ICON of the Year

ICON OF THE YEAR!!!! AN AMAZING HONOR!!!!! --My Last Blog Post! ;(

2011-05-18T14:40:00.000-07:00

As you can see, our experiences at ICON these past few months have not been all about dance per say, but it is thru dance, that these situations occurred. I have learned so much about my ICON family and myself in just these past few months. Thru ICON, I have learned positive qualities, that I know will guide me not only dance, but in my life situations for my future. At ICON, we are learning how to be STRONG, LOVING, ENCOURAGING, CONSOLING, HELPFUL, KIND, SUPPORTIVE, DETERMINED, AND DEDICATED individuals, and in addition, I think we are pretty AWESOME dancers as well! LOL!

With that being said, I COULD NOT BE MORE PROUD OR MORE HONORED TO REPRESENT ICON DANCE COMPLEX THIS YEAR, 2010/2011, AS ICON OF THE YEAR!!!!!!!!
THANK YOU! THANK YOU! TO BETH, GEO AND THE WHOLE HUBELA AND SOTTILE FAMILY FOR HONORING ME WITH THIS UNFORGETTABLE AWARD! IT IS SOMETHING I WILL CHERISH FOREVER AND EVER!!!!! I HAVE GROWN IN SO MANY WAYS THIS YEAR AND IT’S ALL BECAUSE OF YOU! I’M SOOO THANKFUL FOR THIS EXPERIENCE!
I SOOOOOO CAN’T WAIT TO FIND OUT WHO WILL BE THE NEXT ICON OF THE YEAR AND GET TO HAVE THIS AMAZING HONOR AND UNBELIEVABLE EXPERIENCE AS I HAVE!!!!!!
HHHMMM???? CAN I HAVE A HINT??? ;)

HAPPY 5TH ANNIVERSARY ICON DANCE COMPLEX!
HAVE FUN AT THE RECITAL EVERYONE!

My Girly Alexis!!!!!!!!! (Blog 4 of my last 5 blog posts!)

2011-05-18T14:37:00.000-07:00

Last week the ICON companies attended the USTD Regional Competition in Lancaster Pennsylvania. Though we won many GOLD and HIGH GOLD awards, it was a certain situation that truly fulfilled my Regional experience. To start, once again, Beth worked soooo very hard to have us prepared for the competition. It was Thursday night and Thursdays around ICON have become an EXCITING night to say the least! So everyone was psyched for competition, and psyched to watch the Boyz at 10pm! But nothing could prepare us for an unexpected bump in the road! My girl Alexis… she truly ROCKS!

This year she took on two extra dance classes to replace another dancer. Alexis was dedicated and worked so hard and many hours to prepare for these new dances. In an unfortunate minute, a split second to say the least, Alexis got kicked with full force right in her face. It immediately blew up and bruised. She was in much pain! She iced it and truly took on the injury so bravely. I’m not talking just a little kick, Alexis’s eye was swollen like you wouldn’t believe and her head was pounding. Boyz, I just want you to know, she insisted on staying and watching your performance on ABDC in all that pain before she went to the hospital…she’s too much! She soon went to the ER and got a cat scan done and they found a slight concussion. She was very sad and in very much pain! But what does my girl do???? The next day, in much pain, she begs her mom, packs her bags, and suffers a 3 hour ride to Lancaster to support us girls!!!!! OMG! I couldn’t believe it!! I was SOOOOOO HAPPYYY she was coming! I quickly decorated our eye patch from our pirate costume for her. When I first saw her I wanted to cry… sorry Lex, your eye looked terrible! She couldn’t even open it and see out of it! Everyone just felt her pain! It was then that I once again realized what an amazing group of girls we have in our company. Aside from needing Lex in one of our lifts, nobody was worried about how our dances would look; everyone was worried about Alexis’s health. Ironically, Alexis was worried about the dances and letting her group down! WOWWWWW! I was in awe of her dedication! Guess what? She decided to dance our Karla Garcia small group dance. The judges said she could just mark her spots and no points would be taken off. Well, my girl, seeing out of only one eye, went all out 100%!!!!!!! She was unbelievable! I look up to Alexis in so many ways! She was soo determined, I was just so proud of her! I had tears in my eyes when we finished the dance. Can you believe that we won not only a HIGH GOLD award, but the choreography award as well!!... but I have to say, it wasn’t the awards, it was the unbelievable qualities that I saw in Alexis that day that truly made my Regional experience an unforgettable one!

We are here for you Michelle! (blog 3 of 5 of my last blog posts)

2011-05-18T14:35:00.000-07:00

What some of our boyz may not have known is that this past month, we all experienced the devastating death of a brother of one of our company members. Michelle’s eleven year old brother tragically passed away on a family vacation over Spring Break. This has been so very sad for Michelle and her family. Michelle is so sweet and nice, my heart just broke and still breaks that her and her family have to suffer such a tragedy. Our ICON family once again came together as a bunch of us girls stopped by Michelle’s house and spent the day with her, and throughout the week, Beth and our parents supported her family. I went home that day and sat on my bed and realized how we are truly there for each other in good times and in bad, and we can depend on each other in any situation that is thrown our way. We are all sooo very lucky to have each other! With that being said, I’d like to ask all ICONers, and everyone else reading this blog, to please remember Michelle and her family in your prayers, they will continue to need our love and support.

xoxoxox

I'd like to personally send a HUGE SHOUT OUT to the ICONic Boyz (2 of my last 5 blog posts)

2011-05-18T14:32:00.000-07:00

First off, I have to say, you can’t imagine how I have this empty feeling with you all not here. I say this sincerely, not a day goes by that you are not on my mind or you come up in my conversations, all good ;). I enjoy watching all the amazing videos of you all. I think it’s hysterical and even a bit creepy… lol… how some of your crazy fans are! Even I have received tons of Facebook friend requests from your fans... It’s CRAZY! In addition, my heart truly breaks when I hear the negative comments about you guys! I know it is part of the business, but I just want to cry when I read such hurtful things! I know the real ICONic Boyz!

You are sweet, kind, sincere, dedicated, and I know you would do anything for anyone, especially your ICON family, and especially your ICONic Girlz! I am soooo going to cry when I see you guys for the first time when you come back!! I wanted to have a Great Adventure ICON day and ICON Pool Party, but it just wouldn’t be the same without you guys here… when you come back, we’re on! Continue to REPRESENT!! I couldn’t be more proud of you all!

Emotional and Exciting (1 of 5 last blog posts for the year)

2011-05-18T14:29:00.000-07:00

As I sat down to write my last blogs of the year as ICON of the YEAR 2010/2011, I can’t help but be emotional... not because the year is ending, but because the year has been truly AMAZING and UNFORGETTABLE! I can make a list of a handful of unbelievably fun dance opportunities and experiences that have been offered to me this year, but I have to say, I have been most inspired by some of the most unique situations that have occurred just being part of the ICON family in the past few months.

To begin, sending GEO and our boyz out to LA this spring was a HUGE undertaking to say the least! What many may not know and understand, unless you are a part of ICON, is this unconditional love that is just unexplainable with all the people of ICON. While we were beyond excited for this experience to happen, each and every one at ICON, especially Beth and our Junior Company, has been personally and emotionally affected by the absence of our boyz. We miss them soooo much!

We are together every day dancing, and we all work as a team. Beth had to hold us all together, and continue keeping us a team, even with them all missing. It is not easy to do, emotionally, physically, and socially, things are not the same! Not only has Beth had to run a business of over 600 dancers, but she had to take on the full responsibility of all our Company dances. From costumes and rehearsals, to competition and the recital, this is a huge job!!!!! Beth has done such an amazing job! I am truly inspired by Beth and the Hubela Family on how they come together and make things work. Each has their own responsibility, and each helps out the other when in need. The Hubela Family unit is quite unique and I think that’s why so many LOVE being part of the ICON family they created. I LOVEEEE BEING IN THE ICON FAMILY!!

