2009 Cities coming soon!

June 28, 2008 was an amazing weekend at Saginaw High School! We had dancers from Arkansas, Austin, DFW, Houston and Waco! 8&a1 was so exciting we are expanding to a city near you. Please stay tuned for the 8&a1 Dance Workshop city schedule coming soon!

The Premiere of 8&a1 Dance Workshop

And so the count down begins...we are just days away from the Premiere of 8&a1 Dance Workshop! This is going to be such a fun day of dance, education, and learning about the dance industry! The dance faculty is unbelievable they will inspire and get you dancing like you never thought you could!

We can't wait to meet you all, doors open at 7:30am! See you Saturday June 28th!

Pick up your workshop bands at the registration desk!

Faculty working at the NY Met Opera

Heather Lang our resident Ballet and Contemporary faculty will be performing at the NY Met Opera in November 2008! When you take her class you can ask her all about her exciting new show!

Faculty choreographing New Jersey Theatre

Our very own lyrical faculty member, Lauren Gaul, is now the resident choreographer of a children's theatre in New Jersey for their 2008 Summer Season! When you take her class you can ask her all about it!

Workshop syllabi Posted

As promised please read the syllabi below to ensure you are registering in the proper division for the 8&a1 Dance Workshop on June 28, 2008! You will also find what dance faculty will be teaching at the Workshop as well!

Division I is for the Advanced Beginner Dancer

Division II is for the Intermediate Advanced Dancer

Hip Hop Syllabus

Hip Hop Division I (Adv-Beg level): Devert loves to work with dancers who live to dance! Get ready for a full out and high energy class. Hip Hop division I will focus on arms and legs working together to make a combination that will look good on everyone! We will have a quick warm-up to get the heart moving and will finish with a combination that will be sure to deliver!


Hip Hop Division II (Int-Adv level): Devert's class will focus on more complicated dance phrases, synocopation, and a combination that will blow the walls out! Bring lots of energy and eat those wheaties we have a fierce combination to learn!

Contemporary Syllabus

Heather's contemporary class focuses on utilizing the body as a form of expression. Her goal is to find new pathways of movement by letting go of certain expectations and ideals. By taking risks, the dancers learn to bring their true selves to the class. Then the dancers can realize their full potential. All that Heather asks is that the dancers fully commit, and most importantly have fun.
Recommended: bare feet

Contemporary Division I (Adv-Beg level)
Breakdown of floor work
Choreography that begins to fuse technique and performance
Begin to make use of entire body
Has basic understanding of ballet terminology and technique
Can follow along and retain basic principles of choreography

Contemporary Division II (Int-Adv level)
More complex floor work
More complex choreography
More focus on performance
Use of improvisational technique
More advanced understanding of ballet terminology and technique
Willing to bring themselves and choreography to the next level

Lyrical Syllabus

Lyrical Division I (Adv-Beg level): Lauren is focused on teaching a solid vocabulary of elements that will help the dancer retain and understand her choreography. Lauren’s lyrical class uses strong and dynamic movements, direction changes, quick turn sequences, and emphasis on foot position and working in forced arch. She also incorporates technical elements and stylistic arm movements in her class. Lauren is specific about her musicality and uses lyrical movements as part of the rhythm of the music. Since Lauren has an extensive background in tap she uses lyrical as a counter-point to the music and blends it on top of the music to add accents. Lauren believes that lyrical can be soft and elegant but also strong at the same time. She also believes it can be made accessible for any dancer at any technical level. Attention to detailed movement is key to success in her class. Finally, she firmly believes that being a great dancer is a process and doesn’t have to be achieved in one day but as long as the dancer is a “smart” dancer (i.e. taking corrections, being aware of their body, paying attention to musicality, watching and learning from others…etc) they will be successful.


Lyrical Division II (Int-Adv level): Summyr’s lyrical class is based on technique, sincere emotion, and a thoughtful use of the music with accents and body alignment. Class will begin with a structured warm-up incorporating plies and tendues and moving to more lengthened large muscle group stretches. Across the floor is a continuation of the warm-up and allows all dancers to get those bodies moving for the lyrical combination! Please be prepared to laugh and dance from your heart! Dancing is the movement of a song, it is our duty to portray the story through our bodies, what a great responsibility! Keep in mind this is class, a place for mistakes, but also a safe nurturing environment to push to new levels of dancing.

Ballet Syllabus

Heather’s main focus and philosophy in Ballet is proper placement and alignment of the mind, body, and spirit. Ballet is the epicenter and window to all other forms of dance. With a strong foundation and base one can venture/explore different kinds of movement with much more strength and sensibility.
Recommended: Ballet slippers or jazz shoes

Ballet Division I (Adv-Beg Level)
Class focuses on proper technique and alignment
Basic ballet terminology
Complete ballet barre (plies, tendues, etc.)
center floor work
Emphasis on repitition
Breakdown of mechanics


Ballet Division II (Int-Adv level)
Ballet terminology is understood completely
Tempo increases
Class combinations with increased complexity (directional changes, weight changes)
More time is given to center floor work than the Barre

Musical Theatre Syllabus

Musical Theatre Division I (Adv-Beg level) Juggernaut from The Wild Party: Musical Theater is so much more about a story than technique. Requires acting incorporated within your dance abilities; however, there is still choreography to be performed. If you have Heels and are comfortable dancing in them I would love you to wear them, but safety first. With this dance I need the dancers to be able to execute inside pirouettes r/l outside pirouette r/l, multiple skills connecting together i.e.. Pirouette to battement to a pose or layout. Directional changes within the choreography, and the ability to be a little sassy. Well maybe A LOT!


