This new year, take ‘I’m too busy’ out of your vocabulary

This new year, take “I’m too busy” out of your vocabulary for healthier body and mind, and dive with your whole self into a richer life.

“Oh my goodness, how are you?” an old friend squeals when I see her at the store recently. “Busy,” I reply with my default answer. “Oh I knoooowww, we’re so busy, too,” she says, rolling her eyes; both of us using the word “busy” like we won some kind of prize for how great our lives are. My newsfeeds declare: “Busy is the new normal”, “Busy is the new happy”. Studies show that stress plays a role in so many real health consequences: anxiety, insomnia, stomach pain and weight gain just to name a few.

This new year, join me in resolving to take back our health by not letting “busy” justify nourishing our bodies with artery-clogging, high calorie, low nutrient, dense food. We have the power to choose how we fill our time and what we fill our bellies with. The food you eat is broken down into building blocks for new cells, for the production of new muscle tissue, for recovery, and for every biological process that makes us work and affects our aging. Let’s choose those building blocks with intention.

Join me this year in taking back what we fuel our bodies with because we quite literally are what we eat. Here’s how we are going to do it:

Planning! Have good stuff on hand. Meal and snack planning is worth your time, and if you want to be healthier in 2016, it is not optional.  

• Make sure you always have healthy snacks on hand at home. Always have a fruit basket, nuts, hummus, yogurts, cup of soups and pre-made bars, so when you get hungry and you need something to grab it’s already there.
• Have pre-washed greens in your fridge at all times. They can be thrown in salads, in soups, or paired with a frozen veggie burger.  
• Quickly sketch out an outline for your most challenging meal. Make a list of the key components. It can be on the back of an envelope or on your phone. Just enough information to make sure you have a few key ingredients on hand at home. For example:

Now, at the store you know you need at least veggies, greens, lentils, beans, bread and pasta.

Technology can be awesome; let’s use it! There are lots of websites that will meal plan for you and even deliver pre-made meals right to your door. On your busiest day, have Thrive Foods Direct send your meal right to you. Here are my favorites:

thrivefoodsdirect.com

getmealplans.com

happyherbivore.com

mymenupal.com

nutritionmd.org/index.html

A slow cooker/crock pot will save your life.

Every one of the meals listed in the chart above can be made in a slow cooker (some recipes are on my website). Beans, lentils and peas are longevity foods, according to the Blue Zones Project; plus, they have protein, iron and fiber. They can be thrown in the slow cooker in the morning, and by evening you have dinner ready for you. They are an inexpensive and health-promoting source of protein and go in many different dishes from Tex-Mex to Mediterranean to Indian.

Let your freezer make your life easier.  

Make large batches of beans, peas and soups, and then freeze in small glass containers like Pyrex or even mason jars. Stock up on frozen veggie burgers, edamame, peas, corn and whole grain breads like Udi’s Millet Chia bread.

Invest in a good blender.

Get in the habit of making smoothies at least two times per week. Use almond milk (a good source of calcium and vitamin D), Swiss chard leaves, frozen berries and chia seeds for a calcium rich but plant-based snack. I throw nuts and seeds in the blender to thicken it up and to provide protein and healthy fats.

Have premade snacks ready to go.

Try the Dr. McDougall’s Right Foods brand. They are meals in a cup that can be heated in one minute, cost less than $2/serving and are delicious and healthy.

Buy or make hummus and use it as a dip for veggies every day. Use it as a quick dressing for kale salad by massaging hummus and lemon juice into the kale, and done! Have storebought or homemade bars with you every day. I like the Kind bars, Bobo’s Oat bars, Lara bars and Barre bars. I also have recipes for no-bake almond oat bites on my web site, www.dancernutrition.com.

I’m done with the glorification of busy in place of a healthy lifestyle. Let’s make healthy eating a priority this year!

By Emily C. Harrison MS, RD, LD of Nutrition for Great Performances.

Emily Harrison

Emily Cook Harrison MS, RD, LD 
Emily is a registered dietitian and holds both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in nutrition from Georgia State University. Her master’s thesis research was on elite level ballet dancers and nutrition and she has experience providing nutrition services for weight management, sports nutrition, disordered eating, disease prevention, and food allergies. Emily was a professional dancer for eleven years with the Atlanta Ballet and several other companies. She is a dance educator and the mother of two young children. She now runs the Centre for Dance Nutrition and Healthy Lifestyles. She can be reached at emily@dancernutrition.com
www.dancernutrition.com

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CLI Studios: Inspiration, Collaboration and Education

Note: CLI Studios has recently revised its products and services to provide them all through its Studio Partnership Program, where CLI works directly with dance studios. Stay tuned for a new article on CLI’s programs in 2018!

