The NYCB Summit
The New York City Ballet Workout Alliance held its annual summit in New York June 10 and 11th, 2006. This invaluable conference is one of the services provided to certified instructors of the New York City Ballet Workout.
The certification process for The New York City Ballet Workout involves several stages. Those who have pursued and passed the training, tests and teaching review become members of The New York City Ballet Workout Alliance, receiving CD's of suggested choreographic ideas several times a year with detailed notes on the choreography.
An added bonus is the Summit.
The annual Summit offers classes to Alliance members in the Workout, Cross-Training for Dancers, Choreography, Dance Injury Prevention and Stress Management for Dancers. Some came from as far away as London, Japan and Oregon to take advantage of these invaluable sessions at the School of American Ballet.
Each day began with a Workout session. That was a treat for both the teacher and students. Teachers enjoyed being students - able to relax and take the class for themselves. Summit teachers Audrey Fort and Holly Kerr appreciated having students who were familiar with the class structure, able to pick up combinations quickly.
Jan Griscom arrived next with her "Cross-Training for Dancers Seminar." Griscom is a personal trainer at the Chelsea Piers, is on the faculty advisory board of the American Council for Exercise, and is working on her third Master's degree. Griscom is a no nonsense trainer who gets to the point of an exercise immediately. She quietly shoots to shreds the misinformation in what she calls "gym science" - myths and misconceptions about the body and how its muscles work, incorrect assumptions that are handed down from trainer to pupil. She demonstrated how dynabands and one-on-one work will often accomplish more than machines to build strength and proper alignment. Griscom knows her business and translates her knowledge into laymen's terms very clearly.
Two more seminars were quite helpful. Michelle Rodriguez, a former dancer turned physical therapist, took participants through the Workout's exercises, pointing out to teachers the alignment problems and physical challenges that their students might face, suggesting and showing ways to help them prevent injury. And former New York City Ballet dancer turned clinical psychologist, Dr. Linda Hamilton, teamed with physical therapist Marika Molnar for "Stress Management for Dancers." Dr. Hamilton has become the leader in recognizing and responding to the special stresses that dancers face - how one injury can curtail one's career; how the short career of a dancer (with retirement as early as the late twenties in many cases) adds pressure; and how the constant drive for physical perfection often leaves the emotional needs of dancers unanswered.
Her straightforward lecture on recognizing and dealing with one's own stress and that of students was supplemented by Molnar's work in relaxation techniques for the group.
Both are doing a tremendous service for those in the dance profession.
If you are a member of The New York City Ballet Workout Alliance but have never attended a Summit, thinking it is too far to travel or might not be worth it, plan ahead for 2007 and make sure this weekend is on your calendar. This combination of the chance to have a weekend of helpful information, in the company of other instructors, under the tutelage of a well-trained Summit staff in one place is hard to find anywhere else. During lunch and after the seminars, instructors would get together, trade information and marketing ideas, and share experiences from their corners of the world. What an ideal support group.
If you are not a certified instructor of The New York City Ballet Workout, adding this program to your studio and your resume could be life-altering for you. I know it was for me both physically and financially. I find I am in much better shape than many of the students I teach. Because of the Workout, I was able to connect with Tidewater Community College, moving from freelancing, to an adjunct professorship, to a full time Associate Professor of Dance, now heading toward creating a dance degree program. Tidewater Community College in Norfolk, Va is the only college teaching the Workout for college credit. So far. The classes are popular and many of the students take the course again for the physical and emotional benefits they receive from it.
Information on the New York City Ballet Workout can be found at www.nycballet.com. Click on "Workout" for information on training, times, locations, cost and where to take the classes.
Last year, Dancer covered the Dance for Health Day, sponsored by the New York City Ballet's Education Dept. This conference included lectures, workshops and classes by personal trainer Jan Griscom and Dr Linda Hamilton, among others. This year's conference will be held Sept 16th. Email cromano@nycballet.com for more information.