ABDC EXCITEMENT! Look out LA!!! ICONic Boyz will be in the HOUSE VERY SOON!!!!!!!!!

2011-03-23T06:43:00.000-07:00

So, while on my awesome trip to Myrtle Beach with GEO and some ICONic Kidz,

GEO once again surprised me at dinner. He told me that he decided to take the ICONic Girlz on an audition… but not just any audition, it was for ABDC!!!! I was like, “um YEAH!!” I was sooooo excited! It was the week before the audition, yes, week before that’s the way GEO rolls… LOL! And we all showed up for our first practice. It was pathetic, Gianna and I just, like that minute, were overtaken by the stomach flu, Brittany was fighting a sinus infection, and Alexis pulled a muscle in her leg. Well, that was a great start… LOL! Poor Mikayla and Sarah, they were feeling great… LOL! We decided to push the practice up until Wednesday. To add to the craziness, a huge snowstorm decides to arrive all day and night Wednesday. At 9:00pm Wednesday night, I got a call, “Come on over!” Believe it or not, I was sleeping, still not 100%, but I quickly woke up and was ready in 2 seconds! I couldn’t wait to get started on this dance! We practiced that night and it was sooo much fun. We all knew it was going to be a snow day the next day, so we weren’t in any hurry. Well, we kinda were in a hurry, LOL, the audition was on Saturday. Well, Saturday came and we all were excited. We all knew that it was such a crazy week, that we just wanted to enjoy the day. When it was our turn to go, us GIRLZ knew nothing was gonna hold us back from doing our absolute BEST! We were psyched! OMG! WE GOT THRU TO THE NEXT AUDITION ROUND!... AND SO DID OUR BOYZ…OMG!

That night was probably the craziest night of our lives. We truly just danced and danced and danced. We all arrived early Sunday morning, and headed to the city… OMG! ONCE AGAIN WE BOTH MADE IT THROUGH TO THE NEXT ROUND! When we arrived back to ICON, the parents had organized an awesome celebration for the GIRLZ and BOYZ. It was sooooo much fun! We ate and watched videos of the weekend, and of course, danced and danced! We just had the best time all together! We ended the night doing each other’s dances, it was hysterical! We all couldn’t stop laughing! I truly, once again, had “THE TIME OF MY LIFE!”

AND THE ICING ON THE CAKE………

THE ICONic BOYZ will be “REPRESENTING” ON ABDC

IN LOS ANGELES!!!!!!...THEY MADE THE TOP 10!!

I soo can’t wait for Thursday night (10pm) parties at ICON…hope that’s ok with you GEO …or should I say Michael?... LOL!

Congratulations to GEO and his new ICONic GEAR!

2011-03-23T06:38:00.000-07:00

So I think everyone at ICON knows the importance of COOL gear when dancing… actually, most of us like cool gear all the time . Well, lucky for us, GEO stays on top of it for us. Recently GEO took creating and selling clothes to the next level. If you go to the site, www.threaderstyle.com, you can see a list of many ABDC crews and their gear. Click on “ICONic” and check out GEO’s newest HIPHOPGEO gear. I’m sooooo psyched my mom let us order one of each. We couldn’t decide which one we liked best  Hey GEO, Kara has a question… ”Are you going to have children sizes soon?”  Well, sending a big CONGRATS to you GEO!... so excited for you!

Passion and Energy… Karla Garcia

2011-03-23T06:36:00.001-07:00

This month we were honored to have been taught by SYTYCD contestant, Karla Garcia. I was so excited to take the open class taught by her. Karla has this unique way about her moves, which I can only describe as tons of passion and amazing energy. This is my first year learning Contemporary, and I have LOVED every minute of it. Throughout the year, we have learned all different types, and I can’t even decide which I love the best, I truly LOVE them all. I think of Contemporary as like an “anything goes” type of dance, and learning from different choreographers just makes it more intriguing. This month I will have the opportunity to work with Karla again and I just can’t wait!! Have you ever danced or taken a class with Karla? Tell me about it?

Ticket Sales… OMG! ICON V will be here in no time!!!!!... I CAN’T WAIT!!!!!!!!

2011-03-23T06:35:00.000-07:00

April 10^th is such an exciting day! Tickets for our recital go on sale! I’m just so excited for our recital! That whole weekend is just sooooo fun, exciting, amazing, ummm, like every great word I can think of . I’m sure everyone feels the same. We have some really awesome dances this year, and it’s just so fun to perform them all. When it’s over on Sunday, I actually wish we could do it all again, seriously! Last year I invited my school teacher and his wife to come. They both insisted that our show was like seeing a Broadway show, and they had seen a lot of shows! So if you go to ICON, or you just want to come out and enjoy a fantastic few hours of great dancing, go to www.icondancecomplex.com and find out how to get some tix! Hope to see you there!

USTD… HERE WE COME!

2011-03-23T06:33:00.000-07:00

Spring is finally here! Most are excited because of the nice weather, but I’m excited because this time of the year is crazily busy with dance stuff! Competition time is just around the corner. This year we are going to Regionals in May. I’m so excited. I have a handful of different dances going to competition. In total, at Nationals, I will be competing in 10 group dances and 2 solos! I sooooo can’t wait! We’ve been working really hard lately with a few dances in particular, I can’t wait for us all to perform them, it’s going to be a blast! Which dance have you had the most fun with this year? Have you seen any other dances? I saw the Mini Tech Company’s Jazz dance the other day… LOVED IT!!!!!

Rock on and hear me.

xoxo Katie

The Silly Game of ICONic Friends….Continued….

2011-02-08T07:36:00.000-08:00

The first word that comes to mind when I hear your name…

Alex Rubiano…………………CUTE!

Julian………………………….LOVE HIM!

Gab Nagrowski……………..BFF!!!!!

Francesca……………………HILARIOUS!
Jade…………………………TOOO MUCH!

Ava………………………….ADORABLE!

Mikey F…………………….SPIKEY!

Danielle Galipo………….BEAUTIFUL!

Mikayla……………………SISTER!

Abigayle…………………FUNNY!

Angelica D………………DANCE COUTURE!

Saige………………………FLASHDANCE!

Allie A……………………NUTS!

Alexis H…………………ALEXAS!

Nick R……………………AWESOME HAIR!!! (like your brother!)

Breanna…………………FIRE ALARM!

Bri…………………………HIP HIP!

Steph……………………DOLLS!

John……………………HORIZ-ICONS!

Jared…………………MOHAWK!

SHOWSTOPPER WORKSHOP…..IN MYRTLE BEACH!!!

2011-02-08T07:32:00.000-08:00

This weekend, GEO taught at a Showstopper workshop in Myrtle Beach. Sarah, Mikayla, Nick, Jason, Thomas, Julian, and I helped GEO teach soooo many amazing classes! Everyone there had a great time!! It is such a fun experience to teach kids who are younger and even older than me! On Saturday night, we went to a disco party at a club! Of course, we all rocked it in the freestyle circle!! That was the best! I’m actually really starting to LOVE freestyling!! Can you believe it??!!

Afterwards, we went out to eat at the Hardrock Café. I thought we were going to relax and eat, but instead, we danced even more!!There was a band on the stage and when “Boom Boom Pow” came on, Julian did his little glides to stage and started freestyling in front of everyone in the Hardrock Café!! Then Mikayla went up, then Sarah, then Nick, then me, then Thomas. It was sooo much fun just dancing up there. Everyone had their video cameras and cameras with them. Who knows, it could be on YouTube right now and I don’t even know it! Everyone was taking sooooo many pictures and videos!! Kids of all ages had us signing autographs all weekend! I was even signing arms!!

