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This week's letter is sponsored by Jill Bridger, the creator and author of Melody Bear and Melody Movement Early Learning.

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Sandra Redsell (s.redsell@virgin.net) from Location: Halesworth, Suffolk, United Kingdom is "seeking information regarding the legal issues surrounding the use of recorded/ downloaded music for classes and performances. Do you provide information on this and if not can you suggest where I might go to get it? Thank you very much."

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DTOL Jill Gregory (dance@mee-gregory.freeserve.co.uk) from Nottinghamshire, UK has "a question I'd like to ask:

If you use a hall/dance studio which has a sealed wood floor, are you the only users of that room or do you share it with people who use it generally, or more specifically with a playgroup which uses sand?

How often does your floor have to be re-sealed (whichever balance of use it has)?

The reason I ask is that 2 years ago, my dancing school raised money to pay for community centre hall floor to be sanded and re-sealed. We use the hall 2 evenings a week plus all day Saturday, but it is used by a Playgroup during the mornings. The Playgroup insists that the National Curriculum states the children should play with sand regularly. I have a copy of the relevant pages and it says nothing about sand, unless the Nursery School head teacher who gave it to me didn't find the right bit.

I am trying to convince the other Committee Members (I am a member myself) that Playgroup should only be allowed to play with sand outside, or that they examine some way of playing with it which doesn't cause it to be spread all over the hall floor. (The sort of discipline of remaining with one activity until cleaned up might help, but children are all over the place these days).

The Playgroup spokes person claims that the sand is cleaned up and it might be the Sequence Dance club which causes the problem. (If that was the case, my view is that the wear of the floor would be in a circle near to the edge of the room, not at the corners and middle). He also says it is more likely to be grit off shoes. As the other evening users of the hall are Tai Chi and Yoga, and work barefoot, that theory is wrong.

If any of you can help me with information which states how long your floors are lasting subject to what other wear they have, this would be helpful. The other room which we use exclusively, which is smaller and subject to more intense tap dancing has still kept its seal over the same period of time. We maintain that it is actually the process of sweeping up the sand which causes a sandpapering action, and this is borne out by advice on wooden floors on the internet, but I just can't get other Committee Members to understand this. Dancers are suffering dry eyes, sore throats, tights and shoes wearing more quickly than usual - they paid for the floor and now it is wood powder that is causing them problems. We have said we will not pay for the floor to be done again while sand is used in the hall and have been accused of holding the Community Centre to ransom, when I'm only protecting the interests of all other users and helping the place to look nice.

Thanks."

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I am keen that DTOL should act as a conduit for publicising opportunities for Continuing Professional Development for dance professionals - teachers, choreographers, dancers and others.

It is sometimes hard for me to distinguish between courses and other events which are run by commercial organisations - for which I require payment to advertise their events or sponsor a newsletter - and non-profit organisations - which I can give free publicity to, under certain conditions.

This week I received this information from an organisation in the UK:

"Lincolnshire Professional Class

artsNK based in Sleaford, Lincs would like to organize and offer a professional movement class for artists working in the creative field.

The class would be used as a sharing of ideas from one professional to another, where artists could try out ideas, give feedback, swap stories and generally create a strong support system for one another.

At the moment we are looking at classes meeting once a month, on a Thursday night (at approximately 7pm) at NK Centre, North Hykeham (close to Lincoln City Centre). We would like to reaffirm that this is not pure technique class. We felt that merely giving a technique class would not feed everyone's needs as tutors/choreographers etc therefore involving technique within a sharing class could be more beneficial. If you have any colleagues or friends within the area (East Midlands including Nottingham, Derby & Leics) that maybe interested in this class/gathering, could you please either pass these details on to them or forward me their contact details. The class will be open to all artist (in whichever art-form, but particularly those working in association with movement) with little or lots of experience.

Could you please reply to this with any thoughts if you would like to attend the classes.

Amy Dalton or Laura Rawlings
Dance Development Team- artsNK

T: 01529 411197 M: 07766422675
artsNK, Third Floor - The Hub, Navigation Wharf, Carre Street, Sleaford, Lincs NG34 7TW
www.leisureconnection.co.uk"

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Last week, The Times newspaper in the UK announced that "Arlene Phillips, who was recently dismissed as a judge on Strictly Come Dancing, has been recruited as a "dance champion" to encourage more people to join dance classes."

Wow! So dance teachers and dance schools in the UK are going to be flooded with new recruits? We'll see.

I can't copy the article here, as it is copyright, but you can check it out at www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/article6794111.ece

What do members think? It can't be a bad idea, surely?

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SPONSOR'S SECTION

We are having enquiries daily from parents looking for dance schools running Melody Bear classes in their area so call us or visit our website www.melodymovement.com and get ready for your new school term with the Melody Movement Class-in-a-Box.

