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32 The Courier SuN • dance • august 27, 2015 for breaking news visit www.couriersun.com 18 times • AUGUST 27, 2015 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.timesnewsweekly.com dance s What to look for in dance classes BY THE QUEENS COURIER STAFF [email protected] When searching for the right dance class, parents have a number of opportunities at their disposal. First, ask around and get some word-of-mouth recommendations. Then, search online; find reviews of dance studios and check out their web sites to see which classes they offer and how qualified the instructors are. Finally, take a tour of the studio and ask lots of questions. “Look to see if the school is clean and well managed. Is there an opportunity for the students to perform? If other students or parents are around ask them about their dance experience at that studio. Visit the school’s web site and read about the instructors. Make sure they have experience in teaching, studying dance, performing, understanding the developmental stages of children,” suggested Regina L. Hill, artistic director of The Dance Hut in Jamaica. Terri Cassiglia, owner of Gotta Dance Studio in Middle Village, encouraged parents to take a tour of the studios before enrolling. Look for a dance studio professional floor that is well-absorbed to absorb the shock of jumping. Are the floors clear, no wires out? Is the ballet barre sturdy against the wall? Also be sure the studio is clean and well-maintained. There should be some way for parents to be able to monitor their children’s dance. While many studios prefer parents not be in the studio while children dance, there should still be view windows or a camera that allows the dancers to be monitored. Alexandra Pikoulas of Flushing is mom to five-year-old Teresa, and danced formally herself for 25 years and as a Rockette for the 1994-1999 seasons. When she was searching for a dance school for her daughter, she was sure to do research on the studio and instructors ahead of time. “I scouted out at least three potential schools and requested Teresa attends at least two trial classes at each school. I then let Teresa decide which one she had the most fun at. It was important to me that the instructors have both formal training (at a college/university) as well as ‘dancing school’ training,” she said. Pikoulas believes that no matter what level a prospective student is at, she/he should request taking at least two trial classes to get a feel of the energy of the class, the level(s) of the other students, as well as the level of the instructor, and the way the instructor guides the class and teaches the craft. Niall O’Leary of the Niall O’Leary School of Irish Dance said to look for a teacher who’s certified but also deals well with kids. A good instructor has a way about them to get kids interested so they want to learn. The teachers should offer individualized attention, have an understanding of anatomy and its application to dance and offer positive reinforcements to students. “As a parent, you should feel your child is the most important thing. You should get the feeling that the studio and instructors are there to serve you, not the other way around,” said Cassiglia. Open-End Repertory Theatre Company Chosen For Havoc Show At the SOHO Film Festival, the Open-End Repertory Theatre Company was chosen to do a show at the June Havoc Theatre. This was a Red Carpet Event, a very special performance of 1 act plays, mostly comedies from different periods. It was greatly received, a wonderful, enjoyable evening. This was a standing ovation on this Red Carpet Event. Everyone loved the show. One of the reporters from CBS, Al Cole said that Open-End is one of the finest repertory theatres he has ever seen, along with many rave reviews from the critics. A member of the company, Lancelot Theobald also received a Humanitarian Award. The Open-End Repertory was at one time AET, performing regional New York Theatres for fifteen years. The actors are professional actors who have appeared in plays, musicals and films and have won many awards. The company is a Queens based group, and the actors all reside in Queens. It was developed at the American Dance & Drama Studio located in Fresh Meadows. It’s home is the American Stage, a Black Box theatre connected with American Dance & Drama. At ADD, many artists have worked in Broadway shows, nightclubs, recordings and film. These projects were developed at the studio where the artists could develop their show. American Dance & Drama for 41 years has a lot of history. They have developed many projects and gave birth to many talented students who have performed leads on Broadway, T.V. and Films. BY the ridgewood times staff [email protected]


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