21.07.09 / Ballet, Dance, Dance Education, Dance Studio, dance class, hip hop, jazz dancing, singing lessons / Author: webmaster / Comments: (0)
I know, I know it is still 110 degrees and we are in the middle of summer, but as you know fall school time is just around the corner. The truth is – the early bird gets the worm – or in this case, the early bird gets the best choice for dance & music lessons. 
Act now and schedule ballet, hip hop, piano, voice, guitar…..for all your children at the same time, same location!!
Our mission is to provide exceptional performing arts education for your child and service like no other for you. Visit our website www.wagnerdance arts.com and pre-select all the extra curricular activities beginning from age 2. I believe you, like hundreds of other parents, will be extremely pleased with Wagner Dance & Music.
Still not sure? Visit our testimonial page and see & hear for yourself why so many east valley families choose Wagner Dance & Music for their performing arts education. We have many families who have had their children enrolled in our performing arts studio for 5, 8, & even 10 years! We must be doing something right because they keep coming back.
If you have questions, you can call the studio at 480-892-7179, or better yet, stop by for a visit. We want to meet you and your talented young performer!
06.07.09 / Ballet, Dance, Dance Education, Dance Lessons, Dance Studio, camp, dance class, hip hop, sing / Author: webmaster / Comments: (0)
Every little girl loves to dream, they love to imagine, they love to create.
This week we are hosting Princess Fairy Camps, and wow!, the dreaming is big! Our little dancers are having so much fun dancing and singing in the Princess Fairyland and our tea parties are to die for! The children are learning to dance like no one is watching and to sing like someone IS listening.
Wearing a tiara and spinning with your magic wand is an experience all little girls want – after all, we were princess born and we are elegant and presentational by nature. Why not develop those natural born talents and become a crown wearing, wand carrying, dancing beauty?
At my studio, Wagner Dance Arts, our heart is that all little girls who want to dance should have the opportunity. We know we can’t reach every little girl, but we are starting in Gilbert and spreading to the entire east valley. To celebrate the greatness of each little girl, we have a special JULY PRICE for our dance camps.
So, get those kids out of the sun and into their princess wear for an afternoon tea party and a ballroom of dancing and singing – they will absolutely LOVE to be at our studio. We guarantee fun and education!
Please stop by and visit or call us at 480-892-7179 and let your child dream!
01.06.09 / Ballet, Dance, Dance Education, Dance Studio, dance class, hip hop, summer camp / Author: webmaster / Comments: (0)
Rhinestones, tutus, and sequins make our recital atmosphere elegant and charming. This year’s recital is especially entertaining and energy levels will be at an all time high! Let me help you get the most out of your dance recital experience – if you are volunteering to be one of our backstage MOMS – WE LOVE YOU! Here are some tips for outstanding backstage a success:
1. DO have your dancers be quiet. One of the most unprofessional things your dancers can do is make noise backstage during the performance.
2. DON’T let your dancers touch the props backstage. Whether it is a folding chair or a part of the scenery, don’t let your dancers go near any props. Even the props for your child’s dance group should be passed out just prior to entering the stage.
3. DON’T dominate the dressing room. Your group will be sharing a dressing space with other performers. There will be Ballet Dancers, Hip Hop Dancers and many others getting ready for the show. Follow the Golden Rule and treat others and their belongings with respect. Never move someone else’s stuff without asking.
More Backstage Etiquette coming…..ON WITH THE SHOW!!
20.04.09 / Audition, Ballet, Dance Education, Dance Studio, dance class / Author: webmaster / Comments: (0)
In celebration of National Dance Week which is April 24 through May 3, let’s enjoy more dance quotes from famous movers who helped bring the world closer to dance. Enjoy….
Movement never lies. It is a barometer telling the state of the soul’s weather to all who can read it. -Martha Graham
Dance is the only art in which we ourselves are the stuff of which it is made. -Ted Shawn
Learning to walk set you free. Learning to dance gives you the greatest freedom of all: to express with your whole self the person you are. -Melissa Hayden
It takes an athlete to dance, but an artist to be a dancer. -Shanna LaFleur
If you want to dance seriously, do. You must think about it day and night, dream about it,–desire it. -Christa Justus
The dance is the mother of the arts. Music and poetry exist in time; painting and architecture in space. But the dance lives at once in time and space. -Curt Sachs
People tend to look at dancers like we are these little jewels, little cardboard cut-outs, and yet we have blood and guts and go through Hell. Susan Jaffe
Someone once said that dancers work just as hard as policemen, always alert, always tense, but see policemen don’t have to be beautiful at the same time. -George Balanchine
The trained dancer must not only have grace and elegance, but also the leap of an Olympic hurdler, the balance of a tight-rope walker and panther-like strength and agility. -Camilla Jessel
At my studio, Wagner Dance & Music, we celebrate dance and other performing arts every week. Check out website:www.wagnerdancearts.com for the latest dance education events. On May 15 we are holding Auditions for our Dance Elite Performance Team. We want talented dancers ages 5-18 to join in the fun and create and awesome, amazing dance experience.
