Who was Gregory Hines?

Gregory Hines did it all.  Actor, choreographer, singer, comedian, and dancer!  Gregory Hines was a tap dancer, who grew up dancing with his brother.  His career took off and he received several awards and nominations for his artistic talents.

Those who were lucky enough to watch Hines tap dance in concert, were in awe of the one man show.  He would tap dance on an amplified board, creating beats like a drummer in the band.  The other musicians would play call and response to his tap shoes.  At one point in the show, Hines would ask the audience, "Did you bring your tap shoes tonight?"  And the audience would wildly start clicking their tap shoes.  Everyone who brought their tap shoes was invited up on stage with Hines.  He would then pick out random people in the crowd and say, "Express yourself!"  The dancer would get a chance to dance via improvisation on stage.  It was a sight to see, and one that made the large auditorium feel small and connected.  

While he died of liver cancer at the young age of 57,  his legend will live on.  Here are a few videos for your enjoyment.  There are so many more if you like what you see.  Simply search for Gregory Hines on You Tube. 

Hines dancing with Steve Martin: 

Dancing in the film, White Nights:

Another great video of him dancing in the early 80s:

how to make a ballet bun

Oh the ballet bun!  Most parents have a love/hate relationship with this hairstyle.  So many little kids will just not hold still while we try to execute a hairstyle we may have never worn ourselves.  The payoff is when the bun is completed.  It does look cute, and keeps the hair pulled away from the face so that the dancer can move and spin without getting hit in the face by flying hair!

So just how do you do a ballet bun?  There are surprisingly a few different options and products out there to make your buns a breeze. 

Here is a simple ballet bun from Princess Hairstyles. This website has a ton of great video tutorials for other hair styles for girls that you may be interested in. 

Another, more traditional version of a classic ballet bun can be viewed here:

If both of these options are too difficult or time consuming, there are two great options to check out.  The first is a fake bun hair piece.  This is simple and especially great for girls with short hair.  The second is a bun wrap, which holds a messy bun in place with a few bobby pins. 

Whatever option you choose is perfectly fine.  Of course, not all of our classes require a bun, but it is quite helpful for dancers to have their hair out of their face while dancing.  We hope these quick tutorials help assist you and make the ballet bun process a bit more doable! 

Come Support Dance Arts Yard/Bake Sale This Saturday (9/24)!

This weekend is supposed to be hot and sunny, the perfect weather for yard sales!  The families of FUSION, Dance Arts premier competition team, will be hosting its first annual yard/bake sale, this Saturday, September 24th.  

There will be tons of items from several different families, all in one easy location.  Located in the center of Maple Valley, the yard sale will be held in the gravel parking lot across from the DaVine/Tahoma Athletic Club.  If you don't know where that is, just head to the QFC in Maple Valley.  The Tahoma Athletic club is right up the hill from QFC.  

This is a great opportunity to support local families, as well as find great deals for yourself and your children!  

So mark your calendar, this Saturday, September 24th from 8 AM - 5 PM.  See you there!

Watch FUSION in Action!

Check out FUSION, Dance Art's competition team, dancing here at the Tahoma Invitational!

Back to School Dance Wear Available at Dance Arts

Bloch and Capezio Leotards!

Did you know that Dance Arts sells the dance wear you need for your class?  Let's face it, ordering online can be difficult when it comes to sizing dance shoes, and most of the online dance stores make you pay for shipping when you want to return merchandise as well.  To make it easier on you, Dance Arts now offers, The Dance Shop, for your classroom needs.  We have leotards, dance shorts, dance pants, tights, ballet, tap and jazz shoes, as well as an assortment of Footundeez, the latest trend in dance wear. 

Ballet, Tap & Jazz Shoes Available

The Dance Shop is located in the main office, directly behind our lobby area.  Our office staff is trained to help you try on shoes, and fit you for the right size.  Sizing dance shoes can be tricky.  Ballet and jazz shoes do stretch a little bit.  However with children's feet constantly growing when they are young, it can be more economical to purchase shoes that fit, but still have a tiny bit of room to grow into throughout the year. 

