California DanceArts Blog

Join us at our Dance-A-Thon!

California Contemporary Ballet has, over the years, played a significant role in contributing to the cultural enrichment of our communities. Please allow us to continue these endeavors by pledging your support today.  Friends and family can donate per every minute you can dance. Now, the only question is how much can you raise? How long can you dance?

 

In an effort to raise funds for the 2010 production of the Snow Queen, the California Contemporary Ballet would like to invite you to its annual Dance-A-Thon which will be held at

 The Haunted California DanceArts

4490 Cornishon Ave                                                    

La Canada CA 91011

                                                                                                 

 

On Friday, October 22 at spooky 5:30 pm

 

Join us for a spook-tacular Halloween themed event, full of tricks and treats. Ghouls and goblins of all ages are welcome. Costumes are encouraged as we will be holding a TERROR-IFIC costume contest with awards and prizes.

 

Join our Boo-Bash for music, treats, and an all around dance ‘till you drop fun time!

 

California Contemporary Ballet sincerely appreciates the generosity of its patrons. On the behalf of our performers, thank you for your consideration. Our party is brewing! We hope to see you all, from the smallest of pumpkins to the scariest of monsters at our frightfully fun Dance-A-Thon.

NEW! Dynamo Dance Camp!

July 6 - July 22
August 3 - August 20
Tues & Thurs 4:00-6:00pm

Children who are planning to attend summer school or other activities can still enjoy dance camp! This after-school camp will keep young dancers moving all summer long!

Offering:
Try out new styles of dancing and make improvments with year-round training to become a Dance Dynamo! Each 2-hour camp day features Ballet classes with alternating Jazz and Hip Hop dance.

Great for students wishing to graduate from Pre-Ballet or students who are at CDA's Level 1. Meets Tuesday & Thursday 4:00-6:00pm.

  Click Here for Full Details

Join Us this Weekend!

California Dance Arts' Annual Open House

* Demonstrations * Concerts * Special Performances * Priority Fall Registration*

June 11, 12 & 13

At California DanceArts Studios, Student Demonstrations will be conducted onFriday, June 11 at 6:00pm and Saturday, June 12 at 10:00am and at 1:00pm

It's already time for our Spring Demonstrations!! Our students have worked so hard this year, and we are all very proud of them. It is so exciting to see how much each student has progressed through the year! We look forward to seeing you there.

Demonstrations will be held on Friday, June 11 at 6:00pm, and Saturday, June 12 at 10:00am and 1:00pm. Since the demonstrations are being conducted by class, please feel free to call the studio at 818-790-7924to confirm the schedule. Since seating is extremely limited, students are only allowed up to 3 guests, on a first-come, first-served basis. Please RSVP at 818-790-7924 with the event date and time you wish to attend.

Don't Miss California Contemporary Youth Ballet up close and personal in Concert: 

DanceScapes

Please plan to join us, as our troupe of young dancers tackles pieces that are a mix of classical and unique, traditional and avant-garde, sentimental and fun!  

Saturday, June 12 at 6:30pm                                 

Sunday, June 13 at 2:30pm 

Tickets: Adults $18 / Students $15
Limited Seating

Priority Fall Pre-Registration For Current California DanceArts Students Only!

Offering our current students the first choice of classes before we open class registration to the general public!

Priority registration for our current students has begun and will continue through June 13. Don't be caught on a waiting list for classes!

 

The Value of Summer Workshops for Children

Dance Essentials

Often students move one whole level by attending summer workshops. The reason our Dancers Delight Workshop for children is successful at developing such improvements for our students is the daily training and exposure to a variety of dance styles (ballet, jazz, acrobatics, folk dance, hip hop etc..) while really honing in on basics. Yes. To learn to read you have to really know your ABC's, but to become a dance artist you have to know basics that are essential to all styles of dancing....I'm talking about  ( i ) the ability to learn and remember choreography,( ii ) the ability to improvise,( iii) use dramatic skills and emotion correctly and ( vi ) use of rhythm and musicality.

Teaching these areas of dance study for children is pretty unique to California DanceArts. Usually the concentration is mostly on physical technique. But physical technical skills is only one aspect of artistry. The interesting thing is that when training is approached from this perspective, greater abilities of physical technical skills follow. These Dance Essentials, as we call the area of study,  is very fun to learn, particularly when taught in a way that is creative.  At California DanceArts we teach these Dance Essential skills in our classes year round, but we are certainly able to work on them to a much greater degree during summer workshops. I believe that students who really understand these Dance Essentials obviously become better artists with greater understanding. Not to mention that children who engage in learning these skills become more out-going, creative, self confident and develop sweeping increased abilities to communicate to an audience. No matter the student's age, your child can really gain a sense of artistry and performance skills. In a real sense , young child prodigies can be created in this manner.

Value of Learning to Choreograph

Not only does this workshop really boost students skill level, but children work along-side like minded students who share a love and desire to express themselves through dance. In reality, students get the opportunity to live and breathe dancing, like the "older" dancers...like pro dancers in a company,  and work on huge projects within a group. Projects such as producing their own show  to be presented at the end of the workshop! That's right. Its "THEIR" show. The group of students in the workshop elect a theme for the show, they create dances for the show and even decide the order of the dances to be presented and how to introduce each dance. Working on group choreography is a huge endeavor as there are basic rules students learn about choreography...simple rules that they can understand and apply even at their young age.  Students learn to work out choreography problems and how to solve them by working with each other. As a choreographer and director, I enjoying seeing students increase their creativity and this is what I find most valuable about the program. As a teacher, I see kids grow up before my eyes as they learn to take care of each other... take responsibility as a group member, develop better communication and problem solving skills. 

