Latest / Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast / Studio Spotlight - Stage Door School of Dance

Transcript

Studio Spotlight - Stage Door School of Dance · Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast

0:07
SPEAKER_01: Have you ever wondered what goes on behind the table at a dance competition?
0:10
SPEAKER_01: Exactly what are the judges looking for anyway?
0:13
SPEAKER_01: This is Making the Impact, a dance competition podcast.
0:15
SPEAKER_01: Each week we'll cover a different topic related to the world of competitive dance, from the perspective of the judges behind the table.
0:25
SPEAKER_01: This past summer, we were excited to offer a fan favorite contest on social media, featuring the winners of the Making the Impact Awards throughout the country.
0:33
SPEAKER_01: There was some tough competition, but a winner was chosen and received the opportunity to have their studio featured on an episode of Making the Impact.
0:40
SPEAKER_01: Joining us today is Mary Giottino, owner of Stage Door School of Dance in Long Island, New York, to tell us all about the 48-year history of her studio, brag on her talented student who won the Making the Impact Award, and chat about all things dance.
0:56
SPEAKER_04: Hello everyone, welcome to this week's episode of Making the Impact.
1:00
SPEAKER_04: I'm your host, Courtney Ortiz, and I'm here, like always, with my co-host, Leslie Mueller.
1:06
SPEAKER_01: We're back for another great episode, and I'm really excited about this one because it features a Making the Impact award winner.
1:15
SPEAKER_04: Yes! I know how cool is this, y'all! I am thrilled about it.
1:20
SPEAKER_04: It's like a full circle moment with our amazing award that we give out at IDFA competitions.
1:26
SPEAKER_04: This summer we hosted a fan favorite voting contest where all of the Making the Impact winners from the 2023 competition regional season were eligible to be involved in this fan favorite contest if they wanted to be.
1:40
SPEAKER_04: And the perk of winning the fan favorite contest would be a full feature studio spotlight episode right here in season five of Making the Impact.
1:50
SPEAKER_04: And we are kicking that off with Stage Door School of Dance, who was our fan favorite winner and one of the Making the Impact Award recipients this season.
1:59
SPEAKER_04: So I think this is a great addition to our award because as many of you may already know, when we give our Making the Impact Award out at IDA affiliated competitions, it is an award selected by your IDA judges on the event.
2:13
SPEAKER_04: And as a winner, you get a shout-out on the podcast.
2:17
SPEAKER_04: But we're taking that one step further by now giving you the opportunity to be considered for a full episode feature, y'all.
2:24
SPEAKER_04: I mean, this is huge.
2:26
SPEAKER_04: I don't I I don't think that there's any other opportunity in the dance competition industry that is giving and an hour-long full interview of a studio on a podcast.
2:36
SPEAKER_04: How cool is that?
2:37
SPEAKER_01: Yes.
2:38
SPEAKER_01: I mean, and like as a business owner perspective, that's some free advertising.
2:43
SPEAKER_01: So you know, like winning this award could really get you some business.
2:48
SPEAKER_04: Totally.
2:49
SPEAKER_04: And so many people listen to this episode.
2:51
SPEAKER_04: And it's just great networking and uh another way for the word to get out about what you're doing at your studio, what's making you successful, and for other studios around the country to be inspired by your studio.
3:04
SPEAKER_04: So we are absolutely thrilled to be offering this opportunity.
3:07
SPEAKER_04: We're so glad that our fan favorite contest was a hit this summer on Instagram.
3:11
SPEAKER_04: So thank you to everyone who participated, who voted for your favorite dance.
3:15
SPEAKER_04: And I can't wait to dive in to our very first studio spotlight of season five.
3:20
SPEAKER_04: But before we do, we want to tell you a little bit about our Platinum Premium subscription, which is back for season five.
3:27
SPEAKER_01: We are super excited to include some new perks for this season.
3:30
SPEAKER_01: Currently, we have over 60 subscribers.
3:32
SPEAKER_01: Thanks, y'all.
3:33
SPEAKER_01: They're helping support our podcast for only$5 a month or a one-time fee of$60 per year.
3:38
SPEAKER_01: And we did not raise the price.
3:39
SPEAKER_01: It is the same as it was last year.
3:41
SPEAKER_01: Love that.
3:42
SPEAKER_01: So, Platinum Premium subscribers receive ad-free listening for all of season four and five, exclusive member-only access to our monthly QA episodes, free stickers mailed to you and your dancers, discounted making the impact merchandise, and a discounted online critique from only the one and only Courtney Ortiz.
4:00
SPEAKER_04: Woo, yes.
4:01
SPEAKER_04: And I've had the pleasure of watching many of our Platinum Premium members' online critiques last season.
4:06
SPEAKER_04: It was a blast.
4:07
SPEAKER_04: So send them away if you are coming back for season five and continuing to support our podcast as a subscriber.
4:14
SPEAKER_04: New for this year, for all of our returning Platinum Premium members, we are inviting you to join us on a live interactive Zoom chat where I will sit down with all of the members that participate and chat with you, get to know you, get to know your dancers.
4:29
SPEAKER_04: You can ask me personalized questions about your dancers' training, or I'll check in with you to see how the season's going.
4:35
SPEAKER_04: And you can ask questions and connect with other Platinum Premium members from around the world.
4:40
SPEAKER_04: It's such a cool opportunity.
4:42
SPEAKER_04: I'm so glad that we're adding this to the mix for our Platinum Premium subscribers.
4:45
SPEAKER_04: But we introduced it last season at the end of the season, and it was a huge hit.
4:50
SPEAKER_04: We had parents there, we had teachers there, we even had dancers attending.
4:53
SPEAKER_04: So I can't wait to get to know you all even more for some yearly check-ins, which we're going to do three different check-ins on Zoom for our members exclusively.
5:02
SPEAKER_04: One's going to be at the top of the dance season in September.
5:05
SPEAKER_04: The next is going to be after the new year as we're heading into the competition season.
5:09
SPEAKER_04: And then the third will be during competition season before the season ends.
5:13
SPEAKER_04: So I can't wait to get to know everybody on our Platinum Premium subscription.
5:17
SPEAKER_04: And for all of our annual members, we are also going to be sending a Making the Impact Care package to you.
5:23
SPEAKER_04: So if you are continuing on as a Platinum Premium subscriber, we are so, so, so grateful for your support.
5:29
SPEAKER_04: It really helps us continue to produce this podcast for many years to come.
5:33
SPEAKER_04: So if you want to learn more about what we're offering at Platinum Premium and you want to hear ad free listening for all of season four and five, head on over to our website or click the link in our show notes to register and subscribe now at ImpactDance Adjudicators.com/slash Platinum Premium.
5:49
SPEAKER_04: But before we jump into our episode this week, I can't wait to share with you one of our sponsors, and that is Young Arts.
5:56
SPEAKER_04: Young Arts is an arts organization that supports young artists across 10 different disciplines, including dance.
6:02
SPEAKER_04: Their national arts competition is open to artists aged 15 to 18 or currently in grades 10 through 12, where selected winners can receive cash scholarships, mentorships from leaders in the industry, a lifetime of professional support, and the prestigious honor of being a young arts winner.
6:19
SPEAKER_04: Competition finalists in their senior year are further eligible for nomination as a U.S.
6:23
SPEAKER_04: Presidential Scholar in the Arts, one of the nation's highest honors for high school students.
6:28
SPEAKER_04: Fun fact, I was a young arts winner in Modern Dance back in 2007, during my senior year in high school.
6:35
SPEAKER_04: Young Arts opened my eyes to so much more besides dance, and they truly helped kickstart my professional career.
6:42
SPEAKER_04: The deadline to apply for their 2023 National Arts Competition is Friday, October 13th, 2023.
6:48
SPEAKER_04: Learn more about Young Arts and start your application today by clicking the link in our show notes and visiting youngarts.org slash apply.
6:57
SPEAKER_04: Alright, Dance World, we're so happy to be back over here at Making the Impact, and we are kicking things off with our second episode of season five.
7:06
SPEAKER_04: And guess what?
7:07
SPEAKER_04: It's a studio spotlight feature.
7:10
SPEAKER_04: So our very first studio spotlight feature is here, and we are so excited to get to learn more about their studio, more about them, their journey as a studio owner, and also learn about the recipient of the Making the Impact Award.
7:22
SPEAKER_04: So can't wait to kick this off.
7:24
SPEAKER_04: And we are really excited to be introducing this into the podcast world and also into the competition world, uh, opportunities for dance studios like you out there that could potentially be one of the featured studios on our podcast.
7:37
SPEAKER_04: So thank you to everyone for your support.
7:39
SPEAKER_04: And stay tuned for more Making the Impact Awards coming your way.
