Recital 2013

 Another recital is complete! It is hard to believe that I have been teaching for 13 years and stage managing dance recitals for 8 years. Wow time flies! The lessons I have learned through these experiences far outweigh the lessons that I teach. Each one of these students makes an impact on my life everyday I spend with them. This year's Production Number was 8 minutes long with 65 dancers and contained music from 5 different Broadway shows. My favorite part of the routine was when all 65 dancers were on stage for the last Broadway representation of Newsies.

Of course I got to be in the recital this year too! I made a cameo appearance as a bride in the adult tap dance with Connor acting as my groom! 

Of course this recital would not come together without the great teamwork of all of our teachers at the studio. We make a great team as a big family!

Every year it is sad to see our Seniors graduate and move forward with their college career. This year's 13 girls were a special group. Many of them I began teaching when they were in the first grade! Yes, this does make me feel old.. but I have been so fortunate to watch these girls grow into beautiful dancers and young women! 

Spring is Here!

I have done a terrible job of updating this blog this year! My sincere apologies, it has been a crazy few weeks! Since my last post I have had a few events to help welcome the Spring season. Thank goodness, because it has been one cold winter! I am welcoming Spring with open arms! 

We had a fun family trip to the farm for Easter and I got to play hard with my nephew and take these fun pictures of my niece in the crimson clover.

We had another Pirate Wedding! My ECU friends Chris and Leanne tied the knot in Durham, NC with the reception overlooking one of the best views in the area! Since Chris and I went to high school and college together, I was able to see a lot of old friends that I haven't seen in awhile. What a fun day to celebrate with the bride and groom! Of course they joined us at Chapel Hill's Top of the Hill after the wedding to watch the semi-final game of the NCAA tournament. True North Carolinians ;)

Last weekend I made a trip to our nation's capitol with Monica and Taylor to chaperone some of our students in the National Cherry Blossom Parade. The weather was absolutely beautiful and the cherry blossoms were showing off their perfect blooms. The trip to Washington DC was just the escape from everyday life that I needed. 

My calendar is quickly filling up of other springtime events. Stay tuned for more exciting stories and pictures of what I'm up to!

A January Parade

Last weekend my students got the opportunity to dance in the NC Inauguration Parade. It was a beautiful day - 65 degrees, sunny with a slight breeze. We were the only dance studio representing the state of North Carolina that was chosen to perform in front of our new governor and newly inaugurated heads of state. What an honor! After the parade many of my students got the opportunity to meet all of the dignitaries at the Governor's Mansion, one of my little boys even threw the football with our Governor in the front lawn of his new home. 

Not only was there a lot of patriotic songs and red, white and blue on Saturday - but I also got to see my favorite pirate!

Sharing a Stage with Broadway

Last weekend the tap company that I am blessed to be a part of, Footnotes Tap Ensemble, had it's 10th Anniversary Concert. It was a talent-filled performance of tap dancing, a live band and special guest artist Michelle Dorrance,. For those of you that are not familiar with Michelle - look her up! Michelle is a Bessie Award winning tap dancer. She is the dance captain for the Broadway sensation STOMP and has her own tap dance company called Dorrance Dance. It is truly an honor to share the stage with the world's most famous female tap dancer. The picture at the top of this blog entry is of the performers and the band - Peter Lam and the Wolves. Below is a picture of me and Michelle. Sharing a playbill with all of these people is a humbling experience like none other! It is difficult to put into words the feeling of sharing the passion for music, dance and entertainment with such a wonderful group of people. 

ECU Football 2012

 It's that time of year again - Football Season! I could not contain my excitement before my trek to Greenville this past weekend. I apologize for the numerous Facebook updates and Twitter comments about my upcoming trip to see my ECU Pirates take on Appalachian's Mountaineers. Not only does Appalachian have a great football team and this game gives a chance for the east to meet the west, but it is also a sibling rivalry since Appalachian is where my brother went to college. Being back in Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium was electrifying as both crowds went crazy for their two teams. (I do think the Pirate fans were louder though!)

Being back in Greenville I got to see a lot of old friends, but most importantly I got to go to the game with one of my college roommates, Allison. (Check Out her Blog).We went to our first college football game together as freshmen at ECU and seven years later it is still a tradition for us to cheer our team! I had fun looking back at these pictures below of me and Allison at ECU football games. 

