Over the course of the school year, we’ve observed our students who take a variety of classes, and what we’ve seen to be true is that their growth in ballet technique becomes accelerated.
Read More "Ballet Blog- Dance Epiphany after the Winter Intensive"
When we look back at 2019, we will probably always remember it as the year of experimentation. In 2019, Live Oak Dance held the greatest number of specialized workshops to date. From adult beginner ballet workshops, to contemporary workshops, to a completely revisioned winter intensive, we explored the outer limits of our dance practice and participated in an expanded outreach to a more varied group of students. Not to mention, we made some really pretty posters as well:
As we continue this expanded approach into 2020, we encourage all dancers, aspiring and seasoned, to join us in these insightful and practice-expanding programs. These workshops give students an unparalleled opportunity to experiment with a different style of dance from a knowledgeable local professional without the long-term commitment of a full-time program.
Leave us a comment and let us know what your favorite workshop was this year and why. And while you’re at it, what was your favorite poster design?
In 2019, Live Oak Dance and NOLA Ballet Company Marigny Opera Ballet made our longtime friendship official and became partners. Live Oak Dance has seen so many beautiful opportunities due to this collaboration, including…
Katie and Lily were both my students as they were growing up and I could not be more thrilled to have them back, now as teachers and mentors!
Additionally, local choreographer Rebecca Allen returned to Live Oak in an official capacity this year, teaching our Ballet 4 class.
Attending the BobBallet symposium was one of the most illuminating and informative experiences I ever had as a dance educator. Plus, it was a great opportunity to see some old friends and get to know some amazing humans in our professional field.
* In pictures, top left to right: Here I am at the mixer in between Margaret Tracey and Robert Garland. Ramon Flowers. Beautiful ladies; ChandraMoss,La’Toya Princess Jackson, and Jordana Daumec. The lady of the hour Theresa Ruth Howard, thank you so much for all the work you put into this wonderful symposium. Educator’s team: Georgia Bray, Jamie Robson, Marion Tonner, Margaret Tracey, Kristal Dionne,Monica Stephenson. The names of the two ladies on each end of the last picture are missing! Any help getting their name is deeply apreciated.
This year, with the help of Kesha Mckey, we reformatted and revisioned our winter workshop into something brand new and invigorating, not only for Live Oak Family, but for the dance community at large.
Much was learned this year and this workshop was the perfect end to this truly mind-expanding 2019. I was so motivated by the discoveries we made during this workshop that I decided to write a whole blog about it. So, keep your eyes peeled for the “Epiphany” Ballet Blog.
What better way to start off 2020 than with a contemporary workshop with Jarrell Hamilton?
Jarrell’s dance career and background in contemporary dance is beyond impressive. Her impressive background reads like a who’s who of the contemporary dance world (click here for her live oak bio). And even if names like Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre don’t ring a bell, maybe these will: Alicia Keys. Arcade Fire. Voodoo Festival. Yes, Live Oak Family. Jarrell is kind of a big deal.
Click here to learn more about Jarrell’s upcoming Contemporary Dance Workshop, starting January 10 for four consecutive Fridays at Live Oak Dance. Don’t miss this opportunity to start off the new year by nurturing yourself, body and soul.
Contact us for more information or to sign up.
My training began at an after school ballet program at a private school I attended down the street from the family home. That program then led me to programs such as NORD/NOBA Center for dance, NOCCA/Riverfront, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre and ultimately Southern Methodist University and Tulane University where I earned my Bachelor of Fine Arts and Master of Fine Arts degree in Dance and Choreography. I have to mention that the family social gatherings was part of my training as a dancer/choreographer as well. Teaching came natural to me, due to the fact that my mom is a teacher, it was already in my DNA. All of these experiences taught me how to listen to my students’ bodies (mind/body/soul) and then respond accordingly.
Watching my students process the movement vocabulary and evolve as artist rather than dancers- there is a difference.
Cooking and Friday night dinner dates with my daughter.
The day my daughter LeAnna was born.
Try to ENJOY the process. Be authentic. Embrace new movement vocabulary. Persistence will take you further sometimes, more than mere talent, either way ….KEEP GOING!
New Orleans’ own Kesha McKey is a major contemporary dance powerhouse. We are over the moon to be collaborating with Kesha in our Nurturing the Whole Dancer Winter Workshop, this December 27 and 28 (click here for more information). Kesha is the current Dance Department Chair at NOCCA and the founder and artistic director of KM Dance Project. Read on to learn more about why we are so thrilled about this collaboration and why you should take advantage of this opportunity to learn and dance with Kesha.
My very early training with the Crescent City Dance Troupe was very community oriented and rooted in New Orleans culture and tradition. I believe this has had an influence on my efforts to maintain connectivity and remain engaged in the New Orleans cultural arts community – specifically with youth.