See You At The Studio – Denise Wagner, Artistic Director
19.04.09 / Audition, Dance, Dance Education, Dance Lessons, Dance Studio, jazz dancing, singing lessons / Author: webmaster / Comments: (0)
At my Dance & Music studio I am often asked questions about various styles of dancing. Dance is a lot like music in that the styles sometimes melt into each other and the detail of each discipline is not always seen by the novice performer. Here is a list of Jazz Dance Styles – this list will help you choose the style best suited for you or your child.
1. Classic Jazz: A blend of traditional dance elements that link together. Dancing over and between the downbeats of the music is a key technique. The style uses grounded positioning and various dance disciplines. This approach to dance was developed by early innovators of this classic style. Jack Cole, Gus Giordano, Bob Fosse & Luigi are famous for bringing Jazz dancing to the audiences and moving this style to the forefront of dance education.
2. Lyrical Jazz: A fluid style that blends movements from American modern dance, classic jazz, and European classical ballet. Also called, “Contemporary”, this style interprets lyrics through choreography. The performer has freedom of expression to interpret the style of music. This is a very popular style of dance seen at performances & competitions.
3. Musical Theatre Dance: A stylized form of dance that uses music, movement, comedy & narrative to support its style. A character is often portrayed as this style is used in Broadway Shows and other staged events. Also known as song & dance.
4. Hip-Hop: A huge umbrella term for many styles of dance. Also known as street dance, this style incorporates popping, locking, and break-dancing (old school). A mixture of movements from anywhere, anytime are known as, “new school”. Popular music (rap, funk, rhythm & blues, techno….) are incorporated to produce this ever popular folk dance.
At Wagner Dance & Music, we offer all these dance styles, and many more. Come and explore the world of performing arts and be prepared to, “bust a move.” Audition on May 15 for our Dance Elite Performance Team. See you at the studio!
By Denise Wagner, Artistic Director
14.04.09 / Ballet, Dance, Dance Education, camp, dance class, sing, summer camp / Author: webmaster / Comments: (0)
I chose this picture to go on my Dance and Music blog because these children are gifted dancers and teaching pre-school dance fascinates me. Young children have their own special rhythm as they are not yet influenced by rules of movement. It always amazes me to see talented children both young and old learning how beautiful they can dance. Dancing becomes a part of their life!
This Summer I will unleash the hidden talents of all children who attend the Fairy Princess Camp & the Teacup Camp at my studio.
Summer is long and hot in Arizona, and parents – you have a choice. You can keep your child at home doing what they always do, you can drag them to a babysitter they don’t like, OR – BETTER, YET …
Sign up for Dance Camps and let your child learn to SING, DANCE, and PRODUCE a show for you! Kids who study the arts have more confidence and develop appreciation for performance. Visit my website www.wagnerdancearts. for more confidence building ideas. Dance like a child and bring Summer to Life!
Denise Wagner, Artistic Director
30.03.09 / Audition, Ballet, Dance, Dance Education, Dance Studio, recital / Author: webmaster / Comments: (0)
By Denise Wagner, Artistic Director
Dancers, here is a tip for you.
To learn developpes devant, lie on the floor on your back with your legs crossed as though your feet are in fifth position and with both feet fully stretched. Draw the working foot through coup-de-pied to the passe (retire) position. Then, leading with the heel, extend to attitude devant, returning the leg to fifth position by reversing the movement. Practice developpe to second from this position as well. It is easier to feel the correct position of the hips.
Now, if you are not a classically trained dancer, I realize you don’t know what I’m talking about. Let’s just say, “It sounds French to you”. As you know, classical ballet is taught in French. At my studio the ballet instructors use the Vagonova technique and they produce beautiful dancers with strong technique. You can visit us online at www.wagnerdancearts.com and get more information about Ballet training. We also offer everything from Jazz, Hip Hop, Tap…you name it. We even teach 3 year old combination classes!
