Types of Jazz Dance Steps

Some of the types of dance steps you’ll learn in jazz dance are:

Axel Turn - An axel turn is really two turns combined into one. It combines a chene turn, where one leg goes up into passé, then the other leg follows and develops into a fully rotating jump in the air.

Ball Change – A ball change is an easy, transition-type step incorporated into many jazz dance routines. To perform this move the dancer changes the weight distribution on the balls of their feet.

Chasse – Also a ballet move, the chasse step resembles a galloping motion. One foot appears to chase the other. Jazz dancers typically use this movement to travel across the stage or to incorporate two moves together.

Drop – Modern jazz routines feature the drop. This occurs when a dancer executes a controlled fall from an isolated position.

Extension – This term is used in a variety of dance styles and is when a leg or an arm is extended outward and then held for a set amount of time before continuing the movement.

Fan Kick – Many Broadway-type routines utilize the fan kick. To perform this move, the dancers body should stay in place as one leg starts an inward motion and then kicks all the way around in a circular motion and returns to its original position.

Jazz Walk – There are several variations of the jazz walk. They include the jazz run and the jazz drag. In this movement, the dancers’ posture is low and their feet are dragged slightly across the dance floor. This modified walk is used often for traveling across stage.

Knee Turn – This step is really not a step but a movement performed on one or both knees. It includes a chene turn while positioned on one or both knees.

Layout – This jazz dance step is performed by kicking one leg up in the air while the dancers’ torso is leaning back into the most dramatic arch as possible. The dancers head should be dropped back and arms will also be extended backward. The dancer should almost be able to touch the floor with their hands.

Pivot Step – This simple step occurs when one foot steps in front of the other and then the dancers’ body pivots around back into the original position.

Release – When a jazz dancer releases into a free form from an isolated pose, this is called a release.

Stag Leap - As its name implies, the stag leap is a very high jump during which the dancer simulates splits in the air. One leg is bent and the dancers’ foot is tucked under their knee.

About Wagner Dance and Music

Since 1989, Wagner Dance and Music, a performing arts school, has been teaching East Valley students. Our 3600 square foot Gilbert facility is conveniently located on the southeast corner of Gilbert and Guadalupe in the Big Lots plaza. We offer classes for ages two to adult in Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Hip-Hop, Lyrical, Tumbling, Cheer, Musical Theater and Voice as well as adult classes. For more information about Wagner Dance and Music or to sign up for a class, visit http://wagnerdancearts.com or call 480-892-7179.

The Importance of Warming Up Before Dancing

The warm-up is one of the most important steps you’ll ever learn in a dance class. Actually, it is an extremely important element of any exercise program.

The object of a warm-up is to is to not only raise your body and muscle temperature, but to prepare your entire body for the vigorous activity that you are about to partake. A proper warm-up can prevent injury and physical fatigue.

During any dance practice or performance, your body needs to work hard to perform at a high level of stress. Warm-ups prepare your body for this increase in energy demand.

A dance warm-up should include basic rhythmical movements for approximately ten minutes. This activity will raise your internal body temperature approximately one or two degrees. It will also increase your heart rate and the blood flow to your muscles. Following this warm-up, you’ll want to stretch.

There is an important difference in warming up and stretching that many people confuse. Warming up is done before any stretching exercises. If a dancer stretches the muscles without warming up first, their muscles are cold and are more prone to injury. They could be subject to muscle tears or strains.

So, once your warm-up is completed, you’ll want to include static stretches to stretch the major muscle groups. You’ll want to hold each position for up to ten seconds while slowly breathing. It is important not to bounce or stretch to the point of inducing pain.

Warm-Up Intensity & Duration

While it’s difficult to prescribe the specific intensity and duration necessary for each individual, most dance instructors and industry professional agree that a ten minute session of warm-up activities helps prepare the dancers body. Of course, the duration may be affected by environmental factors such as the temperature of the room and the amount of clothing worn.

The level of intensity the dancer will be performing as well as the dancers proficiency level will greatly affect the level of intensity for the warm-up. A professional dance instructor should be able to guide you to the proper warm-up procedures and intensity levels based on your own proficiency level.

As important to dance is the warm-up, the cool down is essential as well. To cool down after dancing, gradually reduce the intensity of your activity for ten minutes. During this time, it’s important to remobilize joints to help flush out waste products and to perform major muscle group stretches, holding for fifteen seconds.
The practice of cooling down decreases your body’s temperature and removes waste products from the working muscles to aid in your recovery. Cool downs prevents such symptoms as light-headedness and dizziness which can be caused by the pooling of blood in your extremities. Cool downs also prevent muscle soreness and promotes relaxation.

