Ballet

Hey y'all, I've been neglecting my blog for a few so my apologies. My next suggestion to all you dancers is to train in Ballet. I think if one trains in ballet it could change the way they dance forever. Why is it that out of all dancers Ballerinas make the hardest steps look Super Easy? Its the control they gained with years of proper training. Not all people who take ballet comprehend what muscles they should be using or feeling. I want you guys to really understand the point i am trying to make. I trained for 7yrs in ballet during my younger years and i have to say though i had amazing teachers i wasn't really comprehending everything they were telling me. I thought i understood but i didn't realize because i was young and talented i was able to do so much more.
I was 1st introduced to ballet and tap at the age of 4...My sister and i only stayed in that school for a year because my parents couldn't afford it. Middle school is where i continued taking ballet consistently and for 2 summers i trained at Ballet Hispanico. Then in my high school Professional Performing Arts School (PPAS) i continued my training at Alvin Ailey 99-03. What i didn't know was that after taking ballet every day for so many years is that it can easily be lost if you don't continue your training. Its been 8 almost 9 yrs since i've been consistent with training so i feel the craziest i ever felt.
What is helping me get my limbs familiar with the movement again is Floor- Barre! I was first introduced to floor-barre by Mrs. Rodriguez my middle school Dance Teacher. I didn't really continue to take it during High School and jammit i wish i did because it can prevent injuries and helps with correct alinement! If anyone knows me they know i walk a little twisted and no its not because i'm a cunt (though i am) its because of my scoliosis.....for those who don't know its the curvature of the spine. I've always been twisted and more flexible on one side than the other by a big difference. When i was in 10th grade my teacher Mr. Atwood is the one who pointed my scoliosis out while i was standing at the barre.....how my doctor didn't point it out i don't know. Now my back is worse than ever and its because of my lack of training.
Its so easy to get caught up in your life with gigs, bills and Men/Women......but as a dancer the biggest gift you can give yourself is continuous training! Of course its not easy but if it was easy everyone would do it.....The hard is what makes it great!  ( i so stole that line from a league of their own lol)

My favorite ballet class to take now that i'm older is still Mr. Atwood. Mr. Atwood teaches at STEPS Its an early class but its sooo good for beginners. N i like steps cuz its all types of dancers....young old advanced beginner! Nobody will judge you...promise!
Another class to take at Steps is Floor-Barre.....this is one of the classes i take and she's amazing. Floor-barre is a bit different because not everyone can teach it....u need to be certified which is a good thing. That means anyone who teaches the technique has the ability to make you better.

Smart students know what a good teacher is. Don't be fooled with all thats happening in the industry now! Good Luck with your Ballet Training :)

African Dance (Foundation)

My next Entry for my blog is drum roll please.....real drums that is.......lol African Dance :)  I'm really excited to share with you my experience of this style. I trust that you can do anything once you conquer Ballet & African. LearningAfrican made it much easier to handle other styles like hip hop, house, reggae etc. I started taking african 1996 when i was 11 at Kips Bay Boys and Girls club in the bronx by my teacher Mrs. Elenor. She taught us styles like KouKou Manjani and more (can't remember every name). I left KipsBay 99' to go to my high school (Professional Performing Arts School) where we trained at the Alvin Ailey School of dance. My african Teacher there was Ms. Escobar....she was a bald headed older woman who would have more energy than all us students put together. She taught styles like   DunDunba, Manjani, Koukou, Soli, Sunu, Funga and more i can't remember. Thank God i started in the highest level because i got the push i needed. Around my sophmore or junior yr a friend of mine Jessica (lil Jessica) brought my best friends Ebony, Georgia and i along  to "Larocque Bey" in harlem where she studied under my teacher 'Jerome'. He teaches many styles as well as plays and makes African Drums.  He's a little over me because i haven't been to his class in forever lol but I know i need him in my life. He always starts with a  cardio that make you want to die then has the nerve to say "ok time to start class"...n ur like "that what?" haha!
Today i took class from another teacher "Ester" that is freaking amazing. Its in a school gym in harlem and only ask for donations to the drummers that play. Its an open level, she does beginners intermediate and advanced across the floor so everyone can be in their level and have challenge. Of course i'm trying to keep up with the black girls in the advanced line (cough cough) lol....and i wasn't complimenting myself. As an adult i haven't been taking African like i need to, which explains why today i started looking like a puerto rican doing african......I can't stand it!  I'm usually the Latina thats eating all the black squirrels lol.
So I encourage all you dancers, the ones who have experience or never took an African class in their lives to at least try it. Believe me when you go in with an open mind and heart and feel the rhythm of the drums you would say to yourself "Why the hell wasn't i doing this as a fetus?" hahahaha true story!
www.LarocqueBey.org - Jerome teaches an Adult class in harlem thats 10 dollars i believe. Saturday 3-5 i believe. Check the site to make sure i'm not buggin.
www.AfricanDanceSchdule.com - Go here to see every african class in NYC.

