So Danca Presents "Calling All Dancers!!"

        If you wear So'Dança dance wear or shoes, we want to hear from you! Send me an email at anne@sodanca.com and tell me a little bit about yourself. Are you a dance student? Professional dancer? Teacher? What product of ours do you use and how long have you been using it? Do you own a dance store and have a customer you are particularly proud of?

        So'Dança provides clothing and shoes to thousands of dancers in the U.S.A. alone. We are a very large family and would love to include you and your news on our Internet social network pages. Have you received an award, a scholarship? Taken any memorable dance trips? Do you have photos or a video of a performance you'd like to share? Send it on to us and we will be happy to include you in our So Dancer news.

        Bringing the world closer together, one dancer at a time! So'Dança is always there for you!

anne@sodanca.com

  --- Anne Polajenko

       Anne Polajenko is So Danca's (USA) personal pointe shoe expert, she is known around the world for her performances throughout the years. Mrs Polajenko gives pointe shoe seminars every year at different shows and at our HQ in Deerfield Beach, Florida. Anne has been a guest writer for our blog and is constantly reaching out to the public in order to grow our So Danca family. She is a mentor, a teacher and an overall blessing within our So Danca family. 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


  Thank you for everyone that already got in touch with us! Because of the positive response these last few months, we felt like we should re-post this entry every few months or so in order to let everyone that didn't get a chance to be involved a chance to participate. <3


      Love from your humble blogger,

100th Post: Remembering The Top 5

     I wanted to thank everyone that has supported our blog since it's very beginning, we've come a long way so far and there is still a long road ahead of us. Look forward to more articles on culture, dance and what's new with So Danca. Within these 100 posts there were 5 posts that stood out the most, here is a highlight of the top 5 most viewed posts, just is case you missed them :)

#1 No surprise here, it was a great movie, and hopefully you all enjoyed the honest blunt review.

#2 Again another no surprise, So Danca has the best Pro Tap shoe in the market, and with the ability to customize your shoe however you want, there truly is no way the competition can handle it. There is just one word that can properly describe it and that is Swagger.

#3 One of the biggest releases we've had this year yet! Our now famous pointe shoes Claudia and Toshie, were first introduced on here! The place for all So Danca news :)

 #4 A lot of people focus on July 4th from all different angles, but very few people actually focus on America's favorite pass-time, watching movies. So I compiled a list of the top movies I found that people love to watch during July 4th, I of course am partial to Independence day, the presidential speech gets to me every time.

#5 And of course, the great announcement of Harid Conservatory now wearing exclusively So Danca ballet and pointe shoes. Great news :)

   It's been a good start so far, and there are plenty of other posts that received a lot of good feedback :)
Look forward to what we've got coming, there is a lot still to do, and a lot that is going on. So be sure to stay tuned! <3

   Love from your humble blogger,

So Danca Presents: "Spook-Tap-Ular!" Tap Workshop this October!

         
   So Danca is hosting a series of Tap Workshops starting in October of this year going through all of next year hosted by Aaron Tolson and Derrick Grant!! The tour will take place in various cities throughout the country, please check your local retailers for workshop dates and of course you may always check here for all upcoming So Danca events!
             We will always keep you in the know!

Sign up for the event at www.tap2you.com/register

Meet Aaron and Derick! (Taken from their site Tap2You):

Aaron Tolson        
   A native of Manchester, New Hampshire, Aaron is a national spokesperson for SoDanca, a consultant and writer for Dance Spirit Magazine, a Professor of Dance at Plymouth State University and the Boston Conservatory as well as the assistant choreographer, co-creator and assistant producer of Imagine Tap!
        Aaron started dancing at the age of ten in Lawrence, Massachusetts. Four years into his dance career he was performing in the Great Tap Reunion at the Apollo Theatre. He attended St. John's University obtaining a Bachelor of Science degree in Communications all the while honing his tap technique in Manhattan. His senior year of college landed him in the New York Shakespeare Festival tap program, also known as Funk U! Soon Aaron became a company member of Manhattan Tap and worked with the show Tap Dogs. Jumping feet first into choreography, he landed a job with Absolut with a tour called Absolut Tap!
          In 2005, Aaron completed a six-year run with Riverdance the show where he was a featured soloist. It brought him to Broadway and Radio City Music Hall and was also the captain of the Tap Dancers. Since then, Aaron has performed and taught at numerous tap festivals, in addition to performing with Brookline Chorus’ Duke Ellington Sacred Concert and The Late Show with Liam O’Conner in Ireland.
           Most recently, Aaron choreographed, produced and directed Something to Tap About, Tapped and Tapped In - featuring New England Tap Ensemble. Aaron formed New England Tap Ensemble in May of 2007 to promote the art of tap in the community while fostering a sense of individuality in a professional artist.
          

