The Uptown Connection

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

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

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

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

"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.

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 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 Beautiful**The Benefits of Social Media in Dance

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...

1. Do not tweet to often and flood peoples stream with tweets
2. Do respond to relevant questions or posts
3. Do not beg for followers or people to participate in what you are doing
4. 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 Beautiful 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"

Uptown Dance Matters



In the Life of a Child



Quotes from some of the Greats