I, (we) started out as dancers first. I was the first at age 3 and my sisters followed shortly after. We started out at a dance studio not unlike most dance studios you will encounter and then after a couple years moved to a different kind of a dance school. It was called "Broadway Rhythms" and it's where we learned everything we know today, not only about dancing but about performing.
We didn't perform recitals like most dance schools, nor were we forced to take a particular level of dance based on our age/grade. We performed on streets at different fairs and festivals, at nursing homes and even inside the Crayola Factory on a number of occasions. We'd perform a variety of dance styles paired with Broadway hits, old standards and popular music. We would also always get the audience involved. We had a couple numbers that our teacher choreographed simply so that we could get some audience members on stage and they could follow along. Our shows weren't just a group of people dancing on stage or on the street, they were an experience for everyone watching.
The way our teacher (Roger) taught his dancers was also different than most teachers. He would throw whole routines at us in one class and expect us to know it when it's time to perform it. We had no choice but to step up to the plate and train our brains to pick up the steps fast and be ready to perform the dances. This is where we learned our method of teaching. When we teach a dance for one of our productions we don't waste any time. We spend less time teaching so we have more time to run the dance and make it perfect and ready to put on stage. We expect all of our actors to do whatever they can to know what they need to know and be ready to perform it when it's time. If you expect more from your students or cast members they will rise to the occasion and not want to disappoint.
Roger also taught us how to choreograph. We choreographed our first dances with him and he'd give us tips on what to improve, what to change, what flows. Our current style of choreography can partly be attributed to the dances we did with Roger. His choreography has a style and stands out from other choreographers. The times when he's seen dances we've choreographed he's said how much he sees essence of his style, which is a compliment! We've taken what we've learned from Roger and morphed it into our own style of dancing which is really neat. People who have worked with us have also told us that we even have different choreography styles from eachother.
I know I speak for my sisters and brothers when I say how thankful we are to Roger and "Broadway Rhythms" for everything he's taught us and being a part in shaping who we are today as dancers, choreographers and performers. Our methods are ones reason people have told us they enjoy working with us. We've taken all of the experiences we've had over the years in theater and dance and formed a system that is new and different and works for us :)
Until next time..
LEAVE IT ON THE DANCE FLOOR!
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