part of the Willis Broadway Series.
Tickets for BRING IT ON: THE MUSICAL on sale at the Civic Center Ticket Office, all Ticketmaster locations, charge-by-phone at (800) 745-8000 and online at CivicCenter.org. Groups of 15 or more should call (515) 246-2340.

01.05.2012: The Play's The Thing...

Performance tip:

"...Sixth Annual Playwrights Workshop
Dancing with the Moon by Tom Deiker
Directed by Jerry Eisenhour
In Dancing with the Moon, earthy, middle-aged Kate, who is divorced and looking for love in all the wrong places, tutors virginal graduate student Francis on ways to woo women. In the process, they both get much more than they bargained for.
Performances
7:30 p.m.
Fridays and Saturdays
January 20 – February 4
Location
Rex Mathes Auditorium
1401 Vine Street
Contact Information
www.tallgrasstheatre.org
info@tallgrasstheatre.org
(866) 745-4535
Sign-language interpretation for the February 4 performance available upon request.
Tickets are $12, and may be purchased at the door or at the website..."

01.04.2012: Hydration Recommendation

Tip of the month from the physicians over at Harkness Center for Dance Injuries:

"...Dehydration can lead to many negative effects on the performing artist. Researchers have found evidence that muscle strength decreases with as little as 5% dehydration. Other studies show that dehydration can cause an increased perception of fatigue and diminished aerobic power. The National Athletic Trainers' Association recommends that all athletes (dancers included) be hydrated before beginning exercise, and that they replenish within two hours any fluid losses that occurs during exercise. Post-exercise rehydration should consist of water, carbohydrates, and electrolytes. Researchers at McMaster University also advise that milk is an excellent post-exercise drink. They state that milk replaces the salt and other electrolytes we lose while sweating, helps the body retain fluid, and is a great source of protein and carbohydrates post-exercise..."

...And, you're always allowed to bring bottled water into the CCDC dance studios with you. Sports drinks are also allowed, but, please, no soda or sugared drinks. Bad for the dance surface when spilled.

01.03.2012: Where Are They Now?

Lotta CCDC alumna making an appearance at the studio during the winter break! I've been thinking about sending this out to the former students we haven't heard from lately:

How many dance classes are you taking nowadays? Any ballet? How do they compare to what you're used to getting at CCDC?
What's the main difference between dancing in college and dancing in high school?
How many guys are in your dance classes? Anyone any good?
What aspect of your CCDC training helps you the most with what you're doing now? What aspect do you disregard nowadays?
What's the best advice you could give to anyone following in your footsteps from CCDC? What's your message to anyone still dancing in high school?
Seen any memorable dance performances recently? What's the best thing you've seen where you are now? The worst?
What do you miss most about CCDC? What do you miss least? (Responses may be edited, especially if they mention bad jokes and over-use of nicknames!o)

...Any other suggestions? And, who should we send this to? Input here!o)

Read archived news articles