The Gift of Dance

It's a season of thankfulness. A time to reflect on your year, take note of blessings, and be thankful.

Be thankful for the gift of dance.

A gift to be able to have the health to push your body to new limits and only grow stronger.

A gift to be able to express yourself through movement.

A gift to dance day after day.

Don't take this gift for granted because everyone does not have it. Instead, make the most of your gift. Continue to train and develop your talent. Connect with a community of dancers who can support you, and celebrate the gift of dance this season.

If you are looking for ways to develop as a dancer, consider joining the Project Dance community by coming to a 2015 Project Dance. We've added two new cities for next year -- San Francisco and Singapore.

Project Dance encourages, equips, and inspires more than 2,000 dancers worldwide, and we want you to experience it!

Dance: More than just movement

Everyone has different motivations and reasons for dancing. Some people are put in dance classes as little kids and fall in love with it, while others find dance at an older age.

Dance teaches you so much more about life than just movement. It inspires, teaches perseverance, and challenges you daily.

Listen to McRae Whitley talk about why she has been dancing for 18 years and what she loves about it.

Project Dance Hong Kong

Team Vibe Performing on Saturday at the Outdoor Concert

Project Dance Hong Kong just wrapped up, and the event was a huge success. Dancers gathered from around the world to celebrate the gift of dance.

On Saturday, dancers put on a free live concert in the city of Hong Kong. To the right is a picture of some participants performing the group dance. The group dance is a piece learned by all Project Dance participants on Friday night, and it is performed at the top of the hour during the live show on Saturday. One really cool thing about the group dance is that it is performed around the world. The same dance that was performed Saturday in Hong Kong was performed in Atlanta, Georgia in October and Puerto Rico in November. Project Dance is committed to bringing dancers together around the world, and the group dance is a big part of this.

Pack your bags...with healthy snacks!

Dancers are constantly on-the-go. Whether you are in middle school, high school, college, or dancing professionally you know what it means to balance a lot of different things at the same time. 

As a college student, I balance tests, papers, and presentations with dance classes, rehearsals, and performances. Let’s just say days can get pretty hectic. But even in this crazy life, it is so important that dancers take time to eat healthy.

Photo credit to Corwin Johnson

Dancers need high-energy snacks to refuel between classes and shows. These snacks can’t be found in a vending machine, which is why it is so important to plan ahead. 

Pack your dance bad with snacks containing complex carbs, healthy proteins, and healthy fats. Try to keep snacks below 300 calories so that you are satisfied and refueled but never too full to dance. 

My two favorite snacks to keep in my dance bag are an apple with peanut butter and a healthy variety of nuts and dried fruit with a little bit of dark chocolate thrown in the mix. If these snacks don’t sound good to you, don’t worry! There are lots of other easy options to pack in advance and eat on-the-go. 

The Rockettes have a long list of healthy snacking options for dancers on their website.Check it out for even more ideas about how to eat healthy as a dancer!

Take Class

Photo Credit to Doug Titus

One strength that is priceless to dancers is versatility.

Whether you are a lover of ballet, jazz, modern, ballroom, tap, or contemporary, we all have our favorite style of dance. 

Regardless of your favorite, it’s important that dancers train in multiple disciplines. This flexibility prepares you for any audition or situation you might find yourself in. You do not have to be an expert in every style but don’t be afraid to try something outside of your normal discipline. 

Take class.  

Photo Credit to Jamie Childress

Many colleges and universities will allow you to audit their dance classes even if you are not officially enrolled. Find out if schools near you have these opportunities. Universities often offer master classes that are free to the public so find out how you can know when these are happening.  Find out what opportunities exist in your area and start taking advantage of them! 

When you travel, take classes at a new studio. Learning from a different instructor can give you a fresh perspective. Check out the previous blog Atlanta Takes the Stage  to see recommendations for studios to take class at in Atlanta, Georgia. 

One great thing about Project Dance is the opportunity to take master classes in different disciplines. Each participant gets to hand-pick their own schedule. See what interests you. Take your favorite style from a new teacher and get a new perspective on it or try a class that is completely new such as Musical Theater.

Versatility turns a good dancer into a great dancer so get out there and take class!

This is what a Project Dance Master Class Schedule often looks like.

2015 Cities Announced

Since 2002, Project Dance has been presenting open air concerts in major cities around the world. Cities include Atlanta, Brisbane, Costa Rica, Detroit, Greenville, Hong Kong, Houston, Jerusalem, Kansas City, London, Los Angeles, Manila, New York City, Orlando, Penang, Puerto Rico, San Francisco, Singapore, Sydney, Toronto, and Washington, DC.

Dancers, teachers, choreographers, and more than 300 volunteers make it possible. Project Dance serves more than 2,000 dancers worldwide, and 2015 is expected to do the same.

Project Dance just released their 2015 locations. If you've never been a part of the Project Dance movement then this is the year for you, and for those of you who are returners we cannot wait to see you again!

Check out the list of Project Dance 2015 cities to decide which one...or two or three, you will be a part of!     

•  Houston - March 13-15
• Orlando - April 10-12
• New York City - April 24-26
• Greenville - May 22-24
• Costa Rica - June 12-14
• Detroit - June 19-21
• London -July 17-19
• San Francisco - August 14-16
• Atlanta - October 2-4
• Singapore - October 23-25
• Puerto Rico - November 6-8

Founder of The Project Dance Foundation, Cheryl Cutlip, desires  to inspire dancers to take dance outside of theaters and studios and into the heart of the public. She challenges dancers to "join the movement that is changing the face of dance in our culture."

A Successful Project Dance Atlanta

Every Step Counts

As dancers, we work really really hard on a daily basis. We rehearse choreography for months on end often for just one night of performance. We train our entire lives for that moment on stage. Don’t get me wrong—it’s all 100% worth it. But what if we shifted our focus?

Instead of viewing every technique class and rehearsal as training for that one moment, let’s view it as the moment. When you walk into modern class, pretend you are walking on stage. When you learn a new combination in jazz class, give it all you’ve got just as if you were in front of an entire audience. When you are at the barre in ballet class, imagine you are performing.

This doesn’t mean we can’t make mistakes. After all, what better place to fall out of your fouette turn than in class with your friends, but remember that training and rehearsals matter just as much if not more than the actual performance.

We cannot be our best on stage if we are not our best in rehearsals and technique classes. It’s important to enliven the rehearsal and class experience by making each step count. Learn to enjoy the process of working towards the end goal—not just arriving at the end goal.

The next time you walk into a dance studio, take a minute to remember why you are there. This change of perspective helps change our attitude, refresh us, and renew our passion and love for dance.

Remember, this concept is not just relevant for dancers. It applies to every area of our lives. Make every moment count, and remember that anything worth doing is worth doing well.