Important 2018 Concert Details!

2018 CONCERT PREPARATION DETAILS

ATTENDANCE:

We are nearing the end of the session which means it is more important than ever that we have every student in all classes. It can be difficult on everyone even when just one student is absent as it often takes a bit of time to catch a student up on missed material. We truly want all students to feel confident and comfortable on stage!  

UNIFORM:

Please make sure your child has the appropriate dance attire and shoes. With a few exceptions, dancers will be wearing pieces of their uniform in the performance and we would like for everyone to look the same. If you are unsure of what this consists of, below are the directions for using our uniform website. Please be sure to read the color description as the pictures used on the website are not necessarily the required color. You may certainly purchase the correct items elsewhere if you so choose: 

1. Go to www.discountdance.com
2. Under "Student" option (top, left side of page), click on "Find a studio" or "Find my Dress Code" (either will work).
3. In the search box, enter the studio number: TP 119912.
4. You will see an option listed for The Dance School at Bryn Mawr and a link that says "Dress Lists" - click this and you will be taken to a page where you can search, by class name, for the uniform requirements for each of your child's classes.

PLEASE NOTE: The following Jazz and Tap classes are NOT wearing the black leggings for the show- you do not need to purchase new leggings if your child is in the following classes:

Monday K-1 

Fri. K-1

Wed. Jazz for 4-5 

Mon. Tap 4-5 

Mon. Tap 6-8 

Mon. Jazz/Lyrical for 6-8

DVD ORDER FORM (OPTIONAL):

Every year, I hire a professional videographer for our performance so that you can sit back and enjoy the show. We do not allow videography or flash photography during the show as it can be quite distracting to the dancers and those around you. Watching a performance through a phone or ipad is not quite the same as seeing the live performance. If you would like to order a dvd of the program, please use the link below. You will simply need to indicate your child's name and how many copies you would like.  Dvds are $30 each and this is an optional purchase (note: we do not make any profit off the sale of the dvds). 

Please use the following link to reserve your copy: https://goo.gl/forms/sqjFm6uu4KMN3J732

(If you would like to see some examples of our videographer's work, you can do so here: http://www.docksidevideo.com/#!/SHOP)

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED:

We are in need of some helping hands both before the show and backstage on Sunday, April 29th in order to make everything run smoothly. Please note that if you volunteer you will need to arrive with your dancer and will be backstage for much of the performance assisting the dancers. That being said, however, you will absolutely be able to go out into the audience to watch your child's dance(s). Please use this link to sign up: 

http://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050a44aaa92c7-dance4

PERFORMANCE DATE, TIME, & OTHER DETAILS:

Sunday, April 29, 2018

1:30 pm  

Arrival time for all dancers with hair and make up done. 

Notes: 

COSTUMES: 

Will be kept at school with the exception of dancer's personal class attire. Please have dancers come dressed in their normal dance class attire and bring their dance shoes (Ballet classes do not need their ballet skirts). We will work on a final bow with all dancers once they have arrived and they should be in their regular dance class clothes for this. 

HAIR & MAKEUP:

Makeup (does not need to be very heavy):

blush, lipstick, light eyeshadow, mascara.  If possible, please have your dancer pack her makeup in her dance bag for touch ups). Please do not have dancers share makeup. If you are opposed to your daughter wearing makeup, please feel free to have her go without. The intention behind wearing makeup is to help facial features stand out against the bright stage lights, not to make the girls look older. 

Hair 

In most cases, hair will be in a bun for Ballet and a ponytail for Jazz, Tap and Lyrical classes. I will send more detailed information regarding this as we get closer if necessary.

2:40 pm

Doors Open 

Approximate time that doors will open to audience members. PLEASE do not enter early. We are very busy getting dancers ready and working on final preparations and need the theatre 

clear until this time.

SEATING:

Admission to the performance is free.  Please keep in mind that seating is limited as we have approximately 90 dancers in the performance. All seating is first come, first served- there is no saving, assigned or reserved seating. 

3:00pm 

Show time!

Misty Copeland and the Perfect Ballet Bun!

Hello dancers,

Are you struggling with your ballet bun? Well.. Misty Copeland can give you some advice in her new VIDEO.

