April 11, 2016 7:50 pm

This year as part of PAE’s Summer Stages, we are visiting Barcelona, Spain. Alongside dance studios such as Joppa Dance, Danceworks, Pottstown Dance Theatre, and more, PAE will be posting daily travel diaries. This summer will include many new, exciting features, including social media takeovers and weekly photo challenges. Keep up with your favorite dancers as they leap through the Mediterranean! Check out the blog daily for exclusive back-stage content!
Adios!
Mac

January 12, 2016 10:36 pm
Members of Performing Arts Educators production team have hit the road traveling from Orlando, Florida to NYC for Performing Arts Educators 10th Anniversary Celebration at Carnegie Hall. Saturday, January 16th will be a special day for many as over 400 performers come together under the direction of their teachers,, directors and mentors , combined with over 2400 in the audience there to show their support for these performers in honor and dedication to their love of song and dance. Check back often for photos and highlights leading up to our 10th Anniversary Celebration on Saturday!

August 8, 2015 12:35 am
The American Alliance of Performing Arts Educators is pleased to announce that it has awarded The Del Kieffner Award to Kathie Kececi for 2016. The Del Keiffner Award is an annual award given by PAE to recognize a director who represents those attributes desirable in all youth performing arts directors whether it be of instrumental, choral or dance groups.
The Del Kieffner Award honors a devoted music director, Del Kieffner of Orlando, Florida, who stands a representative for the multitudes and generations of performing arts teachers who each in his or her own way have selflessly taught and nurtured succeeding generations of young student performers.
Performing Arts Educators is pleased to present The Del Kieffner award to Kathie Kececi for her work among the students of In Motion: at Dorothy Del Guercio School of Dance in Mendham, NJ, as a mentor, friend, teacher and choreographer as well as for your support of those underlying values which unite all performing arts teachers.
The award will be presented to Kathie Kececi at Performing Arts Educators 10th Anniversary Celebration at Carnegie Hall on January 16, 2016

August 3, 2015 10:25 am
Bonjour!
Each summer Performing Arts Educators chooses one International location to host their Summer Stages Production. This year Paris, France was chosen as the city and Paris Disneyland the venue. Over 100 people traveled to take part in this production and tour with approximately 55 students from various groups attending the Disney Performing Arts Workshop followed by a production on stage in Paris Disneyland. Included in the tour and in addition to the production were 3 day passes to Disneyland, full tour of Paris Disney, a masterclass ballet class workshop with Frederik Lazzarelli and a live pianist, 6 nights in a Disney property with free shuttles to Disneyland Park and Disneyland Village as well as free breakfasts. In addition, a cruise on the River Seine and time at many famous Paris landmarks such as, but not limited to: Notre Dame Cathedral, the Eiffel Tower, Montemarte and the Sacred Heart Basilica of Montemarte, the beautiful shopping and restaurant district of Le Marais, the Arc de Triomphe, and more.
Given the positive responses received and requests for a repeat of this opportunity, Performing Arts Educators is pleased to announce it will be hosting Summer Stages 2016 in Paris, France in addition to our 2016 International Dance Festival in Barcelona, Spain. From their a circuit of Disney trips will begin with Paris being the first, then Tokyo, Orlando, and Shanghai.

Merci!

July 20, 2015 1:03 am
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Pottstown Dance Theatre Director Returns to International Dance Festival
Michelle Jones Wurtz, director of the Pottstown Dance Theatre, returned to Ladek Zdroj, Poland to teach at the 17th annual International Dance Festival. Michelle was the first American teacher invited to work at the Festival and this was her 12th time to teach there. Over the years, Ms. Wurtz has taught American Jazz, American Contemporary Dance, Ailey Style Modern Dance, Tap Dance, Broadway Jazz, and African Dance. This year she taught American Jazz, Broadway Jazz, and African Dance. She performed there for numerous events and toured Poland with ContempraDANCE Theatre in 2006; and in 2010, Michelle’s professional company, Melange Contemporary Dance, was a headlining group at the Festival. It is one of the highlights of this director’s summer annually, and she plans on continuing for many years!
Performing Arts Educators is excited that Michelle and the dancers at Pottstown Dance Theatre will be a part of our 10th Anniversary Celebration at Carnegie Hall on January 16, 2016.
...Michelle Wurtz, shown below performing in “The Feeling Begins’, which was part of a photography exhibit from former festivals that opened this years festival.

