INSIDE THE STUDIO PT II: WHAT'S NEXT BY ALANA NELSON

I am excited to be able to continue with the INSIDE THE STUDIO portion of our blog, allowing to grow that insight into another part within our dance world.

This post comes from recent grad and new VDT alum, Alana Nelson. We have been very excited for her new adventure as a UAB Golden Girl.  I have read this post several times and every time it feels very refreshing.  It is exciting and all to scary at the same time to grow as a person and sometimes this can be made harder when you have to give up an important part of life. Alana has been able to take an important part of her life and expand on it and carry it on. This INSIDE will give you a glimpse into what that is like- enjoy.

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As a recent graduate from Grissom high school as well as a VDT alum. The past year has been full of big decisions. Possibly the most important to me-whether or not I was going to continue to dance after high school. 

As much as I may have wanted to, I knew I couldn't stay at VDT after high school and I had to make my next move. For a little while I had no idea what to do and I even considered shutting dance out of my life after graduation. But when I really sat and thought about it I couldn't imagine life without dance in it. I think other dancers will agree with me when I say dance goes beyond a hobby or even a passion-it becomes a part of you. Dance is a big part of what has shaped me into the lady I am today. I could not bear the thought of letting that part of myself go. I decided I was going to continue my dance career but that's when the really hard part came. What do I do now? 

Well, while I was applying for colleges I was also scoping out all of my options. Growing up in a studio, training mostly in ballet, I never thought about how many options are out there. The best advice my mom gave me was to keep an open mind. I was entering a new stage in my life and I needed to be open to any opportunity that might come my way. My first step was auditioning for the dance major at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. They accepted me, and while the program there is outstanding i got the gut feeling it somehow wasn't the absolute perfect fit for me. After that, I was lost again. My mom suggested trying out for the Golden Girls dance team at UAB. I immediately told her no since dance team is COMPLETELY different from anything I had ever done growing up at VDT. My mom reminded me to keep an open mind and just go to the auditions and give it a fair shot. So I went to the audition. I was very out of my comfort zone. It was about the complete opposite from ballet. Much to my surprise, I was chosen to be a part of the 2014-2015 UAB Golden Girls dance team and I have loved every minute of it! 

I looked at it as an adventure and a chance to grow as a dancer. Putting my self out of my comfort zone and trying a new style has pushed me as a dancer in a way I've never been pushed before. I learned to take the incredible training I learned from Ms. Beam and the technique I worked so hard for and blend it with this new style of dance I'm learning. Last week I competed with my team at UDA Camp. That may have been the hardest thing I've done as a dancer. A long with competing, we were taking classes and learning choreography in styles like jazz, hip hop, and Pom. I did take jazz classes growing up, but Pom and hip hop were foreign styles to me. I had to push myself so that I could keep up and keep growing, all with a smile on face and a good attitude. 

I have to trace this drive back to my ballet training. Ballet taught me discipline and that there's always something to improve on. The technique and ballet training I received from VDT gave me the foundation I needed to try new things in the dance world. To all the young dancers, I hope you keep an open mind to all styles. Be brave and don't be afraid to try something new, it will only make you stronger! Keep dancing!

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NRG danceProject

Merrimack is hosting NRG July 30-Aug. 3, 2014
open to anyone.
More Info. http://www.merrimackhall.com/nrg.html

changes

another season in the books

Well its the end of May and our 10th season has come to an end.  It was a wonderful end to our anniversary year which words could not adequately describe so instead, with the help of others, included are pictures from the events from this past Thursday.

Congrats Alana!

Alana with Choreographer Tyce Dirorio

Senior Company Member and Senior Alana, who is continuing her education at the University of Alabama Birmingham made the UAB Golden Girl's Dance Team!

Congrats Alana, we are so proud of all of your accomplishments this past year!

Nashville Dress Rehearsal

The studio will have a dress rehearsal this Wednesday for Elite Dance Cup in Nashville.  Warm-up is at 6:30 pm followed by the rehearsal at 7pm.  Dancers need a parent present to sign a waver for the competition.