About Wagner Dance and Music

Since 1989, Wagner Dance and Music, a performing arts school, has been teaching East Valley students. Our 3600 square foot Gilbert facility is conveniently located on the southeast corner of Gilbert and Guadalupe in the Big Lots plaza. We offer classes for ages two to adult in Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Hip-Hop, Lyrical, Tumbling, Cheer, Musical Theater and Voice as well as adult classes. For more information about Wagner Dance and Music or to sign up for a class, visit http://wagnerdancearts.com or call 480-892-7179.

Tap Dance Songs

Tap dancing requires rhythmic movements and taps. Songs with syncopated rhythms or just stead rhythms, or songs that are relatively slow are good songs for beginning tap dancers to learn how to tap dance.

Tap dancing is a style of dance where the dancer almost exclusively utilizes his or her feet to tell their musical story. Because the upper part of the dancers body does not move much, the rhythmic patterns emulating from the metal plates on the dancers shoes draws the attention. The sound that tap shoes makes is similar to that made by percussionists.

For those who have watched many dance recitals, famous tap dancers and even movie stars who have tapped danced on stage, some of the popular tap dance songs you’re sure to have heard are:

• Tea For Two by Ella Fitzgerald & Count Basie
• Yes Sir, That’s My Baby by Frank Sinatra
• By Bye Blackbird – John Coltrane & Miles Davis
• It Don’t Mean a Thing if it Ain’t Got that Swing by Duke Ellington
• Zoot Suit Riot – Cherry PoppinDaddys

Selecting a tap dance song for your recital or talent show performance is easy to do. There are literally hundreds of songs that can be used for tap dancing. Even songs with rapid beats can be tapped to. The trick is to not necessarily tap on every rapid beat, but to tap on off points or in a rhythm that works between the beats of the song.

Tap dancing requires more than dancing to the music. As a tap dancer, you are actually making music. Keeping in time with the music, no matter what tap dance song you select, can make or break your performance. It is more important to not get carried away with your own tapping sounds and to actually listen to the music and move within time to the beat. The key to mesmerizing your audience is to have your tap sounds compliment the rhythm of the music, not compete with it!

A Tip for Tap Dancers

Making tap dancing look easy is actually extremely difficult! But, there’s one tap dancing secret that can help beginners and professional alike, if they just remember this one thing. Relax your ankles! Your legs are what should be doing all the work. Having control of your hips, thighs, and calves and limiting the movement from your ankles will make your movements appear effortless. Allow your legs to do all of the work and let your feet just follow along! Happy Tapping!!

About Wagner Dance and Music

Since 1989, Wagner Dance and Music, a performing arts school, has been teaching East Valley students. Our 3600 square foot Gilbert facility is conveniently located on the southeast corner of Gilbert and Guadalupe in the Big Lots plaza. We offer classes for ages two to adult in Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Hip-Hop, Lyrical, Tumbling, Cheer, Musical Theater and Voice as well as adult classes. For more information about Wagner Dance and Music or to sign up for a class, visit http://wagnerdancearts.com or call 480-892-7179.

Classic Hip Hop Dance Moves

As hiphop dancing takes the country by storm, some classic moves have been created. Let’s take a look at some of the more famous hiphop moves over time:

“The Dougie” –This dance is from the song “Teach Me How to Dougie” by Cali Swag District. While there are many variations of how to do “The Dougie”, here are some of the basic steps to the dance: Sway to one side and pause for a beat while putting your weight on the foot on the side you’re leaning towards. As you continue to sway, your arms should be by your side bringing them up towards you in a fist in a counter-clockwise circular motion, one at a time, until your arm is bent with your elbow facing down and your fist up by your head. Next, perfect the wheelchair move. To complete this move, with both arms, make forward circles to your sides while crouching lower with each rotation. Then finally, add the signature style of “The Dougie”, bring your hand over the top of your head and slide if off the back, like you’re slicking your hair down. Do this with the side-to-side move. Shift your shoulders side to side and then do it with the other hand. And, finally, don’t forget to be loose with your knees; otherwise you’re going to look very stiff.

“Stanky Legg” – This dance step is probably the easiest of all hip hop dance moves. The movement involves the rotating the dancers’ leg in a circular motion and then alternating to the opposite leg. It also utilizes moves from “The Dougie”.

“Cupid Shuffle” – Back in 2007, this song peaked at number sixty-six on the Billboard Hot 100 and number twenty-one on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The song was sung by the hip hop artist Cupid. This is a simple dance. First step four times to the right, then step four times to the left. Next, put your heal of right foot to the floor, then repeat with your left leg. Repeat this twice for each leg. Then, just walk in place, but turn to the left while doing so, so that when you get to the next part, you’re facing the next wall. You can also turn and shake your hips to the beat. Repeat the dance steps for each direction you’re facing. If you do this four times you’ll make a complete circle.