7:42
SPEAKER_04: If you're attending an IDA-affiliated comp this season, let's jump on in and learn more about this dance studio.
7:48
SPEAKER_04: This is a stage store school of dance from Long Island, New York.
7:53
SPEAKER_04: And I'm excited to be here with the owner, Mary Giottino.
7:58
SPEAKER_04: Welcome, Mary.
7:59
SPEAKER_02: Hey, Courtney.
8:00
SPEAKER_02: Thank you so much for having me.
8:01
SPEAKER_02: What an intro.
8:03
SPEAKER_02: Yes.
8:03
SPEAKER_04: Oh, yeah, I know, right?
8:05
SPEAKER_04: So fancy.
8:06
SPEAKER_04: We're so grateful for you to not only have attended an IDA affiliated competition, but then how exciting.
8:13
SPEAKER_04: I'm sure you had no idea that there was even the potential to win a Making the Impact Award at that event.
8:18
SPEAKER_04: What did that feel like for you and your dancer?
8:21
SPEAKER_02: We were thrilled.
8:22
SPEAKER_02: We were shocked.
8:24
SPEAKER_02: We couldn't believe it, you know, we were so very proud, so very proud of our of the recipient.
8:31
SPEAKER_02: And as a studio, as a whole, our whole community really came together and not just voted and participated and watched the other routines and was we were following it very closely, but to to know we were chosen to also be on a podcast, that was just the cherry on top of the of the ice cream Sunday.
8:49
SPEAKER_02: That was already delicious.
8:51
SPEAKER_01: So we were honored.
8:53
SPEAKER_01: Thank you.
8:53
SPEAKER_01: Oh, excellent metaphor.
8:55
SPEAKER_01: I love that.
8:58
SPEAKER_02: Sometimes they come out, sometimes.
9:01
SPEAKER_04: I love it.
9:02
SPEAKER_04: And yes, I mean, a lot of our listeners have really enjoyed these studio spotlights.
9:06
SPEAKER_04: And I think it it'll just open up another opportunity to hear from different types of studios from different locations around the country, maybe studios that that we aren't even familiar with, that we can get to know on a different way, different leveled studios as well.
9:21
SPEAKER_04: Because a lot of the studios that we've featured in the past have been very like pre-professional level style studios that have big names in the industry.
9:30
SPEAKER_04: And there's a lot of other types of studios out there in this beautiful dance world.
9:34
SPEAKER_04: So we're excited to get to learn more about your studio, what what the process has been like, the journey has been like, and a little bit more about you as well.
9:42
SPEAKER_04: So if you could kick things off and just tell us a little bit about like your career.
9:47
SPEAKER_04: I know you've had an extensive career on the performer and choreographer side of things, being so close to New York City and Long Island.
9:55
SPEAKER_04: So if you wouldn't mind just sharing a little bit about your background, where you grew up, what your training was like, and then your career credits.
10:02
SPEAKER_02: Sure.
10:03
SPEAKER_02: Oh right.
10:04
SPEAKER_02: I'm gonna try and remember all of that.
10:06
SPEAKER_02: Okay.
10:07
SPEAKER_02: So I grew up out on Long Island here in this town.
10:10
SPEAKER_02: So I grew up in Belport, and the studio is located in Patchog.
10:14
SPEAKER_02: But 48 years ago, my parents, James and Diane, they opened a studio called Stage Door School of Dance in the basement of a church.
10:22
SPEAKER_02: And they moved out from the city.
10:24
SPEAKER_02: They had a love and passion for not just dance but theater.
10:28
SPEAKER_02: So there's a theater out here in Bellport.
10:30
SPEAKER_02: So they moved us out from the city, out to Belport, and that was really the beginning of Stage Door.
10:38
SPEAKER_02: And 48 years later, we've been in five locations.
10:42
SPEAKER_02: We started with uh, you know, 30 students, I believe, in the basement of the church with my parents.
10:48
SPEAKER_02: And uh now 13 years ago, I bought the studio from my parents.
10:53
SPEAKER_02: And like I said, five locations later, we now have just under a thousand students.
10:58
SPEAKER_02: So we've grown, yeah, we've grown so much.
11:02
SPEAKER_02: And really, I attribute that growth and that that that awareness of dance, really, to my parents and the what we were, what we were built on, which is the love of dance, the love of educating children, bringing our community together through art, through dance, through, through theater, through, through just um passion, really.
11:25
SPEAKER_02: It was like a passion-based business.
11:27
SPEAKER_02: They never went into it to really, I don't believe they went into it to make any money.
11:32
SPEAKER_02: They were just trying to find a pastime for my mom, who was like, she was a tap dancer and she needed something to do.
11:39
SPEAKER_02: So she had a real gift, and I'm so grateful because she, you know, spread that gift, not just to me and my siblings, but to thousands of people out here in our community of uh Bellport and Patchog.
11:52
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
11:52
SPEAKER_02: Wow.
11:53
SPEAKER_01: I bet y'all have so many generations of kids at your studio that dance with your parents and previous, like how do you have a ton of kids that are that are like grandchildren of people who who danced back in the day?
12:05
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, it's really the the generations are it's overwhelming, actually.
12:10
SPEAKER_02: It's it's amazing.
12:12
SPEAKER_02: We create that environment where no matter how many students we have, it really feels like home.
12:16
SPEAKER_02: And actually, our slogan is stage tour is my home.
12:19
SPEAKER_02: We we put it in our recital every year, and it feels that way.
12:23
SPEAKER_02: People are making, you know, like like all studios, right?
12:26
SPEAKER_02: It's like dance friends are the best friends.
12:28
SPEAKER_02: It's like the people you graduate and dance with are usually in your wedding party.
12:33
SPEAKER_02: They're usually the godparents of your children.
12:36
SPEAKER_02: You go through thick and thin, they're different from school friends.
12:39
SPEAKER_02: Dance friends really, we believe are the best friends.
12:41
SPEAKER_02: And the home that my parents kind of created, this dance home, it's it's so important.
12:47
SPEAKER_02: And we've really developed our programming based on that.
12:50
SPEAKER_02: We have a lot of inclusive programming and just a lot of generations of not just dancers and their parents and their parents, but now we have teachers who've danced with us, gone off and received degrees, and they come back.
13:05
SPEAKER_02: And whether it's their full-time job or not, they love they love incorporating stage door into their life uh because it does feel like that home.
13:13
SPEAKER_02: And I'm just so grateful that my parents had this crazy idea to start a dance studio, and that really wasn't a thing back then.
13:21
SPEAKER_02: Now there's studios everywhere popping up, which I love.
13:25
SPEAKER_02: I think it's just the greatest actually, because we're all doing the same thing.
13:30
SPEAKER_02: We all have the same mission.
13:31
SPEAKER_02: And that mission's important.
13:33
SPEAKER_02: It keeps it, it's that it's that North Star, right?
13:36
SPEAKER_02: It's like if you forget your why, if you forget why you've opened up a studio, why you're teaching kids to dance after school when you could be, you know, with your own children or enjoying enjoying the weather.
13:49
SPEAKER_02: Right.
13:50
SPEAKER_02: You know, forgetting that why it it kind of takes you off, takes you off uh the path.
13:56
SPEAKER_02: So I'm grateful.
13:57
SPEAKER_02: And for me, you know, back to my career and kind of how I got here, I did have a career in New York.
14:04
SPEAKER_02: And so that was so fulfilling.
14:06
SPEAKER_02: And those dreams were built because of teachers of mine that my parents would bring out and the theater local here on Long Island, allowing me to not just receive the, you know, the best training I could, but to dream big and to know that like we all have a chance.
14:22
SPEAKER_02: You know, it's like, what are you gonna bring into that room?
14:25
SPEAKER_02: And and hopefully you've trained as hard as you can.
14:29
SPEAKER_02: So it's really a cool full circle for me to be back.
14:33
SPEAKER_02: I never thought I was gonna come back.
14:35
SPEAKER_02: I never thought I was gonna own the dance studio.
14:38
SPEAKER_02: No, I didn't.
14:40
SPEAKER_02: I'm one of five kids, and we the four of us all danced.
14:44
SPEAKER_02: And two of us were professional.
14:46
SPEAKER_02: Uh, we had careers in New York, and I really just thought, A, my parents were gonna own it forever.
14:52
SPEAKER_02: It's like they're never getting old.
14:54
SPEAKER_02: They're just that's what they do.
14:56
SPEAKER_02: So it was, it was definitely um, yeah, it was really an interesting and overwhelming and incredible transition to become the studio owner and and truly to buy my parents' studio.
15:09
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, I'm I'm curious about that because like you said, I mean you I know briefly before we started recording, you said that you took over the studio 13 years ago at this point.
