DanceLife Blog

During my break over Christmas and New Year I travelled to Peru and Ecuador in South America. If you haven't been it's definitely an experience, such a different way of life over there. The main reason for the trip was to yes, have a break but also to push myself out of my comfort zone and do things that back home I would never dream of doing. I'm happy to say that I'm back after putting on my brave face and did what I intended to do, challenge myself. The meaning of challenge is "a demanding or stimulating situation" I actually think it should a demanding and stimulating situation as you learn and grow from demanding situations and afterwards have a feeling of self achievement. After my trip I realised that I actually rarely "challenge" myself. Although I take risks in my business and personal life I don't like to feel uncomfortable or have that feeling called fear. While in the Amazon I climbed waterfalls and went whitewater rafting straight through the heart of the jungle, two things that made me feel uncomfortable and filled my body with fear. Today I type having completed both these adventurous activities and have overcome to a certain extent some fears but most of all recognising that you need to challenge yourself to grow. I can easily relate this back to being a dancer who has left their dance studio and/or completed full time. How often do we stay doing the same open classes each week because we know what to expect? We know the teacher, our friends who will be there, what the warm up will entail, how fast the teacher will move with the routine etc. Is taking the same class week in and week out adding to growing you as a dancer or person? Think about how you feel when you walk into a completely new class with a teacher you've never had before and the level is advanced.... nervous, unwilling to let go and let down your guard, thoughts about others in the class who might be better than you etc. You start to talk yourself out of doing this class before it's even happened. My small words of wisdom for you is to CHALLENGE yourself in 2010. Learn and grow everyday by pushing your boundaries, going to new classes with different teachers teaching different styles, go by yourself. While it's great to have a good time and enjoy yourself with a group of your friends if you want to make it time to feel uncomfortable and nervous. I promise you the feeling after talking on a challenge and completed it is awesome.

From everyone at DanceLife we would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a safe and awesome New Year! DanceLife will be closed from 23rd December to 24th January 2010. If you need to contact DanceLife during this time please email info@dancelife.com.au.

On our return we have a very exciting announcement for you all plus in May DanceLife Unite, Australia's Elite Dance Competition will explode on the stage in Sydney. For more information about DanceLife Unite visit www.dancelifeunite.com.au.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Clint & Team DanceLife

Nine is a movie musical about an Arrogant, self-centred movie director Guido Contini who finds himself struggling to find meaning, purpose, and a script for his latest film endeavour. With only a week left before shooting begins, he desperately searches for answers and inspiration from his wife, his mistress, his muse, and his mother. As his chaotic profession steadily destroys his personal life, Guido must find a balance between creating art and succumbing to its obsessive demands.

The film stars Daniel Day-Lewis, Marion Cotillard, Penelope Cruz, Nicole Kidman, Judi Dench, Kate Hudson and Sophia Loren. The film is released in Australia on 21 January 2010 and has already been nominated for 5 Golden Globe Awards.

"The film version of NINE is a complete re-invention. It is so wholly unique to the vision of Rob Marshall that it became its own journey creatively," says producer Marc Platt (WICKED), a veteran of both film and Broadway. "While it is true in essence to the Broadway musical, NINE the movie has become very much its own thing. It keeps in mind the essence of what made us all fall in love with the original material-its spirit and voice-but then Rob made it his own. His NINE is a wonderful fantasy that deals with real ideas and emotions."

Rob Marshall is no stranger to fusing Broadway classics with cinematic verve, which he did with CHICAGO. As a six-time Tony Award® nominee for such shows as CABARET and KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN, his stage acumen is well known, but he is just as highly regarded as a filmmaker, most recently bringing Arthur Golden's bestseller MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA to life on screen, and garnering multiple Oscar® nominations.

Platt continues: "Rob has a unique background for this story in that he came from the world of the theatre as a dancer and choreographer, made the leap into directing for the theater and then became a film director. NINE is a film about a filmmaker, about the cinema and about creating, and Rob is a creator, so it was personal for him. He's a man who understands cinema, its history, its academics, the technical aspects of directing a film, and the aesthetics. He also comes from the world of musicals-he grew up in that world, he understands how music moves narrative along. He understands how to integrate seamlessly the elements of music and dance, storytelling and design. In, that sense the movie NINE is the perfect marriage of director to material."

Make sure you add Nine to your Summer Holiday movie list!

