Tag Archives: New York City

‘Dancers Among Us’ Finds Joy in the Ordinary

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Dancers Among Us!

Dancers Among Us!

Dancers Among Us is a book of photography by Jordan Matter, the headshot photographer. Jordan lives in New York City and started taking photographs of professional dancers who were performing dance movements in and around NYC in 2009. He took these photographs for the project ‘Dancers Among Us.’ These photographs were posted over the internet and spread like crazy across the web. Inspired by this, Jordan stated to take identical photographs in leading cities all throughout the globe. In these photographs, dancers are exhibited performing jumping and grasping movements in all types of environments and conditions such as workers digging the snow and a picnic in a park. According to Jordan, the project was inspired from the sight of his son Hudson because the boy was playing with a toy bus.

From the book, one can feel liveliness in all aspects of life as well as the sentiments in daily life. One can imagine and see the world through the eyes of these dancers and feel the beauty of nature too. The dancers in the photographs by Jordan produce a world of daydreaming. They also offer a deep insight into the identical situations of life. One can resolve the secrecy of the body during movements in these photographs and can experience a wonderful joy of coming across the impractical things. There are all sorts of photographs where dancers are exhibited spinning, jumping, kicking in all walks of life such as at a construction location, on a beach, or in a library.

If you’re in the New York City area, check out the dance classes and tutors on HeyKiki.  We can assist in finding the perfect choreography tutoring for you.

If you’d like to learn another sport or activity other than dance, we have other instructors and classes in your area on HeyKiki too.

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How to Stay Warm Before and After Dance Practice

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Enjoying dance class

Enjoying dance class

Winter is a lazy season. Everyone finds very difficult to cope with their day to day activities during the peak winter times. You may also find it more difficult if you are taking up dance lessons during this season. But you have to cope with it and perform your activity successfully. For those who take dance class, it is very important to stay warm before and after the session. Any negligence may lead to ill health.

Here are few tips that you can use to keep yourself warm and fresh before and after the dance practice:

Before Dance Practice

While you are heading to the studio make it a point to wrap yourself with sufficient clothes and accessories that will keep you warm and protected from harsh weather.

Secondly always start your dance after a vigorous warm-up session, so that you do feel warm when you take off some of your clothing for a comfortable dance routine.

Thirdly keep drinking water at regular intervals so that there is a balance maintained between the outside temperature and body temperature.

After Dance Practice

As you finish your dance practice, do not do it in a hurry; rather, go for a cool down session and end it in a relaxing way.

After finishing you might feel hot and sweaty, and definitely not eager to add warm clothes. But don’t leave without covering up, or you risk damaging your health. Rather if you are feeling sweaty sit for a while, wipe it off, and cool yourself before getting ready to leave your dance class.

We hope that you will keep these pointers in mind during the season. We wish you warm and safe dancing!

If you’re in the New York City area, check out the dance classes and tutors on HeyKiki.  We can assist in finding the perfect choreography tutoring for you.

If you’d like to learn another sport or activity other than dance, we have other instructors and classes in your area on HeyKiki too.

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Acclaimed SAT Tutor to Release His Self-Study Plan

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Anthony James Green is known to be the most excellent SAT tutor in the New York City. He is the originator of Test Prep Authority, producer of Vivid Vocab which is an extremely well-admired SAT vocabulary software. He’s also the writer of four books on the subject of SAT prep and the co-producer of Every College Question Answered. With all these achievements, he is ruling the SAT Prep World. He resides in downtown Manhattan and offers one-on-one SAT prep services on a full-time basis. He is always tutoring students as well as other tutors, or in the development of products related to SAT prep.

A mastermind in SAT prep!

A mastermind in SAT prep!

Keeping in view that fact that the SAT courses offered in regular classrooms are often unable to bring the desired outcomes, this renowned SAT expert is going to release publicly his Self-Study program for students. It is for the first time that this program will be made openly available since its foundation. It is a 90-day program, and can help students to improve their scores up to 400 points. It will be launched on Jan. 3, 2013. According to James, the SAT courses offered in classrooms are not sufficiently effective and they generally improve scores of the students by only 40-70 points.

In his self-study program, all instructions are given for the students for each of the 90 days about what to do and how to do it. The students are also given a method to analyze their own performance, as well as strong and weak points. The ways to divide various areas which need attention according to individual needs of the students are also given in the program. By following this 90 day program, students can get a great score without any extra tutoring.

