Dance: The Way I See It

LOVE ROYAL #4

2012-02-10T20:51:00.000-08:00

Jenna from Preteens

Pic o' the Day 2-8-12

2012-02-08T20:28:00.000-08:00

Six year old Trinity from Minis shows me some attitude and then, a sweet smile. Just a few of the many images I captured last week in the L'il Mugsters shoot-a-thon - 16 classes of the future of dance taken throughout the week leading up to open house. The galleries are popping up all week at royalmugshots.com.

When in Rome

2012-02-02T21:38:00.000-08:00

While I was vacationing in the Eternal City this past November I stumbled upon a young girl selling books from her grandfather's tire shop. I took her picture because I thought she looked so much like our own Kaelyn from Minis.

Just goes to show how hard it is to remove yourself from Royal even half a world away. E' incredibile!

LOVE ROYAL #3 - Represent!

2012-01-31T07:40:00.000-08:00

This girl from the Monday Dancin' Stars class was truly in the spirit of dance. She was workin' it all class long 'till she was huffin' and puffin' and turnin' all red. And enjoying every minute of it!

The Learning

2012-01-23T22:40:00.000-08:00

A new video I created from still photos taken in the classroom. I took these as the dancers polished their routines for JUMP. For the best experience make sure to watch in 720 HD format with the volume up a bit. Enjoy!

Pic o' the Day 1-17-12

2012-01-16T23:08:00.000-08:00

When a girl gets to dance and feels good about it, it shows. When a girl starts to have confidence in what she is doing, it shows. And when a girl's braces match her costume, the stars have aligned.

Hannah from Juniors

Pic o' the Day 1-13-12

2012-01-13T22:16:00.000-08:00

Teens: Alyssa, Jenni and Kaitlyn

LOVE ROYAL #2

2012-01-12T22:05:00.000-08:00

Stolen from Facebook and reposted here.

Ambry and Sabrina: Photographer unknown

The EYES have it!

2012-01-11T15:59:00.000-08:00

Students and parents alike learned how to do makeup and hair for the upcoming JUMP competition at a class this past weekend.

The hair, after much primping and preening, still looked pretty much like a bun to me. But on the other hand there is a formality coming back that I like. The past few years saw a trend towards long hair flopping around wherever the movement took it. That was fine for feeling free, but lousy for pictures. I often captured Cousin Itt doing a perfect Gran Jeté. So, I don't really mind the whole bun thing.

But the way I see it, the eyes have it. Moms and daughters, reference this. Dads, use this picture to double check their work, unless there's a game on.

Makeup by Bianca from Seniors Model: Lauren from Seniors

LOVE ROYAL #1

2012-01-11T15:38:00.000-08:00

Show me your LOVE ROYAL and it just might get posted here. Today it's Brenna from Teens.

Quick Tip on Viewing This Blog

2012-01-08T20:27:00.000-08:00

Just a note here on options you have for viewing this blog and how you can see the older posts more easily. Across the top of the blog you will see a menu bar of choices (Classic, Flipcard, Magazine, etc.) Try clicking on those choices and see how the blog changes. My favorite is Magazine, but Flipcard is pretty good, too.

And to give this post some color and meaning I am adding a very strange pic I took a few years back.

Pics o' the Day 1-7-12 - Going Full Out

2012-01-07T09:43:00.000-08:00

Jessica from Pre-teens goes full out during a master class. That's how you get noticed.

Bridgette from Juniors goes full out in the back row during an everyday rehearsal. That's also how you get noticed. You never know who is watching.

Tricks Take Teamwork and Trust

2012-01-07T09:08:00.000-08:00

The term "dance teaches on many levels" can become cliche at times. But it is so very true. And I have pointed out different examples time and time again to anyone who want's to hear me go on about such things. Today I'm talking about trust.

I watched a trick being worked on the other night as the preparation for JUMP continues. This was with the Teen Performance Group in a new dance being created by Maria Jones. A "trick" - and I don't even know if that's an official term or not - is part of a dance that goes a little beyond the expected and is intended to wow the audience or make certain strong emphasis. It usually involves more skill and risk than normal dance moves and often pushes the dancers to their limits.

In this case I was watching Lauren trying to get the nerve to climb a small mountain of dancers, fling herself off the mountain horizontally and face up, while falling to earth at the speed of gravity - and all in in about 5 counts. Over and over again the dancers practiced different approaches to the concept. And on this night Lauren never quite got rid of the fear and never turned her trust completely over to her fellow dancers.

Part of understanding why suddenly became clearer to me when I recalled Maria stating at the beginning of the practice that "you girls cannot drop Lauren again!"

Ouch!

They eventually will figure it out. Whether it's full out as envisioned by the choreographer, or through a lesser version that all feel comfortable with, by the time it gets to JUMP it will work. And the "trick" may get more complex and difficult as the dancers become more comfortable throughout the year. By Showcase or possibly even Nationals, Lauren could be hurling herself toward impeding doom as fearless as a seasoned bungee jumper.

For now though, the team is working on developing trust.

JUMP Preparation

2012-01-04T16:50:00.000-08:00

In only two weeks Royal's top 4 performing groups - Juniors, Teens, Ensemble and Seniors - will take what they have learned so far this year to the first major competition of the year, JUMP. Since novice Paparazzi like me are frowned upon at most major competitions I will not be sharing any of that with you. But I can go into the classrooms and watch them prepare. It makes for some pretty good pics such as this one and some others that can be seen on my Facebook page. So far I am very impressed with what I have seen from choreographers Jaci Royal and Dana Metz, but more about that later. And more pictures, too as I wade through the week.

Bianca from the Senior Performance Group

Charming the Crowd

2012-01-01T14:58:00.000-08:00

There are some great stage personalities starting to emerge with the younger ones. Here are Lexi, Sophie and Alex from Petites yukkin' it up for the crowd during the recent Holiday Shows.

Krazy Holiday Treats

2011-12-29T09:28:00.000-08:00

Some holiday happenings the week before Christmas. Also check out the 3 new galleries of the Glendale Glitters performance at www.royalmugshots.com.

October Performer of the Month - The Middle Child

2011-12-28T12:34:00.000-08:00

The latest to receive this honor is Tara who is a member of the Junior Performance Group. It's no surprise to me at all that she received this award based on what she has accomplished in the last year or so, but had you asked me over a year ago if she would get it I might have said, "Tara who?"

Her family came to Royal 3 years ago from Long Island, New York and has become an integral part of studio life. Mom is one of those tireless people that contributes a great deal to the success of competitions, Showcase and Recital. Dad is one endless cheerleader and has performed flawlessly (or close to it) in the Dads dance every year he has been here.

But most problematic for Tara was that she seemed to get lost between an older sister that was doing quite well in performance (a Performer of the Month herself) and a younger sister who became the darling of her group. Tara was the middle child and I really often forgot she was there.

To her credit Tara has done a remarkable job in changing that image. She is getting herself noticed in a positive way with regular attendance, hard work, a solo last year and now a member of Juniors, one of the top performing groups at Royal. She is also way more outgoing than she was a couple of years ago, growing into her role as a dancer, and as a person.

And it doesn't hurt that she has crazy cool red hair.

I say, "Good job Tara, and keep up the good work! It's fun having you around."

Junior Performance Portrait - 2011

Showcase 2011

Solo at last year's Holiday Show

Funnin' for the Camera

The Soloists

2011-12-27T19:33:00.000-08:00

I've kind of been limping this blog along for the past month or so for a couple of reasons. The first, I've been traveling a LOT during this past month and have not been sitting in front of the machine long enough to do much. Second, and more importantly, I didn't have enough good info to put here. But that has changed with Glendale Glitters, The Royal Holiday Shows and the Performance Holiday parties at the studio. So I'll start to unleash now.