“Chicken Noodle Soup” – This dance requires dancers to make exaggerated shuffling movements, arm swings and perform a pantomime of the song’s lyrics. Apparently it stems from other New York-based street dances like the “Harlem Shake”.

This song was released back in the dance craze days of 2006. The dance itself can be done in many different ways because each dancer adds their own personal flair. The basic steps begin with the dancers following the initial lyrics from the accompanying song. As the words “Let it rain and clear it out” is said, the dancer then makes raining motions with their hands. This motion is the same as jazz hands combined with having the dancers arms bent in a vertical position while slowly lowering their arms. This is done three times before the main part of the dance begins.

The next step is to move both arms from the front of the dancers’ body to the back while bouncing off of each foot from side to side. These die to side movements of the legs followed by the flailing of the arms to match the corresponding feet movement can create sheer havoc!

“Walk it Out” – The “Walk it Out” dance begins as an exaggerated walk where each of the dancers steps feature pivoting on the balls of their feet. The dancer should keep their knees bent and their heels off the ground. As the dancer takes a step forward with their left foot, both feet should pivot to the right and then to the left. Then, as the dancer steps forward with their right foot, both feet should pivot to the left and right. Then, by adding some hip movements and keeping their knees bent, the dancer has successfully completed the “Walk it Out”!

About Wagner Dance and Music

Since 1989, Wagner Dance and Music, a performing arts school, has been teaching East Valley students. Our 3600 square foot Gilbert facility is conveniently located on the southeast corner of Gilbert and Guadalupe in the Big Lots plaza. We offer classes for ages two to adult in Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Hip-Hop, Lyrical, Tumbling, Cheer, Musical Theater and Voice as well as adult classes. For more information about Wagner Dance and Music or to sign up for a class, visit http://wagnerdancearts.com or call 480-892-7179.

Hernon Manfacturing Wins State and Regional Exporter of the Year Awards

President of Hernon Manufacturing victorious in State and Regional awards, is in consideration for National recognition  

Sanford, FL., April 22, 2013 – Harry Arnon, President of Hernon Manufacturing, the innovator in adhesives, sealants and dispensing equipment, was recently named the 2013 State of Florida Small Business Exporter of the Year. Mr. Arnon was also selected as the Regional Exporter of the Year and is currently under consideration for the National award; which is to be announced in June at an event in Washington, DC.

Outstanding leaders in the small business community are recognized yearly through a Small Business Award (SBA) nomination. The award categories include: Small Business Person of the Year, Small Business Exporter of the Year, SBA Young Entrepreneur of the Year, Entrepreneurial Success, and the Jeffrey Butland Family Owned Small Business award.

The 2013 State of Florida Small Business Exporter of the Year award spotlights the outstanding contributions of Florida business leaders and champions at the state level. The State of Florida Small Business Exporter of the Year award, which Mr. Arnon received, gives recognition to those individuals and companies who significantly increased export sales and profits; encouraged other firms to export; increased jobs through exports; and innovative methods of creating markets.

From the State of Florida Small Business Exporter of the Year award level, Mr. Harry Arnon, also went on to win the eight-state regional award; and he is now under consideration for the highest level, the National award.

“We are very proud to have been awarded the Exporter of the Year award,” said Harry Arnon, President of Hernon Manufacturing. “To be recognized at the state and regional level is outstanding. But, knowing that Hernon Manufacturing and I are being considered for the national award is phenomenal!”

 The Orlando area Small Business Week winners will be honored by an event hosted by the Small Business Development Center at the University of Central Florida, on May 21, 2013, at the Citrus Club.

The National Small Business Week award is a new category for 2013. In recognition of the small business community’s contribution to the American economy and society, the President of the United States designates one week a year as National Small Business Week. Select award winners from local and state events will be invited to the National Small Business Week Conference in June of this year. Hosted by SBA, the event includes educational forums, networking sessions, and an awards ceremony recognizing the impact made by outstanding American entrepreneurs and small business owners.

HERNON Manufacturing has been committed to delivering world class adhesive, sealant, and impregnation solutions along with precision dispensing systems for nearly four decades. A long-time member of Central Florida’s industrial manufacturing community, HERNON offers strong brands and technologies, all made in the United States, for a diverse range of industries including: Energy/Power Generation, Medical, Electronics, Electrical, LED, Automotive, Appliances, Sporting Goods, Ammunition, Communications, Aerospace, Aviation, High Tech Audio, Defense, Fire Suppression, Transportation, and Marine. HERNON Manufacturing is proud to be an ISO-9001 registered company whose products meet or exceed Mil-Specs. HERNON Manufacturing has been recognized as a top company in Orlando and is listed in the Orlando Business Journal’s Book of Lists. The company also was awarded the 2012 ThinkGlobal Exporter of the Year, named one of Florida's Top Companies to Watch in 2012, and has received the 2012 William C. Schwartz Industry Innovation Award for its advanced process for ammunition sealants. Visit http://hernon.com for more information.

