Guest Dance Instructor Matt Murphy

Thanks for On Center Performing Arts for providing this lovely bio for one of our guests dance instructors--Matthew Murphy. Matt is a Missoula native who has found acclaim as a dancer, writer and photographer. After receiving training at the North Carolina School of the Arts (he left Missoula to attend this school when he was THIRTEEN!!!!), he went on to dance in the corps de ballet of the world renowned American Ballet Theatre from 2004-2008. While there, he danced featured roles in Trey McIntyre's "Pretty Good Year," Lar Lubovitche's "Othello", Kurt Joos's "The Green Table" and countless other parts in all of the company's full length works, which he performed in countries as diverse as Japan and France.

In addition to his career as a dance, Matt has worked as a writer for Dance Spirit, Movmnt Magazine, Dance Magazine and Playbill. He has been a guest teacher for the University of Michigan dance program, has been featured as a theater expert for Playbill Radio, and has choreographed pieces in New York City and Montana. He currently works as a photographer for the New York Times. Matt's work can be seen at rantingdetails.com.

Matt taught beginning and advanced ballet techniques in a combined class with Next Step Prep students as well as students from the summer intensive program at On Center Performing Arts.

Matt leads the advanced students through movement exercises.

He helped the beginning dancers focus on preparation and stretching.



Demonstrating proper technique...


Matt was always on hand to offer correction and coaching as the students worked through the class...

Sara works hard to understand the movement...

Matt has a great personality and is incredibly creative. He really has a passion for his work...whether it be dance, photography or writing. I've had the opportunity to tune in to his blog and have been so impressed with his insight and depth. It was great to talk shop with a fellow photographer, especially another photographer who shoots live theater!!! Thanks, Matt, for your dedication, your drive, and your calm persistence to help these students develop their skills.

Week #5 Class Schedule

Get ready students...the guest you've been waiting for arrives on Saturday! I can't wait, either!

It's one thing to BE a class clown...another thing to be in a CLASS FOR clowns!!!

Meet Steve Smith. He's one of those people that lights up a room with his sheer joy for life. What a wonderful person, fantastic teacher, and mentor for the Next Step Prep students (and for your humble photographer as well). Steve taught for a few days on clown techniques. I know what you're saying...first puppets, then clowns? What do CLOWNS have to do with theater? Same answer: EVERYTHING. Timing. Teamwork. Learning to work together and not upstaging each other, or playing off each other's strengths. Practicing to nail a joke on the beat. And heck...laugh a LOT while doing it.

I just SO WISH that I could provide you sound effects from Steve. Every time he'd show a technique, lead a warm up, or just plain talk to the students, he'd make funny noises or silly gestures to emphasize his points. Talk about being entranced.

Warm ups. Steve is in INCREDIBLE shape.

Ah, yes...the old karate chop to the back technique...

Break dance moment...actually Steve was teaching how to fall correctly...

Teaching a clowing routine with Ana...


Practicing and spotting. Steve emphasized safety and communication throughout his lessons. Here Logan and Liz help with spotting while Eric (with hat) and Wynston (on the floor) work on their routine...

Giving pointers (or a finger to the ear) to Liz and Alyx...


Emphasizing timing and hitting the beat of the routine...


Nicky shares a laugh while working with Ana...


Facial expressions are classic...


Steve was just a joy to watch, and the students absolutely loved him...


Thumbs up, Eric and Wynston!!!


Steve: A dead body should be rigid. You don't see many squishy dead bodies...trust me...all part of the routine :)

A laughter exercise. Lacy starts and thinks of something very funny so that she'll giggle. She then has to make eye contact with Taylor, who waits until she is genuinely laughing and then makes eye contact with Nicky, who'll in turn make eye contact with Alyx, who'll in turn make eye contact with Trey. Steve's suggestion was that even if you weren't laughing for real, "fake it until you are"...


Guess the faking worked, because at the end there were a LOT of tired tummy muscles. I believe Nicky is screaming, "STOP IT...it HURTS!" at this point...


I love this pic of Lacy...