If you’re interested in either becoming a tutor or finding one, we can help! If you’re in the New York City area, check out the classes and tutors on HeyKiki and find the perfect tutoring for you. If you’re looking for someone in the NYC area to learn with, we have study buddies on HeyKiki just waiting to connect with you!

If you’d like to learn another sport or activity other than tutoring, we have other instructors and classes in your area on HeyKiki too.

Boxing Lessons in NYC: A Few Spots to Watch a Fight or Two

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This is the scene at Nevada Smith's... Yeah

This is the scene at Nevada Smith’s… Yeah

If you love boxing and you’re taking lessons in NYC, check this out!

A few weeks ago, an apartment on Avenue B and East 3rd Street projected the fight between Manny Pacquiao and Timothy Bradley for everyone on the bustling block to gawk at. It was a stunning sight to see two of the boxing’s biggest stars duke it out on a large brick wall in the middle of the night.

Fortunately, the City has tons of places to watch a great fight between the best of the best in the game. Here’s HeyKiki’s selection of where to go:

1. Nevada Smith’s (125 E. 11th Street, Manhattan) – This East Village locale is a quieter alternative to its neighbor, the Village Pourhouse. Futbol might be its sport du jour but boxing also holds a prominent spot on the TV circuits. Come in late for a fight or two.

2. Jack Dempsey’s (36 W. 33rd Street, Manhattan) – Midtown is the headquarters for boxing bars; unfortunately, it’s also the capital for tourists in New York. With Times Square and the Empire State Building nearby, your only safety from the madness is to dive into a safe location. And Dempsey’s has plenty of boxing on the television so it’ll become your new favorite hideout real fast.

3. Mulholland’s (312 Grand Street, Brooklyn) – This Williamsburg joint attracts the old school Brooklyn types in the area. The neighborhood, known years ago for its grittiness and raw intensity, still has an abundance of this demographic. And they’re serious about boxing so you better be too.

4. Legends NYC (6 W. 33rd Street, Manhattan) – Another Midtown spot, Legends is dressed to the nine with televisions for sports viewing. It can’t be guaranteed that’ll always be boxing but, if you stay long enough, you’ll definitely be able to have your way.

So saddle up after your boxing lessons in NYC and pull up a stool. Shhh! The fight’s on.

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Yoga Instructors In NYC: A New Yoga Studio Will Provide Classes Aimed At Men

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A new studio in NYC will offer classes aimed at men.

A new studio in NYC will offer classes aimed at men.

There are a million ways to practice yoga in New York City. There are classes for anyone and everyone: pre-natal yoga, bikram yoga, outdoor yoga, free yoga. All are readily available for the next willing and eager student who comes along. But beginning on July 10th, one more kind will jump in the fray: men’s yoga. More specifically, naked men’s yoga.

Joschi Schwarz and Monika Werner, the two experienced yogis behind the idea, have joined forces to open Le Male Yoga, a studio specifically targeted at men. Located in Chelsea on West 23rd street, the studio will offer men a space to nurture a stronger mind-body connection and work on a healthier lifestyle. It will offer a range of classes, from heated yoga to Vinyasa Flow to the aforementioned naked yoga.

Schwarz said that the naked yoga class is far from sexual in nature. “Naked yoga is not sexual in any sense, but grounded in the hatha-vinyasa yoga philosophy to encourage openness and acceptance of feelings,” he said. He went on to say that some of us may live our entire life without truly seeing our bodies. The studio and the class are a remedy for this, allowing the men a space free of scrutiny or judgement.

The studio also donates to a number of LGBT groups through its donation based Karma classes, which gives practitioners a perfect and easy way to show their own support.

Schwarz and Werner welcome the public to attend the opening party on July 10th at 7:30 pm. Yogis are also encouraged to sign up online by Sep. 3rd to take advantage of a month-long run of unlimited classes for $99. Regardless of whether they decide to take the leap into the naked yoga classes, however, Le Male Yoga is sure to provide a welcome addition for many men in New York City.

For all sorts of yoga listings in NYC, check out HeyKiki!

