Backstage Etiquette 101

Port Orange Dance

Port Orange Dance

Whether this is your first performance or your 100th, it’s important to exhibit proper backstage etiquette always while at a backstage at a performance. Most teachers have their own take on backstage rules and conduct. Below are some general ideas to help make your performances run smoothly.

Don’t mess with other others belongings, costumes or props

This can be expected backstage at any type of performance. You NEVER touch other’s belongings. This can lead to misplacement of important costuming or props that can and will delay the performance. If personal items are misplacing, this can also leave a window for items to get broken or damaged, again causing delay in the performance and upsetting people.

Remain in your designated area

Although you may be familiar with backstage area, it is important to remain in your designated area always. It may be tempting to go into a friend’s dressing area, but to keep chaos to a minimum – please stay with your group. Instructors have a lot of kids to keep track of and staying in your designated area will help them keep all students accounted for. If you are not in your area, this could lead to missing entrances or causing others to miss theirs.

Focus and keep socializing to a minimum 

There is a lot of excitement and energy at a performance. It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement with your friends backstage causing noise levels to rise, creating a distracting environment for those around you. It is important to save your energy for the performance and celebrate AFTER a successful show! Bring your music to practice, a book to read or stretch quietly to conserve your energy.

Keep Quiet Backstage 

It is very tempting to chat backstage while waiting your turn to perform, however, it’s very disrespectful to fellow dancers on stage. Backstage is not the place to go over choreography, ask questions or have conversations. Always remember if you can see the audience, they can see you.

Be responsible for yourself, and yourself alone

Everyone is expected to be responsible for themselves. Teachers or those in authority are to take care of any disorderly students. If you notice someone has missed an important direction, calmly let them know and move on. When you worry about what others are doing, it distracts from your own cues, costume changes and entrances.

No arguing 

Lastly, it is of most importance to be respectful and courteous during a performance. This is applicable to teachers, parents, volunteers and students. By the time it is ShowTime, you should know who is designated to help. If you are asked to quiet down, line up or any other common questions to help things go smoothly, just do it. Arguing and attitude will NOT help the situation. If there is a direction given to you that sounds off, you can ask politely to double check you are following the correct instructions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tips for Technique – Leaps, Turns and Tricks

Dance technique can be found in every style of dance, whether it’s ballet, tap, jazz, contemporary or hip hop. Leaps, Turns and Tricks Class puts the emphasis on technique by working to improve pirouettes, leaps, turn sequences and more!

Dance technique is required for many pirouettes and jump sequences. Below are some tricks and tips that enrich overall technique and strength.

Repetition: Dance classes are planned around repetition, utilizing combinations and pathways in the dancer’s body to create proper application of muscle memory. Per Merriam Webster, muscle memory is the ability to repeat a bodily movement exactly. This is a vital part of learning to dance with strong and safe technique. Creating the wrong pathways leads to poor muscle memory, injury and subsequently, bad technique.

Pirouettes: Finding the correct position for your pirouette in releve balance requires a strong core and body alignment. Balances in passé, parallel passé, and coupe are the most common positions to work on for pirouettes. Planks, Pilates Abs and Crunches before working on balances in Leaps and Turns Class activates the core muscles and prepares the dancer for optimal technique. Add in flat backs and V-sits to engage the back muscles as a bonus. Dancers must keep the spine in line and straight, core pressed in, and a strong passé/coupe position while practicing balances. Pressing down through the shoulders, rounded arms in 1st and your highest releve are key to proper pirouette position.

Balon: Balon is the ballet terminology for gaining height in leaps. The name was inspired by French ballet danseur Claude Balon, who was known for performing exceptionally light leaps. When working on ballon, it is important to engage through the core, tighten the rear and press down through the shoulders. Often, a breath in as you leap can make a big difference. Whether it’s a leap of a jump, you want to make sure your plie pushes through the floor with your toes being the last thing to push off the floor and the first thing to land as you roll through the landing into plie.

Dance technique is constantly changing and growing, pushing dancers to their limits. The most important thing is make sure your instructor is pushing you in the all the right ways to not help grow your strength and technique, to be the best dancer you can be.

 

Pre School Dance Classes, Port Orange

Pre Dance Port Orange

logo legacy dance studio

Legacy is offering a variety of Pre School Dance Classes for ages 3-4 years old. 

We are an open enrollment dance studio featuring ballet and tumbling dance disciplines that is sure to be a FUN way to introduce your little one to dance. 

Pre School Dance classes require structure. Each class will begin with circle time, incorporate taking turns, standing in line and other skills that require students to follow directions. Dancers will learn creative movement along with proper ballet and tap terminology.