And this one of Sofi...the dance studio where the afternoon classes are held sometimes is a photographer's dream...great lighting...sometimes I just can't resist the candids..


A clown is not a clown unless there are suspenders involved. I think it's part of the code.


Leading an "orchestra"...again, a moment where sound would be SO helpful for the blog!



This would be Liz and Nicky crashing cymbals...


Final pep talk. Steve understands these students so well, their dreams, their ambitions, and their inner drive to be the best they can be. He gave such wonderful advice...the best of all..."work as hard as you can at what you love and you will NEVER be unhappy". Too true.

Steve and Greg at the end of the day...

Thanks Steve! We were so blessed to have you as a part of Next Step Prep! Hope you had fun at the lake and safe travels back to Florida!

Critique with Jason Robert Brown

On the morning of July 10th, several students were invited to perform for Jason Robert Brown and receive feedback, critique, and suggestions from this wonderful instructor. As always, Jason interjected his particular brand of humor, style, and honesty into his critiques.


Here, after making it through the entire critique, Jason notices that Sara is clenching her hands...he points this out to her in a humorous way...

Jason worked with the students to really understand the lyrics to the songs they were performing, stepping into the role of their character. In order to personalize the songs, he had the students imagine themselves as the character in the song, where they might be, what they might be doing. Ana related her song to a time where she was at a sleepover with a friend. With that, Jason had her sit on the floor and act as if she were in the room with her friend.


Jason giving some pointers...

Nicky starting his performance...


What's with the floor theme this year, anyway? I seem to recall this happened to Alyx in voice class as well!


After the critiques were over, the students were again treated to a Q&A session with Jason, where they were free to ask any questions they wished. Jason was able to tell them a little bit about how he became a composer, the challenges he faced, the inner resolve and competitiveness that he discovered about himself, and most of all, the drive to continue on with his goals despite misgivings or obstacles he encountered.

Thank you, Jason!

Week #4 Next Step Prep Class Schedule

Evening Rehearsal with Jason Robert Brown

This was another "WOW" night. Next Step Prep was honored to host Jason Robert Brown as a guest instructor for three days. Jason has an impressive resume (click here to read it) and had a lot of honest, straightforward feeback to the students. As an outside observer, I would have to say the students were in awe.

What's with the gingerbread house, you ask? MCT was staging a production of Hansel and Gretel that week, so the students rehearsed on the set.


Greg picked Jason up at the airport at 5:30 pm, got him quick bite to eat and a quick check-in at the hotel, then off to a rehearsal in the theater at 7:30. Talk about stamina!


Jason has a great way of interacting with the students. A lot of laughs were shared...


I wish my camera had video on it...Jason was all over the stage, keeping time with hands, feet and vocals. I believe he was doing a little beat-boxing at this moment...


Jason was auditioning students for solo parts in the piece, writing down everyone's name and laughing at the number of unconventionally-spelled names...like Sofi...Wynston...Alyx...Petrea...he thought this was pretty funny...


Each student then sang a solo of "Happy Birthday" to Jason, and he rated their abilities based on these performances. He was happy with the vocals of the group overall.



Here, the boys prepare to sing. Since there are only six boys compared to nineteen girls, Jason suggested they take a moment to regroup themselves. This was referred to as the "testosterone huddle". Pretty entertaining...

Following these mini-auditions, Jason took a quick break to talk to the students about the reality of auditions. He gave fantastic feedback that all the students did very well, but in reality, the people behind the casting table are often looking for specific qualities for a specific part (so, for example, if they wanted a tall, blonde woman who could belt out her vocals, anyone who was a brunette was out of the running, but not based on talent alone...). It was good feedback for the students to hear, especially at this stage of their lives where so many things during an audition could be taken so personally. He even told the students that despite this advice tonight, the students would probably forget what he'd told them and would personlize this rejection anyway, so I made a point to include it here, just so they can remember long after Next Step Prep has shuttered its doors this summer.

What a spectacular opportunity for these kids!


And a special THANKS to Lizzie Webb for being such a spectacular accompianist!