I also trained at NOCCA which was the main source of my early technical grounding. I had really great teachers there, specifically Lula Elzy who really took me under her wing and nurtured my talent. I’ve also had the opportunity to train in musical theater as well as work in the theater realm which has truly informed the way I approach and teach performance and choreography.
My later training – which consists of receiving my MFA at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, as well as the Urban Bush Women Summer Leadership Institute, Jacob’s Pillow, and Bates Dance Festival – has had a huge influence on my current values, practices and goals as an artist. I believe it is important to train young dancers as critically thinking artists with a solid grounding in technical skill, awareness of mind and body connectivity, and the freedom to investigate and explore movement as an experimental form.
One of my favorite things about teaching is witnessing a student’s confidence grow as a result of the knowledge and understanding they have achieved in their training.
I thoroughly enjoy catching a movie during my off time. The popcorn is always amazing!😃
My first sold out performance! It was such a humbling experience to have so many people come out to support my work. It was a feeling of immense joy and gratitude and I hope to have many more sold out shows!
Be honest in your work. When you work and perform, draw from your own experiences; tell your story through movement.
It’s Time to Prepare for Summer Intensives!
Recently, we hosted our annual photoshoot to help our students get a leg up for their national summer intensive auditions. Once their photo and video portfolios are ready, they will embark on the quest to find a programs they would like to attend.
In the USA and around the world, there are a plethora of ballet/dance programs taking place during the summer months. During this time students attend dance classes during the day starting early in the morning and going into late afternoon. These programs vary from light-weight to the super intensive. We can find them right here in New Orleans at several local studios, or go across the country to some of the most prestigious schools America has to offer.
At home, Live Oak offers a multidimensional summer intensive focused on giving students a well-rounded experience. We go from specialized ballet classes (technique, pointe, variations, and partnering) to cross training (dance conditioning, floor barre, Pilates, nutrition, and yoga). Additionally, we push even further with classes covering improvisation techniques, modern, and contemporary dance phrase making. Our intensive looks to really expend our dancer’s knowledge.
To get into a summer intensive, dancers must audition, in person, or by sending audition videos. Whether auditioning in person or remotely, audition pictures are required.
We set aside the time and energy to get our students prepared because we want to see them grow. As a matter of fact, while we encourage them to attend our own annual summer intensive, we are thrilled if they are accepted in bigger programs around the country.
Not only does a summer intensive provide tremendous growth in ability, but having the right summer experience can change a dancer’s life. Many professional dance companies use camps as a gateway to usher students into the professional sphere. The New York City Ballet, for example, relies heavily on the School of American Ballet (SAB) for the bulk of their professionals, and one of the ways to get into SAB is to attend their July summer intensive.
National camps vary a great deal! Some are solely devoted to the Art of Ballet while others have a mixture of genres. Still others have the emphasis on a more modern/contemporary approach. We can’t emphasize enough the importance of speaking to your dance mentors when choosing the right program.
Through the years, I learned about the differences in quality of programs through the experiences of our students. They have gone places!
Nut Meg, Kansas City Ballet, ABT ( watch video in this page featuring our alumni Sterling and William), and Boston Ballet are amongst our favorite schools.
However, we have a “no-go” list of camps that time and time again let our students down. As they reported back to us, we found that the experience did not live up to the expectations and costs. Live Oak students and I are in constant contact about their experiences, and where to go or not. We certainly try to guide our students to places that will help them grow while have fun, inspire them, and connect with the national dance community.
Even well-trained students will feel chalenged steping into a new summer intensive.
It is paramount that students feel confident and comfortable in their level of training. Staying the course at home may be the best thing a student can do for themselves in the long run if they are not ready. In this game is not about quantity, instead, it is about quality.
Cost can also be an issue. However, I firmly believe talented dancers should not be kept from an an opportunity to grow and network. At our school, when a dancer is ready, and he or she has been accepted we will help their families to get there. I have written recommendation letters and personal messages to directors in hope to help a student secure partial or full scholarships. We have also, engaged in “Go Fund Me” campaigns through all our channels of communication. Anything we can do to aid in the growth of our students, we do it.
I would like to remind families that our Summer Intensive, even though small, packs a real punch. You can still offer your dancer an opportunity for growth without having to endure the pressures and costs of national intensives. Our intensive is available on a first come first serve basis and we will be auditioning students in March (date TBA). The programs goes from June 1th to 27th. Stay tuned to our social media channels and check your emails to get more details as they emerge!
I love having our intensive in June because of all the new people we get to see and the progress our students make. If you have participated in our intensive and loved it, let us know! Leave us a message or review on google, Instagram, or facebook. We love hearing from you!