15:19
SPEAKER_04: And I know even just looking at some of your recent credits um in your in your bio that some of these credits are recent credits.
15:27
SPEAKER_04: So like I figured out that like you were running a studio at the same time as still doing your professional career.
15:34
SPEAKER_04: But what was that like when your parents did your parents approach all of the siblings?
15:41
SPEAKER_04: Did you express interest to your parents, like, hey, I'm ready?
15:45
SPEAKER_04: Or did they reach out to you before you were ready?
15:48
SPEAKER_04: And it was just like a waiting game of when do I feel ready for that?
15:51
SPEAKER_04: I'd love to hear about that.
15:52
SPEAKER_04: Because I think that there are a lot of people in a similar position around when it comes to taking over studios.
15:58
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, that's a Courtney.
16:00
SPEAKER_02: It's like you know me and all of us.
16:03
SPEAKER_02: It's like you know us.
16:05
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, it's so okay.
16:08
SPEAKER_02: So you kind of when your parents own a dance studio, you like I said, A, I just never thought they were gonna retire.
16:14
SPEAKER_02: I was like, oh, they'll do this forever.
16:16
SPEAKER_02: But then B, when you have siblings and your siblings all dance because that is our daycare, that is our preschool program, that is our after school everything.
16:24
SPEAKER_02: If you want to be near your mom, right, you go to dance.
16:27
SPEAKER_02: So there were there were a couple of us that really my parents had talked to.
16:32
SPEAKER_02: It wasn't just me and I um, they were very quickly to say no.
16:37
SPEAKER_02: They're like, no.
16:37
SPEAKER_02: A lot of my siblings then went on to like they have an education degree and they're they're teaching in public schools, which is incredible.
16:44
SPEAKER_02: And one of my sisters became a producer and a writer, and she creates a lot of a lot of shows that travel on cruise ships and all across all across the country.
16:54
SPEAKER_02: So she was very, very invested in that.
16:57
SPEAKER_02: And to be honest, at the time I was working on Billy Elliott, which was about a five-year job, and I was the resident choreographer on Billy, and I was working with children.
17:08
SPEAKER_02: That was all I did for years.
17:11
SPEAKER_02: I was training and and um getting these children up to the level to do such a difficult show every single night.
17:20
SPEAKER_02: And in that training, I realized there was a moment, I don't know where I was, but there was a moment where I was like, this is this is what owning a studio would be like.
17:29
SPEAKER_02: This is it.
17:30
SPEAKER_02: Right now I have, I think I had, I don't know, 16 kids in in my show.
17:34
SPEAKER_02: I mean, at once over the years, many, many kids went through Billy Elliott.
17:38
SPEAKER_02: But at the time, I, you know, I was working so hard, training them, and then feeling that overwhelm emotion to watch them on opening night, to see that Billy like achieve all of his all of his dreams that night, and down to the ballet girls and the Michaels, and these are all characters in our show.
17:56
SPEAKER_02: And I was feeling like a proud, you know, I was feeling like a proud teacher.
18:01
SPEAKER_02: And I've worked on a lot of shows with a lot of kids, but this moment, this show at that time in my life when my parents were desperately trying to find a way out, and really none of my siblings were interested.
18:16
SPEAKER_02: So the thought at that time of it, you know, just going into someone else's hands, someone that wasn't a Giatino, not that it, not that it would have gone into like, you know, uh, someone completely off our mission and values.
18:31
SPEAKER_02: There was a lot of great teachers at the time who probably were interested.
18:35
SPEAKER_02: But when my parents came to me, it didn't quite feel like the right time, Courtney, to be totally transparent.
18:41
SPEAKER_02: It was not exactly the perfect moment, but I had a lot of perfect aha moments in that in that final year where I thought, you know, these aren't even my kids.
18:54
SPEAKER_02: I've trained since they were two.
18:55
SPEAKER_02: And I feel such pride because of how rigorous this process is and how difficult this show is and how demanding it is.
19:02
SPEAKER_02: And I was feeling just so connected with these kids and so connected with the show and so connected in just, yeah, the celebration of seeing children succeed, working hard and finding success.
19:16
SPEAKER_02: And it doesn't have to be a professional Broadway show.
19:19
SPEAKER_02: I mean, so anyway, for many years I taught at my studio.
19:23
SPEAKER_02: I I really taught throughout my whole career in New York.
19:25
SPEAKER_02: So I would go back and forth and really teach.
19:27
SPEAKER_02: So I thought, you know, this, this, I think I can do this.
19:30
SPEAKER_02: I think I can make this work.
19:32
SPEAKER_02: And um, and that is how, and now, thank God, I've I mean, I never would have wanted to stay in New York and would just rely on that for my whole life and not have the impact that I've had and the kids that I've trained and the parents that I've staged or has been able to connect, who've made best friends, and you know, it's just incredible to see just that seed gets planted, it blooms, and then people just get to receive the gifts ongoing and ongoing.
20:03
SPEAKER_02: So do you very grateful.
20:05
SPEAKER_02: And so do I, yes.
20:07
SPEAKER_02: It's every day I walk into the studio, I I just think, wow, this is a gift.
20:12
SPEAKER_02: This is really a gift.
20:14
SPEAKER_02: And um, I'm grateful.
20:15
SPEAKER_01: I'm very grateful to my parents.
20:17
SPEAKER_01: That's that's so cool.
20:19
SPEAKER_01: I mean, I just love I love that they were able to find this new owner in you and you've just taken it to such, you know, great heights in that like, you know, we know a little bit about your program, but can you tell us a little bit about what you offer at your studio?
20:33
SPEAKER_01: And like you said, not everybody has to go on to be in Billy Elliott on Broadway.
20:38
SPEAKER_01: So who who else do you train besides kids who do absolutely go on to be on Broadway?
20:44
SPEAKER_02: Yes, we train, you know, we we've got a very strong and I'm very proud of our recreational program.
20:52
SPEAKER_02: We have a studio that every child feels a part of.
20:56
SPEAKER_02: Every child feels like they are shining like a bright star.
21:00
SPEAKER_02: We do not put the main focus on our company, our dance competition teams.
21:05
SPEAKER_02: They get a lot of attention, but it is not the main focus.
21:10
SPEAKER_02: So I'm very, very proud.
21:11
SPEAKER_02: I'll just start recreationally.
21:13
SPEAKER_02: We have a strong rec program.
21:15
SPEAKER_02: We have a very strong theater dance program for all of our child, you know, teen kids who love doing their high school musicals and theater, whether it's community theater or our professional theater here in town.
21:29
SPEAKER_02: So we offer a Broadway program, a Broadway ballet, Broadway tap, Broadway jazz, Broadway lyrical, where we're really like, that's the music we're playing.
21:37
SPEAKER_02: Those are the combos we're giving.
21:38
SPEAKER_02: Although it may not be original choreography because some of these dancers are coming to it because they're, you know, their singing coach or their acting teacher or their high school drama, you know, producers, like, you know, you should take dance class.
21:52
SPEAKER_02: So we have a strong program there, and we have an incredible we dance program.
21:57
SPEAKER_02: It's an all, it's it's a fully inclusive.
22:00
SPEAKER_02: Dance program for children of all abilities.
22:03
SPEAKER_02: And that started actually 14 years ago.
22:07
SPEAKER_02: And we started with three students.
22:09
SPEAKER_02: And now we have over 50 differently abled students who participate in this program.
22:16
SPEAKER_02: And yes.
22:17
SPEAKER_02: So that is really cool.
22:19
SPEAKER_02: And then just another program within that whole rec program that I'm proud of is our crew.
22:26
SPEAKER_02: We have an SDSD crew.
22:27
SPEAKER_02: And what that is, is dancers who want to go to a dance competition, participate in two local competitions at a novice level.
22:35
SPEAKER_02: We require, you know, three classes a week of their choice.
22:39
SPEAKER_02: One of those is a competition class.
22:41
SPEAKER_02: And this year we are including our Wii dancers.
22:44
SPEAKER_02: So we we have a Wii Dance crew in addition to our tap crew, our jazz crew, our hip hop crew.
22:51
SPEAKER_02: And then of course, we have a very talented dance company, our elite program.
22:57
SPEAKER_02: We have about 85 students in there, and they compete four times a year.
23:02
SPEAKER_02: They're performing throughout our community.
23:05
SPEAKER_02: They're taking, you know, lots and lots and lots of dance classes.
23:09
SPEAKER_02: And many of them want to go off and pursue a degree in the you know in dance indoor musical theater.
23:16
SPEAKER_02: And then, you know, hope to have those big dreams come true in New York, which we love encouraging.
23:22
SPEAKER_02: And I bring out a lot of teachers for them in the scene, you know, so they're they're learning from some of the best.
23:28
SPEAKER_02: And um, yeah, and then we have a program that leads into that program, a select program.
