1. What are some of the types of dance?
Some of the types of dance include ballet, jazz, contemporary, hip hop, tap, modern, lyrical, pointe, and acro. There are also other types of dance that are typically not offered at the standard studio such as ballroom, salsa, folk, and belly dance.
2. Who is involved with dance?
Typically a studio will have a director, teachers and students. The director is usually the owner of the studio and he/she essentially runs everything and most likely also teaches the head classes. Then there are other instructors who also help the director teach a varied number of different types of dance. Lastly, there are the students. The dance students are essentially the most crucial part of the studio because they are there to learn, grow and perform under their teacher’s instruction. Other people that may be involved are the employees that do the housekeeping and paperwork for the studio along with parents and friends of the studio.
3. How do I get involved in dance?
If you are not currently involved in teaching or taking a dance class I suggest you do some research on local dance studios to your home in order to find one that allows for outsiders to drop in and take a class. Here I have mapped out 10 studios in Maryland for you to get started. Unless you have been recommended by someone who dances at a studio, do not commit yourself to one place without trying out a class first to see what they have to offer.
4. What are some of the benefits of dancing?
Perhaps the most beneficial aspect of being a dancer is being able to express yourself through your body and your movement. As a dancer you tend to also play a role in each of your pieces in which you are no longer yourself but you are someone else dancing in your own body. It allows for the dancer to be somebody else for that moment on stage and release emotions that may be built up inside. Dance is also a physical act that will keep you in shape by the stress and sometimes pain it puts on the body. It’s overall a place where the creative mind meets the open heart and then connects to the physical body. Lastly, like any other sport, dance gives a feeling of family and unity to your team and studio.
5. What are dance competitions?
Competitions are a whole different area of dance aside from just performing the usual end of the year concert or recital. Competitions allow for studios to show off their skills in genres and recieve feedback from talented and experienced professional dancers who are judging. The dancers are divided into categories depending on their age, the size of the group and the type of dance that they will compete with. Regional competitions are the first step. It all starts with the competition company traveling to various stages in order to qualify to make it to the national competition level which is only held somewhere between one to three competitions during the summer months.
