New Jersey Dance Theatre Ensemble Blog

Jose Limon's work "THERE IS A TIME" is TIMELESS!

4/16/2020

Courtesy of Dr. Adrienne Stevens

NJDTE Board Member, Dr. Adrienne Stevens reflects on performing There is a Time while a student at Juilliard and the relevance of this work today as we face the circle of time.

There is a Time
There is ...
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance

"Take care of your well-being in order to come out on the other end stronger"

Borrowing from Ecclesiastes, or more appropriately from the classic Jose Limón dance, There is a Time, we are living in tumultuous times. As dancers, what can we learn?

Refocus and stay positive on what you can do to stay energized, centered, and taking care of your well-being in order to come out on the other end stronger, more resilient, and more tolerant. Use this time productively and reflect.

Music is the dancers’ lifeblood. How does music move you now? Can you pick out the different instruments in an orchestration?
When is the last time you truly savored the taste and sensation eating a juicy orange?
Have you noted the different phases of the moon and the clouds that cross it?
How slow can you inhale and exhale? Note how it impacts your mind and heart rate.
Can you articulate the muscles in your right foot with the same flexibility as in your left foot?
Discover learning something new about your city in the time your great grandparents lived.
What new exercises can you do today to stay fit?
Sing!

Limon Dance Company Former Artistic Director, Carla Maxwell, comments on Jose Limon. With excerpts of his work.

Dr. Adrienne Stevens is a Board member of New Jersey Dance
Theatre Ensemble, and President/Founder of Performing Health®
a company whose mission is to maximize performance and sustain
wellness at every stage of the dancers’ life.

For more information visit www.PerformingHealth.com

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Floor-Barre® Benefits

9/12/2018

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By MEGHAN WIEBOLDT

NJDTE catches up with Lenore Pavlakos-Morales,
NJDTE faculty member to discuss the influential training practice of Floor-Barre®

Photo courtesy of Zena Romett, Floor-Barre® | Melinda Jackson- Floor-Barre® Mentor

Floor-Barre® is a technique inspired by ballet that counteracts the intense, weight-bearing conditions often used by dancers and athletes alike. The class's low-impact and great attention to muscle alignment acts as a prominent resource for dancers to isolate muscle regions and strengthen joints along the body. NJDTE faculty member Lenore Pavlakos-Morales shares her experience with Floor-Barre® and the benefits of the dance-inspired fitness practice. Through the practice of Zena-Rommett's Floor-Barre® technique, dancers practice lengthening the legs and creating more space in the hip sockets. When moving to a standing position, dancers recall their muscles feeling elongated and body awareness increased.

"Through the practice of Zena-Rommett's Floor-Barre® Technique, dancers practice lengthening the legs and creating more space in the hip sockets. They can then find an increase in turnout as the inner thigh muscles strengthen by the use of parallel exercises. When moving to a standing position the body feels taller, lighter and correctly aligned, prepared to approach movement with a new sense of freedom." -Lenore Pavlakos-Morales

How/why did you start training in Floor-Barre®?
I discovered Floor-Barre® while taking classes at Steps on Broadway in New York City. I would often pass the studio and notice all of the dancers working on the floor moving in parallel and passing through many familiar ballet positions. I was curious and decided to take a class and loved it!
Zena Rommett was teaching at the time and I was very fortunate to study with her.

Photo courtesy of New Jersey Dance Theatre Ensemble

"As a professional dancer, I found Floor-Barre® to be an excellent way to strengthen and lengthen my body. Rommett's Floor-Barre® and superior technique enabled me to improve my anatomical awareness and contributed to an injury-free professional career." Artistic Director Nancy Turano

What is the purpose of Floor-Barre® for dancers?
Working on the floor allows for dancers to focus on correct alignment of the body beginning at the pelvis. Basic ballet movements are executed in parallel and then turned out. In Floor-Barre®, all exercises are done slowly with careful attention to the alignment of the hip and toe. Weak points of the body such as misaligned hips, sickled feet or bent knees are quickly spotted and corrected. These points can often lead to injury as well as ailments such as tendonitis. Their correction and proper alignment is the best injury prevention.

