The Place 2 Dance

EASIER THAN EVER

The ISTD is a world-wide dance teacher's organization. The teaching and judging degrees acquired through that organization are recognized around the world and are considered Top Class.

The ISTD has become quite innovative in the past few years, making it easier than ever to become a member of that prestigious organization. With a Ballroom and Latin Examiner residing in the USA, you can take exams here, which is a great cost-saver.

There are other paths to gaining membership. If you'd like more information, message me and I'll be happy to answer your questions.

Giving an International Latin exam at Ryan Lewis' Training Center studio in Dallas, TX, several years ago

AN HONOR FROM ISTD
In 2007, Lorna Lee Stylianos honored me with an invitation to give a lecture at the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing's Worthing Congress. I presented a lecture was on the American style Box Rumba and was partnered by none other than the lovely Lorna Lee Stylianos for the demonstration. This was a wonderful and humbling experience for me, and I will forever be grateful to Lorna for extending the invitation and giving me this opportunity.

ISTD DANCE TEACHING CREDENTIALS CAN BE YOURS

This photo is from a few years ago when Ryan Lewis had me come to DFW area on a regular basis. I worked with area pros who were preparing for Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (ISTD) International Latin exams.

The people in the photo don’t all live in the same places these days, but, at the time, they were from L to R: Ryan McDaniel (Ft Worth), Ryan Lewis (Dallas), Tessa Murphy (Los Angeles), Julie Ebe (Ft Worth), Lisa Jahanabegloo (Ft Worth), Christina DuPuy (Dallas), Kylie Frandsen (Dallas), Lisa Holt (Dallas) and Israel Pena (Irving).

As the only ISTD Ballroom and Latin Examiner in the Western Hemisphere, I am happy to help anyone who is interested in preparing for ISTD examinations. Being certified with academic teaching credentials is highly important in today's competitive teaching arena. There are many teaching organizations out there today, but the ISTD has been in existence for 120 years and has been acclaimed as the world's Number 1 dance teacher certification body.

Dance with the rest, but get credentials from the best!

IMPERIAL SOCIETY OF TEACHERS OF DANCING (ISTD)

June 4, 2024

Phillip Stephens
ISTD Dual Fellow and Examiner

A few years ago, the USISTD was dissolved and became a thing of the past. Many people in the USA and Canada who had been members of USISTD were suddenly left wondering how to maintain their membership in ISTD over in the UK. The ISTD Ballroom and Latin certifications held by anyone who had been a USISTD member represent a lot of study and a high degree of dance expertise. Suddenly finding out that your degrees were no longer supported here in the US because the USISTD went out of existence was cause for much stress and anxiety.

Without a doubt, being set adrift with no guidance on how to preserve those teaching certifications you worked so hard to achieve has been a difficult thing for many people to endure. However, it’s quite easy to reinstate your membership in the ISTD. You simply need to contact them and let them know you want to rejoin the organization. They will let you know the amount of membership fees you must pay, and you will soon once again be a card-carrying member of one of the most highly regarded, globally recognized dance certification organizations in the world. Just send an email to [email protected] to get the ball rolling.

There is currently a lot of interest in ISTD’s curriculum and many schools here in the Western Hemisphere are offering – or soon will be offering – courses on Ballroom and Latin dancing for both youngsters and adults. Periodically, there are Zoom meetings that you can participate in, and you can get on the list of invitees by contacting the ISTD representative in the Americas, Astrid Sherman, via [email protected].

We have a lot of interest in student medal tests as well as teaching certification examinations. Earlier this year, I was appointed as the only ISTD Ballroom and Latin Examiner in the Americas. With an ISTD Examiner resident in the USA, it is now much easier to set up medal tests and examinations in your studios anywhere on this side of the Atlantic. You must set them up through the head of International Examinations around 8-12 weeks ahead of time. Contact Julie Harries via [email protected].

If you would like further information on any topic in this article or details on other helpful individuals to contact at ISTD headquarters in the UK, send me a private message and I’ll be happy to provide that information.