With structure and expectations set, the foundation is there to introduce new movement and emphasize creativity. Every few weeks, a new pattern or step is introduced. Learning new ways to move from place to place exposes your child to a variety of motor skills, such as skipping, hopping, jumping, leaping and galloping.

Balance skills are practiced in circle time during ballet warm up during plies, releves, tendus and port de bras, all requiring students to move around their vertical and horizontal axis. Tap class will provide opportunities to establish rhythm and musicality, weight changing and patterns.

Classes offered on Monday Evenings, Tuesday mornings and Thursdays Early Afternoon! 

See the Class Schedule here!!


Pre school dance classes builds the foundations of movement, not only for dance, but any endeavor requiring coordination, agility and balance.

ballet pre schoolPre Dance Port Orange

Register online today!

https://thelegacydancestudio.com/classes/

386-295-9298

 


 

Dancing After School

Port Orange Pre Dance

Port Orange Pre Dance

It’s fairly simple to see if a child likes to dance. From a young age they will begin to move to the music, bop to the beat or even break out in full dance in the middle of the living room! Starting a weekly dance class is a great way to introduce your child to formal dance classes. Formal dance training begins with discipline, creativity, physical dexterity and overall concentration – while still holding on to the creativity and freedom that is present in young movers.

Physical Fitness

Dance requires stamina, flexibility, strength and coordination. The cardiovascular benefits of dancing begin during warm up as the body begins a series of movement for a prolonged period of time. Some dance styles require small bursts of energy, most incorporate some form of weight bearing strength exercises and stretching. You can expect to see work outs inspired by yoga, cross-fit, and zumba – among other fitness influences as well.

Rise to the Challenge

Learning to dance is a process. You begin by learning the basic foundations and building upon those techniques and steps throughout the year. Dancers have short term goals and long term goals. An example of a short term goal may be; to stand stall with eyes up. This is a goal that can be achieved on that day in that moment. A long term goal would be to accomplish a perfect triple turn, landing on top of releve to finish.

Having attainable goals, they can work toward creates a positive mindset that can transfer into other endeavors as they mature.

dance studio daytona

Building Relationships

Dance class offers a place for students to build healthy relationships with peers, mentors and adults while at the studio. Although dance is an individual art form, there are also team opportunities when working on group dances, choreography and partnering. Being a part of a team in a safe, nurturing environment creates a sense of belonging and leadership begins to blossom as trust is built.

Developing Leadership

It is imperative that the instructor set a good example in the classroom to show accountability through effective leadership. By encouraging team work and emphasizing perseverance, students will learn to deal with disappointment and failure. Teaching them to learn from their mistakes and work toward their personal best will help to build the qualities of a leader. A leader learns to always do their best, to always work to achieving excellence

 

July News and Updates – Legacy Dance Open House Registration Event 2016 – Port Orange

port orange dance studio

legacy dance

Thank you to all of our Legacy Families for a FANTASTIC first year! We are gearing up for year 2 at Legacy and are excited for another great year!

Summer dance classes are beginning this week and dancers will be learning new terminology, techniques and pushing themselves with our intensive style classes. Stay in shape this summer for ages 3 and up and get a kick start on next year’s training.

Older Dancers will experience core classes in ballet, tap and jazz with contemporary, musical theater, leaps/turns/tricks and hip hop classes to give the over all well rounded dancer experience. Dancers, ages 11 and up, will also be learning and performing a Baseball inspired routine at the Daytona Tortuga Professional Baseball Game on Friday, July 29th at 6:30pm.

Fall Dance Classes begin August 29th! Enroll by August 6th and SAVE 50% Off the Annual Registration Fee

Our 2nd Annual Fall Registration Event will be on Saturday, August 6th from 4:00-8:00pm. Take a tour of the studio, enjoy light refreshments, dance demonstrations and more! Come see what everyone is talking about, located at 3510 S. Nova Road #118 Port Orange, Fl.

  • Refer a Friend to Legacy and Receive a $20 credit toward your account for your next month’s tuition. Your friend gets 50% Off Registration too! 

At Legacy, you can expect an environment of professionalism, passion, encouragement, and hard work as your dancer blossoms in to the amazing dancer they were meant to be!

Contact us today to Reserve Your Spot!

386-295-9298

 

Legacy News and Updates – June 2016

Legacy Fall RegistrationIt’s that time of year at Legacy! We are busy finishing Showcase Choreography and getting ready for the big show at the News Journal Center on July 9th! Classes will continue as scheduled through June and the first week of July before the Show.