Derick K. Grant         
   A native of Boston, Derick K. Grant has been tapping for 27 years. He was an original company member and dance captain for Bring in 'Da Noise, Bring in 'Da Funk at both The Joseph Papp Public Theater/New York Shakespeare Festival and on Broadway. Derick recreated Savion Glover's choreography and starred in the role of 'da beat for the first National Tour.
            Derick began his training at the age of two at The Roxbury Center for the Performing Arts, and by the time he was eight years old, he has learned the "hoofin" style of tap from the master tap dancer Diane Walker. Derick furthered his training in Los Angeles at Universal Dance Design Studio under the tutelage of Paul Kennedy. Derick spent three years with the Jazz Tap Ensemble touring the world.
            He is the recipient of the Princess Grace Award for Upcoming Young Artists as well as The Helen Hayes Award (Washington D.C.) for Outstanding Featured Actor for his role in Bring in 'Da Noise, Bring in 'Da Funk. Derick was featured at The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts African Odyssey program, part of the Expresiones Latinas Festival. He collaborated on a piece that incorporated tap and capoeira with renowned Brazilian artist Nego Gato, which opened the festivities for singer Daniella Mercury. He also choreographed and performed in a piece on the history of tap that launched the Black History Month 2001 celebration at Aaron Davis Hall. Recent compositions were featured in The Queens Symphony Opera's Duke Ellington Concert in Ann Arbor's Arts Festival.
           Derick's own creation A Night Out: Tap! toured the country for three months. Recent choreography and performance with Jazz Tap Ensemble at the Joyce Theater in NYC the New York Times said "Mr. Grant let gusts of rhythm propel him with remarkable velocity!"
           In the summer of 2006, he choreographed and directed Imagine Tap!, which had a four-week run at Chicago's Harris Theater with a cast including several of the best tap dancers of his generation.
Most recently, Derick was added to the So You Think You Can Dance staff as a featured choreographer for tap dancers.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 We hope you all have a fantastic and glorious weekend,

     Love from your humble blogger,

Tapestry Dance Company Makes History With China Tour

   Excerpt from the ITA Newsletter:

   “Working with The Chinese Cultural Ministry and The Shangai Singers Club, Tapestry Dance Company will tour their National Endowment for the Arts American Masterpiece production of The Souls of Our Feet - A Celebration of American Tap Dance in China for 5 weeks this fall, bringing an artistic envoy from Austin comprised of 9 dancers, 3 musicians, a vocalist, a technical crew of 4—and artistic director Acia Gray. Starting in Shanghai, the company will present 15 performances.

        Gray says of the momentous news, "It is such an honor to be asked to share this historically relevant collection of tap dance classics and contemporary tap choreography in China. To present this indigenous American art form and represent Austin at the Shangai International Arts Festival with the support of Mayor Leffingwell, City of Austin Council members, and leaders of our Asian community—it is truly humbling."

       What's more, Acia Gray has also been asked to help develop a Chinese training system and syllabus of American tap dance for use in the university system. Meetings have been underway over the last two years and the first stages of development will happen in conduction with the tour.

       Tapestry Dance Company is funded and supported in part by the City of Austin through the Cultural Arts Division and by a grant from the Texas Commission on the Arts and an award from the National Endowment for the Arts, which believes that a great nation deserves great art.

   About the NEA’s American Masterpieces Initiative
        The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) created the American Masterpieces initiative to acquaint Americans with the best of their cultural and artistic legacy. The performances, exhibitions, tours, and educational programs held as a result of this initiative are geared to reach large and small communities in all 50 states. Established by Congress in 1965, the NEA is a public agency dedicated to supporting excellence in the arts.

     About Tapestry Dance Company
       Tapestry Dance Company is a professional, non-profit dance organization founded in 1989 for the purpose of developing a foundation in multi-form dance performance and education. The organization has expanded to a major dance organization in Austin. Its expansive south Austin facility is home to seven resident artists, an Academy for young people and adults offering classes (ballet, flamenco, hip hop, ballroom, jazz, tap, et al.), an annual festival, educational outreach programs, and a pre-professional and adult training facility sharing the unique training syllabus of founders Acia Gray and Deirdre Strand.