Hernon Manufacturing’s Executive Instills Wisdom at Hispanic Business Conference

Edgardo Rodriguez was selected to convey his expertise and knowledge of doing business in Latin America to seminar attendees

Sanford, FL., April 16, 2013 – HernonManufacturing, the innovator in adhesives, sealants and dispensing equipment, was represented by Edgardo Rodriguez, Hernon’s Director of Sales & Marketing at the Hispanic Business Conference on Friday, April 12^th, 2013.

Selected to speak at the conference, Rodriguez was among other notable speakers such as the keynote, Chi Chi Rodriguez, the Mayor of Orange County Teresa Jacobs and City of Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer.

The Hispanic Business Conference, presented by the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, was held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida.  The mission of the Conference was to educate, motivate, and build business opportunities for entrepreneurs, leaders and business professionals, as well as to enhance economic development and improve the quality of life in Central Florida.

Rodriguez presented information as part of a four person panel during one of the educational tracks at the Conference called, “Doing Business in Latin America”.  Seminar attendees for this tract were presented information about the different approaches to conducting business in different Latin American markets.  The panel of experts, including Rodriguez, also discussed how to compete in international countries, how to find opportunities, market development challenges, and how to be competitive in pricing.

“Having developed international channels of sales and marketing for Hernon Manufacturing, I was able to impart my knowledge to others regarding global business expansion, specifically in the Hispanic market,” said Rodriguez.  “At Hernon Manufacturing, we feel it’s important to help others succeed in business as a way to give back – this Conference presented a unique opportunity for us to do just that.”

In addition to learning about trends in the Hispanic market, the Conference touched on marketing tactics, ways to get brand recognition in today’s market, and provided useful information about social media, its constant evolution, and how to find which channel works best for your business’ online presence.

“The conference was an excellent opportunity for both Hispanic and non-Hispanic business leaders to network and discuss trends in the dynamic Hispanic market,” said Rodriguez.  “The entire program and educational tracks offered were excellent. “

HERNON Manufacturing has been committed to delivering world class adhesive, sealant, and impregnation solutions along with precision dispensing systems for nearly four decades.  A long-time member of Central Florida’s industrial manufacturing community, HERNON offers strong brands and technologies, all made in the United States, for a diverse range of industries including:  Energy/Power Generation, Medical, Electronics, Electrical, LED, Automotive, Appliances, Sporting Goods, Ammunition, Communications, Aerospace, Aviation, High Tech Audio, Defense, Fire Suppression, Transportation, and Marine. HERNON Manufacturing is proud to be an ISO-9001 registered company whose products meet or exceed Mil-Specs.  HERNON Manufacturing has been recognized as a top company in Orlando and is listed in the Orlando Business Journal’s Book of Lists.  The company also was awarded the 2012 ThinkGlobal Exporter of the Year, named one of Florida's Top Companies to Watch in 2012, and has received the 2012 William C. Schwartz Industry Innovation Award for its advanced process for ammunition sealants.  Visit http://hernon.com for more information.

Renovations for Commercial Facilities

Renovating an outdated commercial building can give an aging property a new lease on life. 

If the interior or exterior of your commercial facility needs to be renovated, an experienced general contractor is the first person you need to contact. He can provide you with professional advice and help you work within your budget. He’ll be sure to give your business the attention it deserves and the remodel it needs.

Whether you need to remodel the interior of your restaurant, hotel, medical building, retail or office space a licensed general contractor can help you manage the entire process. In no time at all your business can add a new room or a fresh facelift without a lot of hassle.

Exterior building renovations improve the first impression your customers get. Whether the building itself needs waterproofing and/or painting or your parking lot needs renovation, a licensed general contractor should be the first call you make.

Renovating Opportunities

Renovating a business presents an opportunity to enhance not only the overall look and feel of your office, restaurant, hotel, or other commercial type facility, but also make improvements in the energy efficiency and general energy demand.

Retrofitting energy efficient fixtures, windows, doors, insulation and other high energy demand appliances can play a significant role in reducing the operating costs, particularly in older buildings. Additionally, remodeled facilities also help to maintain and gain a market edge to attracting new tenants.

Unexpected Surprises

While unexpected discoveries, such as plumbing, electrical, or water damage issues found while renovating can lead to additional costs, making the repairs during the renovation process can prevent more headaches down the line.

Staying in Business during Renovations

A general contractor with years of experience in commercial renovations can make sure your business can remain operational during renovation. Careful planning, scheduling and work flow is needed to ensure that customers, tenants and contractors have access to the building at the same time. A good contractor knows how to minimize down time for your project and provide options to achieving the best results.

