AboutKT Expertise I can answer questions dealing with the "how tos" of jazz, ballet, hip hop and lyrical. I can help get over creative blocks with song ideas and inspiration to help create. I can answer choreography questions and techniques to help better your dancing and/or teaching.
Experience I have been dancing for 19 years in the styles of jazz, ballet, hip-hop, and contemporary. I studied at a studio rated one of the top 100 studios in the nation, then moved on to The Ohio State University to study dance. I have been teaching summer dance camps for five years. I've been choreographing solos and group routines at a local studio and for groups in my state for three years. I have also attended numerous conventions and workshops throughout the nation. Through the winter I judge for a dance team circuit in the styles of Pom, Jazz, Lyrical, and Hip-Hop.
Education/Credentials I will soon be graduating with a bachelors degree in early childhood development and a minor in dance education.
Awards and Honors This past year I was given one of only twelve scholarships out of four hundred students from Broadway Dance Center's the Pulse.
Expert: KT Date: 4/27/2008 Subject: Getting A Feel For The Ropes
Question I'm currently in my school's production of You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown, the musical. After learning choreography, and going through the process of "building" the show, I realized how little I know about dancing. So, now I really want to learn how to be a better dancer, but I don't know where to start. I know your specialty isn't musical theatre, but some friends of mine have told me that lyrical and jazz are a good place to start. I've heard they give you the basics. Is that true? And what exactly would you learn in a typical beginners course for lyrical and jazz(I've found a class in my area that offers them combined)? And what does "lyrical" mean? And if you think they won't offer the basics is there something else you can recommend? I apologize for asking so many questions, but I really do appreciate you answering them.
Answer Hey Hannah! My specialty isn't in musical theatre but I have been involved in many musicals and know how that whole world works. I would say that the classes that would be the most beneficial to you would be a jazz class. Some places even offer a jazz/musical theatre class. Jazz dance will show you the basics of dance technique and you will see so many similarities between these classes and what you are probably learning for your show. Lyrical on the other hand is a little bit more ballet/modern based. This kind of dance is slower and based on emotion and story telling through movement. Lyrical can be so many different things but basically you can think of it as a mix between ballet and jazz disciplines. Songs used in lyrical are usually slower and have some kind of story to tell. In a basic jazz class you will learn basics in regards to the different positions in dance, technical skills like leaps, jumps, and turns. You will learn how to prepare your body to move and how to listen to beats and find musicality in movement.
I think this class you have found is a great place to start and can only help you in your musical theatre career. Best of luck and keep dancing!!
