#Broadway Dance Center (BDC) is a drop-in dance studio, which means you can stop by at any time and take classes from their daily schedule. #BDC offer over 350 classes weekly, taught by some of the world’s most renowned teachers and choreographers. They dedicate themselves to the international dance community, state-of-the-art studios, and are located in the heart of New York City's Theater District. BDC is the “ultimate destination for dancers around the globe." BDC is located on the first, second, and third floors (over 30,000 sq ft) at 322 West 45th Street in the heart of Times Square.
Dance studio
Although #BDC is mostly a drop-in dance studio, they also offer a variety of programs for dancers of all ages and levels. The programs include training, visa programs, children and teens, invitational programs, auditioned opportunity, summer intensives, dance educator development, and their most famous, #student performance showcase.
Each year #BDC gives their students a chance to shine on stage. They have some of the most talented young dancers performing in this showcase. But, the most amazing opportunity is for the adults. Adult dancers don’t get a lot of opportunities to shine in the #New York City dance world unless they are professionals. Yet, to be a professional, they have to start at a very young age.
Many adults did not have that privilege, but they have the passion and skills just as big as those little ones. This is where #BDC Student Showcase comes in. It is an open level, audition free, stress free environment for #adult dancers to perform.
The first step to sign-up is to look out for the open call. They have so many diverse and talented dancers that it is first come first serve.
Although the instructors are to accept as many students as they can, there is always a space limit in a studio like #BDC. Different instructors all have different styles of expertise ranging from ballet to hip-hop, as well as rehearsal times. So, the dancers have plenty to choose from.
Rehearsals and show time
Once the dancers have picked their instructors and rehearsal they need to hurry up and get registered before the spaces fill up.
In order to do that, they must get the instructor’s permission, and then pay the registration fee for the program, which is only $100 for each show, that also includes 2 tickets and $50 for the next shows that dancer wants to be in. Most adult dancers only sign up for 1, but there are those that sign up for two or more.
During rehearsals, instructors will teach choreography to the dancers while also brushing up on technique. The dancers will learn the routine over the course of three months, with 1 rehearsal per week, and 10 hours of rehearsals in total. After that, it’s show time!
#Show times are usually on the weekend. Tech rehearsal is on Saturday of that weekend. During tech rehearsal dancers get used to the stage, the venue, and test the music and lighting.
They also prepare costumes, hair and make-up. Tech rehearsals usually run for a few hours that day, and the following day is the day of the show. There are two shows on Sunday -- one at 4:30, and the second one at 8pm. The dancers are called to be at the venue by 3:45. Many dancers arrive early to get ready. It is an exciting and stressful weekend for everyone, from students to faculty, but at the end of the night, everyone is connected through dance.
