Dance | Arts Education Foundation

4 Most In-Demand College Courses

Design isn’t trapped to the confines of a page, blurred across the span of a canvas. It’s instead found within the digital world with the arts earned through the clatter of a keyboard. Technology redefines culture, and students seeking an education are no longer burdened by classrooms. Instead they’re exploring virtuality.

Such explorations offer endless opportunities, with online classes at eLearners providing the most popular courses:

Media Arts

A gathering of pixels and graphics: Media Arts is generating interest for all ages. These courses allow students to experience the full scope of the Internet. Software and talent combine, and the results are bold. The media arts use traditional ideas and shape them with new techniques (ensuring that photographs, paintings and poetry gain online precision).

Photography

Discovering an understanding of culture demands more than desire. It instead requires proof of expression – through photography. This form of study encourages dynamic thinking, as well as a need to master established rules (lights and shadows must be recognized). It helps to preserve the arts through a lens.

Creative Writing

Words aren’t defined by heavy ink. They’re meant to be digital, with creative writing now offered online. This study urges students to expand their knowledge of language with narrative structure undone. All pieces should offer relief from stale academia and allow for flair.

Digital Filmmaking

The arts expand beyond easels and mosaic tiles: they instead reach toward cinematography. Filmmaking is a course that many choose, with its potential understood as limitless. A camera creates entire worlds; and motion, color and sound can combine. It’s a celebration of culture.

The online world is transforming the arts – and students can now reap the rewards.

Filed Under: Dance, Education Tagged With: Arts, E-learning, Student

Making It In The Entertainment Industry

The most difficult society to break into is that of show business. Hundreds of thousands of hopeful young people all trying to make it, break into show business, make a name for themselves, get noticed, get an agent to notice you, get a producer to notice you. Almost every one who seriously attempts to make it has talent. There are also no talent idiots trying to break into show business every day. Without rhyme or reason, there are also no talent idiots with SAG cards, who have made it, broken into show business. To each his own. There are so many degrees of talent. Not everyone has to sing like a lark to make it in Hollywood.

Today’s Hollywood hopefuls have to bring that certain something to the table. That certain something that gets them noticed, the something that makes the talent scouts of Hollywood stand up and take a look. Not everyone has it. To the person who does, the doors will open. There is a certain truth to being in the right place at the right time. That may just give you the chance to work your magic, show those who are watching that you have what it takes, that you can hold your own among the big stars of today. There have to be big stars for tomorrow. Every star on the Hollywood walk of fame fades. We remember them all, but they are no longer money making working actors. Why not take your shot at getting your time in the spotlight? There really are a lot of spotlights at any given time, if you find the one that is right for you, who knows where you will be? We might just be buying lunch boxes with your picture on it, wearing you on a T shirt and waiting in line for hours just to shake your hand, get your autograph, meet you and be in your aura, even if for just a short time.

Filed Under: Art, Dance Tagged With: Hollywood, Hollywood Walk of Fame, Wayne Gretzky

Education in The Arts

Right brained learners versus left brained learners. Left brained learners are academic and studious, right brained learners are creative and carefree. Both have a wealth of knowledge and talent. It is said that a right brained student will not do as well in an academic college as he or she would in the more loosely based schools for the Arts. This is not a bad thing. Right brained students are amazingly creative, naturally talented.

These are the kids who fill the schools for the Arts. Everyone brings their own flavor to their education. A creative talented student brings so much to a school that celebrates their differences. They flourish among other artistic students. They share a passion for the art and the expression of it. They don’t need to have their heads buried in their laptops the entire class time. They will however, use art programs on their computers to create the ideas that are in their heads, the ideas that create new art for generations to come. It was not so long ago that a student who wished to study art had to settle for a community college education with an Art minor, thereby making the study of Art just an elective among a curriculum that neither stimulates or interests him.

Today, the Arts are celebrated. The artist is allowed to let that creative juice flow, learn how to bring their ideas to life. There are amazing teachers who share the passion of the artist, schools that have been set up for just that purpose. An education in the Arts is recognized as a legitimate course of study and some Art schools are accredited to confer associates and bachelor’s degrees on deserving students, and rightfully so.

A degree in the Arts makes the study of one’s own craft and/or talent a legitimate course of study, one in which the graduate holds a legitimate degree.

Filed Under: Dance, Education Tagged With: Arts, Higher education, Student

Taking the Lead: Dancing Classrooms

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Dance is rarely a mandatory part of a child’s education. If dance is taught at all, it is part of a physical education curriculum, is briefly covered, and presented only as a form of exercise, not as a form of artistic expression. Seeing a need in New York City’s worst performing public schools, Broadway stars Pierre Dulaine and Yvonne Marceau started a program called Dancing Classrooms in 1994, as an educational addition to their company American Ballroom Theatre. The film “Take the Lead” starring Antonio Banderas is based on the couple’s adventures in starting the program. The program works with participating school systems and teaches dance to students in grades 5, 8, and 12. Throughout a semester, students learn basic ballroom steps, gain self-confidence, and learn to appreciate an art form that many wouldn’t be exposed to otherwise. Partner dance has proven an effective element in getting shy kids to open up and make new friends. At the end of the course, students showcase their work on stage for classmates, teachers, and family.