23:33
SPEAKER_02: So those are for kindergarten to second graders, and they are selected from their recreational classes.
23:39
SPEAKER_02: We put them together, and that feeds into our elite company.
23:43
SPEAKER_02: So lots of programming, lots of lots of opportunities for all dancers to feel, you know, to feel amazing, because that's what dance makes us feel amazing.
23:54
SPEAKER_04: The program that you just mentioned that leads into the competitive program, the kindergarten through second uh grade.
24:01
SPEAKER_04: Are those dance so you said those are dancers who are dancing recreationally?
24:06
SPEAKER_04: And are they dancers that you see something special in them or the potential in them to take this to the next level and maybe they're not even aware of?
24:16
SPEAKER_04: Or is this like mom is like, I will do whatever it takes for my kid to become a competitive dancer type of thing?
24:23
SPEAKER_04: Because it sounds like they have to be kind of selected for that opportunity.
24:26
SPEAKER_04: Or is it an audition-based?
24:27
SPEAKER_04: Like, how does that, how does that work for them?
24:29
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, great question.
24:30
SPEAKER_02: So that program is selected, selected by teachers.
24:33
SPEAKER_02: So you have to have two or more dance teacher recommendations to go into that program.
24:38
SPEAKER_02: We pull them right from preschool dance.
24:42
SPEAKER_02: So they're coming out of our Shining Stars program, which is a combo class for ages four.
24:47
SPEAKER_02: They're coming from the Shining Stars program, or they're coming from any recreational class, kindergarten through second grade, sometimes third grade.
24:55
SPEAKER_02: And those students are selected.
24:58
SPEAKER_02: It is an invitation-only program, and they are picked, you know, it really here's the number one thing we're looking for.
25:05
SPEAKER_02: They love to dance.
25:07
SPEAKER_02: They are obsessed.
25:08
SPEAKER_02: They're dancing in the lobby before they get into the studio, out of the studio, they're dancing in the lobby, then they're dancing in the parking lot.
25:15
SPEAKER_02: It's, it's, it's, it's all of us, right?
25:18
SPEAKER_02: It's you, Leslie.
25:18
SPEAKER_02: It's you, Courtney, it's me.
25:20
SPEAKER_02: It's the kids who just want to keep dancing all day.
25:23
SPEAKER_02: They show an interest, there's a spark in their eye, and they just can't get enough.
25:28
SPEAKER_02: And, you know, as you guys know, as a trained teacher, you know, you you see that sparkle.
25:34
SPEAKER_02: You see the it factor that you can't teach.
25:36
SPEAKER_02: And those are the children that are going into this program.
25:39
SPEAKER_02: It's the thing you can't teach.
25:42
SPEAKER_01: Oh, I love the thing you can't teach.
25:44
SPEAKER_01: I love to see that.
25:45
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
25:45
SPEAKER_04: You can just tell.
25:47
SPEAKER_04: You can just see it.
25:48
SPEAKER_04: You, it's, you know, it's like they're they're meant to dance.
25:51
SPEAKER_01: So once you, once you select those children, are you what are you requiring of them?
25:57
SPEAKER_01: Are you requiring tap ballet jazz, the end, or more or less?
26:01
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, they're required to take tap ballet jazz and a leaps and turns class.
26:06
SPEAKER_02: They're tap and jazz go to four competitions with our elite company.
26:10
SPEAKER_02: And now we have an elective, so they can take a hip-hop class and or a lyrical modern class.
26:18
SPEAKER_02: So those, so they have opportunities to go to three, to have three routines in four different competitions.
26:25
SPEAKER_02: So it's really getting them trained up quickly.
26:28
SPEAKER_02: Nice.
26:29
SPEAKER_04: That's a nice way to ease into it too, because I feel like that a lot of studios have a competition team and might have young dancers joining their competition team in kindergarten through second grade.
26:40
SPEAKER_04: But then the requirement of the amount of competitions is the same as the dancers in middle school, high school, because the team is going to five competitions and we we're not going to just have our little minis only go to two, which but I actually think is the right way to approach it because it could be overwhelming for them to have to train and go to five competitions expense-wise.
27:05
SPEAKER_04: It should be like a gradual build throughout their training years.
27:09
SPEAKER_02: That's right.
27:10
SPEAKER_02: That's right.
27:11
SPEAKER_02: It it needs to feel gradual because these children are coming, they're going into kindergarten, most of them.
27:17
SPEAKER_01: Right.
27:17
SPEAKER_01: They maybe just stop taking a nap.
27:21
SPEAKER_01: Sometimes they're napping in class, you know.
27:25
SPEAKER_01: They're children.
27:26
SPEAKER_02: They're children, they're so little.
27:29
SPEAKER_02: And yeah, it's so that that transition is really important.
27:33
SPEAKER_02: We found great success in this program.
27:35
SPEAKER_02: It's great.
27:36
SPEAKER_02: And truly the best thing that happens is when someone's like, you know what?
27:40
SPEAKER_02: This isn't the right fit for us.
27:42
SPEAKER_02: We're gonna join the crew, right?
27:45
SPEAKER_02: Which is three classes a week, or we're just gonna strictly go into rec and not compete at all.
27:49
SPEAKER_02: And we love that.
27:50
SPEAKER_02: We love that we can give them an opportunity and really we transition them in over the summer.
27:56
SPEAKER_02: So just now they've completed the brand new kids, have completed their first five weeks.
28:00
SPEAKER_02: And I think we've probably lost maybe three kids back to our rec program.
28:06
SPEAKER_02: And honestly, like we thank them for that because that's a great, that's great awareness for a parent, for a dancer to say, you know what?
28:15
SPEAKER_02: That was fun and amazing, but it was like a lot for five weeks.
28:20
SPEAKER_02: That's right.
28:20
SPEAKER_02: It was a lot.
28:21
SPEAKER_02: Like, I really don't know if I can do that for 10 months.
28:24
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
28:24
SPEAKER_02: And that really is the commitment.
28:26
SPEAKER_01: Well, and you didn't lose them entirely.
28:28
SPEAKER_01: You you lost them from that program, but they they went back and say, you know, I want to take my couple of classes and then go play softball or whatever.
28:35
SPEAKER_02: Yes.
28:35
SPEAKER_02: Yes, go play softball, like work on my violin, like just be a kid, or you know, we're just happy when they continue to dance.
28:44
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
28:45
SPEAKER_02: We're just happy that they stay and they're they're still getting the magic from the dance teachers.
28:50
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, because I mean, let's be real, young kids, their their mind is going a mile a minute.
28:56
SPEAKER_04: They have so many different activities presented in front of them that they can choose because they're just trying to find what do they like.
29:03
SPEAKER_04: They're kind of testing everything out.
29:06
SPEAKER_04: And we, as we all know, especially to be on something like a competitive team, that commitment, it the priority kind of almost has to be in that.
29:16
SPEAKER_04: There's not a lot of extra time for soccer and piano and this and that, plus school on top of it.
29:22
SPEAKER_01: Plus somebody else's sibling.
29:23
SPEAKER_01: Like, what I don't ever ever understand is how parents do it with more than one kid.
29:27
SPEAKER_01: Like one kid dancing on a competitive team before they drive themselves, like, okay, fair, that's fine.
29:34
SPEAKER_01: But then you start adding more siblings.
29:35
SPEAKER_01: I'm like, how?
29:36
SPEAKER_01: How does this even work?
29:37
SPEAKER_01: So, like, kudos to all the parents out there getting their kids to and from not only just dance, but like the soccer and the jujitsu and their own personal life, and like just so much.
29:47
SPEAKER_01: I can't, I can't.
29:48
SPEAKER_01: Good for them.
29:50
SPEAKER_02: And normally it's those parents that truly have like these overachiever kids.
29:55
SPEAKER_02: So most of our kids, they have a sibling who's on travel soccer.
29:58
SPEAKER_02: They have a sibling that's like that, they're they're they're all over the place.
30:02
SPEAKER_02: I am constantly in awe and and inspired by our parents.
30:07
SPEAKER_02: They are they're the best.
30:09
SPEAKER_02: And honestly, like I just have to say that our that and the the culture at our studio is so warm and inclusive and loving and supportive.
30:22
SPEAKER_02: And I know that starts at the top, but I cannot take all of that credit.
30:26
SPEAKER_02: My team requires that.
30:29
SPEAKER_02: We expect that.
30:30
SPEAKER_02: It is, it is, you know, the opposite of some of the television shows that have been on over the years.
30:37
SPEAKER_02: Yes, we know the ones.
30:39
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, we know the ones.
30:40
SPEAKER_02: And I felt like that did such damage.
30:43
SPEAKER_02: There was like really some damage that was done by some of those television shows because the culture, it's not like that, right?