It was a truly amazing and unforgettable weekend. I seriously had “THE TIME” of my life! LOL!   Have you ever attended any dance workshops? If so, which ones? I’d love to hear all about it!

The Pulllllsssse!...A Weekend of FUN!!

2011-02-08T07:27:00.000-08:00

Not that I looked forward to getting back to school, lol, but I knew after that first week of classes, I had an awesome weekend to look forward to. On January 7^th, I headed out to Atlantic City early, in hopes to beat the snow storm, and get a good night’s sleep before the busy weekend. I had a fab dinner at Carmine’s (dry pasta and a dry meatball)! It was de-lish!! Then, I soon made my way to the Sheraton.

We’ve had so many ICON happenings there in the past few years; I’m getting really used to the hotel!! It was so nice to pull in and see so many ICONers already there and ready to have fun! Oh, and let me not forget to mention, from my room, I could see you (John, Gab, Nikki) pull up to the door, in your stretchhhhhhhh limo!!... LOL!

Saturday began with a stretching workout, and then all the classes began. I LOVED them all! My favorite was Tyce’s lyrical class. It was more of a fast lyrical, which I thought was sooooooo cool. At night, we were excited to get to perform SCREAM!! I just love that dance! It never gets old!

As long as the costumes fit, I hope we do it for the next few years… LOL! Everyone said we blew the faculty away! They were jamming and screaming the whole time for us. I’m so glad we could represent ICON, and GEO and BETH, with such an amazing number. During the Awards Ceremony, we won a special award for our dance.

In addition to the night being amazing, GEO surprised me and I truly wanted to SCREAM! He asked me if I would come to SHOWSTOPPERS (the next weekend) in Myrtle Beach, and help him teach. I was so excited; I didn’t even know what to say! But it was all set up, and my parents knew about it, and they were already planning the weekend ahead. I couldn’t wait!! Along with Mikayla, Sarah, Nick, Jason, Thomas, and Julian, I knew it had to be a fun-filled trip for sure!!!!!!!!!! Oh, and I don’t want to forget to congratulate all the ICONers for winning soooo many amazing scholarships at the Pulse. I’m soooooo proud of you guys!! 

Did you attend THE PULSE? Which choreographer did you like the best? More importantly, which clothes did you buy?? 

January at ICON!!

2011-02-08T07:21:00.000-08:00

Well, the first month of the year is here, and that means business. Everyone at ICON is buckling down for the year ahead. Dances, solos, duets, trios, costumes, Regionals, it’s a busy time for everyone! But sooooooo very exciting! I started working on my solos a bit more, and flipping through magazines for costumes. It’s so hard, I LOVE everything! I’m so excited at this time of the year, everything starts to come together, and it’s just so much funnnnn! The only problem I truly have at this time is that there isn’t enough time in a day!! I have so much to do and sooooo little time. But I guess I’ll make it work. According to my mom, I have to prioritize… and I do…

DANCE
Everything else….

She doesn’t always agree… LOL!!!!

So, what’s going on for you this year? How do you “prioritize” things? Tell me about it…

AND THE WINNER IS...

2011-01-18T06:22:00.000-08:00

OMG! I just found out the winner of the ICON of HOPE project, and before I offer my CONGRATULATIONS, I want to say a huge “THANK YOU!!!!” to all who participated in the ICON of HOPE project. From beautiful drawings, to the very generous donations, the project was an amazing success! It is so nice that so many of you came out and took some extra time (which I know is hard to find) to help a great cause. With that being said, I would like to personally CONGRATULATE Becky Colson!! Becky, your picture is just amazing! When I first saw it, I was in awe!! It is truly a beautiful piece of artwork. After being displayed at the Monmouth Library this month, it is going to be on a special display at ICON Dance Complex, as the “ICON” for the ICON of HOPE project.

“Thank You” and “Wishes for a New Year” cards are going to be specially made in honor of your picture. The cards will be sent to the children of St. Jude, as well as everyone involved in the project. Personally, I am going to enlarge the picture, frame it, and hang it in my room!!  It is just so beautiful, and represents so much that ICON has done for me. Once again, Congratulations Becky!! You have an amazing talent, and we are all so happy that you used it for our project!! Check it out!! 

A silly Game…My ICONic Friends

2010-12-28T11:20:00.000-08:00

So I decided to do something fun with my blog this month. I put everyone’s name in the ICONic Company in a basket. I pulled out the first 20, and as soon as my sister Sam read their name, I said the first word (or 2) that came to my head… these were my results :)

Thomas…………”RED SHIRT”

Christopher (Sottile)……”CUTEEEEE!”

Soroya…………..”GYMNAST”

Jacqueline……..”CURLY HAIR”

Michelle………..”GRACEFUL”

Emily……………”BROKEN ARM”

Leona……………”HIGH KICKER”

Nick Mara………”MINI GEO”

Maile……………..”GREAT AT CONTEMPORARY”

Tori Grassi…….”SWEET!”

Tristan………….”AWESOME HAIR”

Alyssa D…………”FUNNY”

Danielle Guzzo…”SOOOOO NICE!”

Madison………….”JUST SO COOL!”

Steph………………”STRONG”

Chris Corradino…”TEXTER”

Louis………………”TECHNO HOODIE”

Mich………………..”ALICE”

Gabby D………….”COWBOYS”

Vinny……………..”GRAND”

So, what do you think?... Agree, disagree, any additional words for anyone…let me know your thoughts… good and bad, LOL!!

(I will continue picking out of my hat for my January blog…stay tuned ;) )

HAVE A GREAT HOLIDAY EVERYONE…AND DON’T FORGET TO TUNE INTO Paula Abdul’s LIVE TO DANCE premiere Tuesday January 8^th on CBS…Check out our AWESOME ICONic Boyzzzzzzzzzzzzz!!... soooo excited!!

Last week before break!!... BEST WEEK EVER!

2010-12-28T10:24:00.000-08:00

Adding more excitement to the month, GEO let us have a Pajama Day this past Monday. Everyone LOVES Pajama Day, and looked so so cute! Check out my pictures and you can see how everyone goes all out for these special days. In addition to wearing pajamas, we also played tons of games! We had relay races, Limbo, and even a silly Cookie contest; where you had to get the cookie from your forehead into your mouth… too bad I don’t like cookies ! But it was really funny to watch! GEO was pretty good at it! I think everyone would agree that we were all soooo sad when our hour of class ended. We all could’ve stayed there all night. On Tuesday, which was my last day of dance before the break, I was sooo sad to say goodbye to my friends. It’s going to be a WHOLE week and a half before I see some of them again!! I don’t think I can go that long! I love them and I love dancing… what am I going to do!!

Well, one thing we can all look forward to is January 8 – 10. We will all be spending every minute together at the Pulse workshop in Atlantic City. Hope to see you all there… who’s going? If you’re in Atlantic City that weekend, come and check out our SCREAM routine Saturday night at the Sheraton! See you there!

THE BEST TIME!!… ICON’S HOLIDAY GALAAAAAA!

2010-12-28T10:20:00.000-08:00

Once again, ICON’s Holiday Gala was soooooo much fun! We all just literally DANCE the whole night! I truly love all my friends at ICON, and just hanging with them all night long was just the BEST! There was an awesome free-style circle going on most of the night. You should see some of the ICON dancers out there! GEO and Beth definitely have their work cut out for them in the next few years… those little ones were GREAT!! They were only about 5 to 7 years old and they could DANCE!! I think there was even a 4 year old that went out in the middle of the circle and he started break dancing! They were so fun and cute to watch. Even my little sister Kara went out in the circle!!... she has more nerve than me!!... LOL!