DanceLife is looking for a number of dance teachers to teach dance programs in Primary Schools during 2010.

We are looking for dance teachers that are:
• Passionate about teaching children
• Have experience in teaching jazz, modern, hip hop and/or musical theatre
• Have an enthusiastic and positive attitude
• Are available to teach from Monday to Friday, 9am - 3.30pm (times and days will vary)
• Own source of transport is a must

If you're interested in being considered for teaching dance programs in NSW Primary Schools during 2010 please email your CV and headshot to schools@dancelife.com.au.

Hi DanceLifers!

We are nearly at the end of 2009 which for us has been a great year thanks to all of you. DanceLife has been online for only 17 months and we are thrilled with the progress and uptake of the website.

A huge thank you has to go to the businesses that advertise in our directory plus everyone who has advertised in our fortnightly newsletter. Without these people there would be no DanceLife as we don't charge our members or subscribers. We cannot thank you enough for believing in the dream and helping it come true.

We are really excited about 2010. Firstly, DanceLife Unite (www.dancelifeunite.com.au) will be happening in May. An elite dance competition for studios and groups with experienced and passionate judges form the industry. There are a few other surprises in store but you will just have to wait for them!

This survey is to assist us to learn how we can make DanceLife the best website for you.

Please click on the below link to access the survey. There are only 10 questions and shouldn't take more than 5 minutes.

CLICK HERE FOR THE SURVEY!

Thank you very much and have a great week.

Kind regards
Clint & Team DanceLife

Students from NAISDA Dance College are preparing to launch "Beneath the Ancestors" with a Koori night on the 26th November followed by two performances for the general public. "Beneath the Ancestors" will open with a season at Laycock Street Theatre on the Central Coast before heading to Riverside Theatres in Parramatta for three shows in December.

The College, which relocated to Kariong on the Central Coast in 2006, has launched the careers of many successful artists and consistently presents an end of year performance that is both stunning and thought provoking. Critics raved over their 2008 performance "Tharramali", directed by graduate Tamara Pearson and the Company is now in high demand on the cultural arts scene. Students at NAISDA can expect performance opportunities as far afield as Paris or Beijing, cultural residences on Saibai and Elcho Island, as well as working with companies in Sydney, Melbourne and Darwin. This year, NAISDA was featured on ABC Television's Message Stick program, further establishing itself as a training organisation that integrates cultural studies into its professional dance courses. Juanita Duncan will complete a Diploma in Careers in Dance this year and features
prominently in the marketing campaign for "Beneath the Ancestors". Juanita comes from a large and respected clan from the Darkinjung area. It is this sense of belonging to the land that has inspired the show's Director and NAISDA Artistic Coordinator, Jasmine Gulash.

Gulash says "Beneath the Ancestors" will give the audience the experience of oneness that comes from being connected with the earth and its history. "The idea of the earth taking a breath at dusk was inspiring to me. I wanted to take the dancers to a place where they were in touch with the physical landscape and could draw from its strength", says Ms Gulash.

At "Beneath the Ancestors" you will see traditional indigenous dance, Saibai and Elcho Island traditional songs and dance, contemporary pieces by prominent choreographers and Developing Artist Eric Avery, and infusing story telling elements about the earth, its history and its links with people long gone but not forgotten. "That moment when we realise that we all stand on the shoulders of those who have walked this land before us, that we share this breath of life with them every day through our relationship with the living landscape of our beautiful country."

Gosford Season
Laycock Street Theatre, North Gosford
Koori Night - Thursday 26 November
Opening Night - Friday 27 November 7:30pm
Saturday 28 November at 7:30pm
TICKETS: Adult $25, Conc/Child $15
Bookings: 43 233 233

Parramatta Season
Riverside Theatres
Church Street, Parramatta
3rd December 7:30pm
4 December 11:00am and 7:30pm
TICKETS: Adult $20, Conc/Child $15
Bookings: 8839 3399

As I was scrolling through Facebook last night to spy on what everyone was up to I came across a disturbing news up date from a dance teacher who I respect and at a young age has built up a very successful dance studio. The post spoke about the fact that someone from within their dance studio community had posted a horrible piece on the studios website forum saying how this dance teacher has a close relationship with some students and not others and that they show favouritism towards those students they are closer to... Nothing new here really but I was quite taken back that someone would post this publically for a start, especially on the dance studios own website.