30:52
SPEAKER_02: Maybe it's like that, it's like that in some places, but our parents, they're they're just amazing.
30:57
SPEAKER_02: They are so supportive of their children and so supportive of stage door, really.
31:03
SPEAKER_02: Like if one teacher like loses something or or or there's a death in the family, it's like all the parents come together.
31:11
SPEAKER_02: They're just, it's like a big family.
31:16
SPEAKER_04: If you have not heard about Young Arts, you are missing out on some amazing opportunities for your dancers.
31:22
SPEAKER_04: I applied to Young Arts during my senior year of high school while I was looking for college scholarship opportunities.
31:27
SPEAKER_04: Next thing I know, I was announced as one of the 20 dance winners for 2007 and one of three other winners in modern dance.
31:34
SPEAKER_04: Young Arts hosted a week-long event in Miami, Florida, with all of the high school winners from around the country.
31:40
SPEAKER_04: During my time at Young Arts Week, I met lifelong friends and danced alongside other winners who you may even know in the industry today, like Jim Noakowski, DJ Smart, and Leganja Astranja.
31:51
SPEAKER_04: Young Arts also connected me with my very first New York City Broadway audition when I was just starting out in the biz.
31:57
SPEAKER_04: If you are named as a Young Arts winner, this organization will stay with you throughout your entire career, offering you mentorship, financial aid, grants, educational opportunities, and even help support your passion projects like this podcast.
32:10
SPEAKER_04: Applications are now open for their 2024 national arts competition.
32:14
SPEAKER_04: If you are a dancer between the ages of 15 through 18 or in grades 10 through 12, don't miss your chance to apply to Young Arts.
32:21
SPEAKER_04: Learn more about the submission process and submit your application now on our website at youngarts.org slash apply.
32:41
SPEAKER_04: But I feel like that Long Island has a studio on every corner.
32:45
SPEAKER_02: Every corner.
32:47
SPEAKER_04: Every single corner.
32:48
SPEAKER_04: Literally.
32:48
SPEAKER_04: Maybe two, sometimes two.
32:52
SPEAKER_04: And with that, it I will say that like especially like on the judges end and the like competitions and like Long Island studios are like they have a reputation.
33:04
SPEAKER_04: Yeah.
33:04
SPEAKER_04: Yes.
33:05
SPEAKER_04: You know, and like to hear that your studio, it sounds like it has such a positive and warm environment that you've created.
33:14
SPEAKER_04: And you know why else I think that that exists is because you've been around for so long.
33:19
SPEAKER_04: Right.
33:19
SPEAKER_04: You know, I think that like what you're saying when it comes to these dance shows that we all know and were taught briefly mentioned, like, I think a lot of studios popped up after that and thought and think that like that's how it needs to be for my studio to like be successful, or uh that's what I saw on TV, and they were like almost influenced from that.
33:39
SPEAKER_04: Whereas y'all have been around for decades before that and have been doing the doing it correctly.
33:46
SPEAKER_04: Right.
33:46
SPEAKER_01: Well, the expectation was passed down.
33:48
SPEAKER_01: It was, you know, and I I don't know that you were there, Mary, but I directed an event that your studio attended a couple of years ago.
33:55
SPEAKER_01: And I just I remembered exactly what you said.
33:57
SPEAKER_01: Your your parents were so nice.
34:00
SPEAKER_01: They were just so nice.
34:01
SPEAKER_01: And we were in Long Island, and so I was like, okay, we're in Long Island.
34:04
SPEAKER_01: This is gonna be a challenge, this might be a challenge.
34:06
SPEAKER_01: You just have to keep us keep a smile on your face.
34:08
SPEAKER_01: And like I was so pleasantly surprised because your group of people were kind and generous to everyone when when I did not expect that from anybody in the whole building.
34:18
SPEAKER_01: So the fact that your group really stood out to me is just, you know, it's just a testament to how, like you said, Courtney, it's been around for so long.
34:25
SPEAKER_01: There was an expectation of how to treat people and how to interact.
34:29
SPEAKER_01: And it's been, it's, it does that, which is great.
34:32
SPEAKER_01: Wow.
34:32
SPEAKER_02: Okay.
34:33
SPEAKER_02: I don't think there's anything else you could say that would make me feel that incredible as what you just said.
34:39
SPEAKER_02: Like that is the best compliment I could ever receive.
34:43
SPEAKER_02: It is, it is that is what this is all about.
34:46
SPEAKER_02: It, you know, don't we all just crave acceptance and love and kindness?
34:52
SPEAKER_02: That's it.
34:52
SPEAKER_02: When we when we get up that day, you know, for some of us it's harder than others.
34:56
SPEAKER_02: And when you leave that home and you leave your apartment and you get, you know, you get off that school bus, or you you're it's like you just want to feel that love, that acceptance and be in feeling like people see you.
35:10
SPEAKER_02: And it's not just the kids that want that, it's parents, it's all of us.
35:14
SPEAKER_02: So creating that environment truly, and let's be honest, like I've lost people because of my mission and my values and who I am and and the the cattiness that I will not participate in and my teachers will not participate in.
35:31
SPEAKER_02: For some, it's really just not the right fit because they'll they'll they'll try to push those buttons for a reaction and like the reaction doesn't happen.
35:40
SPEAKER_02: In fact, we'll recommend another school.
35:42
SPEAKER_01: Well, and the reaction is thank you for your business, you can take it elsewhere because it's everybody is not for everybody.
35:50
SPEAKER_01: And I think that's something that is is clear when we interview a lot of these, uh, a lot of studios we've had on for Studio Spotlights, yourself included, is that you you know who you want to attract.
36:01
SPEAKER_01: You want the people who are gonna come in and love dance and be positive and be excited about coming and then go out and share that with the world.
36:08
SPEAKER_01: And those are your people and you have attracted those people.
36:11
SPEAKER_01: You have almost a thousand students and you you're 48 years in.
36:15
SPEAKER_01: Like that's that's amazing.
36:17
SPEAKER_01: And I'm so like, and and also, because I want to get into this too, you know, you're clearly training good dancers and good people.
36:24
SPEAKER_01: And so I want to hear a little bit about what you're doing with your competitive level program because you know, you're one of your students won this Making the Impact Award, which yes, the Making the Impact Award encompasses everything about a dancer or or a dance or a routine, but I remember watching this one and the technique is just like amazing.
36:43
SPEAKER_01: So I want to hear what you guys are doing with your advanced levels uh to get, you know, to get us to this point, to get some of your students out in the professional world.
36:52
SPEAKER_04: Like a total amount of classes a week, what is their ballet schedule look like?
36:56
SPEAKER_04: What genres are they required to take to be on in in the advanced level?
37:01
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
37:02
SPEAKER_02: So this student, and thank you, Leslie.
37:04
SPEAKER_02: Thank you.
37:05
SPEAKER_02: And and Shay, Shay is just incredible.
37:07
SPEAKER_02: I can't wait to brag about her.
37:09
SPEAKER_02: But our students in our elite dance company, they are required to take seven and a half hours a week.
37:15
SPEAKER_02: And that's between Monday and Thursday.
37:17
SPEAKER_02: So they take two ballet classes, 90 minutes, they take tap, jazz, leap and turn, and they're required to take an elective.
37:25
SPEAKER_02: Was that everything?
37:26
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, two ballet, leap and turn, jazz, tap, elective.
37:29
SPEAKER_02: Oh, there's something else.
37:30
SPEAKER_02: Oh my goodness, this is terrible.
37:32
SPEAKER_02: I'm like, I can't even remember.
37:34
SPEAKER_02: But they're required to take those classes.
37:36
SPEAKER_04: What about acro?
37:37
SPEAKER_02: No, they're not required to take acro yet because we are finally in a place we actually didn't have an acro program for way too long.
37:46
SPEAKER_02: Then we started one and then I lost a teacher.
37:48
SPEAKER_02: So then it went away.
37:49
SPEAKER_02: And now I've got a great teacher who's building our accro program back up.
37:54
SPEAKER_02: But a lot of those kids take it.
37:56
SPEAKER_02: Yes.
37:56
SPEAKER_02: Is it required or is it an elective?
37:59
SPEAKER_02: No, it's an elective.
38:00
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, it's an elective.
38:01
SPEAKER_02: But yeah, they're they're training, they're training hard and they're getting a lot in Monday through Thursday.
38:06
SPEAKER_02: What we have always really encouraged is that they participate as much as they can in dance Monday through Thursday, but we really believe in time off.
38:19
SPEAKER_02: We believe in a break.
38:21
SPEAKER_02: So we actually take all the vacations.
38:25
SPEAKER_02: We do not rehearse over vacations.
38:28
SPEAKER_02: It is the thing I will say, it's like know who you are, right?