A few hours into the Gala, the DJ played, “DECK THE HALLS” from Glee, and we got to surprise everyone with a Cheer Funk Flash Mob dance… it was so exciting! Soon after, the whole ICONic Company covered the dance floor with another Flash Mob to “JINGLE BELLS” from Glee also. It was so cool… the ICON dancers ranged from age 5 to 18, all doing the same dance! There truly is nothing like ICON!

Were you there? What was your favorite part of the night? Who’s dress was your favorite?...LOL…I loved Beth’s! 

ICON OF HOPE CONTEST

2010-12-28T10:17:00.000-08:00

The night of Chris’s open was also the last night of the ICON of Hope Contest. OMG! I couldn’t believe the drawings that were submitted. If you haven’t seen them, ask Karen at the front desk to take a look at the album. They were all soooo creative! I just couldn’t believe the time and effort that everyone put into their pictures. So far, we have raised over $2000.00 for St. Jude Children’s Hospital!! I am so very thankful for everyone that donated and participated.

I think GEO and Beth were surprised to see that their students can not only dance, but draw too!! I know many of you are still wondering about the contest winner, but because there were so many amazing drawings, ICON was deciding on choosing more than one winner. We should all know very soon!!

DECEMBER ROCKS AT ICON!!!!!!!!

2010-12-28T10:14:00.000-08:00

The month of December was just AMAZING at ICON! We started out the first Thursday with a Contemporary class run by Chris Smith. All of the proceeds from the open class were donated towards ICON’s annual donation to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital. The class was soooo fun! I LOVE Chris’s choreography! He always comes up with things that are totally out of the box! Chris and I are currently working on my Contemporary solo and I love it! It is sooo much fun, though I have to work on my cardio! The dance is sooo packed and busy, I’m out of breath when I just run it through my head in my bed at night…LOL! It is really a unique dance; I can’t wait to bring it to competition! Anyone else enjoying Contemporary this year? Any suggestions on how I can catch my breath during my routine?... LOL!

I cannot WAIT! It's coming in just a month!

2010-11-05T08:41:00.001-07:00

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!!!!!!

**DECEMBER 11, 2010**

ICON’S ANNUAL HOLIDAY GALA

SOLO PRACTICE HAS BEGUN

2010-11-05T08:40:00.000-07:00

I’m so ecstatic to be starting up my solo practices this week!! I have decided to do a lyrical solo dance and a contemporary solo dance. So far, I LOVE what I’ve been taught. Has anyone else started on their solos, duos, or trios? Was it hard picking your song? Tell me about it…

MOMMY AND ME CLASSES AT ICON… MY BROTHER DREW triiiieeeeddd IT!

2010-11-05T08:39:00.000-07:00

So Thursday mornings at ICON are even more exciting than usual. They now are running a MOMMY and ME class for ages 2 and up. My little brother, who just turned 3, TRIED it out. My mom said all he wanted to do was dance and look at himself in the mirror. I have to say, he is the youngest of 4, and the only boy, so he is VERY spoiled. Structure and him don’t go together yet… LOL! We are going to give him some more time to learn how to take turns, before he starts his debut as a dancer again. My mom said maybe he’ll try again soon. So if you happen to go and see a really cute boy, whose not really listening to directions, say “HI” to my brother Drew… LOL!!

ICON’S HALLOWEEN PARTY

2010-11-05T08:38:00.000-07:00

So ICON had their first ever ADULT Halloween Party this year. They decked out the dance studio with all Halloween decorations. I saw pictures from the party and I just had to post…GEO AND BETH LOOK AWESOME!!!!! Check them out! (can’t wait til I’m 21!) … LOL!

HOPE FOR CHILDREN FOUNDATION… NOVEMBER 19TH, 2010 CHECK OUT “NINE”

2010-11-05T08:37:00.000-07:00

I am sooooooo very excited this month to be performing our routine “NINE.” I LOVE LOVE LOVE this dance! It is just so fun and energetic! Every year ICON performs at a fundraiser for the Hope for Children Foundation. This is my first year performing for the fundraiser and I can’t wait! It is a black tie event/benefit, and it is held at the Ocean Place Resort & Spa in Long Branch, NJ. I love doing these performances for special causes. I’m especially excited to be performing our Jazz company routine. I was hoping Nationals wasn’t going to be the last place we would perform it. It was one of my favorites. The whole company (Senior’s, Junior’s, Mini’s, and even the Boys) perform this dance. It’s A LOT of fun! Anyone else agree NINE is one of your favorites?

PROJECT OF HOPE…

2010-11-05T08:34:00.000-07:00

IT’S FUN! IT’S EASY! AND IT MEANS SO MUCH!

I, along with GEO and Beth, are working on an amazing project this fall. We are hoping to raise money, awareness, and raise the spirits for the children of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. If you are interested in participating, all you have to do is draw a picture of a dance scene on an 8 1/2 X 11 piece of paper. Write only the words, “ICON OF HOPE” on the paper, and hand into the front desk at ICON Dance Complex, with a $5 donation for the cause. We are going to create a video montage of all the artwork, and present it to the children of St. Jude with our donations. The winner of the contest, chosen by GEO and Beth, will have their drawing used as ICON’s holiday card. I’m sure everyone will love that! The contest ends December 2nd, so please get your drawings in ASAP!!!!!! Also, spread the word to all your friends at school too, anyone can enter!! I can’t wait to see your drawings! You can find out more information at www.icondancecomplex.com or feel free to ask me any questions right here on my blog. 

I Heard You Say, "Hey, Hey!"

2010-11-05T08:30:00.002-07:00

October 23^rd was a great day! The weather was unusually beautiful, and could not be more perfect for a football game. ICONic was asked to dance during the halftime show for Kean University’s Homecoming game. Before the game we got to see all the fraternities and sororities hanging out, and college looked soooooo fun! Kean gave us really neat T-shirts to wear for the performance and they matched perfectly with our traditional “ICON blue.” After our performance, several of the people in the stands were giving us high-fives, and clapping. My mom said she heard someone in the crowd say, “WOW! Those kids can dance!” I think the performance went well! Great weather, great football, and great dancing… I think EVERYONE enjoyed the day!

Was anyone at the game that day? I would love to do that again… hmmm… what other college would you like ICONic to perform at?...any ideas?

By the way, check out the picture of the cool Kean scoreboard… constructed by our very own, Elizabeth Barry’s dad!!... GO JIM BARRY!

I Heard You Say, "Hey, Hey!"

2010-11-05T08:30:00.000-07:00

By the way, check out the picture of the cool Kean scoreboard… constructed by our very own, Elizabeth Barry’s dad!!... GO JIM BARRY!

A Special Thanks!

2010-09-23T08:07:00.000-07:00

Just when I thought my night couldn’t get better, GEO and Beth surprised me with an amazing gift…business cards for being ICON OF THE YEAR!! I love them! It was so nice and thoughtful of them to think of me. I am soooo thankful!! If you see me at the studio, ask me for a card!! In addition, Elizabeth Barry, ICON’s very own PR representative, sent me the most thoughtful card and a book called, “Live, Love, Laugh, Dance.” It truly made me feel so special! I put it all, along with some business cards, in a special box I have that I call, “My ICONic Memories!” It’s filling up so fast! This weekend I actually had to get a new box! Yup, at ICON, the special moments and memories just keep on coming!! …I love it there!