Let's start with the soloists at the Holiday shows. Six solos for the upcoming season were shown off, mostly for the first time. Good stuff, too. If I knew the names of the dances and the choreographers better I would list them, but I don't. I'll let the photos do the talking for me, but if you all could credit the choreographers and dance names by commenting below, that would be helpful.

Ambry - Teens Choreography: Maria Jones "Perfection"

Ashley - Juniors Choreography: Dana Metz "Hallelujah"

Emily - Juniors Choreography: Chris Wakimoto "Happily Ever After"

Megan - Juniors

Kendall - Juniors

Cidney - Juniors

Megan - Petites

Fembots: Part 2

2011-12-26T20:53:00.000-08:00

One more post about the Fembots then I'm gonna move on. I got a little closer look at them during the Royal Holiday Show. Very strange. Sometimes they looked so sweet, almost doll-like, and in the blink of an eye they would become menacing and scary. I don't know what to think.

What a difference 30 months can make: Recital 2009

2011-12-17T21:10:00.000-08:00

From left: Laurel, Hayley and Hannah - now a part of Troupe

What am I seeing here?

2011-12-16T15:51:00.000-08:00

I know this is a bit blurry, but good grief, Kendall! Is this really possible?

Almost sitting on top of her head

September Performer of the Month is "Feisty"

2011-12-16T09:57:00.000-08:00

Troublemaker. Disrespectful. Doesn't back down. Doesn't listen.

I have a feeling these labels have been whispered if not spoken outright.

September Performer of the Month then would seem like a label that wouldn't apply to a dancer with the credentials above. Yet Alyssa, a very talented member member of Teen Performance Group has added that label to her 14 year young resume. And for good reason.

Alyssa has been at Royal for about 4 years, her older sister danced in performance for two years as well. Her mom is undeniably my best customer at royalmugshots.com, being a true photomaniac. The aforementioned sister is also a budding photographer in her own right, and the entire family seems to enjoy playing out a part of their lives on Facebook. Not in a Kardashian/Osborn sort of way, but they are not afraid to say things for all of us to read. So, the labels above might seem to fit for those who have peeked in on Alyssa's life.

But are they fair? Justified? I don't know. Alyssa has been a hard one for me to get to know. She tends to observe quietly from the shadows. Her disapproving emotion of choice is to withdraw. And she often protects herself by pretending she doesn't care.

But I think all of that "stuff" is actually driving her to become a good, and perhaps eventually a great dancer. Make no mistake, Alyssa is smart, talented! And when she dances on the stage, she does so with passion and beauty. She is naturally athletic. Flexible. The technical part seems to come easy for her. And with all that she is for me one of the more engaging dancers at Royal.

Often I write here about sweet girls who study hard in school, work hard at dance every day, are kind to their friends and respectful to adults. But wouldn't life be boring if that's all their was? Alyssa can be all of those things, but she is also feisty. She rises above the mundane, keeps us on our toes and makes me realize that passion and zeal and dancing with your heart takes a special kind of fuel to drive it.

Alyssa has that.

Banquet 2011

During a master class

Warming up

Recital 2011

Searching for Fembots!

2011-12-14T22:10:00.000-08:00

At Glendale Glitters this past weekend Royal Dance Works performed at the Murphy Park Amphitheater after a one year absence. I always like Glendale Glitters as a tuneup for the year ahead and this year was no exception. However there was this one strange dance where a mad scientist appears to have invaded the stage with a bunch of his creations, aka Fembots. These robot chicks were off the charts in their silvery uniforms, fashionable makeup and identical perfect hair. They were mesmerizing.

And it looked to me like they were ready to take over the world and go somewhere with it. They even seemed to have brainwashed their own creator near the end of the "dance" and once they left the stage no one really saw where they went. I was highly suspicious at the time and am even more so after looking at some of the pictures I took. It seems like they cloned the facial identities of our pre-teen dancers. Crafty little things, the Fembots. Hopefully there will be more sightings as the year goes by and I'll get some better pictures. You know, up close.

I Found a Missing Person

2011-11-11T21:23:00.001-08:00

At recital 2009 I took this wonderful picture of a tattered and forlorn child. I loved the picture but had no idea who the dancer was. Well 2 years later she shows up as a Preteen named Taylor. Mystery solved.

Nostalgia - October 2007

2011-11-09T17:54:00.000-08:00

Pic o' the Day 11-8-11 - Tony teaches the Troupe

2011-11-08T19:22:00.001-08:00

Ashley - August Performer of the Month

2011-11-07T22:21:00.000-08:00

Ashley is one of those pesky kids I have known for quite some time. But she is also one of the reasons I really love being involved in this whole crazy dance thing. She has been at Royal Dance Works for a very long time primarily dancing in the shadow of her big sister who is now a junior in high school.

Her mom tells the story of how Ashley would often mimic the dances of the older students before she was old enough to really even start dancing. Apparently there is a video of one such dance but Ashley loudly suggested to her mother that it not be handed over to me to show the world. Lyrical, or contemporary was what she really caught on to early on. She seemed to "get" dance at a very young age, feeling it on the inside.

You would hardly know this about Ashley if you just watched her around the studio. She is a class clown, and likes to yuk it up quite a bit for all of our entertainment. She probably gets that from her dad. But if you should look just a little closer you will find a dancer that has great skills and technique for an 11 year old. You will find one that does pay attention and learns all the little things you need to learn to be good. And most of all you will find a young girl who is very loving, and that's what I like the most about her. It's a skill you just can't teach. She probably gets that from her mom.

So with genes that make her funny and genes that make her compassionate topped of with genes that make her dance with grace (she most likely got that from her dad as well!) and beauty (mom?) you get Ashley from Junior Performance Group, your RDW Performer of the Month for August, 2011.

A few important facts you should know about Ashley:

She has an amazing center jump and has for several years.

She has her own solo this year that she will be competing at conventions.

She likes science and is currently mummifying a Cornish Game hen.

Whew!

At age 7

Getting all choked up about something

This year's portrait

"super monkey " shot from 2009 (we do one of these every year, a signature shot.)

At age 6 with her big sister Lauren

practicing for Showcase 2010

Pick o' the Day 11-2-11 Senior Practice with Jaci Royal

2011-11-02T19:19:00.000-07:00

The Picnic - Water Balloon Disasters

2011-11-01T22:05:00.000-07:00

A sympathetic friend looks on as disaster strikes

Don't freak, Mom! It's Mehrly water.

Somewhat unfortunate placement

And the winner is...Cedar from Seniors

Spirit Week - Old Costume Night

2011-10-28T19:47:00.000-07:00

There was some interesting things on "Old Costume Night". Most kids wore something from the past couple of years, some wore stuff from other studios, a few, something from a school dance. The older kids did best though, some wearing pieces from multiple past costumes. Funny thing is, they could remember the name and choreographer of each dance, no matter how far back.

My winner from this night is Meghan in Seniors who chose to wear a costume, unaltered, complete with accessory cell phone, from her days in Minis. She was 8 then and now is 17. See what you think. Pretty cool, yes?

Spirit Week at Royal Dance Works

2011-10-24T22:05:00.000-07:00

What exactly does that mean? I dunno, but tonight was Crazy Hair Night, so I put my hair up in a traditional Mohawk only to be told by several of the dancers that it looked the same as it usually does. Jeez, thanks a whole bunch for that.

It's kinda like how my basketball buddies always ask why it looks like I just got out of bed. Well I can see that when I play at 5:30 am on Tuesdays, but Friday afternoon when I come from work? Come on guys, give me a break!

