Category: Dancing

Dancing / musings

Dance Styles/Genres

How many kinds of dancing can you name or move to? Here’s a partial list of dance style categories (Taken from Wikipedia, 2017) Concert dance / performance dance Ballet, Concert dance, Contemporary dance, Ecstatic dance (also known as freestyle dance and barefoot improvisational dance), Jazz dance, Lyrical dance, Modern dance, Performance dance, River, Tap dance Latin / rhythm Bachata, Bolero. East Coast Swing, Mambo, Rhythm, Rumba, Cha Cha, Corridos, Cumbia, Duranguense, International Latin , Argentine tango, Capoeira, Maculelê, Danza, Jive, Merengue, Milonga, Reggaeton, Rumba , Salsa, Samba, Zumba (dance), Zouk, Quebradita, Tejano, gayunder Swing dance Balboa, Blues dance, Carolina Shag,...

Dancing / musings

National Dance Day – 2017

Launched in 2010 by “So You Think You Can Dance” co-creator and DFF(Dizzy Feet Foundation) co-president Nigel Lythgoe, National Dance Day is an annual celebration that takes place on the last Saturday in July. This grassroots campaign encourages Americans to embrace dance as a fun and positive way to maintain good health and fight obesity. National Dance Day always takes place on the last Saturday in July. In 2017, NDD will take place on: Saturday, JULY 29th. Want ideas for what to do? Look on YouTube for Dizzy Feet National Dance Day. You will find several years of ideas to...

Dancing / musings

(SYTYCD) So You Think You Can Dance season on FOX

The dance program So You Think You Can Dance is in full swing on FOX. It’s a chance to see a variety of dance genres performed by up-and-coming dancers. It started on June 12th and is well into its season, but you can get caught up through On Demand, or start watching it now. Its’ worth a viewing. I am so impressed by the quality of dancing I see. Let me know what you think.

Dancing / musings / reader suggestions

Questions about Paddy’s Dance Life

Friends and guests at my book talks often ask me questions about my dance life. Here are a few answers. When did you start dancing?  At age 3. I continued to take lessons until I was 18 and danced off and on until I was in my 40s. I was never a professional dancer. Which dance teachers were most inspiring? I only had 3 teachers across all the years I danced. Each influenced me in big or small ways: Margaret Tapping gave me the first opportunity to perform. I was 3 and loved being on the stage with the light...

National Dance Week

Dancing / musings

National Dance Week

This is National Dance Week. It began in 1981 as a way to bring national attention to dance. So what are you suppose to do? I suggest you try one of these ideas: attend a dance event (local dance studio recital or professional dance group presentation of ballet or culturally themed dancing) watch a PBS special on dance watch a movie of dancers from a variety of dance genres take a lesson in ballroom, classical dance, or cultural dance (Irish, Indian, Asian, etc) turn on your favorite music and dance just for the fun of it.

FAQ About Ballet Dancers

ballet performances / Dancing

FAQ About Ballet Dancers

How long does it take to become a professional ballet dancer? Most dancers start lesson by age 7 and take 1-2 classes a week. They focus on basic techniques. Young women must wait for their feet to finish growing before they step into pointe shoes. Both young men and women will also take modern dance and partner classes. By their teen years most serious dancers are in class 2-4 hours six days a week. What are pointe shoes made from and how long does a pair last?  Pointe shoes are made from several layers of fabric. The outsides are satin...

Upcoming Dance Celebrations and An Invitation to Dance

Challenge / Dancing / musings

Upcoming Dance Celebrations and An Invitation to Dance

March 23-24  Arts Advocacy Day brings together 85 or more national arts organizations in Washington D.D. to meet with Congress to advocate for arts educations policies, charitable tax deductions and funding for the National Endowment for the Arts. Let’s hope they are successful. (Recently it was reported that the arts are facing deep financial cuts by the Congress.) March 31  – Dance Everywhere Day begins at noon Pacific Standard Time. It encourages everyone to join in a world-wide simultaneous pubic dancing performance. Grab your friends. Put on your dancing shoes and dance, dance, dance!!! Who??  dancers (of course), teachers, plumbers,...

My Top 6 Famous Ballet Dancers

ballet performances / Dancing / famous ballet dancers

My Top 6 Famous Ballet Dancers

Through history the ballet world has created many famous dancers who’ve shared their grace, beauty, charisma, and strength. Here’s my short list in no special order and why they’ve made my list. Anna Pavlova (Russian, 1881-1931) Not a typical small, compact dancer. Her world travels opened up the non-European world to classical ballet. She’s also credited with revising the pointe shoe. The role of the Dying Swan was created for her. Margot Fonteyn (English, 1919-1991) Beauty in motion who danced from 1935-1960s (but danced on occasion until age 60). I saw her dance in Seattle when I was a young...

Book Trailer for for Ballet Trilogy and Interview with Videographer Emily Hill

84 Ribbons / ballet performances / Book Specials / Challenge / computers and internet / Dancing / editing / interviews / Letters to Follow / When the Music Stops

Book Trailer for for Ballet Trilogy and Interview with Videographer Emily Hill

Book Trailers are one way authors introduce readers to their books. My dear friend, Emily Hill created a lovely book trailer for my ballet-themed books: 84 Ribbons, When the Music Stops – Dance On, and Letters to Follow – A Dancer’s Adventure. She took my ideas and massaged them into this lovely tribute to ballet. After watching her work, I decided my blog followers might enjoy a peek behind the scenes of how she organized the trailer. Here’s her brief interview. Your book, The Ghost Chaser’s Daughter had an amazing book trailer. When and how did you get started making...

National Dance Day is Coming!!!

Challenge / Dancing

National Dance Day is Coming!!!

Turn on the music! Put on your dancing feet! National Dance Day is coming NEXT week on Saturday, July 30th. Save the last Saturday of every July for National Dance Day and join in the fun. It’s not often a TV program inspires a national event, but that is just what the program So You Think You Can Dance has done. The event launched in 2010 and is supported by the Dizzy Feet Foundation to encourage Americans “to embrace dance as a fun and positive way to maintain good health and fight obesity.” A U.S. Congressional resolution introduced the event...