38:32
SPEAKER_02: Know who you are as a studio, know who you are as a brand, know who you want to attract.
38:36
SPEAKER_02: So these are the things that have stood us, like I think that have like we've stood out in in a positive way because our kids are not dancing six days a week.
38:47
SPEAKER_02: They're not taking 10 classes.
38:48
SPEAKER_02: Sure, some are taking 10, some are taking 11, some are taking 12, but everyone's taking seven and a half hours.
38:54
SPEAKER_02: So that flexibility is major.
38:59
SPEAKER_02: They enjoy that they can do other things on the weekends.
39:02
SPEAKER_02: Now, of course, in comp season, starting in January, they're there almost every weekend.
39:07
SPEAKER_02: They're rehearsing, they're doing all the things, but the training that they're getting is, you know, I have an in I am so blessed.
39:14
SPEAKER_02: I have the best teachers ever.
39:16
SPEAKER_02: I have incredible teachers who are either homegrown or locally have come to us from other other studios or you know, other experiences.
39:27
SPEAKER_02: So I have an amazing local staff.
39:30
SPEAKER_02: And they are, I, you know, they're constantly raising the bar, pushing the limits, and and really just like stretching themselves as choreographers, as teachers.
39:42
SPEAKER_02: And, you know, a lot of times people will come up to us at competition, they're like, oh, who choreographed that?
39:47
SPEAKER_02: I'm like, oh, that's you know, that's Miss Jessica.
39:49
SPEAKER_02: They're like, well, who's Miss Jessica?
39:51
SPEAKER_02: You know, or or Miss Stephanie, Miss Chrissy, Miss Stephanie, you know, all the teachers, and and they're expecting me to say friends that I have, you know, in New York who are coming out and setting pieces.
40:01
SPEAKER_02: And that's not, that's not always the case.
40:05
SPEAKER_02: I mean, most of my most of my staff are really out here.
40:09
SPEAKER_02: And and that makes a big difference.
40:10
SPEAKER_02: There's there's a through line, there's consistency.
40:13
SPEAKER_02: Some of my teachers have been teaching these kids since they were three.
40:16
SPEAKER_02: All of my competition teachers are required to teach in my recreational program.
40:21
SPEAKER_02: It is part of the culture that works.
40:23
SPEAKER_02: So, in order to teach the most advanced jazz class, you must teach a preschool dance class, a level one dance class, a level two dance class.
40:32
SPEAKER_02: So there's there again, there's this full inclusive circle of like no one's getting special treatment, no one's just getting the best of the best teachers.
40:42
SPEAKER_02: Like, we're we're sharing the love, we're sharing the magic with our whole studio.
40:47
SPEAKER_02: And I think that is one of our like secret sauces of success.
40:52
SPEAKER_02: Truly.
40:53
SPEAKER_04: I was gonna just mention, Leslie, I don't know if you remember, I think it was last season when we did our pre-professional episode, and Liz said the exact same thing.
41:02
SPEAKER_04: Our guest Liz from Spotlight in Michigan said the exact same thing about like what makes a strong competitive teacher is that you should also be able and willing to teach the recreational dancers and the younger dancers and knowing how to teach them through the years, all the levels, all the ages is what really like blending that together and not just saying, Oh, I'm just an advanced competitive teacher.
41:26
SPEAKER_04: That and I and I won't ta I won't even entice working with the little ones.
41:31
SPEAKER_04: And she said literally the exact same thing.
41:34
SPEAKER_04: So I think that is a true recipe for success.
41:37
SPEAKER_02: It is.
41:37
SPEAKER_02: And it's creating again, I just have to talk about that inclusivity being so important at a studio in a program.
41:44
SPEAKER_02: Like at the end of the day, it's one program.
41:46
SPEAKER_02: I mean, we have like six programs at stage door, but really it's one.
41:50
SPEAKER_02: It is one home, it is one house.
41:53
SPEAKER_02: It is four, there are there are four walls, right?
41:55
SPEAKER_02: It's the same roof, it's the same floor.
41:58
SPEAKER_02: So the thing, the through line, the consistency of those competition teachers, knowing and understanding how we're teaching Tondus.
42:07
SPEAKER_03: Right, right.
42:08
SPEAKER_02: From day one.
42:09
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
42:10
SPEAKER_02: From day one, how are we teaching the proper way to prepare for a pirouette?
42:14
SPEAKER_02: You know, they are teaching that from the very beginning.
42:18
SPEAKER_02: And I believe in the power of that through line.
42:20
SPEAKER_02: Now, of course, sometimes we have guest teachers that come in.
42:23
SPEAKER_02: In fact, the choreographer of Shay Solo is one of my best friends, Kristen Pope.
42:28
SPEAKER_02: Oh, I love Kristen Pope.
42:32
SPEAKER_04: And you did a gig with her back in the day, yes.
42:34
SPEAKER_02: Okay, Kristen and I did 42nd Street together many moons ago, and many, many shows since then.
42:41
SPEAKER_02: Many, many shows since then.
42:42
SPEAKER_02: But she, like Sarah Bryan's, I have a few people that consistently teach at my studio.
42:48
SPEAKER_02: They come out every year, they're teaching classes, they're choreographing some pieces for our smaller, we call them small groups.
42:56
SPEAKER_02: So Shay was part of our small group program and she did a solo, and that was choreographed by Kristen Pope.
43:02
SPEAKER_04: Amazing.
43:03
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, but I mean, Shay's, you know, Shay, Shay was in our classes.
43:07
SPEAKER_02: That's it.
43:08
SPEAKER_02: Like she she's been she tapped with me for years.
43:11
SPEAKER_02: Um this past year, I she has a, you know, I brought in a new teacher for my upper level classes, but um, we encourage them to go away over the summer, like Shay does intensives.
43:21
SPEAKER_02: She's constantly going to Broadway Dance Center in steps, and we're so fortunate that we're on Long Island and we're close.
43:27
SPEAKER_02: And I know some people listening today, they're, you know, they're in Alabama, they're in Florida, they're in Texas, they're in California.
43:33
SPEAKER_02: It's it's hard.
43:34
SPEAKER_02: And, you know, we're lucky to be in this New York Cub, but um, it's it's me encouraging it.
43:40
SPEAKER_02: I'm I'm our teachers are encouraging it.
43:42
SPEAKER_02: We are not, we don't want to be protective and just say, you know, we're the only ones to study from.
43:47
SPEAKER_02: And I feel like some studios get it wrong in that way, where they just want to take full control.
43:54
SPEAKER_04: 100%.
43:54
SPEAKER_04: Yeah.
43:55
SPEAKER_04: I don't know, restrict the dancers, honestly.
43:58
SPEAKER_04: Like yeah, like limiting them.
44:00
SPEAKER_04: From outside opportunities, outside knowledge, training, things that they could learn elsewhere out of what?
44:06
SPEAKER_04: Jealousy, out of what?
44:08
SPEAKER_04: Like, you know, I think fear.
44:10
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, fear of losing the dancer or having them switch studios for whatever reason.
44:15
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
44:15
SPEAKER_02: And sometimes that happens.
44:16
SPEAKER_02: And you know what?
44:17
SPEAKER_02: I always say, like, when someone leaves, inside my heart, even if I'm upset, even if I'm sad and like, oh, they've been with us since they were too.
44:24
SPEAKER_02: But when it happens, it's like, man, they just want to dance more.
44:27
SPEAKER_02: They just want to dance with someone new.
44:29
SPEAKER_02: They just what it is is they just want to keep dancing.
44:32
SPEAKER_02: And that's okay.
44:33
SPEAKER_02: And that's okay.
44:34
SPEAKER_02: And we focus on who we have.
44:36
SPEAKER_02: And we're fortunate that we have a lot of other students.
44:40
SPEAKER_02: So, you know, it's it's like as teachers, as competition choreographers, as studio owners, we have to just remember our why because it's not about us.
44:49
SPEAKER_02: It's about the gift we've been given to share.
44:51
SPEAKER_02: It is a gift that was meant to be shared.
44:54
SPEAKER_02: And when you focus on the kids and you focus on your why, it's really easy to just celebrate these children and give them the best possible training that you can, that you're able to.
45:05
SPEAKER_04: Yeah.
45:05
SPEAKER_04: I have something that I I would love to touch on really quickly.
45:09
SPEAKER_04: And it has to do with your tap dancing at your studio because I feel like that I've never had the opportunity to judge or watch your studio at competition.
45:20
SPEAKER_04: But I have heard about your studio, obviously, because you've been around for so long.
45:24
SPEAKER_04: I've definitely judged certain competitions throughout my time as a judge in Long Island, but I'd always hear stage door.
45:32
SPEAKER_04: Stage Door are the great tappers.