ISTD News in the Americas

June 2, 2024

Phillip B. Stephens
ISTD Dual Fellow and Examiner

Today, ISTD hosted a Zoom meeting with members from various places around the world. Members from Mexico, Canada, South Africa, the USA and the UK were all present. As head of the ISTD DanceSport Development Faculty, Malcolm Hill hosted the meeting. Also present were ISTD Americas Representative Astrid Sherman, and Head of International Examinations Julie Harries.

The main topic was how ISTD teachers with Theatre degrees could successfully introduce Ballroom and Latin dancing in their schools. There is currently quite a bit of interest in this for both youngsters and adults. Some teachers would need training in order to follow the curriculum requirements for presenting students for medal testing. This led to discussions about setting up courses to train teachers for certification examinations. Everyone was assured that this would be quite easy to do and that, as the number of interested parties are identified in each location, courses would be arranged.

Also discussed was the process for exams and tests which can be conducted remotely or in person based on the type of test. Students may perform live as the Examiner watches them or they can submit a recording of their performances which will be graded by the Examiner.

New to the exam process Students can use all Ballroom dances, all Latin dances, or a mixture of Ballroom and Latin dances through the Pre-Bronze level. After that, they must do all dances from a single style. Ballroom dance choices are Waltz, Tango, Foxtrot, Quickstep, Viennese Waltz, Slow Rhythm, and Quick Rhythm. Latin dance choices are Rumba, Samba, Paso Doble, Jive, and Cha Cha Cha.

Professional examinations, which must be conducted live due to the Q&A requirement, are available in two types: Full and modular. In Full examinations, all required dances are examined in the same session. In a Ballroom Associate exam, Waltz, Foxtrot, Quickstep, Tango, along with Slow and Quick Rhythm are all demonstrated to music with a partner. Next is a Solo to Music section in which the Examiner asks the candidate to perform 3 to 5 figures to music without a partner in 1 or 2 dances. Candidates are also asked to start a class to music. After that, theory questions are asked about things like footwork, timing, amount of turn, etc. Precedes and Follows are asked for, which is just telling the Examiner which steps can be used as an entry or exit for a particular figure. Modular exams will follow this same pattern, but only involve 1 or 2 dances at a time.

The examination process can be quite nerve-wracking for some people, especially when taking their first professional examination. For this reason, it’s a good idea to take the Pre-Associate (Student Teacher) examination. Though it doesn’t provide any teaching degrees this exam allows the candidate to gain an understanding of the examination process. It is an educational experience where the candidate can see how questions are asked and learn how they should answer them. This can be quite helpful in attaining high scores on subsequent examinations through having a better understanding of the entire process.

For more information on how to set up classes for Ballroom and Latin dancing, setting up or participating in teacher training courses, setting up an exam session, or setting up your own exam, contact one or all of the following people:

Malcolm Hill – [email protected]
Julie Harries – [email protected]
Astrid Sherman – [email protected]

If you would like to be notified of future meetings, have a question about membership in ISTD or want information on upcoming courses or other activities sponsored by ISTD, contact Astrid Sherman to get on her list of contacts.

WANT TO JOIN ISTD?
This used to only be possible by taking an ISTD Associate or higher examination. Now, ISTD recognizes the accomplishments of teachers who have attained their International Style Ballroom and Latin teaching degrees through other organizations. There are some requirements to meet, but the process is very straightforward. Contact Malcolm Hill and tell him what you want to do. Provide him with a copy of your exam certificate(s) and the syllabus for the organization you gained the degree(s) through. He will get back to you with any questions and will let you know if there are any other requirements. It’s that simple!

A Major Milestone

In July, 2024, The Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing - The Society / ISTD - will celebrate its 120th anniversary. This represents a major milestone for the Society, which started out with a very small group of people in London's Covent Garden in 1904. Over the decades since then, the ISTD has grown into a worldwide dance teachers' organization that encompasses Ballroom and Latin and many other dance disciplines.

The ISTD has developed and fostered dance techniques that are respected globally as "tried and true" measures that will dramatically improve the dance skills of people who embrace those techniques. The ISTD name, logo, and teaching techniques are recognized around the world because the organization has been integral in the development of so many well-known dancers and Champions. Many other dance organizations have tried to duplicate the success enjoyed by the ISTD, but none have achieved the same degree of notoriety.