Now, back to your tip –
Tip #2 for developpes
Once you are strong enough to perform a correct developpe (lifting the leg higher than 90 degrees and maintaining proper turnout), you can do the same exercise while standing. Be careful not to lock the hip when passing through passe position. Use the inside thigh muscle while unfolding the leg. Lift the leg smoothly. Flexibility, control, and strength are required for developpes. Kicking the leg high – like in the Rockettes, kick line – is easy, maintaining a high leg – not so simple.
Make sure you are training with educated, qualified instructors. To learn from the best, visit my website and we’ll see you in class!
Happy Dancing!
27.03.09 / Audition, Ballet, Dance, Dance Education, dance class, recital / Author: webmaster / Comments: (0)
by Denise Wagner, Artistic Director
I often think about how my students take their dancer identity into the world beyond dance. Dance students at studios like mine are a lot like college athletes-most will become professionals in something other than dance. For most children today, dance is something they choose to explore on their way to successful careers. Few are actually fortunate enough to become professional dancers.
Even though students may not dance professionally, some part of them will always be a dancer. They will always walk and move as a dancer. Grace is very hard to unlearn. Go ahead – I dare you – try to be clumsy. It’s just not possible if you are a dancer. I remember my aging ballet teacher years after she had stopped dancing. She still radiated elegance and grace and moved like a whisper across the floor.
Grace goes deeper than the skin.
A dancer’s carriage is easy identifiable. As dancers, we experience ourselves at a deep level, and it is demonstrated in our sense of who we are. It’s not just the training our bodies never forget, it’s the discipline and purpose with which dance is learned that leaves a lasting impression. We simply do not clunk through life, we dance through it!
One day I as I watched my students put on their street shoes and head towards the door, I realized that they are leaving with a set of skills that go beyond a simple plie or grand jete. They are carrying with them something rare and precious – the gift of dance.
Join me at the studio and give yourself or your child a gift to cherish – DANCE! For more information email me at info@wagnerdancearts.com.
Happy Dancing.
25.03.09 / Ballet, Dance, Dance Education, Dance Lessons, recital / Author: webmaster / Comments: (0)
by Denise Wagner, Artistic Director
At my performing arts academy, the recital is the highlight of the year.
I see the recital as an opportunity to expose my students to a part of culture they might not ordinarily experience. Kids are immersed with the music and dancing of today, why not educate and show them something different? I see that as part of my job. We live in a sporting-event mentality and it is my experience that people need and want to be educated about the theatre and its’ etiquette.
It’s typical of hip hop crowds watching dancing on the street to go into what is called, Ballpark mode with yelling and screaming throughout the kids routine. Although yelling & whistling have a place, a better way to encourage a young performer on stage is with applause and, “Bravo!” The old standard, “Break a Leg” still works as a theatre tradition.
Ultimately, the recital is a time to shine and whether our dancers are performing classical ballet, traditional tap, sassy jazz or a beautiful contemporary routine, the dancers love their audience. Being in a gorgeous theatre and being surrounded by culture and art is a new experience for many and the elegant event is magical.
It is my responsibility as a dance educator to teach my students not only how to dance but also how to attend or perform in a performing arts event. By teaching our students and their families to appreciate what they seeing, we elevate the performance to the art is is. After all, it is called performing arts and not performing sports.
Our Recital this season is, “I HOPE YOU DANCE” and you are all invited to attend the performance. Please email me if you want tickets www.info@wagnerdancearts.com. I hope to see you at the beautiful Higley Performing Arts Center on June 27 for a wonderful evening of dance.
On With The Show!
17.03.09 / Audition, Ballet, Dance, Dance Education, Dance Lessons, Dance Studio, dance class / Author: webmaster / Comments: (0)
By Denise Wagner, Artistic Director
Five Must-Do Tips for Auditions
- Learn the choreography being shown – This builds confidence.
- Use positive mental images – Imagery is a powerful tool. “See” yourself dancing
- Listen to key words – when the teacher gives information.
- Maintain a wide focus – Look around the studio, see others in the mirror. Make sure your line matches.
- Have Fun – Let the other dancers give you power!
The last tip – the fun tip - is by far the most important. The audition crew want to work with dancers who have fun while learning. When you put on that big smile and are willing to laugh at yourself – you and the other performers are exciting to watch. Dance is fun to do, fun to watch and most of all, fun to share. The more you share your gift of dance, the bigger it gets – IT’S AMAZING!
Join us for our next auditions and join the fun. We are auditioning for the upcoming season, ages 6 and up are welcome. You don’t have to have experience, but talent is a must! Our specialty is finding that hidden talent in you.
SAVE THE DATE - AUDITIONS ARE SCHEDULED FOR MAY 15!
