A Chance to Dance explains everything parents need to know to help their child pursue dance, as a temporary hobby or a long-term career. Written by Betsy Bradley, a ballet instructor with forty years' experience who is also trained in child development, this comprehensive guide touches on a wide assortment of dance disciplines, including ballet, modern, musical theater, and more.
With the rising popularity of dance reality TV shows such as So You Think You Can Dance and Dancing with the Stars, more and more kids are becoming interested in taking dance lessons. But while these shows present a great picture of what a dance education can produce, they don't offer parents much, if any, information on how to help their child get that necessary training. There is more to parenting a dancer than dropping your kid off at the local studio for a class and showing up for recitals.
Discover how to give your child a healthy foundation for all his or her dancing dreams by deciding what style of dance to learn, picking a studio that fits your child's goals, and encouraging your child through the various auditions and competitions he or she might encounter.
About the Author: Graduating from the University of Utah, where she earned both a bachelor of fine arts in ballet and a master's in education, Betsy Bradley has taught ballet for over forty years, most recently with the School of Ballet Arizona. Ms. Bradley began her dance training with Ballet Russe alumni, Roman Jasinski, and Moscelyne Larkin. She danced with the Tulsa Ballet Theater and Ballet West's Ballet for Children and has since educated teachers on how to use performing arts to develop children's creativity. She has been featured in newspaper and magazine articles.
Mother of two adult sons, Bradley now lives in Scottsdale, Arizona, where she continues to advocate for the arts and arts education. She has served on the Scottsdale Arts in Education Council board of directors, leading the organization as president for one term, which earned her Volunteer of the Year from the Scottsdale Charros, a group dedicated to serving the community.
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