California DanceArts Blog

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!

 

Backstage With California Contemporary Ballet's Laura Smith Mauldin

Back Stage with California Contemporary Ballet gives you an inside look into what it's like to be part of this remarkable company, and the lives of the dancers who make up the ensemble.  This week, we get up close and personal with CCB's Laura Smith Mauldin.

Hometown:  Fountain Valley, CA

Favorite Dancer (living or dead): Moira Shearer (Best ballerina of her time in my opinion)

What made you decide to start taking dance classes?

My mother could never get me to hold still as a kid, so she enrolled me in dance classes at age 6.  I've been hooked ever since.

Any moments, events,  films or performances that inspired you to pursue dance as a career?

Working with Jodie Gates on the re-staging of William Forsythe's "Artifact Suite" definitely gave me a sense of accomplishment.  The fact that I was cast by Jodie made me think  that I really had a chance to be a professional dancer.   

Where did you train?  Any memorable teachers or programs?

I trained at the University of California, Irvine, Moorpark College and California Dance Theater.  While at CDT, I loved taking class from Stanley Holden.  He kept me coming back to dance class while I was busy as a competitive ice skater. 

What’s your favorite style of dance to perform?       

Ballet!  It's what comes most naturally to me; I love the elegance and the grace.  Although, I also love to do things that are strong and dynamic too, such as modern dance or modern-ballet-fusion. 

What do you feel is the biggest challenge of being a dancer in Los Angeles?         

California is so big that it adds a new challenge because everything is so spread out.  You could have gigs in places that are two hours away in opposite directions, not like New York where everything is so close.  And the traffic-- Oi Vey! 

When did you join CCB?       

I did a dance festival with CCB in January 2009, but officially joined CCB in the summer of 2009.

What has been your favorite piece to perform with CCB?       

Playing the role of Gerda in last December's production of "The Snow Queen" was by far the most fun.  I got to be onstage the whole time and I loved her range if emotions: happy, worried, frustrated, defensive, and above all determined.  Gerda and I merged personalities very easily.  

Right: Laura partnered by Filip Stanek in The Snow Queen.

"Predea" is probably the most challenging piece and there is definitely a love/hate relationship there...It's a fantastic piece, but it kills me!   

Why do you dance?  What keeps you going with it?

I dance because I love it.  I love moving and performing.  I get excited over any performance whether it's at the Pasadena Civic Center or in a mall somewhere.  I just love to dance for people.       

Where do you see yourself in five years?   

I could be anywhere in five years.  I could be a mom, I could be in culinary school, I could be dancing for CCB, I could be teaching....any combination of any of those things is possible!      

Any advice for young dancers just starting out?    

If you love it, go for it!  Don't ever let anyone tell you you can't dance.  But make sure it's always fun, it's supposed to be fun!

Do you have any pre-performance rituals or superstitions when you’re backstage? 

I like to be quiet in my own mind right before I dance.  I visualize my choreography and go through the emotions of the piece in my head.  I definitely practice anything that is tricky for me before-hand.  And I always make sure I take off my jewelry! 

Meet all the members of CCB each week here on the CDA blog and for upcoming performances and more information visit CCB's website.

Masters Ballet Workshop

August 2 - 21
M-W at 6:00-8:00pm
Sat. 11:30-1:30pm

This program is the ideal follow-up to the Los Angeles International Ballet Intensive, or as an after-school program for students wishing to excel in their ballet training over the summer.

Featuring the curriculum and methods which have established California DanceArts as a premier academy of dancing, instructors from our faculty provide dancers with the highest caliber training and skills needed to achieve their dreams.

Train with our lead ballet instructors, Lynn Pittenger, Emira Hadzimusic and Heather Toner, each of which offers their knowledge and love of Ballet Technique, Pointe, Variations and Character Dancing.

This special three-day-a-week workshop (meeting on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays) is OPEN to Intermediate dancers at or above CDA Level 3 thru Advanced. In keeping with our standards requiring personal attention for all our students, this workshop is limited to only 10 students.