Well, my hair and I have a long standing agreement. I don't tell it what to do, and it doesn't tell me what to do. But I'm getting a bit off track.

So.

I thought it would be great to give a first, second and third place prize for the craziest hair I saw. This was an unofficial contest, I had the only vote and it was completely impartial.

So.

My winners are...

3rd Place: Carole Royal for her Pebbles Flintstone imitation.

2nd Place: Lexi from Petites for her Dr. Seuss Whoville updo.

1st Place to Laura from Teens for her balloon head...AWESOME!!

Tomorrow night is old costume night. Now that everyone is getting into the swing of things it ought to be interesting.

Pick o' the Day 10-23-11 from Ensemble

2011-10-23T17:44:00.000-07:00

...and you're probably wondering, "Who are these fine ladies?"

David - July Performer of the Month

2011-10-22T15:43:00.000-07:00

David has been around the studio since he was a very little boy. The reason, he has three older siblings that preceded him. Remarkably he is the fourth child from the same family to be in a performance group at Royal. And even more remarkable, he is the third male. His brothers Joe and Adam and sister Alise came first. And the way I see it that has been somewhat of a problem for David.

From Showcase 2010 at the Orpheum

At first, probably eight years ago he was a most adorable little brother. When my daughter was in performance all I heard from the older girls was how cute little David was. But as the years went by a funny, and most normal thing happened to David. He didn't want to be the cute little brother any more, he wanted to be a legitimate dancer in his own right.

That wasn't going to be easy because his older brothers and sister weren't just in performance, they were all pretty much the top dancers in their day. Alise and Adam went on to work for LA Dance Magic for a year, both danced in Jaci Royal's show in New York City in 2010, both taught classes at Royal, and both still have aspirations, and a legitimate shot at being professional dancers. For David, it has been years of playing catch up and at times struggling with how to compete against their success.

Laurel tells David a secret in the new Troupe dance by Tony Suski

I have spoken one on one with him at various times over the years and it always seems to be about some inner conflict that might keep him from getting better; a blown chance, a missed opportunity, second guessing and comparing himself to his brothers and sister. So Lord knows, he tries! And now so does everyone else. And so deservedly he has earned some recognition of his own. He is the July Performer of the Month. He also has moved from Interlude to Troupe this year, where I think he will not disappoint based on what I have seen him do in their first dance. He plays a major part (as guys often get to when they get better) and he pulls it off very well. In my observations he is starting to excel in hip hop and ballet as well.

Nowhere to go but up!

For David it seems like this might be a coming out year, based on what he does well and not based on how his siblings danced. Congratulations David! Here's to all the continued success that comes with hard work and commitment.

Pic o' the Day 10-18-11 From Teens Rehearsal

2011-10-18T08:44:00.000-07:00

Pic o' the Day 10-15-11 - Motivation in the Classroom

2011-10-15T15:13:00.000-07:00

Starting the New Year with Some Unfinished Business

2011-10-14T21:09:00.000-07:00

It has been several months since my last entry as things do tend to wind down around recital time and really don't kick back in until about now. And there is a lot of picture taking and image processing and order filling that goes on throughout the months of May, June and July. So, the last Performer of the Month was from February (posted in May, remember the lag time?) and I believe there were three more that I missed, March, April and May.

Lexci Lindsey, who ended up being Performer of the Year and has since retired from studio life upon her graduation from high school, was one. She has recently been seen substitute teaching a class or two, and I understand she teaches a class of her own on Saturday. She had been at Royal for many years and I will miss her. She was always a joy to be around, almost never in a bad mood, and was really a very good dancer. One of the fun ones.

Then there was Michele. She was also a graduating senior but has a very different story from Lexci's. Michele (one "L" as I called her) was only at Royal for one year. But in that year she improved immensely. And like some before her, when you get good in your last year, you'd love to come back for the encore. So Michele, One L is back in Senior Performance once again. I should note that she actually spent most of last year in Ensemble, but her remarkable improvement earned her a trip to Nationals in New York City with the rest of the Senior Performance Company. Her performer of the Month honor was truly earned.

And last but not least is Melanie. She is the real reason I am taking the time to wrap up last year's unfinished business. I need to make this up to her because it was the second time in the same year I gave her no respect. At the beginning of last year I made a poster in the lobby that had a picture of every dancer in performance. Or so I thought. Word got around that I had left one of the 104 performers off of the poster, and that person was ....Melanie. I felt a little bad about the whole thing and decided I would try to make it up to her at some future point in time. Performer of the Month gave me that opportunity but I neglected even to do that.

So, here is to Melanie. She is back this year in the Junior Performance Group having moved up from Preteens where she spent last year. Melanie has come a long way. She has an older sister in Seniors so she has been around the studio since she was two or three years old. And back in the day she was quite possibly the most annoying child in the building. But not any more. At 11, she is very sweet, works especially hard at dance and is an excellent student academically. So, hats off to you, Melanie. I salute you!

And now we can move on the the year at hand.

February Performer of the Month - Lauren

2011-05-06T23:51:00.000-07:00

Lauren is in the Teen Performance Group and is 13 years old. She is a relative newcomer to the studio, this being her fourth year at Royal. I usually write these little pieces based on my observations and random conversations with the dancer over the years. But with Lauren I decided to do a more formal sit down interview.

at the Suns Halftime show

Because that's the kind of girl she is - structured, determined and wants to get the story right. I like that about Lauren. She always pays attention in class, and clearly is focused on what she wants to accomplish. The interview went something like this:

dc: You obviously started dancing at a different studio. What made you want to come to Royal?

L: I felt I needed more than the other studio could offer. They treated dance as more of a recreational thing and I wanted it to be more than that.

dc: Wow! How old were you when you made that decision?

L: Ten.

dc: You know you are very small for your age and because of that you also appear to be very mature for your age. People say "wow, look how good that little girl is in the group".

L: Yeah, I kind of like that.

Solo at Showstopper 2010

dc: So, are you done with dance after high school or do you want to do more?

L: I want to learn to choreograph and I want to teach dance.

dc: Where do you want to teach dance?

L: I'd like to teach at Royal. (note to Carole.)

dc: do you feel like you are creative and have you choreographed anything yet?

L: I think I am creative. I loved Kate Jablonski when she came and how she could find the smallest little note in a song and put a dance movement to it. I've choreographed a lot in my room at home, I do that all the time. But not too much real stuff yet.

dc: Hearing those little things in music and noticing how a teacher puts those in a dance is a good start for you. It shows you understand those important little parts. What is your favorite style of dance?

Lauren with Kate Jablonski

L: Contemporary.

dc: Why is that?

L: It can be part Jazz or part Ballet - you can express so much with contemporary.

dc: Can contemporary be hip-hop?

L: I guess it could be if it was a slow hip-hop.

dc: That sounds like you're being creative......so, was switching studios a good career choice?

L: Yes, I have learned soooo much since I came here.

dc: Well that is fantastic and I agree, you have. Keep up the good work and congratulations once again on being a Performer of the Month.

L: Thank you.

A contemporary class with mom and brothers looking on

And with that Lauren proceeded to go to Point, then Ballet for the next two plus hours. Part of a difficult schedule that determined dancers like her must commit to if they want dance to be more than just recreational. Did I tell you she is determined? I thought so. I just wanted to make sure I got it right.

A rare goofing off moment

From the past.....November 24, 2003

2011-04-30T22:07:00.000-07:00

Looking through some of my earliest pictures I discovered that there was another "Telephone" dance done at Royal prior to this year! Katie is in Senior Company and was the 2010 Performer of the Year. I believe this was her first solo.

