How much do you know about jazz dance icon Bob Fosse?

By Rain Francis.

1. Which of the following characters would you NOT find in Chicago?

a) Mary Sunshine
b) Roxy Hart
c) Lilli Vanessi
d) Billy Flynn

2. In the 1972 film Cabaret, Sally Bowles is a performer at what club?

a) The Kitten Klub
b) The Kit Kat Klub
c) The Top Kat Klub
d) Top Hats ‘n’ Kats

3. The 1953 film Kiss Me Kate was inspired by which Shakespeare play?

a) Romeo and Juliet
b) The Taming of the Shrew
c) Much Ado About Nothing
d) Othello

4. The video for Beyonce’s Single Ladies was inspired by what Bob Fosse number?

a) All That Jazz
b) I Gotcha
c) Mexican Breakfast
d) Bye Bye Blackbird

5. Rich Man’s Frug is a number from which Fosse film and stage show?

a) Sweet Charity
b) Pippin
c) The Pajama Game
d) Damn Yankees

6. In the semi-autobiographical All That Jazz, who plays the elder “Joe Gideon”, the character based on Bob Fosse?

a) William Shatner
b) Michael York
c) David Hasselhoff
d) Roy Scheider

7. As a Choreographer and Director, Fosse won nine Tony Awards and one Academy Award. What film was the Oscar for?

a) Cabaret
b) The Little Prince
c) Lenny
d) Kiss Me Kate

8. In the 1969 film Sweet Charity, who played Charity Hope Valentine?

a) Gwen Verdon
b) Shirley MacLaine
c) Liza Minnelli
d) Ann Reinking

9. Which of the following is NOT a number in The Pajama Game?

a) Steam Heat
b) Hernando’s Hideaway
c) Shoeless Joe from Hannibal, Mo
d) Small Talk

10. What moniker is given to Amos Hart in Chicago?

a) Fred Casely
b) Mister Cellophane
c) Pal Joey
d) Mr. Applegate

Answers:
1 – c; 2 – b; 3 – b; 4 – c; 5 – a; 6 – d; 7 – a 8 – b; 9 – c; 10 – b

Top photo: The Female Ensemble in Australia’s Chicago. Photo by Jeff Busby, 2009.

Published by Dance Informa digital dance magazine – dance news, dance auditions & dance events for the professional dancer, dance teacher and dance students.

By Chris Bamford.

Being a dance teacher is one of the most rewarding jobs in the world, but I might be a little biased as I am one. There’s nothing more rewarding than seeing a student improve, grow and reach his or her full potential in your class.

But what about the teachers? We place so much emphasis on the students’ conditioning, care and injury prevention, yet we have a tendency to forget about ourselves.

Long gone are the days where the teacher just sat in a chair with a cane and explained what the students had to do. We teach a lot more visually and practically these days. The teacher generally shows the wrong way and the right way to do steps and movements and goes to the extremes so students can see and understand the differences. This can put teachers at risk, especially when they may not be as fit and limber as they used to be.

Being a dance teacher, and especially a studio owner can be very stressful. You need to wear so many hats and manage many facets of a business from customer service, complaints, marketing and finances to general administration. Then add an annual recital to the mix, and maybe a summer school and competition, and let’s face it – we are stressed! So we don’t need to add injury to our lives.

What can dance teachers do to reduce the risk of injury? Let’s start by looking at what some of what the most common dance injuries are

• Muscle strain

• Joint sprain

• Bruising

• Muscle soreness

• Fractures

Understanding what these injuries are and what causes them can help identify problems early, as most teachers do with their students. But what about yourself? Let’s look at what can cause these injuries during the many hours of instructing and choreographing that each teacher does.

Excessive range: This applies to movement that forces a joint or body part beyond a safe range. For example, hyper flexion at the neck or over-arching the back.

Excessive load: Movement that places excessive weight on or through a joint or muscle. For example, knees bending below 90º when landing or straight leg sit-ups.

Ballistic: Repetitive dynamic movement that stretches muscle tissue beyond the normal range. This sort of movement is often explosive and uncontrolled. For example, bouncing (of knees, spine), overly repetitive kicks, leaps, head isolations and arm flings.