Don’t Judge Me By My Tights

Photo credit: Nathan Perkel for Newsweek

Above it All: Ballet was worth a fat lip or a black eye

Being a male dancer means battling many stereotypes. But the rewards of my job are limitless.

By Sascha Radetsky | NEWSWEEK

Mar 17, 2008 Issue | Updated: 1:15  p.m. ET Mar 8, 2008

 

      My business attire is a pair of tights. All right, there it is. I wear makeup onstage, and some of my colleagues are gay. Can we move on now? Can we leave behind the tired male-ballet-dancer stigma—that ballet is not a masculine pursuit—in order to move toward an appreciation of the athleticism and artistry involved in this line of work?

On an average day at the job, I handle lithe, lovely women, engage in duels and delight in the experience of an exotic locale. I move like a gymnast or martial artist and embody the vilest of pimps or the most chivalrous and passionate of lovers. I constantly expand the borders of my physical capabilities, and I hone my mind to a quick-learning, focused edge. Come 8 p.m., I'll fuse dynamic movement and storytelling with the grandeur of a full live orchestra.

Yes, I'm proud of my profession. Yet I find myself slightly guarded when I tell people what I do. Like some sort of incurable blight, the male-dancer stereotype has taken root and metastasized in our cultural consciousness. Pioneers like Baryshnikov or Nureyev might have opened some minds, but their days have long passed, and despite the noble efforts of a handful of current ballet leaders to expose fresh audiences to our art form, a whole new generation looks at male dancing with skewed vision. Some of my peers are foreigners; in many other countries male dancers are held in higher esteem. I studied in Russia for a year and always marveled at the way Russians celebrated their artists, whether their medium was dance, music or the written word. But I'm American, and I want to live in my own country, as a dancer, with some respect.

The most irritating aspect of the male-dancer stereotype is the underlying insinuation that we in some way lack strength of character or a courageous spirit. Male and female, all dancers undergo strenuous training from a very young age, and constantly wrestle with injuries and fatigue. But male dancers must possess a special type of will and fortitude if they are to become professionals, for, like fish swimming upstream, we have to fight through the current of thinly veiled contempt that much of society harbors for our chosen path. In our culture, girls are encouraged to take ballet; boys receive no such endorsement, except of course from ballet teachers or exceptionally supportive parents. The boy who perseveres in dance must have a genuine hunger for it, must be uniquely motivated and dedicated, and must develop a truly thick skin.

I started taking ballet when I was 5. My open-minded parents thought it was a good way to channel my rambunctious behavior. A few years later I was hooked. I loved the physicality and, of course, the girls, but I also learned that not everyone recognized the value of dance the way I did. I don't remember the first fight I got into for being a kid who took ballet, but I remember fighting a lot before I realized that maybe I should keep my extracurricular activities to myself. But ballet was rewarding enough to be worth a fat lip or a black eye, and I emerged from my years of dance training more focused than ever. My background is not unusual among my American colleagues—they share similar stories of discouragement, harassment and even violence. But these experiences served to harden resolve and develop courage, and I know I can always count on several of my dancer buddies for steadfast support—they got my back! Ironically, the stereotype of the sissy male dancer has given rise to a male dancer who is anything but.

It's frustrating that I feel obliged to extol the virtues and describe the rigors of my profession. I'd just like to make it known that the path of the male dancer isn't necessarily easy—as with any truly worthwhile endeavor—but the rewards can be limitless. I feel lucky to have discovered a vocation that has allowed me to glimpse the great depth of human potential, both physical and mental, and has given me the opportunity to bring joy to so many people in so many places. I feel there is honor in the arts, in the world of dance, in the realm of male ballet dancing.

Exposure to ballet is all that is needed to open minds, for the combination of athletic movement, ardent drama and beautiful music can instill a profound appreciation in an audience. But for you out there who still feel compelled to malign male dancers with half-truths and petty stereotypes, well, maybe we need to step outside. I'll leave my tights on.

Radetsky lives in New York City.