Dance education has largely been restricted to the extra-curricular spaces in a child’s education: after school ballet or tap dance lessons. This means that a child must demonstrate a love for dance early on and the parent must have the resources to provide the lessons, leaving most children unable to partake in dance education. Dancing Classrooms provides dance education at minimal or no cost to students. After a school-hosted course, students are invited to take regular private lessons at a discounted rate at Dancing Classrooms private studios around the country. Currently Dancing Classroom operates in Cleveland, Dallas, several cities in Florida, Long Island, Newark, New York, Omaha, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and St. Louis. To find out more information or get a chapter started in your city, you can visit the Dancing Classrooms website at americanballroomtheater.com.

Filed Under: Art, Dance Tagged With: Antonio Banderas, Dance education, Pierre Dulaine

The Dance School of Juliard

To pick the right college or university requires a lot of hard work and plenty of research. If a student has a special interest such as dance then it is much harder to choose a school that will fit your special needs. That is why it is imperative that every student searching for a curriculum checks several schools before committing to just one.
One school in particular stands out that has an excellent specialized dance instruction. The Juliard School is a difficult college to enter. It requires an interview process and an audition for dancers.
The Juliard School in New York, New York is a specialized performing arts school. It is dedicated to only specific varieties of dance and music. This private school offers disciplines in dance, drama/theater, music, and arts. Normally less than 1200 students go to this school per year. The reason why the school is small is so that the students can have more one on one time with professional teachers that teach each class. The class sizes are also small for this reason. Juliard is one of the country’s top dance schools and employs many great teachers that focus on performance, quality, and structure.
Technique is just as important to a dancer as talent. The Juliard School gives a well educated course of study involving technique and performance. Other dance classes involve modern dance, jazz, tap, and ballet. Depending on what discipline of dance the student is looking for the composition of each class is well constructed.
Juliard has a four-year course of study. They have a well-balanced team of counselors to help students prepare for allowing their dance instruction to be used in the practical world. Students who want a better understanding of dance school can learn more by doing research on The Juliard School of the performing arts.

Filed Under: Dance, Education Tagged With: Dance, Dance studio, Performing arts

It Is Not Too Late To Start Ballet

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Ballet is usually taught beginning at age’s three to five. Even though many children generally do not realize that, they have the desire to be a dancer while they are young. By the time they become teenagers, and realize that ballet is something that might very well be interesting to them, that is the time when they believe it is most likely too late for them to learn, since they passed on the opportunity earlier in their life. On the contrary, it can be a good thing to start when the teenage years begin because that is usually the time when a child rushing into adolescence begins to fetter out what they want to do with their life. If a child decides that they want to learn ballet at that time parents should encourage this fever.
For the students of ballet a strict discipline is the key to a successful career. Daily routines, classes, studio work, and exercises make for a demanding art form. Some people think that if you have a talent then it is easier to learn to dance ballet. This is far from the truth. The talented students have to work just as hard, if not harder than the other students do because more is to be expected of them.
There are many school and universities with outstanding ballet dance programs. These programs aid students in projecting the wealth of knowledge taught by former professional dancers who can pass their acquired knowledge to the students.
To start out dancing as a ballerina at the age of three is not a bad start. However, do not be discouraged if the urge does not come until years later. As long as discipline is a constant remark in the daily activities of a ballet dancer then only one thing could stand in the way, you.

Filed Under: Art, Dance Tagged With: Dance, Natalie Portman, Performing arts

Drama For All Ages

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Drama is an interesting category in the art field where the talent can be generally noticed in junior high and high school. Even though many kids may not realize that they want to be an actor or actress when they are in school and once they have graduated they believe it is too late for them to learn, but this is not the case. It can be a good thing to start when a person is a little older and perhaps, a bit more wiser, because that is usually the time when a adults begin to understand what they want out of life and if it the urge to act then it should be encouraged.
Drama is a type of creativity that not only uses the mind, but it also uses the body as well. Your entire position has to be believed, so it is important to educate yourself whenever possible to achieve this. Some people think that if you have an acting talent then there is no more learning you have to do. That thought is highly untrue. Many very successful actors, even after they’ve become famous, go to classes to learn knew techniques in order to master their art fully.
There are many school and universities with magnificent theater and drama programs. These programs aid students in projecting the wealth of knowledge that they would learn as a dramatic student in to a well rounded actor or actress.
Discipline, for actors, is the key to maintaining a brilliant career in the theater and drama fields.
Do not be surprised if the thrill of becoming an actor does not come over you until college or later. Some people may know right away what they want to do for the rest of their life. It takes other people some time to discover.

Filed Under: Art, Dance, Education Tagged With: Actor, Drama, High school

Let’s Dance!

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Who knows anyone who does NOT like to dance? Even if you stink at dancing, catch yourself at any moment when you’re listening to music or just plain happy about something, and admit it: you’re groovin’. It’s seen everywhere. Even in a toddler that just learned how to walk.