Shootin' in the Duce

2011-04-20T00:20:00.000-07:00

After the Royal Senior Performance Group completed their faculty show performance at Jump, the dancers, all 15 of them still in costume and makeup, took a drive a little south of Jefferson in downtown Phoenix to partake in an impromptu photo shoot. The area is known by the very generic name of "the warehouse district" and these days is a very quiet place on a Sunday evening, but a little research into the history of Phoenix tells us that for most of its existence this part of town was a very different place.

Many cities have an area known as "The Deuce". It usually refers to a not so good part of town with transients, sleazy bars, drugs and a good deal of crime. The warehouse district, roughly bound by Central and 7th Street, Jefferson and Lincoln, was for many years that same sort of place. In the early 1900s it grew as the city's Chinatown, but when the railroad came through in the mid 1920s much of Chinatown was replaced by produce warehouses for distribution of local fruit and vegetable crops to points beyond. It also became a skid row , home to the undesirable crowd, the criminal element and was nicknamed "the Duce" absent the letter "e" because of the pro-duce warehouses. It seems to have seen quite a bit of lewd and illicit activity during the prohibition era of the 1930s as well.

For decades the area remained in decline and is probably most famous for the arrest of one Ernesto Miranda in March 1963. Suspected of a series of rapes, Phoenix police coerced a confession out of him without first informing him of his rights. His case went all the way to the US Supreme Court and as a result every person arrested in the United States today must be read his Miranda rights which start like this; "You have the right to remain silent..." Miranda was freed in 1965 but met his ultimate fate in 1976, stabbed to death in a bar, in the Duce.

The Duce pretty much disappeared completely in the 1990s with the demolition of many of the old buildings to make room for US Airways Center and Chase Field, homes of the Phoenix Suns and Arizona Diamondbacks respectively. In 2001 the World Series was played there and by then the name had faded into history. Gone are the run down hotels rented by the week and no more produce is shipped out of the area. Most of the warehouses stand empty waiting to be transformed into a new and exciting entertainment district of family eateries and night time bars for the sports crowd. Maybe in time that will happen but for this one Sunday it was 15 kids, railroad tracks, abandoned warehouses, graffiti and a 1966 Ford Galaxy 500 that magically showed up and we was just Shootin' in the Duce. See the results of our work here.

January Performer of the Month - Victoria

2011-04-08T18:02:00.000-07:00

The first Performer of the Month for 2011 is Victoria, a member of Troupe. Victoria has been at the studio for, well, she has literally been there since before she was born. Victoria is the daughter of Carol Royal's long time studio manager, Lupe. Lupe has been a part of Royal Dance Works from the day it opened in 1978, and was even associated with Carole years before that.

In other words, Victoria has grown up at the studio. For a time when she was very small she seemed to have nothing to do with dance. She just wandered around the studio while mom worked and the dancer girls pretty much went about their business without paying her much mind.

A couple of years ago she took up dance but still in a non-passionate way in my observations, and certainly not with the obsessive desire you see in some determined dancers. It seemed to me to be more of an afternoon hobby for her. But somewhere along the way it must have occurred to her that this was pretty fun, and she started getting better, now finding herself in a competitive group. As a result, Lupe finds herself attending conventions and competitions for the purpose of watching her own girl perform.

The announcement last month of this achievement is a story worth relating. Lupe was duped by the voting committee into voting for February's Performer of the Month. She was deliberately left out of the process of voting for her own child for January.

I happened to be at the studio the night of the announcement and was invited along with other students and staff to come into Studio 4 to hear the announcement. Lupe was in the room as well and I was standing next to her with Victoria on the floor in front of me. When her name was announced there was shock and disbelief on the faces of both daughter and mother.

Lupe has long desired to stay under the radar. The dance world is filled with those that want to stand out and be noticed. It's the nature of performing and competing. But Lupe would rather be the glue that dries clear and goes unnoticed on the finished product. Victoria has followed in her footsteps often doing good deeds and supporting other dancers around her at the expense of her own recognition.

But don't think this moment wasn't important. As I left Studio 4 and all the dancers went back to their routines I watched Lupe return to her office down the now empty hallway. Just then Victoria came out of the classroom and called down the hall to her mother. Lupe turned around and with open arms the two ran to each other and embraced with uncontrolled smiles, ear to ear on both faces.

It was a well deserved honor bestowed that was not lost on either of them.

Awarding our Dancers: What's the Best Way?

2011-03-03T08:33:00.000-08:00

I saw a Facebook status this week that spoke of a new award system for the Showstopper Dance Competition that some of the Royal dancers attended last weekend. And it got me to thinking about competitions and what they really do for us.

But before I get in to the nitty-gritty of this I must preface that Showstopper has always been a personal favorite of mine. As far as competitions go I think it’s a bit easier on the average dancer, they have that cool camera boom for their videos, and it’s one of the last conventions where they let people freely take pictures of the dances. So, overall, I think Showstopper is a pretty good deal.

Let me also tell you that 10 or 15 years ago the award system as I remember it was Bronze, Silver, Gold and possibly Platinum with a few Bronze given out for good measure and only one or two Platinums for exceptional performances.

In the new award system a contestant is rewarded with a Silver, Gold-1st Place, Platinum-1st Place, Double Platinum or Crystal depending on their score, with Silver being awarded to low scores and Crystal to high scores. I looked at the Phoenix award results on the Showstopper website and noticed that every single entrant won one of those flamboyant and lofty sounding awards and although only a handful of Crystal awards were given, not one single Silver award was ever handed out.

Hmmm, I feel that something has gone askew here. Compare this ever escalating award system to the Olympic Games, the ultimate competition, where for almost 120 years, the prize has been, from low to high, Bronze, Silver and Gold with the vast majority of the athletes going home empty handed.

But I don’t totally put the blame on Showstopper for this out-of-control upward spiral. To satisfy our thirst for better and better results, we as dancers, teachers and parents have jacked up the award expectations to ridiculous levels. The conventions and competitions need to do these clever sorts of things in order to get people to come back the next year. I remember about 5 years ago Royal attended a competition where the old fashioned Olympic system was in place, and nobody wanted to ever go to that competition again. Why? Because we won several Silver awards and Silver was already registered in our brains to be an award for losers. As I remember, Gold was as rare in that competition as Crystal is in today’s Showstopper, but it didn’t matter to anyone. We needed a Platinum fix and there wasn't one to be had.

It seems that we just can’t let our kids lose. So we feel the need to put them on higher and higher pedestals and buffer them from the humility of the lowest award by never giving one out. I’m not so sure that’s the best thing. I think losing once in a while is good for our systems. It keeps us balanced, keeps our egos in check and makes us take a deeper look within. However hurt we feel, ultimately for most of us losing is what points us in the right direction and makes us all we can be. Losing is actually just a different form of winning!

Maybe in an attempt to reverse this trend the competitions could start giving awards for things like “Ugliest Costume” or “Most Unoriginal Choreography” or even the “Really? That’s your plan?” award for the most clueless dancers. Or maybe they could go to the “So You Think You Can Dance” or “American Idol” format, and every hour or so a loser could be paraded across the stage for us all to cry about and feel sorry for.

Or maybe, just maybe we could all get together from time to time and watch the dancers show us what they have learned, and appreciate the beauty and grace of their performances, no matter their age or ability. Maybe we could watch without judgement and applaud for our children, and the children of others, in appreciation of their combined efforts. No awards, no trophies. No winners, no losers. Just dance.

Maybe that’s why I enjoy Suns Halftime, Showcase and Recital so much.

Li'l Mugsters Day 5: How do you say "no" to this?

2011-02-19T15:07:00.000-08:00

Li'l Mugsters Day 4: Getting Some Wind

2011-02-16T16:13:00.000-08:00

It has been a tradition for many years in the combo classes for the dancers to sit under the barre and wait quietly while mats are being put out for the tumbling portion of the class. In return for their patience the dancers are rewarded with a gust of air to the face from the falling mats. This is known as "getting some wind" and is actually quite refreshing when the room is warm and the dancers are all heated up.

