Sampling

With school starting and the fall season coming, many parents are now actively trying to figure out their family schedule for the year. Hours can be spent on this as they try to "get everything in". Some reflection may be needed at this time of year to discover why families select their children's experiences they way that they do. After all, it is very hard work and management on the parents part for sure.

Parents are always seeking great experiences and events for their children. So much so these days that children are now in the habit of only attending classes and training, such as dance, gymnastics, swimming, music, martial arts, sports, etc, for a short time before going off to the next adventure. The major excuse that they give is "all their friends are doing something else and they want to be a part of it".

If children are constantly wandering from experience to experience, never staying long enough to learn the full scope of the experience and only sampling, the world will change drastically and not necessarily for the good. After all, if little Michael Jordan wanted to play every sport and only sampled basketball, he would of never of been as great as he was when playing for the Bulls. Same for Kevin Durant of the OKC Thunder. If Tiger Woods only sampled golf instead of putting hours of training in, he would of not made such an impact on the golf world at such a young age.

Think about it, no more Misty Copelands, Travis Walls, Maria Tallchiefs for the dance world. No more Michael Phelps of Nancy Hogsheads for the swimming world. No more Nadia Comaneci or Gabby Douglas for the gymnastic world. How horrible would that be?

Our world needs heroes and leaders in all parts of our lives. If Mozart or even the Beatles only played around at composing music, instead of working hard at mastering it, there is no telling what we would be listening to today.

Can you just hear Mozart saying "but mom.......everyone else is doing soccer". Or how about  Shirley Temple crying "but mom..... Sally's mom says she can pick and choose what ever she wants to do".

The point is this. Children will sample at everything they do if they are allowed to, and are not guided towards finding one or two things they can become great at. Children will continue to want to follow their friends, not because they really want to do what the friends are doing, but because they are afraid of being left out of the group. Children will do this because it is what they do. Unless they are guided towards those experiences that have the greatest life value, they may continue the pattern even as an adult.  Parents have a choice of guiding them towards possible greatness, or allowing them to wander from one thing to the other, never becoming great at anything.

Becoming great at one or two things, instead of mediocre at many things, is how leaders and heroes are trained for the future. Finding experiences that teaches self esteem, self confidence, self trust, team work, cooperation and yes even  how to be an individual that is not afraid to go out on their own may be a better direction for our children. This means selecting one or two experiences and helping them to dive in and swim around for years so that they have time to fully train and develop into great leaders and possibly even heroes of our world.

Sampling may be fine at a buffet to find out what you would like to eat, but over sampling many different experiences with no direction and guidance may be just as detrimental as over eating at the buffet in the long term.

Progressive parents, and parents of grown children that are now doing fantastic things with their adult lives, know and understand that if the adults of our world cannot guide and set standards to follow, children will never grow up to step forward to take leadership of their lives, business, country or world.

Guidance is a good thing. Learning to be an individual that can make strong choices they can follow through with is even better. Let's leave sampling to the buffet.

Just Part Of The Uniform

Traditionally, dance schools have had required class dancewear. Such as the one piece leotard, tights (absolutely), waist belt or skirt, hair tightly secured (most often a bun). For boys, black tights/pants, belt, white shirt. The uniform of a dancer, was much like the uniform of a Girl or Boy Scouts uniform. It meant that you were privileged to be a member of an important group of boys and girls your age, your level and studying/being a part of  your interest or passion. 

Much like private schools have had their "uniforms", dance uniforms also served a need. It allowed you to be able to focus on what you were in attendance for. No distractions. No worrying that someone else may have on something that is better than what your parents could afford or that your current wear did not meet the current social trends.

Then there were the crossovers. The one that sticks out the most was after the movie Flashdance hit the big screen, and the next thing you knew was that dancewear was now cool enough to be street wear....LEGWARMERS! Shrugs were available on almost every little girls Easter dress for awhile too. Admit it! You have either seen others wearing these dance items, or you did it yourself! And oh, how... cool... it... was...!

