The Uptown Beat

What Uptown Has Been Up To...

2012-01-23T08:20:00.010-05:00

Happy 2012 readers!!! We have not official posted since October 2011, so you know we have been busy. Also, The Uptown Beat has evolved into Newsletter form, so please check out some of the issues below. We find this method more effective, but not to worry, we will still blog when time permits. I love sharing the excitement of our studio with you all!

As you can see, at the end of October we were thrilled to host our first Zumbathon. We raised almost $600 for Susan G Komen for the Cure in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Then before you knew it the Holidays were approaching. Our Halloween was as festive as possible. We had an unlikely snowfall in October which "canceled" Halloween in our neighborhood. We did our best to keep the Halloween spirit in the studio.

In honor of Thanksgiving we had our first official "Friend Week". The students were allowed to bring a friend with them in class, when they did so they both received a special gift from Uptown. It was lots of fun to meet new children and have our students share their dance class with them. We plan on doing another friend week soon!

We all know what happens after Thanksgiving... more holiday buzz! Ah yes, hearing Miss Leslea saying, "Santa is watching" all December when the lil ones are not standing in first position =). Needless to say, the Holidays were wonderful around Uptown. We had our usual week of parties and started introducing Recital songs and choreography. Santa was even there, and my son and husband joined in on the fun too! It's very heartwarming to see the kids with my son, they all love when he is there and it puts a huge smile on my face to see how loved he is.

We all took a much deserved Holiday break, having a week off to rejuvenate and let the creative juices flow. Miss Pat and I picked out costumes and finalized songs and put a dent in choreography. January is all about Recital excitement; measurements for costumes, learning dances, asking 1567 times, "can we see our costumes", etc.

On top of all that excitement, I have started a program for Belleville residents called the Belleville Fit Club. My goal is to encourage the community to stay fit and healthy. The program is for grade school children and adults and best of all it is FREE! I am very pleased to report that the program is going very well. Even the town is supporting the program, so I feel very honored. I will keep you posted on the progress of BFC for sure.

Other than that, we have our Recital and Rehearsal dates set. We were lucky enough to secure the same location for the show. The community center had changed ownership, so we were uncertain whether or not we would be able to have our show there, but we were lucky to have secured the venue. I am also learning web design, yes I have time for this, why not... I'm a mommy, wife, business owner, dance teacher, fitness instructor, personal trainer, community volunteer... why not add web design to my resume ;) Anyhoo, check out how I have spruced up the site a bit "on my spare time" lol. http://www.uptowndancenj.com/. Speaking of spare time, I'm looking into getting other Zumba Fitness certifications since our Zumba classes have been taking off at Uptown. One of my assistance is even in the process of obtaining her degree this March, I am so proud of her!

We are wishing you all a very joyful, healthy, happy 2012! Did you know that we are celebrating 20 years of dance. Yup, 2012 marks 20 years of business for Uptown Dance. I could not be more excited for this milestone and am excited to share 20 more great years with you all. Thanks to you for making those years so special. I will close with a post I made of Facebook not to long ago...

"Feeling so blessed to have been able to bring dance to so many in the past 20 years. Sitting here thinking of all the kids I have taught and watch grow up and all the people who have passed through our studio...the lives we have touched and changed... the joy... the art of dance... the extended family we have created. I love this time of year when old students come in to visit or send u Holiday cards. Even if they stop dancing with us they still find a way to remind us of how we were an important part in their life. Getting very emotional. Here is to another 20! So happy I found my calling in life."

An Exciting October!

2011-10-10T12:11:00.010-04:00

October is a busy and exciting month for us and we would love to share with you what is happening at Uptown...

Our performance team had the opportunity to dance at another Spartans game on October 8th.

My friend Charmaine from The Maine Step and I attended the UDMA costume preview show on October 9th. I was thrilled to be able to bring her to this wonderful event for the first time. We had a blast and received valuable information from the vendors to ensure both of us have a successful dance season.

October 15th is the kickoff to Fit Kids, a Nutley healthy town initiative. "Partnering with the Nutley Board of Education, this Healthy Town Initiative is designed to engage Nutley school-aged children, grades K thru 12, in activity to help fight childhood obesity and promote a healthy mind, body & spirit." Uptown is so excited to be involved in a program like this, we are firm believers and supports of Dance 4 Your Life, so this was the perfect opportunity to show kids, adults, seniors, and families that Dance is an awesome way to keep your self active and healthy. To help kick off the event Nutley Fit Kids has organized an expo in the NHS gymnasiam this Friday. We will have fabulous giveaways at our booth (but you will have to work for them!) and a high energy demo/mini class for the kids and their families.

Lastly we will be having a Zumbathon at the studio on October 23rd in honor of breast cancer awareness month. Come out and show your support and lets shake it for a good cause! Tickets are $17 and will benefit Susan G. Komen for the Cure. The event is from 1-3 and we ask that all participants wear pink! We recommend you purchase your tickets in advance, space is limited.

Finally, on Halloween, October 31st, we will have a Halloween Play Date Party for children 2 and under. The purpose is to have the lil lil ones involved in something for Halloween since they do not get to enjoy the trick or treating festivities. Come and hang out at Uptown, show off your costume and play with kids your age! We will be there from 4:30-5:30(or longer) and the group will be led by Miss Leslea and her son Carl.

Uptown Performance Team

2011-09-25T12:56:00.005-04:00

Last night, we had a very unique opportunity, we were asked to perform at the halftime of the NJ Spartans football game! We were honored and thrilled, and the experience left us with wanting more. Thanks to Charmaine and the welcoming fans of the NJ Spartans, we are happily looking into more opportunities like this one. We have been asked to return to another Spartans game and can not wait to do so on October 8th. This experience has inspired us to do more and I am please to announce we now have a Performance Team... yet another addition to Uptown.

If you would like information on how to audition for our Performance Team, visit the Uptown Entertainment page on our main site.

Form more information about the NJ Spartans, please visit their page here. I think here is where I'm suppose to chant "AaaHhhOoo!!!" (something we learned last night :-))

See you at the next game!

The 2011-2012 Dance Season...Welcome Back!

2011-09-19T08:13:00.003-04:00

First, we would like to welcome you (or welcome you back) to Uptown Dance, Belleville's Premier Dance Studio. This year is very special for us because we will be celebrating 20 years of business in dance. Thank you for being part of our dance family and helping us celebrate!

We have an exciting fall schedule for you with Ballet, Tap and Jazz for ages 2.5-Adult. We also have Hip Hop for ages 7-Adult, Pointe for ages 11-adult, and much more! New classes such as Kids Yoga and kids and adult ZUMBA fitness!

Also, don't forget about our Fitness program which includes personal training for all ages, and remember if you ever need dance outside of our studio, do not hesitate to contact us. We have our traveling dance teacher program, Around the Town Dance, which will come to your facility or party. We are currently bringing dance to Little Scholars Nursery School in Belleville and have made appearances at many of our student's birthday parties. Then we have Uptown Entertainment which provides party motivators and choreographed dancers for your next special event. We would also be happy to choreograph a piece for your special day. We have done Mitzvahs, Weddings, and Sweet 16's. Check out the fun here! Last but not least, the U Can Dance program is back and in full swing! This is our program for children with special needs. We were featured in the Belleville Times! check it out here.

So, as if that was not enough dance for you... Uptown is constantly growing and evolving with our community. We are proud supporters of Dance 4 Your Life!

Established by the Dizzy Feet Foundation and the Larry King Cardiac Foundation, with the assistance of CRT/tanaka, in 2011, Dance 4 Your Life! is a national initiative to promote dance as a daily part of an active, healthy lifestyle. Dance is a fun and proactive way to get moving, to reduce the risk of heart disease, and to combat the obesity epidemic. Anyone, young or old, can dance anywhere, without need for a gym membership, good weather, expensive sneakers, or any equipment. So what’s stopping you? DANCE 4 YOUR LIFE!

We want nothing more than to be a part of keeping our community active and healthy. We are also proud sponsors of Nutley Fit Kids. This brings us to yet another addition to our fall schedule... Healthy Habits for life seminars based on the platform of Ms. United states 2008, Graziella Baratta. The seminars will be held the last Saturday of every month from 4-430pm.

Other than our schedule, we have fun opportunities for our students to stay motivated throughout the year. We have our student of the month program for children who who are dedicated to dance/fitness, have good attendance, participate with enthusiasm, work well with their other classmates, keep the classroom a positive environment, and show progress in their classes. Applying is simple, just message Miss Leslea on The Uptown Connection (you must be a member first and don't worry, its FREE) and tell her why you or your child/family member should be The Student of the Month. This special student will recieve recognition in our Newsletter and Blog, a unique photo/video montage, and a special gift!

I am so proud to be sharing this news with you and honored to have served our community for these 20 years! It has been quite a journey, to think I was just a teenager and a student teacher when Miss Pat opened Uptown... and here we are today... Some of our students are still with us! This is more than dance to us... its our lifestyle, its our passion, its our family. We bring dance to you from the heart. I look forward to the next 20 plus years of dance with you all!

If you are as excited as I am about the new season and want to show your support by wearing your Uptown Gear, you may visit our U Dance Apparel store here. We have samples in the studio for you to try on or take a look at.

See you all in class!
Peace, Love, and Dance!
Miss Leslea

Student Spotlight

2011-08-17T18:07:00.007-04:00

We would like to announce a new feature to our blog... The Student Spotlight. Each month we will highlight a special student...The Student of the Month. We will also recognize other achievements in dance from our students in this section.

