Dance Costumes

I don't know about you but I absolutely hate it when I go to a dance competition and I see and amazing dance but the costume is absolutely ugly! This draws attention to what the dancers are wearing instead of the focus being on the dance. The costume is supposed to accentuate the dancers body and the way he or she moves throughout the dance. What the dancers wear is also supposed to help tell the story of the routine. The dancers should also look and feel confident in it. On the other hand the costume doesn't have to be over the top to win, but it does help sometimes. You could be an amazing dancer performing in a terrible costume and still do well, you just stand out more when your costume adds to the dance. You'll always be remembered by your dancing and even more with a great costume. I have experienced having to wear a costume I did not believe was the best choice for the routine. I can tell you I did not enjoy it. But no matter what, your choreographer has the final say in what you wear. So sometimes we have to suck it up and dance through it. Here are some great dance costume magazines that have amazing costumes.
 http://www.awishcometrue.com/
http://www.kellecompany.com/
https://curtaincallcostumes.com/
http://www.weissmanscostumes.com/default.aspx

Double Attitude Jump

A double attitude jump looks just like a regular leap except both your legs are bent. You can either chasse (

a gliding step in dancing in which one foot displaces the other) into this jump or you can Assemblé (Assemblé is a ballet movement in which the dancer’s feet or legs are brought together in the air, then lands on both feet.)

then perform the jump. Here's what the double attitude jumps should look like.

Quote

Ok let's be honest now, we all love dance but there are always days where you just don't want to be there. Sometimes your dance teacher seems to keep calling just you out on practice days, your incredibly sore, or maybe you have a ton a homework you need to finish. This happens to me a lot to be honest. There are always days where I just want a break from it all. Here's a little quote that helps me get through the hard practices.

 

The moment you step off that stage and you know you put your heart and soul out on the floor, you know it's all worth it in the end. Especially when you get to dance and have the time of your lives with your best friends. Think about this next time you're just not feeling it at practice. 

Ballet Positions

Ballet is the root of all dance. I'm sure you've heard this a million times before from your dance teachers but it's very true. It's important to have a good foundation for your dancing and ballet will help you get there. It will also improve your balance and control. Most dancers prefer contemporary or jazz dancing over ballet because there's more freedom, ballet might not be the most exciting style of dance but it is extremely helpful. So let's start at square one, ballet positions.

First Position
First position is the simplest position. It is done by placing your heels together and turning your feet out, so they are facing away from each other.

Second Position
This is the same as first except your heels aren't touching and your are in a wider stance.

Third Position
Third position is where your left foot is directly under you and your right heel is place right in the middle of the inside of your left foot. It should look like a "T" on it's side.

Fourth Position 
Forth position is when your feet are placed turned outward with one in front of the other, separated by the distance of one step.

Fifth Position
Fifth position is the same as fourth position except your front foot is immediately in front of but touching the other foot so that the toe of the back foot touches the heel of the front foot.

The Pulse On Tour

Tonight I just got home from The Pulse On Tour and I have to say it was yet again an amazing experience. I've been several times before and each year gets better and better. The Pulse On Tour is a dance convention where you get take classes from professional dancers and choreographers who teach you their own creative dances they've choreographed. Some of the teachers this year included Dave Scott, Gil Duldulao, Ian Eastwood, and Brian Friedman just to name a few. I especially enjoyed Dave Scott's hip hop dances and Tessandra Chavez's contemporary dance. I also got to perform in the opening number at the showcase they had, which was a blast! I had a fantastic time dancing on The Pulse stage with the energy from all the other dancers plus the great choreography we were taught. I strongly recommend going to The Pulse On Tour, you grow as a dancer and of course have a ton of fun! The Pulse On Tour has already gone to a few states and some it's too late to register so you should definitely go this year if you still can or plan on going next year. It is a great opportunity to learn from the best and to have a super enjoyable time. Plus they give out $30,000 in scholarships per city! So while you're dancing maybe you'll impress your teacher and they might hand pick you to receive a scholarship. There are many different levels you can choose from, whichever one you think is appropriate for you. For the younger ones (ages eight to thirteen) there's an organization called Camp pulse. This is a separate event geared toward introducing the novice dancers to the convention style setting. The other levels include intermediate, high intermediate, advanced, and pro. I again had an awesome time and all dancers should participate at The Pulse On Tour! Check it out! http://www.thepulseontour.com/

Pirouettes

A pirouette is a turn done on the ball of your foot with the other foot placed at the knee and your arms are usually rounded in front of you. Pirouettes are very simple but the more you can do the more impressive it is. To do a right single pirouette, you first prepare by placing your left foot in front of your right foot. You can either have your feet spread away from each other in a fourth position or for a more challenging way to do your pirouette, you can prepare in fifth position, which is when your right heel is touching the toes of your left foot. Have your right arm straight in front of you and your left one straight reaching to the left. Your arms should look like a backwards "L". The next part all happens in one fluid motion. So what you do is bend both your knees in plié ( A movement in which the knees are bent while the back is held straight.) Then you open your right arm to the right, push off both feet and bring your right foot up your leg to your left knee, Your right knee can either be facing straight forward or facing the side turned out. You do all this then make a full rotation going clockwise. Keep your head and eyes forward until the very last second then snap it around. This is called spotting, which is required to perform any turns. Spotting also prevents dizziness and helps you control your turns. Once you finish your single turn, put your right foot down off your knee and behind your left foot in a small lunge. After you've mastered a single turn you can work on getting your double, triples, quads and so on. You will just have to spot the number of times you turn. Some tips on how to make your turns more clean is to squeeze all your muscles in tight and hold your core. The more you work on your pirouettes the sharper and more controlled they will look. You will also be able to do more the more you practice.        

Grande Jete/Leaps

A grande jete, also known as a leap, is a jump in which you do a split in the air. A leap is a very common jump dancer use in routines. There are many different kinds of leaps you can do, straddle leaps, back attitude leaps, switch leaps, etc. The most common ,split leap, is what I will show you how to do. First make sure you always stretch both legs before doing your leaps or else you could possibly injure yourself. I recommend you stretch your lunges and your splits. After you are fully stretched you are ready to do a leap. If you want to do a right leap (the right leg is extended in front of you while your left leg is extended behind) stand up straight and place your right leg in front of you with your foot pointed. There are several different combinations you can do before your leap but usually dancers chassé once (a chassé is when you slide your forward foot and bend your forward knee, then quickly bring your back foot to meet with the front foot. You should be in the air when your feet meet.),step onto your right foot, then step with your left and then push off your left leg as hard as you can and extend your right in front of you and left leg behind you. You should look like you're doing a right split in the air. Do the opposite for a left leap. The higher your legs are the more impressive your leaps will look. If your leaps are not as high as you want them to be keep stretching, especially your splits, and practice them consistently. Never give up and keep working hard!