Thanks for supporting my blog...hope i helped :)

Ok this is my 3rd recommendation and its a real good one people. Drum Roll pleasee.............'BRIAN (Footwork) GREEN'  Yeeeheyyyyy! Oh how i love that man, you have 0 clue. I'm one to always preach about versatility because i truly believe that every style can compliment another. When you think of Versatility the first person you should think of is The Brian Green. I've always been obsessed with how good he is in sooooo many freakin styles. It actually makes me sick lol. The footwork in his name stands for his amazing footwork in house and pretty much anything else. I'm talking styles like Tap, African, Ballet, Hip Hop, Popping, Locking, Waacking etc etc. And he's not just mediocre in these styles he's freakin amazing in all of them. Thats why he will always be above the rest.

 I met Brian when I was 17...right around the same time I met Tweetie and a lot of other pioneers of the underground dance scene! I was in this crew "Nexx Level" with Bam Bam, Marvelous, Eric Negron, Tech, Sharaya, Kinue, Tenile and some others....most of the time i would go with the guys to this Underground Party that Brian hosted called the "House Dance Conference" that happened every 1st thursday of the month! It was at this spot called Demararas on 28th n 7th i think....anyways DJ Doc played hip hop for the poppers lockers and bboys downstairs & Various DJs played House Upstairs.  The first time experiencing the House Conference I honestly felt at home with all these amazing people. I have an old soul, so i'm used to not having so much in common with my generation and usually gravitate towards my elders and the more Elite....always been that way. Any who my first encounter with Brian was pretty funny. I of course heard of Brian but i never met him in person. At this time i was voguing on my own and nobody was really doing it outside of the Ballroom Scene....the only style being done that was similar was Waacking, and the only ones i remember doing it up in the circles was Brian and Marjory before myself.  My first time going to the Conference he was in the circle waacking and i was like 'who the fuck is that' wit my rowdy ass lol. I went in after him and tried to serve him and he wound up serving me instead haha. But I guess my i don't give a fuck attitude drew attention to the scene, hence the name "Female Brian Green". Thats how i started waacking. Brian even let me sub his waacking class at BDC twice and i fused Voguing into it. It was my first official teaching experience 2004! Til this day i can still go to his class and feel like i can't dance for my life. He's just Perfection!!!!

If it wasn't for this man with his amazing guidance and opening up a new world of dance to me where I met so many of my talented people i now call friends, I wouldn't be where i am! Thank you Brian for your brilliance :)

Almost forgot to mention that he's teaching House tomorrow March 4th 5pm at Alvin Ailey :)

This is exciting :)  My 2nd recommendation is drum roll please........Tweetie. OHhhhh my Tweetie byrd (i'll slap that bitch) lol. I've known Tweetie since 03 and loved her spirit and her talent ever since. Back in the days when i wasn't giggin & was pretty much a peasant, I took that time to upgrade my vocabulary and train heavy! Luckily i had Tweetie and Stretch by my side....there used to be a practice spot called the 'POP SHOP'. Thats when i was learning how to pop, lock, waving, tutting....tweetie and i were just giving and taking from each other. Around the same time i introduced her to voguing but this before her and i were original members of the House Of Ninja! If it wasn't for this girl right here there would have been no 'Touch Girl'
Now Tweetie is on an entirely different level than she was then. Her Power, Confidence, Swag, and Ability is something we should all work up to. She teaches in NY and all over the world.....her schedule in NY is Alvin Ailey Mon&Wed 7pm - 8:30 http://www.alvinailey.org/aileyextension/faculty/tweetie and @ PeriDance Tues&Thurs  1pm -2:30pm http://www.peridance.com/facprofile.cfm?fid=458   Please support a teacher True to Hip-Hop  :)

My first Class Recommendation is drum roll please.............Rhapsody YEYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!! When it comes to Street Jazz she is the one. I first took Rhapsody's class my junior year of high school in 2001 i believe. I begged my mom to give me money (12 bucks in those days) to take her class at BDC because i knew in order to get my foot through the door i had to learn how to do that type of choreography. I was training in Alvin Ailey and in those days they didn't have any Hip-Hop. She seriously knows her shit and  till this day she helps shape so many dancers careers and lives! I love her......Soo take her class if you want to be elite! She teaches at broadway dance center www.bdcnyc.com Mon, Wed, Fri at 7:30pm and thurs 3pm 

Welcome :)

Welcome to Danni's Dance Direction. I'm not really good at bogging but i shall try. I was just sitting down bored thinking of the dancers that don't get the answers they need to survive in this industry. Everyone nowadays is a Dancer a Choreographer a Singer an Actress a Teacher etc etc....but are they really? How are up and coming dancers supposed to know who's speaking truth and who's talking dirt? Well, this is what the blog is for. Luckily I've been blessed my entire life to have the knowledge of my craft. Yes God has blessed me with my talent, but i had to work and still am working hard in advancing to higher levels. If it wasn't for my amazing teachers with their brilliant guidance nobody would give a rats ass about the advice I have to give. No matter if you want it as a career or you just want to do it for fun, everyone is entitled to proper training.  We're not in those days where every well known Entertainer or Choreographer/Teacher is the best, so now we must do our research to see if all that 'Hype' matches their actual 'Talent'.

I'll basically be giving my little secrets of Dance. Any style that i know or have not yet learned I'll be giving some tips, advice and list some classes I recommend that can take your dancing to the next level!  I could be a little harsh at times but its all for the love of what i do....Trust!