Krizia: December Performer of the Month

2011-02-15T07:22:00.000-08:00

Krizia is a member of the Troupe Performance group. She comes from a family of famous Italian fashion designers that specialize in men's clothing, perfume and watches among other things. And she is also Russian.

Krizia logo

Actually, the only thing that's true is that she is in Troupe. The rest of that is a running joke from the time I first met her. I asked her about her unusual name and she said she was Italian and Russian. I wasn't quite so sure by looking at her and then she admitted that she was also Filipino, but that her name was the same as this Italian designer. I suspect her last name is Russian. But, absolutely none of that matters. For me, what matters is the qualities Krizia has that got her named Performer of the Month.

Krizia is in the 7th grade and has been dancing at Royal for about six years. She has been in performance for the past three. She is rapidly improving because she is dedicated and focused. She is also extremely limber and flexible, which is a great quality for a dancer to be born with. But my favorite quality of hers is the one that's going to get her the farthest in life; she is a very sweet and kind person. You can't help but like her once you get to know her. And then there's that smile!

And there is one more thing. I'm not sure it had anything to do with making Performer of the Month, but she does have a dog that visits the studio several times a week. Perhaps you all know Jingles?

Phoenix Suns Halftime Practice

2011-02-13T21:55:00.000-08:00

They had the anti-gravity gun out today. Do not try this at home!

Li'l Mugsters Day 4: Fierce

2011-02-05T22:25:00.000-08:00

Nicole: November Performer of the Month

2011-02-03T21:37:00.000-08:00

So, we are up to November and it's already past Groundhog Day. Actually I am a couple of weeks late on this one, but I just heard about it last weekend. And once again, I am not surprised.

Nicole is a member of the Junior performance group. It is her third year in performance at Royal Dance Works. She was in Preteens the previous two years. I had to look that up because until this year I haven't really known Nicole all that well. She was a little off my radar, but this year she is really lighting it up and making me take notice.

I don't know what vitamins she took last summer but she has gone from "barely noticed" to "fun to watch" in no time flat. She is beginning to hear the music, understand the choreography and respond to both with her own distinctive style. Her dancing is smooth and unforced and she goes with the flow whether it's serious in ballet or sassy in hip hop. Obviously the powers that vote for this sort of thing have noticed, too. Keep up the good work, Nicole because we all have started to watch you.

Li'l Mugsters Day 3: Getting Ready for Tap

2011-02-03T20:43:00.000-08:00

Li'l Mugsters Day 2: Alex from Minis

2011-02-02T07:12:00.000-08:00

Front View

Side View

Li'l Mugsters Day 1: Grand Plie

2011-02-01T20:53:00.000-08:00

Li'l Mugsters is the name I give to all the dancers in the beginning classes. These are kids ages three to eight. During Open House Week I go into all of these classrooms and take pictures of the little ones doing what they do best -dance. So this week I am providing a daily offering of something special I saw. Please enjoy.

Nostalgia - Part 1

2011-01-15T21:48:00.000-08:00

Now that I have been taking serious pictures at Royal for some years, I have amassed a large volume of blackmail material. I look back from time to time and enjoy seeing the changes to all the dancers and now I'd like to start sharing with all of you.

I try not to embarrass, but sometimes it's necessary. 2005 was the first time I took Performance Portraits in the fall. Ten of today's Senior Company members were in performance that year: two in teens, five in juniors, two in pre-teens and one in pre-company. Today they are almost grown, back then they were still very much kids.

Katie

Chrissy

Lexci

Lauren

Morgan

Macy

Meghan


Bianca

Courtney

Lauren

Emily: October Performer of the Month

2010-12-13T17:01:00.000-08:00

Every year at least one dancer comes from one of the younger groups. Emily fits that description being a member of the Preteen Performance Group, and she is moving up fast. Just 2 years ago she was in the Minis group (which is the youngest of the young) and before that just a little pipsqueak taking a few classes around the studio. In addition to being in performance she has also been invited to be in a trio AND a small group. Quite impressive indeed.

Most of you know that I will take a class or two at Royal Dance Works from time to time. For me, it's a great way to stay in shape while having fun. There is one class that I particularly enjoy this year called Strength and Stretching. It builds strength and agility for the young dancers, but for me it keeps me from slipping too far, too fast as I slide into an elderly state.

What does that have to do with Emily? Well, she is in that class with me and she is my barometer. I always think that if Emily can do it at 10 years old, certainly I can, too. But she makes it very challenging because she seems to never get tired. And as many of the other students are moaning, groaning and wilting around her and I am trying so hard not to show fatigue, she just keeps on going....and going....and going, and doesn't break a sweat!

I admire that kind of strength in someone so petite and dainty. It shows me that stamina comes in all sizes and to never underestimate the power of a girl!

Emily has another kind of girl power, too. She is very sweet to everyone she encounters, and hopefully she will come to know that that trait will take her very far in life. The award is well deserved and I can tell that she is very happy and humble to have received it.

September Performer of the Month

2010-11-16T20:27:00.000-08:00

And the September Performer of the Month is Brenna from the Juniors performance group. Brenna is a hard worker and is indeed deserving of this award. But Brenna may have it in her genes. She comes from a very select group at Royal whose numbers are truly rare. Her mother was also in performance at Royal when she was a kid.

Yes, Brenna is a second generation performance dancer. Only one of three to the best of my knowledge and the first ever in that group to be named Performer of the Month. So you see, she is truly one-of-a-kind.

I think in a few more years you will see a lot more of her if she continues to work like she does today.

Congratulations, Brenna! And in honor of this prestigious award, a few pictures from past and present.

September 2010

Recital 2009

Fall 2008


Recital 2008

Minis -from March 2007

August Performer of the Month

2010-10-24T15:57:00.000-07:00

Well, here it is, late October and we now know who the August Performer of the Month is. There is always this time delay at the beginning of the year for a couple of reasons. One, there is so much other stuff happening at the beginning of a new year that it's hard to take time and figure out which student stood out. Second, it takes a little while to see where everyone fits in. There are new kids, dancers that have improved, etc. A lot of things to look at.

Enough of that, let's get to it. Readers, meet Alex. Did I tell you her name? Yes, I did! A new age dawns and first names are now allowed. So, meet Alex.

Alex is a fourth year member of the Senior Performance Group at Royal. The Seniors are the most experienced and capable dancers at the studio. They have worked hard since they were little girls, and more importantly have stuck with it over the years. Alex is no exception. She started dancing when she was four. She has studied ballet at the Royal Academy of Dance (no connection to Royal Dance Works) and performed with Ballet Arizona, the San Diego Ballet and the Moscow Ballet. (not Moscow, Idaho, either). She also has the longest commute of any dancer at the studio, over 100 miles each way!

My personal take on Alex is that she is a wonderful role model to the younger dancers. Younger dancers always look up to the older ones, but sometimes when they get older themselves they tend to forget that. Not Alex, she talks to them, encourages them, even hangs out with them sometimes as seen in this picture at last years recital. She made the other three girls in the picture feel like a million bucks that afternoon. And I'm not even sure she knew it.

Alex wants to have a career in dancing and she is well on her way. She was part of Jaci Royal's Beneath the Surface production that played to audiences in New York City last summer. Congratulations and keep working hard, girl.

Photo of the day

2010-10-03T17:23:00.000-07:00

I don't always have a photo of the day, but today I did.