To apply for student of the month you and/or a member of your family must apply on our members only, private site, www.UptownDanceConnection.com (please ask your parents/guardians permission before joining our website.) We are looking for students who are dedicated to dance, have good attendance, participate with enthusiasm, work well with their other classmates, keep the classroom a positive environment, and show progress in their classes. Applying is simple, just message Miss Leslea on The Uptown Connection (you must be a member first and don't worry, its FREE) and tell her why you or your child/family member should be The Student of the Month.

If you are not a student at Uptown Dance, don't worry. There is a similar opportunity for you on New Jersey Dancers.com. You may apply to be Dancer of the Month! This contest is open to anyone involved in the dance field in NJ. Simply message "LesleaC" the founder of NJDancers with why you should be Dancer of the Month. Tell her about your achievements or goals or any dance related awesomeness =)

We are looking forward to your participation!

Congratulations to Uptown's first Student of the Month... August's Ashley V.

National Dance Day 2011

2011-07-15T15:42:00.002-04:00

The second annual National Dance Day is quickly approaching. This year it will be on July 30th. I will be celebrating by being at the Dance Teacher Summit in NYC with my family and friends. I encourage you all to participate in NDD and would love to have my Uptown crew represent by choosing one of the 3 videos below, learn the choreography, then tape yourself and send it to our Facebook page .

Need more information...

WHAT: NATIONAL DANCE DAY, a grassroots initiative that encourages the nation, young and old, to move! Individuals, families, organizations and communities from across the nation come together through their creative expression in dance. Any style of dance is welcome and imagination is recommended in order to get the most out of this celebratory day.

WHEN: Saturday, July 30

WHY: To continue to generate national awareness for dance, a medium of expression and storytelling which, through shows like So You Think You Can Dance, has proven its value in bringing individuals from all walks of life together through a positive platform that has no boundaries and cultivates imagination and passion. Most importantly, the day is intended to promote health and wellness nationwide.

HOW: Three videos will be released Wednesday, July 6 with different levels of choreography, making it possible for people of all ages and dance backgrounds to celebrate.

National Dance Day was recognized by Congress last year. Learn more about the movement brought to Washington, D.C. by Nigel Lythgoe and Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC). Share your D-Day ideas in the SYTYCD forums and stay tuned to this site for more information to come.

Visit Dance4YourLife.org for more.

Help bring the U Can Dance Program back!

2011-05-16T10:39:00.002-04:00

It was always Miss Leslea's goal to start a program for children with special needs. This year I am happy to say that we finally did it! Unfortunately, timing was not on our side. Most of you know I was pregnant at the start of the program, and extremely pregnant towards the end. Sadly, I had to finally discontinue. I had high hopes on returning 4-6 weeks after delivery but once lil C arrived we realized that almost all of my free time needed to be dedicated towards him. Being down the studio for longs stretches at a time was just not working for us. With my sons demands still being pretty high, I am working towards hiring other instructors to take my place. With that, I would also love to expand the program with performance opportunities and take creative movement to a new level with props and fun games for the kids. That being said, I am reaching out to the community with hopes of some small contributions. The program was at no cost to the children or their families and I would love to keep it that way. The location will still be sponsored by Uptown Dance and some of our assistants will be donating their time. Let's see where this takes us, and high hopes for U Can Dance!! Thank you for checking out or page!

http://ucandance.chipin.com/the-u-can-dance-program

Peace, Love, Dance
Miss Leslea

Dance Advantage's Spring Fever Giveaway

2011-03-22T13:37:00.003-04:00

Seems it is that time again and we are super excited to share another week of giveaways provided by Dance Advantage. The last set of giveaways was lots of fun and we were lucky enough to win the Cynthia King ballet slippers! You can read all about it bellow(info taken directly from DA's post) or simply go to Dance Advantage now!

Spring Fever Giveaway!!!!

When will it begin?

Monday, March 21.

When will it end?

Sunday, March 27.

What could I win?

Oh no you don’t. We like to surprise you! I CAN share that we’ve got you covered – your A-B-C’s and 1-2-3′s! Wearables, gear to help you practice and improve, teaching and curriculum aids, and more!

What will I have to do?

All you have to do is show up and comment. Stay tuned all week to DanceAdvantage.net. There will be a link to the giveaways on the home page. Or bookmark this post. I’ll update it to include links to the daily giveway.

What are my chances?

It depends. There will be up to three winners on each giveaway. Winners will be chosen randomly from those that comment on each individual giveaway.

Subscriber PLUS members will have the opportunity to earn extra entries. Good news! There’s still time to sign up… Join HERE.

Why do you hold giveaways?

I see it as a way to show appreciation to readers as well as highlight interesting companies and products with which you may not be familiar. And it doesn’t hurt Dance Advantage, either! It brings new readers and sponsors, creates a bit of buzz, and gives us a warm, fuzzy feeling.

What happens if I win?

After I randomly draw your winning entry comment, I’ll contact you via email. You’ll only have 48 hours to get back to me. I’ve got to put a limit on it or it drags on and on and on…. So stay close to your email throughout the coming week (and a half). When I don’t hear back from a winner, I move on to the next drawn winner which makes another person happy (yay!) but another one pretty disappointed. I’d rather that no one is disappointed!

What do I do now?

Tweet, retweet, tweet again.

Share, like, link on Facebook.

Blog, re-blog, broadcast.

(Monday – mark your calendar!)

Any other questions?

Ask now in the comments below or forever hold your peace...

The Dance Advantage Reader’s Choice Top Dance Blogs of 2010 competition

2010-12-08T16:00:00.004-05:00

Contests are fun, especially those that support our dance community. Nichelle of Dance Advantage has done it again, she is rounding us up and encouraging us to enter her contest "Top Dance Blogs of 2010".

I decided to enter because there is a category for Dance Companies/Schools. I have never considered myself a "blogger" or even a good writer... You all know I (like many other dancers) express myself best through my movement and not my words. But, I do feel like I do a decent job at keeping Uptown Dancers and their family and friends well informed with my blog The Uptown Beat. So why not you guys...I'm entering, and I need your help to get to the next round.

If you support what I am saying, enjoy reading my blog, or are a new reader and support Uptown, please leave a comment on this post. In order to get to the next round I will simply need comments...easy enough for you guys, right?

Wish me luck and thanks in advance for your comments, or even if you are just here reading, I appreciate it! Also please support Dance Advantage and go check out this contest if you have not already done so http://danceadvantage.net/2010/12/08/top-dance-blog/

Peace, Love, and Dance!
Miss Leslea

The Dance Advantage Giving Thanks Giveaway

2010-11-09T14:34:00.003-05:00

If you read our blog you have heard the names Nichelle and Dance Advantage before. If not, I will quickly tell you that Nichelle is an internet dance bud of mine who I finally had the pleasure of meeting in real life this summer. I am a super fan of her blog/website Dance Advantage and have watched her and DA become a huge success over the past few years. I am proud to inform you all of yet another awesome idea of hers. If you are not already a member of her site you must head over there now... Dance Advantage

If me simply encouraging you to do so is not enough maybe her newest creation will be...

Free Stuff!! Freebies!! Giveaways!! Prizes!! Fun!!

Did that get your attention? Dance Advantage has a super fun contest which started yesterday and will continue throughout the week. Details here... Giving Thanks Giveaway

What are you waiting for... GO!!!! =)

UDMA Costume Preview Show 2010

2010-10-15T20:10:00.003-04:00

This year I attended the UDMA Costume Preview Show with my friend, fellow dance teacher, and co worker Graziella Baratta. For those of you who are not familiar with the show...

"The UDMA Dance Resource & Costume Show is the country’s biggest vendor gathering just for dance teachers and studio owners! It’s all under one roof— costumes, competitions, conventions, video and teaching tools, tours, flooring, fundraisers, magazines and many other organizations all showing their newest products and services to help teachers and studios owners with the business of dance."

It is an event I look forward to every year to gather info, think about costumes, and just see whats new. It's amazing to think that many years ago I attended the show as a model...now I walk the exhibit hall as a proud studio owner and teacher. The UDMA show is a special event to me for sure, and if you do not attend yearly as an instructor or studio owner you should consider starting a tradition as I did.

All the booths were welcoming, there were some great displays and excitement throughout. We were happy to run into Jose of Backdrops Beautiful and meet some new friends along the way.

Looking forward to next year already!
www.UDMA.or g

The Girls Scouts Dance at Uptown

2010-10-09T09:44:00.002-04:00

This past Thursday we had the pleasure of welcoming 19 Brownies into our studio for a Hip Hop class. The girls earned their Dancersize badge that day. I think it's wonderful that the Girl Scouts incorporate dance and fitness into the badges the girls are required to earn.

Having Troupe 762 at Uptown was a blast. Class started with a typical warm up, we then learned a hip hop routine to Dynamite. Miss Leslea taught the class and was assisted by Miss Danielle and Miss Alexandra. Great Job Girls!!

The Uptown Connection

2010-09-09T07:38:00.005-04:00

For me, like many studio owners and dance instructors, summer is always the time where I think to myself...What can I do to make next season even better? Usually the first thing on my list is updating and improving our website. This year I was looking for an opportunity that would better serve our students and parents. I often ask myself, how can our website be more useful to our current clientele and not just be a form of advertisement for potential clientele? With the ideas I had in mind I realized I would need constant access to our site to be responsible for the many updates my ideas required. After a long process and some debating, I came up with a solution that I was very happy with... The Uptown Connection, our new site which is a social network exclusive to Uptown Dancers.

