Not-so-starving Artist

What to avoid in Broadway Dance Center

2009-08-29T08:42:00.000-07:00

So after a summer of taking dance classes at Broadway Dance Center, I have composed a personal list of things to avoid...

1.) Jumps and Turns Class!

The level may be listed as advanced but dancers beware! There will be all levels taking this class. Apparently several people want to just learn how to turn and jump like they do on SYTYCD and think this class will do this immediately for them regardless of the level of the class. The class I attended was as follows:

*The real teacher was 40 minutes late, her assistant led a "follow-along" stretch that was way to fast and pointless.
*The class was packed like a sardine can...including several people who didn't find it necessary to use deodorant...vomit!
*The teacher talked down to us when we didn't do the exercise full-out behind her while she was introducing it...
*I probably got punched in the face and stomach 9743958734 times during class.
*The combinations were big in directional changes...not so great for those novice jump/turners....
*The teacher highly praised a young woman for doing a "beautiful triple turn" on the right (without seeming to notice the bent supporting leg, the uneven arms, and the absence of a spot) and it was funny to watch the girl on the left side falling out of a single...
*The teacher's name was Ginger...avoid like the PLAGUE!

2.) Classes that require wristbands

If the person signing you in reaches for a wristband, switch your class immediately! Wrist band classes are overpacked. No matter what you think, you will NOT be able to see the teacher. You will NOT get much from the class, except some bruises from getting hit by dancers around you from the lack of space.

3.) Classes with several foreign people.

I know I sound like a horrible person! I love Europeans, I really do! I just don't think it's fair to have to take dance class with the ones that don't wear deodorant. I always feel faint by the end of class, the BO is unbelievable.

4.) Classes that visiting dance studios have over-run

If you see several little munchkins wearing Dazzling Dance Studio sweatshirts, shorts, socks, anythings please take a different class. It is great that they are coming to enjoy the city and better themselves in dance class. However, they believe that they are going to be fine in a higher-level class and what ends up happening is the teacher will spend the entire class correcting them so they don't injure themselves too terribly...

Celebrity Century

2009-08-29T08:36:00.000-07:00

Sorry I haven't posted in foreverrrrrrrrrr!!! I've just been busy working at Smart Workout and taking dance classes and loving NYC! I'm going to be dancing on the Celebrity Century starting in NOV 2009~ here are the departure dates listed below, you should try to take a cruise and see me dance!

Celebrity Century Departures

Nov 21: 7 Night Western Med Cruise on board Celebrity Century
Cruise Ports: Barcelona, Spain, Cannes, France, Portofino, Italy, Florence, Italy, Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy, Naples/Capri, Italy, Barcelona, Spain

Nov 28: 14 Night Transatlantic Westbound Cruise on board Celebrity Century
Barcelona, Spain, Cartagena, Spain, Gibraltar, United Kingdom, Madeira (Funchal), Portugal, Tenerife, Canary Islands, La Palma, Canary Islands, Miami, Florida

Dec 12: 5 Night Western Caribbean Cruise on board Celebrity Century
Miami, Florida, Ocho Rios, Jamaica, George Town, Grand Cayman, Miami, Florida

Dec 17: 4 Night Western Caribbean Cruise on board Celebrity Century
Miami, Florida, Key West, Florida, Cozumel, Mexico, Miami, Florida

Dec 21: 5 Night Western Caribbean Cruise on board Celebrity Century
Miami, Florida, Key West, Florida, George Town, Grand Cayman, Miami, Florida

Dec 26: : 4 Night Western Caribbean Cruise on board Celebrity Century
Miami, Florida, Key West, Florida, Cozumel, Mexico, Miami, Florida

Dec 30: 5 Night Western Caribbean Cruise on board Celebrity Century
Miami, Florida, Ocho Rios, Jamaica, George Town, Grand Cayman, Miami, Florida

Jan 4: 5 Night Western Caribbean Cruise on board Celebrity Century
Miami, Florida, Key West, Florida, George Town, Grand Cayman, Miami, Florida

Jan 16: 2 Night Short Bahamas Cruise on board Celebrity Century
Miami, Florida, Nassau, Bahamas, Miami, Florida

Jan 18: 5 Night Western Caribbean Cruise on board Celebrity Century
Miami, Florida, Key West, Florida, George Town, Grand Cayman, Miami, Florida

Jan 23: 5 Night Western Caribbean Cruise on board Celebrity Century
Miami, Florida, Ocho Rios, Jamaica, George Town, Grand Cayman, Miami, Florida

Jan 28: 4 Night Western Caribbean Cruise on board Celebrity Century
Miami, Florida, Key West, Florida, Cozumel, Mexico, Miami, Florida

Feb 1: 5 Night Western Caribbean Cruise on board Celebrity Century
Miami, Florida, Key West, Florida, George Town, Grand Cayman, Miami, Florida

Feb 6: 5 Night Western Caribbean Cruise on board Celebrity Century
Miami, Florida, Ocho Rios, Jamaica, George Town, Grand Cayman, Miami, Florida
Feb 11: 4 Night Western Caribbean Cruise on board Celebrity Century
Miami, Florida, Key West, Florida, Cozumel, Mexico, Miami, Florida