Sustained: The holding of a position that places excessive stress on a muscle group or joint. For example, a coccyx sit or balance on one leg for a long period of time.

Repetitive: Too much repetition can be dangerous. Even safe movements performed too many times can cause injury. For example, jumps, push-ups and lifts.

In my opinion, when you’re teaching for four hours in a row or more, you can’t avoid some of the above movement types, but it’s important to be aware of them and to think about how much we demonstrate a movement if we feel strain, pain or any warning sign. Injury and stress are always going to be in our lives, it’s the nature of the dance business, but here are some tips to help you reduce them:

• Remember occupational health and safety rules.
• Get a regular remedial sports massage or visit a physical therapist.
• If you have injured yourself, but still have to teach, use an assistant teacher or senior student for demonstrating until you have fully recovered.
• Keep up regular classes for technique and strength. We can get so busy, but we too must be in class regularly. I have heard of large dance studios holding a teachers’ class once a fortnight and rotating who from the staff takes the class. This helps the teaching staff to keep up their technique and fitness.
• Keep hydrated and eat a well balanced diet.
• Make sure to get plenty of sleep. You need energy to energize your students and a rested mind to be creative.
• If you are teaching for long period of time pace yourself and take regular breaks if you can.

At the end of the day, teachers need to remember to take care of themselves. We inspire and nurture talents, yet we sometimes forget to inspire and nurture ourselves. Start to look after yourself so you can continue to give to your students for years to come. Being a great dance teacher is just as important as being a great dancer.

Source: www.curriculumsupport.education.nsw.gov.au/primary/pdhpe/dance/dan004.htm

Photo: © Viorel Sima | Dreamstime.com

Published by Dance Informa digital dance magazine – dance news, dance auditions & dance events for the professional dancer, dance teacher and dance students.

By Steve Sirico of Dance Teacher Web

For most studios in the United States your season comes to an end in May or June. Now is a good time to look ahead and organize your schedule up to the end of the current season. For those of you in other countries whose season is just beginning, you can start to map out your year and build in the ideas I will present in this article.

Listed below are topics that I recommend you address and have a definitive plan for at this time.

Distribution of costumes

With costumes being quite expensive it is important to have an organized way of distributing them. If you just hand your clients a bag with the costume rolled up inside, the perceived value will be less. I recommend that you get garment bags, (with your logo printed on them) and hand them out to each student’s parent with any pertinent instructions attached to the costume. If a student is in several numbers you can put them all in one bag on hangers. If you are looking for hangers go to your local large clothing stores as they are usually happy to give them to you by the box full. They will probably be throwing them out if you don’t take them.

If you can get someone to do your alterations that is always best. Parents are busy and either don’t want to or don’t know how to sew! I recommend that straps, hems and hooks are all sewed on and ready to go before you hand the costumes out. This will mean that you need to try each costume on every student and pin any adjustments that need to be made once they are delivered to you. When the client opens the garment bag they should be able to take the contents out and hang them up in their closet without any additional worries.

How to get organized for your recital

Many studio owners know in their minds how they want everything done for their recitals. That can be a big mistake! It is really important for your piece of mind to write things down. Start to make a journal on how you are going to proceed. Make lists of everything, from who will be assisting you backstage and front of house, to who will be helping you on the tech side. Write down how much time you think you will need to load in and out of the theater and who will help you with that. Make a schedule for yourself and any assistants with exact times and days. Make sure you have contacted your videographer and given him or her their schedule. Set your dress rehearsal times and make a note to firm up the people to help on that day. Make time to meet with your program designer and know the exact dates that you need to have choreography completed and the running order for the show ready. I recommend that you create a definite time line of when you want everything ready to go. Then get help to get organized. Remember, the way that you run your events will leave a lasting impression on your clients. Every year we try to find a better way to do things. We document each event and build each one into our year end planner with the necessary changes.

