So You Think You Can Dance

by Lydia Uncategorized
  Welcome back, Framers! Last night’s episode was even more eventful as we said goodbye to four dancers instead of two.
 

So You Think You Can Dance: Top 14

The show was kicked off with a group dance which was excellently choreographed by Stacey Tookey.  The 14 dancers performed gracefully and you could also sense a hint of darkness in their movements. After their  great performance, we welcomed guest judge Christina Applegate, and learned which six dancers were in danger  of elimination fans voted last week. These dancers were Casey Askew, Serge Onik, Teddy Coffey, Carly Blaney,  Emily James, and Jessica Richens. These six contestants would have to perform their solos throughout the night  in an attempt to please the judges one last time.

The first couple to perform were contestants Emilio and Bridget, with their fiery jazz routine. Their choreographer Ray Leeper described the dance as being a story of a demon on a mission from hell, trying to get someone to sell his soul.  Next up was Tanisha and Rudy with a contemporary dance choreographed by Mandy Moore.  The couple handles the demanding choreography excellently, even with the many challenging lifts and turns. Then it was time for Serge to perform his solo that could either save him, or send him home. His dance was full of energy, but it seemed like his technique was lacking. When we turned back to the couples, we watched Zack and Jacque‘s Paso Doble choreographed by Jean-Marc Genereux. The dance tells the tale of  a vampire (Zack) bringing Jacque back to life, with extraordinary costumes. Mary Murphy claimed that it was “love at first bite,” and the judges all wore fake vampire fangs, giving the two dancers a laugh. (excuse me, what??) Carly‘s solo was graceful and perfectly accompanied by the song “Not About Angels” by the artist Birdy.

Giving the contestants a break, two SYTYCD finalists Cyrus and tWitch talk about their involvement in the new Step-Up movie, Step-Up All In. They also talk about going from TV to film. This is tWitch’s third Step-Up movie, but only Cyrus’s first.

 

When we get back to the dancing, we get to watch Emily and Teddy perform their jazz piece. For both dancers being in danger of being eliminated, the dance seemed uncoordinated and they certainly would need to make up for this dance in their solos. Speaking of a solo, then it was Casey‘s turn to dance for his spot on the show. His dance showed off his flexibility and he performed many turns in his routine. After Casey’s solo, it was then Emily‘s turn, she performed a charming modern ballet piece that proved that she really did have what it takes to remain on the show. Playing to his strengths, Teddy hit the stage with a hip hop solo, which proved to really be his dance style. Taking a break from the solos, we turned to watch Serge and Carly’s fun quick step. The last solo of the night was a modern ballet routine performed by Jessica, to a Beyonce song. The final couple dance happened to also be one of my favorites of the entire night. Valerie and Ricky’s hip hop routine was performed to the very popular song “Turn Down For What” by DJ Snake and Lil Jon. Choreographed by ‘Pharside’ and ‘Phoenix’, the dance tells the story of a witch doctor and his voodoo doll. Their movements are sharp and remain on the music, and Valerie even manages to perform a leg wave while in a side split!

With the couple dances over, it was finally time to watch the top seven girls perform together in a contemporary routine choreographed by Mandy Moore. The girls were completely synced the entire time, and it made for a truly beautiful dance.

The dance crew Academy of Villians took the stage and completely smashed it. Choreographers ‘Pharside’ and ‘Phoenix’ are members of this dance crew, as we first learned here.

After the fantastic dance crew, we got to watch the also very fantastic and talented top seven guys take the stage with their routine by Travis Wall. This is one of my other favorite dances of the night, as it tells the story of lost souls at sea. Their movements are very wave-like and synchronized, the entire dance just proved that the men of SYTYCD can really bring it.

Once we watched all the exquisite dances of the night, we had to say goodbye to Teddy Coffey, Serge Onik, Carly Blaney, and Emily James. The judges chose to save dancers Casey Askew and Jessica Richens.

