Dance Writer Volume 1 Issue 7

AUSSIE CREATIVES BEHIND KATY PERRY WORLD TOUR AND 'DANCE BOSS' Ashley Evans and Antony Ginandjar

MARKO PANZIC MADDIE & MACKENZIE

8102 TSUGUA ,1 EMULOV ,7 EUSSI

CONTENTS

6

9

12

15

CREDITS

06 Dancer Spotlight. Marko Panzic

Editor Jessica Poulter

09 The Squared Division.

Ashley Evans talks about

creating the Katy Perry World Tour, Kesha and Dance Boss coming to Channel 7.

Sub Editor Ruth Letch

Mamma Mia Stage Production review.

12 Melbourne premiere was hot, hot, hot!

15 Bessie's Business

19 NYC: Telling Your Story: Two dancers on the power of performing. By Sandra Kluge.

21 Performance Awards: who are we kidding? By Ruth Letch.

Enhancing your performance with body 24 tension. By podiatrist Jenene Land.

27 Performance physiotherapy with Haydee Ferguson.

Manifest your vision with the law of attraction. By 29 Sian Corrigan.

Ambassador Chat

Features Jessica Poulter Ruth Letch Sandra Kluge Columns Sian Corrigan Bessie Kay Health Features Jenene Land Haydee Ferguson Platform Publisher Issuu Design Jessica Poulter ENQUIRIES Sales jess@dancewriter.com.au Editorials editor@dancewriter.com.au General editor@dancewriter.com.au @thedancewriter

21

@thedancewriter 34

@dancewriteraus

COMMENT

FROM THE EDITOR IN CHIEF

Dear readers,

Another performance that is happening at Dance Writer is the big annual charity gala event 'HER' proudly supporting

This edition focuses on one key idea, performance. How do

National Breast Cancer Foundation. This event brings the

we perform? Why do we perform? How can we perform

likes of Lucy Doherty (The Dream Dance Company), The Tap

better than before? We tackle this concept from a health

Forge Project (Jack Egan), Indefinite Dance Company (Casey

perspective; if performance is good for your body and how

Chellew), Dominique Cowden's UNDRGRND piece 'Look'

we can improve the quality of performance by adjusting

(Transit Dance) and many more. We cannot wait to blend

minor things. We also tackle performance from a

music and dance to bring you a marvelous show this Saturday

philosophical perspective; do we need to win or is a

evening.

participation medal rewarding enough? Performance is everywhere, not just in the realm of dance and on the stage,

Enjoy reading this issue of Dance Writer, it is bound to have

but in life, too. We are all performing in some way, perhaps

an article that resonates with you. I'm pleased to announce a

to make ourselves sound more accomplished than we are, or

new contributor on board the Dance Writer train, Bessie Kay,

maybe performing a smile when we need to cry. Dance can

who is our marketing specialist in dance. She owns her own

be a highly pressured environment, so do not be ashamed to

media company Created Media, plus is the host of Channel

take the time to take a breath and regroup.

Nine's Open Homes Australia. Enjoy her column, it has valuable lessons from what she has learned and discovered

Internally speaking, Dance Writer is doing some performing

along her own journey.

of its own. In January 2019, I am pleased to say that Dance Writer is launching an elite Youth Dance Company for

Thank you for supporting Dance Writer, we love to hear any

dancers aged 10-17! Auditions will take place mid-January,

feedback you may have.

where only 20 dancers will be selected to perform in two seasons per year. The Youth Company will involve the styles of Jazz, Tango, Latin, Contemporary, Hip Hop and Ballet. We want to introduce more cultural styles of dance to give our dancers a wider scope into all the possibilities of performance.

'Dance Like No one Is Watching!'

JESSICA POULTER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

The Ziegler sisters, most famous for the hit U.S television series Dance Moms, came to Australia and New Zealand last month to host a meetand-greet dance spectacular for their biggest fans, with the tour lead

by Australian renowned choreographer Marko Panzic.

BY JESSICA POULTER

TOP

AUSTRALIAN

MARKO &

PANZIC

MACKENZIE

Marko Panzic and The Dream Team featuring Alea O’Shea, Mitch Wynter, Ben Turland, Cameron Field, Cheska Gonzales and special guest Charlize Riley Glass all supported Maddie and Mackenzie Ziegler on tour. Marko hosted the Ultimate Dance Masterclass to thousands of budding dancers, which focused on performancebased commercial choreography.

“For me, it was a great time being in front of this new generation where the whole Dance Moms’ world connects to a younger audience. There are so many kids in the one room so I know the battle of teaching choreography to hundreds of dancers at once,” said Marko.

“I’m all about the performance side of dance, forcing dancers to think of why they dance.

We often get too caught up in the technical acrobatics so I really wanted to expose them to choreography that had performance and feeling—and the kids really let their guard down,” he added.

CHOREOGRAPHER

HEADLINES

MADDIE

TOUR

New Zealand was the first session of the tour to sell out. It was the first time visiting Auckland and fans left no opportunity to waste in meeting their idols.

“New Zealand was such a vibe! When we got there the energy was amazing. It was cool to witness New Zealand’s talent and like all cities, as soon as they saw the girls, I saw them fangirling hard but this was a whole new level with kids crying and screaming,” he said.

Marko choreographed all the Australian competitors’ performances, including Dami Im’s performance at Eurovision in 2016 where she placed second in the final. Marko worked on Dami’s performance skills, but when she came out on stage, he was blown away.

“Once she stepped on stage, she became this superstar, and I remember watching it thinking, ’what has happened—this is incredible!”

