trip to New York!!!

D

dancesportgirl21

New Member
I'm going up north to look at colleges on May 22nd. My friend and I are going to look at Tufts and Brown for 4 days and then are going to Columbia and will stay in her apt. in Manhattan for about 6 days. I've never been to New York so I'm really excited!!! I know its the week of Blackpool, but does anyone know what coaches will be there, if any workshops/group classes/socials are going on, what studio is the best to rent floor space (I may be having a try-out :D )? Also, what else should I do the 6 days I am there to fully experience New York? I'd appreciate any suggestions!
 
Definitely see a Broadway show while you're there. You're going to have a great time, I'm sure. The locals can tell you the most useful info as far as dance instructors, but I'd check out Studio 101's website as they seem to have a good variety of teachers there. I'm not really sure what type of dancing you do/prefer...but let us know.

Let me know when you're going to be near Tufts (my dh's alma mater); maybe we can hook up.
 
dancesportgirl21 said:
I'm going up north to look at colleges on May 22nd. My friend and I are going to look at Tufts and Brown for 4 days and then are going to Columbia and will stay in her apt. in Manhattan for about 6 days. I've never been to New York so I'm really excited!!! I know its the week of Blackpool, but does anyone know what coaches will be there, if any workshops/group classes/socials are going on, what studio is the best to rent floor space (I may be having a try-out :D )? Also, what else should I do the 6 days I am there to fully experience New York? I'd appreciate any suggestions!
Click to expand...


Since you do 10 dance, you'll need to contact Ballroom on Fifth re: Standard and Dance NY for Latin.

Definately go to World Tone (THE shoe center of the dance world); check out the NY USADance website for workshops etc (they have an announcement forum).

Full size dancesport floors are not found in NYC; you'd need to go to NJ where Starlight, Roges Dancesport, Battista, etc are located. Pictures are deceiving, you know - check the size of the people in the pics on studio 101's site relative to the backgrounds, and you'll see it is a typical NY loft space - not big enough for one long side (tho Ballroom on 5th has a long side).

What level of coaching are you looking for? Visiting coaches travel all over, so it's not especially "New YorK"ish to take from a coach visiting from LA, for instance - there are a lot of local coaches here. Also, the social scene in NY is like everywhere else - social, with very little dancing beyond groupclassers and such. However, there is an all Internatioanl social on Sat nites at BOF (haven't been there but is supposed to be very good).
 
Alemana- I dance open 10 dance

MQ- how much do the broadway shows cost? do you know anything about Tufts? where do you dance?

Saludas- I definitely want to go to BOF! My friend's apt is on 16th so that's pretty close, right? lol- I just ordered shoes from World Tone, and I admit I am a shoe freak and would love to go there. I would go to the studios in NJ, but I am going with my non-dancing friend and her family (to save $$ for going to interviews), so I have to compromise and stay in NYC. They did agree to take me to a couple of studios though. The guy I might have a try-out with is Diana McDonald's student at Roger's, but she is going to be in Blackpool that week. I don't have tons of money to spend on coaching, but since Diana won't be there, I don't know whether I should have a coaching with this guy to see if we are really compatible. Since I have no official partner, I was wondering about socials as well.

I'm kind of nervous about the try-out since although I'm excited, a lot is riding on it. I have a recurring nightmare/daymare about showing up and not being at my full potential (basically sucking). argh- I put too much pressure on myself.
 
I haven't been to a B'way show in about 3 years, but I think we paid around $75/ticket back then (Swing!). I think if you can go as a "last minute" thing, you can score cheap tickets. Someone down there will know how to go about doing that. There also might be some good off Broadway shows that are less expensive. And if you can't get to any, go to the Starlight Diner where they have actors/waitresses who sing while you eat. It's quite an experience; just don't hope to have a meaningful conversation during the meal...it gets loud.

My husband could probably tell you whatever you need to know about Tufts (except anything dance related). PM me with any specifics. He was a pre-med/engineering major.

My former teacher used to coach the Tufts team (he may still; I'm not sure). I now dance at a studio in New Hampshire....There is a decent dance scene here, although not quite on the level of New York.
 
