Terry Hyde MA MBACP’s Post

It’s changing. I was at a dance competition last week. I noticed a lot fewer ballet and group pieces performed. Ballet and Groups ~ Hard work ~ Dependence on others ~ Needs lots of attention and coordination The number of solos, on the other hand, was mind-boggling. Near impossible to register for solo competitions nowadays. What is the link here? Soloists, like entrepreneurs, like to move at their own pace. The advantages: ~ Adaptability ~ Independence ~ Creative control ~ Logistical simplicity ~ Personal development ~ Self-expression and visibility This suggests to me dance studios aren’t able to: ~ Create teams ~ Sustain these teams over time ~ Not worth the effort that goes into it It is more difficult to motivate dancers today. No doubt about that. Many people give up even when things are going well. It's like offering someone better work opportunities. But they aren't interested. This doesn't bode well for those who don't pay attention. Dance thus can measure the pulse of society. Leading dancers and teams, like the top 1%, take the lion's share. Because the gap between mediocre and great just keeps getting bigger. Keep learning, stay strong, and be the best you can be.

🌍 Why are we at Fundamentally Dance investing so much time in developing an international touring network for ballet productions? 🤔 The answer is simple: it’s not for us. It’s for the dance ecology as a whole. Ballet, like all art forms, thrives on exchange of ideas, cultures, and creativity. By creating a connected global network, we’re not only giving dancers and companies the opportunity to connect with new audiences, but we’re also nurturing a new vision for Ballet. But for this vision to last, it needs to be financially viable. We’re building a network that ensures ballet can grow into a sustainable, financially sound model for investment. Because when ballet becomes a thriving, profitable industry, it creates more jobs, opportunities, and the security needed for art to flourish. 🎭💰 We envision a future where artists grow without boundaries, where companies thrive through shared resources, and where ballet becomes a model of creative and financial success. At the heart of this mission is our desire to empower the dance community—locally and globally. When we create opportunities for others, we strengthen the entire dance world. 💪💃🩰 #GlobalDance #BalletForEveryone #ArtsWithoutBorders #DanceNetwork #SustainableArts #FundamentallyDance

Dance Data Project® Data Byte // Women-Founded U.S. Ballet and Classically Based Companies 2024 The Chicago Opera Ballet was the first American ballet company and was established in 1910. In 1929, Dorothy Alexander was the first woman to establish a ballet company when she started the Atlantic Civic Ballet, later becoming the currently active Atlanta Ballet. This achievement helped pave the way for future women-founded ballet companies. It is important to note, many of the female-founded companies were established before important laws were enacted to protect women’s rights. This includes laws like the Equal Pay Act (1963) which ensured women were paid fairly, and the Equal Opportunity in Education Act (1972) which provided equal education opportunities regardless of gender. Additionally, women weren’t granted the right to open a bank account or apply for a credit card on their own until 1974. These instances highlight the significant obstacles many women faced and overcame to establish successful ballet companies. Read our Women-Founded U.S. Ballet and Classically Based Companies 2024 Data Byte at https://lnkd.in/e6uxcPMX #DanceDataProject #Ballet #GenderEquity #FemaleFounded #Timeline

Ballet North Texas, led by Nicolina Lawson, is transforming traditional theater experiences to embrace sensory-sensitive audiences. Founded in 2017, Lawson's journey, shaped by gender biases, inspired her to create an inclusive dance haven. 👧🧑 Not all appreciate the bright lights and loud music of traditional ballet. Recognizing this, Lawson initiated ongoing projects for a more inclusive dance environment. One project focuses on sensory-friendly performances, featuring reduced sound levels, half-lit house lights, and a relaxed atmosphere allowing audience participation. 🎭 Lawson emphasizes that these initiatives are not mere projects but an ever-evolving commitment. Her second project aims to make Ballet North Texas fully sensory accessible, exploring changes in costume embellishments and floors, for example. She's keen on adopting successful practices like show playlists and synopses for unfamiliar audiences. 🩰 The ballet world, often perceived as elitist, is breaking barriers with Ballet North Texas' sensory adaptations. Lawson's vision extends beyond dance, seeking to show that the arts are adaptable, inviting, and accessible to everyone. #Arts #Culture #Dance #Leadership #Accessibility #Education #Youth #Inclusivity #BalletNorthTexas #SensoryFriendly #CommunityBuilding

