It often seems that dance competitions have been taken over by lyrical and contemporary routines. Sure, depending on the city, there might be an abundance of musical theater, jazz, and tap, but what about hip hop? This style, rooted in social dance forms and born out of movements of the African Diaspora, is a huge part of our culture and is beginning to spring up more and more on the competition stage. As judges, we love the variety and inclusion of this genre, but what is it

Author: Ashley Marinelli Ever heard the phrase “Jack of all trades, master of none”? It’s meant to be a warning about spreading yourself too thin, to encourage people who lack focus and dedication to pick one pursuit and stick with it, rather than flit from activity to activity. Thankfully, however, this adage does not apply to dancers (phew). Not only do dancers possess focus and dedication in spades, but we’re also really good at multitasking. We have the ability to pick up