Since “So You Think You Can Dance” concluded last August, life has been moving at warp speed for runner-up Travis Wall. He participated in a large-scale tour with the rest of the show’s top 10, taught for New York City Dance Alliance and moved to L.A. from Virginia Beach. His head isn’t the only […]
Whether you’re going back to class after an injury or just need extra support, a proper tape job can do the trick. Here’s how to wrap your ankle, arch and patellar tendon. Target: Ankle To support: Weak ankles Use: Elastikon Flex foot, and lay the tape across the ankle from the inside anklebone down toward […]
This is the season of auditioning for summer ballet programs. To help you prepare, DS took questions to the heads of five schools connected with major ballet companies: Shelly Power, associate director of Houston Ballet’s Ben Stevenson Academy; Linda Villella and Crista Villella, School Director and Assistant Ballet Mistress, respectively, of Miami City Ballet School; […]
The layout is a traditional jazz step that shows off a dancer’s flexibility and range of motion. Here, DS brings you insight on perfecting this impressive move. Toughen up legs. The power of the posture is the standing leg, says L.A. jazz teacher (and former Cher and Prince dancer) Salvatore Vassallo. Prevent the standing leg’s […]
With TV and movies exposing ballroom dance like never before—and competition routines incorporating the artform at unprecedented rates—now’s the perfect time to add the waltz, jive, cha-cha and more to your repertory. Check out these tips on picking up social dance, from learning how to follow to observing proper etiquette. From Classroom to Club Whether […]
START POSITIONÂ Keeping wrists in line with shoulders and neck in line with body, get into the position from which you’d start a push-up. Ankles should be hip-width apart. Maintain sturdy wrists as your hands push into the floor. Don’t lock elbows. Keep shoulder joints secure in a neutral position. To maintain tension in legs, […]
This past spring, Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago wrapped up the nearly yearlong process of creating Giordano Moves, an homage to the classic style of the company’s legendary founder, Gus Giordano, 83. “We don’t do a lot of Gus’s choreography anymore. We don’t see him a lot,” says Jon Lehrer, associate director of GJDC and longtime […]
Walking into NYC dance meccas Broadway Dance Center or STEPS on Broadway for the first time can be overwhelming. Your home studio probably offers generic jazz classes, but these two prominent NYC studios offer more than 20 different kinds of jazz and street dance classes. The following classes are offered in a range of levels […]