What I don't think some parents realise is that most (the great ones) dance studio owners live and breathe their studio. They spend every waking hour of the day working on multiple facets of the business which means that yes, they do associate with students, parents essentially ‘their community' outside of work/teaching hours and in a social sense.

Is this wrong? Is it wrong to be sending your child to a place where the owner and teachers at the dance studio are actually passionate about what they do? I have multiple conversations with many people especially after I adjudicate eisteddfods about studio owners and their passion and dedication that drives their business. There are too many dance studios around that have teachers who really don't have the commitment or PASSION for teaching dance and this is what you should be looking out for. I wouldn't really be stressing out about if your child is not in the front row or if they don't get selected for troupe but what is the quality of training your child is receiving and you paying for...

Just some food for thought...
Clint

In the spirit of Britney Spears touring next month in Australia we thought that you might like to have a look at this homemade video of Circus we found on YouTube. Think back few years ago when YouTube was not the phenomena it is now. YouTube has made many everyday people stars. How are your YouTube videos going? It's a great way to promote yourself as a performer, teacher etc.

Whether auditioning for Mary Poppins the Musical, Fame the Musical or any of the other abundant Australian productions this week, one thing is certain, few other industries ask as much of their job applicants as the entertainment industry demands of performers. High hopes end in disappointment for most auditionees in just minutes. "Thank you. That's all we need for today." is the dreaded kiss off performing artists hate hearing.

Recently, with the release of films like Every Little Step which documents the plights of audition hopefuls through the casting process of Broadway's revival A Chorus Line production, triple threat performers are winning the respect of people on a global scale.

Tonight Channel TEN's The 7pm Project reported on this week's Mary Poppins Auditions. "57 auditioned today. 5 got call backs". When asked "Can you tell when someone walks in the door if someone has it?", associate choreographer Geoff Garrat shared that he has an instinct, and that there's a part of him that gets a feeling about it. This gut feeling is exactly what can make or break an audition for the under prepared artist. I talk about how to overcome this in the Audition Guru workshops. It's important to pitch yourself inside the range of what the audition panel are looking for. What you wear has a massive impact on that. One of the key strategies we discuss at the Audition Guru workshops is, how to create an image that has you looking like you suite the show, without looking like you're desperately trying to look like you could step onstage to perform the show.

Unfortunately there's exceptions to many audition rules, and it's important to know which rules can be broken, and which must never be broken.

Keep training to bring you closer to your goals, and celebrate your achievements every day.

Tia Jordan
www.auditionguru.com
www.facebook.com/tiajordan
http://twitter.com/AuditionGuru

In our next On The Couch With Christine we chatted to Nathan Wright, Choreographer of Avenue Q.

Nathan Wright has worked extensively in musical theatre and is respected as both a performer and Choreographer. He has most recently choreographed the new Australian work Breast Wishes in concert, which will then premiere in full production early next year at the Seymour Centre. Recently Nathan staged the finale in Boeing-Boeing and he kicks off 2009 with Gutenberg! The Musical. Nathan is currently the Associate Choreographer on Gale Edwards production of The Rocky Horror Show. Nathan was also the Assistant choreographer to John O'Connor on Gale Edwards production of Company and Assistant to the Director of Choreography (Jason Coleman) 15th Asian Games - Doha for David Atkins Enterprises, The Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts and Draculas Theatre Restaurant.

Nathan began his professional musical theatre career at the age of twelve in The King and I with Hayley Mills. Nathan then went on to perform in Shout! The Story Of The Wild One (Young Johnny), Oh! What A Night, Hot Shoe Shuffle (Tap Bros), Get Happy (Carmen Miranda), Leader Of The Pack (Sydney and Melbourne seasons), Pepper in Mamma Mia! (for which he was nominated for the prestigious Green Room Award as a Best Supporting Actor in a musical), Eurobeat (Russia), Pippin (Theo) and Jesus Christ Superstar (Simon Zealotte).

Film Credits include Baz Luhrmann's Moulin Rouge (The Wicked Faced Boy), and as a motion capture artist in George Millers Happy Feet.

Nathan trained at the Conroy Dance Centre in Brisbane and is thrilled to be choreographing Avenue Q.

The Sydney season of the hit musical, Avenue Q will be extended until 18 October at the Theatre Royal. www.ticketek.com.au