So there are haflas, which are a lot of fun. You can be a baby beginner or a 30 year veteran. You can bring your kids and a plate a cupcakes. These, and student recitals within individual schools, definitely fill the need for first performances. No matter how new you are, you're bound to get applause and encouragement. And they're a great way to socialize with the other local dancers.

Then there are the restaurants and parties. I've never worked at a restaurant as a dancer - just as a musician. These are great because you get money for them. But when people are eating they're not paying attention to the dancer as much as, frankly, we deserve. Hey, no one would ever ask the Nutcracker to be performed between tables while dodging waiters and patrons. So I imagine that restaurants might not give you the best performance space or most attentive audience.

But there doesn't seem to be much else, does there. I really wish there were though.

What if we established something like the New Jersey Masters Show. What if once a year there was an awesome stage production centrally located in NJ, that the best of the best auditioned to be in. It's nice to have something to aspire to. Sort of like All State Choir when I was in high school. I never got in, but their performances were breath-taking, and I'm glad that they had something like that. And having a goal like that made me a better singer in the end.

What do you guys think?