A renovation does not need to be a never ending nightmare that continues to rack up additional, unexpected renovation charges for a facility manager. Selecting a general contractor that is experienced in renovations, repairs, build-outs, and even new construction is an ideal choice. This type of contractor will understand the ins and outs of project budgeting, time management, safety and the importance of paying attention to every last detail. Your commercial renovation project will be completed on time, within budget, using the highest quality products.

About American Facility Services

Providing both interior and exterior commercial building services throughout the state of Florida since 1993, American Facility Services (AFS) has built a solid reputation based on safety, quality and customer service. With offices in Orlando, Jacksonville and Tampa, AFS offers a wide range of services that can be customized to meet the needs of each client. AFS provides a complete range of services, so our clients have the convenience of working with a single provider for all their commercial property maintenance needs. Contact AFS today at 866-793-3735 or visit our website at http://afsflorida.com for an online proposal.

Crack Sealing Asphalt Pavement

Maintaining a commercial facilities parking lot is important to the safety of your buildings’ visitors and important to the overall appearance of your business. No one wants to pick their way through a pothole filled parking lot to go shopping. Businesses with weeds growing through the asphalt, standing water or crumbling pavement appear to be un-kept and mismanaged. Your parking lot is the first impression your customers get when it comes to your business. It’s important to properly maintain the area by sealing cracks and making asphalt repairs as needed.

Why Does Asphalt Crack?

There are several reasons for cracks in the asphalt. First, asphalt cracks are more prevalent in dry weather. When the ground under the asphalt dries, it can cause the asphalt to pull apart and cracks can occur in your asphalt pavement.

Trees are also a cause of some asphalt cracks. Overtime, the roots of the trees will grow under the asphalt as they seek out moisture. It’s normally moist under asphalt, so they are attracted to this area. As the root removes the moisture, the pavement can separate as in the first example. Also, roots can cause bulges in the asphalt pavement if they grow in an upward fashion. To avoid this from happening, the planning of landscape area and trees should be in conjunction with the planning and paving of your parking area.

Applying Crack Sealer

Ask your paving company to take a look at any cracks you have in your parking lot. Sometimes, after a little rain the cracks may close a bit and become almost unnoticeable; however, if this isn’t the cause, your paving contractor can apply a crack sealer. A crack sealer should be applied to cracks before sealcoating to prevent them from growing and further damaging your asphalt parking lot.

To keep your asphalt parking lot and driveway in pristine condition, asphalt cracks should be filled and asphalt repairs be made very year. Additionally, your parking lot should be sealcoated every two to three years. Sealcoating will help protect the asphalt from the harmful effects of the weather as well the damaging effects of petroleum based products like gasoline and oil.

As we just discussed, if asphalt is not property seal coated or, not sealed at all, cracks can start forming in the asphalt. If the cracks are not managed and filled every year, this can then lead to potholes making it necessary to perform an asphalt repair.

About ABC Paving and Sealcoating

With more than 20 years of experience, ABC Paving and Sealcoating is Florida's leading paving contractor. ABC Paving and Sealcoating provides commercial organizations with the highest level of customer service, professional workmanship and services including: asphalt paving, asphalt repairs and prevention, pothole repairs, sealcoating, line striping and marking, thermoplastic, crack filing, signs and safety devices, concrete sidewalks, concrete curbs and site preparation. We use our experience and the latest equipment available to get the job done right the first time in a timely, cost effective manner. For more information about ABC Paving and Sealcoating, visit our website at http://www.pavingandsealcoating.com or call 866-934-7623 for a free estimate.

Commercial Sweeping Services

Commercial sweeping services are an important part of the regular maintenance of any facilities parking lot. A sweeping service will not only remove general liter from your parking lot, a sweeping machine can remove sand and dirt too.

A dirty parking lot is an eye sore for the people visiting or living and working at your facility. Foreign objects like sand, dirt, paper, plastic, and other discarded items will shorten the life of your asphalt pavement. Removing these objects is important because if left unattended, these substances can have a deteriorating effect on your parking lots sealcoating and line striping. Additionally, leaving trash and other debris on the ground in your parking lot can also clog storm drains causing standing water issues as well as pollute the local water supply.

Sweeping Services Equipment

Using top of the line sweeping equipment, with rotating gutter brooms that will clean right up to your curbs, sweeping companies can provide a variety of services for retail shopping centers, commercial property manager, hospitals, schools, industrial facilities and more.

Using backpack blowers prior to sweeping, your facilities walkways, corners and other areas inaccessible to the sweeping equipment will be cleaned as well.

If you’re seeing trash building up in the corners of your parking lot or trash accumulating in your landscaping, perhaps it is time to consider switching your sweeping service to a more detail orientated company!