Footundeez, the latest trend now available!

Even if you are already set for Fall, you can still feel free to stop in and take a peek at what we offer.  The Dance Shop at Dance Arts looks forward to helping you meet your dance wear needs!

Cooking with Quinoa

With so many after school activities, it can often seem a bit daunting to find healthy foods to put on the table.  Sometimes cooking from scratch can take up more time than our busy lives have time for.  Quinoa is a grain like seed, known for it's high fiber as well as high protein.  Unlike rice, wheat and other grains, quinoa is a complete protein (meat, eggs, and dairy all are complete proteins as well).  Quinoa cooks the same way you cook rice, and is now readily available.  You can find organic quinoa at Costco, or at any regular grocery store that you visit. 

One of the simplest ways to incorporate quinoa into you and your child's diet, is a nice stir fry.  Simply cook the quinoa according to the package directions, steam or saute any veggies you have available (this is a great way to use up any produce that is about to go bad).  Veggies that taste great in a stir fry include carrots, broccoli, corn, celery, onion, bok choy, cabbage, chard, and much, much, more.  If you're in a hurry, Costco and other grocery stores carry prepackaged stir fry vegetable mixes.  Simply saute, and put over a bed of quinoa.  You can also add chicken, beef or stir in egg if your family prefers meat, or leave it without meat for a great vegetarian option.

Quinoa does take a little adjusting to the pallet.  When cooking at first, it tastes much better if you add a bullion cube to the water, or cook the quinoa in chicken or vegetable broth. 

We hope you find this nutrition tip useful!  For my ideas on how to cook with quinoa, check out this link!

The Meyers Family is Ready to Dance!

Anna Lee & Shelby Meyers

The Meyers family is a returning family to Dance Arts.  Last year was Anna Lee's first year at the school.  This year, her younger sister, Shelby, will be dancing as well!

"I like to dance because it just feels good and I like to be in the fancy costumes at the end, and because it's just fun," Anna Lee says about why she likes to dance.  Anna Lee danced in Miss Elizabeth's class last year at Dance Arts. 

Laura, Anna Lee's mom, said, "the structure and discipline of Miss Elizabeth's class was challenging for Anna Lee, but it was a challenge I wanted for her. [Anna Lee] is a button pusher, and once she figured out Miss Elizabeth didn't have any buttons, I think she ended up doing really well as she matured throughout the year."  She added how, "once Elizabeth figured Anna Lee out, and how to separate her from her friends, Anna Lee turned a corner of wanting to please her from week to week, and actually began working on her performance. I could see her proud of herself at the end of the practice and that is wonderful to see as a Mom."

Anna Lee with friends Myra and Avery.

The recital was a highlight for the Meyers family.  Anna Lee recalls, "the recital is like so fun because you get to watch all of the other girls in their fancy costumes. And, you get to be with all of the teachers, and their helpers." 
 

Anna Lee also enjoyed being able to, "show our parents what we learned," in class.  And of course, "[liked] that [her] friends Avery and Myra were in [class]." 

The Meyers sisters in princess costumes.

Last year Anna Lee's younger sister, Shelby "wanted to run and play in her costume instead of learn," Laura explains.  However, when "she saw the little girls at Anna Lee's recital, [she] decided she wanted to do that next year."  

Anna Lee thinks her little sister "will like learning stuff from Miss Paige, like the cat jump that tries to chase the mouse or learning to plie, or bouncing or doing sparklers or learning the positions."

The Meyer's sisters also love to dance at home.  "I love to dance ballet to the Vienna Boys Choir while I try to teach Shelby," Anna Lee says. 

Avery and Anna Lee in Miss Elizabeth's class!

While dancing at home is a ton of fun, Laura still sees the value of the classes at Dance Arts.  " I am hoping that my girls will learn self discipline, teamwork and the fundamentals of ballet. I want them to have a strict but, nurturing classroom where week after week, they want to come back for the fun!"



We are looking forward to another great year of dancing with the Meyers family, our other returning families, and new families as well.  A big thank you to the Meyer's family for sharing your dance experience with us!