So maybe you’re not terribly interested in pursuing a degree in dance, performing arts etc. etc., but everyone knows that tuition, room and board can cost a few arms and legs, and maybe even a spleen. That’s where the NDEO comes in–The National Dance Education Organization. It is a non-profit committed to providing the best possible funding to aspiring students who want to live the dream of dance, who wish to believe they can be on that stage in front of an audience and perform with the grace of their bodies.

The NDEO believes in equal rights as well; no one color, creed or gender should be preferred over any other. ANYONE who has a passion for dance has an opportunity for funding and support. As is expected, specialized training in this particular discipline is akin to the private school sector where you can easily spend what feels like thousands of dollars just for your student to spend one day learning the major of his/her choice. It’s the NDEO’s job to make money less of a headache for those who don’t have a lot of it (money AND headaches combined).

The organization embodies every point in a student’s life as well: there are members in preK-12 and in universities. There are even members in private dance schools and performing arts organizations. No one is left out.

So, parents, question for you:

You remember your little one dancing around for the first time? What happens when this becomes your little one’s dream? Make it happen. There are organizations that help. And the National Dance Education Organization is one of them.

Filed Under: Art, Dance, Theater Tagged With: Dance, Dance studio, Performing arts

Steinhardt: Where Dancing is Not Just a Discipline, It’s Art

It’s pretty probable that everyone in New York City has heard of the famed Juilliard School of Performing Arts. The name even shows up in film on occasion. Keep in mind the other opportunities, though; as it’s also pretty probable that getting into Juilliard is about as hard as walking a straight line down a state border. Tough school to get into, admittedly.

One such opportunity to pursue is the prestigious NYU Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development. I know, I know, it doesn’t sound like a dance school. Heck, Jiulliard itself is synonymous with the word “dance”. But would you believe this: Steinhardt has a Department of Music and Performing Arts! There’s your ticket right there.

This Dance Education Program at NYU was founded by the famous dance educator Martha Hill back in 1932; so the curriculum has been around for awhile. No one thinks to explore many of the options simply because of the readiness and availability to pursue the private sector and specialize specifically on your dream, such as Juilliard. NYU is a university that has their own department dedicated to dance and dance education. This is an encouragement to aspiring students to never discount any university for not solely devoting education to one discipline. If Juilliard snuffs you out, consider Steinhardt.

Offering many M.A. programs in Dance Education, Steinhardt has a great advantage in providing a wide range of resources such as department adjunct and full-time faculty empowered in the fields of dance education, arts administration, educational theater, music composition, music business, music education, music technology, music performance, music theater, and performing arts therapy. They cover all the bases one by one.

And, of course, located in the heart of the performing arts capital of the United States, New York City, NYU Steinhardt carries the ambiance anyone can dream of. So get off that state border trying to walk that fine line and find yourself–in Steinhardt.

Filed Under: Art, Dance Tagged With: Education, Martha Hill, New York City, Performing arts

For the Love of Dance in Grand Rapids

This writer in particular loves ballet and dance (although he doesn’t train in it–way too tall). To be more specific, watching it is a pleasure–especially when there’s a performance in the prestigious Devos Place right in Grand Rapids, Michigan. And the only reason residents of the city can enjoy such beautiful performances is without the doubt the pride and joy of Michigan alone, the fabulous Grand Rapids Ballet Company located on 341 Ellsworth, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 49503.

There’s a certain honor to a school that is able to represent the residing state, and the Grand Rapids Ballet Company (GRBC) holds that. It is the only one in Michigan. Right into its 38th season, GRBC continues to provide the best education in dance and dance instruction with also the prestige of holding a recipient status of the ArtServe Michigan Governor’s Art Award for Outstanding Cultural Organization.

The Artistic Director is none other than Patricia Barker, former principal dancer for the Pacific Northwest Ballet, and a ballerina considered to be one of the most gifted in the world. Leading roles of Clara from “Nutcracker: The Motion Picture” and Titania from “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” decorate her credentials as well as gracing the covers of Dance Magazine, Danser, Pointe Magazine, Dance Australia, Dance Teacher, Dance Pages, the Ballet Review, and Dance International. In other words, the Grand Rapids Ballet Company is helmed pretty well.

Professional dancers include Chelsea Cow, Kateryna Derechyna, Dawnell Dryja, Leonid Flegmatov, Anton Kandaurov, Alexey Kulpin, Francis Lawrence, Oksana Maslova, Attila Mosolygo, Rachael Riley, Stephen Sanford, Laura McQueen Schultz, Nicholas Schultz, and Larissa Tanis. Current apprentices are as follows: Martha Bellamy, Katie Brown, Sadie Brown, and Marissa Fazzari.

Notice without even looking at bios that these dancers have been everywhere. Some have performed overseas, and still others originally resided from somewhere other than Grand Rapids, Michigan. That is a testament to the triumph of this company. GRBC may reside in Michigan, but their wisdom touches the world.

Filed Under: Dance, International Education Tagged With: Dance Magazine, Grand Rapids Michigan, Michigan