One important aspect of the ISTD is its examination program. We all tend to have goals in our lives, such as being the fastest runner, the highest jumper, the best boxer, etc. And we have levels of achievement along our path that measure our progress toward our goal. In school, we take exams and tests that contribute to our final grade for a semester or year. People take tests for various reasons: To become a lawyer; to become a hair stylist; to become a licensed driver, to become a nurse or doctor, and so on. In dance, we have various tests and exams from beginner students to examinations that proclaim us as highly skilled and certified teachers.

Some people dislike or even fear exams for various reasons. For others, exams provide a great sense of achievement. My own dance career has encompassed over 20 exams with several dance organizations. Being certified as a professional teacher led to certification as an Invigilator, a Championship level, National, International and World Class judge in multiple styles of dance. The one exam I passed that was only possible as the result of having taken all the others was the one that certified me as an ISTD Examiner.

My "calling", if you will, is one that involves helping others to achieve dance success with their own exams and tests. Whether getting students prepared for their medal tests or preparing teachers for certification examinations, my greatest desire is to help as many people as possible to achieve their goals in dance. Training others on how to understand the principles and techniques involved in good dancing is a true pleasure. Seeing people realize their goals in dance through the medal test program or the professional degree certification process is a real delight.

What about you? What about YOUR goals in dance? Would you like to be a certified professional instructor? Do you aspire to be a Championship-level dancer? Do your dreams include being a National or Championship-level or a World-Class judge? All of these things are possible through the dance examination process. If you want worldwide recognition of your success in this area, then you need ISTD certification.

This is an important year for The Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing. What better time is there to become a member of this prestigious organization than now? How exciting it will be to tell others that you became an ISTD-Certified individual during the organization's 120th anniversary year! For information on how you, your students or your studio can participate in the ISTD examination program, contact ISTD Examiner Phillip Stephens via [email protected] or 713-248-2299. You can also instant message me on Facebook.

Phillip B. Stephens
Dual Fellow and Examiner
Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing

JOIN THE FUN, SAVE SOME LIVES

Please support this great fundraiser being put on by Karen Humphrey and her group of caring friends. This type of activity is so important. Not only does it raise important research funding, but it also helps fund lodging for families of cancer patients.

Even if you are unable to attend to see the show and enjoy the dancing, please be generous and send a check in support of this worthy event.

This violet always provides blooms of stunning vibrancy. These have been going strong for 2 weeks. Yesterday, I noticed a new bloomstalk. That means another 2 weeks or so of this beautiful color in my kitchen window 😊

JOIN US ON SEPTEMBER 8

USA Dance Houston Chapter 5003 hosts an open to the public dance on the 2nd Saturday of each month. This month's dance will be held on September 8th.

There is a Foxtrot workshop from 7:30-8:30pm which will be taught by Trish Shaw. The dance will begin at 8:30pm and run until 11:00pm.

This will be our first function at the newly opened Dance Place studio. This lovely facility is on the northbound feeder road of the Sam Houston Tollway (Beltway 8), just north of Bellaire Blvd. The address is 6609 W Sam Houston Parkway South, Houston, TX 77072. Second floor - suite 202.

For more info, contact President Phillip Stephens (713-248-2299) or Secretary Phyllis Baker (713-823-4768)

DANCE EXAMINATIONS

Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (ISTD) Examiner Phillip Stephens will be conducting examinations on June 11 and on July 2. If you will be in the Houston area on either of those dates and would like to take a dance examination, contact Phillip via private message, email ([email protected]) or phone (713-248-2299)

On those dates, Examinations for professionals are available at the Associate and Licentiate levels in American Rhythm, American Smooth/Ballroom, International Standard/Ballroom and International Latin. Not ready in all 4 (or 5) dances required for your style of dance? That's OK - you can take what we call a "modular" exam by testing in 1, 2 or 3 dances on one of those dates and test in the remaining dances later.

Students (and teachers) may also take Medal Tests at levels from beginning Bronze through Gold and Gold Star in all 4 of the dance styles mentioned earlier. For more info on how the system works, contact me via any of the methods listed earlier.