45:33
SPEAKER_04: They have such great tap training.
45:35
SPEAKER_04: That's like, obviously, you y'all are trained in everything, but something that always comes to mind is tap dancing when when I hear stage door and when other people hear about y'all.
45:45
SPEAKER_04: And I think it's really interesting, especially for all of our listeners out there.
45:50
SPEAKER_04: That's why I also asked you about acro, because I think it's interesting to hear that for your elite competitive team, you're requiring it sounds like you're requiring tap within that curriculum versus acro.
46:01
SPEAKER_04: And obviously you've had, you know, transitioning with the acro teacher and all the things, and you're just adding it in now.
46:07
SPEAKER_04: But like it doesn't sound like that's like the emphasis.
46:11
SPEAKER_04: And I think that's where our industry has shifted into acro dance, acro dance, yay, acro.
46:16
SPEAKER_04: It's a requirement.
46:16
SPEAKER_04: You need to be taking it every single year.
46:18
SPEAKER_04: You need to be able to do flips and backhand springs and all the things.
46:21
SPEAKER_04: And like, yes, there are so many great benefits to taking acro, but there's also a lot of great benefits of taking tap, and tap has become more of an elective in a majority of the studios around the country.
46:32
SPEAKER_04: So I would love to hear a little bit more about tap dance within Stage Door, what style of tap y'all are training in, or multiple styles, how that's maybe if you've seen that help your dancers in other genres, the benefits of tap, anything you'd like to share on that.
46:48
SPEAKER_04: And also because the winner of the Making the Impact Award was a tap solo.
46:53
SPEAKER_04: Hello.
46:56
SPEAKER_04: Like, how cool is that?
46:58
SPEAKER_04: I feel like that there weren't any.
46:59
SPEAKER_04: I don't, I don't, if I remember correctly, I don't know if there were any other finalists that were tap in our fan favorite cost uh contest on Instagram.
47:07
SPEAKER_04: So another great achievement right there is like hooray for tap dance being recognized.
47:11
SPEAKER_02: Yes.
47:12
SPEAKER_02: The honestly, biggest celebration ever.
47:14
SPEAKER_02: Thank you guys for for having this platform and for bringing recognition to that gorgeous art form of tap dancing.
47:22
SPEAKER_02: It um I'm so glad you asked this question, Courtney.
47:25
SPEAKER_02: I'm really, really so glad because I do have a few things I want to say about tap.
47:30
SPEAKER_02: Here's what I've got to say.
47:31
SPEAKER_02: I'm so grateful because my mother was a tap dancer.
47:34
SPEAKER_02: She, as a recreational dancer from a little girl in a poor neighborhood up in the Bronx, she would take her, she would take her nickel and she would use it to go down and take a tap class.
47:46
SPEAKER_02: And she that was the form, the art form that resonated with her.
47:50
SPEAKER_02: It was that rhythm, you know, it's that, it's that pulse.
47:54
SPEAKER_02: So we were so lucky because Stage Door was really founded by a tap dancer.
47:59
SPEAKER_02: Did she have a huge tap professional career?
48:01
SPEAKER_02: No, but you don't need to in order to start a studio.
48:05
SPEAKER_02: You have to have that love.
48:06
SPEAKER_02: So that was the art form, the genre that she felt most confident in.
48:12
SPEAKER_02: It resonated with her, got her blood pumping most excited.
48:15
SPEAKER_02: So therefore, all of us, we were we we all took tap, right?
48:20
SPEAKER_02: The beginnings of stage door.
48:22
SPEAKER_02: Tap was a heavy focus.
48:23
SPEAKER_02: We also, of course, she had us all taking ballet and jazz and lyrical at the time.
48:27
SPEAKER_02: There was no account and so cut cut two years later, my older sister, who also ended up, I kind of followed in her footsteps.
48:35
SPEAKER_02: We both were rockettes, we both did Broadway shows, all the things.
48:38
SPEAKER_02: She then became our tap teacher.
48:40
SPEAKER_02: She kind of took tap to like a whole other level because now she worked in New York.
48:45
SPEAKER_02: She had this Broadway experience.
48:47
SPEAKER_02: So she brought a lot of Broadway tap to stage door, uh, you know, 20, 20 something years later.
48:54
SPEAKER_02: It elevated us.
48:56
SPEAKER_02: We're we're learning from her, watching from her, going, wow, like this is what they're doing on Broadway.
49:00
SPEAKER_02: This is so incredible.
49:01
SPEAKER_02: We're learning.
49:02
SPEAKER_02: It was like the first time we're like, we're learning things that like that that professionals are doing.
49:07
SPEAKER_02: So that love just grew.
49:09
SPEAKER_02: She just was feeding that, feeding that seed, pouring water over that soil.
49:14
SPEAKER_02: And then through my sister, amazing people started to come out to our studio.
49:19
SPEAKER_02: She was that connector.
49:21
SPEAKER_02: She connected us and really brought us from a recreational-only studio into more of a pre-professional competitive studio in that way.
49:30
SPEAKER_02: So I, of course, like tap was my thing too.
49:34
SPEAKER_02: And so for the last 20 years, I've been the heavy tap teacher, you know, at the top teaching all the advanced classes.
49:42
SPEAKER_02: And I, you know, I just have to say that the tap requirement has been vital.
49:50
SPEAKER_02: There have been children who have quit over it, who say, I don't want to tap.
49:56
SPEAKER_02: And honestly, we've said, you have to.
49:58
SPEAKER_02: There are so many benefits.
50:00
SPEAKER_02: And I just want to share a story.
50:02
SPEAKER_02: I danced a girl that really we went head in head together in the best way, Melissa Sybil.
50:08
SPEAKER_02: And she was a ballet dancer, I was a tap dancer, but we had to take all the classes together.
50:12
SPEAKER_02: And cut to the end of the story is she cried through tap every week.
50:16
SPEAKER_02: She cried through tap.
50:18
SPEAKER_02: But honestly, and my sister was teaching at the time, and my sister pushed her and pushed her and pushed her.
50:23
SPEAKER_02: And we all were like, Come on, Missy, you can do it.
50:25
SPEAKER_02: Find that beat.
50:26
SPEAKER_02: You got this girl.
50:27
SPEAKER_02: Find that beat.
50:28
SPEAKER_02: And we pushed her so hard to find that beat, to find those rhythms, to create those steps and the intricacies with our ankles and our feet.
50:36
SPEAKER_02: And she then went on to have a career as a Radio City Rockette in New York, all these things, all these tap shows opened up for her.
50:44
SPEAKER_02: And they never would have happened if Stage Door didn't make her literally make her tap.
50:51
SPEAKER_02: But what we have found in our tap program, I mean, that's just one success story, but the point is like because they are tap dancers, they are better ballet dancers.
51:00
SPEAKER_02: They are way better hip-hop dancers.
51:02
SPEAKER_02: Our hip-hop program is amazing because they are tap dancers.
51:06
SPEAKER_02: They are understanding jazz, like that rhythm, like the style, the hits, the accents.
51:13
SPEAKER_02: You can, but you, if you if you are a tap dancer, you will be more successful in all these art forms.
51:21
SPEAKER_02: And acro is not made mandatory because it is a lot of tricks and they're beautiful, and all the things.
51:27
SPEAKER_02: And yes, do we incorporate the tricks of the kids who have them in some of our routines?
51:32
SPEAKER_02: We do in some of them.
51:34
SPEAKER_02: But that tap dance form, sadly, it's a it goes in and out of being a lost art form.
51:40
SPEAKER_02: And there was a resurgence of it years back, and now I feel like it kind of dipped again and then it comes back, and it really is um, it's the heart.
51:50
SPEAKER_02: It's the heart of dance.
51:51
SPEAKER_02: It's without that rhythm, what you're just moving through space, without that tuned-in ear, you're just doing the best you can to listen to the music.
52:02
SPEAKER_02: But you when you learn that at age four and beyond, right?
52:05
SPEAKER_02: We start that program at age four.
52:08
SPEAKER_02: It is vital.
52:09
SPEAKER_02: It is vital to us to really creating and nurturing a successful dancer, whether you know they go on to do this or not, or whether they love tap or not.
52:18
SPEAKER_02: By the end, they are grateful for the tap.
52:21
SPEAKER_02: Oh, yeah.
52:21
SPEAKER_02: They are grateful.
52:22
SPEAKER_01: I don't think you could ask anybody who's a successful dancer in any genre whether they like didn't appreciate tap.
52:27
SPEAKER_01: Like they might not love it, but nobody can say, well, tap didn't help me.
52:31
SPEAKER_01: That's a lie.
52:32
SPEAKER_01: Right.
52:33
SPEAKER_01: It is a lie.
52:34
SPEAKER_01: It's a lie, y'all.