Showcase tickets are still on sale at Tututix and we have sold almost 500 tickets already! Please purchase your tickets ahead of time, ticket prices go up to $25 at the door.

Studio Pictures – June 11th

Picture Day is THIS Saturday, June 11th. You can see the picture schedule on our website here. Group photo participation is required and individual shots are optional. Please bring all costumes and make sure all of your belongings are labeled with your initials to avoid any lost items.

1. Arrive 10-15 minutes early in costume, appropriate tights, makeup, shoes, headpieces, costumes and hair done in slicked back ballet bun.
2. If your dancer requires changing their costume (Ages 8 and Up) Please be available to help them change quickly and efficiently into each outfit. Check all accessories and headpieces are there.
3. Parents are to remain in the lobby during group and individual pictures. Only dancers, Under the Son Photography, and Legacy Volunteers are allowed in the Dance Studio.
4. In order for the dancers and photographer to focus on capturing the best shots for your dancer, please refrain from taking pictures through the lobby doors.



Showcase #TheLegacyBegins 

 

Our First Annual Showcase is at the News Journal Center on July 9th at 7:00pm.

July 8th -Mandatory Dress Rehearsal (This rehearsal is closed except for Volunteers, Dancers and Legacy Staff)

  • July 8th -Mandatory Dress Rehearsal (Come in Costume and/or Bring ALL COSTUMES, Shoes, Tights and Hair in Show Bun -No Makeup) (THIS IS A CLOSED REHEARSAL, ONLY LEGACY STAFF AND OFFICIAL VOLUNTEERS ALLOWED IN THE THEATER)
    Arrive – 5:30
    Start time – 6:00

-7:30 Pick Up Time: Monday 5:45 and Saturday 10:00 Classes

-8:00 Pick up Time: Monday 4:45, Thursday 4:00, Friday 4:45 Classes

-9:00 Pick Up Time: Everyone else

  • July 9th – Showcase (Come in Costume and/or Bring ALL COSTUMES, Shoes, Tights, Stage Makeup and Hair in Show Bun) 
  • All Dancers Participate in the Final Bow and are to remain backstage for the entirety of the show. No child should be picked up until the show is completely over.
    Arrive – 6:15pm
    Show Time – 7:00pm

Summer Daytona Dance
Legacy Summer Dance Classes – Port Orange

Summer Dance Classes 2016

Legacy Summer Dance Classes Begin July 18th. The two week intensive has levels for ages 3 and up. Accelerate your dancing and stay in shape this summer in ballet, jazz, contemporary, hip hop and more!

We are offering a Four Day Boot-Camp Session August 8th as an option if you’re out of town this July or want to double up your training for the summer for ages 7 and up.

*Aspiring Legacy Stars are encouraged to participate in summer dance intensives in preparation for Auditions in August.

See you on the Dance Floor!


Priority Registration and Class Recommendations – $10 REGISTRATION FEE, $5 FOR EACH ADDITIONAL CHILD 

JUNE 1st THROUGH JUNE 15th. 

Class Recommendations are being sent home with Miss Shannon’s suggestions for next season. Please feel free to contact her directly with any questions. 386-295-9298

This special offer is just for YOU and Expires JUNE 15th.

Open Enrollment – 50% OFF 

JUNE 16TH THROUGH AUGUST 6TH

SAVE !!! $15 REGISTRATION FEE, $7.50 FOR EACH ADDITIONAL CHILD

*Refer a Friend and get $20 credit toward your next month’s payment installment!

Open House and Registration Event– 50% OFF 

August 6th   4-8pm


 

LEGACY DANCE STUDIO

Legacy Stars Auditions – Competitive Performing Arts Company 

The Legacy Stars are a competitive dance team, required to take at lea
st 4 hours of dance classes per week and Perform at Community Events, Competitions, Saturday Rehearsals, Legacy Events and More!

 

Daytona Beach Dance Studio

Daytona Beach Dance

Port Orange Dance StudioAUGUST 19TH – AGES 6-9

MINIS – 5:00-6:00

AUGUST 20TH – AGES 10 AND UP
JR./TEENS – 10:00 – 11:00

SR. – 11:00 – 12:00

 

Get Inspired: Guest Instructors Can Bring Many Benefits to Your Dance Studio

Guest Dance Teacher Port Orange
Guest Dance Teacher Port Orange
Guest Instructor, Kelsey Nelson Lack with Legacy Dancers

There are many benefits of bringing in guest artists and choreographers to your dance studio. Guest Instructors and Choreographers offer a fresh perspective. Exposing dance students to different styles, ways of teaching and choreography that broadens their movement vocabulary and helps them achieve their dance goals.

