February 2nd, 2012 by soul4dance

Assembled and presented by Third Rabbit Dance, The next Rabbit Show is one week from today. Playing Wed, Feb 8 at 7:00pm (doors at 6:00) at Bryant Lake Bowl. $1 off with Fringe button.

What do a ballet-burlesque fusion, an ode to a toddler, a soulful portrayal of a bluesy woman alone, some Classical Modern, some Post Modern, a contemporary belly-dance lament for a lost love, and a cry of anguish over cruelty in Nigeria have in common? They’re all about tenderness or the lack of it. That’s the theme for this Rabbit Show.

Choreographers this time include veterans Sarah LaRose Holland with Kinetic Evolutions company, Kalila Indivar’s Smiling Lune company, Jim Lieberthal, Deidre Kellogg, and Mirah Ammal’s Al-Bahira company, plus Kimberly Lesik, Maria Fontana’s Cabaret, Karen Gullikson, new faces Ruth Glaeser, and Betsy Schaefer and John Munger the Em-Cee himself.

The whole point of the Rabbit Show is to introduce new audiences to dance and to introduce audiences for one artist to other artists. So bring a friend. Introduce somebody to something. Doors at 6:00pm on Wed Feb 8, performance (a little over an hour) at 7:00pm. Reservations and so forth at bryantlakebowl.com, or at612-825-8949. Food and drink available before and during the performance. Tickets are $7 - $12 sliding as you choose, but you can get in for only $6 with a current Fringe Button.

January 25th, 2012 by soul4dance

A wealth of young talent shone onstage at the Royal Albert Hall.

A big thank you to everyone who took part in last night’s fantastic Dance Proms – from the brilliant performers, to their teachers who choreographed the pieces and the chaperones, to our guest acts, patrons, enthusiastic audience members and hardworking backstage crew!

With more than 450 young dancers taking to the stage at the Royal Albert Hall, it was an evening to remember with a finale that brought the packed Hall to their feet for a standing ovation.
The young dancers showcased a huge range of dance styles and cultural influences – from classic ballroom and beautiful ballet to energetic tap, Kathak, Spanish and thought-provoking contemporary dance –there truly was something for everyone to enjoy on the night.
Many great names from the world of dance were in attendance and guests including Dame Beryl Grey DBE, Lady Deborah MacMillan, Bonnie Langford, Baroness Hooper, Steven McRae, Karen Hardy, Mark Summers, Sir Peter Wright, Kevin O’Hare, Jack Petchey CBE, Anthony Van Laast and Chris Hollins all showed their support for the performers on stage.
Wayne Sleep OBE commented, “Dance Proms has surely paved the way for an annual event bringing all dance styles together, at last!”

Guest acts, including Darren Bennett and Lilia Kopylova and Principals of The Royal Ballet Marianela Nuñez and Thiago Soares, provided inspirational performances.

But without a doubt the night belonged to the young performers who had come from all over the country to the Royal Albert Hall and, after months of hard work and a full day of final rehearsals, delighted us all with their exceptional talent and professionalism.

January 20th, 2012 by soul4dance

For a dancer, injury is their greatest fear, but for the injured and disabled, Aubree Marchione believes their greatest hope is dance. Marchione has been teaching and participating in wheelchair ballroom for years, and is testament to its advantages, but recently she has decided to produce a documentary which showcases proven benefits of Wheelchair Dancing with the hope of spreading awareness and reaching out to countless more who are wheelchair bound.

“Wheelchair Dancing originated in Europe in the 60s and became very popular over there,” says Marchione, who explains that there are “two different types of Wheelchair Dancing — Combi style, which is when a person without a disability dances with a person in a wheelchair, and Duos, which is when two people, both in wheelchairs, dance together.”

Marchione has done her part in promoting Wheelchair Ballroom, her specialty within the Wheelchair Dancing field. On October 25th 2011, Aubree and her dance partner Nick Scott performed at the Jewish Foundation for Group Homes ‘Evening of Dancing with the Stars (DWTS),’ where the pair showcased their Wheelchair Ballroom skills in front of 2,000 people, including some of DWTS’ professionals and contestants, thanks to the non-profit organization that supports those with disabilities.

Together the pair has won first place in the Latin division for both the ‘Atlantic Coast Dancesport’ competition in Philadelphia in June 2010 and the ‘Heart of America Dancesport’ competition in Kansas in August 2010.