52:35
SPEAKER_01: It's a lie.
52:35
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
52:36
SPEAKER_01: If anybody tells you that, run the other way.
52:38
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, that's right.
52:40
SPEAKER_02: And I always say to those people, you know, or to like the people that would run the other way, it's like, don't you have a heartbeat, right?
52:46
SPEAKER_02: Like a lot of my teaching, we go back to our heartbeat and and we feel it, right?
52:50
SPEAKER_02: And everyone's heartbeat is beating differently.
52:53
SPEAKER_02: And it's like if you just start with that, you are already a drummer.
52:56
SPEAKER_02: You're already a drummer.
52:57
SPEAKER_02: And in tap, we're just drumming with our feet.
52:59
SPEAKER_02: That's it.
53:00
SPEAKER_02: So um, we're all we all have it inside of us to become a tap dancer.
53:05
SPEAKER_04: Oh, I love that so much.
53:06
SPEAKER_04: Yay.
53:07
SPEAKER_04: I'm glad I'm glad we we touched on that because we gotta recognize tap dance when it's out there, and especially because that y'all won with a tap dance.
53:18
SPEAKER_04: It made me so excited to want to make sure that we talked about that, especially from a studio that's been around for so long, that's been doing this for so long.
53:26
SPEAKER_04: Like a lot of a lot of younger, newer, greener studios that are just starting out need to listen to these types of studio spotlights from studios who have done this for for a very long time, who have learned what works, what doesn't.
53:39
SPEAKER_04: And something that has worked for stagedoor is in implementing tap dance into the curriculum young and consistently throughout their years as a dancer.
53:49
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
53:49
SPEAKER_02: Well, thank you for that.
53:51
SPEAKER_02: Thank you for that.
53:51
SPEAKER_02: And thank you for spotlighting Shay.
53:53
SPEAKER_02: I I will say, I'm gonna say this is a big statement, but she is the the the strongest tap dancer we have ever had at Stage Door School of Dance.
54:01
SPEAKER_02: Oh, that's a that's a big statement.
54:04
SPEAKER_02: It is a big statement, and um, she the music, the sounds, the the rhythms that she hears, it's I mean, she has surpassed so many of us before her, and and truly she's taking it to another level.
54:18
SPEAKER_02: So I could not be more proud of her.
54:20
SPEAKER_02: And of course, that amazing choreography by Kristen Pope.
54:22
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, that ooh, ooh, it's so cool.
54:25
SPEAKER_01: And do you have Shay for a few more years?
54:27
SPEAKER_01: How old is she?
54:28
SPEAKER_02: This is her senior year.
54:29
SPEAKER_02: She's going into her last year.
54:30
SPEAKER_01: Oh, okay.
54:31
SPEAKER_01: And is she looking is she looking towards a career in college, a professional career, anything else?
54:37
SPEAKER_02: Yes, and yes.
54:38
SPEAKER_02: Well, she's obsessed with science and she's obsessed with dance.
54:41
SPEAKER_02: Okay, great.
54:42
SPEAKER_02: I'm like, okay, girl, you are gonna be successful no matter where you go.
54:46
SPEAKER_02: Um, she's brilliant and she's an incredible dancer.
54:49
SPEAKER_02: She is gonna be auditioning and hoping to go to one of, you know, one of the top dance programs that has uh a real focus on commercial dance, tap dance, hip hop.
54:58
SPEAKER_02: That's sort of where that that is where she shines.
55:01
SPEAKER_02: And yeah, she'd love to do this, do this for a living.
55:04
SPEAKER_02: Amazing.
55:05
SPEAKER_01: Well, and if not, she'll be a scientist.
55:08
SPEAKER_01: I mean, and there's there's so many ways to integrate dance and science these days.
55:12
SPEAKER_01: Like, yeah.
55:13
SPEAKER_02: Yes.
55:13
SPEAKER_01: Oh, that's amazing.
55:14
SPEAKER_01: Well, we can't wait to see what she's up to this year.
55:17
SPEAKER_01: And, you know, we're giving away studio spotlights again or uh making the impact awards again.
55:21
SPEAKER_01: So, like, and there's no you can't not win it twice.
55:24
SPEAKER_01: You could absolutely win it twice.
55:26
SPEAKER_01: We don't have any rules about that.
55:28
SPEAKER_01: So we'll see what her solo looks like this year.
55:31
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, we're we're obsessed now.
55:33
SPEAKER_02: We're following, making the impact.
55:34
SPEAKER_02: You're making an impact, and you've got a lot of fans at Stage Door now.
55:38
SPEAKER_02: Oh that's amazing.
55:40
SPEAKER_02: It's a good goal for for them to continue to work towards.
55:43
SPEAKER_02: Oh, awesome.
55:43
SPEAKER_02: So thank you.
55:44
SPEAKER_02: Thank you so much, ladies.
55:46
SPEAKER_02: Thank you.
55:47
SPEAKER_04: Yes, thank you for joining us.
55:49
SPEAKER_04: Shout out to Shay.
55:50
SPEAKER_04: That shout out to all of your dancers, all of your teachers, all of your choreographers, and uh thank you for supporting us and the podcast and attending an ID-affiliated competition.
56:00
SPEAKER_04: We're just so grateful to connect with you and learn all about your studio here.
56:04
SPEAKER_04: It's been a joy chatting with you.
56:06
SPEAKER_04: And uh, how all of our guests lead us out on making the impact is just with one final thought that you'd like to share to the dance world out there.
56:13
SPEAKER_04: You can talk to whoever you'd like to, dancers, other teachers, other studio owners, the dance parents, tap dancers, whoever you would like to chat with and just Oh man, how much more time do we have?
56:25
SPEAKER_02: I know, right?
56:26
SPEAKER_02: We could chat all day.
56:28
SPEAKER_02: We could chat all day.
56:29
SPEAKER_02: I'm gonna start by saying something to studio owners.
56:32
SPEAKER_02: I see you, I feel you.
56:34
SPEAKER_02: You are you are killing it.
56:36
SPEAKER_02: Keep going, keep going, keep keep going, keep spreading the education and start with your team.
56:43
SPEAKER_02: Give them the outlet, give them the resources, give them the classes, start with them, nurture them.
56:50
SPEAKER_02: When you nurture them, you nurture the entire building, you nurture the entire community.
56:54
SPEAKER_02: And to to dancers, I see you too.
56:58
SPEAKER_02: You know, this art form can save our lives.
57:02
SPEAKER_02: I know it has saved mine and countless times.
57:06
SPEAKER_02: And um, just uh know that there's always a place for you inside your studio, and there's always someone there who cares and who's there to catch you when you fall.
57:16
SPEAKER_02: And if you're not sure who or where that person is, just put yourself out there and start start trying to make those connections because dance friends really are the best friends.
57:28
SPEAKER_04: Thanks so much for tuning in to this week's episode featuring Stage Door School of Dance in our very first studio spotlight of season five.
57:35
SPEAKER_04: Be sure to follow Stage Door on Instagram at Stage Door Dancer and visit their website to learn more about their studio, StagedoorDancer.com.
57:45
SPEAKER_01: Don't forget to follow Making the Impact on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Podcast, Google Podcasts, and pretty much everywhere you listen to podcasts.
57:52
SPEAKER_01: And if you want more exclusive episodes, support our podcast by joining our Platinum Premium membership for only$5 a month.
57:58
SPEAKER_01: Join now at Impact Danceeducators.com slash Platinum Premium or click the link in our show notes.
58:05
SPEAKER_00: Be sure to check out IDA affiliated competition high demand.
58:10
SPEAKER_04: High Demand Dance Competition takes the competition experience to a whole new level.
58:14
SPEAKER_04: High Demand appreciates the creativity and hard work that goes into a performance and believes that their stage is the performers and choreographer's canvas to make their collaborative art come to life.
58:25
SPEAKER_04: HD aims to provide a fresh, fun, and professional experience for their dancers and families to take home with them forever.
58:32
SPEAKER_04: High Demand offers three competitive levels, full IDA judging panels, and the ability to choose your stage lighting for every event.
58:40
SPEAKER_04: At every regional event, HD also offers improv competitions, dance-off entertainment challenges, and complimentary stretch classes on the stage so dancers can feel the floor and start the competition like a professional.
58:53
SPEAKER_04: HD is proud to provide their dancers with so many different custom awards, cash prizes, and continuing education scholarships.
59:01
SPEAKER_04: To learn more about high demand and to see if they're coming to a city near you, visit their website at HDdanceCompetition.com or find them on Instagram at HD DanceComp.
59:13
SPEAKER_00: Season five of Making the Impact continues with upcoming episodes on music editing for competitive dance, performing arts high schools, and the importance of getting back to the basics of dance.