More than just Sweeping

Whether your parking lot needs a one-time clean-up or service on a regular monthly schedule, contracting with a professional, local sweeping company is ideal; however, a facility maintenance company can provide sweeping services as well as complete facility services too. If you need pressure washing, bulk debris removal, hydro-cleaning, day porter services, asphalt repair, commercial painting or other maintenance services, a full service facility maintenance company can assist you with all of these issues. Making one phone call, all of your maintenance problems can be solved!

The Bottom Line

Sweeping services offer more value to your business than you may think. In fact, commercial sweeping services can improve your business. Studies have shown that the cleanliness of a parking area ranks as a top factor in determining where people shop and conduct business. It's that simple.
To ensure your facility gives the right first impression, sand, dirt and other trash should be removed by a professional company. American Facility Services spends close to 60% of the time out of the sweeping unit, resulting in a better looking, cleaner parking area. For more information, contact AFS today.

About American Facility Services

Providing both interior and exterior commercial building services throughout the state of Florida since 1993, American Facility Services (AFS) has built a solid reputation based on safety, quality and customer service. With offices in Orlando, Jacksonville and Tampa, AFS offers a wide range of services that can be customized to meet the needs of each client. AFS provides a complete range of services, so our clients have the convenience of working with a single provider for all their commercial property maintenance needs. Contact AFS today at 866-793-3735 or visit our website at http://afsflorida.com for an online proposal.

Benefits of Sealcoating a Parking Lot

Cracks and potholes are inevitable when dealing with asphalt pavement; however, neglecting to seal coat your facilities asphalt pavement can lead to an accelerated cracking and pothole situation reducing the pavements service life.

Dry weather and freezing weather, although freezing temperatures is not usually a big problem here in Florida, can have a degrading effect on asphalt pavement. Other environmental issues such as tree roots, vehicle traffic, gas, oil, sand, and litter also work to crack and damage asphalt. Properly maintained parking lots, those that receive regular sweeping service, crack filling, pothole repair and sealcoating, are prone to outlast those parking areas that are left to “fend for themselves” against these elements.

The Benefits
There are many benefits to sealcoating, such as:

• Minimize Repair - Sealcoating minimizes the need for asphalt repairs.
• Weatherize - Sealcoating helps weatherize asphalt and stops weather damage.
• Limit Oxidation - Sealcoating prevents the oxidation of asphalt.
• Curb Appeal - Sealcoating improves the look of asphalt pavement.
• Damage Resistant - Sealcoating helps asphalt resists damage from gas, oil, and salt.

Ask the Professionals

Pavement contractors bear the burden of pavement maintenance for most commercial facilities. They provide a range of services from crack filing, to resurfacing, pothole repair, and other types of asphalt repairs. But, one of the most important duties that paving contractors perform is sealcoating.

With proper and timely application, sealcoating completed on a regular basis, hand-in-hand with crack filing, and asphalt repair, can extend pavement life past the post where the cost to benefit ratio of added pavement life exceeds the cost of conducting the maintenance itself!

A properly installed, high-quality sealcoating product will protect your parking lots’ asphalt from fuel, oil, weather and traffic wear. If asphalt is not property seal coated or, not sealed at all, cracks can start forming in the asphalt, which can then lead to potholes. Depending on your environment, most asphalt pavement should be seal coated every two to three years. For the best results, sealcoating should only be done by a professional paving and sealcoating company.

Cost of Sealcoating

Asphalt pavement sealing costs are determined by more than just a calculated method based on square footage. There are many variables to determine the cost of sealcoating such as: number of cracks to be filled, potholes to be repaired, number of coats needed, and how much hand work is needed. Ask your paving contractor to come out to your commercial facility to inspect the area to be seal coated and to give you a free quote.

About ABC Paving and Sealcoating

With more than 20 years of experience, ABC Paving and Sealcoating is Florida's leading paving contractor. ABC Paving and Sealcoating provides commercial organizations with the highest level of customer service, professional workmanship and services including: asphalt paving, asphalt repairs and prevention, pothole repairs, sealcoating, line striping and marking, thermoplastic, crack filing, signs and safety devices, concrete sidewalks, concrete curbs and site preparation. We use our experience and the latest equipment available to get the job done right the first time in a timely, cost effective manner. For more information about ABC Paving and Sealcoating, visit our website at http://www.pavingandsealcoating.com or call 866-934-7623 for a free estimate.

Piano Lessons for Children

Many parents wonder when to start piano lessons for children. Although adults can start any instrument at any time, their success is based on how willing they are to commit to practicing. However, starting a child at the right age is a key element to the success of their lessons.

At most dance and music schools, three is the youngest age that it is acceptable to start children in private piano lessons. At this age, they have begun to develop longer attention spans and can retain material with greater ease.

