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Get a glimpse behind the scenes at the National Ballet of Canada

 Take a peek into the Gretchen Ross Production Center for the National Ballet of Canada.  Your tour guide is Gord Graham, Construction supervisor.…Continue

Started Feb 17, 2011

Some Tips for Fitting Pointe Shoes
2 Replies

After you've decided a dancer is ready to progress to pointe shoes, here are some suggestions for finding them the best shoes for their first pair. First try to find a shop with a good selection of…Continue

Started this discussion. Last reply by Anekia Boatwright-McGhee Feb 16, 2011.

Funding of PBS is up for vote

If you are a fan of dance and other fine and performing arts, you are probably very familiar with your local PBS Station.  The future of these stations may be getting a bit dimmer.  Please visit …Continue

Started Feb 10, 2011

 

abc for dance's Page

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abc for dance posted a blog post

Dance Props - Part 2 - Macarons

Super lightweight and easy to make in a variety of "flavors" these macaron cookies are a great prop to make during camp environments as no heat or water are needed in the preparation.Ingredients - Model Magic clay - white (it took just under 1 lb of clay to make all the macarons shown)Regular art markersWax paper2 inch circle cookie cutterDirections -**I chose to wear gloves working…See More
Mar 21, 2018
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abc for dance posted a blog post

Dance Props - Different from Theatre Props - Part 1 Ice Tea

Most dance teacher's, choreographers and studio owners I know have experienced that time when you think of the perfect prop to add to your dance and really finish the whole look - and then you can't find something that would work.  Your well meaning theatre friends give you a great list of options that they've used and sometimes they will work for dancers, but a lot of times our needs are unique.  Items need to be secure, safe, visible and the weight is very often an important factor. One of…See More
Mar 2, 2018
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abc for dance posted a blog post

supporting leg exercises - part 2

One of the problems I see a lot with my students is the inability to understand when they are "sitting in their hip", or if they do realize it, they aren't sure how to correct it.  For a lot of dancers, sitting in the supporting side hip happens when they are concentrating on a combination, fatigued, or trying to keep their hips square (but trying the wrong thing).If students develop a strong supporting side and are working on it consistently, muscle memory will often kick in to help them…See More
Sep 10, 2017
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abc for dance posted a blog post

Supporting leg exercises - part 1

In the summer, i'm often fortunate to have some small classes with students who are open minded about exploring a dance concept throughout a class and in one of these the focus that evolved was about the concept of the supporting leg and how active it really is when used correctly.  Over a couple of blog posts, I'm going to give some of the exercises I used to help students connect with their standing sides during class.This series of exercises is done on a foam roller. The foam roller used is…See More
Sep 6, 2017
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abc for dance posted a blog post

Healthy and Affordable Coffee Protein Smoothie

I'm not a huge fan of the taste of coffee, so it really surprised me that I liked the coffee drink that came in one of my juice cleanse orders.  If you are a coffee lover, you might find that you want a stronger coffee flavor in this smoothie.  At the ridiculous prices (and often scary nutritional info) of getting coffee out, I played around with making mine.The recipe comes in 2 parts - making the cold brew coffee and then making the smoothie itself.  It's written out for a quantity of 4…See More
Aug 20, 2017
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abc for dance posted a blog post

the importance of a good starting position

Recently, at a large dance teacher's convention, I was fortunate enough to have time off from teaching to both take classes from other teachers and to observe dancers and teachers in class.  One thing that struck me was the lack of focus on proper alignment in starting positions.  While these often subtle differences don't  usually cause an injury, they do set the body up for less than optimal movement - why would we want to prepare our students for class this way?Since many warm ups for all…See More
Aug 16, 2017
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abc for dance posted a blog post

Why I Very Rarely "Give Class"

I've been asked before, when can I give a class and I always have to explain that I don't "give class".  It's not because give may imply that there is no charge for this service, because I will often do pro bono work for different organizations.  It's because I choose to teach a class, not give it.  Looking at the definitions of give as both a transitive and intransitive verb - the…See More
Jul 5, 2017
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abc for dance posted a blog post

Teaching and using sur le cou de pied from the beginning

Sur le cou de pied is a position that I find very helpful for encouraging students to shape their feet correctly for classical ballet training.  Benefits include:Heel being presented forwardToes lengthened to wrap around the ankleMobility encouraged at the ankle of the gesture…See More
Apr 6, 2017
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abc for dance posted a blog post

Crustless Almond Tart - 3 versions - Great source of healthy fats

This recipe is modified from a NY Times recipe - "Pan Baked Lemon- Almond Tart".  I played around with the recipe trying to figure out how to boost the good fats that our bodies need to recover from dance.  Fats are part of the composition of all cell membranes, so eating better fat choices will help build healthier and more efficient cellular function.  Healthy fats are also important for tendon health.  Free range eggs and grass fed butter will improve the ratio of Omega 3 - Omega 6 fatty…See More
Jan 12, 2017
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abc for dance posted a blog post

Healthy Mac and Cheese Recipe -(Grain free, vegetarian and vegan versions included)

Here's a version of Mac and Cheese that keeps the comfort food aspects in but also improves the nutritional profile so that it can be healthy meal option.  This particular version freezes well, so to save some precious time, make a double or triple batch and freeze in individual glass containers for those times life is too crazy to cook from scratch. Makes 4 servings Ingredients 2 cups of butternut squash in approximately 1 inch cubes 2/3 cup low sodium chicken stock (preferably free range) -…See More
Jan 6, 2017
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abc for dance posted a blog post

