DIS Dancers?

[autumnpalm]

I know there is a topic here for moms of kids who dance but are there any other DISers on here who are dancers themselves or even just DISers who are interested in dance?

All ages and dance forms are welcome!! From ballet to belly-dancing, come on in!

Personally, I grew up dancing ballet and spent my high school years at a residential school and planned on pursuing it professionally. I ended up applying to university when I graduated high school but I still love it! Sometimes I regret giving it up but I have terrible feet and knees and I shudder to think the shape my body would be in if I hadn't. I'm still in university and I mostly take open classes and workshops in my free time. Often dance gets pushed aside for work and school but nothing de-stresses me like a good barre so I try to make time for it. Plus it keeps me in decent shape!

I "dabble" a little in jazz and contemporary and I find those classes a lot of fun but I think I am just a ballet girl at heart!!

Anyone else? I know I can't be the only one!

 

[princessmom29]

Former dancer and mom of a dncer here. I was just average, but loved to dance. I took at least a class a semester in college. DD6 dances 3 hours a week now, with more in the future. She does ballet/tap/jazz in a 2 hour block plus a tumbling class. She will likely be adding hip hop in the fall, and a lyrical next year. She would be at the studio every day if she could! I too have bad feet and knees do to a couple of injuries. Ironically, I tore the same 2 ligaments in my foot as DD's ballet teacher. We now were the same very expensive sandals in order to be open toed and realatively pain free in summer!

 

[Darsa]

My DD's been dancing for 8 years, and just last year convinced me to try it myself this upcoming year... I just turned 40 in March; this will be an entirely new experience for me! I will be starting out with just jazz; as Mr. Scott said "and we'll see what happens from there".

 

[can84]

Oh, I love ballet, but I cannot dance--no talent LOL I do volunteer at the ballet here, so get to enjoy watching it during the season! Darsa, I'm 40 and try and take open jazz class--if I can do it, anyone can. Most of the class is the teacher telling me "the other right. no, not that right, the other right" but it's a ton of fun and great exercise! I recently did a tap class--last time I did tap I was 7. Loved it--went and bought a pair of tap shoes and am trying to find time to take another class.

 

[Cruisin]

I am also a dancer.

I started dancing about 7 years ago for the exercise (I will be 54 next birthday).

I never danced as a child.

I do tap and hip hop and have done a jazz class in the past but I'm not a very jazzy person

I'm not all the good at any of it but I do like to do it. It's great fun and a lot of exercise.

 

[autumnpalm]

Former dancer and mom of a dncer here. I was just average, but loved to dance. I took at least a class a semester in college. DD6 dances 3 hours a week now, with more in the future. She does ballet/tap/jazz in a 2 hour block plus a tumbling class. She will likely be adding hip hop in the fall, and a lyrical next year. She would be at the studio every day if she could! I too have bad feet and knees do to a couple of injuries. Ironically, I tore the same 2 ligaments in my foot as DD's ballet teacher. We now were the same very expensive sandals in order to be open toed and realatively pain free in summer!

Oh, ouch!! Did you need surgery for that? I hope your foot is feeling better! That sounds really painful.

I'm really hoping my future kids are interested in dance, girls or boys. I know there's a good chance they might not be (especially boys!) and I wouldn't push them to do something they didn't want to do but... I would love it if they wanted to give it a try!

My DD's been dancing for 8 years, and just last year convinced me to try it myself this upcoming year... I just turned 40 in March; this will be an entirely new experience for me! I will be starting out with just jazz; as Mr. Scott said "and we'll see what happens from there".

Oh, how exciting!!! You will have so much fun! Have you gotten shoes or anything yet? I'm sure your DD will love to help you shop!

Oh, I love ballet, but I cannot dance--no talent LOL I do volunteer at the ballet here, so get to enjoy watching it during the season! Darsa, I'm 40 and try and take open jazz class--if I can do it, anyone can. Most of the class is the teacher telling me "the other right. no, not that right, the other right" but it's a ton of fun and great exercise! I recently did a tap class--last time I did tap I was 7. Loved it--went and bought a pair of tap shoes and am trying to find time to take another class.