It is rare to find a dance company so willing to be about the artist, and not ulterior motives. CLI Studios is about the artist. They’re more about the dancer and teacher learning and continuing to stay inspired, and less about how much money they make at the end of a fiscal year. CLI Studios is about the choreographer, the dancer, the teacher, and the studio owner growing and collaborating to fuel the world of dance through online sharing. This is a business model I can get behind.

Co-founders Jon Arpino and Teddy Forance. Photo by Rob Daly and Quinn Wharton.

About two years ago, CLI Studios Co-Founders Jon Arpino and Teddy Forance were talking about how Forance and a few other notable choreographer friends receive requests from studios all around the country and world to teach master classes. Time for these renowned choreographers, however, is precious and rare. Also, unless you live in New York or Los Angeles, it is unlikely you have the opportunity to take class from Allison Holker, tWitch, or Caitlin Kinney on a weekly basis.

Enter CLI Studios – an online dance class sharing platform that allows members the opportunity to learn from 40 different choreographers at any given time for a low price.

As stated on its website, “Every week, CLI Studios uploads instructional videos of our choreographers to the members-only section of this site. The videos include full combinations, warm-ups, across the floor combinations, and strength and conditioning exercises from some of NYC and LA’s top choreographers. These videos allow dancers and teachers around the world to take classes on their own time and schedule, for an incredibly affordable price. CLI Studios is a great supplement to a dance studio education, and a great way to continue your education after life at a dance studio.”

Arpino says there are three different programs from which to choose.

“The first studio package is for $100 per month,” he says. “Some studios have 20 teachers, and we offer access for the entire faculty for a flat fee. The more teachers you have, the more cost effective it becomes. Then we have a program for teachers for $40 per month. That’s super popular. Right now, we offer two classes per week for teachers, so that’s about $5 a class. And then we offer a program for dancers that’s $20 per month. They get fewer classes than the studio program, so it’s not like a library of classes like the teacher and studio program, but it’s still less than $5 a class.”

Some of the choreographers represented at CLI Studios include the aforementioned Teddy Forance, Allison Holker, tWitch, Caitlin Kinney, as well as Kathryn McCormick, Nick Lazzarini, Kenny Wormald, Kyle Robinson and many more. Most of these choreographers travel with conventions, tour as back-up dancers, or perform on shows like So You Think You Can Dance and Dancing with the Stars, staying constantly busy.

Teddy Forance and Caitlin Kinney, choreographers for CLI Studios. Photo by Rob Daly and Quinn Wharton.

“We filmed with over 40 different choreographers within the last year,” Arpino states. “It is the first time I know of where you are able to take a class from all of these renowned choreographers at your own time, in your own space, from anywhere in the world. It gives people a great opportunity to learn from some of the top choreographers in the country. We’re always looking for more ways to educate and inspire people, and get dance videos online.”

CLI Studios offers multiple styles of dance, including jazz, contemporary, ballet, basic technique, hip hop, salsa and more. “We like to keep it diverse in terms of styles,” Arpino says. One benefit of CLI Studios for teachers is learning a multitude of dance styles that you may not be as comfortable with, and keeping up with ever-evolving dance trends.

“If you’re teaching at a studio but you’re not a hip hop teacher, you could watch one of these videos, learn four to six counts of eight of the Intermediate Hip Hop class and teach that,” Arpino explains. “Even though a certain style might not be your go-to style as a teacher, someone like Kenny gives you choreography that you can effectively and efficiently teach to younger students. That’s the benefit of doing it online – you can experiment with different styles and not jump into a class when you might be in over your head as a dancer or teacher.”

Twitch instructing a class for CLI Studios. Photo by Rob Daly and Quinn Wharton.

To those who would question the idea of dancing at home, and the safety concerns involved with that, Arpino says he is not worried as of now. He says, “Right now, we offer intermediate and advanced classes that are really geared toward dancers who are training at studios pretty frequently. On a technical level, it’s really up to you to know what you can and can’t do. No one in the video is telling you to do an ariel for the first time.”

He continues, “As we branch out in to more intermediate styles, I think [safety] is definitely something we’ll have to be very conscience of. We’re teaching people how to move who might not have the experience or the flexibility. Our choreographers are really good at teaching different moves that are challenging or something that might be pushing you, but they’re good at breaking it down and not pushing someone too far.”

