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This week's newsletter is sponsored by Jill Bridger from Melody Movement Early Learning. Email jill@melodymovement.com for a Melody Bear and Melody Movement Teacher catalogue.

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DTOL members can now change their passwords, in order to access their DTOL Member Page online at www.dtol.ndirect.co.uk/memberlogin.asp

Changing your password is easy - log in with your existing password and make the changes. Just make sure the new password is exactly 5 characters long and only alphanumeric.

You can also now access the online newsletters and the DTOL Forum from your Member Page.

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There are some more recent posts on the DTOL Forum. The "Workshops and dance conventions in Scotland this summer" thread has attracted some responses, as has the "Teacher to pupil ratio" topic. There are new threads on "Jazz Dance Techniques", "Contemporary and Jazz resource material" and "batd".

I shall be delighted if the Forum gets more use.

The Forum is at www.dtol.ndirect.co.uk/forum.htm

and has a password: teachingdance (case-sensitive)

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DTOL member Mitzi Carruthers (bushpig@mweb.co.zw) emailed from Zimbabwe:

"With all the problems here in Zimbabwe (power, water and food shortages just to name a few), dance remains alive and a very important part of our lives. Lots of us dance teachers have "made a plan" like buying small generators to run music and lights so we can continue with classes when the rest of the country has been blacked out. We are gearing up for HIFA - Harare International Festival of Arts.

I would like to ask if anyone knows where I can order toe taps (taps for pointe shoes) as we would like to put a toe tap number into the festival. Toe taps are special taps and not just round taps on the end of your pointe shoe but rather your pointe shoe fits inside the tap.

Thanks for DTOL newsletter, I have had people contact me from around the world that I use to teach in Malawi because of your listing!"

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DTOL member Yehonatan Levy (Aeunltd@gmail.com) from Illinois, USA responded to last week's item about site visitors taking it for granted when members respond to their pleas for help:

"On Michael's comment - I agree! I have been of assistance in the past to more than several would-be college students needing "info" for papers, and/or degree related programs and I have yet to receive a thank you, a copy of a paper with my input included or referenced to me, no acknowledgment or credit is ever given when I (or others of the profession give advice or commentary) and I have stopped replying to these types of requests.

In fact my last response was just vague enough that if the student was really interested in the facts they would have had to respond to me, yet they DIDN'T... which tells me they are just looking for filler for papers! From now on I am going to charge a consulting fee for any and all information of this nature, because I don't think these student's and "site visitors" really understand the years of training and performing and work that goes into giving an answer for some of their queries."

DTOL member Bryl Berry (dancing.school@freeuk.com) from Staffordshire, UK also responded:

"I have also replied to several queries, but never rec'd any response so won't be wasting my time again."

This is a sad state of affairs and I don't blame members deciding to opt out of answering these kinds of query. I'll continue encouraging site visitors to give basic courtesy to those trying to help them. Meantime, are there any members who can tell of good experiences they have had in this respect?

And I don't think these comments make any difference to the majority of requests appearing in the country-specific sections of the newsletter, which are seeking classes. These will continue.

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I am seriously considering my commitment to the Mailing list Newsletter, which I send out fortnightly to those dancers, dance students and others on DTOL's Mailing List (just to be clear, I'm not talking about THIS newsletter, which I think continues to be a useful communication between dance teacher members of DTOL).

The Mailing List Newsletter is time-consuming for me and I don't really think it gives great value to the approximately 5,300 readers to whom it is sent.

I'm open to a change of mind but at the moment I expect the 20 February Mailing List Newsletter to be the last. This will leave me more time to devote to DTOL's dance teacher members and to serve you all better.

Any members with comments: let me know!

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Dance School for Sale:

SW England, Bristol.

Established and thriving school for sale teaching RAD ballet, Modern & Tap. Approximately 240 pupils on register at present time with room for expansion into many areas. This is an excellent opportunity for a teacher to take over the running of a school, put their own stamp on it and earn a substantial amount of money. Teacher is willing to stay on and teach if required.

Genuine enquiries only. Please email adenford@hotmail.com

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SPONSOR'S SECTION

Hello again from Melody Bear and her creator Jill Bridger.

To find out more about becoming a Melody Movement teacher and introducing Melody Bear to your pre-school dance classes visit www.melodymovement.com or email jill@melodymovement.com to receive a catalogue.

Melody Bear has lots of exciting plans for 2008 including the launch of the Milligan Bear teacher package with songs, music, stories and themes especially for boys who love to dance. Milligan Bear also has his own movement stickers and awards. Milligan Bear is now available to licensed Melody Movement teachers He is looking forward to joining your pupils as he sails the sea on his pirate ship, runs and jumps at his sports day, meets a green dragon, explores the five senses with Melody Bear, and turns from a frog into a prince with Melody Bear's magic kiss - a fun package for your pre-school classes complete with Milligan Bear picture cards, syllabus notes and CD of songs and music.