© 2008

At California Dance Arts, we have several young men currently training, and really enjoy training men. We are offerring a boys and mens class over the summer in which girls are not allowed, where young male dancers get the opportunity to hone their skills.  The class concentrates on classical and contemporary styles of dance giving men
the opportunity to learn male specific movements, tricks and techniques.  It’s a must for any aspiring male dancer.  Click HERE for more information. 

 

 

The Balancing Game

It probably comes as no surprise to most parents that more and more children are continuing to overextend themselves with too many activities.  In this modern age when multi-tasking is essential to any job, activity or home-life, it's really almost natural that kids today would take on more activities  than say kids twenty years ago.  In many ways this can be detrimental to a child's well being.  After all, ten year-olds shouldn't be stressed out by their unrelenting schedule.  One the other hand, learning how to prioritize and manage one's time is an extremely valuable quality for anyone to have, and learning those skills at a young age, creates excellent habits for the future.       

Dance, as with any sport, requires time and energy.  To establish strong technique, proper placement and a thorough understanding of the movements, it's necessary for young dancers to take multiple classes a week, even multiple classes a day once they reach a certain level.  Balancing dance classes, school, homework and social calendars can be difficult, especially for dancers in high school.  However, with a little planning and focus it's easier to balance all these different activities.  

Dancers should have a planner and write down all the activities they want to accomplish each week.  Then as homework is assigned, dancers should write a list of everything they need to do and mark the due dates.  As events come up, or new activities arise all these should be marked into their planner.  That way, dancers can see a clear picture of everything they want and need to accomplish, and from there it can be easier to prioritize and figure out what activity to not do that week. 

High School Dancers and their parents should talk to their academic counselors about having a free-period during their school day in place of physical education classes.  If your child is dancing everyday, they are definitely getting more exercise that the standard school requirements.  Therefore, having an extra period where the dancer can go to the library or study hall and do homework could make a huge difference in his or her well-being and save a lot of time for after-school classes. 

Don't overload your dancer's schedule with too many activities.  It's just a recipe for disaster.  Inevitably something will not get done and that will just create more stress on everyone.  Understand that dance, or any other sport or class is a commitment and if you make more than physically possible to handle, something will have to give.  Breaking commitments always leaves people feeling down.

Finally, remember that dance and learning should be challenging at times but also enjoyable.  It should be fun, and a release from stress or pressure.  Remember that hard work and diligent practice yields wonderful results but there is a limit to how many things one child can handle.  So when things are feeling a bit too overwhelming, relax, take a step back and just breathe.  And just dance!      

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

Aerial Ballet

An impressive and necessary training in a "Cirque du Soleil" dominated world of dance and Circus Arts is the art of Aerial Ballet.

Learn specific positions and motions while working with silk scarves and hoops as you dance high in the sky. Working 10-20 ft in the air, you will be "Aerial" on your very first lesson. Utilizing our unique facilities featuring big open spaces and high ceilings, California DanceArts is the only school in our immediate area currently offering an Aerial Ballet program. 

 

The phenomenal instructor, Rachel Bowman, has a background in classical ballet, gymnastics, trapeze and adagio work, making her a sought after performer in the Corporate Entertainment Arena in Australia. Her strength, flexibility and hard working attitude came to the attention of elite gymnast and NICA trainer Chris Mayhew. Rachel engaged in intensive training with Chris in adagio work for over a year developing highly technical skill set in acrobatic lifts and balances.

Rachel began her training in aerial work in 2003, and in 2004, began performing as an aerialist and partner. Rachel has performed at several prestigious Events most recently at Crown Casino for KPMG and Racing Victoria.  As you can imagine, Rachel's classes are extremely popular so sign up today and make California Dance Arts’ Aerial Ballet classes part of your weekly dance training!

Aerial Ballet is held Wednesdays at 4:00pm.

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.

 

Meet Lynn Bryson Pittenger: Newest Faculty Member at California DanceArts

Ms. Pittenger was the recipient of two Ford Foundation Scholarships, one to study with the San Francisco Ballet Company and the other personally awarded by Mr. George Balanchine to attend the School of American Ballet in New York City.  It was while attending the New York school that Maria Tallchief selected her to perform in lecture demonstrations throughout New York and eastern colleges.  After two years of study at the School of American Ballet, Lynn was invited by Mr. Balanchine to join the company of New York City Ballet where her professional career began.