So many of you are probably saying, (much like my students would put it) "What's the deal Miss Leslea? Did you get bored again and just feel like creating yet another site for us to join??" My answer would be both yes and no. I do feel an extreme urge to let my creativity out over the summer while I'm not teaching, this year it was in the form of amateur web design and studio renovations. However, this site does have a purpose!! Let me explain...
The Uptown Connection will be a place where students and family members of students can go to get the information they need at any time, or simple go to interact with other Uptown Dancers. Memberships must be approved and there will be access levels. For example, currents students will have full access to class choreography, music, tuition and registration where as a friend or fan of an Uptown student just viewing the site would have limited access to things such as U dance apparel, class schedule and general info. This feature also allows teachers and parents access to information students may not be allowed to view. There are many possibilities which I'm excited about, mostly the opportunity for full control over changing content and monitoring the site.

Some features that are available now to benefit students and families of Uptown:

~Up to date Schedule
~Rates
~Online Registration
~Online tuition payments through PayPal
~Current Events Calendar
~Weekly videos of class choreography
~Class music downloads
~Shopping at U Dance Apparel
~Video Chatting and Rehearsing with classmates
~Social opportunities
~Share Photos
~Blog
~Join a Group
~Spark up a convo in the forum

Eventually the goal will be to have a network like this one available within our main site. Trust me, I prefer things simple and clean, and yes I believe less is more. But for now, at least members can benefit from the ideas I had for them to make their experience at Uptown even greater. I can't wait to expand upon this creation and I'm hopeful that this site will become a useful tool to the Uptown Family. Thanks for reading as always, and if you have any feedback for me I would love to hear it! www.UptownDanceConnection.com

Around the Town Dance

2010-08-31T15:14:00.007-04:00

After a year or so of traveling to students homes that were unable to attend classes at the studio, I decided to offer my services publicly and expand on my traveling dance teacher business. The first thing you need is a catchy name, right? After a nice lunch with my pals at this years Dance Teacher Summit, Maria of Maria's Movers came up with the name Around the Town Dance, knowing I like to stick with the Uptown theme. Perfect I said!! and so it began...

What is Around The Town Dance?

It is a service Uptown Dance offers for those who are in need of a

Traveling Dance Teacher.

Why would someone need a Traveling Dance Teacher?

For many reasons!

~ The convenience of lessons in your home

~ Birthday Parties custom to your needs

~ A Dance Tudor providing extra help away from the studio

~ A Master Teacher providing that specialty class that your facility does not offer

Where Does Around The Town Dance travel to?

In an effort to keep this experience affordable, we prefer to travel to surrounding towns such as Nutley, Bloomfield, Clifton, Passaic, Newark, Lyndhurst, Rutherford, and North Arlington. If you are not in one of these towns, don’t worry, we would be happy to speak with you and see if Around The Town Dance can make arrangements to come see you!

This sounds like it may be something I can not afford, like the luxury of a personal trainer that only celebrities would have come to their home.

Even though our very first clients were Jason Kidd’s daughters, we do not just cater to celebrities or the wealthy. We keep Around The Town Dance available to anyone who is in need with our affordable packages.

Call us Today for a Quote!

Ask for Leslea

973-450-5882

Below is an example of our latest client, a Uptown Dance student who had a Luau Birthday party in her back yard and wanted her friends to learn the Hula. Thanks Lexi!! Your party was a blast, hope you and your friends had fun too and thanks for having Around the Town Dance there with you to celebrate.

Dance Teacher Summit 2010 NYC

2010-08-09T08:25:00.015-04:00

This year I was fortunate enough to attend more than just the Gala. I must say that spending time at the Summit truly motivates you to become a better dance teacher and studio owner..."unite, share, inspire" really just sums it all up. Also, I got to see some of my online dance buds, some of us meeting for the very first time.

Day one was pretty hectic, time went by so quickly and everyone was buzzing around to get to classes and seminars and the opening of the exhibits. I arrived early to register and then viewed Sheila Barker's Jazz class. Next I was off to my friend Suzanne Gerety's Social Media 101 Seminar. It was great to see Suzanne and Kathy again, I couldn't believe a whole year had past. Thankfully our tweets and contact on Dance Studio Owner keep us close. As the seminar began I noticed a wave from Maria of Maria's Movers. This was our first meeting, but I felt like I knew her already from our tweets and online chats. After Suzanne's Seminar, which reassured the room why Social Media is right for their studio, I finally met Nichelle from Dance Advantage. This meeting was long over due because I have been in contact with Nichelle for about two years online, she has helped me a lot with her awesome blog and actually inspired me to start my own. This is a picture of Nichelle and I at the Gala. So great to have met you face to face!

Next was the Studio Owner round table. Here is where studio owners get to chat about areas of concern that come with running and owning your own dance studio. I received a lot of helpful tips and new ideas by talking to the ladies at my table. Afterwards I had a nice lunch with Suzanne, Maria and Lori.

Shortly after lunch my girls from Uptown arrived for the
opening of the exhibits. I really loved walking around and talking to everyone at the booths. I got to meet Jose from Backdrops Beautiful and saw Chad from Real Deal Dance Marketing. I caught up with Nichelle and Suzanne again, filled my goody bag with more goodies, and got some great info! If you know me, you know I could not leave with out buying something, so I chose my favorite vendor...Sugar and Bruno and got two super cute roomy t-shirts for my growing belly. Perfect for when I go back to teaching in September.

Wednesday evening was the Gala, the final event for the Summit. Carl and I went into the city together and had a nice dinner before meeting up with friends. The Gala includes the Dance Teacher Awards, The A.C.E award competition winners, celebrity hosts and some of the best dance companies in the world. I made a video of the nights performances and a photo montage of my experience. I think you will get a better feel for the Summit through these videos. Hope you enjoy and thanks for reading. If you do not already attend the yearly Dance Teacher Summit, its something you should really consider... "unite, share, inspire" and start your new season of dance off right!

What's New For Fall

2010-07-21T16:06:00.009-04:00

We are pleased to say we have some exciting announcements for the start of our 19th season! The fall will bring many new opportunities to our students and we can not wait to welcome you back. We hope you all are having a relaxing summer and are looking forward to your return and a brand new year of dance.

A Newly Renovated Studio
There has been a lot of work going on during the summer such as new flooring, a new restroom, a fresh coat of paint and... well, you will just have to see for yourself. Miss Pat and I are super excited about this and can't wait for you all to dance in our new space.

An Adult Dance/Fitness Program
Have you always loved dance but were afraid to start a class? Did you dance when you were younger and would love to get back into it but don't want to be in a class with teenagers? Do you think dancers have great bodies and feel dance is a awesome way to stay in shape? Do you want to stay fit but don't want to commit to a membership at a gym with a yearly contract and an expensive enrollment fee? If you answered YES to any of these questions then you need to try Uptown Fitness and dance your way to a healthier you!! Classes such as...

Cardio Jazz: In this 45 minute class you’ll learn some classic jazz dance steps while burning major calories! You’ll never know it’s a fitness class, and leave with some sassy skills! Taught by Graziella Baratta

Cardio Hip Hop: Learn to dance like a music video vixen in this 45 minute calorie blasting class. Sweat = sexy, trust us! Taught by Graziella Baratta

Cardio Tap: Learn basic tap technique and tone your legs and core. This 45 minute class is all about your feet making a beat and sweating up a storm. *tap shoes required*

BalleTONE: 45 minutes of repetitious classical ballet technique with a fitness flare. If the dancers body is something that appeals to you... that long, strong, lean, sculpted shape, then this class is for you. If you like Pilates, you will LOVE BalleTONE! *yoga mat required*

Yoga: A combination of different styles of yoga. If you need to unwind from a long day and would like to increase flexibility while learning to use the power of your breath, then try this class. A very relaxing atmosphere where you can let it all go...don't we all deserve time like that to ourselves? *yoga mat required*

"U Can Dance"
A free program for children with special needs, held every other Sunday at Uptown. This program is something I have been wanting to start for sometime now and I am pleased to say I have some participants and people willing to help out to make U Can Dance a success. My student teachers will have the opportunity to donate their time to the program as well. And best of all, the children will also have the opportunity to perform in our annual recital and hopefully other local venues. Just like anything else, this program will take time to build. If you know of anyone interested in helping or participating please direct them to this post and our website.

I hope this post builds some excitement for you all for the Fall. This is time where I really start missing my dance family and can't wait to start the new season. By the way, for those of you who don't know, my final announcement...we will also have an exciting new addition in the form of a very tiny dancer in December! *wink wink*

As Always,
Peace, Love and Dance
~Miss Leslea

National Dance Day

2010-07-16T12:48:00.005-04:00

"As part of his commitment to support dance education and physical fitness in the United States, Nigel Lythgoe is launching National Dance Day on "So You Think You Can Dance." National Dance Day will take place on July 31, 2010 and will include a variety of dance-themed activities for people of all ages. It will empower, challenge and inspire everyone to try various styles of dance ranging from hip-hop to ballroom to anything that moves. Above all, it will encourage everyone to DANCE as a means to stay fit and be healthy."

Thanks Nigel! What a perfect way to blend my passions in life for dance and fitness!

Miss Leslea and Uptown Dance have decided to challenge their students (and anyone else who would like to be involved) by posting a video response on their Facebook Fan Page. Your video should include your contribution to National Dance Day...be creative!! If you can not think of something original just video yourself performing the NappyTabs routine as I have done. Don't forget to title your video National Dance Day and tag Miss Leslea so she doesn't miss it. Three finalist will be selected based on enthusiasm and creativity. The winner will be based on fan votes and featured in our blog and on our fan page. *The deadline to submit your video is July 31, 2010 at 11:59pm ET.*

The NappyTabs Dance Day Routine

A Post from the SYTYCD Blog...

Get Excited for National Dance Day

So You Think You Can Dance executive producer and judge Nigel Lythgoe would like to declare July 31, NATIONAL DANCE DAY.