Feb 15: 5 Night Western Caribbean Cruise on board Celebrity Century
Miami, Florida, Key West, Florida, George Town, Grand Cayman, Miami, Florida

Feb 20: 5 Night Western Caribbean Cruise on board Celebrity Century
Miami, Florida, Ocho Rios, Jamaica, George Town, Grand Cayman, Miami, Florida

Feb 25: 4 Night Western Caribbean Cruise on board Celebrity Century
Miami, Florida, Key West, Florida, Cozumel, Mexico, Miami, Florida

Mar 1: 5 Night Western Caribbean Cruise on board Celebrity Century
Miami, Florida, Key West, Florida, George Town, Grand Cayman, Miami, Florida

Mar 6: 5 Night Western Caribbean Cruise on board Celebrity Century
Miami, Florida, Ocho Rios, Jamaica, George Town, Grand Cayman, Miami, Florida

Mar 11: 4 Night Western Caribbean Cruise on board Celebrity Century
Miami, Florida, Key West, Florida, Cozumel, Mexico, Miami, Florida

Mar: 15: 5 Night Western Caribbean Cruise on board Celebrity Century
Miami, Florida, Key West, Florida, George Town, Grand Cayman, Miami, Florida

Mar 20: 5 Night Western Caribbean Cruise on board Celebrity Century
Miami, Florida, Ocho Rios, Jamaica, George Town, Grand Cayman, Miami, Florida

Mar 25: 4 Night Western Caribbean Cruise on board Celebrity Century
Miami, Florida, Key West, Florida, Cozumel, Mexico, Miami, Florida

Mar 29: 5 Night Western Caribbean Cruise on board Celebrity Century
Miami, Florida, Key West, Florida, George Town, Grand Cayman, Miami, Florida

Apr 3: 5 Night Western Caribbean Cruise on board Celebrity Century
Miami, Florida, Ocho Rios, Jamaica, George Town, Grand Cayman, Miami, Florida

Apr 8: 4 Night Western Caribbean Cruise on board Celebrity Century
Miami, Florida, Key West, Florida, Cozumel, Mexico, Miami, Florida

Apr 12: 5 Night Western Caribbean Cruise on board Celebrity Century
Miami, Florida, Key West, Florida, George Town, Grand Cayman, Miami, Florida

Apr 17: 5 Night Western Caribbean Cruise on board Celebrity Century
Miami, Florida, Ocho Rios, Jamaica, George Town, Grand Cayman, Miami, Florida

Apr 22: 4 Night Western Caribbean Cruise on board Celebrity Century
Miami, Florida, Key West, Florida, Cozumel, Mexico, Miami, Florida
May 3: 7 Night Western Caribbean Cruise on board Celebrity Century
Miami, Florida, George Town, Grand Cayman, Cozumel, Mexico, Playa Del Carmen, Mexico, Key West, Florida, Miami, Florida

KCD Auditions 2009

2009-06-29T17:53:00.000-07:00

Woooo! So I went to the Knicks City Dancer Auditions at Madison Square Garden on Sunday June 28, 2009! There were probably around 400 girls there to begin with. We stretched all together then they taught the across the floor routine.

Round one: Dancers go across the floor two at a time. This is a 2-8 count combination including a kick, double pirouette, and a calypso leap. If you pass this round, you are given a wrist band from either the entertainment director or the KCD coach. I was in Coach Danielle's line and somehow received a wristband! This was my goal for this year. (Many of the current girls on the team had to try out several years in a row before making it). After this round, they probably cut 300ish girls?

Round two: The hiphop/jazz routine is taught. This year it was a 45 second routine to Kat DeLuna's Unstoppable. There were no technical moves in the routine, it was all about showing them whatcha got! There was a lot of booty poppin and hair swinging. It was a fun routine. At this point in the audition, we were given numbers and called at random in groups of 4 to perform for the judging panel. This part was difficult because you were not allowed to practice and had to sit an watch the girls going. (AKA it got reallly really cold in there and the dance doesn't stay in your body too long if you're one of the last ones called.)

After all the groups performed, the judges deliberated for quite sometime then came back and announced 68 finalists. I was cut at this point. They said the finalists would be asked to stay for individual interviews and to get their polaroids taken. They also got to go back to the call back the next day where guest choreographer, Shake Sparks, would be teaching the final routine! I'm jealous! I hope the finalists do well! I'm sure the 2009-2010 KCD will be fabulous!

I'm trying to figure out how to post my pictures from the day on here, so hopefully I'll post them soon!

Next audition: Encore Dance Company.

After week of trying to dance in NYC

2009-06-21T07:00:00.000-07:00

So I may or may not have had a small breakdown yesterday after the clinic when I got off at the wrong subway stop and had to walk 5 blocks in the rain, only to realize the Port Authority was 10 blocks the other way. I was exhausted from my first week. I've taken class everyday, run, gone to interviews and landed my first internship, somewhat figured out the subways, and ordered groceries online. WOAH!