Which ballet do you volunteer for? That sounds wonderful!

Oh my gosh, I tried tap once and was just AWFUL at it but it looks like so much fun. I just don't ever think I could get the hang of it! Do you find there is much of a learning curve?

I am also a dancer.

I started dancing about 7 years ago for the exercise (I will be 54 next birthday).

I never danced as a child.

I do tap and hip hop and have done a jazz class in the past but I'm not a very jazzy person

I'm not all the good at any of it but I do like to do it. It's great fun and a lot of exercise.

Hi, Cruisin!

Wow, that is amazing! What got you into dance, if you don't mind me asking? And another tapper, I see... it looks like quite the workout! And I'm not a very jazzy person either LOL I find it so hard to just let go!

So nice to meet all of you!!

 

[can84]

I'm a volunteer with NYCB--all the Balanchine and Robbins you could want. And tap is so much fun! Plus you don't have to try and coordinate arm and leg movements. With jazz, I can either get the arm movements or the steps--but for some reason, trying to do both at the same time confuses me But it's usually good for a laugh in class!

 

[Cruisin]

What got me into dance was seeing other adult dancers perform at the recital and the desire to get more exercise and maybe lose a bit of weight.

The first year that I danced I lost 35 pounds

Also my daughter had been a gymnast and then a dancer. So I got used to hanging around the dance studio with her.

Tap is definitely my favorite. It can be very high energy at times.

I agree with the coordinating of the arms and feet. Usually for me it is one or the other, you can't have both at the same time

 

[rainydayplay]

My DD6 has made it through 3 years of tap and ballet. We've been in a store before when she's danced around it, and she's been stopped by someone who has girls in their 20s who have danced forever and now teach dance themselves. He said she has natural talent for ballet...I just wish she'd have a little more focus!

This year, she will continue with tap, ballet, and she wants to do clogging.

The school she goes to offered adult ballet, tap, and clogging classes last year. I wanted to sign up for clogging, but they are only offering tap this year. I may just sign up for tap, with a note that I want to move to clogging if they change their minds about that. I clogged for a year when I was 8, and never could continue beyond that due to circumstance.

 

[Pilar322]

Dancer checking in here! I am a dance instructor and have been for 7 years. I started dancing in elementary school. I dance and teach all forms; tap, jazz, ballet, hip hop, lyrical, pointe. I also teach musical theatre (with singing) and acting. I just wish my teaching job paid enough so it could be full time, so that I can quit my office job! Hopefully one day! I also am a member of a contemporary dance company that incorporates adults in wheelchairs-very cool and inspiring!

My son is almost 3 and already has his own pair of tap shoes! He loves coming to "tap, tap tap school" (as he calls it) with me!

 

[AmandaSparks730]

Teen Dancer here

Tap for 12 years, and some ballet and jazz added in. Mostly, it's tap though. This is my 14th year, and my final year at my beloved studio. I started there, and I'm ending there.

I'm not looking for a career in dance, at all. It's just something that I love very, very much, and it's something that gives me happy and a total creative license.

Dance lets me speak without words, and I love that.

 

[live4christp1]

I'm a clogger.....does that count?

Started taking clogging in 7th grade, eventually moving to a team that did the competition circuit (yes there is a big one, used to be bigger than now). Have clogged on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry, Roy Acuff theater, at Dollywood, Six Flags Over Georgia, and loads of places in/around & between. Myself and 3 other girls from a team finally started our own group about 1988.....eventually they all dropped off but the team continued on until mid 2003.

My family took me to see Riverdance this year for mothers day (their last tour) and so now I have the bug again and ordered a new pair of shoes. Have had lots of former team mates respond with interest so looking forward to starting again!

Going to Opry Hotel for the National Convention in November.

For info you can look up C.L.O.G.