WHEN: Saturday, July 31

WHY: To continue to generate national awareness for dance, a medium of expression and storytelling which, through shows like So You Think You Can Dance, has proven its value in bringing individuals from all walks of life together through a positive platform that has no boundaries and cultivates imagination and passion. Most importantly, the day is intended to promote health and wellness nationwide.

Nigel has been tweeting up a storm about National Dance Day, a.k.a. D-Day. He said the goal is to “prove that the ‘Power of Dance’ can MOVE an entire Country!” So get up off the couch and put on your dancing shoes on July 31^st. Share your D-Day ideas in the SYTYCD forums and stay tuned to this site for more information to come.

Take It A Step Further...

Submit your plans for National Dance Day to the SYTYCD website and you may be contacted by the producers and mentioned in an episode! *The deadline to submit your idea is July 16, 2010 at 11:59pm ET.* For more information please visit www.fox.com/dance/ndd/

Hope you all have fun with National Dance Day and I look forward to your contributions.
Peace, Love and Dance!
~Leslea

Guest Blog Post for Backdrops BeautifulThe Benefits of Social Media in Dance

2010-06-22T13:11:00.014-04:00

I wrote a similar post almost two years ago called The Power of the Net , It's amazing how things change. We had just started our journey incorporating social media within our studio. I am happy to say I have learned a lot in these two years. For example; what works and what doesn't, what to keep your eyes open for (the good, bad, and the ugly), and social media etiquette. I will speak a bit more about those later, but for now lets talk about the benefits of social media for dance. I will list a few examples, but as most of you already know the opportunities with social media are endless.

A Professional Dancer:
With a few simple tools such as Facebook and Twitter, you can promote yourself as a dancer and connect with several other people in your industry. You can post your performances to get a bigger fan base and connect with those who may have information on the latest auditions in your area.

Dance Teachers:
Similar to the above, teachers can promote themselves and connect with people in their industry. They can share ideas, thoughts, and concerns with teachers from around the world. Teachers can also stay connected with their students, but make sure you check with your studios policy on contact with students online. My suggestion is create a separate Fan page or Twitter account, keep your personal life personal and your contact with your students professional.

Studio Owners:
Can do all of the above plus created networks, blogs and of course websites for their business. Please see my networking list in my previous post for examples. What I have done, and what you will do over time, is narrow down the sites you use for networking. If you have experience with social media you know that it can become a bit overwhelming and time consuming, a great example of less is more and quality not quantity.

Find Out What Works Best For You and What Doesn't.
For me it's convenience, that's why I love and stick to my Facebook Fan page, YouTube and Twitter accounts for networking. What's great about these three is you can sync your accounts, which saves time. Then of course we have the Blog and Ning Network. What I recommend doing is keeping things clean and simple all on one site. I did this on my personal site and plan on doing it for the studio soon. You will notice that I have a blog and network all in one place on one site, that way it eliminates your customers and fans from having to navigate away from your main site and eliminates you having to post in several places. With my dance studio I would no longer have to have a Ning network or a blogger account, it would be all in one place as I said before.

Narrow Down Your Network
For help and support I've narrowed down my list to Dancestudioowner.com and Danceadvantage.net. Now especially, there are tons of sites and blogs to lend a helping hand and give advice to the dance industry. Again, find what suites you and makes your experience convenient.

What to Keep Your Eyes Open For
It's ironic because at the same time I was asked to be a guest blogger, my circle of online dance buds did a Social Smarts Live Chat . This very informative event was hosted by Nichelle of Dance Advantage, Suzanne of Dance Studio Owner, and Marc of Tendu TV. By visiting the Social Smarts link you can get the opinions of some great people who have experience with Social Media and Dance. Social media is open for anyone, and we are all here for different reasons. My advice would be to surround yourself with people of similar interest and common goals... not to far off from how you would conduct yourself in "real life."

Social Media Etiquette
This is something I would like to give my opinion on for those of you just starting out. I know you are excited and see many benefits and opportunities. Just remember that you will build a reputation online just as you do out in the real world. Be polite and courteous of other peoples time and what you ask of them. A few examples...

Do not tweet to often and flood peoples stream with tweets
Do respond to relevant questions or posts
Do not beg for followers or people to participate in what you are doing
Do remain professional at all times

For those of you still hesitant to jump on the social media ban wagon, think of these questions for yourself and ask the opinions of others...

What do you hear of more often, a person reading the yellow pages or a person googling the information they need?
What do you see more often, a person reading the newspaper or someone with and ipad, personal reader, or iphone?
How are the younger generation communicating, through telephone or real life conversations or by Tweeting and Facebooking each other?
How has our lines of communication changed, do we talk on the phone at all anymore or do we just text?
How has our society evolved as far as communication and advertising?
Is Social Media right for you and your business?

I hope this information is useful for those of you just getting started and even those of you who have been here for some time. It never hurts to share ideas, it's yet one of the other benefits of social media, right? I would also like to say that by creating this post I am by no means categorizing myself as a "social media expert". I just think it's nice to hear from others in your field about what works for them.

As I explained before, we will all use Social Media for different reasons. Some are trying to sell a particular product, some simply want to socialize, and some are here just to get themselves out there and known. I happen to like keeping it fun, I'm not pushing my studio or myself in anyway, I just hope people become more aware of my presence and if I happen to get a new student or client this way, then great! Social Media for me is just an addition to the advertising we do already and a fun way to share ideas and meet other great dance industry people.

I shall leave you with two perfect examples of what I'm talking about.

First example, My Ning Network...

"Thank you for your support in my effort to create a positive, motivating, non competitive place for us to interact and share our love for dance. My goal is to be well known as a encouraging support system to our Dance community, and best of all, its Free! Help me in my effort and ask others who love dance in NJ to join too. Get yourself a badge or send them and invite. Questions, comments, suggestions are always welcome. I look forward to hearing from you all. Peace, Love, Dance!"

Second example, Why Dance Matters ... a virtual event that rallies the dance community online created by my friend Nichelle of Dance Advantange. This was an amazing event to participate in and witness...the love and appreciation for dance was overwhelming! Below are my contributions to the event...

I hope you find this post and information useful. For me this was just another effort to spread my love and passion for dance. Thanks to Backdrops Beautifu l for the topic and opportunity to be a guest blogger for their site. I thank you all for reading and as always...
Peace, Love, Dance!
~ Leslea

More "Why Dance Matters"

2010-06-19T07:29:00.002-04:00

Uptown Dance Matters

In the Life of a Child

Quotes from some of the Greats

Why Dance Matters

2010-04-17T08:57:00.003-04:00

"Why Dance Matters is a virtual event that rallies the dance community on Facebook and beyond." Nichelle Strzepek of Dance Advantage gives us the opportunity to "affirm the impact dance has on the lives of individuals and communities." The event will be held between Arts Advocacy Day (April 12) and the close of National Dance Week (May 2). Learn how you can participate in Why Dance Matters... http://tinyurl.com/ycgomnl

Why Dance Matters to me...

As a child, dance taught me what is was like to be passionate about something. It gave me confidence and joy... It brought me closer to my soul. As I grew, I learned how dance became an outlet, my stress reliever. When I danced I thought of nothing else... It brought me closer to my soul. As a young adult, I started appreciating dance as an art form. My desire to perform grew stronger, sharing my gift made me happy... It brought me closer to my soul. At this stage in my life I am an instructor and studio owner. I can't imagine my life with out dance or the ability to pass my love onto others. To dance is to be free... It brings us closer to our souls.

Why Dance Matters is brought to you by http://danceadvantage.net

With the help of the following friends and partners:
Rene Michaels http://photosbyrene.com/dance_action_portfolio.htm
http://DanceStudioOwner.com
http://TenduTV.com
http://movecreateeducate.blogspot.com
http://www.artintercepts.org

Uptown Entertainment

2009-08-27T16:55:00.019-04:00

About a year ago I started advertising the services we provide other than dance instruction to children and young adults. Services such as my mother and I providing Quinceanera choreography, hosting children's birthday parties, or choreographing first dances at weddings to those who inquired. Thankfully, the clients were always very happy with our work. I also have had several years of what is know as "party motivating" experience. This is when a dancer accompanies the DJ to get the crowd dancing at parties. So, I figured why not make this bigger and advertise to our current costumers. Our regular clients had no idea we provide these services, so lets make it known! With that Uptown Entertainment was born.

You can have your event at Uptown Dance or we will travel to your location

Kids: Great for unique Birthday parties, or any occasion to have fun!
*Themed Dance Party (Hannah Montana, High School Musical, Enchanted, etc.)
*Freestyle Fun (We will lead, kids will enjoy Cha Cha Slide, Cotton Eye Joe, Peanut Butter Jelly time, etc.)
*Learn To Dance Party (You pick the form of dance and we will do the rest)

Teens & Adults: Birthdays, Mitzvahs, Quinceanera, Sweet16,
30th, 50th, Weddings, Anniversary, Corporate Events, or any occasion
*Professional Choreographed Dancers
*Party Motivators
*G-Volution Dance Company

Maybe you just need help preparing for your event
*Ballroom wedding dance instruction
*Quinceanera choreography
*Learn the latest dances done at parties
*We also have a list of vendors we would be happy to recommend

One of the most recent events was a students Birthday Party. She picked the theme of High School Musical. We warmed up and played dance related games to all 3 soundtracks from the movies, then I taught them some simple choreography to I Want It All. The kids ate, opened presents and had yummy cupcakes. It was a lot of fun and most importantly the birthday girl and others had a blast!

Another fun adventure for Uptown Entertainment was choreographing a wedding party and performing a contemporary piece at the reception. This is becoming very popular now a days. I believe the trend started with the Brubaker couple. I'm sure you all remember this one...