“It was like the Beatles for kids!”

Marko’s passion now is to work with the next generation of dancers and educate them about being supportive of the dance industry.

“To be a great dancer, you must first be a great audience member,” he said.

Marko has worked with many superstars on world tours and stage productions, but this year, he had the opportunity to return to Eurovision and choreograph Jessica Mauboy’s performance in Portugal. Even though the Aussie pop-star did not rank as highly as the country had hoped, Marko said she left with many personal wins.

“I was so proud of Jessica at Eurovision for her honesty during the performance. She grew so much as a performer after that night, which was such a win for her.”

“Otherwise, we lose that beautiful witnessing because we are on our phones so much. “Otherwise, we lose that beautiful witnessing because we are on our phones so much. When the lights go out and the first spotlight comes on, I get goosebumps and emotional. Watching dance live in a theatre is like our own church!”

TOP

AUSTRALIAN

CHOREOGRAPHER MARKO

PANZIC

HEADLINES MACKENZIE

MADDIE TOUR

“I never want that to be lost!” he added.

The Dream Dance company founder wants to build a legacy around dance and expose it to a wider audience. He admits he cannot do this plight alone and encourages everyone in dance to build a community of their own to form connections and grow the industry. “I want to keep the experience of the art of being in front of a live audience, to be respected and deserve the applause.”

“For our Australian culture, dance is a hard job in this country especially when the UK and US industries are strong because they celebrate greatness, and for some reason, in this country, once you become great, you get lost as we always cheer for the underdog,” he admitted.

“I encourage anyone out there to build a community. There is no value in it for me unless there are lots of people doing it too.

Let’s build a community that can come together!”

&

THE SQUARED DIVISION UNSTOPPABLE IN THE U.S If there is anything Australia can claim as its own success, it would be the creative pair known as The Squared Division who have worked with the most renowned and talented superstars including Katy Perry’s recent world tour.

Channel Seven’s new hit television series ‘Dance Boss’ is airing in Australia, with different industries competing against each other for $100,000. The creative directors behind this show is an Aussie pair known as The Squared Division featuring Ashley Evans and Antony Ginandjar, who now reside in Los Angeles. They spent six months in pre-production for ‘Dance Boss’ with Dannii Minogue as the host and executive producer, and accompanied by three judges revered in the dance industry; Sharni Vinson, Adam Garcia, and Timomatic.

Dannii Minogue and The Squared Division have a strong connection that goes back eight years. Ashley said they have a personal phone conversation prior to them knowing

of each other’s involvement in ‘Dance Boss’ when Ashley spoke to the executive directors and was told Dannii was not only an executive producer herself but also the host.

“I called her after I heard that and said, ‘how come you didn’t mention it?’ But, she is incredible in this role, she’s funny and full of energy, and as long as I have known her for the last eight years, she is so passionate and she really cares about what she does,” said Ashley.

permanently.

Ashley said the key to their success was due to putting themselves out of the comfort zone, quite literally.

“We were in our thirties when we moved to the U.S so it was a challenge, and we started again almost,” he said.

“We miss Australia, but opportunity over here is awesome. It is nice to grow success outside of your comfort zone,” he added.

‘Dance Boss’ is not the pair’s claim to fame, however. Ashley and Antony have worked with some of the biggest names in the world, including Kesha, Bebe Rexha, Britney Spears, Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, Nicki Minaj, Jessie J, Ricky Martin, Jennifer Hudson, Pitbull, Demi Lovato, Nick Jonas and so much more.

“We were lucky, we were already working in America with Kesha while we were living in Australia. When we moved, we landed Britney Spears in Vegas straight away. I remember thinking, ‘Wow I can’t believe this!’ We fell into this quite quickly, but we formed relationships before we left Australia.”

The Squared Division began their brand in Australia and sparked connections with artists in the U.S and U.K before they made the decision to relocate to Los Angeles

Last year, The Squared Division worked with Katy Perry on her world tour ‘Witness’, which closes this month in Australia and New Zealand.

It was an unusual beginning to the

role as the pair only had less than two weeks to write a whole show for the big boss Katy to approve.

“We had about 10 days to write a creative for the show, with 20-something songs, and presented it to her. We went back and forth, and we finally came to an agreement on what the show wanted to be,” Ashley said.

Rehearsals took four months before the tour kicked off. The choreography is very commercial jazz with clean lines, slick structures and highly original.

"I’m super proud of this tour. It is ‘The old Katy meets the new Katy’ ‘pop fashion aesthetic that we love, but also reveals her fun, crazy, wild side!” Ashley said.

“We are storytellers! We just worked on a music video with Bebe Rexha, which was contemporary based, but we are not contemporary dancers by any stretch. We have a passion for storytelling and commercial jazz is certainly our thing,” he added.

Ashley admitted that a lot of Australian dancers plan to move to the U.S to pursue a dance career without thinking of the preplanning that needs to happen.

“A lot of young dancers want to move to America, and my only advice would be to give it time, you have to build a network here.”

Mamma Mia! The Musical: Gimme, Gimme, Gimme more It may be a frosty night in Melbourne with temperatures peaking to a humble eight degrees, but inside the Princess Theatre, it is hot, hot, hot.

If you scroll down your Instagram feed, you will certainly find at least half your friends in Europe on vacation right now. If the cold is getting to you and you are dreaming about an escape, this musical has the capacity to toe-tap you all the way to the Greek Islands.

How can you resist?

