Dance Masters of Michigan

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS HOTEL INFORMATION FACULTY

 

2009 Fall Workshop

November 21 & 22, 2009

Classes held at the Lansing Convention Center
333 E. Michigan Ave., Lansing MI 48933

SATURDAY, NOV. 21

7:15 a.m. — Registration for Scholarship Auditions

For DMM Members’ students only. Auditions from 8 a.m. until Noon.
Members may observe the audition classes. All ages as of June 1, 2010

Junior Auditions – Ages 8-13 years
Senior Auditions – Ages 14-23 years

Noon to 12:30 p.m. — Registration for Classes

Only Teachers are to pick up their studio packet.

12:30-3:00 p.m. — All Level Acro Classes

All students begin with the 12:30 p.m. warm-up and acro classes, and take
only the acro sessions on their skill level.

12:30 – 1:30, Warmups and basic tumbling
1:30 – 2:15, Continuation of acro skills into intermediate level
2:15 – 3:00, Continuation of acro skills into advanced level skills

1:00 p.m. — Dos and Don’ts for the College Dance Major
(for Teachers and College-Bound Dancers)

An informative discussion about preparing for the higher-ed dance experience and
making four-years of college add up to success. Topics included: degree programs, institutional differences, career opportunities, and the dos and don’ts for survival and success.

2:00-3:00 p.m. — Welcome and Orientation for
                            Non-Member Teachers and Assistant Teachers

Teachers & Assistants Classes

• 3:00, Injury Prevention • 4:00, Ballet
• 5:00, Tap • 6:30, Jazz

Junior Classes

• 3:30, Ballet • 4:30, Jazz
• 5:30, Hip Hop • 6:30, Tap

3:30 p.m. — VIP Member Meeting (all are welcome)

VIP is the DMM junior membership group. It is the best way to get your foot in the
door
if you want to become a teacher and future member of DMM/DMA. The program is
for anyone ages 13 to 25 being taught by a current DMM member.

8:00-9:30 p.m. — Welcome Party For Students, Parents and Teachers

9:30 p.m. — President’s Reception
                    Open to Registered Teachers Only

 

 SUNDAY, NOV. 22

7:30 a.m. — Registration for Teen and Petite Classes

Teen Classes

• 8:00, Ballet • 9:00, Jazz
• 10:00, Tap • 11:00, Contemporary

Petite Classes

• 8:00, Tap • 9:00, Musical Theatre
• 10:00, Ballet • 11:00, Jazz

9:30 a.m. — DMM General Body Meeting (DMM Members Only)

Members must be in attendance at this meeting to enter contestants in the Solo Title competitions to be held February 5-7, 2010. Elections of 2010 Board of Directors
and Officers will be held. Coffee and pastries provided.

NOON — Luncheon, Scholarship Auditions Winners Announced and DMM Honorees Gina Piazza and Marilynn Piazza-Esper.

A light luncheon will be served for those who are registered and purchased Luncheon tickets
by November 1, 2009. You must purchase a ticket in order to enter the Luncheon room.

Senior Classes

• 1:30, Jazz • 2:30, Ballet
• 3:30, Improvisation • 4:30, Tap

Teacher and Assistants Classes

• 1:30, Tap • 2:30, Social Dance,
• 3:30, Ballet • 4:30, Jazz

SCHEDULE SUBJECT TO CHANGE

Note: Everyone entering the ballrooms must wear
their own wristbands.

Observer wristbands are available for purchase for non-dancing observers ages 18
and over for Petite- and Junior-level classes only.

Teachers with questions may call David H. Smith, Treasurer,
269.349.4113 or <tophat5678@charter.net>.

Parents, please direct your questions to your child’s teacher.

 

 

   Dance Masters of Michigan
  2009 Fall Convention

 Hotel & Other Information  

                                 Hotel Information

                                              Radisson Hotel Lansing
                                                   111 N. Grand Ave. • Lansing, MI 48911     

                                              For Reservations call 800.333.3333 or 517.482.0188
                                                   or www.radisson.com/lansingmi. Promotion Code: DANC09
                                                             Due to limited space, make reservations before Oct. 21
                                                             Be sure to mention Dance Masters of Michigan Fall Workshop to get the special
                                                             room rate of $108 for Friday through Sunday.
 

                                             Recommended Student Age Guidelines

                                                                             Petite classes are recommended for 7-9 year old students with little or no convention experience.
                                                  Students should be advised of convention etiquette prior to arriving at the convention.

                                              Junior classes are recommended for 10-12 year old students with intermediate dance experience
                                                  who have attended prior dance conventions. Students above the age of 12 can attend these classes
                                                  if they are  of an intermediate level.

                                              Teen classes, recommended for students at last age 13, are for advanced-intermediate through
                                                  advanced level. Students should have convention experience. Students in this age division
                                                  who are not intermediate-advanced dancers may wish to take junior classes.

                                              Senior classes, recommended for students at least age 15, are for advanced through advanced-professional
                                                  level. Students should have a great deal of convention experience. Students in this age division who
                                                  are not advanced dancers may wish to take teen classes.

                                              Teachers’ and Assistants’ classes are for teachers and assistant teachers, age 16 and over, to learn
                                                  teaching techniques. These classes are only for the professional teacher not for the advanced
                                                  dancer. Registrants in this level may observe all student classes

                           Acro Class Guidelines

                              Level 1 — Students should be doing standing backbends, headstands, forward and backward rolls,
                                              splits, cartwheels, and handstands.