No limits with Inspiration

I'm not bragging when I mention that many of our current dancers in our professional performing company, California Contemporary Ballet, grew up attending Dancers Delight Workshop every single summer. Ryan Morrison who performed as the Prince in our Snow Queen ballet, never missed a Dancers Delight Workshop as a young dancer at our school. He still attends the summer workshops offered for advanced dancers. Jaclyn Stryker danced the role of the Enchantress in the Snow Queen this past winter and she too grew up on Dancers Delight.

I point this out because these career dancers are examples of how inspired young dancers can become when given daily training, responsibility and high expectations.  Instructed in a creative and encouraging method, there is no limit to the potential of a young dancer once inspired. Coupled with high expectations and rewards such as dance games children love to play and an occasional video of a great prima ballerina from history, this is a fun workshop...a Dancer's Delight! Honestly, wouldn't YOU have loved to attend this workshop when you were a kid? 

Please see all the information regarding the Dancers Delight Workshop Here:  http://www.caldancearts.com/pages/333/Dancers_Delight.htm

Spaces in the workshop are already filling up! There are less then 12 spaces available! (Talk about exclusive instruction!)  Some of our workshops are already Full! 

(The photo to the right is of an 8 year old summer student in her costume for the show at the end of the workshop. This young girl grew up to become a teacher at our school for a time and a professional ballerina.) 

Enroll by May 1st and receive 10% off while spaces in the workshop last!  Spaces won't last, so enroll now!  The discount is available when you register with deposit online or in person.
Contact us by calling 818-790-7924

Why Dance?

By Erin Holt

At some point dance becomes a way of life for your health and happiness. It becomes an expression of all that you are and all that you can become. Most of our great dance stars have confessed to a strong drive beginning at a very young age and it sustains them throughout their lifetime. It seems that once the dance bug has got ya, you are hooked for life. 

Dance is a discipline. It requires many daily hours and often many years to become truly proficient. There is a standard and a technique which done correctly gives the dancer more tools of expression and even more ability to cause a response in his audience. As a result of such hard work, students gain a work ethic and self discipline not commonly achieved by regular education alone. Each level of technical expertise comes with its own rewards. As with any skill, it can be very exciting as you see your self improving and getting closer to the ideal. Learning a new step is fun and finally being able to perform that trick and showing it off is very rewarding. 

For these reasons and more, I became a specialist in dance education. Not everyone was born with choreography in his head like I was. Not everyone can be as dedicated or as committed to a single subject that demands such grueling physical strength or stress on the body. But I have also learned that it is human nature to rock and sway to the beat of a good tune. As long as man has been upon the earth he has also had two hands to clap together and two feet to stomp. Even the most reluctant eventually break into a smile while dancing. The freedom of the movement and the creating of time and space are why the young and old love to dance.

 

Name Your Terms

California DanceArts teachers and students know how important it is to understand the French terms, translations and definitions of each ballet exercise.  Grasping the meaning behind each term assists the dancer in properly executing steps which ultimately will be used in the variety of movements comprising the choreography of classical technique.

 

Now Carol Richmond, a Carmel dance instructor, together with a software engineer, have developed an iPhone application for teaching more than 140 ballet terms. The application, called SayBallet, is a way "to get to the students on their own (tech-savvy) level," said Richmond, who has seen even the youngest of her students using iPhones.  Using this iPhone app will allow students to learn terms in a fun way.

 

Half of the ballet terms are accompanied by videos, activated by voice. Say "plie” and the iPhone will tell us a translation of the word as “Bend”, followed by a short video display of a girl performing the deep bend. Each term can be selected in French, the way ballet is generally taught. The app is also great for hearing the proper pronunciation of these French terms. Fun quizzes are included for students to test their knowledge which then allows them to achieve higher and higher scores.
 
A worthwhile investment for under $10, this application allows young dancers to study their ballet terms during a car ride to the studio or waiting for class to begin. California DanceArts Director, Erin Holt, says “It is a great supplement to the California DanceArts curriculum where students are expected to understand ballet terminology. We hope that students use the app to increase and improve upon the skills taught in their classes and to improve their scores for upcoming ballet examinations.” California DanceArts will be holding ballet level examinations in May.

Audition this Saturday for an Amazing Summer!

For an unforgettable summer dance experience, choose to participate in classes, workshops or intensive programs being offered at California DanceArts during Summer 2010. We have made available a full array of programs for every level and age of dancer.

Enroll for Summer NOW! Los Angeles International Ballet Intensive:  July 5 - 24

Audition Class February 27th at Noon

This intensive program for intermediate and advanced dancers provides new opportunities, growth and development for students passionate about dance, who are willing to have new creative experiences, who value discipline and are eager to work with our faculty of internationally renowned guest Instructors. Whether you are in need of extra attention to get to the next level in your training, interested in pursuing a career or enhancing your career, our encouraging faculty and renowned teachers specialize in helping you gain technical improvement and performance artistry.

Offering:

• Curriculum based on fundamentals of classical and contemporary ballet, with specific instruction in turns, jumps, Pointe, variations, pas de deux and supplementary training in conditioning and MPT (Placement Technique).
• Modern dance and Dance Essentials™, a program designed to help to enhance dancer’s choreographic learning skills, improvisation, musicality and performance skills.
• New! An Aerial Ballet Workshop! Learn to fly and dance in the air, using silk scarves!
  Students will be exposed to a repertoire of classic and original choreography by Erin Holt, Director of California DanceArts and California Contemporary Ballet.
• Learn new works by guest choreographers to be performed at the end of the intensive.
• Additional Choreography Workshop is offered to dancers who wish to create their own dances or participate in the choreography of fellow students.

Audition class for the LA Int'l Ballet Intensive will be held at California DanceArts
this coming  Saturday, February 27, 2010 at 12:00 noon
Alternative audition class Saturday, March 13, 2010 at 12:00 noon