Winning Essays from the "Live to Dance" Essay Writing Contest

For the last few months Absolute Dance held an essay writing contest for their dancers.  The contest, entitled "Live to Dance", asked students why they dance and what it means to them.  We were so pleased to have gotten so many entries, all with different perspective on dance and its importance in the lives of our dancers.  In fact, we had to pick a winning essay AND a runner up because it was too hard to decide!  Thanks to all those who participated.  Your words were uplifting to the the staff members who had a chance to read them.  Congratulations to Megan Teh, our 1st place winner and Dylan MacPhail, our runner up!  Here's what they had to say...

Dance: The Language Of Movement

Dance is the language of movement.  The music can be fast paced or slow and melodious but as a dancer you can capture and portray the emotions, images, or thoughts through your body, transforming it into something absolutely beautiful.  Dance can be for oneself, the steps bringing delight to the performer in their own little world or can be everyone to enjoy and take part in the experience.  Dancers are artists and actors, painting the stage with passion, becoming who they aren’t.   To me dance is an escape, a place where I can feel the music, dancing for my own pleasure as well as the people around me, a place I can become a million different characters. With dance I can show people I have never met who I am. 

Music for dance can sound like anything, it can carry undertones of feeling beneath layers of intricate rhythms and beats or it can be simple and calming.  No matter the melody a dancer can bring it to life in different forms to create a story.   A dancer may mime different positions in the story to depict certain events or emotions.  Fists crossed in a downward position for death or the right middle and pointer finger held upwards toward the sky the opposite hand placed upon ones chest for promise.  Even if the music doesn’t change the message may change depending on the way it is displayed.  Dancing a piece a certain way may show urgency and sorrow while another depiction may be illustrating pleasure.  Simple head movements or arm gestures can change the whole meaning of a dance.   You must show passion when you dance or the audience will not receive the significance of the scene.  When you show enjoyment for the art then the audience will enjoy the performance even more.  I love dancing because you can take the music and the choreography and manipulate it to render a certain image in the watchers mind.

Dance should bring pleasure to the sender and the receiver.  When one dances in the kitchen among the tall stools or in the middle of a field with the grass beneath your feet, the sky being the only witness, you dance for yourself.  Your well being benefiting from the world only you can find.  When you dance for yourself music is not necessary, motions and movement bring happiness, filling your heart with joy.   It is different with an audience; you have not only yourself to please but also the spectators.  It brings out different feelings excitement, nervousness, and personal achievement.  When we dance for other artists we can appreciate each others talents.  We can help each other obtain goals that had once been miles away.  The feelings dance brings to me, the ability to escape life, to please others and to help one another are a few reason why I’m drawn to this art of movement. 

Dancers are actors without voice and artists without tools, the brush their body, the paint their motions.  When you dance it does not matter who you are for if you can dance you can act, you can turn into a crippled witch or a sprightly fairy.  You may pull personalities onto the stage and into the movements.  On stage you can draw yourself in a different light; you can be someone who you aren’t.  You can deceive the audience, they do not need to know you are shy or nervous for you can elude yourself for even just a few minutes or you can show spectators you will never talk to who you are as a person.  With dance you can paint a picture to escape into a different character or to allow the audience to capture your true colours.  With dance I can evade the nerve wracking feeling I obtain when I meet people, I can become anyone I like, Titania from a Midsummer’s Night Dream or Pierret from Harlequinade.

To dance I am devoted.  I can create images and portray emotion through elaborate to plain gestures from sophisticated melodies to unadorned tunes. I can flee reality and enter a personal universe lined with dreams and imaginings or discover the excitement of performing for onlookers and peers.  And it is the ability to change who you are for even a moment, or to display your genuine character.  There are many more reasons dance has a part of my life, but without being able to display thoughts, to perform for your heart and others pleasure and the capacity to become that you are not, or to elaborate who you are, dance would not have the same aura.  To dance of which I adore, I give my salutations.

By Megan Teh  

Why I love to Dance

           

            Dance is not something I do, it is who I am. I live dance. I dream dance. When I hear music, my body moves. It calms me down when I’m frustrated. It makes me happy. Most important of all it makes me, ME!

             I have been dancing since I was 3 years old, for the past 10 years! I have loved dance since I was in class, pointing and flexing my feet, with Miss Meaghan in a circle. Now, learning harder choreography and techniques, I love the challenge. I love everything about dance! The music, the jumps, the turns, and the wonderful classes with my favorite teachers at Absolute Dance.