Technology is Advancing at Warp Speed

2010-09-12T12:35:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I was reading an article in Discovery Magazine about how far technology has come since 1980. I started college about that time and remember being blown away at how much techno-wizardry there was then! Calculators were getting smaller and affordable, personal computers were beginning to appear in greater numbers with the Apple II being the top-of-the-line item that everyone wanted. Everywhere you looked things were smarter, faster and smaller.

But then I read this article. If all the Apple II computers that existed on the planet in 1980 were combined into one supercomputer, it would have less computing power than a single iPhone 4. In 1980 you could buy a pack of 10 floppy disks for $50.00 to store your data on. Today for $50 you can buy a 32 gigabyte thumb drive that holds an amount of information that would take over 200,000 of the 1980 floppy disks to hold. Not to mention the fact that digital music, digital cameras and even the Internet were a good decade away from being invented.

So, what's it going to be like in 20 or 30 more years? It's hard to even think. In trying to look ahead we always look at the things we have now and imagine how much better they will be. In 1980 we might have guessed that cars will be controlled by computers, everyone will have a portable phone, you will be able to record television shows, stuff like that.

But you would never have guessed about things that never even existed before, like iPods, the Internet and Facebook. They were indescribable because they just had no basis. In order to predict what we will have you will have to come up with a few things that don't even remotely exist now. Good luck and happy thinking.

And what does this have to do with dance? Well, plenty. The world of dance has been opened to us all through digital photography, YouTube, and blogs just like this one. Anyone in the world can follow the things that happen at Royal Dance Works through this site and through videos and pictures posted by students and parents on Facebook and MySpace.

And I can go to New York City and do crazy dance photo shoots with a ballerina in an old cemetery and blend images in Photoshop to create something never seen before and share it with the world. In 1980 this would not have been possible. The photo shown below would have taken 225 floppy disks just to store it. The disks would have cost over $1,100 in 1980 dollars, which is about $3,000 today. Today it cost nearly nothing to process. In my mind that doesn't make it worthless though, it makes it priceless.

July 2010: Performance Student of the Month

2010-09-04T15:52:00.000-07:00

Once again Royal Dance Works begins honoring one dancer each month that has shown progress in many areas. As I understand it the award is decided upon monthly based on teacher and faculty input. So, to get this distinction is really an honor for a young dancer. This months dancer is...um....well...it's HER. Which brings me to another topic I'm interested in exploring.

It's HER because we made a decision three years ago not to put the dancer's names on the internet. So, I honor that decision, but I'm wondering if times are changing. "First names only" seems to me a prudent policy and my research shows me that many dance studios around the country have begun that practice with their performance and competition dancers. I think it would make the experience a little richer for the people close to the studio and particularly to the dancers themselves. Many of them are competitive in their dance training and look for name recognition at competitions and with regional choreographers.

So, help me out readers. At the bottom of this post is a place where you can react to the post as "amazing", "nice" or "stupid". Use this to vote; vote "amazing" if it is a good idea to use first names, "nice" if you don't care either way and "stupid" if you think I'm crazy for even considering such a thing. This is only an informal poll. I think the subject will be brought up formally at the studio and that's where the real decision will be made. So....

Back to HER, the Performance Student of the Month for July. She is a member of the Teen Performance Group. That's pretty special right there. And as I have personally known this dancer long before she arrived at Royal Dance Works I am especially proud of her accomplishments. For the fun of it I'll leave you with a picture I took of her in October, 2002. She didn't even know how to dance yet, but she sure was cute!

Congratulations girl!! And people, don't forget to vote (you can also leave a comment if you wish to say more than a vote can say).

Off to New York

2010-07-25T17:46:00.000-07:00

As the final recital pictures are categorized and filed away I turn my mind this evening towards New York City and the next adventure. I am leaving tomorrow on the big 747 headed for JFK. Choreographer Jaci Royal has invited me along to document her show "Beneath the Surface", which will be playing next weekend at Stages Theater in the Broadway district of Manhattan. So, I'm game. I can't pass up such a unique opportunity to photograph dance.

So I leave you with a transition shot. It is a composition of three photos. One, a dancer removing her point shoes at the end of recital blended with two of my shots from a previous trip to New York; the Chrysler Building from the back window of my cab and the 14th Street subway station.

The Best of Recital

2010-07-18T20:44:00.000-07:00

Recital was exactly one month ago and it has taken me this long to get down to the best-of-the-best, my very favorite pictures of the weekend. The pictures I have posted on royalmugshots.com so far have been mostly about the people in the picture; the ones that mom and dad and grandma want to see. The ones that all the dancers will look at over again and again and be needlessly hard on themselves for hair out of place or a leg not high enough.

For me, the best-of-the-best are more about the story of dance. They are pictures you can appreciate even if you don't know the people in them. They are the pictures that tell the story of Royal Dance Works and are meant not only for us, but for the rest of the world that might be looking in. Creating them is my version of choreography and I mean to do it well. It comes down to about 100 and I will have them available to you, and the world, next week.

For this week I give you two examples, one sweet and innocent and one raw and grim. The other 98 are somewhere in between.

Distractions

2010-07-11T14:30:00.000-07:00

Let's talk a bit this week about the technical side of taking a good photograph. A lot of you ask me for tips on how to get that good shot, so for today I will share. Some forms of photography, like portraiture or landscape offer long periods of time to set up the shot, make sure the lighting and composition are just right, use the correct filter and so forth. The purest will want to capture most everything in the shot and do very little in the way of adjustments afterward. Dance photography is much different. Photos are spontaneous, usually taken in low light and more often than not need to be taken without a flash. Add to that the speed at which dancers move and it's a tough combination. In addition we don't always have a say in what's in the background, we're stuck with the situation in the moment.

So for me, half of the picture is getting the shot, the other half is processing it; cropping and adjusting and removing and any number of other things. It is the processing that takes the picture beyond just a snap shot and in to something memorable, publishable, hangable. Many photographers don't want to show you the "before" shot because they think it might reflect poorly on them. I feel differently, especially about dance and it's hectic nature. For me it's take what you can get and extract the gems later in the privacy of your "darkroom" which in my case is a Mac Pro complete with Photoshop CS3 and Aperture 3 from Apple.

Of course this blog entry would not be complete without showing you a before and after, so I offer one up for your review....almost. I have a similar before picture and an after of the very next picture I took. Pay particular attention to the floor in both shots and you will begin to understand why it takes so long for me to do recital pictures and why I very often try to aim away from the floor.

Independence Day 2010

2010-07-03T23:14:00.000-07:00

I have been going through more recital pictures this week. I found one that is very appropriate for the day. This girl is too young to know the significance of what she holds in her hand, but someday she surely will.

Gothic Princess

2010-06-27T09:01:00.000-07:00

While shooting during dress rehearsal at the annual Performance Showcase at the Orpheum Theatre I caught one of the Junior dancers taking a break in the lobby. Im sure she doesn't look this way in everyday life, but for a brief moment...

The recital: a personal perspective

2010-06-20T14:38:00.000-07:00

I awoke this morning and started detoxing from my 13th recital at Royal Dance Works. My body is sore from three solid days of working on concrete floors. There are several new songs hopelessly stuck in my brain. And there is the knowledge that several people I have come to know and love have danced their last dance for Royal. And so it goes, every year. Yet I still show up for more abuse the next year, and I do it willingly. Why? Because there is so much more to it if you are looking in the right places.

Every year I see parents putting their lives on hold for a few days to be able to see the progress their children are making in life. I see teachers and staff dedicated to improving the lives of children that are not their own. I see young dancers suddenly explode on to the stage with personality and skills they didn't possess a year ago. And I see it all done with passion.