*written by our social media intern, Rachel Kaminski

Eat Well Wednesday

by Lydia Eat Well Wednesday Uncategorized

246 Healthy Recipes (That Won*t Break the Bank) Check out more pics like this! Visit: http://foodloverz.net/Easy And Simple Healthy Recipes - I've been trying to find a great 'green smoothie'. This one sounds delicious

 

Frozen Bananas 

2 bananas

1/4 to 1/3c chocolate chips

1/4 to 1/3c peanut butter

Unsweetened coconut flakes

Set out a large plate with wax paper on it. Cut up the bananas. Heat the peanut butter and chocolate chips on high for minute. stir until smooth. Dip the banana pieces in the mixture. Lay on the wax paper. Use the remaining mixture to spoon over the tops sprinkle the unsweetened coconut flakes on top. Freeze for about an hour until hardened.

 

FROZEN BANANA BITES . 2 bananas 1/4 to 1/3c chocolate chips 1/4 to 1/3c peanut butter Unsweetened coconut flakes Set out a large plate with wax paper on it. Cut up the bananas. Heat the peanut butter and chocolate chips on high for minute. stir until smooth. Dip the banana pieces in the mixture. Lay on the wax paper. use the remaining mixture to spoon over the tops sprinkle the unsweetened coconut flakes on top. Freeze for about an hour until hardened.

 

 

Southwest Black Bean Salad

 

15.5 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained

9 oz cooked corn, fresh or frozen (thawed if frozen)

1 medium tomato, chopped

1/3 cup red onion, chopped

1 scallion, chopped

1 1/2 – 2 limes, juice of

salt and fresh pepper

1 medium avocado, diced

Combine items in a large bowl. Squeeze fresh lime juice to taste. Marinate in the refrigerator 30 minutes.

South west black bean salad with avocado http://thegardeningcook.com/best-healthy-recipes/best-healthy-recipes-page-2/

 

Tuesday Tunes: What students like to hear

by Lydia Tuesday Tunes Uncategorized
Hey, Framers! I hope you’re ready for a special edition of Tuesday Tunes. Today, I’ll be talking about my tunes and what I enjoy hearing when I’m dancing. 
 

Tuesday Tunes: Rachel’s Tunes

As a dancer, of course I have my own musical preferences when I take class. Normally in a class you can’t just pick your own music to dance to, so you’re using the music that your teacher provides. Dancing to music you enjoy always makes those everyday classes even more fun than they already are, or even give you that extra kick of energy at the end of class. Here’s some bands I always love to dance to.

Bastille

 

Phantogram

 

 

Lo-Fang

 

 

The xx

 

Have fun listening!

*by Frame Dance Social Media Intern Rachel Kaminski

Frame Dance Children’s Ensemble

by Lydia Uncategorized

lydia with littles“Let us first teach little children to breathe, to vibrate, to feel, and to become one with the general harmony and movement of nature. Let us first produce a beautiful human being, a dancing child.”

— Isadora Duncan
This 2014-15 school year, Frame Dance will offer a modern dance ensemble for 7-9 year olds.  We’re calling them the Little Framers, a cohesive education of modern dance technique, rehearsal, and performance. They will be dancing alongside the professional company.  The year will conclude with an opportunity to perform with Frame Dance. Little Framers will learn how to work technically in a studio, cooperate, and collaborate in a rehearsal like professional dancers do, and dance in a new piece with the professional company. Fall 2014 – Spring 2015 Thursdays

3:30 – 4:30pm

Teacher: Lydia Hance

Classes will be Thursdays, September 11 – November 20 and January 15 – April 30.  No class March 19 (Spring Break).  We will follow all HISD weather closings.  All classes will take place at Vitacca Dance Project, 2311 Dunlavy Street, Houston TX 77006. The studio is upstairs, parking is on the street or in the lot on Fairview.  Frame Dance Productions is thrilled to be the Resident Company at Vitacca Productions & Company.   Space is very limited. Click here for application materials.

In January, the project will open to students ages 10 through 16, adults, and seniors.  Contact us for more information.