The MoBBallet Roll Call is being revised and expanded!⁠ In 2015 the Roll Call began as a crowd sourced database of the names of professional Black ballet dancers. Founder Theresa Ruth Howard wanted to make this list a Black ballet Wikipedia, and we gradually expanded to design biography pages or as we call them “Artist Pages” for every name on the list. ⁠ This is no easy task given the lack of documentation on Black participation (overall) but specifically in areas like the classical arts.⁠ ⁠ We conducted deep dive research earlier, and more obscure artists, and even gathered information from their former colleagues to cobble together even the slightest of bios for them. For more contemporary artists we pulled existing bios in company, personal websites, and festival or guesting listings. Although we do not function like Wikipidea where anyone can make changes at any time we encourage artists to view their pages and should they like to make amendments (update information, add or change photos and links) send all the information as you would like it to appear and we will place it in the queue to be applied. ⁠ We issued a call to action encouraging dancers to submit the information they would like on their page. Unfortunately there was little response. However we do not let that stop us. That being stated. We once again encourage artists to share their information by emailing. If you would like your name ADDED to the Roll Call go the Roll Call on mobballet.org and choose ADD YOUR NAME TO THE ROLL CALL. (it will not automatically populate) ⁠ ⁠ If you would like to update your MoBBallet Artist Page please send: Updated bio, links, and pictures to: estewart.mobb@gmail.com⁠ ⁠ Know your History- Learn your Legacy- Carry it forth...⁠ ⁠ #mobballet #mobbsters #blacksinballet #wearenotunicorns #doingthework #BHM #blackballerinas #doyouknow? #blacksinclassics

The MoBBallet Roll Call is being revised and expanded!⁠ In 2015 the Roll Call began as a crowd sourced database of the names of professional Black ballet dancers. Founder Theresa Ruth Howard wanted to make this list a Black ballet Wikipedia, and we gradually expanded to design biography pages or as we call them “Artist Pages” for every name on the list. ⁠ This is no easy task given the lack of documentation on Black participation (overall) but specifically in areas like the classical arts.⁠ ⁠ We conducted deep dive research earlier, and more obscure artists, and even gathered information from their former colleagues to cobble together even the slightest of bios for them. For more contemporary artists we pulled existing bios in company, personal websites, and festival or guesting listings. Although we do not function like Wikipidea where anyone can make changes at any time we encourage artists to view their pages and should they like to make amendments (update information, add or change photos and links) send all the information as you would like it to appear and we will place it in the queue to be applied. ⁠ We issued a call to action encouraging dancers to submit the information they would like on their page. Unfortunately there was little response. However we do not let that stop us. That being stated. We once again encourage artists to share their information by emailing. If you would like your name ADDED to the Roll Call go the Roll Call on mobballet.org and choose ADD YOUR NAME TO THE ROLL CALL. (it will not automatically populate) ⁠ ⁠ If you would like to update your MoBBallet Artist Page please send: Updated bio, links, and pictures to: estewart.mobb@gmail.com⁠ ⁠ Know your History- Learn your Legacy- Carry it forth...⁠ ⁠ #mobballet #mobbsters #blacksinballet #wearenotunicorns #doingthework #BHM #blackballerinas #doyouknow? #blacksinclassics

The MoBBallet Roll Call is being revised and expanded!⁠ In 2015 the Roll Call began as a crowd sourced database of the names of professional Black ballet dancers. Founder Theresa Ruth Howard wanted to make this list a Black ballet Wikipedia, and we gradually expanded to design biography pages or as we call them “Artist Pages” for every name on the list. ⁠ This is no easy task given the lack of documentation on Black participation (overall) but specifically in areas like the classical arts.⁠ ⁠ We conducted deep dive research earlier, and more obscure artists, and even gathered information from their former colleagues to cobble together even the slightest of bios for them. For more contemporary artists we pulled existing bios in company, personal websites, and festival or guesting listings. Although we do not function like Wikipidea where anyone can make changes at any time we encourage artists to view their pages and should they like to make amendments (update information, add or change photos and links) send all the information as you would like it to appear and we will place it in the queue to be applied. ⁠ We issued a call to action encouraging dancers to submit the information they would like on their page. Unfortunately there was little response. However we do not let that stop us. That being stated. We once again encourage artists to share their information by emailing. If you would like your name ADDED to the Roll Call go the Roll Call on mobballet.org and choose ADD YOUR NAME TO THE ROLL CALL. (it will not automatically populate) ⁠ ⁠ If you would like to update your MoBBallet Artist Page please send: Updated bio, links, and pictures to: estewart.mobb@gmail.com⁠ ⁠ Know your History- Learn your Legacy- Carry it forth...⁠ ⁠ #mobballet #mobbsters #blacksinballet #wearenotunicorns #doingthework #BHM #blackballerinas #doyouknow? #blacksinclassics