Since then Marchione has put her talents to use by co-choreographing for the TLC special ‘The Girl with the Tiny Legs’ and in producing the award winning documentary “Perspective: the Nick Scott Story’ with 2BEntertainment. Now she’s combining her choreography and production skills for the upcoming documentary on Wheelchair Dancing’s benefits.

The documentary will be focused around a course given by ‘American Dance Wheels,’ a non-profit organization that teaches both students and teachers like Marchione how to Wheelchair Ballroom dance. A group of veterans in California have invited the organization to give them a course for the month of January 2012, where they will show the effects of the program by conducting a study on the mental, physical and social benefits of the activity.

The activity also helps socially because “a lot of people who get hurt or aren’t used to being in a wheelchair get depressed and don’t want to go out of their house or see anyone. Wheelchair Ballroom is a way for these people to go out with their families and be part of society again. It integrates disabled people with able-bodied people and that’s really important.”

Lastly it helps mentally because “dancing helps you focus by learning the steps and leading or following your partner, and dancing in general is proven to help Alzheimer’s and other mental diseases.

This study will help give credibility to these claims, but to this dancer, “it’s already been proven; we’ve seen it with our own eyes.

January 11th, 2012 by soul4dance

Dancing can be magical and transforming. It can breathe new life into a tired soul; make a spirit soar; unleash locked-away creativity; unite generations and cultures; inspire new romances or rekindle old ones; trigger long-forgotten memories; and turn sadness into joy, if only during the dance.

On a more physical level, dancing can give you a great mind-body workout. Researchers are learning that regular physical activity in general can help keep your body, including your brain, healthy as you age. Exercise increases the level of brain chemicals that encourage nerve cells to grow. And dancing that requires you to remember dance steps and sequences boosts brain power by improving memory skills.

There has been some promising research in this area, according to Rita Beckford, M.D., a family doctor and spokesperson for the American Council on Exercise. For instance, a 2003 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that ballroom dancing at least twice a week made people less likely to develop dementia. Research also has shown that some people with Alzheimer’s disease are able to recall forgotten memories when they dance to music they used to know.

Whether it’s ballet or ballroom, clogging or jazz, dance is great for helping people of all ages and physical abilities get and stay in shape. There’s even chair dancing for people with physical limitations. A 150-pound adult can burn about 150 calories doing 30 minutes of moderate social dancing.

December 26th, 2011 by soul4dance

USA Dance is honored and pleased to announce that Dancing With The Star’s Celebrity Judge Carrie Ann Inaba will return to the USA Dance National DanceSport Championships in Baltimore, March 30-April 1, 2012, as Honorary Celebrity Judge for the 3rd-annual USA Dance Star Quality Awards.

The Star Quality Awards were first launched with great success at the 2008 USA Dance Nationals in Baltimore and then again at the 2009 Nationals in Los Angeles. Only in 2010 did the awards program not occur when Carrie Ann’s DWTS schedule prevented her attendance in Baltimore. The Star Quality Awards supplement and are outside of the traditional judging that occurs at Nationals; awards are presented by Carrie Ann, following the final round awards presentation of each division to the one couple that exhibited exceptional and unique “star performance” qualities. Their placement in the final round is not a criteria for the Star Quality Award decision.

Carrie Ann will be present throughout most of Nationals 2012, attending various educational and VIP functions. She will hold press interviews and a meet-greet autograph session with fans on the USA Dance Red Carpet.

November 16th, 2011 by soul4dance

OVATION’S “BATTLE OF THE NUTCRACKERS” PROGRAMMING EVENT TO FEATURE THE US TELEVISION PREMIERE OF MARIINSKY THEATRE’S THE NUTCRACKER ON DECEMBER 12

Hosted by Nigel Lythgoe and Debbie Allen, ”Battle of the Nutcrackers”Includes a Full Week of Nutcracker Ballets from St. Petersburg, Berlin, London, and Moscow, Plus a Surprise Addition Airing Christmas Day

SANTA MONICA, CA – October 20, 2011 — Ovation, the only multi-platform network celebrating all forms of artistic expression, is continuing its holiday tradition with the 5th annual “Battle of the Nutcrackers” programming event kicking off Monday, December 12. Co-hosted by Nigel Lythgoe, co-creator, executive producer and judge of ”So You Think You Can Dance” and executive producer of ”American Idol,”and director/producer/choreographer/actress Debbie Allen, “Battle of the Nutcrackers” will include the US television premiere of Mariinsky Theatre‘s The Nutcracker, as well as diverse ballets from Moscow, Berlin and London.