Benefits of Floor-Barre®

Encourages use of correct alignment
Develops key muscles
Relieves stress on joints
Increase flexibility and range of motion
Supports injury prevention and recovery

Floor-Barre® Free Trial Class
with Lenore Pavlokas-Morales

Monday, September 17th
11:30 AM-12:45 PM

Location: New Jersey Dance Theatre Ensemble
315B Springfield Ave, Summit, NJ 07901
[email protected]
908.273.5500
www.njdte.org

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June is National Safety Month. What Does This Mean for Dancers?

6/20/2018

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Courtesy of Dr. Adrienne Stevens

Dancers fly through the air defying gravity, fall to the floor gracefully on descent, and emerge no worse for the wear. They can appear to eat nothing, look frail, but be strong. These paradoxes can help or hinder dancers.

Have you ever been in a situation like this?

You weren’t concentrating during the quick center combination and fell, twisting your ankle in the process. It hurt but you didn’t know what to do next. Tell the teacher? Suffer in silence? Keep moving and hope the pain goes away?

You have just run into rehearsal from the street and you’re not warmed up but the rehearsal director wants everyone dancing ‘full out’? You think you might hurt yourself.

Your friends offer you high caffeine energy drinks to ‘bump up’ your energy. You don’t know what exactly is in this mixture. Everyone is watching whether you’ll accept or not.

You want your stomach to be flat and decide to skip eating everything except applesauce all day.

What do these scenarios have in common? Important decision-making opportunities that could lead to unsafe behaviors that put you at risk for current, future, or ongoing injury.

Everyday provides an opportunity to make healthful choices that can keep you safe or jeopardize your health. From wearing a seat belt to flossing your teeth, to putting the cell phone down when you cross the street, actions that you do today become habits that set the stage for patterns in the future.

Be safe. THINK before you act.

Additional information on dancer safety:
https://www.iadms.org/blogpost/1177934/218813/An-Introduction-to-Dance-
https://www.dancemagazine.com/dancer-safety-2560949065.html
https://dancesafe.org/top-10-safety-tips-from-dancesafe/

Visit Performing Health for more information:
www.performinghealth.com/awareness-in-dance-nutrition/

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April is Stress Awareness Month! What Does That Mean for Dancers?

4/16/2018

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With Guest blogger, Dr. Ben Caref
Courtesy of Dr. Adrienne Stevens

Caref was a former ballet dancer with the National Ballet of Canada and the National Ballet. He taught ballet and choreographed with the American Dance Center in Orland Park, IL, and Joel Hall Dancers. Dr. Caref is now Managing Partner and Chief Medical Officer, Medtelligence. Trained in cardiac physiology and bio-engineering, Ben focused his earlier scientific work on identifying, understanding mechanisms, and the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias.

Dancers use their bodies to artfully express ideas and feelings. Stressful situations are everywhere in normal daily life. Family and friends can cause stress, reports in the news, in schools, and in the dance studio. Dancers can feel stressed trying to master steps while rehearsing for a program, or when the steps or flow just don’t come together. Taken together, it can be difficult on the body and mind.

Stressful situations cause strain and pressure and can take an emotion toil on all humans. Stress is everywhere, and while small amounts may be beneficial, it’s essential to know how to control stress so that over time, without any release, stress doesn’t undermine your true potential.

The body has mechanisms to deal with stress. The endocrine system reacts to stress by producing cortisol from the adrenal glands. It’s part of the flight-or-fight adaptation we possess. It helps us deal with acute situations, and can be a positive feature, like getting “psyched-up” before a performance. So, some stress can be a good thing. But if a stressful situation becomes chronic, too much cortisol in the bloodstream can lead to a variety of poor outcomes such as: interfering with learning and memory, lowering immune function and bone density, causing bodyweight to rise (and make difficult to lose), high blood pressure and cholesterol which over time can contribute to heart disease. It seems far away now but over time it can lead to depression and other mental illnesses too. Clearly, too much stress is not a good thing.

Fortunately, there are many ways to deal with, and turn stress into working for you - instead of against you. First, you must recognize that you’re experiencing stress. Half the battle is in identifying the trigger to stress that is causing emotional (and perhaps physical too) discomfort.

