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BUILDING CONFIDENCE &
SELF-ESTEEM WITH DANCE
C ulture cannot only be classified as
an era in time, a historical landmark
and site of the Mona Lisa. Culture is also
obtained through expression in theatre
and drama, as well as movement of the
body with son and dance. Dance in itself
has as many forms as the rainbow has
colors, from our beloved classical ballet
to our historical Irish Step Dance.
When making a decision to enhance
one's dance training and/or theatre
education, there are a few things to
consider. Just as the reputation of any
college or university rests primarily on the
cdliber of professors who instruct there, so
too does a top-notch performing arts
studio. A quality studio will employ well
rounded and experienced instructors
who have been performing and
teaching movement for years. Teachers
with experience will enjoy the
opportunity to pass on their knowledge
and love of dance and theatre through
the students they teach. The best
instructors have been performers
themselves, and while perfectly capable
of teaching recreational steps and body
movement, are equally suvited to
preparing students for the rigors and
pressures of auditions and major
productions. Professional instructors know
what's required under the glare of the
klieg lights because they've been there
themselves.
Of equal importance as tenure and
performance experience, is the open
mindedness of the instructors.
The performing arts, in all its various forms,
is not calculus or grammar: there is more
than one way of doing things. The arts of
dance, theatre and song are by
definition the free physical expression of
that art form, and any studio employing
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a “My way or the highway" mentality,
with instructors who are rigid and
unyielding in terms of embracing new
ideas, is probably not the best available
choice. Moving beyond the essential
characteristics of instructor quality, is the
importance of remembering that “variety
is the spice of life." Ideally, a quality
studio will offer a variety of classes, i.e.
tap, ballet, jazz, modern, hip-hop, lyrical
A quality studio will
employ well
rounded and
experienced
instructors who have
been performing
and teaching
movement for years
dance and theatrical dance. At the risk
of being spread too thin, some studios will
offer adjunct classes beyond the
discipline of dance itself. These are all
forms of self expression and culture that
could potentially be offered at the
proper venue. Any studio offering such a
wide range of study taught by quality
instructors is most definitely worth a
serious look. Does the studio offer the
opportunity to work with outside guest
artists and master teachers? An
experienced instructor is well aware of
the advantages a student will gain by
studying with other mast teachers. The
finer studio will not only encourage their
students to study with other qualified
instructors, but will provide the venue of
study intensive workshops to broaden the
education process of students interested
in furthering their artistic career. Beyond
the caliber of instruction and variety of
classes offered by a performing arts
establishment, is the physical space and
location of a studio.’Clean, spacious and
well lit dance spaces are essential, along
with the appropriate changing and
dressing facilities. Finer studios will offer
state-of-the-art equipment and a wood
sprung floor, in essence, a “floating” floor
that minimizes impact and helps 1o
reduce the wear, tear and injuries which
are all too common in the dancing
world.
And lastly, it's important to take into
consideration the ultimate achievement
level of former students and the
instructors. While most budding artists
take classes to foster healthy bodies and
friendships with others who enjoy the
same forms of expression, there is always
a certain percentage who aspire to
greater heights. Consideration would be
given to the performance opportunities
available to those who desire to pursue a
career in the arts. The performance
experience should exclude any enwy or
rivalry amongst the corps of performers.
On the contrary, during competition
performances, the sense of being the
best you can be while striving to perform
in unison with team members, builds a
strong and lasting camaraderie and
discipline of teamwork relationships. So
too does performance, which
incorporates other art forms, including
musicians, actors and visual arfists such .
as lighting technicians, build an
understanding of confidence, self
esteem and the desire to sirive.