Deconstructing the Tour Jeté

This post is based on the Progressions for Progress class that I recently taught at the Dance Teacher Summit in NYC and Long Beach.  With the positive feedback from the class, I decided to write this up as a blog post so that I can share it with more people.  The process used here can easily be adapted for all dance steps.  To clarify the step being deconstructed, this link will take you to a video clip of a well executed…See More
Aug 10, 2016
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abc for dance posted a blog post

Information Overload and Effective Cues and Corrections

I was recently asked to present a few classes at a small conference geared towards hypnotists, not my normal dance, exercise, anatomy type of student to be sure.  During the time spots I wasn't presenting, I was welcome to participate in classes that other people were presenting and these ran the gamut from clinical topics to self hypnosis and then applications to other areas like pain…See More
Mar 17, 2016
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abc for dance posted a blog post

Performance Hack #2 - Truly Invisible Straps

Straps can be a problem.  Even though many costumes and undergarments come with adjustable straps now, they aren't really invisible.  The clear plastic straps look shiny on stage and break easily, the "nude" straps don't seem to match anyone's skin tones.  Solution?  Make your own invisible straps.1.  Take the clear plastic straps that you want to replace and remove the fittings from them.…See More
May 26, 2015
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abc for dance posted a blog post

Performance Hack #1 - Coloring Pointe Shoes

Need a pair of pink pointe shoes to turn black (or one of many other colors)?  Conventional dye can be tricky as it's quite wet and the shoes can soften too much from it (not ideal if you have your shoes at the perfect broken in level).  Fabric paint is a less than ideal solution as it will alter the surface too much, sometimes cracking, sometimes sticking, sometimes flaking off.  Spray…See More
May 23, 2015
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abc for dance posted a blog post

Turning Competition Dance Around

I recently shared an article about a competition routine danced by 8 year old dancers that appeared in a prominent news source.  The article was reflecting on the appropriateness or lack of that was demonstrated in this dance.  I was absolutely floored that within 48 hours the post had reached just under 19,000 people and generated almost 100 likes, comments and shares combined.  It's obviously a hot button topic.  The overwhelming response was that the act was inappropriate for that age…See More
Apr 11, 2015
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abc for dance posted a blog post

Wearing Many Hats

Very few of us are just a dancer or just a dance teacher, we are usually trying to juggle many different roles at the same time and it can be challenging.  When I owned my studio I was constantly switching between studio owner, teacher, choreographer, office manager, grant writer, artistic director to name a few.  It can be draining, confusing and sometimes, less than productive.Numerous…See More
Jan 18, 2015
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Profile Information

I am a
Dance Writer, Dance Industry / Retail Resource
About Me
abc for dance creates manuals, syllabi, curricula, coloring sheets and other resources for dance and movement educators.

In 1989, owner Anneliese Burns Wilson created the training materials for the Pan American Teachers of Dance Performing Arts Division. Over the next 10 years she refined the training materials into a leveled curriculum that was used in several studios.

In 1999, her company, The Step Shoppe Unlimited, was given a grant to create materials and workshops to prepare NJ academic school teachers to fulfill the Core Curriculum Standards in Dance in their classrooms. In 2000 this project became abc for dance.

Materials created by abc for dance are now being used in more than 1000 studios and schools worldwide. New products are introduced throughout the year and current products are updated to reflect new advances in education, movement science and dance medicine.

In 2011, abc for dance created a series of lesson plans for National Dance Week. The lesson plans will be available as free downloads from the NDW site. The hope is that academic school teachers will share the art and education of dance with their students, many who may not have had any previous introduction to dance.
I hope to
create resources that allow students to receive a quality dance education. Dancers who engage their mind are more empowered as artists. Every student should receive an education that allows them to choose their career path.
Website I Want to Share
http://www.abcfordance.com
Website I Want to Share
http://www.facebook.com/abcfordance

Abc for dance's Blog

Dance Props - Part 2 - Macarons

Super lightweight and easy to make in a variety of "flavors" these macaron cookies are a great prop to make during camp environments as no heat or water are needed in the preparation.

Ingredients - 

Model Magic clay - white (it took just under 1 lb of clay to make all the macarons shown)

Regular art…

Continue

Posted on March 21, 2018 at 7:30pm

Dance Props - Different from Theatre Props - Part 1 Ice Tea

Most dance teacher's, choreographers and studio owners I know have experienced that time when you think of the perfect prop to add to your dance and really finish the whole look - and then you can't find something that would work.  Your well meaning theatre friends give you a great list of options that they've used and sometimes they will work for dancers, but a lot of times our needs are unique.  Items need to be secure, safe, visible and the weight is very often an important…

Continue

Posted on March 2, 2018 at 1:56am

supporting leg exercises - part 2

One of the problems I see a lot with my students is the inability to understand when they are "sitting in their hip", or if they do realize it, they aren't sure how to correct it.  For a lot of dancers, sitting in the supporting side hip happens when they are concentrating on a combination, fatigued, or trying to keep their hips square (but trying the wrong thing).

If students develop a strong supporting side and are working on it consistently, muscle memory will often kick in to help…

Continue

Posted on September 10, 2017 at 4:00pm

Supporting leg exercises - part 1

In the summer, i'm often fortunate to have some small classes with students who are open minded about exploring a dance concept throughout a class and in one of these the focus that evolved was about the concept of the supporting leg and how active it really is when used correctly.  Over a couple of blog posts, I'm going to give some of the exercises I used to help students connect with their standing sides during class.

This series of exercises is done on a foam roller. The…

Continue

Posted on September 6, 2017 at 4:11pm

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