Ways to respond to stress:

Regular exercise – Partake in fitness (other than dance) at least 3–4 times a week. Activities should include both aerobic (jumps across the floor) and strength exercise (adagio). Beware though, ballet classes alone will not give you the aerobic exercise that’s needed to maintain a healthy heart and decrease chronic stress.
Support systems – Find a core group of supporters and advisers. Listen to your friends or classmates when they are stressed. Let trusted teachers, counselors, or parents have a perspective on what you’re feeling. Talk! Don’t keep feeling bottled up.
Time management – Develop an organizational system. After a plan is made, organization is everything!
Calm the mind via guided imagery and visualization – Listen to your favorite music, go to an art exhibition, take the time to try something new.
Progressive muscle relaxation – Loosen tense muscle groups with massage, therapeutic touch, or props like rollers or balls.
Assertiveness training – Work on honest communication (get out of your shell – don’t be afraid)
Self-reflection – Express true emotions by taking time for self-reflection.
Minimize stress at school, the studio, or at home, and the paralyzing fear it can stir up in your life.
Assess what’s working for you and what’s causing stress. Prioritize tasks and organize a new system.

Breathe. Be grateful for the things you have in your life. Do whatever it takes to lower your chronic stress levels, and you will enjoy a more fuller life and be a better dancer too!

Reference:
Patricia Potter (2014. Canadian Fundamentals of Nursing (5 ed.). Toronto: Elsevier. pp. 472–488.

www.performinghealth.com

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March is National Nutrition Month!

3/10/2018

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Our wonderful NJDTE faculty member Dr. Adrienne Stevens is back with another helpful blog for our dancers!

March is National Nutrition Month! Nutrition is of utmost important to dancers who need lots of strength and energy to keep training for long hours in the studio.

Check out Dr. Stevens' tips below on how to lead a healthy dancer lifestyle!

www.performinghealth.com

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February "Month of Love": Self-Love from Dr. Adrienne Stevens

2/26/2018

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On February 15, NJDTE Level 3 students had a special masterclass with Dr. Adrienne Stevens. Dr. Stevens is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Behavioral Sciences at Columbia University in NYC. A BFA graduate of the Juilliard School, Dr. Stevens is an expert of human movement and has worked in many different environments ranging from dance companies to fitness clubs to pharmaceuticals. Dr. Stevens’ company Performing Health strives to maximize the social and emotional well-being of dancers, starting from a young age into adulthood.

The NJDTE masterclass focused on the importance of warm-up, Theraband exercises for injury prevention, self-care, self-love and kindness to others, in theme with February “Month of Love”.

Dr. Adrienne Stevens

Level 4 dancer Abby practicing Theraband exercises

Level 3 dancers in class with Dr. Stevens

Be sure to read other tips and advice from Dr. Stevens from her blog:

DANCER LOVE
February is the month of love. What does that mean for dancers?
·       Being grateful for your body and the marvelous things it can achieve
·       Eating better food to build, modify, and sustain your strength
·       Getting more, and better-quality sleep to repair, grow, and keep energy levels high
·       Being kind not only to yourself, but to your classmates, too
·       Giving your parents and teachers the respect they deserve
·       Challenging your mind and learning something new NOT related to dance

So often we dancers look in the mirror and see only flaws. We don’t give enough credence to what we have and are in the process of accomplishing. This type of negative thinking creates a feedback loop that hinders growth and chips away at self-esteem. Work hard on the physical demands of dance but realize it’s a process that does not happen instantaneously. Smile, find something in your day that gives you joy, judge less, congratulate yourself for persevering, no matter the setback. You are awesome. Embrace it!

February is also heart health month. Dancer specific recommendations include:
·       Quit smoking or don’t start!
·       Read labels and opt for lower sugar alternatives
· Examine the type of dancing and other physical activities you do and make sure there is a balance of both aerobic and strength training involved

Read more on Performing Health and Dr. Stevens’ mission:
www.performinghealth.com
http://www.performinghealth.com/awareness-in-dance-nutrition/2018/2/6/february-is-the-month-of-love-performing-health-february-2018

Dr. Stevens will also be joining our Summer Dance Intensive faculty for 2018!

