Tie my shoes! My Feet Hurt! Sound Familiar? Maria makes a case for why teachers should toss the dance shoes aside and ask preschoolers to dance barefoot.
The Perfect (and Painless) Ballet Bun – It Can Be Done!
October 29, 2012 by 10 Comments
Going beyond ‘how to make a ballet bun’, Angeline’s tutorial provides tips that help moms and dance teachers keep your dancers comfortable during the bun-making process. These pointers for pain-free and hygienic hairstyling are a must for exam and competition days!
A Ballet DVD For Petite Feet
February 12, 2012 by 36 Comments
Enter to win the Petite Feet DVD. The video incorporates activities, grounded in Laban Movement Analysis, that playfully connect movement education to everyday learning. It offers a gender neutral ballet experience that, like Liz Vacco’s classes, is enjoyed by girls and boys alike. A wonderful addition to the DVDs in your child’s collection. Giveaway ends Feb 16, 2012.
This Is Why I Bother
December 21, 2011 by 7 Comments
To those who aren’t dancers or teachers, all the little rules and details we observe and require of our students may seem silly or pointless. But we have our reasons and they’re illustrated in Melanie Doskocil’s final entry for the year in Ballet’s Un-X-pected Lesson Files.
What’s Not To Love About A Pink Walrus?
October 22, 2011 by 1 Comment
Take little dancers on a Ballet Adventure with Liz Vacco. Her Petite Feet DVD presents developmentally appropriate ballet concepts and vocabulary with imaginative stories and imagery and original songs. The set and a friendly Walrus have Yo Gabba Gabba charm but there are more reasons kids, parents, and teachers will love this new DVD for young dancers.
Burnout, Obstacles, and Overcommitment
September 27, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Mental Performance Consultant, Chantale Lussier-Ley, who works extensively with dancers has already given us her professional advice on “quitting dance” and on nurturing positive rivalry in dance. This time we asked her three quick but big questions on Burnout, Obstacles, Overcommitment. See what she had to say to parents on these important topics.
How To Nurture Positive Rivalry in Competition and Dance at Home
August 9, 2011 by 1 Comment
How dance students feel, interpret, and react to competition, is often a reflection of how competition is perceived and valued at home. Learn how to discuss the purpose of competition with your child, encourage excellence and debrief after a competition, and offer unconditional positive support so that his/her experience is a healthy one.
“Mom, I want to quit dance.”
July 23, 2011 by 2 Comments
Dropping out is a big deal when you’ve invested a lot in dance training. How does a parent get to the bottom of their child’s desire to quit? Do you let her quit or make her stick it out? Chantale Lussier-Ley, a mental performance consultant who’s worked a lot with dancers, helps parents handle this situation with finesse and confidence.
Who Are These Boys Who Choose Dance?
April 29, 2011 by 17 Comments
As a teacher and a dancer, I like to think I’ve always brought to my work an awareness and sensitivity of the challenges boys and men face in the dance world. The moment I became a mom to a young son, however, I became more keenly aware of the many “rules” that surround both boyhood and the parenting of boys, especially when it comes to dance. This and more are explored in the recently completed video series by DanceLifeTV called Male Voices which puts a spotlight on some of the young male dancers at the Rhee Gold school.
5 Considerations Before You Buy Ballet Shoes For Little Feet
March 8, 2011 by 12 Comments
If you are a parent with an aspiring dancer, nothing is more exciting for both of you than getting all the necessary apparel, including a first or new pair of ballet shoes. However, for little feet, it is very important to get the right shoes at the right price. Consider these 5 points before you buy ballet slippers for a young student.
How Much Dance Should My Child Be Taking? – Money and Value
October 11, 2010 by 4 Comments
You may still have concerns about your investment in dance training. Your child is busy, taking hours of dance class per week, and you are wondering, “Is all of this money going toward the right things? Is my budding dancer getting what he or she needs for the best value?”
How Much Dance Should My Child Be Taking? – The Equation
September 29, 2010 by 8 Comments
If your child is asking, investigate the reasons she wants to take a new or additional dance class. Costume style, choreography, musical accompaniment, or maintaining friendships may be no less valid or less important to her than the desire to enhance her skills. Dance should be fun, too! Do not devalue or brush away these motivations, they are part of the equation.
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