Marketing to your current customers

What you start to put in place now will be a determining factor as to who will register for next season. If you do not have a system in place to get your clients to register in the coming months for your upcoming season, I recommend that you do so today! Keep in mind that if your clients sign up for dance classes before they sign up for any other activity they will build their child’s after school schedule around their dance classes. Best of all you will have a good idea of which classes are full and which ones you need to market over the summer.

When a current customer does not re-register it also gives you time to find out why. You may find that just taking the time to call them personally will make the difference as to whether or not they sign up again. There is nothing like the personal touch to keep your customers around. While most of our marketing dollars are spent on getting new clients, I recommend that you spend a fair amount on keeping the clients you currently have and ensuring that they will return time and time again. If you want to build your school, this will be a huge contributing factor.

Determine which faculty members and staff you will bring back

Every year things change. People change, schedules change and your business operations will change. We have had faculty and staff who were big assets to our business one year only to turn into big problems later. When this happens you have two choices, try to determine what is going on and see if the issue that is causing the problem can be resolved or move in another direction. It is as simple as that! I know change is hard, especially if someone has been with you for a long time. The key thing to remember here is that you are running a business. If someone is not helping in the growth of your business or even worse may be detrimental to your business then you need to do something about it – sooner, rather than later. You can start by assessing the overall production of each person you employ. I recommend that you have a yearend meeting with each individual working for you to review the good and the not so good. It will also give you a chance to hear what they have to say about your business and how you can do things better. I don’t recommend that you tell anyone that you are not bringing them back until classes are over. It is cleaner that way for everyone involved.

When you prepare for the coming months you can take as much guess work out of the equation as possible. This way you will have everything planned out and your stress level will definitely decrease. Now how good does that sound?

Steve Sirico
Steve studied dance initially with Mikki Williams and then in New York with Charles Kelley and Frank Hatchett. He appeared in a number of theatre productions such as “Damn Yankees”, “Guys and Dolls” and “Mame” in New York and around the country and in industrials and television shows. He was contracted to appear as the lead dancer in the “Valerie Peters Special” a television show filmed in Tampa, Florida. After meeting Angela D’Valda during the filming they formed the Adagio act of D’Valda & Sirico appearing in theatres, clubs and on television shows such as David Letterman, Star Search and the Jerry Lewis Telethon. In 1982 they were contracted to Europe and appeared in a variety of shows in Spain, Portugal, Sweden, Finland, Switzerland and Italy before going to London, England where they appeared as Guest Artists for Wayne Sleep (formerly of the Royal Ballet) in his show “Dash” at the Dominium Theatre.

Steve and Angela have owned and directed their dance studio in Fairfield, CT for the past twenty five years. Author of his Jazz Dance syllabus and co-author of a Partner syllabus both of which are used for teacher training by Dance Educators of America, Steve continues to adjudicate and teach for major dance organizations.

He recently has taught at the Interdanz Conference in San Jose, Costa Rica and at The International Dance Teachers Conference in London at the Royal Ballet School. He choreographs for theatres, television and conventions and D’Valda & Sirico recently choreographed the opening to the National Speaker’s Association convention on Broadway in New York City at the Marriott Marquis.

Steve is president and director of the website Dance Teacher Web, designed as an online resource and training tool for dance teachers and dance school owners worldwide. Dance Teacher Web produces a yearly conference in Las Vegas where hundreds of teachers learn from the top master teachers and business coaches in an intimate setting unlike any other dance teacher event. Next year’s conference will be held at the Red Rock Resort August 6-9 2012. For more information visit www.danceteacherweb.com

Published by Dance Informa dance magazine – dance news, dance auditions & events.

By Rain Francis.

Test your knowledge of cultural dances from around the world.