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INJURY PREVENTION: The Safe Way to Stretch

2/4/2017

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by Kate Pirtskhalava, NJDTE Alumna

The growing popularity of dancers like American Ballet Theatre’s Misty Copeland and Boston Ballet’s Dusty Button attest to the fact that more eyes have turned to the performing arts than ever before. This is thanks in part to social media, which not only offers dance lovers some eye-catching photos and videos, but also enables young dancers access to insider information about the dance world. While Instagram posts of gorgeous arabesques and bendy feet can be motivating, they have also been found to promote a variety of unhealthy practices. Case in point: overstretching.

Breton Tyner-Bryan

There is no doubt that a high level of flexibility is a great asset in an art form that values a wide range of motion, but the pursuit toward the perfect penché can also lead to potential injury—enough to stunt your progress and set you up for greater discomfort in the future. So, if placing one leg on a chair and sinking into a split isn’t the way to go, what can you do to achieve maximum range of motion? With the help of Breton Tyner-Bryan—who we are so excited to have as part of our Summer Dance Intensive faculty for 2017— we’ve compiled 5 helpful tips to send you safely along your journey toward flexibility:

“I Iove stretching because I hate limitations, so I am always curious to learn how to my body works together, and how to create space. This has kept me surgery free. So, I started to teach myself to stretch for health instead of image.”
- Breton Tyner-Bryan

Breton Tyner-Bryan teaching a Level 3 dancer the importance of starting with basics.

1. Never underestimate the effects of warming up and cooling down.
While pliés and tendus are placed at the beginning of class to prepare your body for more physically demanding movement later on, jumping into them without any preparation can shock your muscles and joints. To begin your day of classes, rehearsals, and especially performances, wake up your body with a Pilates sequence and resistance band exercises. A set of jumping jacks or a jog around the studio will get your heart rate pumping and your blood flowing to promote muscle rejuvenation. Holding a plank for at least one minute engages your abdominal, arm, and leg muscle groups all at once.

But when can I stretch my hamstrings?! After barre, and again at the end of class are the perfect times to finally work your splits and open up your hips. You are sufficiently warm and limber at this point, which greatly reduces the risk of a strain or tear. In fact, it is at this stage that you will see the most improvement in flexibility. So, at the end of class, take a few moments to catch your breath and lengthen your muscles.

Breton Tyner-Bryan working with a Level 3 dancer on safe stretching.

2. Set achievable goals.
Artists are always aspiring to do more, and visualizing an ultimate goal is a great way to keep motivated. But, it’s important to set realistic milestones along the way to make the process more fulfilling. Rather than expecting to touch your leg to your ear a la second in one month, perhaps work towards consistently holding it turned out at 90 degrees with a stable, turned out supporting leg. For added inspiration, mark your progress in a journal, or create an album of photos to look back on when you finally reach your goal.

3. Know that stretching, like building technique, is a journey (YOUR journey!) and never a race.
Remember, this is your progress, and comparing the height of your leg to that dancer you follow on social media will do nothing but distract you from the greater goal: becoming the best dancer you can be. Instead, focus inward, pace yourself and be kind to your body. Start slowly, utilize proper form and alignment, and know that often, less is more. Holding a stretch will not necessarily make you more flexible that day, or any day! In fact, maintaining a stretch for an extended period of time increases your risk for injury. Instead, hold each stretch for about 30 seconds, making sure to breathe deeply the entire time.

“Class and its expectations are typically rushed today. People want results immediately without proper strength and patience to arrive at that moment, which leads to injury. It is important to know what your body needs, where is it usually tight, and what requires extra attention. My hamstrings, the back of my legs, and low back have always been tight, so they get my attention first. Any tightness in my body leads to tears or compensation, so I stretch constantly to avoid it.”
– Breton Tyner-Bryan

Breton Tyner-Bryan and a Level 3 dancer pairing flexibility with strength and placement.

4. Strengthen to lengthen.
A bendy back and limber hamstrings mean nothing for your arabesque if there is no strength and control to support the flexibility. Incorporating strengthening exercises like abdominal and ankle work into your stretching routine will build both the flexibility you need to create a striking line and the power you need to facilitate and move through it. After all, the role of a dancer is not to contort the body for a social media snapshot, but to utilize it to tell a story in action.

5. Listen to your body.
If you ever find yourself in pain (which is very different from the discomfort of a challenging position or new exercise) while stretching, exercising, or dancing, take note and allow your body to rest. Don’t feel discouraged that your legs aren’t doing what you want them to do, or that your back isn’t as open as it was yesterday. Instead, take the opportunity to prevent further injury right then and there. Your body will thank you for treating it well, and you will be back on your way toward your dreams in no time!