A sandstone-looking set design draped in exotic vines encapsulates the stage while the overture is belting with clarity. It is a culture shock when you hear the cast members use a mixture of true Aussie or suave English accents, removing all exoticness. As Sophie (Sarah Morrison) sends the wedding invitations to her three unsuspected fathers, you can hear the audience clearing their throats for the ABBA karaoke session they are longing to have.

Natalie O’Donnell, portraying Donna Sheridan returns to the stage after playing the character of Donna’s daughter, Sophie, in the 2001 stage musical Mamma Mia! Her transition from daughter to mother is a natural and humorous one; O’Donnell still possesses the child-like quality as a mother figure particularly around her dynamos Tanya and Rosie. While Sophie—the more sensible of the two— is looking to be married at 20-years-old and have the world’s best love story. Vocality of both performers are sweet sounding, and carry the tune in similar ways to the movie rendition of Mamma Mia, rather than ABBA’s original sound. The three fathers Sam, Bill and Harry all steal the stage with their individual quirks and loveable natures, leaving you in fits of laughter.

Alicia Gardiner, Natalie O’Donnell, Jayde Westaby. Photo: James Morgan.

If you have watched the movie starring Meryl Streep, you will enjoy the symmetry between stage and screen. Audiences delight in the familiarity with the scenes and sing along to the famous hits.

A show-stopping number ‘Voulez Vous’ invites the whole cast on stage to dance and sing, while Tanya (Westaby) commands the stage with her exotic routine ‘Does Your Mother Know’. Tanya (Jayde Westaby) receives an extended applause for her commitment to hit on boys young enough to be her children, while lead ensemble male dancers hysterically boogie in flippers behind her.

Tom Hodgson’s choreography certainly has a contemporary ballroom twist, embracing lots of partner work and explosive moves. Dance scenes are not as frequent as expected, but the ensemble really demands the stage when needed.

Fans of the musical are looking for the same style as the movie, which is exactly what Gary Young brings. Everyone knows the script by heart and anticipate the line to come, but it is this kind of familiarity that makes this show fun to watch. Audiences may not be dancing in the isles as such, but the incessant toetaps and the occasional shimmy are definitely in play.

Sandra Kluge NEW YORK CITY

Dancer: Parul Shah Story by Sandra Kluge.

TWO NEW YORK CITY DANCERS ON THE POWER OF PERFORMING Think about being completely mesmerised by a dance performance. The dancers draw you into their energy, bringing you on their journey of wonder and emotion. You leave the theater feeling moved and transformed.

What makes these life-changing performances so special? What turns technical steps into an expressive performance, and transforms dancers to artists? Dance Writer New York City talked to a Kathak dancer and a Butoh dancer about their secret ingredient.

Parul Shah - Kathak Dancer Parul Shah is a NYC based, internationally sought-after Kathak dancer. Having just finished a run at the New Victory Theater, Parul and her company, the Parul Shah Dance Company, create intriguing works that transcend the boundaries of traditional Kathak while honoring its roots. Kathak is a North Indian

classical dance form that tells stories through highly expressive gestures, facial expressions, and percussive foot patterns.

She studied extensively with guru Padmashree Kumudini Lakhia in India.

Therefore, Kathak also includes dances that do not tell a specific Hindu story, but rather emphasise a mood, an abstract expression.

Concentrating on choreographing and developing her own performances, Parul noticed she was stepping outside the traditional realm. Parul describes, ‘It was not a conscious effort to change the movement, it was a conscious effort to tell stories’. Her technique moved ‘outside the parameters of Kathak’. She realised that, ‘It’s about being able to express what you want to express, not being limited to a certain technique’.

While it is important to study technique in any art form, it is not enough to just execute it perfectly. Parul believes, ‘You need to go beyond technique to make it express something, to make it a value for yourself and the audience. You cannot be an artist with just doing your technique. Technique [alone] is void of expression. You can’t tell someone else’s story. You have to tell your own story’. Even when dancing traditional material, ‘You have to tell it in a way that is personal and relatable to you’.

Interestingly, Kathak has more room for improvisation than other Indian classical dance forms because of its eclecticism.

Throughout history, it has been exposed to influences such as Islamic themes from the Mughal era, and British colonization.

Parul is passionate about conveying social messages through performance. To her, art is a means of social activism, with human rights a central topic in Parul’s works. Her current piece deals with women facing inequality, an issue she feels and fights herself.

Yokko. Photo by Vanessa Teran.

TWO NEW YORK CITY DANCERS ON THE POWER OF PERFORMING Telling stories that are congruent with her identity and life-view enables her to infuse emotional integrity and power. ‘Art creates a sense of empathy. If you have a story, if you know the past and present of the character, you empathise’. That is what makes art so powerful, ‘Empathy leads to productive change’.

Yokko - Butoh and Theater Artist/Actress/Yoga Instructor Yokko is the artistic director of the New York City based Butoh/theater company Ren Gyo Soh whose work Shinka - A Story of Living Beings is currently being shown at the Flamboyán Theater in NYC. Butoh is a form of Japanese dance theatre. Also known as the Dance of Darkness, it was founded by Tatsumi Hijikata and Kazuo Ohno after World War II in an effort to break taboos and create a dance form for Japanese bodies. It channels earth energy with

movements close to the ground and motives of dancing in, appreciating and connecting with nature.

Yokko got into Butoh while studying at the University of Oregon. She faced deep internal struggles while learning this art form.

According to Hijikata, Butoh is about the expansion of the human ideology, letting go of ourselves completely so we can be ‘a balloon, insect or animal’. Yokko explains ‘It’s always 100 percent, there is no kind-of’.

