Why does dance matter?

This week, bloggers and dancers all over are responding to the question, Why Dance Matters, which was first posed by Nichelle at Dance Advantage (one of my fave blogs if you don't already know that!).

I've been checking out everyone's inspiring, thought-provoking, funny and humble posts at the Facebook page (link here).  Please consider adding your own personal voice to the page and share with dancers and dance lovers everywhere your reason why dance matters to you.

There is the metaphysical: one of the things I see referenced often is that dance is a reflection of a person's soul.  It allows the individual to expose their own inner being to the world at large through their physical movement.  I also love the comments about how dance saved some of them when their darkest hour was at hand.  Some are parents writing about the necessity of dance in their children's lives to boost their self-esteem, to help them deal with tough times and tragedies, or to simply express their own joy of life through creative movement.

And there is the physical: Endorphins are released from your brain every time you move, making you feel good, soothing your aches and pains. Dance can help keep your muscles toned and shapely, so you look good as well. It can help control diabetes and weight gain. And dancing to music helps brains develop too, especially those of young people. For older students, dance is good for their bones and is a form of exercise that is easier on their joints than something like running, not to mention the memorization of combinations helps delay senility.

Lots of good stuff in dance.  So why do I think dance matters in this day and age? When there are so many other things that take up our time and focus, dance is but a small blip. As my husband likes to remind me, dancers are few in this world and of them, ballet dancers even fewer.  Although my life revolves around it, why should others?

Dance is both bigger and smaller than you.  Dance transcends age and ability. It can be a stage performance by ABT or it can be your child in your backyard.  It is the creative expression of things that are far beyond your comprehension and it is also a small story you want to tell your loved ones. When I dance, I know that I am a part of something that has its roots in history and when I teach, I am honored to be passing on that history.I love that dance changes with each of us and yet I love that it spans continents without change. 

Yes, dance has something to offer all of us but most of all, we have something to offer dance.  Every one of us has a gift that can enhance the art form of dance.  There is beauty in every one of us who dances.

"Like" my Facebook page for more fun~

Hi everyone!

I usually post all kinds of dance stuff on my Facebook page - class info, performance dates, and workshops - but lately everything's gotten kind of crowded.  I want to separate out my dance things from my writerly things and from my regular Leigh things (lol, like funny cat pictures!) so I've created a LeighBalletLA - FitBallet page that you can "like."  This way I can post all kinds of things very quickly and get the info out fast, which is necessary sometimes when schedules change or I hear about some great opportunities I want to share.

And speaking of share...please share my page with anyone you think might get something out of ballet or dance.  I'll post giveaways and discounts too, so it won't all be practical!  Here's the link to the page:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/LeighBalletLA-FitBallet/271494372934580

Thank you all and happy dancing~

Dance photography: Win Free Photos and Photo Session!

Last week, I was honored to be photographed by an amazingly talented photographer, Agnes Muljadi, owner of artsychameleon. Agnes is not only a skilled artist, she is also a classical ballet dancer which means she knows just what the camera (and the audience) wants to see.

There are lots of reasons to have a pro take your dance pictures. A quality photo serves so many purposes: Agnes took mine for promotion of my classes so I would have a sophisticated image for flyers, websites, etc. I wanted my students to be able to point to my picture and say, "That's who I take class from" and be proud. And I wanted it to be current. I can't tell you how many times I have taken a class and expected to see the teacher whose fab photo was used to promote it - and then that person turns out to be about fifty years older! Ha!

As a choreographer, you might want a photographer to take pics of dress rehearsals or shows or workshops. Studios and dance teams want portraits or group photos for promotion or yearbooks. Young dancers need headshots for auditions and applications. As an older dancer, you may simply want to show off your hard work. And what better way to do it than with a high-quality photo?

When Agnes and I were in the studio, she asked me to pose in various ways that I felt comfortable in, yet showed off certain aspects of my body or abilities. She also asked me to do some movement that she could capture in a still shot. As a skilled photographer, she knew when to snap the camera while I was moving. From my point of view, it was very easy - and felt very glamorous. There's nothing like having a person tell you how good something that you're doing looks!

Here are three of the photos Agnes took last week. She edited them, of course, to enhance the lines and angles of my body within the frame (and in some cases, she Photoshopped out things in the background that she didn't like).




And now, the contest! As a special bonus to all of you, Agnes is offering two specials through my blog:

1. One free photo session. In order to qualify for the giveaway, first "like" Agnes' Facebook page (listed below) and then leave a comment letting her know you found her through my blog. Example: "Leigh sent me," "Found you through Leigh's blog," etc. On Monday, April 4th, Agnes will do a random drawing and 1 person gets a photo session and about 3-5 retouched images for FREE.

Please note, the session does not need to be dance-related. Take a look at Agnes' work on her website and you'll see the variety of subjects she shoots. And just try to tear your eyes away from the pictures!

2. 20% off session fee for any kind of session, exclusively for people who heard about Agnes through my blog. For those of you who enter the contest and don't win, here's a great alternative. But be sure to mention my name when you contact her.

Here is her info for the contest:
Agnes' Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/artsychameleon
Agnes' website: http://www.artsychameleon.net/