“At 27, I tore my psoas and groin on my left hip 5 months apart and kept performing for a year. I was pushing my flexibility way beyond what my already extremely "gumby" like body was capable of. I kept demanding more, and my approach of not listening got me injured.” -Breton Tyner-Bryan

As dancers, we know there is value in understanding and respecting the natural structure of the body. Forcing your muscles and joints into positions they were not meant to be in for the sake of aesthetic appeal is hardly reason enough to risk injury and future medical issues. Of course, some dancers are born with a physiology that enables greater range of motion, while others are not. This, however, is not the marker for who will become a professional dancer. What will set you apart? Positivity, determination, willingness to learn and grow, and self-awareness to use what you already have to the best of your ability—none of which come from sitting in “oversplits.”

Before you go off to treat your body well and prepare it for the season of classes, rehearsals, and performances ahead, we'd like to leave you with some parting words of wisdom from Breton Tyner-Bryan:

"The best dancers and performers regularly transcend physical form, it's about how they make people feel. Dance is not a modeling agency; it exits in the moment, is real time, flesh and blood. I'd say to younger dancers, do you want a photo or a career? Go for the long game, even when society is consumed by immediate visual validation through social media. Immediate doesn't last, and it also means you're reliant on others to validate you. If you have a great show, class, or rehearsal, deep down you feel it and know it's not about other people’s approval. Dancing as a career is such a personal. grueling, and rewarding path, it's best to be in it with your heart from the beginning."

Breton Tyner-Bryan working with Level 3 dancers on the importance of range of motion, flexibility, and stretching after barre.

Need help developing a healthy warm-up, cool down, or overall stretching routine? Want to know which specific strengthening exercises aid flexibility?
Ask us in the COMMENTS BELOW!

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The COLLEGE Conversation: Double Majors and Minors

11/29/2016

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by Kate Pirtskhalava, NJDTE Alumna

It’s COLLEGE PREP season for our juniors and seniors (and forward-thinking sophomores), and amidst the Nutcracker excitement, we know you must have questions. Where should I apply? How do I prepare for auditions? What do I even want to study? What if I love performing, but also find myself drawn to the science lab or art studio?

Today, we tackle that last question head-on. Here at NJDTE, dancers are not only given the technical skills they need to succeed on stage, but also the guidance and confidence to choose the higher education path that is right for them. Double majors are on the rise across the country, as more and more high school seniors seek to combine, rather than choose between, their passions. Dancers are no exception. In fact, most Bachelor of Fine Arts programs now offer dual degrees or minors in nearly any field you can think of: business, the sciences, visual art, communications, English, history, and more. Versatility and collaboration are keys to success in any field, and dancers who graduate with a second degree are poised to make an impact as professionals both on and off the stage.

If you have found yourself wondering how you could possibly “do it all” in college, three recent NJDTE alumni -- Abigail Frasco, Gabrielle Garruppo & Nicole Killmer -- are here to share how they're making it happen:

Abigail Frasco just recently completed her training at NJDTE before entering into her first year at the University of Michigan. She is currently a dance major, and is on track to add biology or marketing & advertising to her degree.

Gabrielle Garruppo is a senior at The George Washington University. After completing her study at NJDTE, she went on to pursue a double degree in college. At the end of her time at GW, she will graduate with a Bachelor of Science in biological sciences and a Bachelors of Arts in dance.

*Check out her post on the blog about what inspired her to pursue this course of study!

For whom is a double major the right choice?

“It is definitely not the right choice for everyone. Being part of the dance department and attempting to achieve all the academics other ‘ordinary’ students at the university are doing, will be a challenge. You will have to be very disciplined and determined to make it work, but it will only benefit you in the end.” –A.F.

Do you feel like you can give equal attention to both endeavors?

“What I usually do is try to have my semester schedule pretty balanced, with a few dance and a few bio classes per semester. There's a bit of a strategy to it, but it's nothing too difficult. This lets me pay attention to both of my majors throughout the semester. My time spent in the dance department is in rehearsals, going to performances for classes, and writing papers, while my time spent in the biology department is doing labs, completing homework assignments, and studying for exams.” –G.G.

