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

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!!!

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

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...

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!

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!

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! 

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^th grade 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!