For competitive dancers, bringing in a guest choreographer is a fun way to challenge your company to learn quickly, accurately and most of all to give it 100%. There is only a small amount of time that they get to work with the guest teacher, every hour spent with them will ensure the success of their choreography after they leave the studio. 

Bringing in working professional dancers, college professors and directors of dance departments to give Master Classes and Educational Q and A’s will enrich student’s knowledge of the dance world beyond recreational and competitive dance.  Being exposed to college educated professionals can inspire students to want to learn more about the fundamentals of teaching, choreography and entertainment business.

When hiring a guest teacher, always look at their resume and background to make sure they are a good fit for your studio and students. Depending on what you want them to focus on, a guest instructor can pull from their different backgrounds and experience to inspire a new approach to technique and performance.  These opportunities to learn more about the dance industry will help to continue the legacy of dance through teaching, performing or simply inspiring a lifelong love of the arts.

5 Tips for Split Leaps

Dance leapImproving split leaps is a something dancers work on consistently in ballet, jazz, and contemporary/modern dance classes. Whether you are practicing grand jeté or saut de chat, below are a few tips to get you flying in the air looking fabulous!

Preparation

Be sure to build momentum into the preparation. Whether you are starting the leap with a glissade, chasse or a step – there should be a large amount of energy expanded into the preparatory step. Pushing through the floor with a strong core and body alignment is sure to start you off on the right path for a strong leap. Articulating the foot before AND after the jump is vital to success.

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Legacy Spring News and Spring Break Dates

Port Orange DanceSPRING BREAK

The studio will be closed for Spring Break Holiday beginning Thursday, March 17th through Sunday, March 27th. Classes resume Monday, March 28th.

                Bring a Friend Makeup Dance Party: Saturday, May 7th

11:00-12:00 Ages 3-6 Ballet, Tap and Tumbling Class
12:00-1:00 Ages 7-10 Hip Hop
1:00-2:00 Ages 11 and up Contemporary Choreography Class

FIRST ANNUAL SHOWCASE

Our First Annual Showcase, #TheLegacyBegins will take place at the

News Journal Center in Daytona Beach.

  • July 8th -Mandatory Dress Rehearsal (THIS IS A CLOSED REHEARSAL, ONLY LEGACY STAFF AND OFFICAL VOLUNTEERS ALLOWED IN THE THEATER)
    Arrive – 5:30
    Start time – 6:00-9pm

7:30 Pick Up Time: Monday 5:45 and Saturday 10:00 Classes

8:00 Pick up Time: Monday 4:45, Thursday 4:00, Friday 4:45 Classes

  • July 9th – Showcase
    Arrive – 6:15pm
    Show Time – 7:00pm

 

NEW PRE SALE TICKET PRICES!!

April 15th – May 15th, 2016

Tickets will be Pre-Sold ONLINE ONLY beginning April 15th, 2016.

*Available for a limited time

$18.50 per Adult

$15.00 per Child (Under 18)

Free Admission for Children Not Requiring a Seat (2 and under)

*Instructions on purchasing tickets will be distributed 1-2 weeks prior to the beginning of the ONLINE Pre Sale.

PROFESSIONAL CLASS AND INDIVIDUAL PICTURES

SAVE THE DATE! We have set a date for Professional Class and

Individual Picture Day for Saturday, JUNE 11th. Packages and ordering

information coming soon!

  • Stage make up should be worn, hair in a slicked back bun on the crown of the head. Kits will be available to order at the studio from our friend Ashley Moore.

Class photos are required participation and individual photos are optional.

All dancers should arrive 10-15 minutes BEFORE their assigned time to ensure there shoes and outfits are dressed alike.


 

