Have you been searching for some outside the box thinking when it comes to dance conventions? Well look no further than Artists Simply Human Dance Convention, hosted by director Brahman Logan Crane. Starting ASH at the young age of 19, Crane molded an artistically expressive environment, which welcomes training and development in various dance styles. Straying from the beaten path, this convention focuses 100% on education rather than competition, in hopes of eliminating the stress of winning and the disappointment of losing. Come enjoy the bliss that comes with knowing every move may or may not be counted against you and see for yourself the supportive environment Crane has created.

Leave the score cards at the door, there are no medals or trophies

At Artists Simply Human, there is no panel of judges vigorously writing on score cards. Instead, ASH has the Performance Showcase- a closing event where students are free to perform a dance to a song of their choice. This event is designed to see who has progressed the most over the weekend, and who has applied what they learned in workshops.  When the dance is over, faculty members explain what they liked, and provide suggestions for areas of improvement. If you miss a step, don’t sweat it, they aren’t looking at errors, but how you apply what they taught to better yourself.  With this approach, the focus shifts from being on a platform during the award ceremony, to learning in a judgement-free zone. Also, since there are no awards to worry about, utilize the time to explore the surrounding area. For instance, check out the home of country music, Nashville, TN and dance to some great live music.  To see a full list of ASH events categorized by month, check out the end of the article.

No awards? Don’t’ worry there  are scholarships and an Ash Assistant Program

Before sending the students home, Artists Simply Human announces the recipients of 9 scholarship awards, (over $1,000,000 in scholarships!) in addition to who will become the next ASH Assistant. Assistants chosen from each age group receive the opportunity to tour with and be mentored by an ASH faculty member. They also perform in the Welcome and Closing show for every touring city, with a routine specifically choreographed for them by their mentor. The deciding factor for who gets to participate in these programs is based on who demonstrated the most growth over the weekend.

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Learn from a faculty of award winning choreographers, dancers and teachers from the commercial, concert and university dance worlds

Director Brahman Logan Crane is one of the youngest choreographers to win the Gold Leo’s Award for excellence in jazz choreography at the Jazz Dance World Congress in Buffalo, NY. He has worked with and choreographed dances for individuals from the Bolshoi Ballet Company and American Ballet Theatre, which are considered some of the top ballet companies in the world!  Starting Artists Simply Human with only 6 dancers and 1 choreographer, ASH now includes 12 faculty members. They visit over 20 U.S. cities, hosting each event in the city’s finest establishment (like the Cobo Center in Detroit, MI ) ensuring an unforgettable experience.

One of the 12 instructors helping Crane cultivate a non-competitive environment is Judy Rice, described by dance mom Susan Stitham as “hands down the best teacher I have ever experienced in any sport and the rest of the teachers are not far behind her.” Rice graduated from the National Ballet School of Canada and performed in the Joffrey Ballet, which is considered another world-class ballet company. With over 20 years of teaching ballet to students of all ages and levels, Rice has learned not to make barre lessons too long, too complicated or overly choreographed. Instead, she has the students focus on fewer movements so they can truly learn what their bodies should be doing instead of intimidating what they think is right and potentially learn a fundamental motion incorrectly.

Another highly regarded faculty member is DJ Smart whose versatility has earned him a number of awards like Outstanding in all styles, Opera Noir Emerging Artists Award, and 2007 National YoungArts Winner in Jazz Dance. His dance genres and specialties include ballet, contemporary, salsa, cha cha, modern, tap, jazz, modern, hip hop and aerial. In 2016, Huffington Post published an article titled “These Dancers Take Adele’s ‘Love in the Dark’ to a Magical Level,” discussing Will B. Bells’s (a well- known choreographer) music video featuring DJ Smart and Zola Williams. In the article, Bells says Smart’s dancing inspired him to take on the project and that “as a choreographer, there is nothing better than a feeling of working with dancers who you can pull and learn from. From a creative perspective, I knew these two dancers were perfect for pushing my boundaries.” To see Bells’s beautifully choreographed video featuring DJ Smart, click here.

Parents and teachers have classes too!

To show they truly care about the dancers and the influential people that help encourage their passion, Artists Simply Human makes a point to set aside time for classes and meetings with parents and teachers. During Parent Chat, Crane sits down with parents to go over the student’s progress, filling them in on what the weekend has been about. There is also a dance class designed for parents to let loose and shed a little light onto what their children are required to do on a daily basis.

For teachers, ASH provides Teacher Training, during which ASH faculty members focus on motivating and re-energizing studio instructors to increase excitement and develop new teaching methods to bring back to the studio. On Sunday’s teachers are welcome to attend breakfast with Crane and the rest of the ASH faculty. During this time, studio instructors are free to offer feedback in relation to the convention and ask the ASH faculty any questions they may have.

As a 4 out of 5 star dance convention (rated on dancecompetionhub.com, the go-to website for convention ratings) Artists Simply Human strives to provide a top-notch environment. They want to contribute to the growth and evolution of the next Vaslav Niijinsky or Martha Graham. Due to the non-competitive nature of the convention, the application of techniques taught during the workshops should be the primary focus for dancers attending this event. So, open your ears and soak it all in, but most of all don’t forget to have some fun!

October

Artists Simply Human – Orlando – Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport – Orlando, FL

Artists Simply Human – Detroit – Cobo Center – Detroit, MI

November

Artists Simply Human – Tysons Corner – Sheraton Pentagon City Hotel – Tysons Corner, VA

Artists Simply Human – Santa Clara – Hyatt Regency Santa Clara – Santa Clara, CA

January

Artists Simply Human – Nashville – Nashville Airport Marriott – Nashville, TN

Artists Simply Human – Philadelphia – Loews Philadelphia Hotel – Philadelphia, PA

Artists Simply Human – Boston – Boston Park Plaza – Boston, MA

Artists Simply Human – Provo – Utah Valley Convention Center – Provo, UT

February

Artists Simply Human – Houston – The Westin Oaks Houston at the Galleria – Houston, TX

Artists Simply Human – New Brunswick – Hyatt Regency New Brunswick – New Brunswick, NJ

Artists Simply Human – Chicago – Westin O’Hare – Chicago, IL

March

Artists Simply Human – Denver – Denver Marriott Tech Center – Denver, CO

Artists Simply Human – Birmingham – Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex – Birmingham, AL

Artists Simply Human – Pittsburgh – Sheraton Station Square – Pittsburgh, PA

Artists Simply Human – Minneapolis – Minneapolis Marriott City Center – Minneapolis, MN

April

Artists Simply Human – Greenville – Hyatt Regency Greenville – Greenville, SC

Artists Simply Human – Orange County – Hyatt Regency Orange County – Orange County, LA

Artists Simply Human – Tacoma – Greater Tacoma Convention and Trade Center – Tacoma, WA

Artists Simply Human – Jacksonville – Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort and Spa – Jacksonville, FL

**For updated tournament scheduling information, please visit Artists Simply Human Dance