Melody Bear is also launching her new syllabus 'First Ballet with Melody Bear'. This is the ideal follow-on syllabus for your girls and boys who enjoy their Melody Movement classes and are ready for the next step up to prepare them for their ballet grades. The syllabus introduces basic ballet concepts combined with the magic of Melody Bear's stories and themes.

Book 3 is also about to go to press as Melody Bear follows footsteps to her dancing class - but whose footsteps is she following? The book comes with dance ideas and music appropriate to the story.

Come along and visit our stand 158 at 'Move It', Olympia, London, 6 - 9 March to view all our Melody Bear products, including our popular Class-in-Box starter package. Jill will also be available to offer advice about how Melody Movement can be incorporated into your school for your pupils to enjoy Melody Bear classes.

To find out more visit www.melodymovement.com or ring 01480 493579.

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NEWSLETTER COUNTRY-SPECIFIC SECTIONS
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UK SECTION
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DTOL member Helen Roberts (info@thestagefactory.co.uk) is "looking for dance festivals in the north west of England. We are a relatively new school and are looking to enter groups in festivals. It has been a long time since I personally was involved in festivals and do not have any contacts. If anyone can provide contact details for people who organise them, it would be greatly appreciated. I've heard that current festivals include Morecambe, Lancaster, Preston, Nelson, Blackburn, Burnley, Crosby and Greater Manchester. Many thanks."

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Sophie Upton (sophie_upton@hotmail.com) from Horsham, West Sussex is "looking for an adult ballet class near where I live (within an hour). Basically an intermediate one as I want to exercise and keep fit without worrying about keeping up with everyone else! I did ballet from the age 3 - 18 and stopped for four years. Any help with be much appreciated."

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ASIA SECTION
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Saleem (rana_saleemnasir@yahoo.com) from Karachi, Pakistan wants to "perform disco dance."

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AFRICA SECTION
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Bongi (mgxajib@ishltd.co.za) from Alberton, Gauteng, South Africa "would like to join the modern dancing classes. Please forward me the contact details and tuition fees."

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USA SECTION
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Ashley Boudreaux (ashleyb2584@hotmail.com) from Galveston, Texas is "looking for a dancing school or teacher to learn professional ballroom and Latin dance. I have no professional experience but my dream is to learn and compete one day."

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THIS WEEK'S NEW DTOL MEMBERS

The reason for listing new members each week is to foster DTOL's community. I hope that, from time to time, you will find a DTOL member in your area, or who is teaching your specialism in another area, and you will want to make contact with them, to share experiences. That's what DTOL's all about! But the listing is also a "welcome" to the new members. Perhaps you can take a minute this week to email one of these members to welcome them to DTOL.

The second line in each case is what each member says about themselves.

margaret greenwood, Warwickshire, United Kingdom. Email: margaret_dance@btopenworld.com

Jazmine - Jade Buckley, Bedfordshire, United Kingdom. Email: jazmin-jade_dance@hotmail.com
Street, Hardcore Hiphop,

Barbara Grant, Arizona, USA. Email: barb_dance@earthlink.net
Eqyptian Raks Sharqi, at The Training Zone in Tucson, AZ

Shikha Gour, India. Email: shikha.gour@gmail.com
I'm dance teacher in SHF School in Navi Mumbai since 1 yr and have 5yr exp prior to this.

Anne Fraser, Queensland, Australia. Email: afdance@bigpond.net.au
Tuition in ballet, contemporary, jazz and tap. Tiny-tots to pre-professional levels.

fotini iliopoulos, Greece. Email: gadala@gadala.gr
Gadala Oriental Dance Studio was founded in September 2005 aiming at the promotion of ori

Tracey O Donovan, Ireland. Email: Footdreams@hotmail.com
Disco freestyle, modern  hiphop slowdance,showdance for children and adults 2yrs upwards

Maddy Jacques, West Yorkshire, United Kingdom. Email: maddyjacques@yahoo.co.uk
Ballet, Modern and Tap for children age 3 upwards

lauren parker, West Midlands, United Kingdom. Email: lollyparker@googlemail.com
hip hop, street, jazz, tap, break

DTOL now has 6,104 members, in 88 different countries.

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Dance Teachers On-Line thanks Jill Bridger for sponsoring this newsletter.

Contacts:

Jill Bridger School of Dance
Tel: 01480 493579
www.danceschool.biz

'Melody Bear's Books & CDs
www.melodymovement.com
www.melodybear.com
'Everybody loves Melody Bear'

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If you would like to sponsor one of DTOL's Newsletters, please email me at the address below. It really costs very little and you can publicise your dance goods/services to this highly targeted audience!

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This newsletter, plus the most recent ones, is accessible on web page: http://www.dtol.ndirect.co.uk/news.htm

If you don't want to receive any more newsletters, just click on 'Reply' in your email browser and put the word 'unsubscribe' in the subject line. You will still retain your DTOL listing.
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Nigel Grant
Email: nigelgrant@dtol.ndirect.co.uk
Web site: www.dtol.ndirect.co.uk
 

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