Anthony LoCascio’s Blog

Recent General Competition Notes

What a great few days this has been. Teaching at a NADAA event is always a treat and I get to see so many people I enjoy. I love working with the students and the teacher’s dedication to reach positive goals for their dancers is fantastic.

Classes were great and everyone was wonderfully attentive. Competition was excellent and for the first time Bethany and I were inspired to create a new scholarship because of Leah Woodward’s excellent performance and consistance over a two day Competition. Congrats Leah, we wish you nothing but success.

Every competition I make general notes that seem to pop up more than once during the event.four or five things stuck in my head….work on these and always give great attention to detail…….

1) (tap) press into the ball of the feet and dace in “pop”

2) (jazz, lyrical, contemporary) elongate and connect transitions. Treat every transition with equal importance and as if they were an individual step.

3) (all styles) careful on flashy entrances and exits. You are the major focus at that point, there is no other distractions. We SEE & HEAR everything. If you are going to dance on or off the stage w/o music for an entrance, you better make sure it is perfect!!!!!

4) No matter how many dances you do in one day, you can NOT look tired on stage when you are performing…Fight for every step, detail and movement!

5) Though most were pretty good at this, remember. It is called a QUICK change because you need to be FAST. However, breath, don’t rush, and keep calm. Breaking those general rules will actually make your change into a longer process….Also, be sure to utilize pre-sets.

6) (jazz, lyrical, ballet, modern, contemporary) When you do any type of leap or jete - lift and float!!! I do NOT want to hear you land!!!! Period!!!

O.K. hope this helps everyone out there in competition land….Break a leg. As always…..

Tap w/u Soon,

Anthony

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PJC Dance Workshop

Just wanted to thank everyone at the PJC. Dianne, Kristens, Students, Parents, and Students. I had a wonderful time. To both teachers and students: Your dedication, excitement, and interest in dance this weekend was appreciated and welcomed. I look forward to next year. To your growth, your improvement, and dedication to their art.

Tap w/u Soon,

Anthony

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Dancebutton.com

I love this idea and think EVERY studio should adopt it ASAP! If you are like me and want your students to watch others perform to increase their knowledge of themselves as a dancer? Then This is perfect for you…..it is a student to student “award” that your students can give to others they see and admire at conventions & competitions.

I got my dancebutton from Alison & Megan in North Carolina and it still sit on my cork board years later. My dancebutton is #584.

I highly recommend you introduce www.dancebutton.com to as many studios as you can!

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Top 10 Performance (competition) Things to Remember!

1. Get off the floor when you hop, and PRESS into the balls of your feet (Forced Arch) TAP
2. Don’t dance; Perform
3. Straighten the supporting leg!
4. Spot eye level, on the accent to turn as a unit.
5. No Fouettes in Tap! Save them for your Jazz, Modern, Lyrical and Ballet - Use Tap Turns!
6. Don’t forget to Pointe` your feet - especially when going into & getting up from in floor sections!
7. Every transition is equally as important as each individual step!
8. Be sure to stretch before every performance.
9. Preview and discuss each stage, at each performance, for proper staging and spacing!
10. Express, Emote and SMILE!!!!

I choose these 10 because they apply to 90% of the the dances I adjudicate. They are here to help you avoid the most common pit falls I encounter. Sometimes the hardest thing to do is see ourselves - but when we do, we can become the person we want to be by working on what actually makes up who we are as a person. Then we love ourselves and have the ability to love others. It works that way with Critical Criticism! Listen to what everyone has to say, Take it all with a grain of salt, then place appropriate value to all you have heard and apply it properly to your life!

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Dancers Health!

There is a great product called Juiceplus. It is all your fruits and veggies dried into a powder, and placed in a capsule. It is a food supplement and it is approved by the FDA. The stuff is fantastic for dancers. Bethany uses it, loved it so much she sells it to.  Go to www.mysupplementsolutions.com and dancer or not the benefits of Juiceplus are excellent for everyone! I can see the change in Bethany since she started taking it.

Tw/uS,

A.

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