 

[autumnpalm]

I'm a volunteer with NYCB--all the Balanchine and Robbins you could want. And tap is so much fun! Plus you don't have to try and coordinate arm and leg movements. With jazz, I can either get the arm movements or the steps--but for some reason, trying to do both at the same time confuses me But it's usually good for a laugh in class!

Wow!! Oh my goodness, that is incredible! I would just love that.

For me, all the footwork in tap is what looks difficult all on its own! I just can't get my feet to loosen up enough to make the sounds!

What got me into dance was seeing other adult dancers perform at the recital and the desire to get more exercise and maybe lose a bit of weight.

The first year that I danced I lost 35 pounds

Also my daughter had been a gymnast and then a dancer. So I got used to hanging around the dance studio with her.

Tap is definitely my favorite. It can be very high energy at times.

I agree with the coordinating of the arms and feet. Usually for me it is one or the other, you can't have both at the same time

That's amazing and so inspiring! I hope I'm still dancing when I'm 54!! With all these tappers on here, it is making me want to go try another class. I just get so intimidated by it!

My DD6 has made it through 3 years of tap and ballet. We've been in a store before when she's danced around it, and she's been stopped by someone who has girls in their 20s who have danced forever and now teach dance themselves. He said she has natural talent for ballet...I just wish she'd have a little more focus!

This year, she will continue with tap, ballet, and she wants to do clogging.

The school she goes to offered adult ballet, tap, and clogging classes last year. I wanted to sign up for clogging, but they are only offering tap this year. I may just sign up for tap, with a note that I want to move to clogging if they change their minds about that. I clogged for a year when I was 8, and never could continue beyond that due to circumstance.

This is going to make me sound pretty ignorant but what exactly is the difference between tapping and clogging? I've seen clogging performances before but I'm exactly sure.

Have fun!!

Dancer checking in here! I am a dance instructor and have been for 7 years. I started dancing in elementary school. I dance and teach all forms; tap, jazz, ballet, hip hop, lyrical, pointe. I also teach musical theatre (with singing) and acting. I just wish my teaching job paid enough so it could be full time, so that I can quit my office job! Hopefully one day! I also am a member of a contemporary dance company that incorporates adults in wheelchairs-very cool and inspiring!

My son is almost 3 and already has his own pair of tap shoes! He loves coming to "tap, tap tap school" (as he calls it) with me!

Your company sounds just incredible!! That's amazing, do you mind me asking what it is called? I work with kids with disabilities and I know some of them would love to just hear about opportunities like that!

And that is so cute about your son!!

Teen Dancer here

Tap for 12 years, and some ballet and jazz added in. Mostly, it's tap though. This is my 14th year, and my final year at my beloved studio. I started there, and I'm ending there.

I'm not looking for a career in dance, at all. It's just something that I love very, very much, and it's something that gives me happy and a total creative license.

Dance lets me speak without words, and I love that.

You are so right, dance is such a powerful form of communication. I was really shy growing up and I credit ballet a lot with helping me get out of my shell and be able to express emotions. It was like therapy for me!

I'm a clogger.....does that count?

Started taking clogging in 7th grade, eventually moving to a team that did the competition circuit (yes there is a big one, used to be bigger than now). Have clogged on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry, Roy Acuff theater, at Dollywood, Six Flags Over Georgia, and loads of places in/around & between. Myself and 3 other girls from a team finally started our own group about 1988.....eventually they all dropped off but the team continued on until mid 2003.

My family took me to see Riverdance this year for mothers day (their last tour) and so now I have the bug again and ordered a new pair of shoes. Have had lots of former team mates respond with interest so looking forward to starting again!

Going to Opry Hotel for the National Convention in November.

For info you can look up C.L.O.G.

Of course it counts!!! I must admit I do not know a lot about clogging but it is something I would like to learn more about, it looks so intricate. I've only seen Riverdance clips on Youtube but they blew me away!

The clogging team sounds like so much fun and wow, you got to perform at some great places! Impressive!