Talk about a workout. NICK Gonzalez is Crazzzzzzyyyyyy!!! (In a good way!) LOL

2010-09-23T08:03:00.000-07:00

Thursday, September 16^th at ICON was crazy! First, that night was my first CHEER FUNK class, so I was so psyched! Then, at 8:30pm, the craziness started. Nick Gonzalez was in the house, running the first open class of the year. Everyone has been so excited about new classes and new dances all week, but I don’t think anyone was ready for what was in store in the next 1 ½ hours. We started with some really fun warm-ups. Then he began teaching a routine. It was sooo crazily fast, fun, and full of energy. The whole place was literally sweating! But nobody could stop dancing! Nick kept the energy level so high, we all just wanted to keep going and going with the routine. At open, there are so many different aged kids and adults, and all dance at different levels. Nick brought EVERYONE in the house to the advanced level. You had no choice!!...LOL! It was just so funnnnn! It’s really exciting when GEO comes into the class and we can show him what we learned. I think he was impressed! Don’t worry GEO, as much as I enjoyed Nick, nothing beats your opens!!

Was anyone there that night? Have you taken any master classes here or at your dance studio? Tell me about it!

OOOOMMMMGGGG! CHEER FUNK!!!!

2010-09-23T07:56:00.000-07:00

Ok, so, I like begged my mom for the past 2 years to take CHEER FUNK, and she always said I had a packed schedule and it was enough. Well, this year she FINALLY let me take it. OMG!!!!!!!! I LOVE IT!!!!!!!! It was so fun! Beth started with a really fun warm-up. We worked out, did some jumps, and then the real excitement began. She put on a song called “Getting Over You” and started teaching us the coolest dance! It was so fun and so energetic!!!! I will NEVER listen to my mom again!! LOL!! I will be signed up for CHEER FUNK forever. Anyone else feel the same? Let’s chat about it! Hmmmm… what song do you think Beth will pick to dance to next week?

The First Week of ICON. It was a Blast!

2010-09-23T07:54:00.000-07:00

Well, the year has begun at ICON and I LOVE it!! My week started with Hip Hop with Geo and ballet with a new teacher named Casey Hill. Geo’s class was, of course, soooo fun as always! Casey is so nice and pretty and totally knows her ballet! I’m so excited to perfect my skills with her. Jumps, Leaps and Turns and Acro with Brant was another plus this week and I look forward to strength training in these classes and improving all my technique. Lyrical with Giselle, Contemporary with Chris, and Jazz with Beth, were all awesome classes too! I can’t wait to start learning new dances! This week I had my first ever Contemporary class and I truly loved it. We learned that there are several different kinds of Contemporary dances and I’m looking forward to learning each one. This week was Contemporary Hip Hop, so we ALL loved doing it! Overall, it was a fabulous week of DANCE!! Do you go to ICON? What was your favorite class? Tell me about it!

10 More Days til ICON Opens for 2010/2011!! SOOOO CAN'T WAIT!!

2010-09-03T16:07:00.000-07:00

It’s been only about a week since I’ve been in ICON, and I’m just dying to get back there. A week feels like a year when you love something so much! My dance schedule is all set and I can’t wait to start learning, dancing, and improving my skills. I can’t wait to see who is in all my classes! It’s almost like school starting on the first day. Except with ICON, I can’t wait to go back! With school, I can’t wait til summer already...LOL!! I know it’s going to be a fabulous year with ICON (and school  ). I’m actually happy September is here to get started on all the new adventures for the year ahead. I’m actually already signing up for The Pulse Workshop on January 8-9! That is going to be an awesome weekend! I can’t wait to go back to Atlantic City and just literally DANCE the whole weekend. Every minute, every hour, every day…ALL DANCE…soooooo can’t wait! Have you ever gone? Tell me about it!

"Bieber Fever" at ICON!

2010-09-03T16:05:00.000-07:00

Yes, we all had the Bieber Fever on Saturday, August 28 at ICON Dance Complex. Justin Bieber’s tour dancers, Kanec (a.k.a. Anthony Carr) and Mike Vargas taught an amazing master class! The line was out the door when we arrived, everyone was so excited! The class was great and everyone enjoyed the dance that was taught. A bunch of the dancers at the workshop were then headed to Newark, to see the Justin Bieber concert. The day psyched everyone up for the night! Justin Bieber ROCKS!! Did anyone see the concert? How was it? And how were his back-up dancers

We Danced on Broadway! Literally!

2010-09-03T16:03:00.000-07:00

Geo and Beth once again gave us dancers an opportunity to dance and do our thing for another great cause. On August 26, at the Symphony Space Theatre, NYC, on Broadway, ICON truly represented, as our boys performed their “ICONic Boyz” routine, and the ICONic Company perform, “SCREAM!” All the dancers in the show were amazing, and some were semi-professional dancers! I hope one day I can be as good as them! Most of the dances were contemporary dance, and we rocked the crowd with our Hip Hop!Each performance was dedicated to someone who has been touched by cancer. Our performances were dedicated to two amazing moms from ICON who have recently fought the battle of cancer. It was another great night for all! When the bus pulled in at almost 12:00at night, we all got together and sang Happy Birthday to my mom, who was turning 40 that minute, on August 27^th! It was really a fun night! I hope we are asked to do it again next year!

FLASH MOB!!!

2010-09-03T16:01:00.000-07:00

It was an amazing day at the Freehold Mall in New Jersey on August 18^th! It was time for a Flash Mob!! The day before, Geo had an open call for anyone to come and learn a dance that we would perform the next day, while Ashley Loren and Roy Hamilton III sang at the mall. It was a really fun Hip Hop line dance. I was so psyched!! The morning of the big day, my family and I collected all the jeans we had around our house, to be donated to the local Head Start program. ICON and the Freehold Mall were working together to gather and collect as many jeans as possible to donate to a great cause. I actually collected 27 pairs!! (I have 3 siblings…we accumulate a lot!!...LOL!) It felt great to donate!

I was so proud to be able to represent ICON, as ICON of the YEAR, at this event. I collected the jeans, and took many pictures with lots of the people and children who were donating jeans. Ironically, I even signed some autographs!! This was a first for me! I thought it was pretty funny! Some of my best friends lined up for an autograph, we were all just laughing!

When it was time for the Flash Mob, Ashley and Roy began to sing “New New”, and we all began the line dance! It was so exciting to just be out there, be part of a great cause, and at the same time, entertain an unsuspecting crowd. It was overall, a great night!! Geo said in the end, 500 jeans were donated to the Head Start Program! I hope we do more of these special events! Got any ideas? Let me know!

CAN’T WAIT TIL SEPTEMBER 13th!!!! ICON OPENS FOR THEIR 2010-2011 SEASON!!!!

2010-08-11T12:47:00.000-07:00

I am so excited to start up my classes at ICON in September! I have a loaded schedule, which I love. My classes include Jazz, Lyrical, Ballet, Hip Hop, Cheer Funk, Jumps, Leaps, and Turns, Acro, and a technique class. I also have company choreography classes for both the ICON (technique) and ICONic (Hip Hop) companies. In addition, I can’t wait to start working on my solo for the year. Hmmm…I wonder what kind of solo I should do??... any suggestions?

This year, I’m excited to have a few extra “work-out” classes. I’m hoping to strength train extra hard this year. It is so important to eat right and stay in good shape in order to be your best at dance. I’m setting a goal to get my jumps higher and higher this year! In addition, I’m psyched to try out ICON’s new class of ACRO. I LOVE to flip, so that will be a lot of fun, and a great work-out too!

Every year, with GEO and Beth, there are so many unexpected, amazing opportunities that they offer to their dancers. That is truly what makes ICON so unique. I mean really, where else do you get a Facebook message that says “ICONers: Meet at the Freehold Mall on August 18^th for an ICONic Flash Mob Dance!” It is going to be awesome! We do so many things that are for great causes, which makes our performances even more special and memorable… I sooooo can’t wait!!!!

ICON Rocks Two Beatstocks!!!

