Blog Posts

Have you ever considered becoming a Just For Kix Director?  If you have ever wondered what it would be like to run or manage a studio but are not sure how to go about getting started, Just For Kix may be a great match for you.  It is a great way to share your passion for dance and instruction with youth without having to worry about the business side of operating a studio.

Please view the following videos: Video 1 and Video 2

The director serves as the area manager for the program and instructs the majority of the classes.  We offer support, training, marketing materials, accounting, mentorship, special event opportunities, resources etc.  There are no upfront costs involved and our directors receive a competitive commission rate.

If you would like to find out more about what the director position entails, please contact julie@justforkix.com to set up a call and checkout our employment site at www.teamjustforkix.com. You can apply for a position at https://www.justforkix.com/danceclasses/staff/application/step/1/.

Coaches, congratulations on another great season! Take a moment to reflect on all your team has accomplished, as well as taking inventory of how you’d like to build into next season.

The offseason is the time to build all of the foundations. You might wonder how to categorize “foundations.” We’re here to help you get started!

Stamina – Do you want dancers to complete routines with a greater sense of ease? Do you want dancers to look and feel more energetic toward the end of practices? There are 3 major elements that build into stamina:

1. Cardiovascular conditioning: Include 2-3 base-building days. These are low-intensity workouts (heart rate less than 180 – age), generally 30-60 minutes in length. This can include Pilates, yoga, functional movements, barre and hiking. Also include 1-2 interval days, where activities elevate the heart rate above 180 – age for 1-3 minutes at a time.
2. Muscle endurance: Think low loads and high repetitions. Start with 10-30 seconds of repetitions or holds, and then build from there. Try to focus on areas where dancers need great muscular endurance. Examples include the single leg bridge, bear hold, and side knee plank clam.
3. Alignment & coordination for specific skills: Focus on how the head, shoulders, hips and standing leg align for each move. Cueing to proper skeletal alignment will help improve movement efficiency

Power – Do you want dancers to jump higher at the peak of leaping choreography? We’ll share 3 major elements for power development:

1. Speed & Agility: The T drill serves this purpose well.
2. Plyometrics: The National Strength & Conditioning Association suggests avoiding box jumps for youth. Instead focus on movements like squat jumps, tuck jumps and skaters. Plyometrics are designed to improve performance; this is accomplished by focusing on form over fatigue. A dancer might perform 1 set of 6-10 focusing on height and technique. This is often followed by several minutes of relative rest so the dancer can perform the best technique again on his/her next turn.
3. Technique timing: With the dancers’ permission, film can be helpful here. Video analysis allows you and the dancer together to see where the coordination in timing between the body parts can be altered to increase leap height.

Flexibility – Do dancers want straighter knees on kicks and leaps? Flexibility needs to be the dancers’ best friend. It’s important to work on multiple types of flexibility:

1. Self-myofascial release: Use a foam roller or ball to hold pressure on tender muscle spots for 30 seconds. Learn more: https://youtu.be/NLoiS-cvJGQ
2. Static stretching: Get the most out of your static stretching by holding each stretch for 4 sets of 30 seconds. Be sure to warm up first!
3. Dynamic stretching: Include dynamic stretching in your warm ups. Gradually increase range of motion, speed and coordination/direction of all body parts over the course of 10 minutes. Try this dynamic dance warm up to get started: https://youtu.be/zULQmEAH3gA
4. Seeking a guided plan? – How can each dancer train more efficiently instead of over-training and risking injury?

Heart rate variability (HRV) measures the space between heart beats. HRV monitors are different than heart rate monitors. The HRV score allows athletes to know when to go high intensity and do low-intensity recovery workouts.

Twin Cities Orthopedics’ Dance Medicine division is currently accepting dancers into their Spring & Summer 2018 HRV Dance cohorts.

Dancers receive:

• 12 training sessions
• Comprehensive pre-and post-fitness testing, so they see their individual strength, improvements & opportunities
• Use of the HRV monitors
• Individualized training modifications within the group session
• Training supervision

The program is sponsored by TCO, so there is no cost for enrolled teams.

E-mail SpecialtyPrograms@TCOmn.com for information.

This article was written by Twin Cities Orthopedics’ Dance Medicine providers for educational purposes. It is not intended to diagnose, treat or prevent any medical condition.