CLI Studios wants to challenge, inspire and continue collaborating with many different artists and choreographers. One of those artistic humans is Wade Robson. CLI and Robson recently worked together to create a short dance film entitled FLIGHT.

About Robson, friend and collaborator Teddy Forance says, “Wade and I have wanted to work together for a long time. CLI is definitely in the instructional video space. We’re not really a dance film company, but any time you have any opportunity to work with a great choreographer or great director, I think that’s what we want to do…to offer not only education, but inspiration for our teachers, students and fans.”

Teddy Forance and Jaimie Goodwin. Photo by Rob Daly and Quinn Wharton.

FLIGHT, the multitude of choreographers, the low cost and the quality of classes available…all of these aspects of CLI Studios are solid reasons for becoming a member of the online dance studio platform.

Co-Founder Forance says it best. “We’re not about replacing your dance studio, or telling you not to go to conventions,” he concludes. “It’s an awesome supplement for a really low price to just stay inspired. For people who want to keep learning and improving, this is a great tool for those goals. Whether you’re a studio, teacher or a dancer, we have a program that we’ve customized for you based around your core values of inspiration, collaboration and education.”

To become a member of CLI Studios, or to learn more, visit www.clistudios.com.

To watch FLIGHT directed by Wade Robson, visit www.clistudios.com/flight.

By Allison Gupton of Dance Informa.

Photo (top): Caitlin Kinney, co-creator and choreographer for CLI Studios. Photo by Rob Daly.

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Costume Inspiration: Dance Costume Guide Out Now

It’s time to get inspired and excited for your next recital, so start looking at costume choices! This season there are so many gorgeous styles and looks to choose from, with hundreds of elegant, fun, cute, colorful and character designs.

Dance Informa’s popular Dance Costume Guide is out now, featuring the industry’s top dance costume designers and stockists.

Check out the 2016-17 Guide now and get swept away in glitz and glamour as you choose the looks for your next show or competition.

Danceinforma.us/recital-costume-guide

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What should students choose? College, concert or commercial dance?

As dancers chassé toward their senior year of school, they begin to decide where dance will take them. Where will they take that next step, or leap, to make their dance dreams a reality? There are so many options across college dance, the commercial scene and company work. Will they audition for a feeder school in hopes to join a concert dance company, will they get an agent and seek commercial work, or will they dive headfirst into academic study at a leading college?

Traditionally, there has been a disparity between concert, commercial and collegiate dance careers, and young students can feel that their choice now may limit their career choices in the future or box them in. But is this changing? And how can you help your students to navigate the gap between these three very distinct dance worlds?

Martin Harvey at Dance Teacher Summit

Martin Harvey, former principal with The Royal Ballet, who is also an actor and Broadway performer, says, “On the surface, there is definitely a gap. However, underneath, we’re all going for the same thing.”

Commercial dancer Teddy Forance, who hails from a competition dance background, shares the same sentiment, saying, “I think there is still a gap, but it’s definitely closing more and more. I think University of Southern California was massive for the dance world to see. This college is built upon showing different ideas and concepts. You’ve got Forsythe, but then you also have commercial people coming in and teaching.”

Emmy-nominated choreographer Al Blackstone also feels like the gap is “absolutely closing”, adding, “I feel like I thrive in that gap! I enjoy adapting to the kind of audience that my work will have and figuring out how to connect with them most effectively. I try not to worry about which areas of the industry I fit into because ultimately, it’s all dancing, and that is the language that I feel most comfortable speaking.”

Harvey, Blackstone and Forance have all very successfully navigated that gap, enjoying exciting, varied and ever-evolving careers in many areas of the dance industry.

Forance speaks fondly of his recent work in the concert dance sphere with Hubbard Street Dance in Chicago. “It was really cool that they opened up the doors, were so generous and so kind, and really enjoyed my work. It was a really interesting collaboration.”

Teddy Forance. Photo by Katie Goughan.

Blackstone, who seems to jeté effortlessly across many spectrums of dance, is excited about the merging of different dance worlds, sharing that “dancers now have more access to information and training than ever before, and it means that dancers are able to be more versatile than ever. In New York, there are company dancers dancing on Broadway and ballet dancers doing music videos! Different communities are feeding off one another in order to evolve, and it means that the lines are increasingly being blurred.”

With these lines blurred, how can dance educators equip their students to bridge the gap so they, too, can achieve successful and fulfilling careers in any area, or multiple areas, of the industry?

