Ballet Techniques Uncovered

I know that this is generally a blog about freelance work as a dancer, but every once in awhile I like to include some content that I feel is extremely valuable to my readers. And this post falls right in the realm of content that is fully appropriate (and helpful) for all of you who come here for valuable information on dance.

Students at the Vaganova Ballet Academy

Over the past few weeks, I have been working my ballet-toned rear-end off to create this immense resource for anybody that is curious about the art form of ballet. On my podcast, Pas de Chát: Talking Dance, on the Premier Dance Network, I researched and interviewed experts on 7 international training methodologies in ballet technique to provide accessible information explaining the background and execution of these methods. Our contributors include the Artistic Director of New York Theatre Ballet, Principal of Ballet West Academy, Faculty at the School of American Ballet, American Ballet Theatre's JKO School, and Houston Ballet Academy, and more! Additionally, I have crossover-collaborated with Pirouettes from the Past host, Dr. Melissa Klapper, as a part of this episode series. On Dr. Klapper's channel, she talks about the history behind a few of the techniques mentioned.

So, if you are interested in learning about Vaganova, Royal Academy of Dance (RAD), Cecchetti, French (Paris Opera Ballet), Balanchine, Bournonville, or Cuban training methods, please feel free to click the links below and give these episodes a listen! Enjoy!

Ballet Techniques Uncovered (Part 1)
Ballet Techniques Uncovered (Part 2)
History of "Ballet Techniques" - Pirouettes from the Past

My 2016 Highlights - Year in Review

It has been a really interesting year for many of us here on this grand planet! Over the past few weeks, I have seen a variety of status updates wishing, hoping, and dreaming for 2016 to end as quickly as possible. Yes, there were a handful of challenging events that have taken place; from the presidential election to celebrity deaths and terrorist attacks galore. While many of these events have happened in quick succession of one another, in reality, many of them were completely unrelated to each other. I feel that people are overwhelmed by the quantity of these events and feel that passing into a new year will bring a fresh, clean slate to start anew. Although there were certainly challenges this year, there were many great things that happened for many people, including myself. And, in the spirit of the upcoming new year, I'd like to share with you my highlights and year in review. Happy new year to you all! I can't wait to see where 2017 takes us!

Danya & My Wedding Day (Photo: Emily Yamamoto)

Reclaiming my Life and Sanity:

It may sound funny, but ever since I started writing here on Life of a Freelance Dancer and saw my freelance work explode (in all of the best ways), I felt like most things that were happening in my life were out of control. My work was flying me all over the country and I was barely home for any length of time. It started to take its toll on me and, at times, I felt like I was losing all sense of self. This year that all changed. I was proactive in making major changes in my life and career that allowed me to stay home more and regain a sense of balance that had been missing in my life for nearly 5 years. I think I slept in my own bed at least half of 2016, which is a record for me at this point. Beyond that, I got to see my husband a bunch, connect with friends on a regular basis, and see my family more than I have seen them since I moved away from home in 2001. While ambition and success are important, sometimes you just need to hit the brakes and remind yourself of who you are, how you got where you are, and breathe a bit before you figure out where you are going next.

Seeing the Aurora Borealis:

Aurora Borealis swirling above Fox, Alaska (near Fairbanks)

I knew that it was going to be a great year from the start. I finished my 2nd AK-BK Contemporary Ballet Workshop program in Anchorage, Alaska around January 3rd at the beginning of the year. Immediately following my program, my Danya and our friend JRo flew up towards the Arctic Circle to spend 3 days on the side of a mountain and wait for the 4 hours of daylight to pass for us to view the Aurora Borealis. While we were lucky enough to see the magical Northern Lights the first two nights, we were gifted one of the most extravagant light shows ever on our last night up north.


Being Featured in Dance Magazine:

It was a complete and total honor to be featured in the print issue of Dance Magazine this past February. I was featured alongside New York City Ballet Principal Megan Fairchild in a piece that discussed our social media work and how we artists are finding unique ways to break the fourth wall with audiences. Thanks to this feature, I was asked to host my podcast and was later featured in April by Dance Magazine on their social media.