Enjoy,
Bryn Mawr School Dance Instructors 

No Dance on Professional Day!

Hello Parents,

We will NOT be having dance classes on Monday, April 2nd due to Professional Day.  Thank you!

Please remember to practice your choreography.

Sincerely,
Bryn Mawr School Instructors

No Dance Classes on Friday, March 30th!

Hello Parents and Dancers,

Bryn Mawr will be CLOSED on Friday, March 30th for Good Friday.  All dance classes are canceled. Thank you!

Enjoy your long weekend.

Thanks,
Bryn Mawr Dance Instructors

Audition Tips!

Audition Time is HERE!

Do you have an upcoming audition for a 2018 Summer Intensive or Fall Dance Program? Well...click the link below to read a few helpful tips. 

CLICK HERE

Best,

Bryn Mawr Dance Instructors 

4 Tips To Make Your Jumps Soar To New Heights!

Miami City Ballet principal soloist, Nathalia Arja gives four tips to make your jumps soar to new heights. 

Back to Basics

From the very first combination in class, think ahead to big jumps. "Don't take pliés for granted," Arja says. "They're the preparation for everything." Instead of always doing slow, even demi-pliés, try rising faster than you descend, or even pushing up to relevé at the top. Don't sink into them; make pliés an active movement. Then, "starting with tendus, really work through the foot," advises Ginger Cox, who teaches Jumps and Turns classes at NYC's Broadway Dance Center. "You never just point from the ankle; you have to massage the floor with your toes, too."

You'll use those basic plié and tendu mechanics throughout class. "Articulating the feet with power and speed and using a supple demi-plié mirrors jumping," Cox says, "even if you aren't leaving the floor yet."

Create an Air-Time Illusion

Sometimes, impressive ballon has less to do with the actual height of your jump and more with how high the jump seemsto be. Arja suggests aiming to hit the desired midair position as quickly as possible. "If you get your arms up to fifth right away in a saut de chat," she says, "the audience thinks you're flying for a few extra seconds."

Cox also asks dancers to try changing the cadence of their jumps, spending less time on the ground and more in the air. "You can train your body not just to rebound, but to really push the floor away," she says. And over time, that'll increase your overall strength and power.

Jump Clean

Neil Haskell, a "So You Think You Can Dance" alum who's currently on Broadway in Hamilton, never had a problem catching air as a teen—"but cleanliness was not my strength," he admits. "I'd pull my shoulders up to my ears in big jumps." When he began taking ballet more seriously, his posture and alignment improved. "I realized that if I used good technique, my jumps looked more effortless," he says.

Do you hike up your arms and shoulders in an effort to get more height? Fix that bad habit—which will only get worse when you're fatigued—from the ground up. "Try to relax one muscle at a time," says Michelle Rodriguez, a physical therapist and owner of Manhattan Physio Group. "Let go of your fingers, elbows, neck, and chest. Make sure it's your legs and core doing the hard work."

Stick the Landing

An ungainly thud will mar your flawless routine—but that's not the only reason to focus on coming down gently. According to Rodriguez, "faulty landings are where the majority of jump-related injuries happen."

If landings are your weak spot, Cox and Rodriguez say to practice jumps holding on to a barre. This way, you can use your arms to help control your descent. Once you know how a correct landing feels in your feet, knees, and hips, ditch the support and work on putting it all together in center.

Remember: It's rare for a big jump to exist in isolation. Onstage, you could be doing multiple leaps in sequence, transitioning from the air to the floor, or gliding into a gestural phrase. With a solid center, powerful legs, a lush plié, and articulate feet, you'll be ready for whatever your choreographer throws your way.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE:

http://www.dancespirit.com/4-tips-to-make-your-jumps-soar-to-new-heights-2479552452.html

Spring Break is Almost Here!

Friendly Reminder!

Our last day of classes before Spring Break is Friday, March 9th. Spring Break will begin Monday, March 12th through Friday, March 16th. 

Please Note: Although Bryn Mawr will be on Spring Break, we will hold dance classes on Monday, March 19th.  Let us know if you cannot attend!