At the Creative Core of Frame Dance We value the process of making art.  We value people making art.  We value challenging ourselves.  We value playfulness.  We value dance as a way to connect with people.  We value working with the community.  We value collaboration.  We value hard work.  We value paving our own paths.  We value using technology, not ignoring it.  We value making Frame Dance events fun and social as well as artful.  We value the creative community’s contribution to the quality of life and the local economy.
Frame Dance exists to help people in Houston and beyond discover the power of dance and movement to communicate, inspire, and connect to the world and others.  We believe community collaboration, artistic collaboration, and technology are the secret ingredients of our craft today, and are completely necessary to expose contemporary dance to more people in our society.

So You Think You Can Dance

by Lydia Uncategorized
 SYTYCD_Google_ProfileHey, Framers! Are you ready for another exciting recap of So You Think You Can Dance?
 

So You Think You Can Dance: Top 16!

Once again, this exciting episode was kicked off with a group dance choreographed by Mandy Moore. After their contemporary routine we discovered which six dancers were in danger of elimination. Those dancers were Bridget Whitman, Marcquet Hill, Brooklyn Fullmer, Serge Onik, Tanisha Belnap, and Zack Everhart.

The first couple routine of the night also happened to be the first Bollywood routine of the season. Valerie and Ricky’s high-energy routine was exhausting!  Bridget and Emilio hit the stage with a contemporary routine–my favorite. Their dance was choreographed by Travis Wall, telling the story of people moving from their pasts and memories and embracing change. It felt like Bridget and Emilio were truly connecting with the dance, and that made for a very moving piece.
The next pair of dancers made an impressive match for the last dance. Tanisha and Rudy took the stage with confidence and flexibility as they performed their hip hop routine which earned rave reviews from the judges.

Next up was Jessica and Marcquet with their foxtrot, that turned out to be less impressive than the previous performances. They looked awkward throughout the dance and judge Nigel Lythgoe even commented that it made him feel “uncomfortable.”
Afterwards, Carly and Serge took the stage with a contemporary dance about desire. It was simple, but it also required a lot of skill.

Emily and Teddy also displayed their talents in their colorful Salsa, demanding many challenging lifts.

My favorite choreographer (remember who?) was back with a jazz routine choreographed for Jacque and Zack about rekindling an old flame.

The last couple to dance was Brooklyn and Casey with their hip hop routine. Even with their high energy, there was obviously no connection or feeling from the dancers.

After the couples were finished with their routines,  they were split evenly into groups. The first group had Brooklyn, Casey, Emily, Emilio, Tanisha, Serge, Valerie and Zack. Sonya Tayeh choreographed a very intense dance for the first group. It was a story of wounds how they are expressed from us externally.

The next group’s dancers were Bridget, Marcquet, Carly, Ricky, Jacque, Rudy, Jessica and Teddy. The choreographer: Travis Wall. This dance successfully told the story of outlaws escaping the city, with the sharp movements and aggressive nature.


After the fantastic contemporary dances, the talented Lucy Hale performed her new song “Lie a Little Better.”  View the dancer’s profiles! View Dancer’s Profiles Here!

marcquet-hill-bio-374x452 brooklyn-fullmer-bio-374x452After the performance, we said goodbye to dancers Marcquet and Brooklyn.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*by Frame Dance social media intern Rachel Kaminski

 

Knocked up and dancing

by Lydia Uncategorized

Our last writer on MFA Monday, Amanda McCorkle, wrote that she became pregnant 3 months after she graduated with her MFA.  Amanda = Heroically Brave.

As a woman, I frequently get a question that goes something like this *with slightly squinty eyes panning the head left to right trying to decipher me*:

“so when are you planning to have children…oh I guess you are waiting because of your dance…dancers must have children late….are you having children late?” 

Then I will respond, slightly baffled, with “Well, that’s sometimes tr–”

The follow-up response puts them into one of two camps.

Camp 1: “oh– (realizing the invasiveness of the question) well, you’re still young.”