Getting Married: 

I've always been kind of a weirdo when it comes to following any cultural expectation, especially when it comes to babies, dogs, and weddings. It took about a year and a half of gay marriage being legalized for me to finally agree to wed my love of 11 years. We celebrated our wonderful wedding day at a historic theatre a few miles from where I was raised and were surrounded by family and friends from all over the country. And by the time the wedding day came, I finally got it! I understood why the day was so special!

Click Here to Watch the Solo I Choreographed and Danced Telling the Story of Danya and Me Getting Together

Being Hired to Teach at Steps on Broadway & Broadway Dance Center:

The screen at the front desk - Steps on Broadway

The first time I went to New York City on my own was at the ripe young age of 15 to take class at Broadway Dance Center. Eventually, under the mentorship of Bob Rizzo, at the age of 16 I started taking classes on a more regular basis at Steps on Broadway. I remember thinking what a supreme accomplishment it would be to have the opportunity to teach at these famous institutions. Beginning in January, it took 6 months of ambitious effort for them to give me a chance. But in both June and July, I realized my childhood dream of getting to teach at these schools. Now, I am on my way towards hopefully earning permanent classes and am glad to put in my time as a regular guest faculty member.

My Pas de Chát: Talking Dance Podcast on the Premier Dance Network:

As I stated above, after being featured in February's Dance Magazine, I was contacted by the CEO of the Premier Dance Network to produce and host a podcast on the largest dance podcasting network in the world. In April, I began recording Pas de Chát: Talking Dance. Getting the chance to share my voice on such a major platform has brought me an array of new opportunities. From guest interviews on the This Show is So Gay and Barretender podcasts, to teaching, speaking for the Dancers Resource|Actors Fund about Managing the Freelance Life, and more things that I can't yet discuss, I have been so grateful to have a growing number of avenues to share my art. I have never particularly wanted to be famous. But I have always wanted to be respected in my field and to feel like my knowledge and work is important and respected. Getting this nod and platform has definitely been a great push in the right direction to achieve my goals.

Getting to Sleep in My Own Bed Often:

Mmmmmmm....My Bed!!!!

This goes along with the first highlight of my year. One important aspect in reclaiming my own sanity was to sleep in my own bed more regularly. The idea of this doesn't just represent resting in my own comfort, but it also means that I got to see my husband more often and to have time to show him that he is just as important to me as my career. It doesn't matter how many times I have had to ride the Megabus or Bolt Bus back from my 2-4 weekly trips to New York City to teach, network, and more. Just getting to sleep in my own bed, cuddled up beside my Danya has been a major highlight of my year.

Taking Nancy Bielski's Class on the Regular:

One of my biggest challenges since I stopped having the option to take company class regularly was finding a ballet class that inspired me to show up every day. While I haven't necessarily been able to make it up to New York City every day this year, I have been sure to drop into Nancy Bielski's class at Steps on Broadway 1-5 times a week. A major part of my burn out was feeling like I had to go to ballet class every day, even if I felt uninspired. Well, Nancy definitely inspires me to show up, work hard, and not take myself so seriously that I cut myself down all the time. Beyond that, what is more inspiring than plie-ing and tendu-ing beside the likes of dancers like Alessandra Ferri, Misty Copeland, Diana Vishneva, professional ballet dancers, Broadway dancers, and beyond. 

Honeymoon:

View on the train from Machu Picchu

While I have gotten to travel a ton since I began my freelance career a handful of years ago, all of my work has been domestic. I'm still struggling to figure out how to find teaching, choreographic, and speaking work outside of the United States. Due to the quantity of my work and the stress of feast or famine periods, Danya and I haven't gotten to travel internationally since I left Pacific Northwest Ballet in 2011. Well, that all changed this year. Thanks to the generosity of our friends and family at our wedding, we were able to travel to Peru, Chile, Argentina, and Uruguay for the most awe-inspiring 3-week honeymoon this past September. Beyond the amazingness of seeing the clouds slowly swirl out of the ancient Incan citadel of Machu Picchu, we visited culturally rich Lima and Cuzco, grafitti-laden Santiago and Valparaiso, and the artsy glamour of Buenos Aires. I feel it is so important to travel the world and experience other cultures. It teaches us that there are so many ways that people can live on this earth. And while different, each of these ways of living is just as valid as my own.