Let us know how many answers you get right on Facebook. Just ‘Like ’ us and then post your score on our wall at facebook.com/danceinforma

What style of dancing would you most likely be doing if you were at a Milonga?

a) Salsa

b) Tango

c) Polonaise

d) Krumping

In what country would you most likely be if you saw a Haka performed live?

a) Australia

b) Papua New Guinea

c) New Zealand

d) Peru

Which of the following is not a popular Latin ballroom dance?

a) Salsa

b) Ballet

c) Samba

d) Rumba

Which of the following are not traditionally used in Morris dancing?

a) Handkerchiefs

b) Broomsticks

c) Swords

d) Bells

Which instrument would be most likely to accompany Highland dancing?

a) Panpipes

b) Banjo

c) Bongo

d) Bagpipes

What name is best associated with Irish dancing?

a) Michael Flatley

b) Paddy Brennan

c) Peter Martins

d) Mikhail Baryshnikov

The Mazurka and the Polonaise are traditional dances of which European country?

a) Germany

b) Finland

c) Poland

d) Romania

Billy Ray Cyrus is a name best associated with what style of dancing?

a) Breakdancing

b) Highland dancing

c) Square dancing

d) Line dancing

With which country would you associate Butoh?

a) Thailand

b) Japan

c) Scotland

d) China

Originating from Vienna in the late 17^th century, The Waltz is a popular dance in which time signature?

a) 3/4

b) 4/4

c) 6/8

d) 2/4

Answers: 1 – b, 2 – c, 3 – b, 4 – b, 5 – d, 6 – a, 7 – c, 8 – d, 9 – b, 10 – a

Photo: © Anky10 | Dreamstime.com.
Dragos Ana/Diandra Iles, ballroom dancers, 4th place at the Romanian National Contest (Cupa Romaniei), standard section, 12-13 years old. 25 Oct 2009, Timisoara, Romania

Teachers, it’s time to start ordering costumes for your upcoming recital. Here’s some helpful advice from Costume Gallery:

1)   Read the Ordering Instructions to avoid surprises. Be familiar with things like return and exchange policies BEFORE you order!

2)   Order Early! There are fabulous discounts for orders paid in full and placed by January 9^th.

3)   Measure your students carefully using the Costume Gallery size chart. (They vary from company to company) If possible, have only one person doing the measuring – don’t accept size suggestions from parents!

4)   Order online! This eliminates the risk of order entry mistakes.

5)   CHECK YOUR CONFIRMATION against your original order.  Its easy to forget a child or a class.

Costume Gallery Dazzles!

One peek at the costume runway show video from the NYC Dance Teacher Summit this past summer explains the buzz about Costume Gallery! The company distinguished itself with a dazzling array of stones, feathers and sequins on amazing, fashion forward styles.

Check the tag of the first costume you wore as a child (we know you still have it stashed somewhere!) and chances are good that it came from Costume Gallery.  With half a century of manufacturing know-how, the company has reinvented itself and is bringing pop culture and style onto recital stages around the world.

Teachers, kids and audiences want fresh, fun costumes– not something  rehashed from the 70’s.  They expect little Susie’s dance classes to culminate in a Broadway like extravaganza, and the outfits can make or break the show.  That’s why Costume Gallery incorporates elements from the fashion world and makes them eye popping as well as “danceable.”

Creating recital styles that are hip, cool and edgy, bearing in mind that granny and neighbors are in the audience, presents unique challenges for designers. “Age appropriate” is a huge element.

“There’s no question that kids are getting larger,” says Kimberly Keller, Chief of Design at Costume Gallery “and its critical to acknowledge that in our design process. We create styles that look fabulous on all the dancers, even those with less than perfect bodies.“

“You’re not just buying costumes, you’re buying peace of mind,” is the watchword at Costume Gallery.  Their customers are dance instructors, who already have challenging jobs! The last thing they need is to stress over costumes! That’s why the company has a customer friendly website, www.costumegallery.net, which makes ordering simple.  There are videos of every costume, showing details in the fabric, as well as how the costume looks on a dancing body.  “The videos augment through motion, what we could never achieve through a catalog alone.”

The website also features another treat – “A New View”, showing the style on a different size dancer than the one featured in the Costume Gallery catalog.  “Sometimes it hard to visualize what a style shown on a child will look like on an adult, but often, they’re amazing. “A New View” takes the guesswork out of ordering for classes with a wide age range. It’s startling how you gain a completely different perspective on an outfit just by seeing it on another size model!