While, in Western dance, technique usually comes before expression, in Butoh it is the reverse. It is an internal image guided towards the outside. It is listening, letting the body move you. Images such as walking on a razor blade or a bug biting you create strong emotions that are then expressed outwardly.

In order for it to reach the audience and make them feel, it must be real.

Yokko says Butoh is for all humans. ‘Everyone has a completely different definition, their own Butoh’, she says. Her works combine

Hijikata’s methodological and Ohno’s intuitive approaches with her very own voice.

She creates a transformational and emotional experience, ‘Sharing is important. The performers are going through a real experience. Butoh means experiencing something together’. Most importantly, Yokko finds that ‘Whatever works, works! If it is good it is good, if it is not good it is not good. The audience doesn’t care what kind of craft you’re using’.

Her current production Shinka - A Living Being explores ecology and environmental awareness. ‘As humans, we forget that there are other living beings, animals, flowers, trees, insects. We forget the sun is right there. The sun doesn’t need us to exist, but we need it to live. It is like not appreciating our health until we get sick.

We can learn a lot from nature’.

Ruth Letch

PARTICIPATION AWARDS: WHO ARE WE KIDDING? Excited groups of kids sit cross-legged on the gymnasium floor, faces expectant as the coach gives their end of season speech. Hopeful dancers stand demurely on stage, nervously awaiting competition adjudication. Some will win, some will lose. At that moment, they await the onslaught of emotion. Will they feel happiness and pride or frustration and disappointment?

As parents, teachers, and coaches, we worry about our kids’ feelings. We hug and commiserate when they are hurt and we joyously embrace their celebrations. But we also understand that happiness and sadness, winning and losing is part of life and that learning to deal with these emotions is an important skill to develop.

So, what is the role of the increasinglypresent participation trophy? The medal awarded just for being part of a team.

The ribbon presented for performing a competition solo which is not good enough to place. Are they really necessary?

Everyone has different talents. In the words of a fellow mum and primary school teacher, ‘It’s important for kids to know that they can’t be the best at everything and to give the kids that shine the opportunity to do so.’

And, children do know. They are well aware who scored the most goals, who performed the best routine, who ran the fastest and got the highest mark. Even in junior footy where scores are not displayed, the players always know who won the game. Kids realise who deserves an accolade. Giving everyone a participation medal does not change this.

Children recognise when token gestures are made. Out of curiosity, I ran a quick poll during my son’s basketball training. According to one 13-year-old, ‘No-one wants them, they are just a reason to get teased.’ Another rolled his eyes, ‘No-one ever posts a participation trophy on Instagram.’ They are, generally speaking, happy to see a fellow player rewarded for success, and do not feel the need to receive an award just for being part of a team. With the right mindset, experiencing so-called negative feelings of jealousy or disappointment can lead to consequences. Peter Caspersz, a basketball coach with forty years’ experience says, ‘If you worry about protecting how the kids are feeling now and don’t allow them to have negative feelings, then they won’t be able to cope in the future.’ He believes that participation trophies reward mediocrity and is concerned that, ‘if they don’t experience failure and disappointment, they won’t strive for success. If kids don’t make mistakes, they won’t have the opportunity to learn.’

Disappointment can be a marvelous impetus to strive for success at the next opportunity.

There will be many children who rarely, or never, receive an award. In sport and dance, as in life, there are only a few who are the ‘best of the best’. For everyone else, receiving a participation medal is simply a token reminder that they played that season or entered that competition.

One parent I spoke to commented that he prefers to acknowledge his children’s involvement in their representative sports team by the annual professional team photo. He much prefers spending money each year on such a memento – which celebrates the team as a whole – than if his children are given a participation medal at the end of the season.

Belonging is the ultimate reward for our kids.

Recognition that being part of a team, a school, a wider community where kids are supported, encouraged and taught to be resilient and self-sufficient is so much more important than receiving an award. The friendships made over shared passions, the memories of ‘that time when...'

These are the experiences that will stay with our kids, long after their participation trophy has been thrown in the bin.

BY RUTH LETCH

Bessie's Business

DANCE MARKETING IS MORE THAN ‘5, 6, 7, 8’ To my dear maths teacher in the class of ’99,’ I’m proud to announce the time has come for young dancers globally to finally have a use for mathematics and all those numbers and symbols after 5,6,7 & 8.

It was a long journey and multiple notes home to my parents regarding my lack of interest in the subject, but today I look to you Mrs Hamond and I say thank you. You’re the bomb!

I am urging the creative youth of today to re-entertain the idea of falling in love with mathematics. Why? Two reasons.

Dancing and being creative is fun, but it is also really expensive. So if you want to stand a chance in this industry and potentially make it your career, it is time to get smart and learn business skills to help you save and make money. The second reason is that making dance your full-time career will most likely require you

to learn how to market yourself on social media. My favourite point to speak about in this department is the 80 percent / 20 percent rule, which I will explain in a moment.

Cue those calculators and let’s go! Let’s focus on the latter reason first. The topic of social media and young people are discussions often raised. Should our youth be fixated on social media? Are young people obsessed with seeking approval online?

Is social media safe for youth? Is it emotionally and physically damaging? The list of concerning questions go on, and so it should.

I personally believe social media for young people, generally speaking, is an unsafe space if used naively. There are creepy people out there who do terrible things and they are unfortunately targeting youth online.

However, it’s not going anywhere any time soon and used the right way it can actually open fantastic doors and opportunities.