Harvey tells educators to “encourage open-mindedness and provide/lobby for diverse and balanced training at their studios.”

Forance shares practical advice saying, “I think it’s about being informed. Map out on paper all the different options for colleges and the choices you can make. There are so many different things to research out there — for example, Arts Umbrella in Canada, has a way to do a year training program without an academic program.”

He adds, “Give them all the tools you can, and really be knowledgeable yourself across not only the competition convention scene but also the collegiate level, companies, what’s happening in LA. Talk about getting an agent and the process for that. I think there are so many things that go in to preparing someone to be a professional dancer, more than just how to move!”

Blackstone adds an emphasis on broad training. “I think that solid training and encouraging our students to have an open mind will always be the key to versatility. If we can encourage our dancers to be curious and try new things, then they will have a better chance of branching out in to different areas of the industry.”

Forance agrees. “It’s about being someone in the room who is just agile with anything that comes at them — words, or movement or energy,” he says.

Al Blackstone at Dance Teacher Summit

“Hold your students accountable,” stresses Blackstone. “As a convention teacher, I see kids skipping classes all the time because they ‘don’t like’ or ‘don’t do’ that style. It breaks my heart because they are so young and already boxing themselves in and setting limits on what they think they are capable of!”

In addition, “Ask the students to invest in finding out who they really are,” digs Harvey. “Spend a little less time on ‘what’ is happening and more on ‘why’ and ‘how’ it’s happening. Suggest that the students might start thinking as if they were a director or a choreographer.”

Blackstone, who will be teaching at this summer’s Dance Teacher Summit (DTS) aims to help educators have these discussions so they can assist students to best navigate the industry. “Dance Teacher Summit connects the people who are responsible for fostering the next generation of dancers in this country. We come together to share ideas, try new things, have conversations and dance together. Regardless of what part of the industry we inhabit, it is the kind of place where you immediately realize how connected we really are.”

With leading educators and professional dancers and choreographers from across the commercial, concert and collage scenes speaking and instructing, DTS brings these worlds together in one place.

Harvey says, “I think DTS does a marvelous job of making an energetic fact into a tangible reality. We are all connected, and we do all care, so bringing us together to help further sculpt ourselves can only be good news for the future.”

And as Forance stresses, it’s all about being “informed”. We can’t all know everything happening in the industry, but when we come together, we can learn, grow and, very importantly, be re-inspired for the new teaching year.

“You’ve got to fill your cup back up before you let people drink from your inspiration,” says Forance.

Join Harvey, Forance and Blackstone at Dance Teacher Summit this July and August. For more information, visit www.danceteachersummit.com.

By Deborah Searle of Dance Informa.

The post What should students choose? College, concert or commercial dance? appeared first on Dance Informa Magazine.

Getting its Groove back: Groove Dance Competition and Convention extends the 2020 season

Much of the dance competition circuit has been on hold for months as the U.S. (and the rest of the world) grappled with COVID-19 restrictions. Dancers everywhere are itching to return to the stage, so as each state begins to emerge from lockdown, Groove Dance Competition and Convention is ready to go. From July, make-up events and regional competitions will start to go ahead, with new procedures in place to ensure safety for all.

The extended 2020 season means Groove can continue to offer dancers its usual inspiring, high-energy competition experience, but in line with health and safety guidelines. 

Safety precautions at the new events include recommendations for attendees to wear masks and participate in temperature checks, mandatory temperature checks for staff, socially distanced seating, rigorous sanitization procedures, and there will be no scoring deductions for costumes featuring safety elements like face shields or masks. And, as always, Groove’s slick live streams will be available to ensure spectators can watch from home if they prefer.

Throughout July, August and September, these regional competition events, which include free master classes, are now scheduled for cities around the U.S., starting with a Virtual Competition on July 31, open to anyone in the country. In October and November, one-day conventions will hit key cities, offering multiple master classes, scholarship opportunities and more.

In order to keep studios as informed as possible, Groove is sending out updated information at four weeks prior to each event – and again at two weeks prior if needed – outlining any event-specific guidelines mandated by the host state. This might mean rotating studios, dressing room-specific regulations and mandatory temperature checks. In keeping everyone as informed as possible, the Groove team hopes to ensure the events run just as smoothly as they usually do.

Registering your studio for an event is simple; head to www.grooveregistration.com/Register and fill out your details to create an account. A full list of upcoming events can be found here, and each individual event page includes further details such as the host hotel and links to book online. There’s also a full update on all COVID-19 policies available here.