Benefits of Private Piano Lessons

While group classes work well for pre-school music programs and theory lesson, private lessons are far superior when a child is learning to play the piano, or any instrument for that matter. Private piano lessons allow each student to learn and grow in their craft at their own pace. Because the attention is focused and individualized, the teacher does not have to teach a class at a middle-of-the-road level, but has the time to work on the student’s specific, individual strengths and weaknesses. Teachers also enjoy private lessons because they do not have to divide their attention between too many students at one time.

Practice Makes Perfect

The old adage, practice makes perfect comes into play when talking about piano lessons. In order to improve this type of skill, it takes practice. One of the main problems with children and music lessons can be the drudgery of practicing. Many a parent has fought to get their child to practice the piano every day. To make practicing easier, here are a few tips:

1. Piano practice should be done at a set time every day so that, just like brushing their teeth or going to school, it becomes part of their routine.
2. The earlier in the day the child practices their piano lessons, the less reminding is required by parents.
3. Twenty to thirty minutes of piano practice can seem like an eternity to a child. Instead of setting this type of practice guideline, use the repetition method instead. For example, have your child practice one particular piece four or five times every day and this scale for or five times too.
4. Praise is a huge motivator. Parents who reward their children with praise following a piano lesson or practice often find that the music student is more willing to perform and to practice. There is no substitute for a part on the back for putting in the effort. The child benefits by enhancing their performance techniques and their piano playing skills.

About Wagner Dance and Music

Since 1989, Wagner Dance and Music, a performing arts school, has been teaching East Valley students. Our 3600 square foot Gilbert facility is conveniently located on the southeast corner of Gilbert and Guadalupe in the Big Lots plaza. We offer classes for ages two to adult in Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Hip-Hop, Lyrical, Tumbling, Cheer, Musical Theater and Voice as well as adult classes. For more information about Wagner Dance and Music or to sign up for a class, visit http://wagnerdancearts.com or call 480-892-7179.

Guitar Lessons for Children

Most dance and music studios recommend children starting guitar lessons be no younger than five years of age. Playing guitar requires a fair amount of strength in the fingers for pressing on the strings. Children under eight generally have small hands and may find playing the guitar uncomfortable.

Although some people will advise you, “the sooner the better” when talking about guitar lessons for children. This attitude can actually have a negative effect on the child’s musical career or overall musical enjoyment. If a child is put into guitar lessons too soon, they may feel overwhelmed and frustrated. The last thing you would want to do is to turn a child off to music. An unpleasant experience can easily be prevented by waiting until the appropriate age before starting guitar lessons.

Another benefit to waiting until your child is of the appropriate age for guitar lessons is that sometimes if the child waits just one year, their progress can be much faster.

The biggest challenges a child must overcome when learning to play the guitar are developing hand strength and their fine motor skills. Playing chords on the guitar requires nimble fingers and the strength to hold the strings down while strumming.

Names of Guitar Strings

One of the first things a child will learn when taking guitar lessons is that every note on the guitar has a name that is represented by a letter. In order to read music and make sense of the strings, a child taking guitar lessons can use this acronym to memorize the strings – Every Adult Dog Growls, Barks, Eats. The first letter of each word of this acronym represents one of the strings. From the thickest to the thinnest strings, they are named E, A, D, G, B and E again.

Guitar teachers will often have a student say the name of each string out loud as they play that string. As the guitar lessons progress, the teacher may point to a string and have the student name it as quickly as possible.

A Qualified Guitar Teacher

Learning music is not just a matter of having a qualified music teacher but also having an environment that is focused on music education. In a professional music school environment, a student cannot be distracted by the television, pets, ringing phone, siblings, or anything else. In a music school, the lessons are not just a hobby for the music teach, but a responsibility which is taken very seriously.
Music should be something that you enjoy for a lifetime. Don’t put unrealistic expectations on yourself or your children to learn too quickly. Everyone learns at a different pace and ideally, the key is to enjoy the journey.

About Wagner Dance and Music

Since 1989, Wagner Dance and Music, a performing arts school, has been teaching East Valley students. Our 3600 square foot Gilbert facility is conveniently located on the southeast corner of Gilbert and Guadalupe in the Big Lots plaza. We offer classes for ages two to adult in Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Hip-Hop, Lyrical, Tumbling, Cheer, Musical Theater and Voice as well as adult classes. For more information about Wagner Dance and Music or to sign up for a class, visit http://wagnerdancearts.com or call 480-892-7179.

Does Your Child want to be a Professional Singer?

Television shows like “The Voice” and “American Idol” are great reality shows for inspiring children. Watching other people, just like them; compete to win a singing competition can show your child that anything is possible. The best part of shows like these is that some of these singers will go on to have long, professional singing careers and make a lucrative living doing something they love to do. It’s a dream many children have.

