Alright, people. It’s #MotivationMonday—and it’s also the week of the Dance Teacher Summit. The schedule for the New York City Summit is now posted online, and this year’s teachers and seminar leaders are some of the biggest names in dance today (and many of them, you’ll notice, have been on our cover). So let today’s motivation arrive in the form of my favorite dance videos from these talented folks—who are eager to share their dance knowledge with you this weekend!
Mia Michaels (DT, November 2006) has long been a mainstay on “So You Think You Can Dance,” and while her biggest hit was probably the bench piece she created for Travis Wall and Heidi Groskreutz, my favorite will always be Kayla and Kupono’s “Addiction.”
Mandy Moore (DT, December 2009) is a jazz and contemporary powerhouse with the special gift to make every dancer in the room feel noticed. It’s probably no surprise that I chose her “Sweet Dreams” routine from Season 3 of “SYTYCD,” considering she received an Emmy nomination for it.
I like to think of Al Blackstone as the Summit’s charming gentleman caller from a bygone era. But that’s probably because his whimsical, narrative dances all seem to feature characters just like that—like this piece he created for the Fire Island Dance Festival last year.
If you’re experiencing mild video overload at this point, know that this is the last one. And maybe the most amazing. Because it’s tWitch’s audition from Season 4 of “SYTYCD”! Look at his BABY FACE. (And now he HAS a baby.)