And most recently a entire wedding party brought some excitement to their entrance into the church with this...

The bridal party I worked with did a Michael Jackson melody as a tribute. The bride found the piece on YouTube and I simply recreated it for them. There were 8 couples in total who met at the studio for rehearsal a few days prior to the wedding. This was the end result...

After this dance my girls and I performed a contemporary ballet piece to Dangerously In Love.
It was a very unique wedding which we were thrilled to be a part of. I hope this trend continues, because this line of work is very exciting for us. It also gives my older students an opportunity to perform outside of the studio.

If you are in the tri state area and have an event that needs a special touch, something unique that will make your occasion stand out, contact Uptown Entertainment. We will help you create an idea that will be memorable for you and your guests.

Thanks for taking the time to check us out and reading our blog. If you enjoy what we do please become a fan of the blog by clicking the follow button on the main page.
Until next time,
Peace, Love, and Dance!
~Miss Leslea

Fall Fashions For Dancers

2009-08-12T08:14:00.016-04:00

If you are like me, then most likely you own more dance attire than regular clothing. I for one look just as forward to making a statement in the studio as I do out on the town. How do you dress for class? I'll be sharing some of my favs as well as the opinions of some other dancers. While reading, let's keep in mind our studios dress code of course, I realize this limits some of us. Enjoy! and please feel free to comment and leave your favorites and the end.

I remember the time where there were not many choices for dancers as far as shoes and apparel where concerned. We had Capezio and Danskin, that was pretty much it. Don't get me wrong, I still get products from both these wonderful companies, however today its all about options, there are tons of companies who supply dancers with what they need. We have so many choices! Let's talk about style, preference and a few options that you may or may not be aware of.

As far as our studio is concerned, we keep things simple. Little ones shoes are all the same color and brand (Capezio) which we provide at the studio. Older students have a more complex shoe list which they can either order through our studio or go to a very nice local shop called Dance Wear Etc. Heather Corneliess, the owner and also a dancer, is extremely helpful and carries mostly Capezio and Bloch for shoes and the trendiest attire for class. I will discuss some of the other brands she carries later on. You can read more about Heather here on NJ Dancers

For me personally I have two styles, one if I'm teaching and the other if I'm auditioning or taking a class. Like I said before if you are taking a class it's always a good idea to check for a dress code and respect it. If there is not one I will try to wear something that makes me feel good and flatters my body type, nothing too bold or over the top. Lets face it, when we feel good and look nice, our confidence is up and we will dancer better. Think about performance day in your beautiful costume, well I like to think of classes as mini performances and put a little effort into my appearance. You never know who may be watching. Auditions you have to dress the part, and most likely they will tell you what to wear. Again, you want to stand out but not be the talk of the casting panel (in a bad way). Don't wear all black (unless required) and don't wear florescent pink and mis-matched legwarmers.

For teaching, which is where I spend most of my time at this point in my life, I have some links and examples.

Sugar and Bruno: can be found at Dance Wear Etc. Nutley NJ

Eighteen21: can be found on the Dance Wear Solutions website

Urban Groove: also found on the Dance Wear Solutions website

Tia's Dancewear: The official site or Dance Wear Etc. Nutley NJ or Dance Wear Solutions

You may also want to check out some local designer for a unique look. I was fortunate enough to meet a wonderfully talented young women on Twitter who's designs are perfect for dancers. Studio owners may even want to contact her to make up an original logo or new line of clothing for their students. Follow and/or contact Im Soul Fly
Check out her stuff here imsoulfly.com.

I was also able to get the opinion of two dance friends on Twitter:

Victoria, owner of Allegro Dance Boutique in Evanston, IL
AllegroDanceBoutiques.com recommends her favorite leos:

~Vala Dancewear
~Yumiko
~Body Wrappers Premiere Collection
~Mirella Jozette Collection
Thanks to Victoria for this wonderful information. Make sure to follow her on Twitter or visit her store if you are in the area.

TerrenceTaps, one of my first dance friends on Twitter; a professional tap dancer, blogger and founder of tapdanceman.com. He recommends and wears Miller & Ben's. He also has a wonderful blog post about Tap Shoes on his website, this is worth the read tappers!! You will notice some really cute, trendy T's for tap class on the bottom left as well. Here is that link
Thanks so much Taps, you are the best and you are such an inspiration to me and other dancers. Keep up the great work you do!

I'd like to thank everyone who contributed to this post and all the wonderful designers and clothing and shoe lines who make dancers look and feel fabulous. I'm extremely excited about how many options there are for us now. Thanks to YOU too for reading, I hope you enjoyed and got some fresh new ideas.

Peace, Love, and Dance!!
~Miss Leslea

Dance Teacher Summit 09 Gala NYC

2009-07-30T08:25:00.009-04:00

I'd like to start out by giving my thanks to Suzanne Gerety of DanceStudioOwner.com. She very graciously invited me to the Dance Teacher Summit Gala. I was so honored when I received her invite. Her and her mom Kathy Blake and their website DSO have been a huge inspiration to me. I am so thankful for our friendship and the wonderful work these women do for the dance community and dance studio owners. Keep inspiring ladies, you are awesome!!

The Gala was held at the Hudson Theatre in NYC on July 29th. I arrived right at 8pm(darn NYC traffic) and was greeted by Suzanne in the lobby. We have been chatting online through twitter and the DSO site for about a year now, so it was such a great thing to finally meet in person. Before entering the theatre Suzanne pointed out Travis Wall!(I no longer felt guilty for missing the SYTYCD episode that night, hehe) I absolutely love Travis, I am a huge fan and was proud of myself that I held back my inner 13 year old giddy screaming girl. As I calmly walked pass him and entered the theatre Suzanne introduced me to Marc Kirschner of http://www.tendu.tv, a twitter friend of hers whom I am now following as well. Before the show started I also got to meet a fellow tweep of mine, Chad Michael of http://www.realdealdancemarketing.com who I follow on both my twitter accounts. It really is a great thing to meet people in real life who you interact with on a daily basis online.

The show started a little late but it gave us time to chat more so I didn't mind one bit. The opening was wonderful, a piece by The Duke Ellington Orchestra, "Rockin N' Rhythm." Then a wonderful performance choreographed bye Kate Jablonski, the Capezio A.C.E award first runner-up. Mike Minery and Gregg Russell then did their rendition of "Moses Supposes." It was really neat to see the original up on big screen above them as they taped on stage.

I was really moved listening to the winner of the 2009 Dance Teacher Magazine Award (K-12 Education), Ann Shea from Tennessee Arts Commission and Allied Arts of Greater Chattanooga. In her speech she talked about how important it is to provide dance to children ages K-12. It made me feel great that I'm a part of that in the dance community. My students may not go on to be prima ballerinas or professional dancers, but I'm making a difference in their lives by introducing dance and the love of movement to them. I got very emotional at this point but it just confirmed that I'm meant to do what I'm doing, I'm blessed to have found my calling in life.

"Shameless" a piece from the Broadway show Movin' Out was next. It was hot, hot, hot to say the least!! Performers Laurie Kanyok and Keith Roberts beautifully performed Twyla Tharps choreography.

A very interesting piece performed by Billy Siegenfeld and Kelly Malone Dudley followed. It was titled "Why Gershwin?" and kept you on the edge of your seat.

The Capezio A.C.E Award second runner-up Jaci Royal introduced her piece "One Worth Leaving" then Gregg Russell showed us some more of his awesome tapping skills. Awards were presented for teachers of higher education and private studios such as John Griffin of Ohio State University and Bonnie Scheutz of Boni's Dance and Performing Arts Studio.

Two beautiful performers, Ashley Bouder and Amar Ramasar, from New York City Ballet made a special guest performance then Lawrence Rhodes accepted the 2009 Dance Teacher Magazine Lifetime Achievement Award.

Finally, last but not least, Denise Wall introduced Travis, the Capezio A.C.E award Winner!! I don't know if its because I am already a fan of Travis, or his amazing work, or a combination of the both, but my jaw dropped and I had the chills during the entire piece. "Its Gonna Be a Long Walk" was one to remember for sure!!

After the Gala we took some pictures and even got to see Mandy Moore.

The night was truly amazing! Suzanne even gave me my own DSO t-shirt and chap stick as a memento, she is way too nice to me!!

For more information on the dance teacher summit please visit their website at http://danceteachersummit.com/

Also if you are a studio owner or teacher and are not already a member of Suzanne and Kathy's site please go visit and take a look for yourself at how valuable a membership would be.

Here is just a small example of how they motivate and inspire their members...

Thank for reading!
Peace, Love and Dance to all!!
~Miss Leslea

Behind the Scenes Recital 2009

2009-07-28T08:54:00.003-04:00

I love hanging out with my students and moms backstage before the show. The room is full of energy and excitement! I like to see how my students are feeling, which is usually nervous. Also, the new moms have questions and students like to chat with me before a performance to calm their nerves. I make it a point to go back there every year to help. Then, we take pics and give hugs to put them all at ease. At that point I feel like a proud mom of 100, everyone looking so pretty and ready to perform and show the audience what we worked so hard for all year. Take a look for yourself, some video clips and pictures from right before our show...

Rehearsal-June 25, 2009

2009-07-22T11:48:00.004-04:00

As promised, here is a little glimpse into our Rehearsal night. I can't believe a month has already past. Looking back, as I edited this footage, reminds me of how proud I am of my students. You will notice some frightened faces, some smiles, some silliness, but all with the love of dance. That's what makes me the proudest. There are gonna be mistakes, but what truly matters is the confidence and joy that the kids experience after being up on that stage in front of their loved ones showing of their love of movement. This is why I love my job.