What has been your most difficult moment on this track, and how did you overcome it?

“I knew I wanted to study abroad, and I had to make sure I was able to work around that. What I ended up doing was taking most of my general requirement classes in my freshman and sophomore years, because they were easier to get into, and taking my biology classes my junior and senior years, with dance classes spread more evenly throughout. When I went abroad to London, I took strictly biology classes, and I ended up coming back with over half of my biology degree completed. I'm not necessarily going to have an easy second semester of my senior year, like most other students will, but I will be graduating with two Bachelors degrees, which makes it worth it.” –G.G.

Gabrielle Garruppo

Have you had to sacrifice anything about the “college experience” in order to pursue this path?

“The only aspect that possibly could take away from the "college experience" is the rehearsal schedules, for the dance department has a show every semester and each piece rehearses for four hours a week, but here at GW it barely affects anything that you may want to do as a college student. You can still join student organizations, rush sororities, and get all of your classwork done.” –G.G.

“Michigan is a fun, social school. There is something going on every night! So you have know when to stay in and rest or study. Just know that sometimes you may not be able to keep up with other students because your days are very different from theirs. That being said, Saturday football games are always a must! – A.F.

What has been your greatest experience so far as a double major?

“My greatest experience so far is probably the fact that I get to merge my two fields of study together for my honors thesis in dance. In the spring, I will be taking research data on the biomechanics of dance and creating a 20-minute long performance based off of the data I found. It's pretty incredible that I have the opportunity to take both of my major interests and work on them in an honors thesis project, further preparing me for medical school and graduating with an honors degree in dance.” –G.G.

Abigail Frasco

How jam-packed is your schedule?

“My schedule is pretty packed, but it's nothing that isn't feasible. I have my classes during the day Monday through Friday, and the lab I am a TA for is on Mondays during the day. I had rehearsals on Monday and Wednesday nights for the piece I choreographed for the department's show, and I would use my Tuesday and Thursday evenings to do work. Throughout my week I would have some rehearsals for the student organization I am involved in, which were often on Sundays this semester, and the rest of my time on the weekends I used to relax, go out with my friends, and finish up any work that I had. While I kept myself busy, I was in a rhythm from week to week, making my semester less stressful. And yes, I still get sleep!” –G.G.

How has NJDTE prepared you to take on a double major and the challenges that may come with it?

“NJDTE has prepared me in ways I wouldn’t have expected. As much as all the teachers say it, we really are exposed to so many “real world” situations. And in regards to the double major, I have learned so much about discipline from the long rehearsals and all the things that come with that: taking care of your body, resting the night before a long day, getting your schoolwork done before Sunday night after a 7 hour rehearsal. I am so incredibly thankful for this program and all that is has prepared me for my future.” –A.F.

“NJDTE helped me learn the importance of time management and how to stay successful while busy. During my time at the Ensemble I was taking Tuesday and Thursday night ballet classes, along with the rehearsals and classes taught all day Saturdays and Sundays. My rehearsal schedule is lighter here, and since I was able to do well in high school under a full schedule, it is easier for me to do the same thing here in college. Also, NJDTE taught me the significance of dedication to your work, as well as to always do what you love to do. NJDTE was an incredibly inspiring experience for me, and I honestly don't think I would be a double major if I didn't dedicate my time the Ensemble.” –G.G.

Don’t feel as though a double major is the right fit for you? Not to worry! Many schools offer students the opportunity to pursue a minor in another area of focus. Many NJDTE alumni have gone on to choose this path. Take a look at what one of them has to say about her experience doing so:

Nicole Killmer is a senior at Marymount Manhattan College. She is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts in dance with a minor in graphic design.

What do you think the advantage of a minor is over a double major?

"It's definitely a bit easier to pursue a minor than a double major in regards to the amount of classes and school work. When pursing a minor, you don't have to take as many classes in your area of interest and you have less work that needs to be completed outside of class. This allows me to really focus on my dance classes and rehearsals.”

Did you choose your school based on the potential to minor alongside your dance degree?

"When I was looking at colleges, I was looking at schools that had a strong academic program with an equally strong dance program and were located in New York City. Although, I didn't choose Marymount based on my potential to minor. I actually decided to pursue my minor during the fall semester of my junior year.”

