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What students need vs. what students want

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Teacher article

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The task of running a dance studio comes with all sorts of rewards year in and year out. However, anyone who got into this business thinking there wouldn't be some difficult decisions along the way probably woke up to an enlightening reality; especially when parents and students think they know best. With the inundation of reality shows devoted to dance, (some good and some not so good,) many young dancers have somehow come to the conclusion that this is all dance has to offer. This is what dance is. They want to emulate what they see on TV (even if they are not technically ready or it's age appropriate,) want to dance like, look like, be like and have choreography like 'those' dancers. In my opinion, as a competition adjudicator, this is why as of late, the majority of pieces you see at regionals all look the same after a while. It seems there are many studio directors and teachers that are not quite brave enough to break the mold to say, 'No, we're not going down that path and we are going to take a chance to set something artistically, creatively and vastly different for our students.' Believe it or not, that 'brave' inclination to break from the 'norm' IS going to be what puts your studio on the map and makes others remember your studio name. Being bold, being different, being refreshing is where it's at While it is however, a major success that dance exposure on TV has created an appreciation to what we have known all our lives, as studio directors, it starts with you to set the precedence for your students dance education.

Author

Jessica Rizzo Stafford

Jessica Rizzo Stafford

Jessica Rizzo Stafford is a native New Yorker and graduate of NYU Steinhardt's Dance Education Master’s Program; with a PK-12 New York State Teaching Certification. Her double-concentration Master’s Degree includes PK-12 pedagogy and dance education within the higher-education discipline. She also holds a BFA in dance performance from the UMASS Amherst 5 College Dance Program where she was a Chancellor's Talent Award recipient. Jess now works extensively with children, adolescents and professionals as choreographer and teacher and conducts national and international master-classes specializing in the genres of modern, contemporary, musical theatre and choreography-composition. Jess’ national and international performance career includes works such as: The National Tour of Guys & Dolls, The European Tour of Grease, West Side Story, Cabaret, Sweet Charity, Salute to Dudley Moore at Carnegie Hall, guest-dancer with the World Famous Pontani Sisters and IMPULSE Modern Dance Company. Jess has been a faculty member for the Perichild Program & Peridance Youth Ensemble & taught contemporary and jazz at the historic New Dance Group and 92nd Street Y in NYC. She was Company Director at the historic Steffi Nossen School of Dance/Dance in Education Fund and in 2008 traveled to Uganda where she taught creative-movement to misplaced children. The experience culminated with Jess being selected as a featured instructor at the Queen's Kampala Ballet & Modern Dance School. She has conducted workshops for the cast of LA REVE at the Wynn, Las Vegas and recently taught at the 2011 IDS International Dance Teacher Conference at The Royal Ballet in London, UK. She is also on faculty for the annual Dance Teacher Web Conferences in Las Vegas, NV. Currently, Jess is a faculty member at the D'Valda & Sirico Dance & Music Centre and master teacher & adjudicator for various national and international dance competitions. Recently, she has finished her NYU Master’s thesis research on the choreographic process of technically advanced adolescent dancers and is the creator of “PROJECT C;” a choreography-composition curriculum for the private studio sector. Jess is also faculty member, contributing writer and presenter in the choreography and “how to” teaching segments on the celebrated danceteacherweb.com. For more info, visit her website at www.jrizzo.net.

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