If you are a young dancer or creative looking to establish yourself in the industry, there is an element of needing to have some sort of profile. Profiles are encouraged so agencies and brands can find you and connect with you easily. You can start to establish a following or audience to expose your talent to for future work and connections.

It’s important to know that if you are under 15 and have an open and public profile, you need to take the right steps to maintain your safety.

1. Keep your posts clean and wholesome 2. Never direct message people you do not know.

3. Never use silly Instagram apps that give you thousands of followers instantly (Instagram is working to eradicate these companies) 4. If you are under 14-years-old, consider giving your parents your login. They need to make sure you are okay online.

Bessie's Business

DANCE MARKETING IS MORE THAN ‘5, 6, 7, 8’ If you’ve already taken those steps and ready to commit to helping your profile prosper and thrive, then back we go to the easiest and first rule of thumb in social marketing 80 percent / 20 percent. What this means is making sure the content you are posting is 80 percent entertaining and only 20 percent promotional. The people following you are engaging in social media purely because they want to be entertained, not sold.

Keeping this knowledge at the forefront of your social post choices, here is a list of great ways to keep your video and photo content engaging and entertaining while selling your brand simultaneously.

• Post a behind-the-scenes look into your world in the industry: To you the BTS of your show, concert or filming might seem normal and mundane, but to others viewing your content who normally only see the finished product of your art form, this angle is quite interesting and definitely entertaining.

• Post a How-To Video: Perhaps a timelapse video showing how to achieve a certain move or look. People love seeing the process of how something is created.

• Show your audience who you really are: Do not be afraid to be authentic. If there is something on your heart you truly want to share, then share it! It may inspire someone that day and the truth is you are in a creative industry that is built on inspiring people.

• Share random tips: Periodically post a random tip or trick your followers would find useful. Hint keep these tips related to your brand essence. For example, stretching tips, or how to pack the perfect bag for competitions.

• Share a helpful resource: Do not be afraid to direct your audience to other people’s valuable content (not just your own). It most likely is useful information that your followers would appreciate.

• Instagram Live: If you have not tried a live session before, give it a try in the right environment. Suggestions include at the end of a rehearsal, at a dance concert, or at the end of a photo shoot. Live video is a time when you can chat with your audience, really engage with them and even answer some of their questions.

The first time you do it you may feel like a deer in headlights, but soon into it, you’ll realise that

people you know are wanting to be apart of where you are. It’s a great way to interact with your audience, answer some of their questions and even establish safe social media connections.

• Showcase your skills: You are a dancer and that means you have skills! The world wants to see those skills and that talent is the reason you are wanting a profile to start with right? There are only so many nice selfies a person can like. So instead of posting a generic picture for the sake of posting constantly, try sharing a routine or something that shows you doing your thing and in your element. That is worth a like!

A quote that resonates with me is, “No one is you and that is your superpower.” When you are choosing to be a creative in this very public online world at a young age, remember who you truly are. Stay committed to being authentic and try not to be sucked into the world of comparison, judgment, and fear of rejection. Instead, realise you have something very special to share. @bessiekay

Sian Corrigan

MANIFEST YOUR VISION WITH THE LAW OF ATTRACTION Is law of attraction a real thing? I’d heard about vision boards helping to keep you on track of reaching your goals, but I threw the vision boards in the too-hard basket. ‘What a waste of time,’ I thought as a busy high school student and dancer. Little did I know that the law of attraction and vision boards would lead to my dream job.

Vision boards are a collection of images of an individual’s goals. The idea is by looking at these images every day, you are saying to the universe that this is what you want.

This whole thing is based on the Law of Attraction; the concept of ‘like attracts like’.

It is referred to in this way many times in Rhonda Byrne’s The Secret, which is largely responsible for bringing the law of attraction to a mainstream audience.

I believe if you send positivity out into the world then, generally, you will receive positivity back. Similarly, if you have negative energy, you will probably have a bad day.

Why? When I discovered that this was the law of attraction in action, the idea of a vision board began to make sense.

My first vision board began with a cookbook.

Written by an extremely successful nutritionist I greatly admire, she spoke about vision boards being ‘magic’ because everything she put on hers had somehow manifested, including a really hot husband. It sounded pretty good to me!

Hot husbands aside, her story was intriguing. If someone so successful believed in vision boards, then why shouldn't it work for me? My career was at a bit of a stand-still following an injury, so I knew I had nothing to lose. I immediately created a board filled with photos of everything in the dance world that I aspired to; inspiring performers, shows I wanted to be in, dance movies I love (yes, Centre Stage did make an appearance). My first vision board was one big mess of hope, inspiration and love.

It worked! Looking at the photos made me feel excited; it reminded me why I chose dance for my life and career. Amazingly, almost everything I visualised on that board came into my life that year. Not always exactly how I imagined, nonetheless, they manifested.

Vision boards work because your goals are

constantly at the forefront of your mind. You are reminded of how passionate you are, what you are working towards, and those days where you feel hopeless become few and far between. It makes your dreams more tangible because they are right there, staring you in the face.

You still need to work hard and set realistic goals. Yet, I also believe there is magic in vision boards. Last year, I put a picture of an Eiffel Tower next to the name of a company I wanted to work for. At the time, it thought it unlikely that I’d work in Europe, but I put it there to inspire me. A few months later, I was offered a contract to live in Paris and work for that company. Coincidence? I prefer to think that a vision board magic is 70 percent hard work and 30 percent fairy dust, (or some sort of weird universe voodoo).

Maybe not everything is in our control.