Retirement:
 
I think a great way to end this post and ring in the new year is to discuss my coming to terms with the end of my performance career. While I hadn't really performed publicly that much since my injury with Oakland Ballet in May of 2014, I still didn't consider myself retired for quite some time. After giving myself the time to reclaim my life and sanity, I finally found the strength to announce that I have concluded the majority of my performance career. While this was difficult to vocalize publicly, it was, perhaps, the most important moment of my year. It allowed me to give my mind and body a break, while also allowing me to fully focus on the next stages of my career. Since I posted about this back in August, I have had more opportunities to teach and speak. As I head forward into 2017, I look forward to taking greater advantage of this and building my choreographic portfolio immensely.

Closing the Chapter to 2016 (Photo: JRo)

Life of a Dance Podcast Host

I feel like I'm on the verge of something big. I don't know what, but I feel like my voice is being heard and recognized in new ways throughout our beautiful dance world. And, even more important to me, I feel like I'm making a difference. As you all know, I began hosting my own podcast, Pas de Chat: Talking Dance, on the Premier Dance Network nearly two months ago. In that amount of time, I've been contacted to write articles, I was asked for an interview to offer insight for a dance book, I've been sought to teach and choreograph, and for general advice. The press keeps coming out as my producer continues adding exciting new hosts to our network. From former New York City Ballet Soloist Kathryn Morgan (who was recently featured here on LOFD) to Ballet West & Breaking Pointe star Allison Debona, American Ballet Theatre Principal James Whiteside, and new Miami City Ballet Soloist Lauren Fadeley, it is very exciting to be a part of this revolution of dance artists finding their voices!

An old pic in Huntington Beach, CA back in 2006 right after we met

I'm getting married to the love of my life on Sunday, then heading off to Alaska for my summer intensive next Thursday. While I take some time to enjoy these events, I thought I would leave you with a list of my first set of podcasts that have been released. It's a holiday weekend coming up, so be sure to download these onto your phone for easy listening while you have a relaxing lay on the beach. If you enjoy, please be sure to share, rate, and review. Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

1. Let's Meet Your Host - Just a little introduction and what Pas de Chat: Talking Dance is all about

2. Determining Your Value - An exploration on whether professional value is determined by our own feelings of worth or the influence of outside factors like rank, company, salary, etc. Listen in as I chat about looking inward at your own value and how others perception of your worth can change dependent upon multiple factors.

3. How to Choose a Show to Go See - Many potential dance-lovers find themselves nervous to purchase tickets to local dance productions, touring musicals, and more. In this episode, I discuss the best ways to go about choosing which performances may be a best fit for you.

4. Emotional Training - In this episode, I discuss the importance of developing and integrating emotional training into the world of dance. While much of a dancer's training focuses on building physicality, most programs leave out cultivating these young professional's psyche.

5. Getting Fired - In this episode, I talk about my experience getting fired from a small contemporary ballet company in Philadelphia. Listen in as I discuss this experience and chat about coming to terms with being fired from this job.

6. What Does a Choreographer Do - Many people believe that the work of a choreographer only takes place in a dance studio. While much of a dance maker's product comes to fruition in the studio, there is a great deal of effort that must take place outside of this environment to complete a true work of art. In this episode I talk about my career as a choreographer and explains the many aspects of a dance maker's job that takes place outside of the studio.

7. Education for Leadership - In this episode, I discuss the track of most incumbent directors into ballet companies in the U.S. and their lack of formal education on the administrative side of the Artistic Director spectrum. Included in this discussion are details on the recent expose in the Philadelphia Inquirer on Artistic Director Angel Corella, comparison of leaders in the ballet world to those in the business world, and conversation on education versus starpower.

8. Explaining Company Ranking Systems - In this episode, I discuss the function and purpose behind the strict structure of most dance companies and their ranking systems.

9. The Challenges of Success - It is ingrained in our culture to praise talented youth and their successes. As we have seen in popular culture, young talent rises quickly and often falls just as fast. Dance is one of few professions that is largely comprised of ultra-talented teenage and 20-something professionals working in the highest levels of their field. Success is thrilling, but difficult to maintain. Listen in as I discuss the challenges of gaining success and how it becomes exponentially more difficult to maintain with each additional achievement.