 

[Karibeth19]

Ballet dancer here! I started when I was five, and continued through high school. I was a member of a junior company as a teen (along with Kristin Chenowith!), but unfortunately, I burned out and quit when I went to college. I was also on my high school dance team, and we won Nationals my Senior year. I took a few jazz classes in college, but didn't return to Ballet until 10 years ago. I'm almost 40, and I love my Ballet classes. My friends and I call it our "therapy", since our classes are very casual, and we will dance a bit, talk a bit, dance a bit more, talk a bit more, etc...
I do regret quitting as a teen, since I was a good dancer, and I should have continued. I really regret not doing the Disney CP and trying to be a dancer there. Every time we are at WDW, I watch the dancers in the shows, I get a little depressed that I never did that myself!

 

[autumnpalm]

Oh, I have a question for you guys!

I love buying and wearing leotards for ballet class, I just ordered this one from Mirella:

But in jazz class I always feel out of place with my leotard! I see other women in bra tops, leggings, shorts, tank tops, etc. but I feel somewhat self conscious in that sort of thing!

What do y'all wear to class?

Any recommendations for dancewear that you really like?

 

[autumnpalm]

Ballet dancer here! I started when I was five, and continued through high school. I was a member of a junior company as a teen (along with Kristin Chenowith!), but unfortunately, I burned out and quit when I went to college. I was also on my high school dance team, and we won Nationals my Senior year. I took a few jazz classes in college, but didn't return to Ballet until 10 years ago. I'm almost 40, and I love my Ballet classes. My friends and I call it our "therapy", since our classes are very casual, and we will dance a bit, talk a bit, dance a bit more, talk a bit more, etc...
I do regret quitting as a teen, since I was a good dancer, and I should have continued. I really regret not doing the Disney CP and trying to be a dancer there. Every time we are at WDW, I watch the dancers in the shows, I get a little depressed that I never did that myself!

That is so neat! I love Kristin Chenowith, she is so talented.

And I know exactly how you feel, every time I go to the ballet I get a little pang in my stomach. Even when chatting with friends who pursued dance as a career I get a little wistful, but I try to remind myself that my body just couldn't hack it and I'd probably be miserable and grumpy.

 

[Karibeth19]

And I know exactly how you feel, every time I go to the ballet I get a little pang in my stomach. Even when chatting with friends who pursued dance as a career I get a little wistful, but I try to remind myself that my body just couldn't hack it and I'd probably be miserable and grumpy.

LOL! The problem with my body was when I started back at age 29. In my head, I was still 16, and I could still do everything the way I did it back then. Of course, my body was quick to remind me that it was 29, hadn't danced in a very long time, and had also given birth!!! That was (and still is!) very frustrating!!

 

[autumnpalm]

LOL! The problem with my body was when I started back at age 29. In my head, I was still 16, and I could still do everything the way I did it back then. Of course, my body was quick to remind me that it was 29, hadn't danced in a very long time, and had also given birth!!! That was (and still is!) very frustrating!!

That is me every time I do a develope! In my head I can just envision my leg extending up, up, up... but in reality it is more up, STUCK, STUCK.

 

[Karibeth19]

That is me every time I do a develope! In my head I can just envision my leg extending up, up, up... but in reality it is more up, STUCK, STUCK.

Hee, hee! I know the feeling, girlfriend! I used to be the best turner...chaînés and piqués across the floor, ending in a perfectly balanced pose. Now, if I do more than 4 or 5, I'm dizzy and nauseous for the rest of class!

 

[live4christp1]

Of course it counts!!! I must admit I do not know a lot about clogging but it is something I would like to learn more about, it looks so intricate. I've only seen Riverdance clips on Youtube but they blew me away!

The clogging team sounds like so much fun and wow, you got to perform at some great places! Impressive!

Thanks! It's not to bad after you get the basics everything builds from there.

When I was a new clogger I thought it was a fun form of dance mostly done here in the south. Then I went to competition.....some of the biggest teams were from Utah. Then we went to the National Convention and there were cloggers there from everywhere.....Japan, Australia.....it was amazing.