Our Second-Day Summit Dispatch
July 31, 2016

Our Dance Teacher Summit’s second day is in the books! As we gear up for day three, let’s reflect back on some of Saturday’s most memorable moments, from helpful seminars to the Capezio A.C.E. Awards and the presentation of our 2016 Dance Teacher Awards.

In her talk on a dance coach’s most effective qualities, Cindy Clough mentioned that she has spies in her own dressing room–not because she’s contemplating a career in the CIA, but because she wants to know what her parents are saying about her, so she can nip any issues in the bud.

 

At Summit ambassador Bonnie Schuetz’s seminar, owners and teachers offered up great ways to keep nine-, ten-, eleven- and twelve-year-olds invested at your studio. One innovative idea? Create a “Banana Split Club”: Students who achieve all three of their splits get a gift certificate to Dairy Queen and their name and the date on a studio bulletin board.

The competition panel offered a great way for studio owners to dialogue with directors of several competitions, like Headliners and NUVO. Danie Beck, the fearless moderator of this panel, joked about the recent trend of platinum, diamond and titanium award levels. “I don’t even think bronze is produced anymore,” says Beck. “I think the ore has run out.”

We were so excited to honor Joanne Chapman, Pamela VanGilder, Claudio Muñoz, Kathleen Isaac and our Lifetime Achievement awardee, Robert Battle.

 

We were equally excited to see who would be named A.C.E. Award champion (with $15,000 toward the production of his or her full-length show!) and runner-ups. Congratulations to:

2nd runner ups: Tawnya Kuzia, for her innovative use of what looked like handheld stick-and-click lights in A Quiet Darkness and Mark Osborn and Justin Myles’ stunning tap number, Long Train Running

1st runner up: Kate Harpootlian’s humorous and, dare we say, perfectly polished ode to being a butler, Dignity

And the winner, Martha Nichols, for her fiercely fabulous, neon-clad, effortlessly-in-charge Tilted

Martha Nichols and her cast

Stay tuned for more photos soon!

We can’t say enough how proud we are of our partnership with Gil Stroming and Break the Floor. His organization produces a truly amazing event to bring Dance Teacher magazine to life!

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