​While my days of having babies are over, I would love for my dance family to grow at DAA! The past couple of months have been trying for me, and my dance family has really been a blessing and I would love for you to be a part of it.
This past spring, I was really excited for our year end recitals, and while traditionally the week of the recital can be a high stress time, I went into it feeling confident and ready for a great week. Then at the start of the week, a rug was pulled out from under me and I spent several days working through personal melt downs and puddles of tears. As the week went on, my daughter was having trouble with her little toe which turned out to be a serious infection, landing her in the hospital the night before our big shows. I left my husband and my daughter at the hospital late that night and was unsure of what was ready for the next morning and what I had forgotten to do, but the show must go on, and I would be there.
When I arrived at the auditorium the next morning, I was not the first one there as I usually am. A couple of my staff members had arrived early and were already setting everything up. One instructor had even offered the night before for me to not come in that morning and they would cover for me. Two other faculty members had gone to the studio and loaded up all the things I had forgotten or left behind- some items hadn’t even crossed my mind, but they knew we needed them and picked up the slack. I am truly grateful and blessed to have these people in my dance family!
This summer had been hard as I have dealt with my daughters’ hospitalization and numerous follow up appointments (on top of her usual therapy appointments that come with having a child with special needs, which is a whole other blog post!), my grandmothers sudden failing health and passing, and changes in the DAA office. Through these stresses, the faculty and parents at DAA have been there for me when I needed them, and I believe we have a special community at DAA that is worth sharing with others!
DAA may not be the biggest studio, the one with the most awards, or the highest percentage of students who go on to dance professionally, but that isn’t what is important to me. I want to build and be a part of a nurturing family that grows young people into great humans and believes that dance has the power to touch lives. Join me in this journey and you too will be welcomed into the family!

New Year’s Resolutions are absolutely still a thing – wanting ‘this’ year to better than the last – hoping that this magical clean slate sets us up for victory. But as cliche as it seems to be, why not take full advantage of this mind set and actually take steps that will help you improve as a dancer?! You have to have a plan though. And Goals. Thought out goals, with a plan are the road map to set you up for success.  Whether it is 1 focus a month or just overall goals for the year – Here is a whole year’s worth to incorporate into your own lists for 2019:
 
January
Listen to your body.
 
When you come back to class after break or vacation, be sure not to overdo it. “Sprains, strains, and fractures are your body's way of forcing you to rest. Never push through the sudden onset of pain, something that feels sharp or cracking, or pain that persists for more than a few days. Resolve to tell your teacher or coach when something hurts, instead of shrugging it off. That kind of communication doesn't mean you're whiny or weak. You're taking responsibility for your own career and training.”
 
February
Try a New Style of Dance/Go Watch!
 
Don't get stuck in a dance bubble! What's a dance genre you've always been curious about, but never had the guts to try?  Give it a Go! How do you know you won’t like it or aren’t good at it if you never try it?! [It will most likely, at least, make you even more well rounded ] Or Make an active effort to see performances in unfamiliar dance styles or different than the traditional one you see. It’s vital to a dancers’ growth to know all the styles & ideas out there and to see what other dancers are doing! "Supporting other people helps to be a part of the bigger dance community."
 
March
“I Hate Left!”
 
It's easy to focus on the [right side] “good side” during practice over and over because it comes without thinking, it’s stronger, & you feel more confident… but that can lead to a very unbalanced dancer, overall weak. Practice your “bad side”. Make it a point to work that side 3X more than your “good side” this month.  Stretch longer on that side. Do 3 extra Side Leaps that direction. And work that pirouette side harder during these 30-ish days.  "It's important to work both sides equally, even if one feels better than the other," says choreographer Andy Blankenbuehler. "If your right leg is stronger, pretend you're a lefty—give that side the attention it deserves."
 
April
Food is Fuel.
 
I'm a H’angry dancer.   When I am I can’t focus, I have brain fog & can’t remember my steps as easily, become upset with myself and others more easily, injure more, and don’t recover as quickly. Try to find foods this month that help you physically, emotionally, or do both! Research ways to get these foods in your body before dancing, transport them easily to practices, competitions, etc, and to have them available afterwards as a reward or pickmeup. Your entire body will thank you for it.
 
May
Just One More!
 
Solid double pirouettes are great and all, but this month, push for just one more. Push for just one more tour, one more fouetté, one more pirouette, one inch higher in your leaps. Don’t be content with your clean consistent technique! Imagine the feeling when you get that 3rd, 4th, or 5th[!!!] rotation! WOW! Don’t give up easily. Don’t be stagnant. Stale. Keep Pushing. You can do it! Fall. Get Up. Do it again. Keep Going!- Imagine that feeling at the end & the smile on your face.
 
June
Let It Go! Let It Go… Can’t Hold Me Back Anymore!
 