2010-08-11T12:45:00.000-07:00

Believe it or not, on July 29^th, we received an e-mail about perfoming at the August 7^th and 8^th Beatstock concerts and our first rehearsal for Beatstock started on July 30^th. We were all just so psyched to be there and nobody could wait to start dancing. Geo played the house music for us and explained that we would be dancing in the last 3 minutes of the “History of House” set during the concert. Everyone in the studio that night was just soooo excited to start learning the routine. I think GEO was the most excited! It is hard to explain, but we (all the dancers) feed off GEO and his energy, and we like to think he does the same from us. We all had the same goal-to have fun, dance our hearts out, impress, and make the crowd go crazy!... and I have to say, I think we definitely succeeded!! The concerts were amazing and the crowds went crazy after our performance. It is a feeling like no other when you are performing in front of a crowd of 50,000, and they love watching what you love doing!... it’s just an unbelievable feeling! If you were there, let me know what you thought of the concert…

Shopping for School Clothes? Stop by ICON Dance Complex

2010-08-11T12:43:00.000-07:00

GEO had “History of House Crew” shirts made up, with of course, the ICON logo. We all love sporting ICON gear and showing off where we come from. We recently had a photo shoot to show off all the cool, comfy ICON clothes that we all love to wear. Whether you are part of the ICON family, would like to be, or just support ICON, the clothes are available for purchase to anyone and everyone! Just stop by ICON anytime, but I warn you, you may just fall in love with the place and never want to leave, like me.

I'm in a photo shoot! Dance Couture rocks! Thanks also to ICON...

2010-08-11T12:40:00.001-07:00

In the City for a day…

As soon as Nationals wrapped up, I was soon in the city working on the DANCE COUTURE NY 2010-2011 catalog. Gabby, Angelica, Saige, my little sister Kara, and I had an awesome time. We were at a studio in the Art Gallery district very early in the morning. After getting our hair and make-up done, we put our Hip Hop skills to work on a professionally built platform. We all had an awesome time modeling. The costumes were adorable and funky at the same time! We met such nice dancers from other schools and we all talked about classes and competitions. Ironically, it was there, at the shoot, that all of us received the e-mail about Beatstock. It made the day even more exciting! We all just couldn’t wait to get to rehearsal the next day. It was a day we will never forget!

I am so glad to be back at ICON!

2010-07-21T14:25:00.000-07:00

Now that I'm back at ICON, I can't wait for what's next, but I'll definitely be enjoying my summer along with dance. Check out the collage I made for you... I hope you like it!

BE ICONIC! he he,

Katie

Nationals ROCKED!

2010-07-21T14:22:00.000-07:00

We all just returned from the USTD Nationals in Atlantic City, and we are still so psyched from the whole week. There were so many amazing moments from the competition, where should I begin?

At the beginning of the week, ICON had several dances that had to qualify for the upcoming National competition. I had to qualify my solo as well. I competed in the lyrical division for my solo, and I danced to IMAGINE, by Eva Cassidy.

We started competing early Sunday morning and ended late Sunday night. Because awards were being announced so late in the night, my mom insisted we go up to our hotel room, and watch the award ceremony on the TV. What I didn’t know is that they were awarding dancers with the highest score of the day in all categories. As we got comfy in our beds to watch the awards, my mom joked, “Imagine they call your name Katie!” Suddenly, as they announced the Top Solo of the day for my age group, we heard, “IMAGINE, KATIE.” We all just sat in silence, as we watched everyone on the TV clap, and look around for me. It was sooooo funny! I started to talk to the TV, and say, “somebody go get the award for me!” It was a very crazy and unforgettable moment! My sister and I quickly ran downstairs to the award ceremony…in our pajamas!!...and that was the start of a very entertaining and exciting week!

As the week continued, I competed a total of 17 times! I love all my dances, so I enjoyed every minute of being in front of the judges. We received many High Point Gold Awards, Gold Awards, and Special Awards. I was so excited to earn a High Point Gold in the National Competition for my solo.

In addition to all the dances I competed in, ICON truly represented in all their performances, which included solos, duos, and trios as well! Our ICONic boys rocked the competition, and walked away with about a zillion awards!

At the end of the National Competition, USTD has a Diamond Dance-Off. During this part, the top 30 teams of the week “dance off” and compete for the highest awards of the competition. Our boys walked away with several of the individual special awards, but the night and week was complete when “SCREAM” won the Junior Diamond Dance Off award with a score of 99.6!! This was the final and largest award of the competition. The best thing about this award is that all of our Junior, Teen, and Senior “ICONic” (Hip Hop) company participate in SCREAM, so we were ALL winners. We all shared the excitement and glory together! It was a night that won’t be forgotten anytime soon. If you ever get a chance to see our company perform “SCREAM”, you may also “SCREAM,” because it is truly an amazing dance!

Overall, it was a great trip! Believe it or not, I am not danced out! I already can’t wait to get back to ICON, and start learning new dances for the upcoming year! I know GEO and Beth are probably already thinking up unique dances already! Last year our main theme was “Michael Jackson,” hmmm…I wonder what it may be this year…I just can’t wait! 

2010-07-21T13:15:00.000-07:00

25 Things

I Bet You Never Knew About Me!! You know I LOVE ICON, but learn about the REAL ME!

Katelyn Taylor Fasbach

1. Yup, that’s my full name, but I like being called “Katie.”

2. Along with dancing, I love drawing and writing. I am in the T.A.G. (talented and gifted) program for Art at my school.

3. I LOVE to shop and design clothes. I have a PASSION for FASHION!! 

4. My favorite TV show is Project Runway!

5. I have never tried a cookie, cupcake, or candy ever and I have no desire to (I’ve never had a cavity either.)

6. I LOVE Porterhouse steak! My dad cooks amazing dinners, my mom is a terrible cook, sorry Mom

7. I have 3 siblings, Sam is 13, Kara is 7, and my cute brother Drew is 2. I am 11, in the middle, and love it!

8. I don’t have any pets, but I would love a puppy!

9. I’ve been a gymnast all my life, until I started dance. When I was 7, I could do a full back twist on the floor by myself. I love to flip!

10. I only like watching the audition part on American Idol.

11. I sleep with a special doll that I’ve had since I was born.

12. I love playing CLUE with my family, I’m always Professor Plum 

13. I LOVE summertime!!

14. I am addicted to Perdue Chicken Nuggets!

15. I share a purple room with my little sister Kara.

16. I have the BEST friends in the world!! (school friends, dance friends, and awesome neighbors!) They are ALL so special to me!

17. 5^th grade was my BEST year ever!! I had the greatest school teacher, really fun class, and the year ended with ICON of the YEAR! I hope 6^thgrade is just as great!

18. I LOVE roller coasters! I’m so glad that I’m finally tall enough this year to ride the crazy ones!

19. I love my family, they ROCK!

20. I’ve had straight A’s all my life, but who knows about next year…LOL!

21. I love swimming and diving and flipping into the pool!

22. I have to clean the bathrooms in my house every Saturday 

23. I am a Mets and Giants fan, sorry GEO!!

24. When I’m older, I want to be a dance teacher and fashion designer 

25. I truly never worry about anything, LIFE IS GOOD!

Who's Headed to the Summer Intensive with Me? And Did You See My Pic on the Brochure?!

2010-06-28T10:30:00.000-07:00

I am so excited that GEO and Beth chose to use my picture on their brochure for the summer intensives. I think it made winning ICON of the Year even more real to me. I couldn’t be prouder to represent a company and people that I truly love so much! They have done so much for me, I hope I can do the same for them in return. Thank you everyone for your warm welcome. I’m going to be a great role model for our Complex, because we are all ICONS in our own way. BTW... I can’t wait for the Summer Intensive, can you? If you wanna see the flyer, click here.

Summer Dance at ICON is here... and Of Course, We're Headed to Nationals!

