Picture Day

Hey everyone! June is just around the corner, and we all know what that means (or maybe we don't)! Recitals and spring shows are just a month or so away. With recitals comes pictures, dress rehearsals, and, of course, last minute problems that seem like a catastrophe.


Today I have dance pictures for my teen ballet studio. For anyone who hasn't ever had dance pictures, it's just like getting a school picture taken, but you're in a dance costume inside of a dance studio. We are allowed to wear our hair anyway, because as my dance teacher says, "Hey, it's your picture." I think I'll go for the standard bun though, because it's how I always wear my hair for dance.


Here are just some tips I learned at my pictures last year. 


1. Show up early! Most likely, something will go wrong. That's just the way things work, you know? Last year I forgot the hair piece we were using, which was like a ribbon, and had to get my mom to speed to the studio to bring it to me.

2. Blend makeup well! If you don't have naturally perfect skin and decide to wear makeup, make sure you blend it into your neck, and even around your chesy as well. My picture last year looked really weird because my face was tanner then my neck and chest. I like to wear foundation, translucent oil control powder, mascara, very subtle lipstick or tinted chapstick, and a tiny bit of natural looking eyeshadow. If your dance routine includes crazy makeup, wear it like you would for the recital.

3. Take off your nail polish! I painted my nails last night, two coats of pink and a clear coat on top, and as they were drying I thought, "Oh, I have pictures tomorrow. Shoot." In about 5 minutes I'll be removing every last bit of polish. Clear coats and french manicures are fine for pictures.

4. Remember that a picture only takes a second to take. You can adjust anything so it will sit right, even if only for a second or two. A girl in my class has dark skin, and our costumes have tan straps that are supposed to blend in.  Since they stand out a bit on her, she's just tucking them into the costume and taking the picture. It won't work for the recital, the costume would just fall right off, but in a picture it's fine.

I have to go get my picture taken now, Happy Dancing!


Edit: Hey guys, I just got home from pictures. For my individual picture they had me in fourth on releve with one high arm and one in like a curved second. For the group picture they had me kick my leg up in arabesque, since I'm the only one in my class that's really strong enough to do that, and my line is usually ok. The photographer counted off (3, 2, 1, go!) and I would lift my leg into the highest arabesque possible, which is only about 90 degrees. One other girl was in the back with me, but she was doing 4th releve, and there were two girls in front, one girl kind of sat with one leg out and one leg under her, and the other did a kneeling position with one leg out.

Results!

I get audition results tonight at class (which ends at 7)! Wish me luck! 


Hey guys, the results are in! I've been accepted into the Jr. Company and I've passed the pointe evaluation. Looks like my summer will be full of dancing! I can't officially start pointe until mid-June, and until then I'm going to focus on strengthening and technique 100%. 

Update!

Hey everyone! I'm so sorry I've been gone for so long. I did read your comments, and it means the world that you guys wished for more posts. Seriously, I love every single time I get a new comment or member. I've been super busy because I've been hosting a German Exchange student, and we've been busy for the past three weeks seeing all of the sights of the northeastern US before she had to leave, which she did yesterday. So now I'm back!


Unfortunately, I don't know if I made the Jr. Corps and pointe yet! Apparently, my teacher mailed the letters but I never got mine, so she's going to give it to me for sure on Monday. I'm hoping I got accepted for both! If I did, I get to take part in two mini "Summer Intensives". The first one is three and a half hours a day for 5 days, and it focuses on beginning pointe, getting used to standing/dancing en pointe, tying and sewing pointe shoes, ect. The other summer intensive is three weeks, Monday through Friday, for 5 and a half hours a day. The first week focuses on ballet, the second is ballet variations, and the third week is modern, which is mandatory for all company dancers.