Costume Gallery stands alone in its efforts to help the dance community. Over $45,000 has been awarded to dancers age 12-21 over the past four years through the company’s Beverly Miller Scholarships.  Winners must put their grants toward their dance education.  The company also supports breast cancer research by designing and selling a Dancing Toward a Cure tee shirt each year.

What remains unchanged at Costume Gallery is its commitment to producing quality costumes in the United States.  The company employs a stable and qualified workforce at its headquarters in Burlington, NJ, right outside of Philadelphia.

What’s clear is that this rising star of the dance costume industry will continue to Dazzle the dance community for years to come!

Advertorial

By Steve Sirico of Dance Teacher Web

In this special two part series we will explore tips to running a successful studio.  If you missed the first seven tips visit (www.danceinforma.com/the-secrets-to-running-a-successful-studio). Think about your business and how these tips apply to what you are doing. Even if you are implementing what I recommend, try to think in terms of how you might switch up your approach for even greater success. Remember that growing your business begins with self-examination. So let’s get started!

Build additional streams of income
These can include rentals or subletting space, birthdays and other parties. Think outside the box to help you generate more revenue. During down times see about subletting a studio to a yoga class or contact your local theater to see if they need space for rehearsal. Think about taking your classes to area groups and schools. This is a great way to generate additional income and to spread the word about your studio and programs.

Get out of your studio and build your network
Build relationships! Years ago we did a local performance and met a woman who was in charge of a program called ‘After the Bell’, a unique after school program where the parents’ club found outside companies to run classes like tennis, agility and dance, amongst others. By doing this outside show we had the opportunity to meet her and for her to see our work. We have since been doing her ‘After the Bell’ program at our local grade school for years! You will be the best kept secret in your town if you don’t get out and meet people.

Be proactive in the community
Lend a hand with fundraising events, help out with people when you can and work with a group you are passionate about. Join your local Chamber of Commerce and let it be known that you are a source in your town when it comes to providing entertainment and volunteers who can help with a worthy cause.

Know your numbers
Build a target to hit. How many students do you need to pay the bills? How many to make a profit? Do you have a formula for what each student is worth? Now set a target for what you want your studio numbers to look like. Track it each week during the first three months of your season, then once a month after that. If you have a goal, you will chip away at it and hit it eventually. When your mind is focused on growth instead of survival, it will put you in the right frame of mind.

Your front desk will make or break you
Your employees probably treat your customers about the same way you treat your employees. Let that soak in for a minute, and think about the ways your everyday behavior might be affecting your school’s ability to generate referrals.  Keep training your staff and make it fun. Happy employees, happy students and happy parents are how you need to measure your success.

Build your referral system
Get your clients talking about you. Do the unexpected. Create an environment of ‘WOW’. The best way to do this is to let your employees know that you are open to ideas that will create a ‘wow moment’ for your customers. The more you create ‘wow’, the more they will talk about you. For your best clients you could offer a $50 off referral program where if they bring in a new student who registers, you deduct $50 from both their tuitions.

Create a marketing plan, stick to it and track your results
Decide what your objectives are, what you will spend and where you will spend it.  Not all marketing efforts work—sometimes the fish just aren’t biting. Track results to know how to proceed. My recommendation is to focus your marketing dollars first online and work out from there.  Try a targeted list that you can send a postcard to. Next consider doing a mailing to past clients with a special offer to try one week for FREE! Remember, marketing is not just about getting new clients, but also cultivating your current ones. If they are taking one class, why not try to get them to take two, three or more? For more marketing tips view past article www.danceinforma.com/magazine/grow-your-enrolments

Here’s to your success!

By Steve Sirico of Dance Teacher Web.

In this special 2 part series we will explore tips to running a successful studio. Think about your business and how these tips apply to what you are doing. Even if you are doing what I recommend, try to think in terms of how you might switch up your approach for even greater success.

Keep in contact with your current customers.
This means emails, newsletters, surveys, customer events and anything else you can think of. The reality is that everyone is busy and you are low on their radar. If you lose contact, then you risk losing business. Most people stop coming to a business because they think you don’t even know they exist. And don’t worry about being a pest. Just keep giving them useful information and special offers that they will love to receive.

