My Spiel about Ballet

Hmmm, let's see where should I start...

I've always had a love/hate relationship with ballet.  I remember loving it when everything came easily and sank into my brain quickly.  But I also remember hating it... would rather have banged my head against the wall than do one more combo at the barre that I just wasn't getting.  I think most people probably feel that way about anything that takes some time learning.

I went to the Boulder Jazz Dace Festival in Colorado and absolutely loved it because well, the emphasis was jazz, but in every class I realized I was lacking because I just hadn't been taken my ballet education seriously and I knew I needed a swift kick in the backside.  Back home, I spent hours in the studio and took privates with a ballet teacher to better prepare myself before the college audition/placements at ECU.

I went in that intimating, mirrored studio a little more confident because of my hard work and low-and-behold I placed into level III ballet... something I wasn't expecting to do.   I came out with a wide smile and even wider shoulders because I was proud of what I had accomplished.  Even still in collegiate ballet classes with Joe Carow and Galina Panova, I found ballet to be... mundane, rigid, very structured and... I came to love the feeling of it in my body.  I mean, I didn't love ballet, this I knew, but I found comfort in the routine of it all.  And I also knew all this labor would pay off in other dance classes.  I would have much rather been tapping, jazzing it up, or almost anything else than one more degage but I knew it was what I had to do.

I push ballet and technique so much because I want my students to know its the fast track to understanding dance better and pushing to the next level.  I don't expect prima ballerinas or principle dancers to walk out of my doors but I do want them to one day smile just as big of a smile as I did that audition day.  Remember, whatever you put in, you get back in return... even if it does seem dull, slow, or tedious.  One day you'll be shining, proud, and exciting to watch on stage.

And we're starting off on a great foot here at Legacy... our Petite Ballet class is currently closed as is our Ballet I class due to full enrollment.  There is still some space in Ballet II, Ballet III, and Pre-Pointe/Pointe.  And that's so exciting! To know were spreading the love of tutus, tendus, and technique to a younger generation of dancers.  If you are interested in joining any of those ballet classes or any other genre of dance, request our schedule here or call 919-738-3772.  Remember, this is the last week to join so get your requests in before the registration window closes for good this 2017 year!

Until next time,

Megan

LDP

If you were a dance style, what would you be?

I'm not a quiz generator or anything and this ain't buzzfeed but I want to take a stab at this one... One question that comes up almost every year is "Ms Megan, what's your favorite style to teach?", and I absolutely, positively have no way to answer that question because I love to teach them all, perform them all, and watch them all!  I just think dance crazed people appreciate and love all genres of dance.  But I do think there are characteristics that might align with someone's personalities more than others, so I propose the question... if you were a style of dance, what would you be?

You might be BALLET if...

You are very poised in any situation, you're very organized, and you present yourself in a very tidy fashion.  You are constantly checking your calendar and to-do lists to stay on top of your game.  You have high aspirations for the goals in your life and push and demand a lot from yourself because...

Ballet is very much focused on one's turnout, alignment, and the control and training of muscles.  It's important for ballet dancers to be disciplined in their craft and their dancing.  Good technique will allow ballet dancers to progress and one day perform on pointe.

You might be CONTEMPORARY OR LYRICAL if...

You're style is very eclectic going from boho to classic to trendy all in one week.  You are an over thinker or analyze everything sometimes complicating situations.  You are a fan of poetry. You find yourself enjoying all kinds of music like hip hop, alternative, to even some instrumental because...

Contemporary is a combination of all kinds of dance genres to form a particular style of movement.  It's quite hard to define because of its many contributors like ballet, modern, and jazz.  Because the technique of it branches from so many other forms, its great to be aware and know those various genres that are catalysts of this unique style.

You might be JAZZ if...

You're closet is filled with the latest fashion trends.  You consider yourself in a state of "organized chaos".  You usually take whatever people consider popular and put your own spin to it to make it more unique.  You have a Facebook, an Instagram, a Snapchat, and whatever else you could have.  You have a certain love for hip hop music and you can't get enough of a good musical.  You're not so great at multitasking but you try.  You march to the beat of your own drum and you're certainly not afraid to be the fabulous you because...

Jazz has always been influenced by pop culture at the time and so might be the same case with you.  It take key notes from Ballet, Contemporary, Social, African, and Theatrical dance styles.  It can be romantic at times, reflective and themed around internal struggles, or sassy to the max!  The moves in jazz are typically very isolated, strong, and sometimes syncopated.  And most of all its a celebration of the dancer!

You might be HIP HOP if...

You have the r&b classics, the 90's rap, and today's hip hop overloading your playlists.  You are pretty go-with-the-flow and can adapt to many situations.  You don't back down from a challenge and are highly competitive.  You feed off other people's energy because... 

Hip Hop is a style of dance that spans many eras... from the days of breaking, pop and locking, to today's social dances and more intricate movements.  Hip Hop is heavy on improvisation and making up moves, poses, and freezes on the fly.  Lots of times you can see hip hop battles and competitions and most dancers try their very hardest to be on the winning end of the game.  But all in all, it's ok, because hip hop is the most social dance of all, making it one of the most popular here at Legacy Dance Project!

You might be TAP if...

You are a multitasking master.  You have a fondness for music especially songs with a strong beat.  You hear rhythm in many things... things like the cadence in how people talk or your windshield wipers.  You too are a pretty quick thinker and can adapt to change fairly swiftly.  You work well with others but you aren't afraid to be a pioneer and work alone because...

Tap is full of quick thinking.  It's dancing with your body and your making music with your feet.  In tap, you have to be aware of what beat or rhythms are present in the music.    Improvisation is also a strong contributor to tap and its choreography.  Tap can be done to almost any style of music because all music is composed using notes, beats, and counts.  "A cappella" tap dancing is when dancers don't use music to dance... or rather... they are the music they dance to... cool huh? Check out our latest Instagram post from one of our tap classes...

I truly cannot pick just one because I think I am all those combined together, if that's possible.  Which one do you think you are? 

Until next time

Megan