Let’s be real: stage fright isn’t just for newbies. It’s something that can continue, even with experienced performers and public speakers. Stage fright can come in various levels and affect people in different ways. For some it can be almost incapacitating. I don’t usually get nerves before performances anymore, but I’ve also been performing for…
It’d be nice to think that even as a beginning choreographer, I’ve always been great. That I was a wonderful choreographer and leader and my dancers have always loved working with me. Of course that can’t be true. Especially at the beginning of my career I made a lot of mistakes, both interpersonal and artistically….
When it comes to hubs for contemporary dance, most people you ask will say the US and Europe. They might be able to identify cities like New York, Amsterdam, or London. Generally, we assume that contemporary dance is a western thing, and when it appears globally, it’s in festivals or these western companies touring. I…
Whether or not you are a professional dancer, dance fitness and training is a great way to stay lean and healthy. That doesn’t mean that a weekly Zumba class at your local gym is going to change your life. Even dancers also approach dance training incorrectly and end up losing strength even while practicing or…
This is one of the most common questions people ask me: how old is too old to start dancing? Perhaps they think that there is a universal age after which companies will not consider dancers, or that there is a single way of approaching dance training. So of course, my answer is always, it depends….
While there are certain hubs around the world for dance, there are also many dance opportunities abroad. You can develop an excellent dance career in other countries. Or, you could find other dance opportunities abroad that you might not get in your home country. A few things to note before we begin: I’m writing this…
A performing arts career is not typically advised by your local high school guidance counsellor. They’re the sort of careers you expect parents to frown at, long dinners with extended family asking when you’ll get a real job. Of course, that is all normative bull**** if you ask me. The truth is that a performing…
I know what you’re thinking – dance degrees are probably useless. There are many reasons: dance careers are short, it won’t be recognized by anyone but dance companies, etc. However, the situation is a bit more nuanced, and that’s what I’ll be looking at it in this article. To start with, I’ll talk about the…
Over the years there have been various dance fitness crazes. From Five Rhythms to Zumba, there’s always some new version of moving to music that the fitness world has picked up. It makes sense, after all, it’s lot more fun to jive to the beat than squats. Dance performance, on the other hand, seems to…
I’ve discussed solo dance performances in this blog before, focusing on how they work and the stories we can tell. Today, however, we’re looking more generally at characters in solo performances, whether it be dance, theatre, mime, film, or other performing arts. This is applicable for all kinds of situations, from creating or choosing monologues…