To learn more about Twin Cities Orthopedics and our Dance Medicine services, visit TCOmn.com/Blog and Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. For questions relating to Dance Medicine, contact SpecialtyPrograms@TCOmn.com

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/TwinCitiesOrthopedics
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/twincitiesortho/
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Competition season has wrapped up, your team’s hard work has paid off, and it’s already time to begin planning for next season.

Starting early on your custom dance costume design can save you time, stress, and money, but one of the main constraints we hear is, “I don’t have my team or money yet!” 

No worries, there may be a solve for you! There are ways to get started even without your team assembled OR your funds in place for the year. Read on to find out how.

You Can Start With Your Design and Prototype, Even Without Your Team or Funding!

You can get started with a design and a sample garment, even without your team or funding!  Here’s how:

• Design: At many custom dance costume companies, you can get your initial design for your dance costume done for FREE. You don’t need to know your quantity or team to start designing!

• Prototype: Once your design is confirmed, a sample garment will be made. Typically, a 50% deposit for the cost of your order and prototype is required. However, some companies may be willing to let you order the prototype first and pay for the group order later. This means no big deposit is due.

Once your design and sample are done, the last step is production. For your order to move to the next phase, production, your full payment, confirmed sizes and quantities will be due. This part can be done at a later date once you have your team and funding established! 

Why get your sample garment done early? You’ll have peace of mind, sizing can be worked out at auditions, and your delivery date will be secure! 

4 Basic Things You Need to Get Started Early with Your Custom Dance Costumes

Ready to get started? Here are four things you need for design:

1. Your Theme or Concept

A theme or concept will give your costume a clear focus, and every design decision can relate back to that vision. This is essential to begin starting your dance costume design – and often the most fun part! Organize your ideas in a Pinterest board or mood board to effectively communicate with your designers what your custom dance costume vision is.

Looking for inspiration? Check out this post: How to Design a Custom Dance Costume: Finding Inspiration!

2. Your Budget

You don’t need to have your funds together yet, but a budget is essential for your designers to begin. They’ll want to know what you can afford, so your costume isn’t over designed and out of your budget!

If you don’t have your official budget set yet, you can base it off the cost of last year’s costume. As long as you and your designers know a rough estimate of what you have to work with, you can get started on design.

3. An Estimated Number of Performers

If you can provide an approximate number of dancers, this will help determine what discounts are available to you, as well as help with budgeting your estimated cost per costume. Know that you can still get your design AND your prototype finished before your team is assembled. Then once your team roster is finalized, your final order quantity and invoice can be adjusted with your confirmed numbers.

4. Your Estimated Time Frame

Knowing your time frame is the last thing you need to get started. Not only will this secure your “spot” in your costume company’s production schedule, you’ll be able to confirm that your costumes will get to you on time and avoid any rush fees! 

Why Start Designing Early?

We know it’s often difficult to plan ahead, but there are a number of benefits to getting your costume design done early:

1. It’ll Save You Time and Money

It will allow you to take advantage of Early Bird discounts, which can save you up to as much as 5-12%. These discounts don’t sound like much, but combine that with quantity discounts and the savings add up fast (up to 30%)! You’ll also save by avoiding rush fees.

2. It’ll Save You Stress

It will leave you more time to focus on your team practices, events, fundraising, and competition during the rest of the season.

3. You’ll Get Your Custom Costumes Faster

Get your costumes early and with plenty of time to spare – and secure your spot in your dance costume company’s production schedule! Most costume companies get booked fast from August through December (when everyone wants their costume!).  If you plan ahead, you may be able to shave 4-6 weeks off of your lead time!  

4. You’ll Have Time to Rhinestone

DIYing your rhinestones is a great way to save money.  If you order earlier, you’ll have plenty of time to tackle this project! 

So there you have it: starting early can save you so much stress, time, and money.  And it’s possible to do, even if you don’t have your team or funding yet!

You can begin planning as soon as your competition season comes to an end. All you need is your concept, budget, a general number of performers, and your time frame.

Once you confirm your team and secure your funds, you can confirm your final order for production!

Looking to up your dance team’s game this year? Design a look that perfectly suits your squad with A Wish Come True. Sublimated printing is where colors and patterns are printed directly onto the fabric to create seamless and unique uniforms. Sublimated printing allows you to choose your silhouette, your pattern, your colors.

Start with your silhouette.

Get the quintessential sporty look with our football t-shirt with your colors, team name, a team number and your mascot on it. You can also choose racerback tanks and raglan long sleeve tops for relaxed yet glamorous looks. All styles are available in jersey knit, athletic mesh or sequin spandex to help tailor your look to your team. Our Ultra Impress styles have sleek and slimming styles lines and include everything from tank dresses to crop tops, skirts to leggings. Mix and match to get the look you want.