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Piano Lessons In NYC: Four Great Piano Songs About New York

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If you’re already taking the piano lessons in NYC, why not learn a song or two on the keys about the city you live in and love? With a musical history as deep as the one here, there are hundreds of piano songs dedicated to the Big Apple’s charm. And, like the city, it doesn’t seem like these musicians ever sleep either. Here’s a few of HeyKiki’s New York City favorites:

1. Billy Joel – “New York State of Mind”

Long Island native and self-proclaimed Piano Man, a main theme of most of Billy Joel’s song is the state of New York. Whether he’s exploring Montauk or riding into the Hudson, the pianist and singer knows a thing or two about these islands. And “New York State of Mind” is all of that knowledge in one place.

2. LCD Soundsystem – “New York, I Love You But You’re Bringing Me Down”

James Murphy’s ballad about Gotham is a slow-moving message to the Bloomberg Era and how the city has changed in a post-9/11 world. Yet there is still love for the urban jungle in his piano and vocals. And how can you not love a music video that has Kermit the Frog playing a piano in front of the cityscape?

3. Cat Power – “New York, New York”

This modern cover of Frank Sinatra’s classic offers an odd but lovely twist on the tune. Cat Power, or Charlyn Marshall, belts out a bluesy version of the New York love song over a cool, harmonious piano track. It might not be the same as Sinatra’s but one thing is for certain: this girl knows how to sing.

4. Alicia Keys – “New York”

As a supplement to the original song, “Empire State of Mind,” with her and Jay-Z, Alicia Keys manages to sing her heart out and beautifully play the catchy piano track, all at the same time. Many argued that this track could replace Sinatra’s “New York, New York” as the city’s unofficial anthem. You be the judge.

With your piano lessons in NYC at your side, let’s hear it for New York.

Dancing Lessons In NYC: Four Great Summer Festivals To Attend

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A sea of snow and dancing at Sensation.

A sea of snow and dancing at Sensation.

The dancing lessons in NYC are pointless if you can’t put them to good use. Luckily, you’re in New York where something is happening almost every night. And a decent amount of these things involve dancing shoes in the summertime. Here at HeyKiki, we pulled together four festivals that you need to make an appearance at; trust us, you’ll be sorry if you missed them.

1. Electric Zoo (Labor Day Weekend, Randall’s Island): The electronic music festival is in its third year and this one is slated to be the biggest. With DJs like Skrillex, Tiesto and Benny Benassi spinning, people literally dance from sun up to sun down. Get involved with the good vibes.

2. Catalpa Music Festival (July 28th-29th, Randall’s Island): Black Keys and Snoop Dogg headlining? Need we say more. The first year of this festival is expected to be huge and there will be plenty of dancing: mash-up mastermind Girl Talk and beat-maker AraabMuzik are the top DJs here. See the newest up-and-coming event on the New York festival scene with your own eyes.

3. 4Knots Festival (July 14th, South Street Seaport): This indie showcase includes bands that none of us have ever really heard of. But it’s free! And, with the East River as the backdrop, why miss out?

4. Sensation White (October 26th and 27th, Barclays Center): Although this one doesn’t fall in a summer month, the once-strictly-European musical spectacle is making its splash on American shores in Brooklyn. And it’s an event like none other: attendees are required to wear all white to this electronic mania. In the end, Sensation is a sea of snow and dancing. Enjoy.

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Dance Lessons In NYC: Best Dance Movies To Watch

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stomp the yard

If you take dance lessons in NYC, you probably would be interested in some dance-related entertainment. Dance-themed movies are some of the greatest kinds of movies ever, bringing viewers a multi-faceted form of entertainment that makes it really difficult to stay still in a movie theater. The upcoming film Magic Mike, starring some of Hollywood’s most Ken Doll-like types as male strippers, is going to be insanely rad, and we can’t wait. In anticipation (and for dance lesson inspiration!) here are some of our favorites dance movies.

Rize (2005)

Fashion photographer David Lachapelle’s dance documentary begins by stating that none of the images in the film have been altered or sped up. The dancers move their bodies so quickly that it looks like it can’t possibly be real. But it is. Rize follows groups of dancers in South Central Los Angeles, pioneers in the fields of krumping. It’s amazing.

Strictly Ballroom (1992)

This hilarious comedy features gorgeous visuals (it’s directed by Baz Luhrmann of Moulin Rouge) and some pretty fantastic ballroom dancing.

Step Up (2006)

I don’t care what anyone says; this movie and its subsequent sequels rule. It brought us the glory that is the (absurdly charming!) Channing Tatum, and the dancing once inspired a middle school-age me to attempt a routine in my bedroom that lead to the destruction of a glass bookshelf.