I never get tired of photographing this event because it's always different. Different dances, new costumes, better students. The choreographers at RDW are almost all former students themselves, and to see their work morph and grow is equally satisfying to me. To note a few that stood out:

Tony Suski's work is always full of masculine energy and it shows up with a vengeance even in his all girl numbers like Telephone. His guy number is full of ethnic diversity and camaraderie, and his success with Tony's Gang is beyond words, going straight to the heart instead.

Maria Burrola is gifted in her own right and my personal favorite, A Beautiful Mess is anything but. Chris Wakimoto is to be commended on his amazing work with Interlude. And Krystal Nestor for Paparazzi and making Troupe a real contender, helping a group of girls love being right where they are. And my favorite non-performance number Rag Doll, also by Krystal.

Jaci Royal continues to impress as her style has become "the unexpected" with such wonderful new dances as Move with Me and the brilliantly costumed Tea Party. And Olga Tarasova for her belief that Royal ballet students could pull off the classic "Swan Lake", a seemingly effortless piece so difficult and exhausting to perform. I wonder how many in the audience really understood that?

I know there were many more, but those were my favorite this weekend.

There were also breakout students that used the stage to show the rest of us that they are ready to move forward, to dance more elegantly, more forcefully, more tenderly. They entertained me. So, with all that said, I have presented you with these 10 photographs that sum up the weekend for me. There will be more of course, but for now it will have to do, I'm still in detox mode.

Paparazzi

2010-02-07T13:00:00.000-08:00

Troupe's new number choreographed by Krystal Nestor rocks! I watched practice yesterday and was really impressed with this one. Go TROUPE!!

Performer of the month-November

2010-02-07T12:35:00.000-08:00

A well deserved award to a dedicated dancer who happens to be a great person, too. She is currently dancing in the Ensemble group and has been dancing at Royal for a long time. I found a picture of her from a State Fair performance in 2003 and from when she was in the Pre-Company group in 2007. How adorable.

Burnt Offerings

2010-02-07T12:24:00.000-08:00

After the JUMP competition in downtown Phoenix, the Senior Performance Group at Royal had a little fun. Still in costumes and make-up and fresh off of dancing in the Faculty Show (because their dance won the highest of honors possible -a "You Rock Jump Award") they drove to a nearby sight that was great for an impromptu photo shoot. The sun was on its way down real fast and these girls went in to dance mode action. I never once posed them or told them how to stand. Years of training I guess. Check out the Burnt Offerings gallery for more pictures.

I asked the youngster of the group to pick up the hubcap lying next to her and hold it up for effect. She looked and looked for something that she was practically standing on. I asked her a second time, and with an anxious and lost look she said to me, "What's a hubcap?" I guess they don't really make them any more.

Teddy Forance Master Class

2010-02-07T12:10:00.000-08:00

Teddy came to Royal to teach a master class to our Troupe, Ensemble, Teen and Senior performance groups. It was one of the best master classes I have been to.

Teddy is a powerful dancer that choreographs to sounds and rhythms within the songs. Besides warming up and teaching the dancers a routine, he had some experimental tasks that made the dancers more aware of how their bodies flow through space and time. Very enjoyable. I hope he returns someday.

It was also a very wet and rainy night in Phoenix and the windows were steamy, reflecting the tail lights of the cars outside in a most interesting way.

The Interpretation of Dance

2010-01-01T15:28:00.000-08:00

When I see a new dance performed by one of our performance groups, a story forms in my mind. All of us experience this and we each connect with the dance at some level, good, bad or indifferent. Over the years I have witnessed hundreds of dances, not only at Royal, but those from other studios in Phoenix and across the United States. Many dances have something nice; nice costume, nice music, one outstanding dancer or a great concept by the choreographer. But some dances pull everything together and an outstanding emotional memory is formed in my mind. I love when that connection is made.

At the Glendale Glitters performance in December I saw many of this year's new dances for the first time. A few set well with me and for the fun of it I have decided to share those impressions with all of you. I have used composite photography as a way to share. Composite photography is a method of layering two or more photographs on top of each other to form a single new image. So, here you go:

Last Saturday is the new Teen dance. Maria Burrola is the choreographer. I'm not sure what the storyline is supposed to be, but I saw a tender caring dance. To me, the flowers and costume gave me the image of bare feet and innocence. And where better to experience that than in a nice warm sun drenched meadow in the summertime.

The next dance is from last year. It is a Junior dance, One Moment More. The story behind the dance is about little girls whose fathers have gone off to war. It is an emotional number if you understand what is going on. I wanted to add the imagery of war in a subtle way, much like the way the fathers are portrayed symbolically by a single coat on a coat rack. I chose to make it look as though the dance was happening with the smoke of the battlefield all around them. The sadness and anguish on the faces of the girls makes this a particularly powerful piece for me.

The final number I experimented with is another Junior dance. This one choreographed by Jaci Royal. In the past year or two, Jaci has developed a knack for stating the unusual in her work. This piece, called Earth Invaders, is dramatic and weird and wonderful. In looking at the contorted faces of the dancers I knew that I was going to need to explain why I put pictures up with such seemingly unattractive facial expressions. Jaci's dances can push me to the limits in trying to photograph them. But in figuring out how to present them to you I am also able to appreciate the immense talent that she has become. For this dance I knew that a background of otherwordliness would answer everything.

I hope you enjoy the galleries of all the dances at Glendale Glitters. The dancers and teachers worked very hard for all of them. But for the other dances you will need to create your own story in your own mind while watching them. I'm sure that won't be a problem.

Performance Student of the Month for October:

2009-11-28T10:46:00.000-08:00

This girl really deserves the honor. I am very happy for her. She recently performed her new solo at the KAR dance competition. I wasn't there and don't have pictures from the actual performance, but I was able to watch her practice the dance one last time at the studio. Maria Burrola is the choreographer for this piece. I always notice that Maria is very in to her numbers, often marking the movements along side the dancers while they perform. Check her out in the background. She must have really liked the performance!

Discovering the Dance Classics

2009-11-28T10:27:00.000-08:00

When I was younger I found dance to be a very big waste of time and energy. Probably because I saw dance as little more than flopping around awkwardly in front of some girl I liked at the homecoming dance. Not cool!

Luckily we mature. I had a child that showed a real passion for dancing and I was able to see through her eyes and those around her how beautiful and moving it could be. Then I started learning more about it. From going to competitions, to taking classes, and through my photographic efforts, I have learned to appreciate dance at its deepest levels. Of course all that has occurred at Royal Dance Works where there is a huge amount of talented students and faculty to learn from.

Renae Bohall, the resident tap teacher, has been especially helpful by showing clips of old tap dancing routines in her classes. She makes me realize that dance didn't just start with my own personal revelation a dozen years ago. It actually existed before I became aware of it. And so that young dancers don't make the same mistake I did, I want to share from time to time some of the good, old school stuff I come across with all of you. So let's start with these:

The Berry Brothers were a soft shoe tap trio from the 1930s and 40s. They were very acrobatic and this clip shows it. You need to wait until the very end to watch what happens when they go up on the balcony.

Another group, the Nicholas brothers (only two of them) were probably even more talented. They performed in the same era as the Berry Brothers. This clip, from "Stormy Weather" was considered the best dance scene ever filmed according to dance legend Fred Astaire.

Performance Student of the Month for September is.....

2009-11-07T16:29:00.000-08:00

Congratulations on receiving this very deserving award.

Picnic tomorrow!

2009-10-24T09:14:00.000-07:00

Another year, another fall picnic. Tomorrow you find out who your dance buddies are and have fun with everyone on a non-dance level. There's always lots of food and drinks, games, running around stupid, riding the train....

And even moms and dads have fun. Here are a few pictures from the picnic 2 years ago. I hope to see you all there.