                              Level 2 — Students should be doing front and back walkovers, front limbers, roundoffs, running cartwheels,
                                              and ability to hold handstands.

                              Level 3 — Students should be doing one handed front and back walkovers, aerials (side and front),
                                              roundoff back handsprings, and advanced acro work.

                                             Video Taping

                                                      Teachers only will receive a video pass to be attached to one camera for each teaching room
                                                      for the duration of the convention. The camera(s) may be assigned to a paid observer and
                                                      used in the students dance room(s). The Teachers/Assistants room may only be video taped
                                                      by a person registered for the class, no observers may video in this room.

                           Questions, please call . . .

                                         Convention Registration • David Smith 269.349.4113 or <tophat5678@charter.net>
                                Other Concerns • Karen Eck — 734.612.3353 or <karlynsmom848@aol.com>
 Parents, please direct your questions to your child’s teacher.

 

 

  Dance Masters of Michigan
 2009 Fall Convention
 FACULTY
Bruce Bradley

is a performing artist and educator from Flint, Michigan. Bruce is the founder of Tapology Tap Festival for Youth, The Flintstone Hoofers and cofounder of Creative Expressions Dance Studio. Bruce is a graduate of Alabama State University where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree and began his theatrical training. Upon returning to the Flint area after college he became actively involved with the McCree Theatre as a performing artist.

He has performed professionally in the hit Off Broadway musical "One Mo Time" in the lead role as Papa Du. Other notable performance experiences include the Off Broadway musical "Staggerlee," "Rollin With Stevens and Stewart," "A Raisin In The Sun," and the world tour of the hit musical "Black and Blue" in which he teamed with his mentor and teacher, the late great Lloyd Storey from Detroit, to perform the "Class Act." He has performed "David Danced For The Lord" from Ellington’s Sacred Works with the Duke Ellington Orchestra at the Cleveland Tri City Jazz Festival. He regularly appears in the Flint Institute of Music’s production of "The Nut Cracker" as Drosselmeyer, and is also a member of the Flint Institute of music’s Jubilee Chorale singers.

 

  

Tracy Navarro

holds a B.F.A. in dance performance from the State University of New York at Buffalo. Tracy is a former Miss Dance of Western New York.

Professionally she has danced with Gus Giordano’s Jazz Dance Chicago where she studied with and performed the choreography of Gus and Nan Giordano, Randy Duncan, Harrison McEldowney and Mia Michaels. She was also a faculty member at Gus Giordano Jazz Dance Center where she taught the Giordano technique. Tracy was also in the Las Vegas Company of "Footloose." Most recently she was seen on the National tour of "Chicago the musical" where she played several roles and also served as dance captain.

Presently, Tracy is teaching, adjudicating and choreographing throughout the world. She has been on the faculty for Dance Masters of America’s Teacher’s Training School on both the East and West Coasts. She has won numerous awards for her choreography, including the American Dance Awards Diamond and Solo Choreography Awards. She is also an adjunct faculty member at the University at Buffalo, teaching classes and providing choreography for majors in musical theater and dance.

 
 Tracy Davenport

is an Area Vice-President for Dance Masters of America; President of St. Louis Dancing Teachers Association, DMA Chapter 21; a member of the Cecchetti Council of America, and Artistic Director of The Dance Co. of St. Charles. Tracy teaches at Performing Arts Centre in St. Charles, Missouri. Alumni of her studio have danced professionally with "Tap Dogs", Cirque de Soleil, Manhattan Tap, San Francisco Ballet, Gus Giordano’s Jazz Dance Chicago, Lane Alexander’s BAM!, regional, and national and international musical theatre touring companies.

Tracy’s own career consisted of 13 seasons and over 20 productions of musical theatre at The Muny in St. Louis. Highlights include dancing on the big dime with LeRoy Reams in "42nd St."; and sharing the spotlight with Anne Reinking in "Unsinkable Molly Brown."

Tracy was honored to have taught for Dance Masters of America’s National Convention, Teachers Training School, the Cecchetti Council of America regional & national workshops, and the St. Louis Dance Festival. She has judged for DMA’s national convention, Spotlight Events, American Dance Awards and Dance Odessey Canada.

Tracy’s favorite success story is her son, Anthony Russo, master teacher, choreographer, "Tap Dog" performer and creator of TAPademics and Tap the Map traveling workshops.

 

 Tom Ralabate

is an associate professor of dance at the State University of New York at Buffalo, where he has served as director of Zodiaque Dance Company. He has taught for all major dance organizations throughout the United States and Canada. A former United States and North American Latin Ballroom Dance Champion, he was the American representative, with his sister Kip, to the World Latin Dance Championships. His choreography has been featured at the National Dance Theatre of Bermuda; Joffrey Midwest Ballet, and the state televised Miss New York and Miss Pennsylvania Scholarship pageants for the Miss America Scholarship Competition.

He is currently the National Chair of Education Strategy for Dance Masters of America. His honors include the 2009 DMA Member of the Year, Artistic Achievement Award from the Chicago National Association of Dance Masters, Jazz Dance World Congress Angel Award, being the first recipient of the College of Arts and Sciences Award for Excellence in Teaching in the area of Arts at University at Buffalo.

       A contributing writer for the Higher Education Column in Dance
       Studio Life Magazine, Tom received a 2006 SUNY Chancellor’s
       Award for Scholarship and Creative Activities. In 2007, he
       was honored by Dance Teacher Magazine for being an outstanding
       educator in higher education and advocate for dance. Tom appears
       in the film documentary "Gus, an American Icon," based on the life
       of the jazz dance luminary Gus Giordano.