            Dance, to me, is a lifestyle, not a hobby. To some people dancing is not important, but to me I see it as something I need to do and enjoy, it is everything. Everyone has something they like to do whether its hockey, football, gymnastics, or dance. To me I love dance for every reason! I also love dance because it’s a fun way to get exercise.

            I love the studio because it’s like a home to me and everyone gets included. I love to dance with my five best friends.

            The year of my first solo I was very nervous and excited. When I first got on stage I was anxious but when the music started I calmed down and enjoyed it. At the end of competition, I was announced “first over all” in my category!  I love to dance on stage for my family and friends. My second solo I was more confident and more prepared for what was going to happen on stage. I practiced, and practiced and practiced! I was really proud of myself.

            I am so happy that I got the chance to dance when I was younger and express who I am. Now I assist teachers to help the little kids learn new techniques and hopefully love dance as much as I do. That is why I love and have a passion for dance!

By: Dylan MacPhail

Autumn Update

Having officially settled into the year, it is so great when the time comes when teachers start to see real progress in their classes.  The first few weeks back, students are always trying to get their bodies back into shape.  After 3 weeks dancers typically perform at a similar level that they were at towards the end of the previous season.  The good stuff comes at the end of October when students really start to progress in a noticeable way.  I find that at each level there is something big to get excited about.  For instance, we are really focusing on cou-de-pied position with my Grade Two class.  This is a position with the foot placed low at the ankle and has been in their repertoire for a few years.  Now, we are finally at a stage where they are understanding the finer details of the position and this change is opening many doors for them.  In my Grade Four class, the time has finally arrived where they are ready to take the leg off the floor to arabesque.  This is a very complicated position that takes a lot of work to master.  It is a challenge for them but still it is obvious that they are up to it and have the necessary body awareness and ability to figure it out.  Again, knowing this placement will pave the way to new steps and elements.  Even in the older classes, as the true concept of turn out and posture are becoming more automatic and the basic foundation has been laid, we are getting closer and closer to being able to accomplish much more sophisticated movements.  Hooray for progress!
With all these changes I think it's safe to say we are officially ready for the busy month that November promises to be.  In mid October a few students were fortunate enough to work with choreographer Mindy Conto who was brought in from Ontario to work specifically with students from Absolute Dance.  It is one thing for studios to host the odd workshop here and there, but to have someone fly in to work privately on competition pieces is a real privilege.  We are so happy that Mindy was able to free a few days in her busy schedule to visit.
Next up, Absolute Dance will be holding their second Mom's Night Out.  Held on the 28th at 7 pm, Mom's are welcome to the studio to take part in a Bollywood inspired fitness class, followed by some shopping with Fair Planet.  On Halloween evening, many Absolute dancers will be performing at the Northland Mall and are busy putting together a few original hip hop pieces for the event.  Don't forget that The Royal Winnipeg Ballet will be in town with its production of Wonderland from October 27 - 29.  In early November, Canada's National Ballet School will be visiting Calgary and will hold open classes and auditions for their summer school.  Students are strongly encouraged to attend.  Absolute Dance will also continue their visit to preschool classes around the city, bringing a dance experience to little ones outside its studio doors.
Amidst all the madness, several students will also be participating in a ballet exam and many will be performing in our upcoming production of Cinderella.  It is a huge project but things are already starting to come together.  Costumes have been ordered, set decorations have been purchased and the task of building a giant pumpkin has begun!  In the studio, each group of dancers has already learned their first piece and are well into the second one.  With the ballet set to a score by Sergei Prokofiev, the dancers have all noticed that the ballet version of this story has a very quirky personality.  The music is very dissonant sounding, is often in a minor key and has irregular phrases.  The initial reaction from the mice was that it sounded spooky!  Initially, I was a bit intimidated by the task of choreographing to the music but as we have delved deeper into things I have become more accustomed to the way that Prokofiev works and his music has told me where to go as far as character choices and blocking.  I recently listened to an interview with british choreographer Christopher Wheeldon who has created many ballets to very unstable sounding music.  He admitted being intimidated by working with his musical choices but remarked on how it is better to put yourself in an uncomfortable position as it will make your skills better in the end and will demand more from you.  I will keep his comments in mind as I attempt to put the finishing touches on our production!
Before we know it, December will be upon us!  Here's hoping we all stay healthy as we transition into the holiday season.  Stay tuned for the winner of the Absolute Dance essay writing contest who's "Live to Dance" essay will be posted right here come late November.