Have you been able to find a direct link between your major and your minor? What if a desired minor does not explicitly apply to dance?

"Yes, but I didn't at first. In fact, I don't think it's necessary to pick a minor or a double major based on whether or not it relates to your major. Actually, I believe it's even more beneficial to a student to study something outside of his or her given major. This way, he or she can learn about something new!”

Nicole Killmer

What has been your greatest experience so far with this added minor?

“My greatest experience so far with my minor in graphic design is being able to find new ways of expressing myself. As a dancer, I'm constantly creating and artistically expressing myself through movement. It's really nice and refreshing to explore this same way of expressing myself through a different medium. “

What does your schedule look like?

"Although pursuing a minor instead of a double major does lessen the number of classes I have to take, my schedule is still pretty crazy. Most days classes start at 8:30AM and after dance classes, academics, and rehearsals, I don't get out until 7:00PM, sometimes 10:00PM. If I was double majoring, I would most likely have the same schedule but less dance classes and more academics."

Have you been able to apply any of the lessons you learned at NJDTE to your time in college and your pursuit of this course of study?

"NJDTE has prepared me to take on some of the challenges I face in graphic design by teaching the importance of expressing myself through my art. I've realized it can be difficult to express myself through graphic design work because it's usually dictated by my teacher or a client and we're creating work based on their visual preferences. Whenever I create work, I always strive to somehow add a little bit of myself into the work, even if it's just a small change in color or a font."

As you dive deeper into your research, new questions will surely emerge, and WE’D LOVE TO HEAR THEM!
What do you want to know about navigating the relationship between the arts and college? Comment down below, and we will be sure to offer up an abundance of resources.

HAPPY COLLEGEDAYS!

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Pulling Back the Curtain: What’s In Those DANCE BAGS?

10/8/2016

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by Kate Pirtskhalava, NJDTE Alumna

Beyond providing unparalleled technical training, performance opportunities, and professional networking guidance, part of New Jersey Dance Theatre Ensemble’s mission is to create a community of dancers and enthusiasts that have meaningful conversations about the common love of an art form. Its online extension (this blog) exists to develop those discussions and offer audiences a glimpse into what they can’t see from their seat in front of the curtain. Come with us as we pull back that very curtain, revealing the puzzle pieces that come together to not only create a breathtaking performance, but also to support the arts as they propel into the future. Our first stop? Something that often has a home very far behind the scenes—a toolkit, a closet, and a kitchen all in one—the dance bag.

Picture this incredibly common scene: dancers stroll through the doors of the studio with their next several hours of class and rehearsal packed in bags draped over their shoulders. Moments later, they descend upon the rehearsal space prepared to work, and their tool kits—seen just recently—are stowed neatly away for the duration of their training that day. Every now and then they will return to the dressing room to rifle through shoes and Band-Aids before returning again to their practice, where teachers and choreographers will remind them that it is what happens in between the movements that makes the dance. In many ways, personal moments spent packing, searching through, and organizing the tools for success in a training bag adds to the story of an individual’s time as a dancer. In Part 1 of our Summer Intensive SUCCESS Guide, we mentioned creating a comfortable and organized environment as an important element of preparing for a fulfilling summer ahead. The advice remains true through the year-round season, especially when performances roll around and rehearsal days get longer and longer. So what is in those bags pictured earlier? Tools and tricks meant to provide health, comfort, and motivation. We talked to several dancers and a faculty member to find out what they carry around for an effective dance experience:

Preparation and Prevention
Allai Regen, Level 5 dancer, takes preventative measures to keep her mind and body at ease during a long day. You’ll find a stash of toe tape and Band-Aids in her bag, as well as a collection of first aid materials for the treatment of blisters, bruises, and any of the other battle wounds that come from pushing the boundaries of the body. When packing up a bag for any and all situations, consider Allai’s words: “you never know what’s going to happen to your toes.”

Keeping Organized
Level 3 dancer, Alina Slotwinski, makes it a point to carry a bag that reminds her to stay organized. Cultivating an art has been shown to inspire the flow of creativity and deeper thinking—leading dancers, for example, to constantly find new ways to approach the technical skills and roles they learn. To keep those invaluable ideas and important notes orderly and easily accessible, she always carries a notebook. That same method applies to her apparel. Alina keeps her dance wear and street wear separate by using a simple household item: “when I bring an extra pair of street shoes in my bag, I put them into a plastic shower cap.”

