3 Ways to Incorporate Visualization Into Your Dance Practice
Visualization can be a powerful tool for dance artists.
Tips for a More Articulate, Expressive Back
A dancer’s spine has its own expressive power. Use these tips to unlock your spine for both movement and expression.
How Soulful, Joyful Dance Workouts Became the New Wellness Trend
“Stir up that recipe for greatness,” Casie “Tynee” Goshow says as she moves her arms in circles while teaching alone from a neon-lit platform at FORWARD__Space’s virtual hub. Goshow prompts the people watching her on-demand class to close their eyes as they continue the simple, repetitive combination: brushing hands in front of the face, then […]
Why We Can’t Take Our Eyes Off of Taylor Stanley
In a studio high above Lincoln Center, Taylor Stanley is rehearsing a solo from Jerome Robbins’ Opus 19/The Dreamer. As the pianist plays Prokofiev’s plangent melody, Stanley begins to move, his arms forming crisp, clean lines while his upper body twists and melts from one position to the next. All you see is intention and […]
It's Time to Stop Encouraging Dancers to Always Push Beyond Their Limits
As a young dancer, I was taught that falling out of a relevé, even during class, was not an option. I was told to never, ever give up on it. “Die for it,” my ballet master used to say. I used to love, even dream, of being immersed in dance every day. But after 10 […]
Bobbi Jene Smith and Maxine Doyle Talk Instinct and Trust in Collaboration
In a sun-soaked studio in Manhattan, members of the Martha Graham Dance Company (all women) lie on the floor with their feet and heads hovering off the ground. Choreographer Bobbi Jene Smith encourages the dancers to be unapologetic about being looked at as their bodies begin to tremble with exhaustion and they move into a […]
A Poem By Gaga Movement Practitioner and Choreographer Bobbi Jene Smith: "I Dance to Feel Alive"
I dance to remember. I dance to forget. I dance to contain. I dance for my mom and dad. I dance to show my love. I dance when I cannot speak. I dance when words won’t do any justice. I dance to connect with strangers. I dance to understand. I dance to feel differences. I […]
Is Contemporary Class Bad for Dancers' Technique?
In today’s dance world, it seems to go without saying: The more varied the training, the better. But is that always the case? Rhonda Malkin, a New York City–based dance coach who performed with the Radio City Rockettes, thinks trendy contemporary techniques that emphasize improvisation and organic movement quality are detrimental to the precision and […]