Summer Schedule

JUMP!

Alana during Ballet Production

Last weekend the studio went to Atlanta to JUMP Dance Convention.  It was such a great experience. As week as competing, the girls took master classes from some leading choreographers and dancers in the dance would including, Mia Michaels, Melanie Moore, Nick Lazzarini, Teddy Forance, Mike Minery, and Bobby Newberry as well as others.

 Sr. Company member Alana Nelson received a Ballet Scholarship based on her performance in our Ballet Production!

Mia Michaels talking to the Seniors

Alana excited after taking class from Mia

Pictures

S&S Photography will be back in the studio this week with pictures available to view and order.

Tuesday: 5-7
Wednesday: 4-6
Thursday: 5-7

Also recital program ad order sheets are available.

Panoply is coming up! We will be performing Sunday April 27th at noon.

Colourful design by PNE

Former VDT company dancer Paige Ely is offering her service for the performance.  Paige grew up dancing, so she knows what is required when it comes to a dancer's hair and make-up.  While in high school, Paige worked for Spoiled Rockin Kidz Salon and has mastered their techniques.

Paige will be at VDT's dress rehearsal for questions and follow-ups from parents signed up for her services.

To sign up, please ask one of the teachers.  Prices are located on her brochures at the studio.

For any questions please ask Miss Jennifer.

*Both Individual & Group rates available.

A.P.R.I.L.

April always seems to be the busiest month of the year and year is no exception.  This weekend Sr. and Jr. Companies will be competing at JUMP in Atlanta.  The following Tuesday the studio will be closed but we still have a busy week ahead with picture days.

Picture days are scheduled for that Wednesday and Thursday, April 16th & 17th, so please make sure you have all of your tights, accessories, costumes ready!

To cap off the month, like every year, is Panoply.  We will be performing in the park on Sunday April 27th at noon.

Lets not forget that while this finishes out April, May is right around the corner and we have Elite Dance Cup and finally what everyone has been working so hard for all year, the 10th year recital!


*On a side note, the studio is having a silent auction later this month for scholarship funds for a community project, so please, if you can, donate or ask for donations for the event.  Donation sheets are at the studio.  If you have any questions please ask Jennifer Middleton (event parent in charge) or one of the teachers.

Picture Day

S&S Photography will once again be taking our pictures.  Pictures will be taken April 16th & 17th at the studio.  More info. to come.

Livin Like A Local

Something new is coming to Huntsville, it is a digital hub for everything entertainment wise the city has to offer, which will include Huntsville's dance life.

The site will include a "Dance Mom's" page that will include a forum for parents of dancers in the area.  The blog will also contain Huntsville dance information/events.

Livin Like A Local will officially launch March 1st, but the site is up as well as Facebook, Twitter, & Instagram.

Go check them out!  http://www.livinlikealocal.com 

Sr. Co. member Alana went to Platinum Dance Competition this past weekend in Chattanooga.

Her solo received a platinum medal.  She also placed 2nd in her age division and 5th overall & received a special judges award!

Way to go Alana, we are so proud!

Flashback Friday

circa 2005

Social Media

The studio is actively engaged in social media.

We have a Facebook page, Instagram (ValleyDanceTheatreHSV), & now Twitter (VDTHSV).  These sites along with the blog will contain general dance topics as well as studio news!

So make sure you are connected to our social media sites.

In life not everyone is given the same opportunities and not everyone is incorporated in everything they want to do.  This holds true in the dance world.  The article linked below is great piece by Leslie Holleran for Dance Magazine, that dives into this very topic within the college dance scene.

http://dancemagazine.com/issues/February-2014/Learning-Curves-College-Dance-Companies

Twitter

We are now on Twitter!  Follow us to stay up-to-date on news
@VDTHSV. 

Studio Closed

Because of the winter weather we will be closed tomorrow, Wednesday February 12 and reopen Thursday.

http://www.jumptour.com

Jump is coming up in April!