Today, it is the SOCK BUN! So cool! So nifty! So handy! You don't even need clean hair for it! Right? Of course! But guess what cultural Fashionistas, dancers beat you to it! Yep! Sock buns have been around for generations and dancers have been sporting them in classes even before you knew what they were! So cool! So nifty! So in style!

My point is, if what dancers wear in class (or are suppose to wear in class) is so hip today on the street, why do we struggle getting our dancers, acrobats and gymnasts to show up for class properly prepared? Why are we purchasing a ring of hair ties to have on hand because we know that we will need to hand them out at the beginning of class? Why do we have to ask, "where is your leotard?"

If a uniform , that allows you to be part of a very special group or class that some young men and young ladies would beg their parents for, why do you not come bursting through the doors of our school shouting "HERE I AM! AREN'T I AMAZING?!"

Is it because we have forgotten to tell you how amazing you are? Or is it because we have forgotten to remind you every week that you are a part of a very special class of young people that hold the breathe of your audience every time you turn, leap, pause or smile from the stage. No other athlete has that ability. Seldom do you see a football or basketball player able to bring tears to their audiences eyes except...... for when they.... loose.... the..... game.

Yes being part of your dance or gymnastics class, fully uniformed, means a little bit of extra work. It means you have to remember where you put your leotard. It means you have to remember that tights are a dancers tool to warm the muscles. It means you have to take a moment to say to yourself......
"I am amazing! So let's go work on being able to make other people hold their breathe and tear up, while I move my marvelous body across the floor. I am powerful. I am special. I am a dancer!

Why A Dance Education Versus Just Learning A Dance?

There are many different types of dance studios around our nation. And rightly so because not all families are looking for the same thing when it comes to placing their children in a dance program.

There are the "activity" studios. These are the ones that can come up with great activity style classes that only run six to eight weeks at a time. Low commitment and made for fun and to give the parents a break from their children once in awhile.

There are "lets learn a dance" studios that start teaching a dance at the beginning of the season and take the entire season to complete or polish it.

There are "competition" studios where every class in the studio, with maybe the exception of the baby classes, compete. That is their goal and target. Attend competitions.

There are the studios that see what they do as an education. They not only teach dances, but actually how to dance. Techniques is important and impressed upon their students because they want to be sure if these students do one day decide to audition for a university dance department or for a professional show, that they have the skills and training to make it.

Take these four types of studios and you will see even a different blend. Such as the Educational Studio that understands and can meet the educational side with still allowing a few students to compete. Why only a few? Because they are hand selected and not open called for auditions. These hand selected students are ones that parents understand that this is more that just getting on a stage and getting a trophy. It is about performance value and learning about performance.

Then there is the studio that the competitions are actually an activity because not enough time is spent on technique, but instead tricks to make the audience yell out for them (have you ever experience yelling "get it girl" during a Nutcracker performance by a professional company?). Although entertaining, these dancers seldom go on to higher levels of dance opportunities, and even if they tried they are generally turned away.

Dance is an education of movement, correct sequences and technique in execution. It should be fun or your child will not enjoy it. It should be measurable or your child will not know if they are advancing or not. It should be balanced with technique and learning a dance.

Yes, dance is an education. So is performance. An education that can take them to as high as they want to achieve, if they have the right start.

Kids Say The Funniest Things

This week in class, one of our students looked up to the dance teacher and asked, "Do you wash your black leotard and jazz pants every night so that you can teach in them the next day?" "Well no, I actually have several black leotards and pants to select from", said the teacher. "Really?????" was the reply from the very serious young student. "You really only have black clothes in your closet? You really need some color with that!" Sometimes our students say the funniest things, and yet can be so honest with their opinions. What the student does not understand is that a dance teacher's life is filled with a lot of color! Rosy cheeks and pearly white teeth in a large smile that meet the teacher as each student comes through the door for their lessons. Pink skirts and tutus twirling in the air, red hip hop sneakers and lime green pants dancing on the floor, sequined dance bags that line the floor, and glitter! Glitter every where! A teacher of dance hears music and immediately sees movement and color! We see color in the sunrise and the sunset that gives us inspiration to choreograph great performances. Color is everywhere when looking through hundreds of books for costumes for the spring performance. Yes, dance teachers have a lot of color in their lives. So much so that we never notice that when we wear our traditional"uniform" to teach classes that others would think that there is no color in our lives. Actually there is so much color in a dance teachers life that we sometimes find glitter in the strangest places. Sometimes there is even glitter in the meatloaf at home, but by mistake. Keep smiling!