SATURDAY, JUNE 11TH PICTURE SCHEDULE

10:00 – 10:10 “Smile” Group – Saturday 10-10:45 Class

“Smile” Individuals

10:10 – 10:25 “Some Where Over the Rainbow” Group – Monday 5:45-6:30 Class

“Some Where Over the Rainbow” Individuals

10:25 – 10:35 “How Sweet and Tiny Dancer” Groups – Friday 4:45-5:45 Class

“How Sweet and Tiny Dancer” Individuals

10:35 – 10:50 “U Can’t Touch This and My Girl” Groups – Monday 4:45-5:45 Class

“U Can’t Touch This and My Girl” Individuals

10:50 – 11:05 “Firework and Happy” Groups – Thursday 4:00-5:00 Class

“Firework and Happy” Individuals

11:15 – 11:35 “Umbrella” Groups – Friday 5:45-6:45 Class

“Umbrella” Individuals

11:45 – 11:55 “Pachelbel’s Canon” Groups – Wednesday 3:45 -4:45 Class

“Pachelbel’s Canon” Individuals

11:55 – 12:10 “Shake It Off” Groups – Wednesday 4:45-5:30 Class

“Shake It Off” Individuals

12:10 – 12:25 “Music Box Ballerinas” Groups – Wednesday 5:30-6:30 Class

“Music Box Ballerinas” Individuals

12:25-12:35 “ABC” Groups – Wednesday 6:30-7:15 Class

“ABC” Individuals

12: 35 12:45 “Girls Want to Have Fun” Groups – Friday 6:45-7:30 Class

“Girls Want to Have Fun” Individuals

LUNCH BREAK

1:30-3:30 Middle School and High School Dancers- BRING ALL COSTUMES!

3:30-4:30 LEGACY STARS- BRING ALL COSTUMES!


 

Daytona DanceCOSTUME DISTRIBUTION

We will distribute costumes the 2nd week of May. *SAVE THE DATE for a possible performance on May 14th at the Port Orange Relay for Life Event. Select groups will be contacted with details.

SHOWCASE VOLUNTEERS

We will need at least 2-4 Parent/Guardian Volunteers per class for the July Showcase Rehearsal and the Showcase. Please sign up at the front desk if you would like to volunteer your time. Any help is much appreciated, thank you!

DVD’s

Professional DVD’s of the July Showcase will be available for Pre-Sale. The cost is $35 per DVD. Order forms will be available at the front desk and online closer to the Showcase.

SUMMER DANCE CLASSES: We are dancing this summer, stay in shape and get ready for the Fall Season with Intensive Style Dance Classes. Schedule and pricing is now on the website! Click here to read more!  SPACE IS LIMITED!

How to be a Effort Oriented Dancer

Port Orange Dance Studio

Port Orange Dance StudioEffort – The definition is a vigorous or determined attempt.

How can we instill qualities in students to ensure they are putting forth their best efforts with a growth mindset?

Below are examples taken directly from class room and stage experiences. Utilizing these qualities in the class room will guarantee your students are on the way to becoming a dancer that can see their growth potential and use hard work to reach their goals.

Understanding Patterns: 

Giving students opportunities to identify patterns in daily class work is imperative. During ballet barre, incorporate specific patterns that replicate those same patterns that will be seen later in center work. Mention the intention and purpose for the use of the pattern given. Give as many examples as possible.

This will allow the dancer to retain the information, and memorize it more efficiently. Comprehension of patterns will increase speed, coordination and help with reversing the movement in different directions.

Spatial Awareness:

Spatial awareness can be incorporated in the very beginning of dance training at a young age. Dancers as young as 3 learn about spatial awareness as they are required to stand on their designated spot, follow the leader with out bumping other dancers and how to stand in line with out squishing their neighbor.

As they progress, they learn to stand in windows and take turns across the floor with a partner. All of these things requiring spatial awareness.

Spatial awareness is the ability to be aware of oneself in the space around you. Knowing the body positions and stage directions to travel freely while dancing and moving is the ultimate goal. As students progress in their training, this concept is imperative when performing or auditioning.

Thinking Ahead:

The famous quote, “dance now, think later” couldn’t be further from the truth. Dancers spend most of their young dance life thinking. And thinking some more.

Dance technique and body alignment are concepts that start with your thought process. Learning the correct muscles to use and even visualization exercises to help try to achieve the right look of a dancer.

Anticipation is the act of thinking ahead of oneself. When a dancer is performing ballet barre exercises, the brain must be faster than the pace of the music to relay the message to the body.

Dance is intellectual.

You are not only thinking of the steps, you are thinking of the technique behind the steps that will enable you to execute them correctly. When preparing for rehearsals and auditions; anticipating trouble spots will help you think on your toes and be ahead of the game when under stressful situations.

Understanding Different Techniques

A strong foundation in Ballet and Tap is a great start for young dancers! At 8 years old, the dancer is physically and mentally ready to introduce additional styles of dance to their training. Dance Classes in jazz, contemporary, hip hop and other dance techniques are highly encouraged to be the most well rounded dancer.

It is important that dancers educate themselves on the history that has impacted dance and paved the path as we know it today. Studying as many styles of dance will get you out of your comfort zone and give the knowledge needed to perform your best in class, on stage or at an audition.

Learning to be an effort oriented dancer takes time and constant training inside and outside of the studio, you too can achieve this if you put in the effort!