You can check out the site; however, our location will not have information available until a week before, but if you check out another city location you can see what our location will be like.

Also Jump offers a live webcast for the competition!

INSIDE THE STUDIO PT. I: NEXT LEVEL BY LAINIE BAILEY

A while ago I thought it would be interesting for the dancers to have a glimpse of what it is like after you leave your home studio, what the next level of life is like.  It is one thing for us as the teachers to tell you but to experience it through an alumni who has been where you are can inspire in a completely different way.  

In hopes to have more of these posts, our first comes from former company member Lainie Bailey, who is studying at the University of Pennsylvania & dancing with the universities dance troupe, Penn Dance.

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What it’s like to be involved in a higher education dance group

What I didn’t know going into college was just how much independence you have. Especially for me, being almost a thousand miles from home, the shock was pretty profound. I expected not having to be told when to go to sleep, but now no one regulated my meals, my time spent on homework, or how much I interacted with people. If I had chosen to, I could have stayed in my room for months at a time. It’s a pretty scary time, being so far from home with so much to control. 

I found comfort in dancing, as I always did in middle and high school. In college, however, there was so much more to do! Dancing groups ranged from Latin Ballroom to Funk to Traditional African, Asian, and Indian styles of dance. Penn Dance, the group I chose, is the University of Pennsylvania’s oldest dance troupe and is primarily a modern company. I’ve also taken workshops with other styles of dance.

At the University, dance groups are all student-run—that means from everything to getting rehearsal and performance space, organizing schedules and classes, choreographing and advertising for shows is done by students in the group, amidst school work and social lives. Not only are we more independent individually, but we are also more independent as a group. And while we have a professional artistic director, Rachel Kantra Beal, who teaches ballet and modern to the group, we don’t have a teacher like Ms. Beam who is there to help us become better dancers by giving corrections and reminding us of what we should be thinking during an exercise. You must become more disciplined and know yourself enough to know what you need to improve.

The best advice I could give to my dance peers at VDT would be to take responsibility for your own progress. The teachers at VDT are fantastic to learn from—you will be as thankful for them after high school as I am. They are always there for you, but you yourself must be your best motivator. Don’t wait for someone else to tell you what you should do to be a better dancer—see it for yourself and do it for yourself!

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Check out Penn Dance's site... http://www.penndance.com

VDT Winter Newsletter 2014

Performance Fee

We will again this year have open admission to our annual concert (we do not sell tickets).  The performance fee helps with the costs involved in producing such a large event (lighting & sound crew, tech support, auditorium rental, etc.)  Feel free to invite all of your family and friends to come watch your special dancer!  

Performance fees paid in February are $35 ($15 for each performing sibling).

Performance fees paid after February are $45.

Calendar

We will be OPEN for Martin Luther King Day, Monday, January 20.

Mandatory Dress Rehearsal:  Wednesday, May 28

Annual Dance Concert:  Thursday, May 29

Instagram & VDT Blog

Thanks to Miss Jennifer for creating a blog & instagram account for us!  

Find us on instagram at ValleyDanceTheatreHSV and our blog at valleydancetheatre.blogspot.com!  We would love to have your contributions as dance parents and dancers on both!  

Sweatshirts

Typically we only get as many tshirts or sweatshirts as we have orders for, but due to my size run purchase, we have one youth sweatshirt left, size 12 if anyone is interested.

Severe Weather

In the event of inclement weather, please remember that in general VDT will follow the direction of the Huntsville City School system.  As always, please use your best judgment 

Illness

Please be considerate of our faculty and students.  Please wait 24 hours after a fever breaks before returning to class.  

Makeup Classes

We are very much in favor of students making up missed classes for the consistency of technical development & refining skills.  Please see Miss LA for recommendations.  You may make up any missed class within one month of the absence in a class level equal to or 1 lower than the regular class.

A Look Back!

Thanks to Momma Beam, we have some photos of years past in honor of competition season.

Instagram

We have an Instagram account!