Beginning the week of December 12, Ovation will feature a different production of the Nutcracker every night of the week and viewers will be invited to vote for their favorite rendition online at www.ovationtv.com. The Viewers‟ Choice will be revealed on Christmas Eve, December 24th. Christmas Day, December 25th, will bring a special surprise Nutcracker premiere, accompanied by an all-day marathon of the other productions.

Nigel Lythgoe and Debbie Allen will introduce all of the productions and provide insight and commentary about the ballet companies, the dancers and the tradition of the Nutcracker, as well as reveal the Viewers„ Choice.

Program highlights of “The Battle of the Nutcrackers” include:

• The Nutcracker (Available in High Definition) – US Television Premiere: Monday, December 12 at 8:00 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT. Presented from the historic opera and ballet house, the State Academic Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg, Russia, where The Nutcracker was first performed in 1892. This lively 2007 production with fanciful sets and costumes was helmed by avant-garde artist Mikhail Shemiakin and features Irina Golub and Leonid Sarafanov.

• Royal Opera House: The Nutcracker (Available in High Definition) — Tuesday, December 13 at 8:00 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT. The Royal Ballet, the resident ballet company of the Royal Opera House in London, was founded in 1931 and is an internationally renowned classical ballet company. In this very lush, traditional production, filmed in HD in 2009, the role of Clara is played by Iohna Loots and the Sugar Plum Fairy is played by Miyako Yoshida.

• The Nutcracker: Berlin State Opera Ballet — Wednesday, December 14 at 8:00 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT. Patrice Bart‟s version of the classic Nutcracker tale is overflowing with dramatic twists and turns. The Berlin State Opera Ballet fills this production with vigor and graceful dance movements.

• Bolshoi Ballet: The Nutcracker– Thursday, December 15 at 8:00 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT. This beautiful, classic presentation of The Nutcracker comes to life through the sophisticated choreography of Yuri Grigorovich, who has danced and choreographed with the Bolshoi for decades. Natalya Arkhipov stars as Clara, and Aleksandr Kopilov conducts The Bolshoi Theater Orchestra in this elegant take on the traditional tale.

• Matthew Bourne’s Nutcracker! – Friday, December 16, 8 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT. This delicious contemporary production is full of pathos and theatrical magic. From a hilariously bleak Christmas Eve at Dr. Dross‟ Orphanage, to the spectacular candy folk of Sweetieland, Clara‟s journey passes through Oliver Twist, the Ice Capades and the kaleidoscopic fantasy of Busby Berkeley musicals.

On November 1, viewers can get a sneak peek of “Battle of the Nutcrackers” when three of the productions will be made available on Video on Demand: featured in Comcast XFINITY‟s Top Picks and on DIRECTV, DISH, Verizon FiOS, Insight and GCI.

The Nutcracker began as a story, The Nutcracker and the Mouse King, written in 1816 by E. T. A. Hoffmann in which young Clara Stahlbaum’s favorite Christmas toy, the Nutcracker, comes alive and, after defeating the evil Mouse King in battle, whisks her away to a magical kingdom populated by dolls. In 1892, the Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and choreographers Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov turned the story’s adapted version into the ballet The Nutcracker, and is today, one of the most popular ballets in the world.

About Ovation:

Ovation is the only multi-platform network celebrating all forms of artistic expression. Its programming tells the stories of artists, their work, and the powerful impact art has on each of us. Ovation programming is a one-of-a-kind mix of original and selectively curated documentaries, series, films and specials. The network reaches a national audience of 44 million homes and is available on cable systems across the country, as
well as nationally on DIRECTV, Dish and Verizon FiOS. Ovation is also available in HD and VOD (both in standard and high definition). Ovation extends its linear channel experience for viewers online via its popular website, www.ovationtv.com. In addition to offering contests, trivia, facts and supplemental video online, the network has created an award-winning online community (www.ovationtv.com/community) for everyone from passionate artists to the curious.

To date, over 180,000 pieces of original art have been uploaded to the site by members.

For further information contact:

November 16th, 2011 by soul4dance

“One Dance. One Chance”

Winning class receives a $10,000 scholarship PLUS national television exposure!