10. Rating National Ballet Companies - In this episode, I offer a break down of most ballet companies in the United States and how they compare to one another in both quality and public opinion. Sharing research on information ranging from budget, roster size, repertoire, visibility in press, and more, listen in as I explain this fluid 3-tier system of national, regional, and local dance companies.

11. Contemporary Dance Training in the US - In this episode, I discuss how contemporary dance has evolved over the past decade from both classical ballet and modern dance forms. I also share my pick of the best training and degree programs in the U.S. for anybody interested in pursuing a career or education in this hard-to-define genre of dance.

The Freelance Instructor & Ballet Master - Matthew Powell

As you all know, I have written over 150 posts featuring my experiences as a freelance artist and my analysis of the dance world. If you didn't see my post from April 15th, I recently launched my Pas de Chat: Talking Dance podcast on the Premiere Dance Network, which recently received some nice press from Dance Magazine. It has taken a lot of preparation to get this show ready and raring to go, so I reached out to some of my freelancing friends to offer a few additional perspectives on the work of freelance artists in the dance world.

Most of the material written on Life of a Freelance Dancer features the work of freelance dancers, hence the name. But there are many other types of freelancers involved in this beautiful world of dance. I recently reached out to a new friend of mine, Matthew Powell, whose dance credits include dancing with Pacific Northwest Ballet, Kansas City Ballet, and as A-rab in the international tour of West Side Story. Since retiring from dance, Matthew has taught everywhere from Broadway Dance Center to Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, worked as Ballet Master on the Golden Globe-nominated series Flesh & Bone and at Slovak National Ballet, and choreographed around the country. Continue reading below to hear what Matthew has to share about his work as a freelance instructor and ballet master. Enjoy!

Matthew Powell (Photo: Brian Jamie)

Where do you currently work?

When I'm not freelancing, I am on faculty at Broadway Dance Center and Ballet Tech. Additionally, I am permanent guest faculty at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet (CPYB), which means I travel to teach for a few days each month and teach for their five-week summer course. I offer private coaching in New York City and substitute teach at Juilliard and Peridance Capezio Center.

Tell me about your transition to becoming a full-time freelance instructor/coach.
 

Honestly, I feel like one of the luckiest guys ever. After my performing career, I moved to NYC to finish my college degree at the LEAP program, a wonderful offering through Saint Mary's College, which allows dancers to get their degree while maintaining a flexible schedule. I knew I needed a job, so I started scouring the web for any opportunity I could find. I started teaching at 19, and thankfully already had a resume to work with. I got lucky very quickly. Petrov Ballet gave me a job and Broadway Dance Center gave me a class in a tiny studio on Sunday afternoons (which has now built up to five classes a week). What I will forever love about these two schools is that they took a chance on me based off my resume alone. I didn't know a soul in NYC, but they gave me a shot to prove myself.

Matthew teaching company class at Slovak National Ballet (Photo: Costin Radu)

How has your teaching evolved over the years? How would you describe your class?

When I first started teaching, my classes were given instead of taught. I would carbon-copy the exercises I'd get as a professional dancer and spew them out to students expecting them to understand. It wasn't because I didn't care. I simply didn't know any better. Now, I look at who is in the room, I look at what I've learned, and I look for ways to help. Teaching is never solely about the teacher. Teaching, for me, is a collaborative effort between yourself and the student. By being a supportive (rather than authoritative) voice, I think you can better open their minds to accept what it is you have to give.

How do you go about finding work?
 

The early years in NYC were all about hitting the pavement. Countless answers to Craigslist postings, doing Nutcracker gigs with an encore tap number at the end set to Mariah Carey's All I Want For Christmas Is You (yes, I've been there), and literally saying yes to anything that came along. I still say yes as much as I can, but now I get to do the jobs that fulfill my soul the most.

Do you have an agent or do you negotiate your own terms? Do you have any advice for others about setting up terms/negotiating?

I don’t have an agent or manager, but it’s something I’ve just started looking into for choreographic work. I am admittedly terrible at negotiating. It's either, "yes," or, sadly, "I can't afford it." I try to do a cost/benefit analysis when a gig comes my way. This might not be what you think, however. Cost/benefit has less to do with money and more to do with life. I am not rich in the monetary sense, but I value both the art of ballet and who I am as a person very much. This is a lesson I've learned along the way. If a potential gig comes along that I feel will not benefit me as an artist and human or if I feel it jeopardizes the art I love, I will say no.

