I am stuck....Those with Dance experience - any advice? Jessy-Ann or Di?

punkeemunkee'smom wrote: I think one or both of you has dance experience

As you know, Taylor is in dance and has been for 4 years now. She loves it and I like her being in this particular studio. Here is my issue: This year she wants to be in Ballet, Tap, Jazz, and Hip-hop. I can schedule her in Ballet, Tap, and Jazz all on the same day(which because of all of her other activities is really a must, plus we are 25 miles from the studio) OR I can schedule her for Ballet, Tap, Hip-Hop all together...Which do you think is a better addition Jazz or Hip-hop? Right now she says she wants to be on the dance team that the studio offers (for 10 and up) so I want to be sure she has the training available to her to accomplish that. She picks up very quickly and after watching her recital DVD she can do almost all of the other dances I just want to make sure she has fun and doesn't get bored-Is Jazz too close to Ballet?

A&A'smommy replied: hip hop is awesome but Jazz would give her the experience she needs for a dance team... Jazz is a lot more loose, ballet is VERY stiff and graceful ballet helps prepare for jazz but jazz would help her with possible future things like contemporary and lyrical. I LOVE that you have her in dance its such a wonderful WONDERFUL experience!!!

punkeemunkee'smom replied:
Thank you Jessy-Ann! I thought jazz would be more of what she would enjoy (even though hip-hop is fun) They do have a leaps and turns that her instructor wants her in but it is not for this age group. Taylor actually wants to dance point and they do offer classes for 12 and up. I think she will stick with it because she loves it so much and I love that it makes her feel so good about herself!

DillsMommy replied: I took tap and jazz for about 7 years when I was little. I loved it. She'll love jazz--it's alot of fun.

A&A'smommy replied:
oh I bet she will love point, but she is definitely too young her bones aren't strong enough yet. I'm glad they have an age limit a LOT of places don't and end up causing more injuries than creating good.

luvbug00 replied: i say hip hop. Only because when i see the way dance has progress from when i used to dance (age 7- 16) it is going in more of a "street" direction. fusing technical dance (ballet, jazz,lyrical) with street dance ( b-boying, crump & pop n'locking) and you really see that more in the dance compitions looking less cheerleaderish and more street and i think that's the direction dance is heading. If you watch So you think you can dance they don't even have any traditional dance styles. They have contemporary ( which i honestly think is just lyrical mixed with modern). In middle & HS the dance teams all do thease routines and they are also going in the "street" direction. The only dance that remains really true the entire route to professional dancing IMO is ballet. You can't touch ballet it's classic and eligant and has been danced pretty much the same way for hundreds of years.

Jamison'smama replied: Jamison's studio combines Hip Hop and Jazz so are they similar?? Also, in her studio, you must take ballet if you are taking any other frorm of dance except tap. They also offer a musical theater option so we are weighing that in as well. She already does gymnastics 4 hours a week. How do you choose and how do you keep from over scheduling?

A&A'smommy replied:
wow thats a LOT for such a young girl... Gymnastics is awesome and it will help a LOT in the dance area (make her stronger) I wish that I had done gymnastics I would be a stronger dancer now.

AS a teacher I can tell you that JAZZ (which is NOT just what you see on SYTYCD) even now it can help you be able to do any other kind of dance lyrical, comtemporary and since she want to do point then definitely stick to jazz.

Jazz and hip hop are kind of similar, some of the hip hop is going a little soft not quite so dirty and edgy anymore its the other stuff (break dancing, crumping ect..) thats keeping the edgy street look and even some of that I have seen get a bit soft where as some modern dance has been MORE edgy. You don't NEED hip hop to be able to dance other things you really do need jazz to help you be more diverse.

THIS is coming from a teachers point of view and what I have seen with different students.

NADIA are you currently watching SYTYCD? who are you routing for this season and what did you think about Chelsea leaving?

punkeemunkee'smom replied: Lastnight she was watching the recital DVD (from her recital last month). I missed most of it with going back stage to help her change costumes and hair I noticed that most of the kids that were in Hip-hop were not in any other form of dance but that all of the older girls that are on the competative teams and the ones that danced pointe were all in jazz,ballet, leaps and turns and lyrical at least. Like I said we have a few more years before those come in to play but since she desires that as of right now, I do want to be sure that she gets the best rounded dance experience. The jazz performances also seemed more fluid which is honestly the way she moves naturally. I know we can add hip-hop later for fun if she wants to (she already seems to be able to pick up on those moves ) but from what Jessy said and now from watching all of the DVD.

As for the over scheduleing-I TRY to let her lead. If she seems like it is getting to be too much then we will drop something. We have not had that happen yet but we have also added to our schedule this year. If it was up to her she would be in Cheer,Ballet,Tap,Gymnastics,Jazz, Hip-hop, Art, PE, 4H, Girl Scouts, Adventure Kids, Etc! Throw in a few feild trips and you have the makings of a mommy melt down! I also try to keep each activity to a max of 2 hours a week. We are lucky in that we can be a bit more flexable with our time tables and usually can have all her work done by 1pm so we can do alot of things during the day-I can't imagine trying to crunch it all in after 5pm-I don't think I would survive it!

luvbug00 replied:

every season! This season i am going for Chelsea hightower and her partner Mark. Both are very good. I espeicially love him. he is AMAZING as far as unique.
Will has the divercity, very well rounded. I took a class with debbie allen when i was 11. that woman is HARD on you so you HAVE to be good to be her prodage'.
Matt's technique is , there are no words how gorgous his extention is. I'm not seeing much personality though.

(see how cridical i am mya will never take dance because of it. )

Who do you like Jessica??

I agree though that the jazz on the show is FAR from what "real" jazz should look like. Ours looked more Fosse like.

A&A'smommy replied:
me too i LOVE SYTYCD...I love that they added a bunch of new choreographers this year I love Chelsie and Mark they are my favs she is SO cute and very good and able to do a lot of other things which is great especially considering she is a ballroom dancer. I think mark is getting better everyweek...btw i think comfort should have gone home last week

I'm SO jealous I love Debbie Allen she is wonderful. What was she LIKE???

Alyssa is showing SOOO much interest in dance its scary.. but there is NO good teachers in the town and I don't have the patience to teach my own child

luvbug00 replied:

She was very nice but firm. she is very much about individuality. Bringing ones self to each movement while matining the integrity of the technicallity of each movement. She as a non-dance person was a really funny lady, full of sayings. I wish i had the brains to pay more attention to what she was saying in hindsight.