NBoC Offers Something for Everything During Their 60th Anniversary Tour

So the year is officially underway and so far we are off to an excellent start.  While some classes are having to jump right into preparations for ballet exams, I have noticed that across the board everyone came to class during the first week open to learning and ready to work hard.  Let's hope that the enthusiasm and determination lasts throughout the year.
September is always a month that can leave us feeling exhausted.  After the first week not only was my body hurting but I also had some sleepless nights.  I found myself so wound up about getting back into the regular schedule that I couldn't turn it all off at night.  I dreamt about everything from battement fondu, to placing kids in lines.  One morning I woke up wondering if I really did give such a harsh correction to a student.  It took a few minutes to assure myself that it hadn't really happened.  Phew!
No matter how busy we get, I think it is incredibly important to get out to see dance performances as often as possible.  Calgary is fortunate enough to have a professional ballet company and we have to make sure that we don't take this for granted.  With continuous cuts to the arts and the expense of having a professional ballet company, being able to go to the ballet is a foreign thing for many people who live in Canada.  When I was young and living in Saskatoon, The National Ballet of Canada (NBoC), Alberta Ballet and Royal Winnipeg Ballet (RWB) would visit every few years.  Nowadays, I know that for the most part only the Royal Winnipeg Ballet is able to visit larger centers in Saskatchewan.  The Alberta Ballet takes its tour only as far as Edmonton.  Let's consider ourselves fortunate to have the Alberta Ballet close at hand and when companies like the NBoC visit Calgary, it really is something to get excited about.
Even with as much history as there is when it comes to ballet, in order for it to survive, it is really important that it continue to evolve and respond to changes in its audiences.  Canadian ballet companies have done a great job in creating new works that appeal to a broader audience base and encourage newcomers to fill theatre seats.  RWB had a very successful tour of Moulin Rouge not too long ago and Albertans are still raving about the recent Elton John tribute, Love Lies Bleeding.  Sure there is great value in remounting the greats like Giselle and Swan Lake but Calgarians had no hesitations when the NBoC announced it would bring a mixed program to Alberta in celebration of its 60th Anniversary.
The evening boasted 4 short ballets, 3 of which were contemporary and the fourth which was classical at first glance but had a playful hungarian flare.  The opening piece, the second detail, was choreographed by William Forsythe and opened to a very monochromatic scene.  The stage was draped in white with grey folding chairs lined up against the back.  The dancers all wore grey and the word "the" was placed downstage off of centre.  The score used a variety of instruments but was quite monotonous.  With quirky choreography and intricate patterning, there was no doubt that the piece was a feat for the dancers.  With that said, it was all too much after a few minutes had past.  The meaning of it all was quite abstract and the pace was so relentless that to absorb everything that was happening was just too much.  When the dancers finally did do a short sequence in unison I don't think I was the only one in the audience that thought, "Finally!"
The rest of the evening went off without a hitch, offering something for everyone.  Other Dances, choreographed by Jerome Robbins featured only two dancers, accompanied by a single pianist who played live on stage.  Dancing to a selection of Chopin's mazurkas, the two dancers performed the piece effortlessly, bringing a light, airy, playfulness to the theatre and establishing an informal and light hearted relationship with the accompanist.  The mood and atmosphere was a welcomed contrast to the previous piece.  The Man in Black, which followed, was a brilliant piece choreographed by former artistic director to the NBoC, James Kudelka.  This piece was likely the most accessible to the audience and showcased choreography with meaningful images and inventive partnering.  Kudelka built in a continuous trotting rhythm throughout that gradually slowed in tempo as the subject matter became a bit heavier.  This rhythm also seemed to mark the passage of time.  The four dancers stayed connected for the majority of the piece and even added a bit of line dancing!
The big piece of the evening was Crystal Pite's Emergance.  I had seen this piece before and remembered being so impressed by the movements and illusions.  The endless tunnel upstage gave the lighting designer a lot of creative opportunity and, similar to the second detail, the score was quite ambient with no melody.  Pite did an amazing job of coming up with movements that so closely resembled the emerging of an insect-like creature and brought her viewers into a prehistoric world where females banded together to protect themselves from the group of approaching males.  They stayed in step with one another by counting allowed, an aspect that added to the primal feel of the piece.  Perhaps it was because I had seen it before that I wasn't quite as impressed.  There were times when I felt that the dancers were a bit off as a group and that the spacing could have been just a touch sharper.
All in all, bringing a mixed to program to the Jubilee was a treat for everyone.  What is great about this style of production is that since each piece is so different, someone who may not be that familiar with ballet gets a fresh start with each piece and is offered a taste of everything.  I hope that the company can come up with another reason to tour out west again sometime soon.  For me, the performance was a source of inspiration as we gear up for Cinderella and competition choreography.  For our younger dancers, let's hope that it was an eye-opening evening out.  Hopefully they went home with an appreciation for the diverse range of movement, style and subject matter that ballet is capable of.