Meanwhile, at my other studio, we've finished our recital piece to Allison Crowe's cover of the Beatles "Let it Be". I really like the dance, I might see if my mom can video tape the rehearsal in a few months so you can see it. We've got these purple tutu costumes, which are...interesting. The tutus won't lie flat, they kind of stick up a bit and look silly. Hopefully that gets fixed, haha. Here's them, we have the short tutu in dark purple https://curtaincallcostumes.com/products/product-page-t.php?prodid=4655


Tell me if you have any requests for new posts! I'll try to update more often, I promise!

Auditions!

So on Monday we had the Jr. Company auditions as well as pointe evaluations. We had class in the "big studio" today, instead of the regular studio. The class was taught by a senior company member, while my teacher and her pro friend evaluated. There were more girls in the class then usual because some of them weren't old enough to audition for the Jr. Corps last year, and they already had basic pointe training. Two of the girls were my "backstage buddies" for Nutcracker, so it was good to see them again, although we didn't chat at all. The mirrors in the big studio don't cover the whole wall, because of a badly placed door. Unfortunately, during barre, I was on the very end where there was no mirrors, so I wasn't able to see myself at all. That makes me so nervous, because my arms tend to drop a little when I can't actually see them. Because someone new was teaching, the combinations were a little different, and a little harder as well. I messed up once or twice; I hope no body noticed! Center and across the floor was more difficult as well. She gave us an intense turning combination that practically had me falling over by the time I had done it twice. Just a final thought: Petite allegro scares me. I think it was the most frightening part of the class. My feet just don't move fast enough! 


I think we will find out who made the cuts for both pointe and Jr. Company tonight at class, wish me luck!

Just some ballet talk

I think it's important for late starters to ballet, and really everyone who does ballet, to step back and really look at how far they've come. I always complain that I'm not flexible, but two years ago I couldn't touch my toes, and now I can with ease. I got a little wake up call in gym class (of all places!) when we did the v-sit test in gym. Mostly every american on the site knows what I'm talking about, right? It's a part of the presidential fitness test, where you see how many inches past your feet you can reach . The higher the number, the more flexible you are. Two years ago I got 2. This year, I got 7. That's pretty considerable, when you think about it. My extensions used to be between 45 and 90 degrees, around 65 degrees. Now, they are around 92. I get mad when I can't do a double pirouette, but I forget to remember my first ever ballet class when I struggled to do one.

So don't be so hard on yourself, ballet is hard, and your dedication and work for what you want is admirable!


Here's a video I thought was awesome. I am really into ballet, but I also enjoy lyrical and modern stuff. I always thought the song Someone Like You would be a great dramatic dance piece, but the song is so popular that the dance should really stand out. I think this does.

Auditions in one day!

Hey guys! On Wednesday I only had an hour of ballet because I had to leave early to meet my German exchange student! She will be staying with me for the next three weeks, she seems really nice. Anyway, class was fun, I was on a roll when we were turning, I snuck in a triple pirouette.


I'm really excited for the pointe evaluation/jr. company audition on Monday. I ordered a new black leotard from discountdance.com, the same bratek one I posted about earlier, but in black instead of burgandy because we need a black leotard for the evaluation/audition. I was really surprised when the leotard arrives after just 2 days, even though we got shipping for 3-7 days. So I really recommend Discount Dance! The leotard with shipping was as much as buying it in the store, and it got here so fast! I love the Capezio Bratek leotard,  I hope they come out with more in different styles and colors!

I love this picture. It shows the dedication and work that was put into pointe. Comment with a url of your favorite ballet pics!

If I am allowed to begin pointe, I will attend a one week "mini intensive" where the teacher goes over basic exercises, tying/sewing techniques, and does strengthening exercises in the summer. It is two and a half hours long for 6 days. Then, if I am accepted into the Jr. Company, there is a three week "intensive", again 2 1/2 hours. The first week is technique, the second is variations, and the third is contemporary. Variations and contemporary are both taught by different teachers then normally, and I would love to learn a variation and some contemporary work!


Happy Dancing! Leave me a comment :)