Matthew teaching at the Rock School (Photo: The Rock School for Dance Education)

Have you ever felt that you were stretching yourself too thin as a freelancer? If so, how did you resolve that?

As a teacher, as a choreographer, and as a dancer, you love what you do. But you give...and you give...and you give. Last year I gave too much. My social life, my health, and my work were taking a hit as a result. It was a huge wake-up call for me, and I started making some changes.

While it's been difficult, I've had to learn to categorize what I do as a part of my life, but not my complete life. My art and my passion is also a job, and work cannot overtake the whole of your existence. I make sure nowadays to do something for myself. Less than half an hour ago, I unashamedly left the 7:30 showing of My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2. No ballet, no wondering where the next pay check was coming from, just some time for myself. Loving yourself comes first, and I think it's important for artists to recognize that, especially freelance artists.

What has been your most challenging freelance experience?

My Wednesday work days in 2011. Hands down! I'd teach two morning classes in New York City, take a train two hours north to Fairfield, Connecticut to teach from 4-8 PM, catch the 8:30 PM train back to Grand Central station, take a shuttle train across town to the Port Authority Bus Terminal, grab an 11pm Greyhound bus to Philadelphia, get to my Philly apartment around 2:00 am, then teach from 10 AM - 7 PM the next day at the Rock School for Dance Education. I love and miss teaching at the Rock. But after a year of that, I had to make a change. It was my own fault, not any of the schools where I taught. I tried to convince myself I was invincible, and it really took a toll on my physical and mental health.

Matthew giving notes to the cast of Starz show Flesh & Bone (Photo: Starz)

What has been your most interesting freelance experience?

Undoubtedly, ballet-mastering the pole dance sequences for the TV series, Flesh and Bone. That was a first! But man, pole dancing is hard! And incredibly good for your core strength. It's also a ton of fun, and doesn't need to be a sleazy affair. It's an amazing form of exercise, and there's definitely an art to it!

Tell me about your work as a guest Ballet Master.
 

The guest ballet master side of things came about via a glorious chain reaction of events. There is a wonderful ballet guru, Jeff Edwards, who took me under his wings when I first came to NYC. He recommended me for a teaching position at Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet. Things went well there, so he put me forward to apply for a full-time Ballet Master position with Royal New Zealand Ballet. Ethan Stiefel was the Artistic Director at the time. I made it to the final round, which included going to New Zealand to interview and teach. I didn't get the job. I was pretty bummed, but went forward with life. A few months later, Ethan emailed me with an offer to guest ballet master for a few months in New Zealand. He also asked me to Ballet Master a new television show he was choreographing, which ended up being Flesh and Bone. It was a pinch me moment!

Shortly after Flesh and Bone wrapped, I headed off to New Zealand. While there, I met Daniel De Andrade, a Ballet Master with Northern Ballet. We hit it off and he invited me to Slovakia to work as Ballet Master for his first full-length commission.

What inspired you to produce your instructional ballet video, Find Your Fifth? 

While working with Royal New Zealand Ballet, I taught some outreach classes to students in the various cities we toured. After a class in Auckland, a little boy came up to me and thanked me for "bringing a slice of New York to New Zealand." On the plane ride home, I penned the idea of an instructional video shot like a Hollywood film; complete with bustling scenes of New York City and a group chat session at the end with our dancers. My hope was to give folks an idea of what it's like to live and dance in "The Big Apple." Hence, Find Your Fifth was born! We're in six countries now and I couldn't be happier. (see below for information on Find Your Fifth)

The Cast of Find Your Fifth (Photo: Shane Ohmer)

Do you see yourself freelancing forever? 

Absolutely not. I'm trying to scale back these days for the sake of work/life balance. I love my job and I love new experiences, but it's very easy for work to become all-encompassing. I'm a domestic-type by nature and I want to find a home. Also, I'm ready to put the knowledge I've gained on the road to use. With that said, I want to make sure that home I find is a right fit, so I’m taking my time. Anyone want to hire me?! 

What work do you have coming up?
 