What is Melody Movement? Melody Movement introduces pre-school children to dance and movement with the unique use of picture cards, story telling and characterisation.  It explores the natural actions of the body through dance with a structured syllabus of imaginative movement which is enjoyable and fun.  The classes introduce other fundamental curriculum learning skills such as counting, colour and shape recognition, vocabulary and language skills.  Melody Movement is the ideal entry into the world of dance and the Melody Bear Class-in-a-Box provides the teacher with everything needed to start a class including syllabus notes, music CDs, publicity material, a licence to use the product, advertise with the trademarks and have a website listing to help promote your classes and dance school.

An important feature of Melody Movement is the quality of music used.  All the pieces are commissioned original compositions from composer Eugene Kulikov which fully 'characterise' all the actions and emotions of the dances.  In addition there are some great songs with easy to follow movements which children and teachers love.

Who is Melody Bear? Melody Bear is the focal point of the Melody Movement early learning dance syllabus.  Melody Bear uses the world around for inspiration to dance.  In her picture cards we see her riding on a swan and the dancers move like rippling water and gliding swans, we see Melody Bear going to school and sing and dance a counting song, we see Melody Bear peeping into a nest and do our bird and feather dance, we dance Melody Bear's Cheer Leading dance - to name just a few ideas.  Melody Bear's sticker award scheme is popular too with children, parents and teachers.

Additional Melody Bear teaching packages for licensed Melody Movement teachers include First Ballet with Melody Bear, Tip Tap Toe with Melody Bear, Christmas with Melody Bear, Melody Bear's Busy Week and Melody Bear's Comic story series. 

Melody Movement is not a franchise but a syllabus package for qualified dance teachers offering high returns on a low investment.

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A reminder that you can perform a number of DTOL membership functions online on your Member Page at www.dtol.ndirect.co.uk/memberlogin.asp

You can edit your DTOL listing, register your summer school/camp details and access the online newsletters and the DTOL Forum.

Don't forget to change the email address shown on your DTOL listing if you change the address! If you don't, you might not receive the newsletter!

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.

If you link to the DTOL Forum from your Member Page, remember that the Forum password is:

teachingdance (case sensitive)

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NEWSLETTER COUNTRY-SPECIFIC SECTIONS
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ASIA SECTION
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Parth (parthglobal@hotmail.com) from Mumbai, India has "been often visiting parties where I see people dancing like rock stars, no matter whatever song it is. I usually be the black sheep who tries to dance, but unfortunately fails to perform. This makes me feel so embarrassed. But this has instilled in me the burning fire to learn dancing even better than them. I've tried to find some good dance teachers, but fail. And on top of that I'm going to appear my boards this year so, I don't get much time. I feel that I should learn dancing as fast as I can. I request you to help me. I'll be greatly obliged if you do so."

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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.

Laura Rawlings, Lincolnshire, United Kingdom. Email: laura.rawlings@leisureconnection.co.uk
Dance development team that deliver contemporary, hip hop and creative dance to all ages.

Aanal Sheth, Virginia, USA. Email: aanalvsheth@gmail.com
Folk Dances (Garba, Rajasthani, Bhangra etc), Bollywood Dance and Bollywood Dancercise

Michele Newhook, Newfoundland, Canada. Email: info@mountpearldance.com
The studio offers ballet, ISTD Tap & Modern, contemporary, jazz, hip hop, Broadway

Danielle McGettigan, Newfoundland, Canada. Email: danielle@mountpearldance.com
Our studio offers a full range of styles - my specialist area is Tap &ISTD Tap Exam work

Erika Wilansky, Newfoundland, Canada. Email: erika@mountpearldance.com
I have an extensive background in Jazz, Contemporary and Hip-Hop

Michelle Shuttleworth, Derbyshire, United Kingdom. Email: info@dance-network.co.uk
ISTD Ballet, Modern, Tap and Jazz in Measham, Ashby and Ibstock

Laura Gray, Scotland, United Kingdom. Email: laura_gray_school_of_dance@hotmail.com
Classes in: - Tap, Modern, Freestyle, Classical Ballet, Majorette, Cheer Pom & Street.

Sreelakshmy Radhakrishnan, France. Email: srsreelakshmy@gmail.com
am done M.A.in bharatanatyam from hyd university the year of 2009.

Anna Quillfeldt, ACT, Australia. Email: anna_quillfeldt@hotmail.com
Offering classes in Ballet and Jazz in BAL method, as well as open adults ballet classes

Roger Cunningham, Switzerland. Email: danseur05@hotmail.com
I teach classical, modern, jazz, hip hop and pilates. My goal explore, discover, and joy.

Amy Kong, Malaysia. Email: dancingtime_academy@yahoo.com
We offer ballet,modern jazz,tap,musical theatre,event co-ordinator.

DTOL now has 6,791 members, in 95 different countries.

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

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

Tel: 01480 493579 or 01480 469711

'Learning to dance and dancing to learn'
www.melodymovement.com
www.melodybear.com
''Grow and flourish with Melody Bear'

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