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 facil ities 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.

Posted via web from California DanceArts's Posterous Blog

Ballet Studio Urges Students to Learn Proper Dance Terminology

California DanceArts Finds New iPhone Application An Important Tool for Student

 

La Canada, CA: California DanceArts (http://www.caldancearts.com) is urging dance students to understand the French terms, translations and definitions of each ballet exercise as a top priority. The ballet studio has found that grasping the meaning behind each term assists the student dancer in properly executing the steps which ultimately will be used in the variety of movements comprising the choreography of classical technique.

 

Now Carol Richmond, a Carmel, CA dance instructor, together with a software engineer, have developed an iPhone application for teaching more than 140 ballet terms. The application, called SayBallet, is a way "to get to the students on their own (tech-savvy) level," said Richmond, who has seen even the youngest of her students using iPhones. Using this iPhone app will allow students to learn terms in a fun way.

 

Half of the ballet terms are accompanied by videos, activated by voice. Say "plie” (pronounced “plee-ay”) and the iPhone will tell a translation of the word as “Bend”, followed by a short video display of a girl performing the deep bend. Each term can be selected in French, the way ballet is generally taught. The app is also great for hearing the proper pronunciation of these French terms. Fun quizzes are included for students to test their knowledge which then allows them to achieve higher and higher scores.

  A worthwhile investment for under $10, this iPhone application allows young dancers to study their ballet terms during a car ride to the studio or waiting for class to begin. California DanceArts Director, Erin Holt, says “This application is a great supplement to any dance education curriculum where students are expected to understand ballet terminology. We hope that students use the app to increase and improve upon the skills taught in their classes and to improve their scores for upcoming ballet examinations.” California DanceArts will be holding their ballet level examinations in May.

Since 1987, California DanceArts has been dedicated to the purpose of grooming and nurturing the talents of beginning to serious career dance students. The school has established a reputation as a career preparatory studio for dancers transitioning to the professional level. Its current location in beautiful La Canada is nestled among several schools and recreational facilities. The school provides three large studio spaces featuring sprung floors designed to prevent injury, 20-foot high ceilings geared for unobstructed jumping, wall mirrors and air conditioning. Director Erin Holt also runs California Contemporary Ballet, a dance troupe that puts on several original ballet productions per year, including the Snow Queen (www.snowqueenballet.com), an original ballet with an original music score. This show is put on every December and recently completed its 12^th season. California DanceArts is also offering several dance intensive workshops for various levels in summer 2010, and more on these can be seen at www.danceallsummerworkshops.com. The school’s blog can be seen at http://caldancearts.typepad.com. For more information about California DanceArts and the programs offered by the school, call 818-790-7924, or visit the school online at www.caldancearts.com.

 

 

 

Erin Holt

California DanceArts

4490 Cornishon Ave

La Canada, CA 91011

818-790-7924

caldance@realwebmarketing.net

http://www.caldancearts.com

http://www.ctyballet.org

Posted via web from California DanceArts's Posterous Blog

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.

 

Posted via web from California DanceArts's Posterous Blog

Meet Lynn Bryson Pittenger: Newest Faculty Member at California DanceArts

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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.

Posted via web from California DanceArts's Posterous Blog

All That Jazz

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At California Dance Arts we love ballet and it's no secret, but that's not to say we don't also enjoy other disciplines of dance including.....JAZZ!  We offer a variety of Jazz classes for children and adults at a variety of times to ensure you and your child can come take class and get jazzy! 

Adult Jazz

California DanceArts offers two amazing adult Jazz programs:

Adult Modern Jazz with Jamie Nichols
 
Jamie Nichols is a rare hybrid of high energy and innovative movement vocabulary. Her class offers an infectious drive and blends musicality, passion, Nichols' own powerful technique threaded seamlessly into a very special dance experience. The classes inspire any level or age of dancer to want to move. Jamie is a recipient of the Lester Horton Dance Award for the following: teaching, performance individual, restaging/revival, and 3 consecutive awards for production of a festival/series for Celebrate Dance 06-07-08

Monday / Wednesday (Inter/Adv) 6-7:30PM
Saturday (Open Level) 8:30-10:00Am
Tuesday / Thursday (Open Level) 9-10:00AM
Thursday (Beginner) 5:30-6:30PM

 

Adult Broadway Jazz with  Malinda Farrington

Having performed in 5 Broadway Shows, the last of which was Chita Rivera-The Dancers Life, Ms Farrington knows Broadway Jazz! As a student at Alvin Ailey School of Dance, she was exposed to great teachers and choreographers and is able to pass to her students an understanding of technical excellence. Her class is the perfect way to wake up and hone your jazz technique with routines that deliver challenging combinations of steps from Broadway and Jazz dance themes.

Monday 8:30 -10:00am
Friday 9:00 - 10:30am

Youth Jazz Dance

Based on a modern dance lyrical jazz style, our program focuses on jazz technique, turns, jumps and style. Attention is given to proper placement and clean lines. We offer combination Jazz /Ballet for children and beginner teenagers. We offer Intermediate and Advanced Jazz for more serious students. Class size limits apply.

 

 

 

 

Posted via web from California DanceArts's Posterous Blog

Name Your Terms

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California DanceArts teachers and students know how important it is to understand the French terms, translations and definitions of each ballet exercise.  Grasping the meaning behind each term assists the dancer in properly executing steps which ultimately will be used in the variety of movements comprising the choreography of classical technique.

 

Now Carol Richmond, a Carmel dance instructor, together with a software engineer, have developed an iPhone application for teaching more than 140 ballet terms. The application, called SayBallet, is a way "to get to the students on their own (tech-savvy) level," said Richmond, who has seen even the youngest of her students using iPhones.  Using this iPhone app will allow students to learn terms in a fun way.

 

Half of the ballet terms are accompanied by videos, activated by voice. Say "plie” and the iPhone will tell us a translation of the word as “Bend”, followed by a short video display of a girl performing the deep bend. Each term can be selected in French, the way ballet is generally taught. The app is also great for hearing the proper pronunciation of these French terms. Fun quizzes are included for students to test their knowledge which then allows them to achieve higher and higher scores.

  A worthwhile investment for under $10, this application allows young dancers to study their ballet terms during a car ride to the studio or waiting for class to begin. California DanceArts Director, Erin Holt, says “It is a great supplement to the California DanceArts curriculum where students are expected to understand ballet terminology. We hope that students use the app to increase and improve upon the skills taught in their classes and to improve their scores for upcoming ballet examinations.” California DanceArts will be holding ballet level examinations in May.

Posted via web from California DanceArts's Posterous Blog