Our first annual Winter Showcase at FTC StageOne was an exciting and unique performance. The full-length DVD is in production and scheduled for delivery in early July. Click above to watch a quick video montage.

If you haven’y ordered your copy of the full-length DVD, please feel free to contact us. You can download the order form here.

Enjoy!

Great job keeping this a secret before the performance! Bravo to David’s choreography and to all the company girls and “special guest” dancers for making this piece fill the room with energy!

Click above to view the video clip

julia edelman, our student choreographer for winter showcase ‘10 was interviewed by nancy and filmed by craig hyland, visualmerc.  some great moments from a fun saturday afternoon.

The DVDs are here and they are fantastic!  Pick yours up in the office.  We may have extra copies for families who didn’t order them, please email us to let us know you are interested.

Click here to view the trailer. Visit our online video gallery to watch numerous clips from all 3 performances.

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As always we thank you for allowing us the extra time to produce your multi-camera performance videos. The full-length Recital 2009 videos are complete.

Click on the image above to view the video trailer. Visit our online video gallery to watch numerous clips from all 3 performances.

(Hint 1: See the video in full-screen format by clicking the small square icon in the lower right side of the video controls.)

(Hint 2: You can share these video links with others via email, Facebook, MySpace and many others by clicking the “ShareThis” feature on this blog, or in our online video gallery.)

Enjoy!

Thanks to all the Nutcracker students, parents and performers for waiting so patiently for the delivery of the final video.  The DVDs have arrived, please contact us if you haven’t received your 2-disk set, or if you would like to order additional copies.

Click on the image above to watch the video trailer!

About The Children’s Ballet Theater 2008 Nutcracker Movie…
Read the rest of this entry »

Kudos to Kerry Long for once again capturing such amazing images of our academy dancers at this year’s Spring Performance. View/purchase spring recital ‘09 photos from Kerry’s website by clicking here.

This is an introduction to the features and functions on this online dance-related forum.
(The left side of  the screenshot above represents a “Public” page, and the right an “Admin/Dashboard” page as mentioned herein.)

What is the Westport Academy of Dance Blog and how does it differ from the Main Website?
The Main Westport Academy of Dance Website contains official Academy news and information maintained only by the academy staff.  This still remains the source for the latest registration, class, rehearsal, performance locations, dates, times, and policies.

The Westport Academy of Dance Blog is for you.  A forum for students, parents, teachers, dancers, and all those that are passionate about performance art to share their voice as key members of our dance community. We encourage you to visit this Blog on an ongoing basis – join, post/comment on: stories, photos, videos… help us maintain this momentum we embrace for ongoing inspiration!

Tip: Your Blog e-mail, username and password will not be the same as your Main Website account information upon joining the Blog. Once your Blog user account is set-up, you can update/change your email and password as you wish (See the “Tip” in the “How do I join…” section below for more information on changing your email, default password and other relevant User Profile information).

What is the difference between the “Public” pages and the “Admin/Dashboard pages?”
1. The “Public” pages can be viewed by anyone who visits westportdance.com/blog.
2. The “Admin/Dashboard” pages require registration and login.  The “Admin/Dashboard” pages are where those that join manage their accounts and create new posts.

How do I search for specific content about a certain subject/category?
When surfing through the Blog (whether logged in or not), you can search content by clicking on a specific “category” under “post categories” at the top right corner of the screen. That will display all the posts within that category.

Tip: some posts will be within multiple categories.

You can also type key words and/or phrases in the “search” box, click “go”, and see a list of all posts that contain those key words and/or phrases.

Tip: the Blog homepage will always display the most current posts in all categories.
Tip: If a post is long, you will just see a preview within initial view. To view a complete post, simply click the post title.

How do I “join” and what does that mean?
All you need to do is:
1. Click on the “join” link in the main navigation at the top of the Blog page.
2. Enter your desired username and email address.
3. Click the “Join” button.

Once the Blog administrator verifies your registration, an email with your password will be sent to the email you entered when joining.  This means you can then “log in”, write new posts, comment on an existing posts, upload photos and/or videos that will (upon approval), appear on the Blog for all visitors to see!

Tip: Remember, your Blog e-mail, username and password will not be the same as your Main Website account information upon joining the Blog.

Once your Blog user account is set-up, you can change your email and default password as well as update your account information by:
1. Logging in with your username and temporary password.
2. Clicking “Profile” on the left side of the “Admin/Dashboard” page.
3. Changing/updating desired information.
4. Clicking “Update Profile” at the bottom of the page.

Tip: Don’t forget to keep this account information on hand; you’ll need it the next time you log in!

What happens after I “join”?
You can then come back to westportdance.com/blog and “log in” whenever you wish.  When you do, just:
1. Click on the “log in” link in the main navigation at the top of the page.
2. Enter your “Username” and the “Password” on your Blog account.
3. Click the “Log In” button.

Viola!  Now it’s time to write new posts, comment on an existing posts and upload photos and/or videos!

How do I comment on an existing post?
After you join and log in per above, then click on a particular post title, you will notice the “Leave a Comment” prompt below all live posts.  To comment on an existing post, simply type your comment within that box, then click “Submit Comment.”

Note: All comments to existing posts and new posts need to be reviewed and approved prior to appearing on the “live” Blog.  After submitting a post or comment, your request is automatically sent for review, and if approved it will be “live” as quickly as possible.  Profanity obscenities, and malicious content will not be tolerated or posted.

How do I write a new post?
After you join and login per above, you can write a new post by:
1. Clicking the “admin” link on the top of the page (if you on a public page) to get to the “Admin/Dashboard” section.
2. Once you are in the “Admin/Dashboard” section simply click “Add New” under “Posts.”
3. Write and format your post using the tools in the content editor.
4. Assign a category or categories to your post.
5. Click the “Submit for Review” button in the upper right corner of the page.

Note: All comments to existing posts and new posts need to be reviewed and approved prior to appearing on the “live” Blog.  After submitting a post or comment, your request is automatically sent for review, and if approved it will be “live” as quickly as possible.  Profanity obscenities, and malicious content will not be tolerated or posted.

What is the ShareThis feature?
When you click on the “ShareThis” button within the right column, you will notice the option to link or bookmark the Westport Academy of Dance Blog with a variety of other leading online social media outlets.  This lets you connect to and share the content from the Westport Academy of Dance Blog.

What is WordPress and how can I learn more about the available features and functions on related WordPress blogs?
The Westport Academy of Dance Blog is a customized online tool built on WordPress.  WordPress is a state-of-the-art publishing platform that allows users to create and share information online.

Tip: If you research WordPress you will find tips and instructional videos that will help you master all of the available features and functions available on this platform.

Thanks for partcipating, and happy posting!