Camp 2: “people are having children later and later, I’m sure you want to maintain your body because you can only dance so long”

At that point I usually have my Resting B@&*# Face on, but ever the educator, I shift to positive language and attempt to redirect the conversation as quickly as possible.  He/She (usually she) is just curious and trying to figure me out.  It’s lovely that she’s taken an interest in me.  And if I’m being honest, I’m really sensitive to language and tone.  I accept that.  It’s the complexity of the situation that I’m frustrated with.  I then attempt to answer and educate my interviewer by storytelling with examples of women who have succeeded from all angles.  Children, no children, children early, children late, curious, open and lead-strong women who have lived in community and connection with others (via parenthood, friendship, marriage) allowing people to impact and affect who they are.

I have found some great resources on dance and motherhood.  Check them out here:

Baby on Board— teaching dance while pregnant

Two Career Dancers on Pregnancy

Working Mother: Jennifer Ringer

Beautiful photos of pregnant ballerina

So You Think You Can Dance

by Lydia Uncategorized
Welcome back to our So You Think You Can Dance recap!  The Top 18 faced off to keep their spot on the show.
 

So You Think You Can Dance: Top 18 Eliminations

The top 18 took the stage as black and white chess pieces in a very futuristic dance choreographed by Academy of Villains dance crew members Christopher “Pharside” Jennings and Krystal “Phoenix” Meraz.  We then learned which six dancers are in danger of elimination: Bridget Whitman, Emily James, Jourdan Epstein, Emilio Dosal, Teddy Coffey, and finally Stanley Glover. 

The first couple up was Jacque and Zack with a jazz routine. The two dancers seemed uncomfortable at the start of the dance, but their energy really built up throughout the the performance. Jourdan and Marquette took the stage with their contemporary piece about a couple that was trying to disappear. Choreographer Dee Caspary remarked that connection was important in the dance, even though that’s exactly what seemed to be lacking from the dancers. Finally the energy level was up again with Jessica and Stanley and their wild jazz routine. Their magic carpet ride inspired dance truly sent them flying through the air gracefully. Next up was Bridget and Emilio with a lively jive! This jive was seamless and impressive as it was accompanied by the popular song “Happy” by Pharrell Williams.

Teddy and Emily took the stage with a passionate contemporary routine. Teddy, even with only a hip hop background. Hitting the stage next, was Brooklyn and Casey with their high school prom inspired jazz routine. It was cute and full of energy! The standard for grace and elegance was set with Valerie and Ricky’s waltz. The choreography for this dance was set by season 3 winner Lacy Schwimmer. Carly and Serge’s hip hop routine was full of suspense and drama with their sharp movements and skeleton costumes. Finally finishing up the couple’s dances was Tanisha and Rudy with an impressive  Broadway routine that incorporated canes that were twirled and spun by the dancers.

A Great Big World performed their hit song “Say Something” and after the performance we said goodbye to dancers Stanley and Jourdan.

* by Frame Dance Social Media Intern, Rachel Kaminski

Why I Practice Yoga

by Lydia Uncategorized

or, how the creative process is much like my yoga practice

Making art is hard. Every time I finish a piece it’s like putting myself under florescent lights without my makeup. For an hour.  In public.  And (unfortunately?) the most compelling work comes from the most vulnerable and complicated places.  So if I’m making something great, it’s even harder to share it.  It’s like that PediEegg scraping off the dead layers to reveal softer, rawer skin, and then letting people see the shavings just sitting there next to my foot.  But hopefully prettier.

I used to hate yoga.  HATE it.  I’m pretty sure that is mostly because it is so blasted hard.  I was discouraged by how much of a mind game it was when I was there to do something physical.  It turned out that I needed to quiet my inner monologue (dialogue?).  I have a very strong inner critic.

Making dance is 98% process and 2% performance. It’s just so fleeting.  I often hear my colleagues talk about “post performance blues.”  And it’s so very real.  We are shoved into the studio by a desperate need to create something, we put forth unedited ideas while our inner critic steps in making us feel inadequate and ill-equipped.   We hone, question, ask people to tear holes into the work, and move through a cycle that often looks like this:

relief that thing in us is now out of us in some sort of physical form,

burst of energy from the thrill of doing what we love the most,

speculation of the work,

vulnerability in asking for help with the work,

confidence,

doubt,

confidence, doubt, pleasure, doubt,

rejection of the work,

breakthrough,

START OVER (any number of times),

appreciation for the work,

utter fear,

performance/opening/premier etc.