In addition to a successful performing career, Ms. Pttenger directed a very extensive program for over 250 children in the course of 23 years and ran her own school of ballet for over seven years, making Ms. Pittenger uniquely and exceptionally qualified to prepare our students at California DanceArts for the world of dance.

We are very proud of all our teaching faculty. Please take a moment and click here to browse the bios of all our faculty.

To the Pointe

Many young dancers dream of the day that they can finally buy their first pair of pointe shoes and go up on pointe.  And while it is a very exciting moment in any dancer's life, going on pointe is not something that can be rushed into.  It takes strength, placement and technique that is vital to a dancer's future and well-being. 

Here is an account from a former California Dance Arts mother, who helped her daughter understand the "pointe" of waiting for pointe shoes!

When Can I Go On Pointe?

by Marti Marshall

My daughter really wants to be a Classical Ballerina. She used to pester me about going on pointe.

I started receiving opinions from other mothers who's children were already on Pointe, one such parent from a different dance school had an 8 year old daughter who was already on pointe.

This was contrary to all I had been told so far, so I decided to do some research into what it would take for my daughter to be able to achieve this dream, yet not injure her body.

While I was in Florida at the beginning of 1995, I read several books about ballet to find out how I could best help my daughter achieve her goals. A friend of mine, who had been a ballerina, had received the "New Edition Dancing; the all-in-one guide for dancers, teachers and parents," by Ellen Jacob, and she recommended it to me. So I picked up a copy and devoured it.

Here is a quote on the subject of when to allow a child to go on pointe:

"One of the worst things you can do is allow a little girl to dance on her toes before she is ready. A child who is too young simply does not have sufficient muscular development or training to withstand the rigors of pointe work. Children's eagerness to perform tricks on their toes, backed up by incompetent teachers, unfortunately makes premature pointe work all too common. Under these circumstances toe dancing can be awfully risky. The strain on the body can damage the soft tissue around the bones of the feet and knees, resulting in painfully enlarged joints, or it can cause injury to the lower spine.

To make matters worse, the stiffened blocks and large supporting boxes of modern-day pointe shoes enable virtually anyone to stand on her toes. In the past it was the dancer, and not the shoe, that had to do it. The dancer ought to be able to lift her body out of the pointe shoes by the use of strong stomach, groin, leg and foot muscles; she shouldn't be leaning on them for support .... To discourage the practice of putting little girls on toe too early, Capezio Ballet Makers and other shoe manufacturers have stopped making children's pointe shoes under size thirteen.

It is generally agreed that toe dancing should begin no earlier than the age of ten, and only after two full years of prior daily training. Children new to pointe work should be carefully supervised, and they should hold on to the barre for support for at least a year."

Well, this was very good technical data, but I wanted more. While at the bookstore, my daughter found another book that gave me more data. The book is "The Pointe Book; Shoes, Training & Technique" by Janice Barringer and Sarah Schlesinger. This book gets into how pointe shoes are made and the structure of the foot and more. There is also more information about our topic.

"It is entirely possible that some students may never 'be ready' to go on pointe. If a teacher takes the course of least resistance and allows such a student to go on pointe, using the excuse that she will only find another teacher who will put her 'up,' that teacher is overlooking his or her responsibility for the student's current and future physical health.

For this reason, it is important for teachers to develop strong rapport with parents. Once parents have confidence in a teacher's judgment, they are more likely to understand a thoroughly explained and scientifically supported discussion of why their child should not be placed on pointe."

With this information and many talks with my daughters ballet teacher at California DanceArts, my daughter decided to wait for a while and just continue doing what she was doing, which is getting her basics in and her technique down.

At California DanceArts there are several teen age girls beginning pointe training and some who are quite accomplished and have been on pointe for several years. Erin gives her students special strengthening exercises for the feet and legs that gear dancers up for pointe work beginning in Level 3. Consideration of pointe work is given in Level 4. Students are placed on pointe only after careful qualifications of strength and flexibility have been achieved.