Fact: Lots of dancers are "type A." It’s just the truth. We're organized, ambitious, and goal-oriented. What we sometimes fail to keep separated though is healthy self-criticism & unhealthy perfectionism. The 1st, Helps you Grow. The 2nd, Beats you Down. Sometimes, You forget to enjoy your dancing. Sometimes you are nervous about letting go and having too much fun.  In the famous words of Elsa- “Let IT Go!” Some of my best learning moments were when I just let loose and felt my dance heart soar as I moved to the music, not worrying too much about the perfect steps. My Artistry comes through…  Sometimes once you’ve given into the music and movement… the steps just fall perfectly into place 
 
July
Insta-Savvy
 
Social Media is now a way of life. You probably see it as your connection to friends, family or something fun to do in spare time. If you are a dancer seeking to make a name for yourself in the dance world - did you know that it could also make or break your dance career too? Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter are great tools that can give you distinguish-ability, visibility and could even help you land a gig. BUT they are also a lot of work – some even argue a “full time job”. They can also have disadvantages in that too much screen time can cause unhealthy comparisons, judgement and worry. Used & monitored in the right way – it can be a fun tool to put yourself out there to the world.
 
August
Recharge & Mental Health
 
End of Summer is a good time to slow down your dancing a little and spend more time on your interests other than dance… [I know, like what?! Lol]  During some of these quieter days, make sure to spend time with friends, family, those you love. Take some long walks, read a book, eat those sweets, go on outings with friends outside and soak up that vitamin D & fresh air that we don’t get as often working inside the studio. 
Also, take some time to check on your mental health too.  It is a priority, and that well-being should get a checkup every now and again too.  Don’t be shy about talking about it and/or asking for help if needed. Many people struggle with mental health so you don't need to feel like you're alone. This will help you feel fully prepared (body AND mind) for the coming months.
 
September
Embrace ballet.
 
Ballet is the very basis of which all dance is created from.  It is the very foundation of all your technique. It deserves your respect and your love for it. For without it, you would not have anything else. Engage in class. Give all your effort. Actually do the Ballet homework. Ask Questions. Make it a point to grow in this area of your training. Love your Ballet Teacher. Whether or not you want to be a professional ballerina in life – Take it seriously. "Every dancer needs ballet, even if her specialty is salsa! The ballet vocabulary is the ABCs of dance. It makes you hyper-aware of all your muscles, so you feel every inch of your body working."
 
October
Work on Acting Skills
 
All Dance tells a story. Acting give you another tool to tell this story with your body even better.  Every dance, even if it's plot-less, tells a story, and you need to be able to convey that story effectively.  You could take a class, observe your favorite dancers as they take on new roles of different characters, try out auditions, or even make an effort to improve your own personalities & facials when performing.  See what happens when you do! You become more connected with all the pieces you are asked to portray.  It will only help your dance performances become stronger.
 
November
Expand Your Artistry.
 
“One of the major things that makes dance different from sports is the fact that artistry is required. On top of demonstrating speed, precision, balance, and endurance dancers are also required to show emotion and feeling. A dancer may have technique for days, but if they lack artistry, their performance can often feel dead and a little boring. A dancer who performs with artistry, on the other hand, can take the audience on a journey and allow them to experience the emotions they are portraying. This could be the year you get in touch with your inner artist and find ways to unlock the emotion within your dancing.”
 
December
Stick to a sleep schedule.
 
You won't be able to endure Nutcracker/Festival of Trees/Christmas Parade/Holiday Show season without adequate sleep. Sleep is critical to performing at your best. Sleep is important for your body to function and do all the wonderful, fun, brilliant things that you want it to do! Make sure to be on a schedule that gives you enough hours nightly - & stick to it…. Until Christmas break 
 
Throughout the Year:
**Develop a Cross-Training Routine**
Cross Training is the action or practice of engaging in two or more sports or types of exercise in order to improve fitness or performance in one's main sport. Typically this focuses on your own strengths and weaknesses. This can mean the difference between a strong dancer and an injury-prone/burnt out one. Use this new year to find another form of exercise that will help progress your dancing overall. Pilates for Core. Yoga for flexibility.  Swimming for endurance & breathing.  Track/Running for stamina…. Just a couple of ideas. Whatever you decide, make sure that you fit your training to your body & your needs.
 
Cheers to a Happy, Healthy, Rocking New Dance Year!