Concrete Jungle (Hip-Hop under the stars)

2009-10-17T01:25:00.000-07:00

It was a beautiful and perfect October night last Saturday when Royal Dance Works hosted Concrete Jungle. Royal's own resident hip-hop king, Tony Suski, lead the evening by teaching two classes. Music and lights were DJ style and continuous video was projected on the side of the Target store.

There was food and drink to be had as well. The cost was $5.00 and was open to all students from Royal and elsewhere. See the gallery of photos now playing at www.royalmugshots.com.

Performance Pictures and Memberships

2009-10-11T21:39:00.000-07:00

Well folks, I've spent a bit of time this weekend getting my house in order and now the first few galleries of the Performance Portraits are up for viewing and purchasing. I will keep adding galleries through October.

The Membership program is all in place as well. One hitch that I hope doesn't cause a big to-do. For the benefit of you ordering and me filling orders the only way to make the shopping cart work was to charge something for each picture you purchase. So, I'm charging one cent each. That shouldn't kill ya.

Here's a sample or two of what to expect.

Fountain of youth?

2009-10-09T23:29:00.000-07:00

I ran across this on YouTube today and thought it an interesting dance story. This woman is 71 years old! Not much else to say but Wow!

Performance pictures have been taken!

2009-10-05T22:14:00.000-07:00

Last week was intense to say the least. I spent 25 hours over six days taking pictures of all that showed up. Over 100 dancers in all plus siblings, and some friends, too. There was even a nice surprise from one of last year's performance dancers that sadly moved away but came back for a visit.

I really have come to enjoy this annual event as I get to meet new dancers that have joined the studio and returning ones that have grown another year older. I have been photographing some of the senior dancers for seven years as they have gone from kids to young adults.

I am always amazed at the talent that some children display while in front of the camera. Some have no fear and some know how to crank up the charm. Others are over-the-top funny and could do their own stand up comedy. Still others have the rare ability to be extremely photogenic without even trying. I love seeing someone that was pathetically shy a year ago show up with a complete personality makeover. I had a couple of those this year and it's refreshing to see them open up to the world.

Well I have over 3,500 pictures to wade through over the next few weeks and I will probably put up close to 800 of them for you all to see. It's always fun to figure out how to post them so they entertain you. I have some pretty good ideas already.

Make sure to check back often over the next month as I add the performance pictures bit by bit. Enjoy!

Coming soon: Memberships

2009-09-24T20:53:00.000-07:00

Starting with this season you will be able to purchase memberships at www.royalmugshots.com. These are designed for the frequent shopper and have been based on your buying habits over the past two seasons. For example, if you were one of the top 5 buyers on the site last year, the Platinum membership will be a better deal for you, if your buying habits remain the same.

The membership levels and their benefits are as follows:

Gold:

One time price of $99.00 entitles you to an unlimited number of low resolution files sent to your email throughout the year. A low resolution file will produce a high quality 4x6 print and can also be used for cell phones, ipods, etc. You may still order higher resolution files and prints at the listed prices.

High Gold:

One time price of $199.00 entitles you to an unlimited number of low or medium resolution files sent to your email throughout the year. A medium resolution file will produce a high quality 5x7 print and can also be used for screen savers, cell phones, ipods, etc. You may still order higher resolution files and prints at the listed prices.

Platinum:

The best deal out there. A one time price of $299.00 entitles you to an unlimited number of any resolution files sent to your email throughout the year and an unlimited number of prints up to 8x10 size. High resolution files will produce high quality 8x10 prints and, in most cases, posters as large as 24x36. Larger prints may be ordered at the listed prices.

A few rules do apply.

1. Photographs must contain an image of your dancer.
2. Offer is only good for pictures taken and posted between August 1st, 2009 and August 1st, 2010. For instance, last years recital is not included in the offer, but next year's is.
3. There is no guarantee on the number of pictures I will be able to take of your dancer. But, if you buy a membership, I will remember.

I hope many of you take advantage of this offer as I think it will be a good way to get more of the pictures of your dancer in your hands and it will certainly help the Booster Club, which ultimately benefits the Performance Dancers.

July and August Performance Student of the Month

2009-09-20T00:38:00.000-07:00

One rule of the site and this blog is that dancers shall remain anonymous. No names allowed. Well, if a picture is worth a thousand words than it's certainly worth at least two -a first and last name. So, introducing......

the Royal Dance Works July 2009 Performance Student of the Month.......

This is also the ballet dancer behind the mask for those of you who have asked.

And next....

the Royal Dance Works August 2009 Performance Student of the Month......

and there you have it!

Performance Portraits

2009-09-18T22:37:00.000-07:00

Starting Monday, September 28th through Saturday, October 3rd I will once again be taking photos of all the performance dancers at the studio. There is no charge for this and the photos will be available for viewing and purchase on the web site.

This is the 5th year I have done this and it has proven to be the most popular feature of the website, by far! What should you expect? Studio quality pictures that bring out the personality of the dancer. I will take some straight up school type pictures, some action pictures, fashion shots and whatever else decides to happen. Each dancer gets about 5 minutes of fame and every shoot takes on a life of its own. It's always a fun time and I try to make it pleasant even for the camera shy.

This year I will only be shooting for one week and you must sign up for a time at the studio. Ask at the front desk about the sign up sheet. Dancers should pick a time where they still look fresh and haven't been dancing for several hours before hand. Wear clothes you feel good about, wear make-up and have a good hair day.

Besides the individual shots, buddy shots, group shots and sibling shots are always encouraged. I am leaving time open every hour for those types of pictures. So gather your friends and come when you like. The photos should hit the website around November 1st.

Below are a some examples from the past two years that give you an idea of what to expect.

Picture dates and times are as follows:

Monday, September 28th through Friday, October 2nd: 4:00 pm to 8:30 pm

Saturday October 3rd: 9:00 am to 1:00 pm

Location: In the student lounge at Royal Dance Works.

Showcase 2009: The slideshow

2009-09-17T07:56:00.000-07:00

From the 2009 Performance Banquet comes the first of the 2 videos shown at the banquet. Unfortunately I lost the second one. I have a copy of it but not in a format that can be shown here. Hopefully I'll figure it out somehow.

An example of fun...from seasons past

2009-09-16T22:25:00.000-07:00

Halloween isn't that far away and if past years are any indication, Jaci Royal will have a ghastly good time with Jazz 6 class on the week of October 26th. The class is usually done in full costume by the dancers and teacher. In 2004, in an especially clever version of the class, Carole Royal and Jaci dressed up as each other and taught the entire hour in character, making fun of their little quirks.

There are still a few familiar faces left in this photo...

And from last year, my personal favorite team. They too kept in character the whole time.

And last but not least these two runner-up Performers of the Year came as cartoon characters. They certainly looked the part to me!

Welcome to the royalmugshots.com blog

2009-09-16T18:28:00.000-07:00

I'm sure most of you by now know what a blog is. It's short for web log and it is just another great way to communicate. I plan to share information about picture events and other things that relate to Royal Dance Works and royalmugshots.com. The first few posts should show you what I mean.

So, let's get started by showing you a few of the more interesting pictures from recital.

The background scenes were being tested so instead of a school in the background we got a microwave burst. This dancer looks like she is on a serious mission, controlling the world from her cell phone.

This picture was one of my favorites. A dancer put on a mask from the Dad's dance and I quickly snapped the pic. I had no flash on the camera so it only picked up side light from the stage. Gruesome, eerie and fun all at the same time.

Speaking of eerie and gruesome. These guys actually think they're hot! These dances are fun though by making us feel like kids again, if only for a few moments.

Alright. So that's the official first post of the new blog. There is so much more to come: event information, movie clips, information from the dance world, pictures from others and on and on....please stay tuned.