More teaching, and more creating! I have a ballet being performed at a benefit for the United Nations in June. Additionally, I'm traveling to Anchorage, Miami, Zurich, and Las Vegas to teach. I'll also be teaching at CPYB's summer course.

Any advice you would offer for artists considering a career as a freelance instructor/coach?

I think it's all summed up with the answers above. But in a few words; don't rush, enjoy the process, and be good to yourself. Things will happen when the time is right. 

Matthew Powell (Photo: Brian Jamie)

For More Information on Matthew Powell, His Work, and His Find Your Fifth DVD:

Website: www.MatthewPowell.org

Instagram: @matchoopowell

Find Your Fifth Website: www.findyourfifth.com

Over-Promoting on Social Media

If you read my last post, you are already aware that I launched a podcast as a part of the brand new Premier Dance Network. Since that launch, I have had some very exciting things happen. At this very moment, Pas de Chat: Talking Dance is listed as "New & Noteworthy" on the iTunes charts ranking #49 in Arts and #63 in Business. We have had a few hundred downloads and I am really, Really, REALLY excited about it! Of course, I am happy to share this excitement (and continue promoting) on my social media networks; which range from Facebook (my most heavily used) to Instagram (next down the list) to Twitter (my least favorite). And, initially, I saw a mirror-reflection of my excitement in the number of likes, loves, and comments on my accumulating podcast postings. Then, perhaps, the most exciting thing of my launch week happened. Dance Magazine wrote up an article about both my podcast and my sister podcasts (which even included an image of me dancing). In my thrill and happiness, I shared this, too. As I sat back waiting for the scroll of likes to appear on the locked screen of my iPhone, nothing happened. A few minutes passed and making the assumption that there must be something wrong with my connectivity, I opened my screen and tapped on that trusty blue "F" app to see how many notifications I had. None. And nearly 24 hours since I posted, 6 likes. What happened?

I am no stranger to the string of events that happened yesterday. Each time that I have launched a new project (like this blog), I have to remind myself that there is a fine-line between sharing something exciting, using social media as a tool for promotion, and over-saturating my feed with excessive impersonal, promotional content. I have gotten pretty good at the wildly obscure balancing act that is engaging social media. But even experts like myself can fall victim to the circumstances they study and understand.

When I first started using social media back in the days of Myspace, these self-producing content systems seemed like the next best thing to living in the same house with all of your friends, old and new. It was engaging, quick, and direct. And being an artist at the young age of 21, who had lived in 5 states in 5 years as I finished out my training, it was a great way to stay in touch with my peers who also scattered across the country to pursue their passion and art. Once I got spammed off of Myspace and opened the pages of Facebook, I felt that it became even more personal. At one point, I remember watching the news and listening to a story about how social media was beginning to be used as a marketing tool for certain target markets. I remember turning to my Danya and saying, "I can't imagine Facebook becoming one giant commercial." Well, those days have arrived and passed. And for the most part, it is us every day people creating those commercials.

Today, most social media sites share two things. The, sometimes, facade of a personal connecting of people with people and the reality of providing a platform for free (or inexpensive), personalized marketing. Content is most often curated based on complex, mathematic algorithms. We are no longer connected to others and their content completely by choice, but instead see friends content strained through a network of computers that make complex, programmed decisions. Manipulating this system into thinking that we were completely in charge of what was coming to us, opened up the doors for users to see carefully curated content and marketing. Whether promoting a cause, spreading awareness of an ill friend's GoFundMe, or kick-starting a brilliant entrepreneurial idea, people started noticing that they could use social media sites to promote most anything.

I never wanted to use these web sites and apps to promote an idea, a product, or even myself. But then I found myself suddenly without a job and needed to make things work quickly. Once I came up with the idea for this blog, I reluctantly began posting my writings in my feed. I remember the first day that I introduced Life of a Freelance Dancer, I didn't have as much of a following as I do today and my posting received a small amount of excitement and attention. Over the next week, I posted about this new creation of mine, multiple times. And slowly, but surely, people that once seemed quite engaged in my daily musings became disinterested. At one point, I remember posting, "I promise that this is the last time I will promote my new blog this week, but you should check it out," and seeing a friend comment, "Oh, Thank God!" I had a feeling that I was over-promoting, but at that point I knew for sure.