Hey dancesportgirl21, here is the link for the tufts university ballroom team: http://www.tufts.edu/as/stu-org/ballroom/team.html

I met one of the captains (and I believe the president of the ballroom club also) at a dance camp last year. Great guy, Robert Cole. There is a contact email listed on the site so perhaps you can get some information on what's going on at Tufts that way!
 
Go to Times Square where they sell cheap tickets for Broadway. Downside is you got to choose from what they got so if there is one particular show that you must see don't do this.
 
How cheap is cheap? I heard everything in New York is expensive:rolleyes: How much should I expect to pay for meals? I just e-mailed Robert Cole, so I'll see what he says about Tufts.
 
If Diana's student is who you are trying out with, I really suggest the field trip to Fairfield NJ - it is a big and beautiful facility and you will for sure have a good experience there.

Perhaps you should call RDSC and see who is visiting as a coach. Ieva P coaches out of there all the time, also, so she is also a good bet.

B'way is THE tourist destination in NYC so don't be surprised if NOBODY in the audience is from NYC (there is an old cliche that you can always tell a true New Yorker by what they HAVEN'T been to - Empire State Building, Statue Of Liberty, etc). The Times Square area is indeed full of those kinds of places for the "New York" experience, catering to the visitor who does not have access or interest to go outside the 'theme park' area that is the midtown "Square" area, but PLEASE have your hosts show you the real NYC - the Village, LES, Tribeca, etc. You won't see the fannypack/sandals with socks/sweats crowd, and you'll get much more of the flavor of NY than you will with the touristy themed 'experiences' like the House Of Blues Restaurant and such (sorry - singing waiters is w-a-y too 'Branson Missouri' for a New Yorker - I'll bet your hosts have no idea that these places are pitched to the tourists, much less visit them - sorry, MQ, next time in NY try Joe Allen's or Gallagher's).

Ther is so much OFF Broadway activity it would be a shame to see the stuff that is pitched to tourists - see them in Vegas but don't waste the $$s to see the latest crop of Bway titles - they are not usually original shows, and the trendy "songs by XXX' shows are so overproduced and packaged that you really aren't seeing a performance. Why not try Off Broadway or a play? You'll see the stars of tomorrow and support the real theatre.

Finally, take a class at Broadway Dance, sit in Bryant Park, have a bite at the Shake Shack, and explore - you'll love NY....
 
dancesportgirl21 said:
I just looked at the site for dance studio 101- the list of coaches is incerdible! and everything is like 5 minutes from my friend's apt!!
Click to expand...

Rememebr that EVERY studio in NYC has the same list - these coaches are always at different studios every day. For instance, Paul and Olga live in NJ so you can find them out there too -
 
I'd recommend just dropping into some of the studios to look around. All of the ones in the city are quite accessable by public transit, and for the midtown cluster you can walk between them in a few minutes. Things will empty out a lot in terms of the top coaches and stronger students during the week of Blackpool though (some of the studios lose serious money that week).
 
agree with chris. i dance at a studio in Times Square and would be happy to point you there and/or meet you there and show you around - although it's one big ballroom, it's not like you'd need a 'tour.' side bonus, you could 'see' Times Square on your way there or back.

i have to say that i am of a similar mind regarding the tourist experience of Times Square itself. it is hideously overpriced, scrubbed and disneyfied and has virtually NO new york flavor - it is a self-contained district created to help tourists part with their money, and lots of it. and it's mostly full of chain superstores, the exact same ones you can find in buttcrack, ohio - a big sephora. a big foot locker. a big gap. to me, worth seeing ON YOUR WAY somewhere but hardly interesting for more than five minutes.
 
saludas said:
Rememebr that EVERY studio in NYC has the same list - these coaches are always at different studios every day. For instance, Paul and Olga live in NJ so you can find them out there too -
Click to expand...

Paul & Olga most likely will at at Blackpool during your visit, but Dance Studio 101 also has Andrew Winett & Spiro Marko, both very nice Latin instructors.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Dance Ads

Advertise on Dance Forums Reach dancers, teachers, studios, event organizers, and dance-friendly brands. View ad options
Back
Top