We spend most of our lives in this process, in its exquisite pain, and then we birth it.  That lasts sometimes only a few hours.  And then it’s over.  Over.  Over.

If I’m being honest, and if I were to let my inner critic run wild, my yoga practice mirrors my creative practice.  My instructors consistently remind me that I can let it go.  It is my choice.  Class will always end in an hour, I will always get to return to shavasana, roll to my side in fetal position and reawaken to the day.  I always get to celebrate the journey I took on my yoga mat.  The difference is, I don’t have to wait months or years for a cycle of renewal and expression to complete itself.

Artists, I know how hard it is.  It can be so dark.  Find something in your life that has temporal definition. Something utterly hard that can come to an end after a short time.  We need victories more frequent than the completion of a piece of art.

Keep going.

L

So You Think You Can Dance: Top 20 Eliminations

by Lydia Uncategorized
Hey, Framers! After America watched the top 20 So You Think You Can Dance contestants perform last week, every fan has waited to see the fates of the dancers in this new episode.
 

So You Think You Can Dance: Top 20 Eliminations

 

This new episode began as the top 20 took the stage with a broadway style dance choreographed by Emmy Winner, Josh Bergasse.

 

 

Last night SYTYCD was joined by guest judge Misty Copeland, a Soloist in the American Ballet Theater.

Cat announced the six dancers who were in danger of elimination: Brooklyn Fullmer, Casey Askew, Jourdan Epstein, Nick Garcia, Malene Ostergaard, and Serge Onik. They must dance for their “life.”

Last week, the contestants danced routines of their own styles, this week they were forced to switch it up! Every dancer received a new partner, and given choreography that was not what they are used to.

Our first new couple is Tanisha and Rudy, dancing a dramatic contemporary piece. My favorite choreographer, Sonya Tayeh, is back and she choreographed a cat and mouse chase with angst and aggression. Tanisha and Rudy’s talent was an excellent way to kick off the couple routines. Next up was Ricky and Valerie with an emotional dance, that seemed to be lacking emotion. The judges also agreed that the dancers needed to put more emotion in the dance.

Join the Dance Party!

As we took a break from the couple dancing, we got to see a clip of a few So You Think You Can Dance dancers at home! This season, SYTYCD is teaming up with the video sharing app called ‘Vyclone’, to allow fans their time in the spotlight alongside their favorite contestants! Get more info here Join the Dance Party!

When we came back to the couples, we got to watch Houstonian Emilio and Bridget perform a fun and fierce hip hop routine. Nigel remarked that Emilio looked like a dancing hobbit. Next up, we’re joined by an old friend: season 2 champion Benji Schwimmer, choreographed a west coast swing for Jessica and Nick. Mary and Misty were impressed by the performance, Nigel commented that it, “didn’t feel real.” (Say that aloud with the British accent.  Just do it.)

Sonya Tayeh’s choreography was up again as it challenged dancers Carly and Serge with a story of unbreakable love, with a very fitting song, Latch by singer Sam Smith. Misty Copeland was literally wowed and Mary was brought to tears by the emotional performance. Transitioning from emotional to cute, Emily and Teddy were next with their hip hop routine. The choreography by Dave Smith was enjoyed by all three of the judges.

A dance not so loved by the judges, was Malene and Stanley’s. Their unique Broadway styled dance used phones as props, and Nigel remarked that both dancers “got the wrong number.” Jourdan and Marcquet were also given a difficult time by the judges, Misty said that Marcquet needed be less serious and change it up.

An Argentine tango sure seemed to lighten the mood, though! Brooklyn and Casey’s hard work in their tango was awarded by all the judges. One of my favorite’s of the night was an African dance choreographed by Sean Cheesman and performed by Zack and Jacque.

 

Next, the SYNCOPATED LADIES, who are part of the Dance Crew contest, took the stage to Beyoncé.

Finally, we found out which two dancers would be leaving the show. We had to say goodbye to ballroom dancer Malene and Nick.

*by social media intern, Rachel Kaminski