There’s no doubt that dancers will be thrilled to return to doing what they love most, and the Groove team is excited to welcome everyone back. 

By Emily Newton-Smith of Dance Informa.

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Travel with ease: On-the-go makeup tips

Picture this…your dancer has rehearsed for hours. The routine is perfect. You’ve packed, traveled to your first competition this year, and she forgot her lashes!

All that work and confidence is unraveled in a few moments of PANIC backstage!

Competition season is right around the corner. Being organized and well prepared is key to a successful competition season and calm performer.

Here are our top 5 makeup travW4CC4el tips to ensure you show up prepared for whatever the competition season brings…

#1. Print off a beauty packing list (or download one from LOVER® Cosmetics).

Nothing replaces an old-fashioned checklist. We’re not talking on your phone or computer, but a printed checklist that you can actually check off and jot down what you need.

A great start is this beauty packing list from LOVER® Cosmetics. We’ve organized this checklist according to our five steps, skincare, tools and a space to add extras (think about adding hairnets, bun makers, glitter, hairpieces, and any routine-specific items you may need!)

A good exercise as you start packing is to jot down each dance/performance you are doing. Then, under each, list the specifics you need to achieve the onstage look you want.

#2. Start a note on your phone.

If you’re like me…my brain is constantly going. As I was packing for LOVER®’s NYC trip to this year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, I wanted to ensure I didn’t miss a makeup beat! (We are the makeup provider for Spirit of America’s 1,400+ dancers and cheerleaders in the parade each year.)

A few weeks before departure, I started a note on my iPhone to capture instantly as it appeared in my brain, what I needed to pack for the parade. While I was in the car, at my studio, in the pick-up line…I just added to that list as the thoughts popped in my head.

The result: I felt prepared and ready when it was time to board the plane. For all you dancers, break this checklist out by each performance and costume requirement.

Don’t stop there. When you are at competition, backstage and on the way home, add to your notes. Those moments of “I wish I would have packed extra hairnets” can be added instantly to that note for the next competition.

THEN…print this out so you can check it off for the next competition.

#3. Carry-on is key.

There are so many beautiful makeup bags out there, but are they functional?

What makes a makeup bag functional? My recent favorites are The Beauty Bag by Glossier and Parallelle. Both have the same feature – LOTS of inside pockets that tightly hold your serums, lotions, etc., upright. You don’t have to worry as much about spillage and breakage. And everything has its own spot in these organize-able bags!

Don’t forget that makeup is delicate and breakable. Pack it in bubble wrap sleeves for some extra protection in your makeup bag. And we go a step further when we ship our team makeup palettes and lay a slim foam insert inside, on top of the shadows and blush. This keeps your shadows tightly held during travel.

If you MUST check your makeup bag, make sure you have it well padded in a puffy hoodie or some padded clothing. And if you can – keep it with you in your carryon!  

#4. Travel-friendly sizes

I’m sure you all know how many pumps of your SPF you use in the morning or evening lotion you apply before bed.

Me? I use exactly two pumps of my morning SPF – so when I travel for a week – I pump 14 pumps into a travel-sized, disposable container, label it and toss it before returning home.

Less IS more and a light bag = a happy traveler!

We love these disposable containers on amazon…or invest in a quality set like these Cadence travel containers – love!

#5. Keep it clean and put your feet up.

The beauty of a hotel room is that you don’t look around and see all the tasks around the house waiting for you.

This allows for some “clean-time” and “me-time”!

What do we mean by that – WASH THOSE MAKEUP BRUSHES! Our when-to-toss guide and brush-cleaning guide below is a great tool to keep your makeup bag clean. And for on-the-go cleaning, this Cinema Secrets brush cleaner is the perfect solution. It instantly cleans brushes, and they dry incredibly fast!

Then go put your feet up, put on a face mask or under eye mask, call room service and turn on your favorite movie.

Break a leg, dancers – you’re all set for a beautiful comp season!

By Ashley Maurin Rodden, CEO, LOVER® Cosmetics.

Ashley Maurin Rodden is the owner of LOVER® Cosmetics and is one of the nation’s leading performance makeup providers with clients nationwide, including the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in NYC. Her line touts USA-made, clean beauty products, customized kits and education. She trained in Paris, France, at the renowned Christian Chauveau makeup school and loves teaching women how to apply makeup in five simple steps. ashley@lover-cosmetics.com

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