s 36 The Courier SUN • dance • september 5, 2013 for breaking news visit www.couriersun.com dance STEP BY STEP Landrum School of Dance inspires s BY JOHAN HAMILTON Annette Vallone always knew she wanted to be a dancer. Ever since her mother enrolled her in the Landrum School of Dance at age three, dancing has been Vallone’s passion. Fifteen years later, she became the owner of the Landrum School, where she inspires children every day to pursue their dreams, just as she did. “I love to watch children find their voice through dance,” she said. “It’s totally my thing. Another great thing about this school is that it’s spanned so many generations, so I’ll see great-grandparents come to our recitals to watch their great-grandchildren, and mothers I’ve taught bring in their own children.” The Landrum School of Dance was founded in 1947 by Frances Landrum, a member of the Radio City Music Hall Rockettes. In addition to being among the oldest dance schools in New York, it is also one of the founding businesses that helped start off Whitestone, in addition to a post office, a bank, and a pharmacy. “The owners were amazing people,” Vallone said. “Their teaching style was all about technique, which is what they passed down to me. In this industry, technique is like gas in a car. If you don’t have it, you simply can’t move on.” Along with assistant director Gina Teri, Vallone has led hundreds of children to go on to be Rockettes, actors on television, casting agents, Broadway dancers, dance school founders, and much more. Vallone is very in touch with the dance industry, and has also worked in other areas of the field, such as judging national talent competitions. The Landrum School offers a wide variety of dance instruction, such as ballet, tap, hip hop, lyrical, modern, contemporary, and most recently, aerial fitness classes. It is also pleased to announce the beginnings of a Stage and Screen performance school for ages 6-16, located inside the Landrum School itself. “Right in the school we will be building a stage so children can a get a real feel for what goes on in front of and behind the scenes of a working stage,” explained Vallone. “They will be taught improvisation, the concept of going in and out of character, body language, memorizing and performing monologues and performing alongside fellow classmates creating scenes using ideas and input from peers.” Another new addition to its curriculum is Aerial Circus Arts Training, which will feature all levels of circus arts, with training in things such as Spanish Web, Static Trapeze, Lya, Cordelisse, Aerial Hammock, Partnering, and much more. The average class size is between 10 and 14 students, with each teacher working with an assistant once class size exceeds 10. The school also offers private classes and competition training. “We’re really into the quality of what our students are learning,” Vallone said. “Our students can leave here and dance in any dance school in Manhattan and know the terminology of the steps they’ve learned, and the technique.” The Landrum School of Dance is located at 11-02 Clintonville Street in Whitestone. To learn more, call 718- 767-9787. ADVERTORIAL The benefits of dance for kids BY CATHERINE M. LOZADA [email protected] Dance can really benefit children’s health, emotional and mental levels. Dance involves a greater range of motion, coordination, strength and endurance than most other physical activities. This is accomplished through movement patterns that teach coordination and kinesthetic memory. Dancing utilizes the entire body and is an excellent form of exercise for total body fitness and enhancing overall well-being. Young children are naturally active, but dance offers a fun opportunity to learn new skills and movements. It is widely accepted that children can and should be introduced to physical exercise as early as possible. Dancing helps improve sleep and improves mood, while children learn to relax and reduce stress. The International Association for Dance Medicine and Science and the National Registry of Dance Educators have done studies to educate the public on the benefits of dance. Dance is a powerful ally for developing many of the attributes of a growing child. Dance helps children mature physically, emotionally, socially, and cognitively. • Dancing can really help to enhance children’s posture, balance and concentration. • Dancers don’t slouch because they are taught how to hold themselves, keep a flat back, stand tall and remember your legs. • Dance helps the body’s circulatory system as it makes your heart pump blood faster and flow to the brain, which encourages direct focus and concentration. • Dancing improves your brain activity. It helps to develop key skills, such as coordination, balance, flexibility, strength, stamina, discipline and even memory. • Being active in this way also helps boost a child’s self-esteem, make them feel good about their own abilities and increase their self-confidence. Louise Benes, Director of the Louise Benes Dance Company in Richmond Hill believes through dance kids learn independence and feel good about themselves. If a child can conquer their fears by getting onstage and performing in front of an audience, they can bring that to their everyday life. • Dance school gets kids out of the house, away from the TV and actually moving. It teaches them how to move their bodies, use their bodies and stay active. • While childhood obesity is particularly high these days, dancing encourages weight control and keeps them in shape. • Dancing is a good way for kids to meet other people, make new friends and improve their social life. • Dance fosters social encounters, interaction, and cooperation. Children quickly learn to work within a group dynamic. Niall O’Leary, who teaches children at the Niall O’Leary School of Dance in Bayside and at the New York Irish Center in Long Island City, believes dance gives children a sense of accomplishment, especially when there’s an appreciative audience watching them perform. “It’s an opportunity to have fun, learn body control and place their feet well. Any child in a learning program where they’re using their body is more confident. When children ooze confidence and hold themselves well, they’re more likely to achieve success in life,” O’Leary said.
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