I urge you to give it a go. The worst that could happen is that you end up with a creatively decorated piece of cardboard. The best…well, who knows what the universe has waiting for you!

Happy Dancing xx @siancorrigan

Haydee Ferguson

PERFORMANCE PHYSIOTHERAPY Whether a dancer is commencing a new show, training for a competition or preparing for an exam, they consistently place significant demands on their bodies. Dancers are exposed to multiple physical risks during every performance. When working as a member of a touring company, or travelling as an independent artist, dancers face a diverse set of challenges as they move between different roles, venues and performances.

Conditioning—Keeping up a consistent conditioning program helps to maintain fitness.

Pilates and yoga keep your core and deep stability muscles working correctly while creating the opportunity to connect with your body and correct any technique issues, or muscles imbalances, that may develop from repeated repertoire work. Walking, cycling and swimming help maintain cardiovascular fitness, important for sustaining energy levels while performing.

Seeking medical advice can be extremely daunting, particularly if you are working in a foreign-speaking country, or one without the benefits of the Australian health care system. Taking the time to prepare your body in advance can make an incredible difference in awareness, strength, stamina and endurance, as well as reduce your likelihood of injury.

Nutrition—Fuel your body with a balanced diet of fruit, vegetables, whole grains, dairy and protein. When you are travelling, cooking and storing foods can be difficult but, where possible, avoid fast foods and find fresh food options at local markets.

Strategies to self-manage your physical health: Warm up—Always create time for an adequate warm up. Focus your thoughts and get into a clear headspace. This helps to settle any nerves and ensure your body is thoroughly prepared before every performance.

Self-Management Plan—Develop a selfmanagement plan with your physiotherapist or health professional. A physiotherapist can help you understand what your body is telling you through tightness, stiffness, pain or instability, and give you the tools to keep your body moving from day to day. They can also develop an appropriate conditioning program for the roles you are dancing. Many physiotherapists now conduct online appointments so it may be possible to organise regular catch-ups while you are away.

First Aid—Pack a personal first aid and conditioning kit to help you take care of any minor injuries such as splinters, floor burns, mild sprains or blisters.

Spiky massage ball Theraband Soft Pilates ball Adhesive bandages of various sizes and shapes Elastic compression bandage Blister pads or second skin Sports tape Kinesotape Antiseptic cream Arnica massage cream Instant heat/ice packs Scissors Tweezers Sleep—Get plenty of sleep. This can be difficult if you are changing time zones, have late night performances or long days of travel. Without adequate sleep, your body does not recover and recharge properly, leading to overuse injuries, fatigue, poor concentration and increased chances of accidents when performing.

Follow these simple strategies to decrease your risk, manage any minor injuries and keep your body working at its best.

Jenene Land

COMBATTING MUSCLE FATIQUE Your dance teacher asks you to hold to an arabesque for sixteen counts. Your leg muscles are becoming so tired and heavy that it is hard to sustain the line, and your leg drops lower and lower. In the mirror, you see the dancer next to you holding their leg position with little apparent effort.

How do you combat muscle fatigue to achieve a continually strong dance performance?

Body tension is the key. Learning to use your entire body, muscles working together, to hold your position. Connecting your toes to your fingertips with the correct muscle tension.

Simply put, our bodies consist of bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments, internal organs and nerves, which all receive blood via our arteries and veins. But it is the fascia – dense, fibrous connective tissue that covers and integrates with muscles, bones, nerves and blood vessels – that enables our bodies to work as a complete unit, rather than individual mechanical systems.

While you are standing still, your muscles and fascia continue to work against gravity and are not ‘switched off’. Body tension is created by stimulating and activating the fascia, thus building a dynamically suspended appearance to our limbs. As a dancer, it is an important concept to grasp. Utilising body tension will further progress your dance performance because your movements will show more grace and emotion.

So, how do dancers and teachers develop body tension?

For example, when raising a dancer’s leg in arabesque:

Basically, imagine your movement extending beyond your physical body, projecting to reach the audience members. I learned by visualising light shooting from my fingertips, then progressing to further imagery for different muscles.

Apply these three simple concepts:

- Imagine that the working leg is being lifted by a continuous stream of bubbles flowing along the leg and being released into the air at the tips of their toes.

- This higher the leg is lifted, the more bubbles are released.

- Make sure the bubbles flow over the knee by keeping it straight and in line.

Imagery from within: useful when trying to achieve the feeling of a movement that is coming from the inside out, understanding joint dynamics or where the energy originates.

Allows you to feel movement in your bones, muscles and alignment.

The bubbles suggest weightlessness, the continuous stream indicating the amount of energy required for sixteen counts. I imagine releasing as many bubbles as I can; the more I lift my leg, keeping it in line and straight, the more bubbles are released where I want them to go.

Imagery from an external source: best when describing an experience as an image.

To focus on body tension, imagine:

Mental stimulation: mentally recreating all aspects of the performance including physical movement, emotion and environment.

To help a dancer create their desired performance effect, show how a movement should look and provide a verbal description of the feeling and imagery associated with it.

Keep it simple, dynamic and focus on the positives of the imagery. It is important to use the music’s rhythm and apply the right amount of intensity and quality in the movement.

- Pushing the big toe of the standing foot into the ground and drawing energy up out of the foot into the dancer’s core.

- Then, split that energy to equally travel along the working leg, as well as through the torso and out their fingertips.

There are many ways to use body tension and imagery to achieve a better dance performance.

Different explanations will work for different people. Understanding how your body functions and describing what you are aiming to feel will assist you to move beyond the steps and into performing.

