It hardly seems possible that with this issue we bid farewell to 2015. The Dance Teacher team is working on some exciting plans for 2016. But before we officially turn the page, we wanted to reflect on some of our favorite projects of this year.
When we first talked with Gina Gibney, the space at 280 Broadway was still under construction. Now the building is filled with dancers seven days a week, and the Gibney Dance Center has become an institution we can’t remember living without. I admire Gina so much as a businessperson and visionary. What she’s done for NYC dancers is exceptional. —Karen Hildebrand, Editor in Chief
The unstoppable Jared Grimes is hands-down my favorite this year. From the smile on his face and his feet leaving the ground in that cover shot, you get a real sense of the way he can move and the joy he takes in his dancing. In the article, we learn he’s persevered for a decade to become a tap dancer on Broadway and won’t stop working on his craft. You can’t beat a guy who combines perspiration and inspiration. —Joe Sullivan, Managing Editor
Writing our story on Camille A. Brown and her outreach project, Black Girl Spectrum, was both eye-opening and joyous. Plus, the shoot itself was a hoot! So much dancing, so many bright colors, so many great girls. Then everything came full circle for me at the opening-night performance of Black Girl: Linguistic Play at The Joyce—seeing how material from the project took root in Camille’s athletic, hard-hitting movement felt magical. —Rachel Rizzuto, Assistant Editor
Lea Marshall did a wonderful job with our September modern-dance roundup featuring Elena Demyanenko. Great (and sometimes hilarious) anecdotes! And it was so satisfying to see photos of the teachers juxtaposed with archival photos from the past. I loved that Elena’s opening pose perfectly embodied Trisha Brown in Water Motor (1978).
—Rachel Caldwell, Assistant Editor
I love Dana Foglia’s drive and how passionate she is about continuing her own growth and sharing what she’s learned on her journey with dancers who hope to have commercial careers. Her acknowledgment that the performance aspect of a dance career isn’t always fulfilling resonated with me, and I love that she found a different way to channel her love for dance. —Alyssa Marks, Assistant Editor
I loved watching Tammi Shamblin’s class at this month’s cover shoot. When her students tumbled in at the beginning of class, they were typical fifth-grade boys—goofing around. But when class started, they suddenly turned into serious ballet students. Tammi kept them engaged the entire time. Plus, the shoot gave us an abundance of great photos to choose from for our cover and layout! —Emily Giacalone, Art Director
Wishing you a joyous holiday season,
The Dance Teacher editorial team
Photo by Matthew Murphy; cover photos (top to bottom) by Christopher Duggan; Matthew Murphy (2); Julieta Cervantes; Joe Toreno; Kyle Froman