Shreveport navite Gretchen Erickson talks about her dance training, teaching in New Orleans, and her favority moments as dance artist
One of the most important questions a dancer asks themselves is: how hard should I train?
For many dancers this is a question that surfaces at the beginning of the year when they, together with their families, decide on the schedule for their dance training. One of my frequent jobs as a ballet instructor is to guide students who are faced with this question. It must be clear that as conditions in a student’s life change so should their ability to be in the studio.
As can be expected, I notice that students that attend fewer classes tend to progress slower than their peers. This unfortunately often results in frustration in students as they observe their classmates progressing faster than themselves.
So, when is the right time to take dance training, ballet or contemporary, to the next level?
If you are asking yourself this question, chances are it’s already time to “level up”.
American teens and pre-teens have a lot of options in the society they live in. They can opt to have a rich social life, full of sleepovers and get-togethers, and also have multiple school activities and extracurriculars to choose from. With so many options, training in ballet may not be very appealing if it takes away from these other activities.
What teenagers often forget is that some activities provide short-term happiness, while others provide long-term confidence and opportunities.
For adults it is important to keep checking in with your young dancers. Ballet is a family sport! If you are in tune with your dancer, you’ll see that they will know when the time is right to move to the next level. If that happens it is paramount that action follows – students’ parents and instructors must be made aware of this shift so they can help the dancer navigate the new schedule as well as new challenges.
While it’s important to know when it’s time to dial up the training, it’s just as important to know when to back off a bit. You need to keep checking with your dancers to see if conditions have changed and they need more time doing the things that kids do. This is too hard of an art for people to feel forced into it.
Below I have a video showing a day in the life of a dancer in a professional enviroment. This is the ultimate goal and what students are preparing for. This video is helpful in gaining some perspective on the amount of commitment one must have while approaching the professional dance world.
This Fall Live Oak Dance resumes variations class on Thursday evenings from 7:30 to 8:30pm!
We will be working on solos from classical ballets for ages 12 through adult. Dancers in this class can wear pointe shoes for the extra challenge, but flat shoes are also welcomed.
In our variations class this week I will be in the studio teaching one of the variations from the classical ballet Harlequinade. Because of its difficulty, this variation is commonly used in competitions, both big and small. At Live Oak we used this variation in our 2015 recital “Cirque de Ballet.” We often mix different ballet choreography to fit our dance student’s ability, and this variation was a match for our former student Lotus Drada. Here is a link to a YAGP competitor’s video and one from Lotus‘ performance here in New Orleans.
I hope you enjoy it! Jarina
Hello, dancers!
Our first-ever variations workshop is well on its way! Last week, we began with the “Odile” variation. For this week, get ready to learn “La Esmeralda”!
Please enjoy the videos I have selected to help us see the full scope of what it means to embody the characters in these selections. Observe how the dancers are fully immersed in their characters as they perform.
Just so you have a little taste of what’s coming: these next two videos display the next variations we will be learning! We will discuss each of them in class. Enjoy the inspiration!
With love,
Jarina
Hello, again Live Oak Family! This week, we sat down with our new, very accomplished instructor, Felicia McPhee. Felicia takes her knowledge of the human body and its construction and applies it to her practice, and it shows. Learn more about Felicia’s methodology and inspirations below.
My teaching method is influenced by many factors. I grew up training in the Russian Vaganova method, then expanded my skills in other techniques during college and as a professional. I’ve danced with many companies and have experienced learning from many teachers, all with different views on what is “correct”. But I think the thing that influences my teaching the most, is the anatomical knowledge I gained in college and applying it to my own dancing. I learned which muscles move, support, and connect with other parts of the body. Understanding alignment and structure helps accomplish almost anything in ballet! I enjoy being a professional dancer while also being a teacher because I can apply the principles I teach to my students to my own dancing and see what really works.
Witnessing the moments when I see something click for a student. They work and work and work and finally accomplish or understand a step or principle.
My mom taught me how to sew when I was young. I have used that skill to start a dancewear company called Feature Dancewear where I enjoy making leotards and skirts etc. I also love spending time with my husband and dog Leroi. We travel a lot and find fun adventures around the country.
There are so many moments that I love it’s hard to choose one. Overall, I love performing. My favorite part of being a ballet dancer and artist is sharing my love of this art for the audience. If I can touch them or change them in some way during a performance then I feel like I’ve done my job.
In the end, you are your best teacher. Don’t always wait for an instructor to correct you specifically. Learn from other’s corrections and apply them to yourself. You get out what you put in. Dance is hard work but it should also be fun and enjoyable for you!
You can check out more of Felicia’s dancing on her YouTube Channel! Thank you as always for reading!