2010-06-28T10:23:00.000-07:00

Summer classes have just begun at ICON. Last week I took some of the open classes that they offer throughout the summer. Beth ran an amazing Jazz class, and GEO’s Hip Hop is always just amazing! There is nothing like taking GEO’s Thursday night open class! It’s always a great workout and just so fun. I took a technique class that helps perfect skills and helps us keep in shape.

Early this summer, I’m so psyched to once again model for DanceCouture NY’s catalog. It was so much fun last year, and I can’t wait to start working on this year’s catalog! In the middle of July, you can find many of the ICON dancers in Atlantic City at the USTD Nationals! We have a great time there, the people are so nice, and it’s a great atmosphere! It’s ALL about dance… which of course, I love! Will you be with us in AC, if so let me know what you’re looking forward to. Is it the boardwalk, the dancing, the togetherness of the dancers? I wanna know! Talk to me, dancers. ;)

What I'm Thinking of Accomplishing this Year... What do you Think?

2010-06-28T10:18:00.000-07:00

I am so excited to represent ICON as the ICON of the Year! In addition to taking advantage of my scholarship by adding more classes to my schedule, I hope to think up new and exciting activities for our company to take part in. I would love to help run some fundraisers for our company. In addition, I’d love to put together some creative ways to help raise money for St. Jude’s Hospital, which is special to me, as well as ICON. My dad, my sisters (who also dance at ICON) and I have brainstormed some ideas for ICON’s First Annual Golf Tournament, which would be lots of fun for all! And just for fun, I’d like to have a Pool Party ICON Bash this summer. It would be nice to get everyone together, outside of dance, for just some fun, relaxation, good food, and just time to hang out with friends. I can’t wait for summer to begin!

Being that GEO’s biggest role model was Michael Jackson, and the year to his death is just days away, I would love to contact the Jackson family and run a performance for them. I would love for them to see how GEO carries on Michael Jackson’s legacy through all his dance moves and music choices. I would just love to see Janet’s face when she sees what GEO brings out in all of us. We ALL love to dance, and we are STILL inspired by Michael Jackson. I can’t imagine what they would do when they would see us perform “Scream” or our infamous Michael Jackson Tribute. They are both unbelievable! More to come... Do you agree with me? Tell me some of the things you think the ICON of the Year can portray...

Meet ICON of the Year 2010-2011, Katie Fasbach, and Find Out What Went Through Her Mind as Her Title Was Announced

2010-06-28T10:11:00.001-07:00

Before they announced the 2010-2011 ICON of the Year, I was totally moved from the award in honor of Rachel from Horizons. I knew how much she had inspired Geo and Beth, and I could see the emotion on their faces, and it was so heartfelt. When they announced the award winner to be my good friend Mikayla Sottile, I couldn’t help but shed a tear for her. She was perfect for that award! When they then continued to announce the new ICON of the Year, I was still so excited for Mikayla. As my name was announced, I think I went into shock! My mouth dropped, and I couldn’t help the tears of surprise, excitement, and joy just overcoming me. I was, and still am, so surprised. I dance with so many amazing dancers, I just thought, “WOW!” I am so proud and honored that I was chosen to represent ICON and Geo and Beth! I can’t wait to see what the future holds for all of us!

"Ain't about how fast I get there, ain't about what's waitin on the other side...It's the climb!"

2010-06-28T10:05:00.000-07:00

CONGRATULATIONS Katie Fasbach on an honor well deserved!

'ICON of the Year' is a title that suits you well because you have always been an ICON to me and all of your peers due to your combination of talent and character. You exude a warmth that makes you approachable to everyone at the studio. You are genuinely happy for everyone around you and you celebrate the successes at the studio whether it’s your success or the success of others. With your talent, strength of character and intelligence you don't need tips from me except to be true to yourself, remain as you are and continue to treat and respect others as you would like to be treated yourself.

Organizing the 'Thanks & Giving' Dad's football game fundraiser was an AMAZING experience for me. I could not get over the way that everyone just wanted to GIVE. There was such an outpouring of love, encouragement, support, time, energy, excitement and enthusiasm... everyone was so generous with all donations!! GEO & Beth even found a way to arrange a sunny, beautiful, flawless fall day for all of us!

And the blogging... it'll just feel natural to praise and applaud all of the accomplishments and talents of everyone around you... btw... as a signature to my blogs, I started them off with a favorite line from a song that would then set the tone for the rest of my blog.. .it kept me focused (you'll actually find it difficult to remain within the short word limit...lol).

The best tip that I can give you is to just follow the lead of GEO, Beth and the whole ICON staff!! They'll always lead you in the right direction!

If life's a dance, then dance full out and enjoy every step, turn, leap & lift of this dance! Congratulations again to an INCREDIBLE dancer who is also an INCREDIBLE person!

You can always count on me if you need an extra pair of hands... just call my name and I'll be there!

With My Eternal Gratitude & Appreciation to GEO, Beth & The ICON Staff,

Zan Bongiovi, ICON of the Year, 2009-2010.

“Dance, dance now everybody. Move, move now everybody. Shake, shake now everybody. EVERYBODY DANCE NOW!”

2010-06-02T19:35:00.000-07:00

It’s here! ICON IV has arrived and we’re ready to rock & roll...or should I say lock & pop...or should I say relevé & fouetté…alright you get the point. At the end of every show we always say, “This was the BEST show ever, it will never get better than this!” and yet somehow GEO, Beth and the talented ICON staff manage to find a way to make the following year’s show even more SPECTACULAR than the year before! And from what I’ve seen at rehearsals, they’ve outdone themselves again. What an AMAZING year I’ve had as ‘ICON of the Year’! Thank you GEO and Beth for introducing me to so many FABULOUS people, opportunities and experiences! You’ve opened up a whole world for me where I’ve been able to experience more in a year than some performers get to experience in a lifetime! I will be forever grateful and honored for having been chosen for this title. From the minute Alyson Stoner stood on stage and announced my name as ‘ICON of the Year 2010’, to this final week of tech rehearsals, it has been an incredible journey and this awesome ride doesn’t end at ICON IV, it just makes a pit-stop until we hop back on the ride for the next journey that continues with ICON Dance season 2011. Good luck to the next ‘ICON of the Year’! There are so many of my talented peers that are deserving of the title and I don’t envy GEO, Beth or the ICON staff for having to make this extremely difficult decision. Words cannot express my gratitude and appreciation for all that you’ve done for me (or my parents’ appreciation for the scholarship…lol) not just for awarding me this title, but for being the ICONs that I will continue to emulate and aspire to be like. THANK YOU GEO, Beth and the whole ICON staff…you are my ICONs! <3

Strike a Pose... Vogue, vogue, vogue...

2010-05-25T20:02:00.000-07:00

The vibe at the studio the past couple of weeks have been fueled with excited energy. Getting dressed up in costume, PLUS doing hair and makeup for picture day and dress rehearsal has gotten everyone pumped up for the upcoming ICON IV Show. All the choreography is done and now we’ve had the opportunity to see the awesome costumes that go along with the awesome choreography! In addition to some great costumes from great catalogs, GEO and Beth gave us creative license to put together some of our own costumes. Now that was an INCREDIBLE adventure! With the guidance, encouragement and support of GEO and Beth along with Angel’s artistic ability and eye to sketch everything out for us, we all had a ball assembling and accessorizing some really cool costumes. What fun to be part of that creative process! Who knows, in addition to being responsible for nurturing extreme dance talent, GEO and Beth may be credited for discovering fashion designers within their studio walls. Thank you GEO, Beth and all of ICON staff for always encouraging a creative process and showing us to think outside the box!

