By Jarina Carvalho For a translated version in Portuguese click here! As we formulate our practical approach to ballet and dance education during COVID-19, we must not forget that creativity and innovation are fundamental principles of the arts. Necessity is the mother of invention. We must always remember to embrace the tools we have now. In the long…
by Keke Bethune This year has been weird. Weird, weird, weird. I don’t like to gloss over things as a matter of practice, and anyone who knows me knows this is true. My name is Keke. I’ve worked part-time with Live Oak for the past four years or so, doing social media marketing, making graphics,…
By Lauren Guynes of Marigny Opera Ballet Lauren Guynes has been a dancer with Marigny Opera Ballet since 2015, and I have had the pleasure of working with her for the past three seasons of the company. Now she is joining forces with Live Oak Dance as a teacher and a creative to help our…
Read More "Dance Has Not Left the Building, It Has Simply Claimed a New Space."
My ballet journey started a long way away from New Orleans. As a native of Brazil, as I was training in my hometown, I struggled with the question of how to become a better dancer. I came to the realization that staying at home was not an option. Most young dancers go through a similar…
Read More "An Homage to the People of The Dance Theatre of Harlem"
During this unprecedent time of Covid-19, our school has had to slow down a few beloved projects, however we continue to explore. One of the things I find therapeutic during this pandemic is to connect with likeminded people; from national dance seminars, to old friends, and past students. Connecting with people who love what I…
For today's post, I wanted to shed some light on the talented male dancers of Live Oak Dance, and the teacher that has helped Live Oak take our boys to the next level. Aaron Wiggins, Marigny Opera Ballet star and our senior teacher, has been fundamental to both the creation and the development of our…
Read More "Boys Do Ballet: a Conversation With Aaron Wiggins"
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"
What a year, Live Oak Family! 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…
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…
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…
