Costume Ordering Made Easy

Secrets to fitting, fees and alterations
For more than 20 years, Denise Hawkins of Denise’s Dance Academy in Overland Park, Kansas, has allowed her studio parents to choose the costumes for spring recitals. “It sounds crazy, … Continue reading →

Surviving the Storm

Three studios triumph in the face of unexpected disaster.

“It was surreal. Seven years of collected painted props, costumes, books, photos from concerts and thousands of dollars of dance apparel and CDs were all gone,” says … Continue reading →

Factoring in Fitness

Seasoned advice on offering adult group exercise classes

With the nationwide trend of dance-based fitness classes like Zumba, Bar Method and Cardio Dance, you may have considered offering adult group exercise in your studio. Your daytime … Continue reading →

History Quiz: Pyotr Ilych Tchaikovsky

1. What was Tchaikovsky’s greatest contribution to the world
of dance music?
2. The Nutcracker was unconventional for its time because:
A) The lack of dancing in Act I
B) The use of children in leading roles
C) It didn’t … Continue reading →

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

The composer who created The Nutcracker and redefined classical music.
It was evident from a very young age that Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840–1893) had a heightened sense for music. Upon entering his bedroom one … Continue reading →