In the video bellow you will see 9 out of the 30 pieces that were in our show "Just Dance" which was held at the JCC of Clifton on June 28th, 2009. Keep in mind that this was our rehearsal, which is not a dress rehearsal. The students practice up to 3 times on stage, the first with me in the wings or directed them from below, the second for correction, and the third with me be able to comfortable watch as if I was an audience member. So, whenever I got a hot minute I grabbed my Flip and tried to capture what I could.

~Saturday 10:15am Ballet, ages 2.5-4 performing "At My Dancing School"
~Saturday 12:15am Tap, ages 5-6 performing "I Want It All"
~Cecelia M. age 7 performing "Here I Am"
~Saturday 2:15 Ballet, ages 7-8 performing "Can I Have This Dance"
~Saturday 2:15 Tap, ages 7-8 performing "Singing In the Rain"
~Saturday 2:15 Jazz, ages 7-8 performing "I Like to Move It"
~Wednesday Pointe performing "A New Day"
~Jennifer and myself performing a jazz duet to "Sorry"
~Finale, myself and the student teachers performing a jazz piece to "Just Dance"

Please take a look for yourself...

Thanks for watching, I hope you enjoyed it!
Keep an eye out for my next post about the Recital
Peace, Love & Dance
~Miss Leslea

We're Back!!

2009-07-20T13:27:00.002-04:00

Hey there!! Did ya miss us?? As I explained in my last post, there was not much down time for me this year. There are several months of happenings I need to catch you up with. I'm looking forward to posting, tweeting and updating you all again. There is so much I would like to share with you, this will be the first of many post this summer.

Of course my first few weeks of vacation are all about renewing my spirit. This year, as always, I took a trip to the Caribbean the week after the recital. I spent a well deserved (yup I said it, I deserve it) week in Antigua with my love. Now its back to work, not officially since we decided to close completely this summer. What i mean by "work" is... Last year I started what I hope to be another yearly ritual of mine, I hope to use the summer to brainstorm about ways to make the upcoming season even better. I'm sure most dance teachers and studio owners do this regardless on some level. I intend however to be rather aggressive with this work.

I do a lot of online Networking with sites such as...

http://UptownDanceNJ.ning.com (meeting/recruiting local teachers and fellow dancers)
~or~
http://DanceStudioOwner.com (chatting with other teachers in the forum, sharing ideas, getting valuable information from Pros)
~or~
Simply posting on twitter or in this blog to keep my thoughts together and focused.

Last year this method was very successful for us. I'm in the process of visualizing and manifesting yet another year of excellence for Uptown, we will except nothing less =)

Stay tuned for Rehearsal, Recital, and Uptown Entertainment posts as well as my progress with this years improvements for a season that will begin before we know it.

Peace, Love, & Dance
~Miss Leslea

What We Have Been Up To

2009-03-31T11:59:00.002-04:00

Wow it has been a while! Seems like right after the Holidays we had no time to do anything except prepare for the Recital. Sadly, no down time to post, twitter, or update our Network. However, free time seems to be more available due to the fact that pieces are choreographed and costumes are being delivered. We can breath a sigh of relief. For example, just last night I completed all 4 routines for my 10-12 year olds. Ballet, Tap, Jazz and Hip Hop... check!

Hence this post, letting you all know we are still alive and our PRS (pre recital stress) did not get the best of us this year. You would think after 17 years there would be zero stress... well... NO. You see, that is part of it, in some strange way the show would not be half as fun without the challenges.

I will not bore you with the details of the tasks we have completed or the road bumps we have encountered. Lets just say that things are great, and we are looking forward to getting back to spreading our love of owning a studio and dance with you all very soon.

I leave you with one minor detail that I am super excited about. Because of my love for Lady Gaga, I have talked my mother into using a remix of "Just Dance" for the Finale. YAY!!

Catch up with you all soon.
Peace, Love, & Dance!!
Miss Leslea

Holiday Happenings

2008-12-05T12:48:00.006-05:00

Health and Wellness Seminar with Ms. United States 2008 Graziella Baratta
For Teens and Adults
When: Tuesday December 16th, 2008
Where: Uptown Dance
Time: 7-8pm
Cost: Free
RSVP by December 9th, 2008

Master Class “Precision/Dance Team Style” with Rockette Autumn Morgenstern
For Ages 13 and Up
When: Saturday December 20th, 2008
Where: Uptown Dance
Time: 3:30-5pm
Cost: $20
RSVP by December 13th, 2008

Holiday Party
The last week of classes before Holiday Break, December 18th-December 23rd, we will have a Holiday Party for the children during their scheduled dance class. Its our present to them, lots of fun dancing and goodies.

Holiday Break
December 24th-January 5th. Rest up and Happy Holidays to you and your loved ones.

Holiday Gifts

Perfect Holiday Gifts for your young dancer. Tinkerbell’s Dance Studio DVDs. Miss Leslea is the host for the Jazz and Hip Hop instructional videos.

Happy Holidays!!!
Peace, Love, Dance!

The Reason Behind NJ Dancers

2008-11-14T16:20:00.007-05:00

I created a Social Network for Dance in August and in just 3 short months I have gained over 50 members. This may not seem like many to most, but I am very proud of the progress we have made. Some of you may wonder my reason for starting my Network, so here it goes...

On my main page my mission statement reads...

Welcome to my Network! Thank you for your support in my effort to create a positive, motivating, non competitive place for us to interact and share our love for dance. My goal is to be well known as a encouraging support system to our Dance community, and best of all, its Free! Help me in my effort and ask others who love dance in NJ to join too. Get yourself a badge or send them and invite. Questions, comments, suggestions are always welcome. I look forward to hearing from you all. Peace, Love, Dance!

As a young dancer I can remember my dance environment being extremely competitive. For instance; among other local dance schools, at competition(of course), auditions, and even among the girls in my own class. When my mother and I opened our studio, one of our main goals was to change that competitive attitude between dancers. We should unite, not be bitter towards each other. We all love dance, why not share our knowledge and motivate each other. We instill this positive behavior in all our students and accept nothing less. We also do not compete our dancers, we chose to teach our students to appreciate dance as an outlet and art form, nothing more. I wanted a companion to the mentality we have within our studio and to share our teachings with hopes that it will become contagious, hence NJ Dancers.

I recently opened up the Network to those who may not live in NJ, but who promote dance over the Internet. You can't really localize what they do, so we have adopted them into our NJ Dance Community. For example; dance bloggers, dance apparel, dance instructional sites, dance forums, etc. I feel this will be very useful to our members because not everyone has the time to search for all the valuable dance info out there on web. That's where I come in, providing resources at your fingertips on Dance NJ. You can find these awesome people under "featured members." I will also alternately display one of these members weekly on the main page so you can't miss what they are offering us.

I would love for you to stop by and visit NJ Dancers. I also love comments, suggestions, and questions.
As always, Peace, Love, Dance!!

The Power of the Net

2008-11-06T13:43:00.012-05:00

You have all heard me mention before that this was Uptown's year to use the Internet to our advantage. It was long over due, using the power of the Net for advertising and networking. Our adventure started this past summer before our new season began. A very close friend of mine, Graziella Baratta, opened me up to the power of the Net. Sure the studio and I had Myspace accounts, but how about all of the other opportunities out there that are not as "popular". She informed me of Twitter, which has opened up many other doors and has motivated me explore. She also encouraged me to get an official website which was pretty easy since she was my web designer. She is very talented and creative, together we came up with a well received Site that many students and parents are enjoying. Here we are about 4 months later and I want to share with you some of my experiences.

Twitter: Short and Sweet. Follow people with similar interest. Attach links and info, meet and connect with people. So far I've met some awesome dance bloggers, one in which inspired me to start my own (Thanks Nichelle of Dance Advantage.) I've also been introduced to dance communities and sites through Twitter which I will make note of below.

Ning: Similar to Myspace or Facebook but a little more specific. My Ning Network is for Dance in NJ. My goal is to be well known as a encouraging support system to our Dance community, and best of all, its Free! I'm making a big effort to create a positive, motivating, non competitive place for us to interact and share our love for dance. I will talk more in detail about my mission behind this in my next post.
*Two other Ning Network for Dance: Dance New York and Dance Advantage Interactive

Helping Hands, My circle of Info.
Below I will list my dance discoveries thus far in my effort to make full use of the Net.

GenDance: "The NEW weekly e-newsletter and trend-zine for the NEXT GENERATION of dance." Dance Trends, News and Media. I found GenDance at the UDMA Costume Preview Show.

DanceHere: "You’ll find the best news, advice, reviews, and resources from within the world of dance." I found Dance Here on Twitter.

Dance Teacher Web: “Proven tips, tools and tactics to gain, train and retain better students!” Videos and articles for dance teachers and studio owners. You must become a member to access the info on this site. I found Dance Teacher Web at the UDMA Costume Preview show, we won a free month =)

DanceStudioOwner.com:"A collaborative online community and resource that is full of information on everything you need to know to attract more students, retain top talent, inspire loyal faculty and staff and love the business of dance." I found DSO in a Magazine where they were offering a FREE ebook and Tip of the Week Newsletter. You have limited access to the website for free and must join for full access. I became a member and highly recommend the site. Some time after I also found DSO on Twitter.

Dancer Universe: Everything dance wrapped up into one site. Uptown Dance is listed with this site under Dancer Lessons. I found Dancer Universe through their magazine.

Merchant Circle: A well know place to promote any business. You can join the 620,000 businesses across the country who rely on Merchant Circle to manage their online reviews. Best of all, it's FREE!