ASHLEE AYLWARD HIGHEST SCORING TEENAGE SOLOIST ACROSS MANY COMPETITIONS At just 17, Ashlee Aylward has a dream of being a professional jazz dancer, which looks more likely after receiving the highest ranking score for her solo at Jump Dance Challenge this year.

Ashlee Aylward’s hard-hitting Jazz Geisha doll inspired routine, choreographed by my teacher Miss Samantha Pulvirenti, received a Platinum Gold at Showcase Melbourne Regionals last year and scored the highest at other competitions in 2018 alone.

This Wangaratta powerhouse dances at Pulsate Dance Force where she trains in all styles of jazz, lyrical, contemporary, ballet and hip-hop. Her favourites are lyrical-contemporary and jazz because of the expression and storytelling associated with the styles.

“I have always been a shy person. Dance gives me the chance to not be so shy, embrace the stage and let it take me on a beautiful journey,” Ashlee said.

“When I perform, I can express myself in ways where I am not scared to let people see the real me.”

Ashlee is grateful for the opportunity to win at Jump Dance Challenge, after years of sweat and tears.

I feel extremely privileged to win Jump’s highest-scoring soloist. It is great to be acknowledged for my hard work and training over the years!”

Ashlee sees herself in a full-time dancing establishment working to be a professional performer. She has already begun her elite training by participating in summer and winter programs at various institutions including youth extension training at Transit Dance, performed in Grounded Battle of the Arts in Melbourne in 2016 with Katrina Pulvirenti and 2017 with Courtney Hales and received a call back for the upcoming film Ned Kelly.

Ashlee continues to work on her craft at her local dance school to be the best dancer she can be.

It is amazing to still have the continuing support of those who were my true inspirations from a young age and who have always believed in me and my potential from the very start! Big shout out to my teacher Miss Emily Oates,” she smiled.

JUMP DANCE CHALLENGE WINNER ALANAH DOUGLAS’S PERFORMANCE IS AWE-INSPIRING

14-year-old Alanah Douglas won the overall heat of Jump Dance Challenge after beating many talented dancers, despite having asthma.

“I have had to overcome this with different asthmatic strategies, including taking a preventer every single day, twice a day. In addition, I also need to take Ventolin before performing,” she added.

The Michelle Slater Performing Arts dancer has been learning to dance since she was five-years-old. She spends hours a week in the studio working on her ballet technique and jazz repertoire. Alanah competes in solos regularly in various styles and recently competed in the Jump Dance Challenge heats, where she scored the top prize in her age group.

Her asthma does not stop her from training hard and reaching success. Alanah has performed in professional productions including Sleeping Beauty: A Knight Avengers Tale, produced by Bonnie Lythgoe as well as applying herself to various extension programs.

Alanah recently made it through to the finals of the Ballet Teachers Workshop in Victoria. She competed against dancers from the Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School, The Australian Ballet and other ballet-focused schools.

“Winning Jump actually feels amazing. The routine I performed was a Broadway jazz solo that I’ve actually had for a few years now. So it’s a routine that I’m really confident with and therefore I can just really put my heart and soul into it,” Alanah said.

Alanah’s triumph in the dance world is all the more heroic as she suffers from asthma. In November 2016, Melbourne was hit with a major thunderstorm and Alanah was rushed to hospital due to breathing difficulties. She had not known or suffered from asthma prior to being in hospital, but it has taken her time to adjust her lifestyle and take Ventolin daily.

“It is much better now, but it is still a big challenge for me, particularly when I perform high intensity routines,” she said.

“It was a major highlight for me to make finals. I go to a studio that is predominantly known for its theatrical training, yet we also receive amazing ballet training. So being able to demonstrate this was quite an amazing experience and something I will remember for a very long time!”

Alanah looks up to her dance teachers with high regard. In particular, Michelle Slater and Kathryn Trapani are her biggest role models and have shaped her to be a great dancer.

“Without Michelle and Kathryn, I would not be the dancer I am today.

They know my strengths and weaknesses and push me every day to be a better dancer.”

Ambassador Chat For the months of June and July I travelled to Croatia on a family holiday. It was an amazing trip and I learned so much about the Croatian culture. I was able to meet lots of my cousins. We stayed with family in a place called Ivanovac. They live a life of farmers and it’s so different from our lifestyle. I also visited Zagreb, Plitvice Lakes National Park and travelled to lots of cities on the Adriatic Coast. I am now back at dance and soon will be performing in the Dance Writer Gala. Can’t wait!

Tiana Bilos

For the months of June and July I travelled to Croatia on a family holiday. It was an amazing trip and I learned so much about the Croatian culture. I was able to meet lots of my cousins. We stayed with family in a place called Ivanovac. They live a life of farmers and it’s so different from our lifestyle. I also visited Zagreb, Plitvice Lakes National Park and travelled to lots of cities on the Adriatic Coast. I am now back at dance and soon will be performing in the Dance Writer Gala. Can’t wait!

Tiana Bilos

This month has been relaxing and super busy at the same time.

Now that we are back into the swing of dancing we have been rehearsing and practicing for the Dance Writer Gala and are really looking forward to the day of the performance. During the holidays Shania and I had a super time rehearsing with the very talented Brianna Taylor- The highlight of our month. I am also very excited to share that the Studio 7 catalogue is now out and we are very honoured to be featured in it. We look forward to August, Shania and I are very proud to be a part of the National Breast Cancer Foundation fundraising effort and we are thankful to Dance Writer for the opportunity. I have no doubt that our small contribution will go a long way in helping change someone’s life.

