My time dancing with Classical Ballet in the Community at Bridgewater State UniversityDancing for residents of Allerton House in Hingham, MA I strongly believe that dancing should be about expressing yourself and making yourself happy. It is a time to feel free and to be overcome with joy as you execute each movement. However, it is important to recognize that your dancing can have an impact on someone else, too. Whether it be a little girl who in awe of Clara in The Nutcracker, or an older woman reminded of her first love when watching Romeo and Juliet, ballet can bring so much happiness to its audiences. At Bridgewater State University, I have had the opportunity to take a course called Classical Ballet in the Community for two semesters now. Professor Sarver developed this course as a way to bring a quality ballet repertoire to people who would otherwise not be able to see live performances (i.e. nursing homes, health care facilities). When I first registered for the course, I took it as a way to dance more, but it has become so much more than just another performance opportunity for me; it has been an opportunity for me to use my dancing to bring others joy. Classical Ballet in the Community is run like a repertoire class you might see elsewhere, but the purpose behind it is different. While it has been a great experience for me to learn new roles and variations (including Clara in The Nutcracker and Lilac Fairy in The Sleeping Beauty), it has been more important for me to see how thrilled the residents of these facilities are just to see us walk out into the performance space. They get so excited when we start to dance, and are so impressed with our pieces. One of my favorite memories was when I performed Clara's solo and a woman in the audience was humming along to the music. The people really enjoy watching us and the staff always asks us to come back again sometime soon. This current semester has been very challenging for me. I took twice as many credits as the average student, I performed in our company's show, and I choreographed a musical off campus...just to name a few extra things that I probably didn't have time for. Finding time in my schedule to go to these performances was a struggle. In addition, in this course, students take on leadership roles in some way (whether it be music, costuming, etc.), and mine was "company manager". I was in charge of keeping everything organized and communicate important information to my classmates. You can imagine that this class was a big undertaking for me, especially on top of everything else I had going on as a dance major. But seeing how excited the residents get is worth all of the effort that goes into these shows. This year (my second time in the course), we had our longest set ever, and the residents were so excited to see more from us. We expanded our repertoire and created pieces that our audiences loved. This opportunity has been a reminder to me that sometimes I have to take time away from getting things done off of my check list and do something that will benefit someone else. Regardless of how busy I was this semester, it was important for me to use my time and talent to put a smile on someone else's face. At the end of the day, our performance was probably the highlight of their days, and that is a rewarding experience to have as a dancer. I encourage all dancers out there to take advantage of any opportunities like this and bring someone else a little joy through your dancing...and if you don't have the opportunity, make your own! There are many facilities or programs that would love your company, studio, or any other kind of group to come put on a show for its members. Part of being an artist is sharing your art with others, and this was a great way for me to do so...and can be for you, too! Feel free to watch one of my dances from this year's repertoire! PS: Doing pointe on carpet is incredibly difficult. Logistically and emotionally prepare yourself if you are going to do outreach performances like this...you may have to dance in the round, in a tiny space, and on ANY kind of floor...but it's worth it to see how happy it will make your audience!
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AuthorWelcome to my blog! Popular PostsArchives
September 2020
Offline Updates7/16 Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the showcase I was selected to choreograph for at NYU was unfortunately cancelled. However, I was able to turn my work into a mini-documentary about the choreographic process and art prevailing during these trying times. You can watch my video my clicking the button below!
9/18 Follow my new Instagram just for my dance things!
12/23 I was one of NDEO's Guest Bloggers this year! Read "Teaching is a Vocation. Not a Fallback" on their Behind the Curtain Blog!
9/27 I will be presenting my research at the National Dance Education Organization National Conference next week! See my research project by clicking the button below!
4/15 While working on PMA's production of The Addams Family, I got to combine my two favorite styles of dance (ballet and musical theatre) for "The Moon and Me"! Watch my talented students dance by clicking the button below!
2/20 I am choreographing PMA Theatre Guild's Production of The Addams Family! Come see these amazing high school students perform at Presentation of Mary Academy in Methuen, MA April 13 & 14! Tickets available at the door.
2/20 I am stage managing BSU's Dance Kaleidoscope this year! Show dates are March 29-31 at Bridgewater State University in Bridgewater, MA. Come see this student choreography showcase!
11/5 I will once again be dancing in a BSUDC concert! Tickets to WinterDance are now available!
8/24 NDEO's National Honor Society for Dance Arts has published one of my articles in their newsletter! Read an updated version of "Audition Advice" here:
5/16 Interested in learning about movement concepts? Visit Becca's new Educational Dance website!
5/8 BSU Dance Company's Dance Kaleidoscope 2017 is now on Youtube! You can watch my performances by visiting the VIDEOS page!
4/23 I recently performed for the residents of Allerton House in Hingham, MA! You can watch part of my performance here!
Amesbury Children's Theatre presents...James and the Giant Peach Jr, featuring choreography by me! Click for tickets!
2/8 My piece "Barefoot" is now available to watch online! Click to watch!
2/5 Happy to say I have been cast in BSU Dance Company's Spring concert Dance Kaleidoscope! I will be dancing in 3 faculty choreographed pieces, including excerpts from The Sleeping Beauty in which I will be dancing the role of Lilac Fairy! Show dates are March 31-April 1 at Bridgewater State University.
Click the button for more info! 1/15 Ballet with Becca is now on Facebook! Click to visit the page, and be sure to like it while you're there!
1/14 I am happy to say I will be attending artEmotion's summer intensive in June! I will be dancing in the one week artEmotion Adult Program. If anyone would like to join or audition for any other artEmotion program, visit their website!
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