July 8, 2015 12:00 am
On January 16, 2016, Performing Arts Educators will be producing it’s 10th Anniversary Celebration at Carnegie Hall in New York City. We are pleased to announce that the production has been entirely booked with groups being represented from15 different schools and studios coming together from as far as South Carolina.
The production will be an anniversary celebration highlighting select groups from the past 10 years with an amazing collaboration of both song and dance ending the celebration. Groups were invited based on their experience and history of performing with PAE.  All groups with the exception of one have performed in shows in the past 10 years. It is sure to be a celebration of dance, song, and the arts.

June 15, 2015 11:01 pm
First there was Sydney. Then there was London. Last summer it was Edinburgh. This summer it’s Paris.
IN 2016 JOIN PERFORMING ARTS EDUCATORS IN BARCELONA FOR SUMMER STAGES!
For the next five days I’m going to introduce you to some of the highlights of this beautiful city. Follow me along this guided ‘online’ adventure sure to excite all the senses.
Join me in an imaginary stroll through Barri Gotic,, aka ‘ The Gothic Quarter ‘.

The beautiful neighbourhood known as the Gothic Quarter is so called because it used to be the Roman village and thus has some remnants of its glorious past. These days because of the constant modernization it is easy to spot an ancient building right next to one built in the 90s. It is this mix of old and new that brings people from all over the world to stay in the Gothic Quarter.
The narrow, winding streets create quite a labyrinth and means that it may take a while to get your bearings. I recommend that you should always look up and around you or you may miss some of the best best.
The Gothic quarter has many peaceful squares (plaças) where you can relax and enjoy your surroundings. However one of the main attractions, right in the heart of the district is the huge Cathedral which has a stunning courtyard full of plants and oddly, geese.
You will be spoiled with choices of restaurants and bars, especially around Plaça Reial which is always full day and night.
Shopping is also amazing in the Gothic Quarter, from the more commercial area of Calle Portal de L’Angel to all the little boutiques on Calle Avinyo. Make sure you walk around to experience all you can, the Gothic Quarter is perfect for that afternoon stroll.
There are metro stops on both sides of the Gothic Quarter, there are 3 on Las Ramblas which runs up one side of the area, and on the other is Jaume 1. However you are in the centre of the city and many of the city’s attractions are a walk away.
At the top of Las Ramblas is Plaça Catalunya from where you can go onto Passeig de Gràcia if your shopping tastes are slightly more designer orientated, or if you want to see Gaudí’s buildings.
The Barri Gòtic area is the first choice for many visitors to Barcelona. It is the cultural hub of the city and suitable for any type of traveller.

June 12, 2015 2:24 pmIn just over one month over one hundred performers and their supporters will be joining members of the PAE team for their first productions at Disneyland….PARIS DISNEYLAND!!! Music and performance are a fundamental part of the Disney heritage and have been bringing our ‘world’ to life since Walt Disney opened Disneyland® in 1955!
The 6 night trip includes 3 day park passes, Disney performing arts workshops, Disney performance time, a master ballet class with live pianist, cruise down the river seign , lunch under the Eiffel tower and much much more. Hotel accommodations are on the Disney property.
Each Disney workshop session is facilitated by a Disney ‘professional’ lasts approximately 90 minutes. Key learnings covered include:

• Performance skills
• Effective preparation techniques
• Professionalism
• Self-confidence
• Diversity of styles
• Teamwork
• Disney Magic!

Check back here for more information on this trip as it approaches. Pictures of highlights from the trip will be posted from Paris.

June 11, 2015 11:03 pm
Performing Arts Educators, on occasion likes to highlight studios, schools, directors, owners, students and teachers for special deeds done in their community or schools.  For this reason we would like to share information and gratitude to Dance Innovations located in Chatham, NJ and its Artistic Director, Susan McCutcheon Coutts.  Dance Innovations is known in their community and the communities surrounding theirs for their excellence in the arts as well as innovative training and service to those less fortunate in their community.  Under the artistic direction of Susan McCutcheon Coutts the studios philosophy is carried out so that the passion of dance reaches all areas of their community.
Recently Dance Innovations visited ECLC of New Jersey and performed for, and with, the children and adults who attend the school.  ECLC stands for offering ‘Education, Careers and Lifelong Learning’ to children with special needs including autism, Down syndrome and other developmental disabilities.
PAE would like to congratulate the students at Dance Innovations and applaud Susan for the ways she serves in her Community and around.   For more information on this studio and the Artistic Director visit www.danceinnovations.org

June 9, 2015 12:54 pm
Former choreographer, dancer, and studio owner, Dawn Smith-Theodore tackles the topic of eating disorders in the dance world in a way that has not been handled to date. She helps dance teachers, parents and dancers understand how an eating disorder can take over and how to prevent the kind of thinking and behavior that will lead to a serious problem.

Visit www.tututhin.com to learn more and purchase.