Samantha Kelsay

​It has been on my heart for quite some time to have a program that is accessible to all abilities. As a parent of a special needs child, I have recognized how it becomes increasingly difficult for a child to have their own activities when they can no longer (or never could) keep up with the other children their age. When I discovered Darby’s Dancers, a national nonprofit organization that provides dance education for children with special needs this past summer, I knew it would be a perfect fit for the family culture at Dance Arts Academy and not only would my child be able to have a dance class of her own, but we would have the opportunity to share the joy and power of dance with many other special needs children!
It has been a process to get our chapter of Darby’s Dancers up and running, but I am happy to announce that starting in January 2019, we will be running two classes of Darby’s Dancers on Saturday mornings! At the time of this post, we have 15 children registered for Darby’s Dancers classes and I am excited for the possibilities of how many more we can reach!
Although the parents of Darby’s Dancers are not charged for the lessons and supplies associated with the program, there are costs that we need help fundraising for. The students need dance shoes and clothing, and costumes for the spring recitals. The Darby’s Dancers classes will have the opportunity to perform with the other Dance Arts Academy classes at our spring recital, so be watching for their debut performance! If you, or someone you know would be interested in sponsoring a child, please get in touch with me and I can give you more details. Any donation is tax deductible and very much appreciated.
Another way that young people can get involved with Darby’s Dancers is by becoming a volunteer and a one on one mentor to a Darby’s Dancer. Many of the special needs children need assistance in class and it is a special gift to bond with a special needs child. If you know a teen or young adult who would be interested in volunteering on Saturday mornings, please reach out!
This program has me excited for the future, as I know the power dance can have in the lives of young people and I love that we can share it with more children!
Dotty Hancock

In the last month at the studio I've met a lot of you, I've learned a lot of names, and taught a lot of classes. I was asked to write a blog post introducing myself, but most of you have read my bio and I assume you know that I love to dance. I figured I'd share some things you don't know about me (yet). 

My parents tricked me in to dance class.

I struggled for a long time to find my "thing", after trying every sport sport offered in my tiny town (and failing miserably), my best friend told me about her dance class. To be honest, I wasn't interested. I was a shy kid, not thrilled about having to perform at the year-end recital. My parents made me a deal, if I  took class I didn't have to perform at the recital. We shook on it, and years later I realized they knew they were lying to me, those sneaky parents! A year came and went and and at age 10 I rocked two sequin leos with fringe skirts, one for jazz, one for tap. Two months later I auditioned for the competition team, and that was just the beginning.

I traveled daily to the town next door for my dance classes and the more I danced the more my parents encouraged me to seek the next level of training. I fought them for years, I wasn't ready to leave my teachers and my friends; in hindsight I wish I had done it sooner. At the age of 15 I finally began taking weekly ballet classes at a big studio 35 minutes out of town. I was immediately recruited as an understudy for the pre-professional company in residence, and within a year transitioned my whole life to this new place. When I was 16 I was gifted an old Honda CRV, not as a birthday present, this was so I could drive myself to the studio daily (parents were off the hook!). In my final two years of high school I spent an average of 30 hours per week in class and rehearsal. I danced for two pre-professional companies (ballet, contemporary) amongst students who are now commercial dancers in LA, professional ballerinas, Rockettes and fellow teachers. 

I moved to San Diego in 2008 to attend Point Loma Nazarene University. PLNU checked all of my boxes, except one: dance. It was a tough transition, but in the end I'm so thankful for a place that challenged my passion. It took me a year or so to figure out the dance community in my new city, but many doors were opened and since then, I have been fortunate enough to do some really awesome things (see bio). 

I was recently asked about my favorite achievement in dance. It took a few weeks to realize that I'm most proud of being able to fly solo and work for what I want. I jump in to classes without knowing who will be there or what to expect. I worked extra jobs to pay for my dance training. I stand up for myself to the people who don't believe in me. My adventures and willingness to do what it takes has lead me down some really cool paths including commercials, paid gigs, an international performance tour, professional photo shoots and teaching jobs. And now, here at DAA, I'm doing exactly what I am made to do!

My advice to dancers: take every opportunity you come upon. Don't be afraid to go alone, don't let finances discourage you, and don't stop fighting for your passion. People in this industry can be cruel, but if you strive every day to reach your goals, you'll always end up where you're supposed to be. ​

Emily Goethel

Hi! I’m teacher Mrs. Anamar Colt and I’m going to tell you here a little bit about me and four steps to make a classical ballet bun. When I was a child, my mom used to make my hair for my ballet classes and I would watch what she did. One day I surprised her by doing my ballet bun by myself. It wasn’t perfect, but it was a great achievement for my age. Here is a picture from that day.

​Step 2: Twist the ponytail and put in pins. Start twisting the hair and put it around the center making a tight circle. Then secure the twist with the bobby pins or hairpins by putting them as many as you need. To do this, open the pin and then make sure the pin grabs part of the hair from the twist and goes straight in the head. If the dancer feels a constant pain when the pin is applied remove it and put it again until there is no pain. If you have a lot of hair you can divide the pony tale in two parts and twist them apart. Put one twist around first with pins and then the other twist.  Depending on your hair if is thin or thicker you will like to use the bobby pins to grab bumps and thin hairs and the hairpins for thicker parts.

​Step 3: Put the hair net on. Wrap the hair net around the bun to catch loose hairs. With a few twists the net should be tight on the bun and you can put some pins to secure it. You can also insert more pins around the bun to re-shape or secure loose parts of the bun.

​Step 4: Use hair spray or gel to secure hair around the face or any loose strands. This step it is fundamental for shows, but for class, do so  as needed.

​Final look!