Musical Theatre Division II (Int-Adv level) Charleston: Men attending the Workshop should come to this class even if it is above their skill level TRUST ME. With the advanced dance we tend to need all the same requirements from the Intermediate level minus the Sass and just speed things up. The connective choreography will have multiple turns into a jump in to a pose or another turn. Directional changes will be intricate, and most importantly having FUN is a must!

Jazz Syllabus

Jazz Division I (Adv-Beg Level): Jeremy Duvall's jazz class will consist of a brief warm-up to get the blood flowing, across-the-floor to put movement through space, and choreography to put it all together. Need to be knowledgeable of basic dance moves and terminology. Jeremy will take care of the rest. He will provide you with counts, and "correct" terminology and body placement...just bring a willingness to learn, grow, and have fun.



Jazz Division II (Int-Adv): Jeremy Duvall will push you to the next level in fast paced class. Bring your determination and desire to move! Class will consist of a brief warm-up, across-the-floor, and choreography to assimilate it all. Be ready for direction/weight change, intricate counting, correct body placement to achieve the style needed and 8&a1 FUN.

Faculty Choreographing in Las Vegas

Musical Theatre Faculty, Brad Barnes, is choreographing a dance piece for The Golden Rainbow, Ribbon of Life showcase an HIV/AIDS Benefit in Las Vegas. 8&a1 is so excited to have current working choreographers on dance faculty! Come learn how to dance with the best in the business!

8&a1 Company Coordinator

We are pleased to announce that Angela Kahle will be the 8&a1 Company Coordinator for 2008! She was been a Radio City Rockette for 6 years, and has performed all over the country and on Broadway with 42nd Street! She is a great asset to 8&a1 and we are so excited to have her with us!

Faculty Shooting Dance Video

Summyr Whaley, founder of 8&a1, will be in L.A. for 4 days shooting 4 dance videos with Tezoro Productions Live! Look for these videos for purchase in early 2009!

8&a1 Dance Line

We are pleased to announce the official dance line of 8&a1 Dance Workshop!

We will be offering tops, capri pants, tube socks, and a lot more!

We are so excited to premiere the dance line at our June 28th Workshop at Saginaw High School!

We will be accepting cash and credit cards for our 8&a1 Dance Mall!

2008 Production Assistants

8&a1 is also proud to announce the production assistants for the 2008 Workshop!
Katherine Crorey comes to us from Trinity Valley Community College as a Cardette.
Lara Wilson comes to us from Martin High School as a Sundancer.

We are excited to have both of these dancers as Production Assistants!

The 2008 Interns

We are pleased to announce the 8&a1 Dance Workshop interns of 2008! Each of our interns were selected through an audition. 8&a1 is dedicated to giving aspiring professional dancers an opportunity to work like a pro! Each intern will assist an 8&a1 dance faculty member, perform in the faculty show-off, and will receive a customized DVD that they may use for their dance careers! Please meet our 2008 interns listed below.

Kelsey White

Kelsey White comes to us from Dance Mpact. We are pleased to have Kelsey as an intern!

Amy Ezell

Amy Ezell comes to us from Keller High School Indianettes. We are excited to have Amy as an intern!

Laura Breedlove

Laura Breedlove comes to us from Cindy's School of Dance. We are excited to have Laura as an intern.

Amy Bramlett

Amy Bramlett comes to us from Texas Christian University. We are excited to have Amy as an intern!

Brittany Bean

Brittany Bean comes to us from Motion Center for Dance in Plano and Ballet Center Fort Worth. We are excited to have Brittany as an intern!

Erin Antoville

Erin Antoville just completed her Freshman Year at Texas Tech University! We are excited to have Erin as an intern!

Faculty choreographed Las Vegas Show!

Showstopper's... Can't Stop the Beat, an 80 min Broadway Review was choreographed by our very own lyrical teacher Brad Barnes. It premiered in Spokane, WA at the Northern Quest Casino in April and has been Scheduled for a 3 month run at the Terrible's Casino in Primm, Nevada! Come take class from a working choreographer in the dance industry!

Faculty at Panoply

Summyr Whaley, owner of 8&a1 Dance Workshop, just taught/adjudicated at Panoply Arts Festival in Huntsville, Alabama where she taught classes to aspiring choreographers and dancers!

Faculty performed at Alvin Ailey!

We want to congratulate Heather Lang, the 8&a1 contemporary teacher! She performed a piece choreographed by Jason Parsons entitled The Trio on May 10, 2008 at Alvin Ailey Theatre in NYC!

8&a1 Faculty on PBS 5/8/08

Krista Saab an 8&a1 Dance Workshop faculty will be on PBS on May 8, 2008 with "Live from Lincoln Center Performance of Camelot!" We are so excited to have such talented teachers on our staff! Be sure to tune in and watch her dance on the famous Lincoln Center stage in NYC!

Come to the premiere of 8&a1 Dance Workshop on June 28, 2008 in Fort Worth, Texas! Its a dance event not to be missed!