Keep marketing to your current customers.
Most businesses focus on attracting new clients and marketing to them. But think about this: If you are doing business with a company you like, you are more apt to buy more of the same. A lot more! When you have devoted clients, you can ask them to give you testimonials so you can then promote what they love about you.

Create WOW moments for your customers.
Make plans to have special events that are both publicised and unannounced at your school. Think of ways to surprise your students and their families. Ideas include highlighting a special student of the month, free giveaways for students who work hard, special projects where everyone wins something, and just random acts of kindness. They will make you the talk of the town.

Get your staff and faculty to buy into your philosophy…or sever the relationship.
Donald Trump likes to say “hire slowly but fire quickly”. Most people do the opposite. They hire on a gut reaction and then try to hold on when things go south. If you are having an issue with any faculty member or staff member it is best to try to resolve the issue immediately! If no solution is at hand then use that apprentice line—“You’re fired!”

Build your preschool program.
If you build it they will come. Make a special brochure or schedule exclusively for them. The more time offered the bigger your program will get. Try doing a special show that is short and informal with just these younger students—both enjoyable and easy on the families and their time.

Build programs for each niche.
Beyond preschool, offer programs for all ages and special areas that include athletes, kids who are singers and actors, recreational, competition teams, dance teams and even adults. Now the key is to find ways to market to each group exclusively. “Find a need, fill a need”—if you do, you will always have plenty of business.

Don’t let the parents run the ship.
Parents will love to give you their two cents about all kinds of things: Who should be teaching, what they should be teaching, during which hours they should be teaching. And it doesn’t stop there. Listen to your customers, but do not waiver from your company vision. Your parents will take over if you let them and then you will have a hard time regaining control. It’s your business, you are in charge. Make sure they know that and they won’t over step the boundary.

Test your dance knowledge…

By Rain Francis.

With which name would you MOST associate Ginger Rogers?

a) Gene Kelly

c) Mikhail Baryshnikov

c) Fred Astaire

d) Donald O’Connor

For which ballerina was the Dying Swan choreographed by Mikhail Fokine?

a) Anna Pavlova

b) Natalia Markova

c) Alicia Makarova

d) Anna Karenina

Who did Lucette Aldous dance alongside in the 1973 filmed version of Don Quixote?

a) Mikhail Baryshnikov

b) Rudolph Nureyev

c) Anthony Dowell

d) Carlos Acosta

Which of the following names would you LEAST associate with contemporary dance?

a) Martha Graham

b) Jose Limon

c) Cyd Charrise

d) Merce Cunningham

Which king is best associated with the origins of classical ballet?

a) Louis XIV (King of France from 1643-1715)

b) Henry VIII (England, 1509-1547)

c) Ferdinand III (Italy, 1637-1657)

d) Phillip III (France, 1270-1285)

Which of the following was Gene Kelly the star of?

a) Singin’ in the Rain

b) An American in Paris

c) Ziegfeld Follies

d) All of the above

Which American ballerina wrote Dancing on my Grave?

a) Maria Tallchief

b) Gelsey Kirkland

c) Darci Kistler

d) Cynthia Harvey

Who’s daughter is Liza Minnelli?

a) Elizabeth Taylor

b) Debbie Reynolds

c) Margot Fonteyn

d) Judy Garland

Who choreographed Cabaret, Chicago and Damn Yankees?

a) Bob Fosse

b) Jerome Robbins

c) George Balanchine

d) Alvin Ailey

What nationality is renowned dancer Sylvie Guillem?

a) Italian

b) English

c) French

d) Canadian

Answers:

1 – c, 2 – a, 3 – b, 4 – c, 5 – a, 6 – d, 7 – b, 8 – d, 9 – a, 10 – c

By Christine Dion of Mode Dion

Tis the season for Christmas Holiday shows. Of course the most popular of all, the Nutcracker, will be presented by studios across the country. In many cases the ballet will be performed on a large stage and may require a little more facial enhancement than a typical small stage performance.