Dance Plug: "The ultimate Dance Network featuring Online Dance Classes." I found Dance Plug through Nichelle of Dance Advantage.

Dance Jam: Another Network for Dancers. Create a profile, upload and vote on videos. Imagine a Myspace/Facebook combined with YouTube, but just for Dancers. I found DJ on Twitter.

I hope you all find this information useful. Maybe you will find opportunity just like I did. I am very much enjoying the benefits and hope you find something that interests you in the post as well. Questions and comments are always welcome. If you know of any sites, networks, blogs, etc. please share.

Peace, Love, Dance!
Miss Leslea

UDMA Costume Preview Show

2008-10-18T18:05:00.005-04:00

My mother and I attended this years UDMA Costume Preview Show in Seacaucus NJ. I felt the need to write a post about the very enjoyable time we had. Believe it or not, we had never attended a UDMA show together. I attended when I was younger as a model, and my mother use to attend with the owner of the school she worked at prior to owning her own.

The show is held in the Meadowlands Exposition Center. It is very organized with the booths lined up in aisles. You simply walk up and down and stop where you like. At check in you are given a badge to wear and tote to put your catalogs and merchandise in. For those who do not know, this is a free event for studio owners and teachers. There is even seminars and a fashion show you may attend at additional cost.

We enjoyed most the booths which had items for sale. I bought a "dance teacher" tank from Tia's Dancewear, silver dance sneakers from Stars Dancewear, and car magnet from All About Dance that says "Give Peace a Dance."

My mom won a free month from Dance Teacher Web through their scratch off game. We will be very interested in checking out their site. We were pleasantly surprised to see several games available for us to play. For example, we got to spin a wheel at Starpower Competition's booth and both won pocket mirrors.

We didn't spend much time at the costume booths because after 16 Recitals we have done business with almost all of the companies. We have narrowed down our ordering to 2 companies which we are very happy about. The only catalogs/companies that were new to us were UFO (hip hop dance pants) and Bodywrappers. We made sure we put ourselves on their mailing list and left confidently that we now get all of the great costume and dancewear catalogs to our studio.

I highly recommend The Costume Preview show to new studio owners. Its the perfect opportunity to get catalogs and put your studio on mailing lists. You also get to feel the quality and see the costumes on a model. Costumes, Dancewear, Competitions, Workshops, Conventions and more, all in one place.

For established studios its a great opportunity to check out new vendors and make sure you receive every catalog so you have a choice when selecting costumes. Its also a nice opportunity to bond with the teachers in your studio, you can make a day of it with lunch after or breakfast prior. That's exactly what we did after.

We very much look forward to next years show. For more information you can visit http://www.udma.org/. You can also join their mailing list if you are a teacher, school owner, or coach.

Dance Diary Entries

2008-10-08T12:16:00.003-04:00

At the end of the month I ask students to submit an entry from their Dance Diary. As a reward for sharing I post the entry on the Blog and give them an honorable mention. For more information please see the post titled "Dance Diary."

Two very lovely and talented students from my 10-12 year old workshop class decided to share the following...

Dear Dance Diary,
First, to start off, I love dance!! I love to learn new things every week. I love my teachers. They are both so nice! In ballet, my favorite thing to do is a tor jete. In tap, my favorite thing to do is a back to broadway. In jazz, my favorite thing to do is a single spin. Another thing I love are the barr stretches. I guess that's all I have to say.
By: Natalia

Hello and welcome to my dance diary. I love to dance. I've been dancing since I was three. My favorite song that we danced to was Calabria. It was for jazz. But I like hip-hop the most. It is fun to just hang loose and do whatever you think is right. My favorite song is Janet Jackson's Feedback. I like the way she dances and how she doesn't stay stiff. Every Monday we do something different. The best step to me is back to broadway. There are other ones like buffalo, maxie fords, and I like when you run and jump into mood position. I love the way Miss Alyssa and Mrs. Leslea dance. They are not afraid to do anything. The girls in my class are great too! I will dance until I'm like 30! Well I hope you like my diary. Have a great day!
By: Adrianna

I very much enjoyed reading my students perspective on dance class. I am very thankful that their experiences are positive. My hope is that they continue to use the Dance Diary along their journey with dance.
Keep Dancing Readers!
Love,
Miss Leslea

Keeping Attendance, Motivation and Interests Up

2008-10-03T12:45:00.010-04:00

Rewards for Young Dancers

At the end of class for a job well done, thanks to DanceStudioOwner.com, we are offering Ballet coloring pages. This will give the little ones something to look forward to receiving each week. When finished coloring they will have pages they can proudly display and learn from at home or in our Studio.

Perfect Attendance

For Ages 10 and up I offer recognition for them not missing class with a group photo in this post and on the NJ Dancer Network. (http://uptowndancenj.ning.com/) At this age they understand the importance of class attendance and they also tend not to feel "left out" if they are not included in the photo for a missed class. It is understood as a reward and a reason to keep their attendance up. The younger ones would be more likely not to understand my intentions and would most likely look at me very sad as if to say, "why am i not in the photo?" Also, not all parents want their younger children displayed on the Internet. For these reasons I keep the "Reward" for ages 10 and up.

Here they are...

Monday Workshop

Monday Hip Hop

Tuesday Hip Hop

Wednesday WorkshopPointe Thursday Hip Hop

Thursday Workshop

Thank You to all my dedicated Students!! Keep up the good work!

The Dance Diary

2008-09-29T10:00:00.003-04:00

I have mention the "Dance Diary" before in my posts and network on Ning. I'd like to take the time to explain in more detail. My students may refer to this post when getting their diary started and other dancers and teachers may be inspired to start one as well.

What is a Dance Diary?

Plain and simple, a Dance Diary is a notebook of your experiences as a dancer. I think it is a great tool for students, teachers and professionals. Here is a breakdown of how you can use one to help you grow in your field of dance.

Students

Write what you have learned after each class you take(new steps or choreography)
Write what you need to improve on and practice
Write things you feel you have accomplished or mastered
Write down your teachers goals for you as and individual and as a class
Write how you felt that day during class

Teachers

Write what you teach in each class so there is progression week to week
Write individual and class progress so you remember what each student needs work on
Write choreography and line placement for each new piece
Write the goals you have for your class
Write ideas for music and choreography
Critique yourself as a teacher, take notes on methods that work or don't work
Write how you felt teaching that day during class

Professionals

Write down each audition experience
Write down what you did in rehearsal that day
Write down goals you have for yourself
Write down goals your director has for you
Write down your rehearsal and performance schedule
Write down how you feel when performing or in rehearsal

How to Start a Dance Diary

Get yourself a notebook that inspires you, maybe your favorite color or an attractive design. Date your first page and get started, its that easy. Above are example how each affiliation with dance can use their diary. Use these examples as a guide. I recommend you make it personal, after all it is a diary and it is all about YOUR growth as a dancer.

Taking the Diary a Step Further

I started off as a student with a small notebook in my dance bag. After seeing the benefits and using my diary more ofter, I purchased a larger notebook. Now that I am a professional, teacher, and student, I need much more than a notebook to stay organized. So if you are like me and you would like to take the Diary a step further, go for a binder. That's what I use now, and I even have tabs and folders to keep it nice and neat.

Encouraging My Students

Some of my students didn't take to the diary when I first explained it to them. The gave me that look, "Geez Miss Leslea, now we have homework in dance class." I suggested that you remind your students that this is optional so they do not look at it as homework. It is really for the individuals growth as a dancer and they should WANT to do it. I also remind them that I use one because I am blessed to have many of my students wanting to follow in my footsteps. To make things a little more interesting, I offered all students that submit an entry to me from their diary to be featured in the Uptown blog. Again optional, if they have an entry they are proud to share that is not personal. The main goal is to students started. Get them using a diary so they can see the benefits for themselves.

Get Going Already!

The hardest part will be getting started. After your first entry you will see the benefits. You will feel organized, accomplished and focused. Putting your passion, goals, and desires on paper is really useful. I believe you will have more motivation and drive. I believe dreams become reality with focus and positive intentions. Maybe your Dance Diary can be your first step in manifesting your goals with dance.

I hope all find this post useful. I welcome questions and suggestions. Remember that above is just a guide, examples of how I used my diary in my dance career. Please get creative with it. As always, much love and luck to you Dancers!

There is Always Room for Improvement

2008-09-14T08:34:00.005-04:00

The season is officially under way. Our first week back was very excited. My mom and I are constantly trying to improve the business, and this year is no exception. As some of u may know, this is our 17th season and I would like to share with you the ideas we came up with to improve our Studio with in just the first week back.

Previous improvements paying off...

We have been blessed with a larger registration this year. I'd like to think that it had something to do with the improvements we made over our summer break. For example; the website, our social network, other forms of advertisement on the Internet, and phone communication with potential clientele. We kept a much better log of inquires and kept in touch with information about the studio. In the past we strayed from constant phone calls with the fear soon to be costumers would see us as just another telemarketer trying to sell them something. We were pleasantly surprised that people appreciated the reminders and updates. I am please to announce that 90% of those potentials registered with us and we are very happy to welcome them this year.

Future improvements to be made...

As far as future improvement we have decided to put our attire/shoe requirement online and in a hand out. We never categorized this as a subject of confusion, so this information was given out verbally during registration. Unlike other studios we do not have a dress code, we just ask that the shoes be uniform (color and style). We noticed more then usual parents being confused and several came in with the wrong shoes. So, similar to what we do during recital time, everything will be written out clearly and available in a handout or online. We feel this is a minor detail to adjust on our end which will help parents be organized and less confused next season.

What changes will be seen in the weeks to come...