It's always good to hear from Mom and Dad when you feel this way. They reminded me of how much I've done already and to not get discouraged. Living this life of a dancer in NYC has it's ups and downs and what matters is enjoying the process of trying and auditioning...not being dependent on getting a role, part, spot on a team, etc. Sometimes, it's easy to get caught up in "Got I hope I get it" (Chorus Line style)! But what's more important is that I'm actual following my dreams, meeting new and interesting people, and trying!

Lisa Viola

2009-06-21T06:54:00.000-07:00

On Friday, I willingly woke up early to take a modern class! (Nate's response to this was, OMG are you sick??!?!) haha. Anyway I saw that Lisa Viola was teaching a Taylor-based class. Lisa Viola was constantly mentioned at my dance intensive last year and I've seen a billion videos of her. Paul Taylor choreographed several solos on her, and she's pretty much AMAZING.

So I got to the class at Broadway Dance Center, and there were only 3 other people taking the class! How lucky could I get?! This amazing dancer taking an hour and a half of her life with the four of us! She even knew my name by the end! She was such a lovely person, she gave so many individual corrections. She taught us an adagio from one of her solos from Cascades, which was physically impossible for me in some parts! Then we did an across the floor from Arden Court.

I got the best workout ever from Lisa! She was so kind and helpful and I really felt good when I left her class! I still can't believe I took class from her!

Knicks Clinic 6/20/09

2009-06-21T06:45:00.000-07:00

So yesterday I went with Mandi to the Knicks City Dancers clinic. First they brought in a former KCD dancer who is now dancing on Broadway in the revival of West Side Story! Pretty awesome! Then we learned a second hip hop routine taught by one of the current captains of the team. We broke for lunch, they had COSI catered in for us. Then we learned the actual across-the-floor combination we will have to perform next week at the tryout. It is pretty basic, but the nice thing was we all got one-on-one feedback. The girl told me I had great technique, a beautiful smile, but now I need to work on being "sexy." Well...um...ok. We learned the actual tryout dance we will perform next weekend if we make it to the second round. Here's how they broke the audition process down:

Round one: Across the floor. If they like you, you get a wristband. If you don't get a wrist band, it's Thank you for coming, see you next year. They cut about half the girls here.

Round Two: Perform the audition dance in small groups. Another giant cut.

If you pass these rounds, then you get to come back to the call backs the next day.

Round Three: An interview with the Coach and Entertainment Director of MSG.

Round Four: Learn a routine choreographed by celebrity guest judge, Shane Sparks! Cuts

If you make it this far, you are extended an invite to training camp.

After training camp, you go to an event where they announce the 2009-2010 team.

So my goal this year is to make it past the first round! A lot of the current members said they had to try out 4-5 years in a row before they made it. It is a vigorous try out process, but I'm learning a lot!

I got the internship

2009-06-21T06:42:00.001-07:00

So I have my toe in the door...not quite the whole foot. I somehow got hired after a lot of interview rounds to be a fitness assistant for Smart Workout in NYC. I start next Monday.

Internship Interview

2009-06-15T19:48:00.000-07:00

Some how I landed my first interview for an internship on my first weekday living in NYC! The position is called a "fitness assistant" and would be for about 6 months. The health club is small but really personable and I would get to learn a lot about marketing for a small business...which is what I ultimately want to do. I went through two rounds in the morning with the owner and then a senior fitness assistant. I had to follow a class and then also teach a class from a script. It was really fun for me and I could really see myself growing in that environment. The next step is the lady who organizes the marketing for the health club will set up a time for a phone call and she has to assess my phone skills so hopefully I will pass that! The internship does not pay a whole lot, but I will get free training and certifications in return:) Wish me luck!

Knicks City Dancer Workshop 6/13/09

2009-06-13T15:08:00.000-07:00

Today I somehow made it to Broadway Dance Center....(after our bus hit another car, and puerto rican lawyer hit on me)...I paid my $18 and entered STUDIO 5. There were 2 amazingly gorgeous Knicks Dancers teaching the workshop in full-uniform. We did a nice warm-up, including arms, squats, push-ups, and sit-ups. Then we learned a simple 2 8-count combination for across-the-floor including a kick, calypso, and a double turn. The girls gave everyone one-on-one feedback. After that, we learned a routine from their 2008-2009 season to "Let it Rock." It was really fun, with lots of hair-tossing, quick sharp movements, and crowd-pleasing hip hop. So the next step is the Audition Workshop next weekend then the actual tryout!

Intro

2009-06-13T15:04:00.000-07:00

Sooooooooooooooooo......I have made the BIG,excellent, amazing decision to quit my dance teaching job in the midwest and pack my suitcase and move to NYC to try to dance professionally! Only, I'm not quite moving to the city...just Hoboken! And also, I don't quite have a room, just living on the couch of one of my best friend from college's apartment. Whew! I made it here!!!!!!! I'll be sharing my hopefully successful, but also the crazy, unsuccessful, funny, and whatever else happens at the auditions I go to in the city:)