The Nutcracker features many characters. Here are some makeup tips and ideas for the varied roles. A simple eye makeup change is all that’s needed to add drama and help enhance the look.

Sugar Plum Fairies and the Land Of Snow

Where traditional ballet makeup is required keep in mind that the brows need a little more enhancement and extending.  Eyeliner will need to be extended a bit further at the ends. Don’t meet the lower and upper lines at the sides. I like to use a brown cake/shadow liner below lower lashes and a black cake/shadow liner at the end of upper lashes to create a softer look. A Mode Dion Pro Pallet eye shadow compact has all the colors you need. Keep eyes wide with white pencil in between.  Add a little white shimmer like Mode Dion’s Shimmer Pot to the center of lid, brow arch and inner eye corner to open eyes even more. False lashes will be a must to create big elegant eyes (see photo).  Adding a bit of magical glimmer to the cheekbones and eyes can really create more enchantment.  Use glitter in opal/white like Mode Dion’s Crystalina and secure it with spirit gum like Mode Dion’s Diva Glue. 

Arabian Dancer

Arabian dancers can quickly get the look just by extending the black cake/shadow liner towards the inner eye corner, creating a cat eye appearance. White pencil will help define the look by applying a little at the inner eye corner and between the two lines out at the end of the eye corners. Extend the liner a little there too as this will lengthen eyes creating a more exotic effect. Rhinestones placed along the upper brow line can create more drama.  Place little dots with your eyeliner to get the design and spacing right, then adhere them with eyelash glue.  If the costume is sparkly enhance that with matching glitter secured with Mode Dion’s Diva Glue.

Chinese Dancer

A Chinese Dancer only requires a very red lipstick applied just at the middle of the upper and lower lip to create a tiny rosebud mouth and lengthened eyeliner extended out at the sides of the eyes upwards. Meet the upper and lower eyeliners at the sides to close and angle eyes for an Asian look. If lids are naturally full they can easily be reduced to a more Asian almond eyed look by using black shadow across the lid. Very red cheeks just on the apples will make the face look rounder.

Dolls and Toys

The Doll/Toy look is an easy twist from a standard stage makeup look. Add more red cheek color to the rounds of the cheek.  Remove lip color from the sides of the mouth and create a more rounded lip look for a baby doll lip. Highlight the center of the upper and lower lip so the lips look even more pulled forward. Draw lines below lower lashes to look like painted on lashes and in between use white pencil to help them look more pronounced from a distance. Apply shimmer highlighter, like Mode Dion Shimmer Pot (opaque shimmer), to cheekbones, chin, forehead and down the center of nose to make skin look light and reflective like plastic. 

Clara and Children 

Clara and other children in the party scene should have a softer more natural looking makeup.  Skin should appear flawless by applying a matte oil-free foundation and powder.  Brows should be well defined and shaped along with lips and cheeks slightly flushed. Mode Dion’s Stage Red cheek color and  Rhubarb lipstick add just enough color to look natural and show up on stage. 

Men and Boys

Men and boys should be sure to wear foundation, concealer to cover dark circles under eyes and powder to set.  A cheek contour shade under cheekbones and along sides of nose will help further define features.  Shade sides of mouth with a natural lip pencil and apply a lipstick close to the same shade as lips.  Define brows, line eyes with brown liner lightly and apply black mascara.

For more step by step instructions and all the stage makeup needed to get these looks see modedion.com. For podcast tips see Christine Dion’s youTube channel “Mode Dion Makeup University”.

Mode Dion is a Cosmetic and Training Company deeply devoted to providing affordable, top quality cosmetics and education for the special needs of performers. From Dance, Show Choir, Cheer, Drill, Twirl, Ice Skating, Pageantry, Modeling and Acting, these talented performers need the right look, the right make-up and the skill to pull it all together for the most polished professional presentation.