As mentioned in previous posts I will be introducing and encouraging the use of the dance diary to my students. To keep interest up I will also offer a monthly contest to those who feel they want to share a diary entry. The winner will be featured in the Blog. I'm also in the process of coming up with more ways the students can be featured in posts. For example; student of the month, or perfect attendance records. Definitely something creative that will keep the students interests up in class, and at the same time bring attention and readers to the Blog.

Also, a cosmetic change will be unveiled within the next few months. We would like to surprise our students with this so I can not give out to many details. I think we will all be proud of this change and can not wait for it to happen.

Stay tuned readers. I'm excited to share more with you in the weeks to come. Happy Dancing!

Love,
Miss Leslea

Not just a dance teacher: Addressing different personality types

2008-08-22T16:33:00.011-04:00

Classes start next week and I find myself wondering what my students will be like this year. You never know what kind of dancers you will end up with. Most are great, positive attitudes, respectful, willing and eager to learn. While others are a bit challenging, they test you at times to say the least. I look at these cases as just that, a challenge. My goal is not only to teach dance class but to turn attitudes around. I know it would be very easy to get frustrated and ignore or dismiss a dancer who just seems as though he/she is not interested in being there with you in class. I however do the opposite and see these student as a project. I choose to take my job a step further and not only consider myself as a dance teacher, but a role model/mentor to my kids.

I do a lot of observing and really try to figure my students out. One thing is clear, they have all come to me for one reason... they love dance and want to learn. OK, so we have that in common. Lets discuss those challenging cases.

First, those who are unfamiliar with dance class etiquette. No matter what age some students think they are there in the studio to play, socialize, or just get out of their house. Rule 1- The studio is a learning environment. That's where I explain my role as a teacher, to provide leadership and structure to the class. I teach my kids that they should be respectful at all times to myself and their classmates. If we all understand that first and for most we are there to learn, then and only then will there be room for fun.

Second, those striving for attention. This is actually a very sad situation, unfortunately i see it a lot, more so with younger students. I witness lack of discipline and disruptive behavior all just to get noticed. I prefer not to go into detail about why i think some young ones act this way. Instead of wondering why or losing patience i choose a different route. I let students know they are all special in my studio and they can express themselves when its their turn to do so. We have fun time for the younger classes which really helps. Such things as freestyle circles and freeze dance. We encourage each other during this time and clap each other on when we are in the circle. It really brings spirits up and makes everyone feel good about themselves. I notice a change in attitude quite quickly and it really brings me joy. In my experience i find negative discipline never works. Explaining why we act a certain way and positive reinforcement is my choice for turning special cases around.

Third, lack of confidence. This is something I witness as my students get older and it really brings the energy of the class down. Another challenging attitude I'm ready to turn around. I usually notice bum faces, then as weeks go by they start to become vocal. "That's to hard," "I can't do that," "You make it look so easy Miss Leslea." Some of my responses, "of course it's hard, I'm here to challenge you to be a better dancer," "don't say you can't, say you haven't mastered it yet," "I make it look easy because its my job, I expect you all to be good at your chosen professions when you get older too." The most common is the dreaded CAN'T. Every time I hear it I turn the music off and ask, "what was that I heard?" The class knows whats coming. If the student is unfamiliar they quickly learn, others chime in with me, "I haven't mastered it yet." There is never a CAN'T that slips by in my classroom, NEVER. With teenagers and adults I often get "ugh yeah sure" or "u do that so good" or "u make it look easy." This one really gets me and makes me uncomfortable at times. If i know their profession (the adults) I'll usually become very specific and say for example, "well i bet you make accounting look easy." I just go over the fact that this is my job, I am their teacher and if I didn't do my job well they would not be in my company right now. I'm sure they would find another studio with an instructor who does perform his/her job well. Then I usually get giggles and it diffuses the situation.

Fourth, the unmotivated. This is usually a case where the dancer just loses interest or something is bringing them down outside of dance class. I will talk this situation out privately, usually after class in my office. I ask what wrong, you don't seem yourself, are you still enjoying dance class? Sometimes dancers bring their problems to class with them and are just looking for someone to talk to. I offer that ear to them. I also tell them to do their best to leave their troubles in their dance bag, sometimes when you are done with class they are gone. I let them know they can talk to me in confidence. Very rarely someone will confess that they are not enjoying themselves with dance anymore and I let them know that it's OK. To inform their parents and tell the student to maybe take a break, try something new, and that the studio will always welcome them back if they decide to return and i will not be upset with them.

Fifth, the competitive attitude. That talented student who knows they are the best in the class. I diffuse this situation by telling the class as a whole that we are a team. With dance there is always something to strive for. Their is no finish line or perfection in dance. If it comes down to it I will talk privately with the student and let them know that this kind of behavior is not welcomed in the classroom and makes me and the other students uncomfortable. I share with them something my mother always told me, "no matter how good you are, there will always be someone out there in the world who is a little better then you." For example, if you can do 10 fouettés image someone that can do 15, and strive for that.

That sums up in my experience with some different personality types I find in my classroom year to year. Going in I hope for the best, but like i said before i don't mind a challenge, and I definitely don't mind changing a child's attitude around and being that positive force in their life. I hope this post was useful to new teachers or even experience ones who are looking for a new way to address special cases in their classroom.

Best wishes for a great season,

Miss Leslea

Start The Dance Year off Right

2008-08-19T08:19:00.012-04:00

Summer is coming to an end which means a new school year is right around the corner. With a new school year comes a new season of dance. How can students prepare and make this year their most productive dance season yet? I will be sharing some of my favorite tips that i give to my students during the first month of classes so they can do and be their best throughout the year.

Prior to the start of classes- Call your studio and make sure you are ready to go. Have all of your shoes and attire you need for class. Make sure you know the times and location of your classes and put them into your planner. Ask if there is anything else you need or need to know before you begin class. It's great to start the year off organized and prepared.

First week back- I see nervous new students as well as comfortable faces. Before we start I remind everyone, both new and returning students, why we are here in class together... for our love of dance and to learn of course. My advice for those nervous new students, breath, relax, and know its normal to feel butterflies when you start something new. Remember why you are there and know that after a few classes you will feel great, you'll get use to your teachers routine, and meet new friends who share your love for dance. For those returning students who may be comfortable with the routine, aware of their surroundings and what their teacher expects of them... set your own goals. For example; this year I will become more flexible, I will get that triple pirouette, my grand jeté will be higher, my attendance will be better, etc. Also it's always nice to make the new students feel comfortable, introduce yourself, welcome them into the group.

Second week back- Getting to know my students and observing behavior. The excitement of starting something new is over. This is when I explain my goals for the year for each class. Students, I recommend you pay close attention and possibly even write down what your teacher expects of you this season. I'll talk about a "dance diary" later. I have noticed this is the week where I see some sluggish faces. Students feeling the effects of school and homework plus dance class. They are tired and miss their lazy days of summer. This is the perfect time to have a small nutrition/scheduling talk. Students, I suggest when you get home from school you refuel with a healthy snack and then get as much of your homework done as possible before dance class. You should make sure you are eating properly and drinking lots of water, not soda or energy drinks filled with sugar. I like to go more in depth with my teenage/adult students on how food fuels our bodies and what foods are best for dancers. Remember if you set a schedule and monitor your time you will not have to worry about that term paper you have to write while you are standing at the barr stretching. You should be focused in class on dance and this should be a time when you are not stressed about school. Dance is a great outlet and way to destress, its your time, and who needs to be thinking about the school work you put off and should have done before you got to class.

Week three-This is where we really start to get involved and are getting set with our routine. I'll explain the Dance Diary at this time. I think this is a great tool, in my experience it really helps a dancer improve and grow. I still use one myself. I tell my students to jot down their personal goals and the goals I have for them as a class. They can get more in depth if they choose by writing everything we did in class that day and their feeling while in class. For example, "It was great when stuck that balance in arabesque." or "I definitely need to work on that combo across the floor." In week three I also reinforce teamwork and address any negative attitudes I'm witnessing privately. Remember your dance class is like a team, you will have to perform and learn together all year. It is best to have a positive attitude at all times to keep things moving along so you and your classmates can learn, improve, and be your best together.

Week four- Really into the groove now. We are comfortable with each other and on a mission. Students, I recommend you stay positive and motivated. Keep your attendance up, use your dance diary, maintain healthy eating habits, balance your time between school work and dance, and practice what you need to work on. When in doubt remember why you joined a dance class, for your love of dance and passion to learn about this beautiful art form.

This sums up the first month back to dance and the tips I like to give out. Throughout the year I keep reminding my students of healthy positive habits for a productive dance season. I hope all that read this post find the advice useful. Make this dance season your best ever! I wish you all much success in your journey with dance.

Love and Luck,

Miss Leslea ;)

Our First Post

2008-08-10T14:30:00.001-04:00

Hello Everyone! I wanted to take the time to introduce Uptown Dance and fill you all in on why we decided to Blog. Not many dance studios in our area use the Internet to their advantage. We feel it can be very beneficial since the majority of our clientele (the younger generations) are constantly on the Internet. We recently obtained http://www.uptowndancenj.com/ and are anxiously waiting for it to launch. We also are on Twitter www.twitter.com/UptownDance which is lots of fun, its a quick way to inform your followers "what you're doing now". We have our account linked to our myspace (www.myspace.com/UptownDance) which allows students who are our myspace friends to see our tweets(updates). I must mention that i met an awesome person through Twitter who has been our main motivation for taking the time to finally create a BLOG. Her name is Nichelle Strzepek and she is the author of Dance Advantage (http://danceadvantage.wordpress.com/) We were excited to be invited to participate in her Teach-A-Thon (pictured below), and now we are able to do so. Thanks Nichelle =)