New Year's Resolutions

Hey all!  It has been quite a while since my last post but the month of August turned out to be much more action packed then expected.  A part from having a few lazy days earlier in the month, August was full of summer camps, boot camp, and teaching workshops.  I even had a chance to reunite with some of my teaching friends in Ontario.  Along with the great weather, it was a surprisingly fulfilling month that has left me ready to take on the dance season that lies ahead.
Whether your time away from the regular dance season is spent on the beach or in some kind of intensive, it's always great when you can come back to the studio with fresh ideas and renewed energy.  On August 15th we began our first week of summer camps which brought over 100 kids between the ages of 3 and 12 through our doors.  Many of these kids were new to dance and did an amazing job of learning multiple numbers over the course of five days which were performed for friends and family at the end of the week.  As always, the little ones were cute, hilarious and never failed to come up with the most inventive ideas when storytelling through movement.  It was so great to meet so many dance and Glee enthusiasts and I really hope to see them again sometime soon.  Near the end of August our competitive dancers resurfaced, fresh faced and ready to take on a week of boot camp.  This year, classes included ballet, acro, broadway jazz, and afro jazz.  For some, getting back into it was a bit of a struggle while for others it was apparent that they were more than ready to get back at it.
I myself had an opportunity to attend the Royal Academy of Dance's (RAD) teacher's course which introduced the new syllabus for Intermediate Foundation and Intermediate.  Not only did I love the new ideas that the RAD is incorporating but they are also taking risks that will challenge students and help keep ballet training in tune with the progress that is being made in other forms of dance.  The course I attended was in Saskatchewan and was attended by some really lovely teachers.  There was a great feeling of comradery in the room.  You could tell that everyone was inspired and excited by the new work.
One thing about teaching dance is that even though you are always in the room with many people, it can be quite isolating at the same time.  This summer I had a chance to get together with my ballet teacher since childhood, as well as four of my best friends in Ontario, all of whom teach dance.  Having an opportunity to chat about training methods, obstacles we encounter, and ideas for choreography was awesome and has put me in a great state of mind.
In January we always make resolutions for the year, but I think it's also a good idea to do a similar thing in September, when we're preparing to hop back into a busy routine.  I have decided for myself to focus more on quality of movement in the hopes of creating more depth and layers to the overall performance of my dancers.  I have also realized that I often focus on turn out from the thigh but that it would also be beneficial to make more of an emphasis on how this work at the top of the leg travels down to the end of the foot.  I am currently listening to as much music as I can and will hopefully come up with a nice variation that will challenge myself and my dancers.  When I chatted with Erika and Meaghan, they both agreed that this year they would try to focus more on repetition rather than trying to cover a wide variety of steps.  We all agreed that more results are achieved when teachers take time to allow students to work on a smaller number of steps for a longer period of time.  Sometimes it is easy to get ahead of ourselves and move on to the next thing before students are ready.  Apart from that, Erika and Meaghan reiterated that above all, their goal each year as teachers and business owners is to instill a love of dance in each student and to make sure that everyone who has taken a class, leaves having had an enjoyable and positive experience.  As a ballet teacher, I frequently encounter adults who tell me how horrible their experience with ballet was as a child.  I am in full agreement that at the end of the day, what matters the most is that our students look back on their experience with fond memories.
I really hope that our students make similar resolutions for themselves, whether this means trying to focus more in class, fix an old habit, discover how to work a new muscle, make a new friend or follow a conditioning routine at home.  I'm looking forward to 2011 being a year where lasting friendships are made, challenges are met with determination and achievments, no matter how small, are reached.

Avoiding the September Struggle

It always takes me a while to get used to the lazy days of summer but once I've made the transition, it's amazing how little one can bring themselves to accomplish over the course of a few free days.  My mom always used to remark how the more free time we have, the lazier we become.  It really does take some serious self-motivation to find a balance between relaxing and staying active over the summer months.