Stomp The Yard (2007)

Everything about this movie is glorious. The tale of a young street dancer at Truth (!) University who is wooed by two separate dancing fraternities (!), Stomp the Yard  has romance! Eye candy! Tragedy! And dancing! It is really the perfect movie.

So when you’re looking for dance lessons in NYC, take these movies as inspiration.

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Boxing Lessons in NYC: Defensive Techniques

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Boxing Lessons NYC

That's gotta hurt.

While having a strong punch when taking boxing lessons in NYC is important, defensive techniques are also a necessary skill— the best offense is good defense. When guarding yourself as your opponent attempts to land a blow, it’s great to have a few of these moves in mind:

  • Slipping- When your opponent goes for a jab, simultaneously duck under his arm and towards the direction of your dominant side. This opens up the opportunity to land a hit with your non-dominant arm.
  • Bobbing- If your opponent tries to throw a hook, keep your arms up to your face and pull downwards in the same rhythm of the punches.
  • Blocking- Maintain a staggered stance, but hold your arms up in front of your face.
  • Cover-up- This is essentially the same as  blocking, except your gloves should be in front of your face rather than your arms.
  • Footwork- Quick “classical style” boxers should be able to rely on their footwork, hopping to and fro to avoid their opponent’s gloves.
  • Pulling away- This move is helpful if your opponent is making a jab with either arm. Lean backwards and slightly down, just out of punching range.
  • Sway or fade- Also called “rolling with the punch,” this move helps you avoid punches to the face by swinging your head and upper body to the left or right and backwards.
  • Bob and weave- Bobbing and weaving is a lot of simultaneous movement, making it good exercise! The hardest target to hit is one that’s moving erratically, so move your head and upper body to either side to avoid the incoming punch, while also directing the rest of your body downwards and back or to the side.

Once you get these defensive techniques down at your boxing lessons in NYC, you’ll be a world-class fighter in no time! And if you need a partner to throw some punches at you while you practice your moves, check out HeyKiki’s practice buddy platform!

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Dance Lessons In NYC: Free Classes, Events, And More

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Dance Lessons NYC

Sylvain Émard's 'Le Grand Continental'

 

If you’ve ever looked into taking dance lessons in NYC, you know there are plenty of avenues to dance up, both figuratively and literally. There are lessons, performances, and events that happen every day, in every borough. But they can often be expensive or require regular membership to participate, which sometimes stop people from joining.

Now that summer’s here, however, there are dozens of opportunities to dance for free in NYC, whether it’s salsa lessons in the park or open-to-the-public performances. Below is a list of ways to get your groove on with no cost at all—and be sure to check out HeyKiki’s own list of ways to dance in NYC.

1. High Line Live!: Step to the High Line

Now in its second year, this festival, which runs this year from June 13th to June 16th, will showcase the talents of various step teams from around the city. Each day, two teams will battle each other, culminating with a showcase and public workshop on Saturday the 16th. Locations: The competitions will be held under the Standard Hotel at West 13th street, the showcase will take place at West 15th street, and the workshop will be at West 16th street (all locations along the High Line).

2. Let’s Dance!

Run by the Riverside Park Fund, every Sunday from June 3rd-24th will feature free dance lessons in salsa, cha-cha, and bachata, taught by professionals from Piel Canela Dance and Music School. Locations: Pier I at 70th street, 7-9 pm.

3. Performances of Le Grand Continental™ by Sylvain Émard

Choreographer Sylvain Émard assembled a group of 200 New Yorkers of all skill levels and backgrounds to create Le Grand Continental, and a series of performances on June 22nd, 23rd, and 24th will showcase their hard work and talent. Locations: Pier 16 & 17, The Seaport. June 22nd & 23rd at 7 pm, June 24th at 2 pm.

4. The Felix Hernandez Rhythm Revue

DJ Felix Hernandez brings his Rhythm Revue to Grand Army Plaza in Prospect Park for a free dance party. Location: Grand Army Plaza, Prospect Park. June 23rd, 4-7 pm.

5. High Line Live!: ¡Arriba!

Join other New Yorkers on June 27th for a night of live music and dancing. Musician Orlando Marin will be performing, and attendees are encouraged to come ready to dance and listen. Location: On the High Line at West 13th Street. June 27th at 7 pm.

With all of these opportunities, plus countless other ways to dance in NYC, there’s certainly no shortage of ways to get moving this summer. And make sure you find a dance partner to bring with you!

[Image via River to River Festival]