Angelina Ballerina Holiday Break Party!

Join the Fun!

 

Angelina Ballerina Holiday Break Party

 

December 23rd Woodward Location

January 2nd Enid Location

 

10:00-11:30 am Ages 2- 4 yrs

1:00-3:00 pm Ages 5-9 yrs

 

Dancing Fun, Movie, Popcorn, Crafts,

games, nail painting and more!

 

Limited in enrollment!

Finish your wrapping and shopping while they spend some time with us!

 

For more information and registration

visit our website events & parties page at

www.academyoffineartsok.com

 

580-256-3262  Woodward Location

580-747-4799  Enid Location

 

Enid Academy of Fine Arts Soon To Open!

 

Academy of Fine Arts is expanding! Demands for our programs has increased and we are happy to bring them to Enid! Located at 800 W Broadway, Enid Academy of Fine Arts will offer great classes in dance, music lessons, tumbling and acrobatics, cheer and more. Coming in January is our private academic preschool - kindergarten half day classes!

 

Enid Academy of Fine Arts will feature five dance studios, five music studios, academic rooms, computer rooms for music theory and more. "It is like the building was just sitting and waiting for us to come to Enid", stated Director Mary Myers.  "The building had been vacant for many, many years and there have been several issuses we have had to take care of prior to opening. But what we have now is a great space with a start of the art performing and fine arts school. Everyone working on the facility has been blown away once they walk inside."

 

An October opening date is being planned. Final work on the floors and other situations continues this week. Be sure to watch for the announcement of our opening day and registration day!

 



Angelina Ballerina Dance Academy

Now starring at

Academy of Fine Arts

is your licensed Angelina Ballerina Dance Academy!

Angelina Summer Camps

August 6-10 3-4 ½ and 4 ½ -6 yrs

Angelina Ballerina Dance Classes

offered Monday -Thursday this fall!

3-4 ½ and 4 ½ -6 yrs

Register now for early placement for the day and time you need!

www.academyoffineartsok.com

On line or in person registration

Woodward Academy of Fine Arts

609 Main Street

580-256-3262

Class sizes are limited to 6 and 8 in a class

Register Today!

Academy of Fine Arts is now an official Angelina Ballerina Dance Academy! Angelina Ballerina Dance Academy classes are taught through a nationwide network of top quality dance studios.
Your child will receive a quality dance education in a caring and fun environment, all based on the beloved Angelina Ballerina character.
Each month your child will learn new dance skills and steps based on a new Angelina Ballerina story book.
The Angelina Ballerina Dance Academy curriculum is designed by internationally renowned master teachers and child development experts. Your child will be inspired to pursue their dreams of dance, just like Angelina Ballerina!
Register today and your little star with big dreams will develop the love and skills of dance that will last for a lifetime.

COMING THIS SUMMER!

Summer Camp Description

This 5-day camp is designed to promote physical health, confidence, and creativity while teaching proper dance technique in Camp 1 for ages 3 - 4 ½ and Camp 2 for ages 4 ½ - 6.
Promoting reading and literacy, this complete camp curriculum focuses on reading and studying the book, “Angelina's Perfect Party”.  Also included are lessons in nutrition and creating a strong healthy body, educational activity sheets, and craft projects to create excitement among young dancers.
 Camp Dates in Woodward
July 16-20th
August 6-10th

*More camps to be added. Registration now available on line at http://www.emailcontact.com/stat/click.php?nl_id=181849&email=[EMAIL]&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.academyoffineartsok.com