Top photo: The Atlanta Ballet presents Nutcracker. Photo by C. McCullers, Courtesy of Atlanta Ballet

By Emily Yewell Volin

Teachers, you know the look.  It comes from that student who is hungry for more information about everything dance.  Perhaps this student is a beginner or maybe he or she is an accomplished dancer looking for a fresh perspective.  Either way, it’s essential for teachers to have quick access to resources that inform this curiosity and growth.  That’s where a solid dance library comes into play.  Here is a listing of the 10 books I reach for most when that eager learner shows up at my door. 

Technical Manual and Dictionary of Classical Ballet by Gail Grant – Dover Publications (1982)  ISBN 0486218430
Could I have started anywhere else?  It’s the consummate guide for ballet technique and essential for every library, if not every dance bag. 

Ballet-Student’s Primer:  A Concentrated Guide for Beginners of All Ages by Kay Ambrose in collaboration with Celia Franca- Random House Value Publishing ISBN 0517669137
A solid guide for the beginner student and an essential teacher resource when developing a beginning ballet class.  A tremendous illustrated ‘first steps’ guide with a sense of humor and strong sense of responsibility.

Jump Into Jazz:  the basics and beyond for the jazz dance student by Minda Goodman Kraines, Esther Pryor (2004) ISBN 0072844043
The brief and accurate history of jazz dance informs the beginning jazz dance student of the genre’s diverse styles.  The book is full of useful illustrations to assist in the explanation of basic jazz dance concepts, exercises and short combinations.  Students relish the ‘ah-hah’ moments reflected by class work mirrored in the book.

The Dancer Prepares by James Penrod, Janice Gudde Plastino – McGraw-Hill ISBN  0072557265
This book has it all.  There are clear explanations of how to engage in dance, as a dancer or a viewer of dance as well as information about basic anatomy, injuries and diet.  It concludes with concise attention to the history of and choreographic approaches to dance and a brief overview of how to critique dance.

Dynamic Alignment Through Imagery by Eric N. Franklin – Human Kinetics (1996) ISBN 0873224752
Eric N. Franklin has authored many books I consider essential to my library.  His creative visioning allows the dancer to process information about alignment in a non-traditional and highly effective manner.  The visualization exercises are categorized into improvisation, technical and performance related content.  Students respond to Franklin’s approach and the resulting growth in alignment and performance are often staggering.

Prime Movers:  The Makers of Modern Dance in America by Joseph H. Mazo – Princeton Book Company ISBN: 0871272113
The personal and creative histories of American Modern Dance pioneers come alive in this entertaining read.  And, the reader realizes we dancers are a community; no matter our differences in aesthetics, backgrounds and creative approaches.  History and inspiration go hand in hand.

The Art of Making Dances by Doris Humphrey, Barbara Pollack (Editor), Stuyvesant Van Veen (Illustrator) (1991)  ISBN: 0871271583
Originally written in 1958, just before Humphrey’s death, this guide remains the absolute go to publication for beginning choreographers; especially the hesitant ones.  Its practical approach provides comfortable ‘how to’ parameters.  This structure grants the reader a recipe of sorts.  Once accomplished, the knowledge of that recipe allows for greater independent choreographic exploration.  A very good place to start.

Writing about Dance by Wendy Oliver – Human Kinetics (2010) ISBN 0736076107
Writing exercises, rubrics and checklists; a logical guide for the beginning dance writer and observer.  This resource is clearly organized, easy to read and encouraging.  The ‘Class Observation Form’ is particularly useful in technique classes.  I credit it for facilitating meaningful experiences for students observing class due to injury or illness.

Psychology of Dance by Jim Taylor, Ceci Taylor – Human Kinetics (1995)
ISBN 0873224868
Plateaus in training and performance happen.  This book provides insights and exercises to help students and teachers actively address the psychological origins that may contribute to these rough spots.  Another practical guide that has helped many students navigate to their next level in both technique and performance aptitude.

Poor Dancer’s Almanac:  Managing Life and Work in the Performing Arts by David R. White, Lise Friedman (1993) ISBN 0822313197
As relevant now as ever.  Dancers frequently achieve great technical and performance ability.  However, many frequently do not have the knowledge of how to manage life and career within the field.  This non sugar-coated guide is an essential read for the student seeking longevity and independence in the world of dance.