I was in gendance with a creative story written just for me

2010-05-25T12:41:00.000-07:00

On gendance Thursday, which is what everyone calls it... May 20th, I was featured amongst other stars such as Nickelodeon's Leon Thomas starring in the new Victorious show as well as Jim Keith, who apparently is one of the hottest dance agents right now. Then... there I was! A feature story written about me to inspire the next generation. If this is what it's like to be ICON of the Year, I could do this every year! Thanks Geo and Beth, you're giving me so much opportunity... at only 12 years old. I'm honored.

The story took a Bonjovi angle due to my last name and was called Blaze of Glory, which I loved. (Hello, he's from NJ!) It also was the first time that everyone found out I was starring in this summers hot flick, The Next Airbender. My peers applauded my modesty about not boasting about the opportunity and it was a pleasure for the article to bring it about in such a great way. My parents were super proud.

Check out the article here. You can sign up to receive gendance at www.gendance.com. I love this next gen vibe and I think you will too. Geo was an Ambassador and he even has HIS own gendance page. Take a look here.

My peers are kickin' it at the Apollo Theatre

2010-05-25T12:32:00.000-07:00

If you asked me how and why I'm proud to be ICON of the Year, I'd tell you this... it's because of the opportunity we get as opposed to many other "regular dance studio" kids. We're blessed with being at several high-end NYC events, traveling events and corporate events at such a young age. For instance, take my peers, the ICONic Boyz, who performed at CUE Art Foundation in NYC this month at the Arts to Grow Gala, alongside News anchors, celebrities and comedians who spoke; not to mention their huge success story at the Apollo Theatre. These are talented dancers that make me MORE than PROUD to be ICON of the Year and I tell you what... I'll be there on June 16th cheering them on in the audience, alright. You should too! Come with us to the Apollo. Tickets are available at The Complex. There's nothing like the history of the Apollo; especially when your best friends are on stage. More info is available on our home page at www.icondancecomplex.com

My Anniversary Wish for ICON Dance Complex

2010-05-25T12:27:00.000-07:00

This past Thursday, May 20th, ICON Dance Complex celebrated their 4 year anniversary. I was so proud that day to go to class and see my peers celebrating with Geo, Beth and their amazing family. Luckily, some of our team surprised Geo and Beth the night before and we all got together to extend personal anniversary wishes to our favorite dance leaders. Here's mine and thank you again ICON Dance Complex, for naming ME ICON of the Year and for giving me the opportunities presented on a daily basis... sometimes hourly! You guys are amazing!

I'm Super Nutritious Now!

2010-05-25T12:22:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Felicia Stoler, host of TLC's, Honey We're Killing the Kids, who came to talk to ICON Dance Complex dancers about proper health and wellness tips, including what to eat and what to steer clear from... I feel great. As ICON of the Year, I am fortunate to be at the helm of these events. On May 8th, we were blessed with this workshop and since then I have been feeling better because I know how to "portion"... and all of a sudden soda and candy isn't too appealing as a snack between dance classes. I'd prefer and apple and a water, thanks. To all the students of ICON and to my friends in school, this was really important for me as a young woman and I hope that you take a chance to look at your own diet and make the "better" choice between nutritious and sugar next time you're craving a snack.

Dinner with Miss America... Oh yes, it's true!

2010-04-26T18:20:00.000-07:00

“When you wish upon a star, makes no difference who you are…Your dreams come true!’’

Dreams came true for six of my ICONic company teammates when their names were announced as the newest members of the United States Dance Team, a select team of dancers from all over the United States. Chosen by talent scouts at the United States Tournament of Dance Nationals, where there were several thousand dancers, my six teammates began this unique opportunity by having dinner with Miss America followed by rehearsals in professional NYC dance studios and performances at exciting venues in NYC, Disney World, and Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida. Congrats to my favorite dancer, my little sister Michaela, and to Athena, Gianna, Jared, Jason and Nick!

One Million Sensations with Every Dance Step

2010-04-26T18:16:00.000-07:00

“One, singular sensation, every little step we take…”

What do you get when you add ‘ONE’ plus ‘NINE’? You get TEN!!

“ONE” was one of our singular sensations that debuted at ICON’s first annual show.

“NINE” will be one of our newest sensations debuting at ICON’s fourth annual show.

TEN sums up my experience dancing with the most incredible teachers & dancers in the world! With the annual show approaching, our rehearsal schedule will increase our hours spent at the studio, which is fine by me because there’s no other place that I’d rather be! Life at ICON is AWESOME – the teachers, the students, the dances, the studio…”these are a few of my favorite things”!

Atlantic City's Taj Mahal and the Sugar Hill Gang. Saweet!

2010-04-26T17:51:00.000-07:00

“I said a hip hop the hippie to the hippie to the hip hip hop, and you don’t stop...’’

Performing at the Taj Mahal Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City was a dancer’s delight! Most ICONic Company dancers may be too young to hit the gambling floor, but we were all winners the night we performed on the dance floor!! Dancing our Michael Jackson Tribute onstage is always a huge win, but that special night, we got the added bonus of being invited to dance onstage with the Sugar Hill Gang as they performed their famous number one hit, ‘Rapper’s Delight’. I loved this night. I felt so ICONic. Thanks, Geo and ICON Dance Complex for all you do for us young artists. We appreciate all the opportunities and they are always plentiful!

Zan

30,000 People in Two Days...

2010-04-13T16:36:00.000-07:00

“When love takes over . . . ’’

Kelly Rowland, Cascada, Pitbull, Backstreet Boys, V Factory … just to name drop a few. WOW!! Performing with these awesome acts at the same venue was a true “Thriller” for all of us at ICON! Beatstock, summer of 2009 … performing live on stage at PNC Arts Center and Nikon Jones Beach Theater in front of 30,000 people in two days. GEO was Michael Jackson; the rest of us as zombies. We could feel the love the audience had for Michael Jackson as they applauded our Michael Jackson Tribute.

Fright Fest Surprise on my birthday! Thanks, Geo and Alessandra

2010-04-13T16:33:00.000-07:00

“So into you ...’’

Fabulous Fright Fest at Six Flags Great Adventure... It's True! The witches and vampires were awesome, but the true talent was singing onstage! Her name is Alessandra Castronovo and I had the honor of being one of her dancers!

Talk about the best birthday gift... GEO called me on my birthday to ask me to be one of Alessandra’s dancers with our first performance at Fright Fest.

So keep your ears and eyes open and remember her name, you’ll be playing her tunes soon and I’ll be dancing GEO’s choreography with the rest of her crew Vincent, Tori and Thomas.

Flying and Dancing on ICON Airlines

2010-04-13T16:27:00.000-07:00

“Take off with us ... ”

ICON Airlines - it’s the only way to travel in style! KTU 103.5 invited ICONic’s Michael Jackson Tribute performers to perform at the Hard Rock Café Hotel and Casino in Florida. The crowd was deafening in their applause as we performed on stage.

Flight cancelled due to snow in Newark??? No problem! Partying with pizza and fries lying out by the pool was certainly no hardship for us!

Dancing up and down the aisle on the flight home with our awesome flight attendant announcing, “Thank you for flying ICON Airlines” is an experience I will never forget!

How much fun was this event? I'll be returning to ICON Airlines again.

Ima B Nets Dancers Workshop! What a Success!

2010-04-13T16:22:00.000-07:00

“Let’s dance, let’s shout, shake your body down to the ground ... ”

Congrats to the ICONETTE Juniors on winning the Nets Hardwood Challenge at the IZOD Center during the Nets halftime show.

Fantastic memories performing Beth Hubela's choreography with the ICONETTE Seniors to Britney Spears’ hits ... cheering on the adorable ICON Chipmunks  ... and applauding the ICONETTES as they showed that they sure know how to “WORK” it!

Thanks to the Nets Dancers for the ‘Imma Be’ workshop and the amazing day we had experiencing what it’s like to dance the hardwood floors of a professional stadium!

If you were there dancing with me, tell me... How amazing was this event?