Choose your pattern.

Our Ultra Impress styles come in 6 different patterns that evoke different textures and geometric shapes. The Frequency pattern on styles T2215-T2221 evokes bold movement and energy while the Liberty pattern on styles T1915-T1921 have smooth and controlled look. When complimented with your team colors, theses designs can help your team make an impact that’s completely, uniquely you.

Choose your color

One of the most important parts of completing your dance team’s look is the ability to feature your team’s colors. Sublimated printing, with our unique TrueColors design tools allow you to create a uniform that your team will stand out in. Whether you want to match your school colors, team colors or create a palate that’s completely new, you can do it with a Wish.

Shop all styles and start creating now at awishcometrue.com/Catalogs/Dance-Team

Before you store your costumes from this season, check that your costumes are in good repair and are clean and odor free. At Satin Stitches Ltd, we have had decades of experience for laundering/repair do’s and don’ts. Check out http://www.satinstitches.com/services-costume-care

VERY IMPORTANT: Please recognize that spot-cleaning is often the only laundering option for many fabrics and trims used in dance costumes.

DO NOT TAKE YOUR DANCE COSTUMES TO A DRY-CLEANER that you don’t have a good relationship with, and trust that they will be cautious with the laundering of your costumes. Most dry-cleaners are great with ‘regular’ street clothes. But they have less experience with fragile dance costume fabrics and fabric combinations.

I’ve recently heard that dry-cleaners have been using an industrial washing machine set on ‘delicate’ and have been machine washing garments with the laundering instruction labels of ‘hand wash only’. DO NOT allow this. ‘Hand wash only’ should indicate that you should spot-clean and possibly quickly immerse your costume into water to release any soiled areas, keeping the water away from possible troublesome trims that if soaked in water, could lose their integrity.

On ALL of our laundering/care instructions for costumes – we state:

1. Test your ‘care swatch’ that we provide with your finished costumes, FIRST, with your preferred laundering option. If this ‘care swatch’ turns out OK, then move on to step #2
2. Launder ONE costume and if it turns out OK, then move on to step #3
3. Proceed to launder the balance of your costumes with the same care as your test costume
4. If your ‘care swatch’ or your test costume did not stand up to your laundering choice – call us for our suggestions – most likely your only option will be to spot-clean your soiled areas and use Fresh Again® to remove odors.

If you have followed my blogs over the years, by now you should be aware of a product that I endorse: FRESH AGAIN®, an odor eliminator that can help to preserve your performance costumes and keep them odor-free. I have personally tested this product for safeness on all types of costume fabrics and trims, and have not once been disappointed! The product is also safe for sensitive skin. This product has been used by theatrical companies, costume rental companies, police departments and fire departments with their garments that cannot be dry-cleaned or washed. And unlike other products on the market, there is no added fragrance.

For years, I have published a “Hot Costume Care Tip of the Month” as part of our Satin Stitches monthly e-News, which can be accessed at www.satinstitches.com/costume-enews. Additionally, we have assembled many of these tips and published them in e-Books, ‘8 Steps to Keep Your Costumes Fresh’ and ‘11 Tips for Caring For Your Costumes’. They are free and available for download on our website. Our other e-Books, ‘7 Tips For Repairing Your Costume’ and ‘5 Costume Budget Savings & Planning Tips’ can be found at http://www.satinstitches.com/ebooks, may not directly address laundering issues, but still includes information that can help you make wise decisions regarding costume selection and repair. I welcome you to take advantage of this free information, it may help extend your costume’s life!

Please be very cautious with the laundering of your dance costumes. Refer to the many blogs and articles that I (Satin Stitches’ founder and head designer, Deborah Nelson) have written that will help you with this task.

Coming off a double national championship win last year- a mic drop moment, to be sure- the University of Minnesota Dance Team is heading back into the arena with new coaches, but the same jaw-dropping precision, the same dedication, the same team spirit that has won them over — titles in the last — years.  Wearing custom designed costumes sponsored by Rhinestones Unlimited, their performance in the 2017 finals is not only for the team’s glory but will be a true testimony of the community spirit built by the entire university.

