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Cathy Roe
Cathy Roe is the owner of Cathy Roe Video Productions and Santa Fe Studio Stage, a fully equipped sound stage for video production. Cathy has produced over 100 educational dance videos that sell internationally.Cathy's credentials also include acting as dance director for the University of Hawaii, choreographer for Hong Kong Television, adjudicator for numerous competition companies, studio owner and professional choreographer for numerous musical theater companies.
Comments from Cathy about Competitions:
I have been attending competitions for 15 years, both as a judge and as a teacher with my dance team. I have seen just about all there is to see from both sides. There are things about competitions that I love and other things that concern me very much. In starting my own company, I am devoted to keeping my loves, while changing my concerns.
What I love:
When I started taking my dance team to competition, I immediately observed a huge change in their view of dance and what it takes to become successful.
Stage Presence- I could nag, beg, and demand stage presence from my students, but I just couldn't get through to them until we went to competition. Once they saw the level of expression from other kids, it was a done deal!
Costumes and Grooming- Before attending competition, my students just didn't understand that their shoes, tights, and hair HAVE to match, that costumes must be cared for and that grooming and stage make-up are a must. I couldn't even get the PARENTS to understand the importance of overall appearance and uniformity in a performance.
Technique- Before the days of competitions, it was a fight every semester to get my jazz divas into ballet class. Once they saw the jazz dancers at competition looking so technically proficient, ballet was no longer a struggle.
Importance of rehearsal- no more moans and groans when I announce extra rehearsals. My dancers now know the importance of being extremely well rehearsed.
Judges- Luckily, I have been very fortunate to have had some excellent judges critique my work and my students. They have helped us to improve in many ways and have also reinforced what I continually try to impress upon my dancers.
Technique- There is absolutely NO substitute for good technique. When that technically proficient dancer walks out on stage, everyone knows they are looking at a winner.
My concerns:
Kids are sensitive- I am working on ways to award the kids who really do deserve to win while still sending ALL the kids home smiling. EVERYONE will be acknowledged for his or her hard work and participation.
Judges - To my horror, I have gotten back comments from judges who have reduced my students to tears, have no constructive merit and have tempted my dancers to quit dance altogether. I intend this NEVER to happen at my competition and will only hire judges that I have tremendous respect for and TRUST. My judges will all be on the "same page" as you and me; that we are all here to assist these kids and help them to become better dancers, happier children, and stronger performers. Our comments will be constructive and thoughtful. The judges' suggestions will encourage your dancers and hopefully NEVER offend them. My judges are on "their side", with true desire to promote self-esteem as well as improvement in our dancers
Choreography- This is my biggest concern of all. This year I went to a competition where a group of excellent dancers performed a body of work (at least 50 dances) where EVERY SINGLE number (jazz, tap, ballet) assembled center stage at the climactic musical moment and executed multiple fouette turns and turns in second. And they did them well. But in EVERY number! What does this teach our kids about the art of choreography? That it is only valid and "win worthy" when it features tricks? And the same tricks in every number? That to "win" you need to execute multiple fouettes? AHHH!!!!
In discussing this with my dance friends, my judges and sponsors, I find we are all concerned that competition choreography is becoming very cliché. We do not want to see artistic merit, composition, and innovation take a back seat to tricks, no matter how impressive the tricks may be. Our choreography award is our biggest and most prestigious award. Please don't be afraid to come to my competitions with your "out there" ideas, with artistic and innovative pieces that dare to be different! As long as there is strong technique and good composition, there is nothing to fear! Let jazz be jazz, tap be tap, ballet be ballet and how about some modern? And please leave those fouettes at home!
cathy@cathyroe.com
Molly Brennand
Molly Brennand, Managing Director/Owner of Creative Base Management joined forces with Cathy Roe in August 2002 to help create Cathy Roe's Ultimate Dance Competitions. Molly moved to NYC in 1994 to pursue a career in dance at MaryMount Manhattan College. She completed her BA at Fordham University in 1999 where she danced in several performances and commercials. In addition, she was a principle dancer with the nationally ranked Fordham Dance Team. Molly is a feature performer and teacher on Cathy Roe's line of instructional dance videos and has been a faculty member as well as principle dancer in Cathy Roe's Something in the Air Dance Company.
mbrennand@cbmgt.com
Kimberly Mills
Kimberly Mills, Managing Director/Owner of Creative Base Management, joined forces with Cathy Roe in August 2002 to help create Cathy Roe's Ultimate Dance Competition. She is a licensed CPA and a 1999 graduate of Fordham University in NYC, where she received a B.S. in accounting and was the choreographer/captain of the nationally ranked dance team. Prior to Fordham, she was a BFA dance major at MaryMount Manhattan College also in NYC. Kimberly has been dancing for 24 years and has studied with many renowned dancers and choreographers in NYC and Los Angeles. Kimberly currently resides in Los Angeles, CA.
kmills@cbmgt.com
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