We love Kashi Trail Mix Chewy Granola Bars (courtesy Kashi) There’s no doubt about it: Competitions are stressful. You’re often stuck shuttling between dressing rooms, ballrooms and hotel rooms, usually without access to healthy food—or refrigerators. That’s why we enlisted Peggy Swistak, MS, RD, CD, of Pacific Northwest Ballet, to share a list of nonperishable […]
Christina Ricucci performing at Youth America Grand Prix (VAM Productions) Thinking of adding a solo to your competition repertoire? You should! The experience of taking the stage alone can bring you a lot more than a shiny new trophy. Here are 11 reasons—from top judges, teachers and soloists—you’ll benefit from having a solo. 1. You’ll […]
Nick Bass teaches a convention class at Adrenaline Nationals (Brian Guilliaux) You’ve heard all the reasons dance conventions are beneficial: They’ll give you access to choreographers who may hire you in the future, and introduce you to other inspiring dancers. But for convention novices, all that potential for greatness can come with a lot of […]
Lauren Adams guest-choreographing at Spotlight Dance Works in Chesterfield, MI (Liz Schmidt) These days, it’s common for studio owners to hire guest choreographers—often big industry names like Travis Wall and Joey Dowling—to set pieces on their competition dancers. As a dancer, working with a guest choreographer is both exciting (cool new moves from a dance […]
Offstage, 9-year-old Kayla Mak is like any other 4th-grader. She’s a happy kid who likes math and watching TV. (Her favorite show is “So You Think You Can Dance,” of course.) But get her onstage and you’ll see a whole different Kayla—a girl who’s anything but ordinary. At the New York City Dance Alliance Foundation’s […]
by Joe Toreno There’s no better feeling than rooting for your favorite “So You Think You Can Dance” contestants all season long and then seeing them come out on top. That’s exactly what happened for ballet enthusiasts across the country, who have been hoping since Vegas Week that America would recognize Eliana Girard and Chehon […]
Photography by Joe Toreno It was one of the most emotional moments in one of “So You Think You Can Dance” Season 9’s most emotional routines: Chehon Wespi-Tschopp, 23, leapt across the stage, his face a picture of anguish, to rest his head on a suitcase that represented all the possessions he had left in […]
Photography by Joe Toreno “I went blank!” That was 21-year-old Eliana Girard’s reaction when Cat Deeley announced her as the “So You Think You Can Dance” Season 9 female winner. “People were clapping, I was crying and I honestly didn’t know what was going on,” Eliana says. “I’d dreamed of winning, but I never thought […]