Making the Dream a Reality

Once your child has been bitten by the singing bug, as a parent, it’s your role to encourage, motivate and provide them with the guidance and education needed to succeed. So, where do you start?

First, find a music studio in your area that offers private voice lessons. This type of one-on-one instruction allows students to progress at their own pace and gain the best understanding of musical techniques. Private voice lessons can be started as young as five years of age. These lessons can begin any time of the year or month, so there’s no need to wait to get started.

The singing coach you select should be a university trained teacher to guarantee that they are highly qualified. Additionally, if the music teacher you select has extensive performance experience, they will be better suited to passing that personal experience on to their students.

A voice teacher should also be selected based on their ability to communicate effectively with your child. The teacher should strive to relate their teaching to each individual student’s learning style, level of achievement, and personal singing style.


Voice teachers should create a customized lesson plan for their students. No two students will learn alike, or be on the same path or at the same level, so it is imperative that the teacher develop a music program that’s right for your child.

To become a professional singer, it must be something that your child is really motivated to accomplish. You and your child should begin seeking out opportunities for them to sing in public – be it in a school choir, in a local band, or at church.

Start Recording

With today’s advanced technology and having access to the internet, parents and children alike certainly have advantages over the singers of yesteryear! Previously, singers and other types of performers had to be discovered in a club or other venue. Today, a singer can make a recording on their smart phone and upload that file to the internet in minutes.

YouTube has led numerous young, aspiring musicians to fame, including Justin Bieber. Uploading your child’s performance to YouTube or other social media sharing sites can potentially get your child in front of talent scouts and launch the music career of their dreams.

These are just a few tips to get your and your child moving toward his or her dream as a professional singer. For more information about private voice lessons contact Wagner Dance and Music.

About Wagner Dance and Music

Since 1989, Wagner Dance and Music, a performing arts school, has been teaching East Valley students. Our 3600 square foot Gilbert facility is conveniently located on the southeast corner of Gilbert and Guadalupe in the Big Lots plaza. We offer classes for ages two to adult in Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Hip-Hop, Lyrical, Tumbling, Cheer, Musical Theater and Voice as well as adult classes. For more information about Wagner Dance and Music or to sign up for a class, visit http://wagnerdancearts.com or call 480-892-7179.

Dancing Without Injury

Even the most athletic, well-trained dancers face the possibility of injury when dancing. Last month Dorothy Hamill, an Olympic figure skating legend withdrew from the ABC television network’s “Dancing With the Stars” because of an injury.

Dancing is a physically demanding sport. Yes, it’s a sport. As surprising as it sounds, dancers are as susceptible to a sports related injury as football players. Professional dancers face the threat of injury due to the overuse of their muscles and the repetitive movements that dance requires.

Dancers need to be extremely flexible, have superior strength and endurance to perform regularly. However, because of this, their feet, ankles and lower legs are susceptible to strains and sprains. More serious injuries can include tendon injuries and stress fractures. In some cases, these injuries may require surgery to repair the damaged tendons.

Proper Dance Instruction

Dance instructors play a big part in preventing dance injuries. From the get-go, dance students should be educated in a safe and professional environment by a qualified dance instructor. Dance teachers should advise students based on their level of proficiency, abilities and age. Only when a student is ready, should a dance instructor move them to the next level of dance.

A professional dance teacher will be able to teach their dance students how to keep their body healthy and to have fun in the process. In this next section, “What a Dancer Should Know”, we’ll discuss some of the things a dance instructor will teach a child during a dance class.

What a Dancer Should Know

As dancers age, the likelihood of injury increases which makes it that much more important to stress to younger dancers what they can do to avoid dancing injuries. Young dancers should learn about proper warm-ups and cool-downs, wear properly fitting footwear and clothing, correct body alignment and technique, sufficient hydration, and the correct duration for training. Dancers who overwork their body can have a detrimental effect. A dancer should know their body’s limits and not push too hard, too soon. A dancer even needs to pay attention to environmental conditions. Dancing on a hard floor or in a cold studio can affect the dancer’s performance and put undue stress on their body.

What to Do About a Dance Injury

Should an injury occur when dancing, the student should seek professional medical care. A doctor can make recommendations for rest, physical therapy or in the worst cases, surgery. Any injury should be taken seriously and be evaluated. Additionally, only after clearance is granted by a doctor should a dancer resume practice.

About Wagner Dance and Music

Since 1989, Wagner Dance and Music, a performing arts school, has been teaching East Valley students. Our 3600 square foot Gilbert facility is conveniently located on the southeast corner of Gilbert and Guadalupe in the Big Lots plaza. We offer classes for ages two to adult in Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Hip-Hop, Lyrical, Tumbling, Cheer, Musical Theater and Voice as well as adult classes. For more information about Wagner Dance and Music or to sign up for a class, visit http://wagnerdancearts.com or call 480-892-7179.