Front right: Alina Slotwinski, Level 3 dancer

Bridget Quinn, Level 4 dancer

Expecting the Unexpected
Level 4 dancer Bridget Quinn’s bag holds all the things you never thought you needed. She takes some time to think about the less obvious items while packing her bag. For example, what would you reach for if you had stitch up some point shoes in a cinch and didn’t have pre-cut ribbons? “People always look for scissors, I have scissors.” In this case, everything but the kitchen sink comes in handy. Remember, however, to go through your bag every few days or so and reconsider what you truly need and don’t need. Staying on top of your inventory will ensure that when you find yourself frantically looking for those scissors, the ‘pointe shoe dye you needed for that photo-shoot that one time’ wont get in the way of your search.

Staying Healthy
Kate Heulitt, Level 5 dancer, holds her health at top priority, and knows that proper hydration is key to peak performance. Her bag would simply be incomplete without her favorite water bottle stored neatly inside of it. Pairing routine tasks like getting enough water with your favorite color, pattern, or style can help remind you to stay healthy and energized during classes and rehearsals. The trick of association can work with practically anything. Pack your lunches in fun, reusable containers to make snacking that much more fun and to help you stay positive and motivated throughout your day. Kate also keeps a few peanut butter Clif bars in her bag at all times: “It’s the number one snack that I can’t go without.”

Feeling Good
Tanner Hutchinson, Level 3 dancer, fills her bag with items that hold sentimental value and make her feel great on a daily basis. Her mother’s leg warmers from when she was a dancer have a special place in her wardrobe. Classically pink and worn through generations, they remind her of her personal attachment to the work she does in the studio every day. Newer items have made it into the mix as well, like her spikey green ball for rolling out her foot muscles. Tanner bought this item on her own because she thought it would soothe her tired feet and “it does!”

Training Body and Mind
Peter Brandenhoff, Ballet faculty member at NJDTE, believes that well-rounded artists should not only work on their physical forms but also their brains. At any given moment, there are always two or three books in his bag. Breaks in between classes, as well as travel time to and from rehearsal, can serve as great moments to break up your day with a bit of reading. Consider putting down your phone every once and indulging in a fascinating news article or the newest addition to your bookshelf.

Kate Heulitt, Level 5 dancer

Peter Brandenhoff, Ballet faculty member

Isabel Sottile, Level 5 dancer

Function and Form
Isabel Sottile, Level 5 dancer, chooses her footwear for class before even stepping into the studio. When packing her bag for a training day, she considers the needs of the movement she will be doing. Her blue socks always find their way into the collection, as they are “slippery enough to slide and move comfortably in, but also have enough traction to reduce the worry of falling.” And if those are no longer usable one day, not to worry! She always has extras. An extra pair of ballet shoes, pointe shoes, tights, and of course socks, keep her mind on her dancing and not on the things she is wearing.

Though there are similarities in what dancers might carry in their bags to and from the studio, individuality certainly has a place at the table. Filled with items that aid in personal growth and success, the dance bag is an extension of the dancer. Looking back at the advice included in our Summer Intensive SUCCESS Guide once more (this time, Part 2), one of the most important things to remember while training is to focus on yourself. Each one of the dancers above has their own path and their own necessities along the way that informs what they will bring with them to the studio. Take a moment to consider what you might need to perform at your best on a daily basis. If you find yourself stuck, refer to this post for a bit of inspiration.

Finally, remember that while it might be exciting to fill your bag with all the aforementioned goodies, these items should never hinder your training and take the place of the essentials. Make sure to check that your shoes are wearable and appropriate for each situation, that the clothes you pack are comfortable and do not inhibit your mobility, and that your things are sorted for easy access when you only have a few minutes in-between classes. At the end of the day, know that your bag doesn’t follow you into the studio space or onto the stage—as long as everything you need to dance at your best is stowed away in there, you’re on the right track.

We want to hear from you! What item in your bag is your absolute favorite? Do you have any organizational tips that you swear by? Let us know in the comments below!

Also, keep an eye out for additional adventures behind the scenes at NJDTE as part of the “Pulling Back the Curtain” series.

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