A Long Winning Streak

The University of Minnesota Dance Team competes each year in the annual UDA National Collegiate Dance Team Championship in both the Pom and Jazz categories, taking home over — first place titles and — runner up titles between the two.  Remember the Jazz costume collaboration, sponsored by RU, for the 2016 championships (LINK to past blog post)? We are always eager to collaborate with innovators and industry leaders, so bringing Swarovski and the U of M Dance Team together is always a win-win!  Beautiful artistry and precision technique come together year after year in a way that seems to continually sweep the competition.  Working with choreographers Mackenzie Larkin Symanietz and Chelsea Jennings, the team’s style is at once asymmetric and well-balanced, simultaneously fluid and sharp, and tighter than a…well, let’s just say they’re tight.  This year, under new coaches Rachel Saunders, Kim Saunders and Rachel Fellows is competing is once again competing in January.

“Row the Boat.”

U of MN Gopher’s football coach P.J. Fleck brought with him a mantra of perseverance that has resonated around all facets of the school.  ‘Row the Boat” is “a never-give-up mantra that has to do strictly with life or adversity or handling success, never giving up.  When you row a boat, you’re rowing.  Your back is to the future, which is something you cannot see.  You’re rowing in the present, which is the only thing you can actually control, and the only thing you can actually have an impact on. You either choose to take your oars and put them back in the boat and stop, or you put them back in the water and continue to go.”

Fleck’s mantra has spread all over campus and is inspiring unity among students and staff.   He sees three main components in the illustration: the oar the boat and the compass.

“The oar is the energy you bring.  The boat is the sacrifice: what are you going to give up for something that you never had?  Our program is about two things: serving and giving. The more you give, the bigger the boat gets, the more people you can put in it and the sturdier the boat gets.  You can do a lot more when you have a sturdy boat.”

“Then last but not least, the compass, which is the most important part for our young people, and that’s who you surround yourself with.  You’re traveling in the direction of people that you’re actually surrounded by.”

And, you should see how the dance team personifies this mantra when they’re together.  There’s no doubt the ladies have dumped endless amounts of energy and sacrifice into their craft, often having taken class three times a week since their grade school days.  But, the compass…  Practices begin with the team forming a circle, facing inward to move with and for each other.  The gymnasium fills with hoots and hollers during a routine, shouts of encouragement from one teammate to another, praise from captains and classmates in appreciation for a move well-executed or the efforts behind it.  This is the powerfully uplifting communication of a tight knit group who has formed their own language and has instinctually learned to react to each other like a flock of birds.  It’s a reminder that they dance for their own love of dance, and the passion that exudes from both the individual and their team as a whole is beautiful thing to watch.

The Design Process

Sponsored by Rhinestones Unlimited, the 2017-18 team is receiving a custom Jazz costume, a collaboration between Rhinestones Unlimited, Swarovski, the University of Minnesota Dance Team and local MN dance costumer, IGNITE Dance Connections.  Taking direction from the coaches and choreographers, the garment was designed by Kelly Clement at IGNITE Dance Connections, where they were constructed.  From there, Kelly worked with Rhinestones Unlimited and Swarovski designers on the crystal embellishments that would bring the costume to life.  Featuring crystals from Swarovski®, each dancer carries the weight of thousands of flat back crystals, new Aurum jewel cut flat backs, and crystal fabric spanning the spectrum from Iridescent Green to Bronze Shade and Metallic Light Gold.  Hand-applied by RU staff and the team’s parent volunteers, each costume was meticulously perfected to match this team’s synchronization.

Coming Together

The U of M Dance Team gasped when they saw their costumes for the first time.  The “Row the Boat” mantra has been incorporated into the costume design, a soft gray whose layers of georgette have been cut into a contemporary streamlined silhouette: a cap sleeved, boat necked bodice, open sheer back and attached shorts.  With accents that include an abstraction of a compass needle and the mesmerizing effect of a wake rippling over their backs, their strength and lyrical graces are showcased with striking subtlety.  The team is dancing a 2 minute routine- the competition maximum- to an original song whose instrumentals, created by Travis Lake, underscore P.J. Fleck’s own voice as he delivers the mantra that has now become his school’s inspiration.

The team performed their routine on Friday January 5th at their Best of The Best Dance Show and will be competing January 13th in Orlando, Florida.

We are proud of our hometown team and wish the University of Minnesota Dance Team (and Goldy the Gopher, who will be competing for his own mascot title) nothing but the best on this journey! Rah Rah Rah Ski-U-Mah!  And…. Row the Boat!

Watch the team perform!