The MoBBallet Roll Call is being revised and expanded!⁠ In 2015 the Roll Call began as a crowd sourced database of the names of professional Black ballet dancers. Founder Theresa Ruth Howard wanted to make this list a Black ballet Wikipedia, and we gradually expanded to design biography pages or as we call them “Artist Pages” for every name on the list. ⁠ This is no easy task given the lack of documentation on Black participation (overall) but specifically in areas like the classical arts.⁠ ⁠ We conducted deep dive research earlier, and more obscure artists, and even gathered information from their former colleagues to cobble together even the slightest of bios for them. For more contemporary artists we pulled existing bios in company, personal websites, and festival or guesting listings. Although we do not function like Wikipidea where anyone can make changes at any time we encourage artists to view their pages and should they like to make amendments (update information, add or change photos and links) send all the information as you would like it to appear and we will place it in the queue to be applied. ⁠ We issued a call to action encouraging dancers to submit the information they would like on their page. Unfortunately there was little response. However we do not let that stop us. That being stated. We once again encourage artists to share their information by emailing. If you would like your name ADDED to the Roll Call go the Roll Call on mobballet.org and choose ADD YOUR NAME TO THE ROLL CALL. (it will not automatically populate) ⁠ ⁠ If you would like to update your MoBBallet Artist Page please send: Updated bio, links, and pictures to: estewart.mobb@gmail.com⁠ ⁠ Know your History- Learn your Legacy- Carry it forth...⁠ ⁠ #mobballet #mobbsters #blacksinballet #wearenotunicorns #doingthework #BHM #blackballerinas #doyouknow? #blacksinclassics

Growing up, I resented the fact that I trained in Irish dancing and not ballet. It’s been 10 years since I’ve retired and I’ve got 10 lessons I want to share with you: 1// The value of repetition. 2// Dancing is a reflection of life. 3// Discipline is a choice, not a punishment. 4// Being at the bottom and working your way up. 5// Sometimes other people can see what you can’t. 6// Stage presence is something that comes from within. 7// Listening is a whole-body activity and an active process. 8// Trusting yourself is more important than trusting what others say. 9// Remember only you know what you did to get here, but others will feel it. 10// Your body is not something you can boss around and expect to get in line. — Which one resonates with you right now? My answer is in the comments…

The MoBBallet Roll Call is being revised and expanded!⁠ In 2015 the Roll Call began as a crowd sourced database of the names of professional Black ballet dancers. Founder Theresa Ruth Howard wanted to make this list a Black ballet Wikipedia, and we gradually expanded to design biography pages or as we call them “Artist Pages” for every name on the list. ⁠ This is no easy task given the lack of documentation on Black participation (overall) but specifically in areas like the classical arts.⁠ ⁠ We conducted deep dive research earlier, and more obscure artists, and even gathered information from their former colleagues to cobble together even the slightest of bios for them. For more contemporary artists we pulled existing bios in company, personal websites, and festival or guesting listings. Although we do not function like Wikipidea where anyone can make changes at any time we encourage artists to view their pages and should they like to make amendments (update information, add or change photos and links) send all the information as you would like it to appear and we will place it in the queue to be applied. ⁠ We issued a call to action encouraging dancers to submit the information they would like on their page. Unfortunately there was little response. However we do not let that stop us. That being stated. We once again encourage artists to share their information by emailing. If you would like your name ADDED to the Roll Call click the link in bio to fill out the form. Or go the Roll Call on mobballet.org and choose ADD YOUR NAME TO THE ROLL CALL. (it will not automatically populate) ⁠ ⁠ If you would like to update your MoBBallet Artist Page please send: Updated bio, links, and pictures to: estewart.mobb@gmail.com⁠ ⁠ Know your History- Learn your Legacy- Carry it forth...⁠ ⁠ #mobballet #mobbsters #blacksinballet #wearenotunicorns #doingthework #BHM #blackballerinas #doyouknow? #blacksinclassics