As a youngster, getting back into dance classes in September was sometimes quite a struggle.  In fact, the older I got, the more obvious this struggle became.  When I was dancing out of high school, I finally realized the importance of finding a balance between rest and activity when on holidays so that the return to the regular intensity of activity was not only easy, but also could also be done in a safer way without as much risk of injury.  Today, as an adult and a teacher, I think it is just as important for me to take that initiative over the summer as it is for my students.  With that being said, I am all for finding enjoyable ways to be active and healthy and to take advantage of the summer weather.  Here are some of my favorite ways to avoid the September struggle:

Walking and hiking are a great way to stay in shape.  Get together with a friend, take your dog with you, or make a playlist of your favorite songs and take off on your own.  If you are able to go on a hiking trail, the level of incline or any stairs will obviously take your workout to the next level.  If you only have access to a flat area, go out for at least an hour to get most out of it.  When it is so nice out, try to find times in your day when you have to run errands and make yourself walk to do them.  You'll return home feeling energized and deserving of a nice cold drink.

Cycling is always a great workout and is easy enough to vary in intensity.  One of the reasons that many people will choose biking over running for their cardio is because it eliminates a lot of impact on the joints that can cause hip, knee and ankle pain.  Experiment with hills, speed and the gears that you use.  Again, opt to ride your bike if you have errands to run or to get your self to the beach or a friend's place.

Swimming is frequently used as a complimentary training tool for dancers since, like cycling, it does not put any impact on the joints and does not tend to build bulky muscles.  Doing a few laps will get your heart rate up and being in the water is so great for cooling off on a hot day.

I could go on and on with ways to stay fit over the summer.  Tennis, volleyball, soccer, in-line skating, the list is endless.  What is important is that you make the effort to participate in one of these activities 4 to 5 times a week.  When you're on your down time and are watching movies or TV, don't forget how easy it is to gently strengthen your muscles by doing simple hamstring bridges, back lifts, abdominal crunches, rises and releves.  Don't forget about flexibility!  If you are not warm, hold any stretches for no more than 20 seconds.  If you have been active and your muscles are nice and warm, hold your stretch for more than 30 seconds.

The weekend weather promises to be beautiful and I intend to make the most of the walking paths in my neighborhood.  Hopefully, you'll find ways to get moving and have fun.  Remember, the more active you are, the more deserving you will feel of all the indulgences that comes along with vacation time.  Enjoy!

All Feet Can Dance

So here we are, the middle of July and finally coming to the end of my first season with Absolute Dance Inc and also as a newcomer to the city of Calgary.  The past year was wonderful.  I left Ontario in June of 2010, to come work for Absolute and dragged my husband along with me.  Circumstances demanded Erika and Meaghan to put a lot of trust in me and I also had to go on the great reviews from colleagues since I was unable to come out to Calgary to check things out myself.  Turns out I couldn't have been happier with the result.  Absolute Dance offers a unique studio setting where fun, friendship and laughter are the backdrop to the daily grind of studio life.

Having a few dance gigs under my belt (and some not so great), my husband can attest to the fact that no matter how terrible the situation, I find it impossible not to get attached to my students, young and old.  Even after teaching summer camps that are a week long, you recognize a student's abilities and weaknesses and take them on as your own.  When your students struggle, you take that on and when they succeed it brings a feeling that is hard to beat.  I have found myself in a career that, despite the ups and downs, brings so much happiness and fulfillment to my life.  Like every other work experience, I have grown attached to the people and students I have met here in Calgary only this time it's different since I know there is a future here for me.  The thought of working with the people I have met over the course of several years is exciting and inspiring to me.

In March, Absolute joined forces with Living Social and offered an incredible online promotion for our Adult Dance and Fitness classes.  We had a huge response and had to work fast to make the necessary arrangements to accommodate all the extra people.  As a teacher, I was a bit nervous at the thought of teaching different people each week and having to juggle a wide range of abilities in the same class.  It was a challenge but, as usual, after the first couple of weeks, we all seemed to ease into the routine.  I must say that over the course of the last four months there have been many people that I would have loved to have had in my class on a regular basis.  What really impressed me was how many people had the courage to come into a class they knew nothing about and participate fully with no judgement of themselves and a completely open mind.  Starting up in dance as an adult is not an easy thing to do and I applaud anyone who makes the effort to take themselves out of their comfort zone.  I also met a lot of people who were "seizing the day".  They had always wanted to try dance but never could as a kid and now was their chance to have a go at it.  The promotion brought large numbers to our classes which increased the energetic atmosphere at the studio and brought a sense of community.  There really is nothing better than standing in a crowd of 20 people, working through a fluid port de bras, or peeking in on a Hip Hop class with blasting music and sweating bodies moving in unison.

So as the promotion comes to a close I know I am not the only one that hopes to see many of those people come through our doors again.  I know that many will simply carry on to the next deal but at least I hope that their experience with us sparked some interest and appreciation for dance and that our visitors, like me, realized that all feet can dance.