Olivia and Shania Nugara

July has been another hectic month! My school musical “Seussical” took to the stage for 6 sold out shows. I was beyond excited to get a chance to sing, dance and act for the first time.

I’ve learned so much the past 5 months about live performance and it has only strengthened my love of performing. The rehearsals for the HER gala continued including my solo piece which has been challenge mixing hip hop with a little jazz/tap flavour. I’ve enjoyed every minute! Looking forward to being part of the HER gala and raising funds for NBCF. Lucas Faundez

The month of July has been jam-packed having an amazing time in the production of Ne Roi Selection with Ken Ludden. I was honoured to be part of my first proper production with Rainer Krenstetter and Emily Bromberg from Miami City Ballet. I was also thrilled to be presented with my medals for receiving Honours with Distinction for my Ballet and Tap Exams.

I love being part of The Dancewriter and can’t wait for our GALA on the 4th August ‘HER’ to raise money for NBCF.

Ambassador Chat This month we have been very busy preparing for our first competition of the calisthenic year which is tomorrow! I am so so excited to finally get back on the stage and show everyone how hard we’ve been working! We are in championship reserve this year, competing in 5 competitions overall. I cannot wait for the challenge to see what the other teams will bring, it’s always exciting always going up against other teams!

I can’t wait!

Emily Ryan

I always get nervous before the show but once I’m on stage it all goes away. A lot of the time I start over thinking about what will happen once I’m on stage. Will I forget something? Will I mess up?

What will I do wrong You can’t think that way. You have to hold your head high and believe in yourself because once you do that you won’t mess anything up. I love to dance because I love performing and just moving to the music. No matter what place you come in the competition you’ll always be a winner because you’re doing what you love.

Hayley Ellis School Holidays went by so fast. I was so grateful to have been part of the Act Now Speak Later workshop, fundraiser and Ambassador photoshoot. It was so much fun. Jess Bowen is a clever girl and I love her inspiring attitude toward everything she does with dance! It feels good to be part of something so special and contribute to it’s success. I feel so honoured to also be part of the Dance Writer Team too and can’t wait to dance with everyone on August 4th dancing to raise money for Breast Cancer. I love doing these things. It feels good to do what I love making a difference by helping raise money for Cancer. I hope to see you all there.

Ashley Siketa My holidays were filled with lots and lots of dancing! I had so much fun doing dance competitions and meeting new friends and getting to catch up with friends while doing it, and I was very happy with my achievements. I was also busy with Dance Writer rehearsals preparing for the gala! I had so much fun doing the Jump Dance Challenge ambassador photo shoot and it was so good to finally get to meet everyone! The highlight of my holidays was probably traveling to Shepparton with other Dance Writer ambassador, Lani for jump dance challenge! That was definitely my favourite comp of the year so far and I had so much fun with Lani and her sister.

I had a great time catching up with old friends and making new friends at the competitions recently. We are very lucky to have so many well organised eisteddfods. Any prizes awarded to me were just an added bonus. Rehearsals are under way for our charity gala “Her”. This event means a lot to me, as my Nan passed away early last year from breast cancer. My Nan was one of my biggest fans. I will be thinking of her and the rest of my family.

Lara Green

Maddison Bowly

Ambassador Chat Finally the day arrived. The day I would be performing in Masters of Choreography "Shakespeare & Tragedies" Senior Showcase. I was ready to give it my all after months of rehearsals. I was part of this professional show that I had watched in awe from the audience two years running! I stood side stage in my giant light up skirt ready to dance perfectly for the opening number. The theatre was full and the atmosphere was electric. The show was breathtaking and I finished the night on a high. I loved every moment and would do it all again in a heartbeat. A big thank you to Nic McGuire, Gulcan Gulen for believing in me and to Masters of Choreography for putting on a great show!!

Ayshia-Mila Stromei

This month I have had the amazing opportunity to train for the Dance Writers gala that is supporting the National Breast Cancer Foundation. So far I have learned so much about the importance of being supportive and how the power of dance can and fundraising influence someone’s life. I believe that this experience will not only be fun and an amazing dance opportunity but will help someone in need. This gala will be a fantastic performance; bringing many dance schools all over Victoria together, I can’t wait to meet everyone.

Felicity Palma

July has been amazing. I loved being apart of Sleeping Beauty with all the brilliant cast and crew. I also had the wonderful opportunity to be apart of Jojo Siwa’s Australian Tour. I danced and modelled her latest range of clothing and accessories at Eastland. There were 15,000 people there which was super exciting. It was the best fun to be able to share the experience with some of my amazing dancing friends. I felt very lucky.

Daisy Boo

I'm having so much fun working hard at dancing in preparation for the concert! I'm looking forward to performing at my dance concert as well as the charity gala ‘HER’ coming up very soon. It’s always great to have a performance to look forward to! Can’t wait to get in that stage! So happy to have raised $270 to The National Breast Cancer Foundation. A very worthy cause! Can’t wait to see you all at the Gala!

Scarlett Brumby

This month I have been really busy with Alchemy intensive, Dance Writer rehearsals, a photoshoot for ANSL and comps. The Alchemy intensive went for 3 days and I had a great time preparing for our show in September, I can’t wait to perform! I also went to Jump Shepparton with Maddie. We had a great time dancing and we can’t wait to perform our duo at the Dance Writer Gala raising money for the National Breast Cancer Foundation. Its also been great learning new solos and troupes at CPD and I’m looking forward to our Dance Prescription mid year showing. What a busy but fun time!

Lani Hirst