2012: ECU vs. Appalachian State

2005: ECU vs. Duke

This game was even more exciting for me because I got to see my former student, Mitchell, perform at her first game as a member of the ECU Dance Team. I have taught Mitchell since she was in 2nd Grade and now I get to see her perform on a collegiate level. I was a proud dance teacher at Saturday's game. Mitchell is my first student to go on and perform after high school.

After the game's 100+ degree temperatures, we were both really sweaty!

Days back in Greenville are always special ones! I can't wait for my next opportunity to make a trip to see my pirates play and to catch a smile from PeeDee himself! 

National Dance Day 2012

HAPPY NATIONAL DANCE DAY!!!

In case you didn't know, today is National Dance Day! I know you're probably thinking.. "Yes, Whitney would know this random fact about dance." In 2010 Congress declared the last Saturday of July as the official National Dance Day. As a part of a movement to promote healthy lifestyles, National Dance Day is a day to encourage people of the United States to get up and just move. Something that people forget to do in our fast-paced culture. Today we celebrated at our dance studio with free dance classes for all ages and skill levels. We had a blast dancing and learning the "official" 2012 National Dance Day routines sponsored by the Dizzy Feet Foundation. 

What other way to spend one of my favorite holidays is by going to the movie theatre to see the new dance movie "Step Up Revolution." Let me just tell you - you need to see this movie! Even if you're not a "dance fan" you will love this movie. The movie is about a group of people called "The Mob" who crash all of these high society events with flash mobs. Check out this link to watch the first scene of the movie. You won't be disappointed! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPsrNiZScco 

Happy Feet

Last weekend I attended the North Carolina Rhythm Tap Festival in Chapel Hill, NC. I can't believe it but this year was the 12th year I have attended this world acclaimed festival. The festival is a whole weekend of non-stop tap classes by some of the world's originators and most famous tap dancers. It is an honor to be able to take classes from these tappers or as they are known "hoofers." The faculty change every year which allows for you to take classes and learn from a lot of the great masters of tap dance. This year I had the opportunity to take class with Michelle Dorrance, Josh Hilberman, Derick Grant, Nicholas Young and Dianne Walker. It's so much fun to be able to go to large festivals like this one and seeing people you know. It makes for a fun class when you walk in and you are standing next to dancers that you formerly danced with in college or from other studios and competitions. It just proves how small the dance world really is. Everyone is truly connected somehow! It was a lot of dancing but so worth it! Here are a few pictures from the weekend.

ECU Alumni with Derick Grant

ECU Alumni with Nicholas Young (lead in Stomp!)

ECU Alumni with "Lady Di" Dianne Walker

Recital 2012

 What a crazy last few weeks! I know that I haven't posted in awhile. It's because it has been the busiest few weeks of the year - Dance Recital time! Recital time of the year includes making sure costumes have come in the mail, that the costumes fit all of the dancers, hair accessories have been made or purchased, props have been painted and prepared, songs have been cut to be the right length and speed, Picture and Dress Rehearsal Schedules have been arranged as well as the show order. Not to mention all 69 dances need to be choreographed and taught, volunteers have been organized and that all 275 dancers are in the appropriate location. A dance recital takes a lot of work and wonderful teamwork to come together, but this year was once again a success. Through all the late nights and never-ending rehearsals a lot of fun memories are created and laughter is always shared. These dancers that you spend numerous hours with become your family that you can't live without.

My Senior Company Tap Dancers.

My tap dancing boys did a great job with their tap dance "Are You Ready for Some Football?" (Complete with their own jerseys and footballs)

How could you not love being a dance teacher when you get to be around these cute kids??

We had 18 girls graduate this year. Most of them I have taught since they were little. I will miss these girls so much!

A wonderful group of dance teachers that I can call my family.



Competition Season

I love the Spring of the year but it is by far my busiest time of year. For a dance teacher the Spring of the year means Competition Season. It means new dances, new choreography, new songs that need to be cut, new costumes, new blocking and formations and presenting these masterpieces for adjudication. Nothing compares to the feeling a dance teacher experiences when they get to see the project they have shed blood, sweat and tears appear before them on the stage. Our competition season is already halfway over and the dancers have done a terrific job! Our greatest accomplishment was this year's production number "MJ Remix," not only receive a platinum award and 1st Place Overall at StarSystems but this 8 minute long production number also received the highest score of the day! What an accomplishment! I could not be more proud of the hard work these dancers have put into their extra rehearsals and teamwork for a job well done.
(Me and Monica with Lauren and Taylor, this year's tap soloists).