When Kylie Peitz, an independent dancer in West Palm Beach, FL, took the stage to perform “The Impossible Dream“ last year, she wasn’t just dancing another competition solo. A couple years earlier, Peitz had left her studio for financial reasons, but she didn’t want to let that stop her from working towards becoming a professional […]
Take another bow, comp kids: Nationals 2019 was INCREDIBLE. From jaw-dropping solos to showstopping production numbers, you guys brought nothing less than your A-game to every number—and it showed. Before visions of next season start dancing in your heads, let’s reflect on some of the top trends of this past summer’s Nationals. 1. Mission Im-props-ible […]
All photos Anna Marchisello and Jacob Patrick (courtesy Stacey Tookey) Deep in the hills just outside Calgary, Alberta, Camp Kindle sits unassumingly, nestled in a forest clearing. With rustic cabins, a glassy lake, sprawling lawns, and a giant ropes course, the scene looks like the set of an old-school movie about summer camp- which is […]
We asked judges Lisa White (of Starpower) and Chris Pederson (of Leap!) to answer reader-submitted questions. Survey says that you might be more than a little surprised by what they had to say. What Do You Look for in Dancers? “I’m huge on polished technique and proper placement. I also look for performance quality. If […]
It’s an increasingly common scenario: A talented dancer wins big at a competition, is offered an assistantship with a famous faculty member, and ends up leaving her hometown studio to travel with a convention. Convention-hopping has obvious benefits. Every event generates new content for dancers to post on social media, gives them a better shot […]
Luke Barrett’s been a standout on the comp scene for years now, thanks to his crystal-clear technique and soulful improv skills. He’s a two-time New York City Dance Alliance National Male Outstanding Dancer (Mini in 2016 and Junior in 2018), 2nd runner-up at The Dance Awards (2017), and Beat Squad member (2018). Luke hasn’t let […]
All your practice and prep for a competition leads up to the moment when you hit your final mark and look up at the judges’ table. But do you ever wonder what their experience is like? Follow along with Dana Wilson—a dancer, choreographer, member of The Seaweed Sisters trio, and faculty member/judge for New York […]
Earlier this month, 16-year-old Mackenzie Brown took home the first prize at the 2019 Prix de Lausanne. Not only was the Stafford, Virginia-native the only American to place in the finals; she also won the Contemporary Dance Prize and the Audience Favorite Prize. A student at the Académie Princesse Grace in Monaco, Brown’s path to […]