What is one to do when they have a great new project and they want to garnish excitement or support from their friends, family, peers, and acquaintances? By all means, don't be afraid to promote on all of your social media channels. But remain keenly in tune with the response that you get from your networks. If your first post gets 30 likes and a handful of comments, maybe give it a day or two before posting again. If you see the number of responses declining rapidly, even to your regular, non-promotional updates, you are likely posting too often about your project. If you find that you have overreached your friend's promotional limits, step away from sharing for a few days and get back to posting personal content. Remember, like me, most of us first joined these social media networks to connect with our friends. Get back to the basics and remind your friends that they are connecting with a person, and not a business or salesman/saleswoman.

My Instagram Feed

There is no set guideline on how to promote different projects or causes that you are a part of on social media. The challenge of using these apps and networks is that you have to constantly remain aware of the reaction you are getting on your feed. Spikes in excitement don't last for long. But if you notice that the volume of likes, comments, clicks, shares, etc., that you usually get begin to fade to silence, reconsider how you are approaching your marketing and promotional techniques. Remember, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and beyond were first and foremost created to connect people to people. If you forget this idea, you may lose one of the greatest sources of support and excitement for your art, work, and self. Your Friends. While you may get a financial or career reward out of it, your dividends in friendship may take a hit. So, don't make the same mistake as I did this past week in a blind leap of excitement. Follow my simple rule for social media success. Post. Pause. Post Again. Happy social media-ing and good luck on using these amazing networks to help you reach your goals and greatest successes!

"Pas de Chat: Talking Dance" launches on Itunes

It is with incredible excitement that I share this news with you. Over the past few months, I have been working with a producer to create my very own podcast as a part of a new and first-of-its-kind network featuring dance. Pas de Chat: Talking Dance launches TODAY on itunes as a part of the Premier Dance Network. Listen in every Friday for a weekly conversation on all aspects of the professional dance world. We will be releasing 6 episodes over the next week or so as a part of our launch here (http://balancing-pointe.com/pas-de-chat-podcast/). Also, be sure to Subscribe on iTunes, rate, comment, and download our episodes by clicking here!

As host of this podcast, I will candidly share my experiences and thoughts on the workings of the dance world as I travel the globe creating ballets, teaching future generations of dancers, and performing for audiences. This podcast will premiere alongside Kimberly Falker's Balancing Pointe, Megan Fairchild's Ask Megan, and the young aspirant dancer's Becoming Ballet (currently listed as New & Noteworthy on Itunes) podcasts on the Premier Dance Network.

I just want to take a moment to give all of you, my readers, a special SHOUT OUT and a huge thank you for supporting me and reading Life of a Freelance Dancer over the past 4 years as I have shared my experiences, knowledge, and insight that I have gained throughout my dance career. Through your interest, viewership, and support, I was featured in Dance Magazine this past February alongside New York City Ballet Principal Megan Fairchild and her podcast. After reading this article, Premier Dance Network producer Kimberly Falker reached out to me seeking my insight and voice for a new show on her channel. From there, we started the process of producing Pas de Chat: Talking Dance. This podcast will not be replacing my work here at Life of a Freelance Dancer. Instead, it offers me a new platform to talk about a broader set of topics relating to dance and to gain greater exposure for myself, this blog, and the art form of dance. You will still have plenty to read on here!

Now, after months of preparation, this podcast is available for free on iTunes and on the Premier Dance Networks website (official site to come soon). You can listen to the first episode NOW by clicking on this link here! Enjoy!

LOFD receives significant mention in Dance Magazine

I began Life of a Freelance Dancer nearly 4 years ago hoping to make a journal of my journey as I entered the world of working as a freelance artist. My plan was to document my experiences as a sort of guidebook for any dancer wishing to grab the reigns of their own career away from any permanent contract work. Little could I have imagined that it would become what it is today.

I was contacted a few months back to be interviewed by Dance Magazine about my Core-ography project, but was surprised that they had a lot of questions to ask about this blog. Consistency and a massive amount of hard work does pay off. Check out this online version of the article which features both myself and New York City Ballet's (and former Ivy Smith on Broadway's On the Town) Megan Fairchild. Read about how we are finding unique new media to break the fourth wall with our audiences. Or you could always purchase this month's Dance Magazine to see it in print!