Ovation, the only network devoted to arts culture, this month launched a national dance competition, “One Dance. One Chance. ” The competition offers dance groups with students ages 13 and up a chance to win a $10,000 Grant or Scholarship for their school or ensemble PLUS a 30-second spot on Ovation. Five finalist groups will also receive a $1,000 Grant or Scholarship for their school or ensemble.

To enter, dance groups with at least 3 members should submit a 1-3 minute video of a recent performance to www.ovationtv.com/dancecontest between August 15 and December 1. A panel of accredited dance teachers will choose 25 semi-finalists. The semi-finalists will then be judged by an independent panel of professional dancers and choreographers, who will choose four finalists and the Grand Prize winner. The semi-finalists will also be eligible for the Viewer’s Choice Award via online voting. The finalists, Viewer’s Choice winner and Grand Prize winner will be announced January 2012.

The competition is open to all dance groups, classes, ensembles, troupes and crews in the U.S., with members age 13+. To enter, dance groups with at least three members should submit a 1-3 minute video of a recent performance. So get ready to show what you’ve got and prove that your group has all the right moves!

Competition runs August 15 – December 1.

For more info, visit: ovationtv.com/dancecontest

Check out the video for your Reference : One Dance One Chance Contest

October 14th, 2011 by soul4dance

Dance is one of the most stunning forms of art that has grown in leaps and bounds. Dance is no longer just a hobby; it is also one of the most rewarding professions as well!

Besides, dance therapy is very much in vogue these days simply because the experience of dancing helps a person to heal from within. Dance is a form of expression that helps a person to discover a whole new world! The different types of dances and dance styles that are prevalent all over the world are an indication of the popularity of this art form.

Every dance form has its own unique identity.

Waltz: The Waltz is a slow dance and has a beautiful form. This is one of the most attractive and rhythmic styles.

Foxtrot: Foxtrot, as a dance style, flexible and has a combination of slow and fast movements.

Quickstep: This style belongs to the International Style of Ballroom dancing which originated in the 1920’s. This dance includes many steps with quick momentum.

Cha-Cha-Cha: The Cha-cha-cha is a very energetic dance and is danced with passion and excessive energy.

Rumba: A sensual dance is based on slow hip movement. This is known for the slow rhythmic movements which are performed very gracefully.

Paso Doble: focus on hip movement and a highly energetic dance; this is a dance which is inspired from the Spanish bullfights.

Swing Dance: This dance originated in the 1920s - 1930s. There are many versions of the Swing dance such as the Lindy Hop, Jitterbug, Boogie Woogie, West Coast Swing, Rock and Roll etc. Rock ‘n’ Roll is a very sporty form of dance that is extremely popular as well.

October 13th, 2011 by soul4dance

A Belgian choreographer, Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker has accused ‘Beyonce’ of ripping off her moves in the video for the R’n'B latest single Countdown. There’s footage of the striking resemblance of the two sets of steps performed by Beyonce and Anne.

Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker, is one of the most respected figures in the European Modern Dance scene. She has described the video as “plagiarism”. Beyonce’s single came out last week and the moves which are danced in the video can been seen long before when performed by Anne.

Details of the Video:

Ø In the video Beyonce is singing in an abandoned building with other dancers performing dance moves in the background in uncannily similar to a piece danced by De Keersmaeker’s dance company called ‘Rosas Danst Rosas’. It debuted in 1983, but is still being performed.

Ø The other moves which appear similar are those created by De Keersmaeker for her production ‘Achterland’, which won a Dance Screen Award in 1994.

Check out the video below for the similarities between the two!

October 12th, 2011 by soul4dance

The moonwalk is a dance technique which creates an illusion of the dancer being pulled backwards while attempting to walk forward. This is a pop move, which became popular around the world after “Michael Jackson” executed the dance moves during his performance of ‘Billie Jean’ in March, 1983. It became his signature move and now is one of the best known dance techniques in the world.

How to do the moon walk:

This is an illusion which creates the appearance of the dancer gliding in a backwards direction. It starts off with the front foot held flat on the ground and the back foot is in a tiptoe position. Next the front foot remains on the ground but it is slid lightly and smoothly backwards past the tiptoe back foot, now this foot becomes the front foot and is lowered while the back foot is raised to a tiptoe position

This is repeated over and over with variations added to create new routines.