    The events and programs of Tapestry Dance Company include seasonal multi-form concerts at the historic Paramount Theatre, The Annual Soul to Sole Festival, community outreach programs such as Rhythm, Dance, Music & You!, numerous master classes and workshops in modern, jazz, ballet and rhythm tap as well as touring residencies throughout the country. The most recent production of The Souls of Our Feet - A Celebration of American Tap Dance is currently on tour through the National Endowment for the Arts American Masterpieces." 

For more info on Tapestry Dance Company just follow this LINK

 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Many Faces Of The So Danca Pro Tap Shoe ^_^

      So’Dança has been an active supporter of both the International Tap Association and Tapestry Dance Company for several years. We are delighted that the art of Tap dancing will be brought to the Chinese people by such a valuable organization as Tapestry Dance Company. We wish them every success.

 So’Dança is the official provider of Character and professional Tap shoes (TA 715 and 815) for the company since 2008. We are thrilled to have our product represented by such talented dancers in the United States and abroad.

                        --- Anne Polajenko

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Summer is ending, school is on the horizon and the busy season is soon here, We wish you all the best and hope that this coming school year is a fantastic one for you, 

     Love from your humble blogger,     

DC Tap Festival

 

      DC Tap Fest has just ended and what a performance is was! The amount of raw talent in the room was palpable, truly a fantastic event that all Tap dancers love and support. We recommend you keep an eye out on their site for future events, they are definitely worth checking out.
     So Danca was proud to be able to help in the event (even in a small way), by donating one of our Pro Tap shoes for their "give away" raffle.
      The lucky winner is from Louisburg, NC, Jessica you'll be getting your shoes soon, we'll be sending them out today! We hope you continue to dance and thank you for showing some support at the DC Tap Fest.
      
       We at So Danca are always looking for ways to help the dance community, let us know if you're doing an event or a competition and would like for us to be involved in some way. Leave a comment, or find us on facebook and drop me a message.

        Hope you have a great middle of the week, Happy Wednesday to all! ^_^

                  Love from your humble blogger,

Tap Tonight!

 So Danca will be a part of a major Canadian Tap event, definitely worth keeping an eye out for this one.

Tap Tonight

West Coast Tap Dance Collective presents

The Ninth Annual Tap Day Celebration

Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage on Granville Street

Friday, April 22nd at 7:30 pm

On April 22, international top tap dancing talent will be brought together for a one night extravaganza in Vancouver to celebrate the art of tap dancing. Tap Tonight will feature some of the best dancers in North America, both amateur and professional.

Each year, WCTDC honours legendary tap dance performers. This year's

Honourees are Canada’s own Blanche Lund and her late husband Alan Lund, two of the country’s foremost performing artists.  Blanche and Alan’s acclaimed careers brought them to the international stage and television audiences, and led to honours including a command performance before the Royal Family and appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show.   In 1982 Alan became a distinguished Officer of the Order of Canada for his contributions as a dancer, choreographer and director of musical theatre in Canada.

Tap Tonight - presents some incredible guest artists: “Walk of Famers” Jim Hibbard (Hello Dolly!, Gypsy) and Jeff Hyslop (Phantom of the Opera), both former West Coast Tap Dance Collective honourees, will take to the stage, joined by local tap masters recently featured in the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Opening Ceremony -- Danny Nielsen, Keri Minty, Dayna Szndrowski, Marylou Brien, Lindsay Sterk and Shelley Stewart Hunt. Other featured performers include Everett Smith (So you Think You Can Dance), Joel Hanna (Riverdance), Troy McLaughlin (Disney’s the Lion King), Teryl Rothery (Stargate SG-1, The Guard) and Jessie Sawyers.  Jeff Hyslop and Shelley Stewart Hunt will entertain and delight as hosts of the evening’s festivities.  Attendees will have an opportunity to walk away with a pair of Special Edition Maple Leaf ProTap shoes from  So Danca signed by Everett Smith!

April 22nd, 7:30pm, Tap Tonight - Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage, 2750 Granville Street.

Tickets available at Vancouvertix.com 604-629-8849. Students, seniors and West Coast Tap

Dance Collective members $25, adults $30.

For more information contact:

Alison Found 778-883-2543 or westcoasttap@hotmail.com

 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Tomorrow's blog will be another K.Y.B.U. so stay tuned, and thanks for the emails :)

                                 Love from your humble blogger,