Variations!

Thursday I learned my first variation! It's the Giselle variation from Act 1. We started with a 90 minute ballet class, and then did 30 minutes of variations. We did most of barre and all of center en pointe, and due to my dead shoes, I was pretty burned out by the time we started the variation. We did the actual variation in flat shoes though, because otherwise we would be doing hops on pointe (which are preeetty hard). Hopefully I'll be able to get fitted for gaynors this weekend, but I'll have to take a bit of a trip to get to the store that properly fits them.

Sylvie Guillem

Any professional dancer could tell you who Sylvie Guillem is, and most students probably could too. She's a beautiful dancer, handpicked for principle at the young age of 19. She dances flawlessly, and after seeing a great mini documentary on her, I found out she is also involved with an extreme environmental group that I kinda love (Sea Shepard--Whale Wars anyone? No? Didn't think so...).

So here's that documentary I mentioned, I really recommend it!
Part 1
Part 2

New Teachers

I am a pretty shy person, so nothing scares me more than being in unfamiliar situations. That may have been why I was having an internal meltdown when I realized my dance teacher on Monday was going to be a teacher I'd never had before, a former principal with the Cuban National Ballet, and a dancer in New York Companies like The Harlem ballet and Alvin Ailey. She. Was. Awesome.

First off, I have never had a teacher teach in sweatpants and funny colored socks. She speaks english as her second language, so sometimes when going over combinations, it was a little hard to figure out what she was saying. But oh my gosh, I learned so much. She could tell I was lacking in flexibility and didn't push like other teachers tend to do, but she helped me work with what I have. Certain teachers just click with you, they explain things in a way that makes you see something totally differently and clearly, and that's what she did for me. If you ever get the opportunity to dance at a different studio, take open classes, or take a master class, I urge you to try it. A new set of eyes on your technique can pick out certain things (like my less than impressive arabesque), and rearrange or re-explain to make things look and feel better, so now my arabesque doesn't  look so...blah.

Motivation

Hey bunheads, it's been a while! I have some good news and some bad news, bad news first. No Nutcracker for me this year. It's tragic, I know, but the newish owner is completely changing everything about it, from location to costumes to choreography, and I guess the random 17 year old on stage doesn't fit his vision, haha. I'm okay with it though, my classload is ridiculous right now.

Now for the good news! My class is starting variations! Normally, we'd have a combined class with level 5 and 6 on Monday for 2 hours, and a normal class on Thursday for an hour and a half. However, considering there's only 3 people in level 5 and only 5 in level 6, they combined Thursday's class as well, and tacked on an extra half hour to fourty-five minutes so we can learn variations! I'm so excited, none of my normal friends get it, so hopefully one of you out there will get my glee. It'll be great.

The reason this is called Motivation, is because before I found out about variations class, I was close to being done. I was falling behind in class because the other girls in my level take 5 classes a week and I take 2, and I was dissappointed about lack of Nutcracker. I didn't really get why I was still dancing, my feet and muscles hurt after every class and I have hours of studying to do before and after dance to keep up with my advanced and college level classes (ap chem, astronomy, and ap US government and politics, ouch). Not to mention, I'm working 15+ hours a week (including Friday and Saturday nights, goodbye social life) to fund my expensive hobby. The only light at the end of the tunnel I could see was that next year as a level 6 I'd get to preform variations. And now that that has come a year early, so I'm staying in the game. I'm more motivated than ever.

Unfortunately, I'm missing the first variation class (can you believe my luck?) because I'm helping run a safe Halloween at my high school, and it's the same day.

My russian pointes have one foot in the grave. I just can not find a pair of shoes to last me more than a few months, from Blochs to Russians everything dies in a month. The amount of jet glue I use is unbelievable. I'm going to go for grishkos or gaynor mindens next I think, or possible a different fit and shank on russians. Any suggestions?

I'm going to add a bunch of variation videos in the Video tab up there ^^, so look at them and tell me your favorites!

Fouettes Scare Me

So, on Monday I had my first ballet class of the year with our studio owner, who gives notoriously difficult classes. It was a combined class, my level 5 and level 6 both attended for two hours, 6-8. There was 7 of us total, so even though it was combined, it was just like a typical class size.

We started with barre on flat, no problem! But then, we put on our pointe shoes and practiced fouettes at the barre. Holy crap. Guys, I can barely do fouettes on flat, not to mention, I can't even do double pirouettes on pointe yet. I was scared outta my mind, and I fell out of my fouette hard. The thing is, I realized I don't really have to be afraid of them. If I was nervous to do pirouettes en pointe, I was sloppy and landed abruptly, but if I was calm and just acted like it was a normal pirouette, it went much better. I guess the moral of the story is don't be afraid of what you don't know, just have faith in yourself (talk about cheesy).

Anyway, I ordered 2 new leotards off Discount Dance.com, and they finally came. Our uniform colors are white and plum this year. For plum I went with a leotard I know and love, the Capezio Dancelogic with Bratek in Plum. I already own it in black and burgundy, but I'm just not very fond of the purple. I think the color just isn't as flattering.

White was much more difficult. If you have no experience with white leotards (or bathing suits), you may not know that they are often very see-through, and very unsupportive. I browsed, read reviews, and googled opinions for hours before deciding on the Shirred Front Tank Leotard with X-back by So Danca. Upon trying it on, my first opinions were that though it was a little smaller than I would've liked, it wasn't too see through (though my tights line was visible) and it was pretty flattering. Plus, it held everything in place, so no need for a pricey dance bra. The pictures below show the back (in blue) and the front.

First Class of the Season!

Hello everyone! Thursday was the first ballet class of the 2013-2014 season! There is only three (yes, THREE) girls in my class this year, including me. It feels practically like a private class, it's so awesome. We started off with regular barre (boy, was I rusty after 3 months off!) and then did pointe in center.

I love the small class because we got to do a bunch of things one at a time, instead of in groups of two or three. This way, we get more corrections, and more time to fix mistakes.

Our uniform this year is plum leotards for Monday, and white for Thursday. I'm off to Discountdance.com to browse for some leos! The money that this site has gotten in ad revenue will pay for part of my uniform, so thank you for reading!

Monday is my next class, and it's always going to be a combined class with my level 5, and level 6, since there are only 7 girls total combined.

5th Day of Stretching!

For everyone that wanted to do my quest of stretching every day in August, how are you doing!? I feel like I can already see an increase of an inch or two in my develope's!

Stretch!

Hi guys! It's been a while. I'm not dancing this summer (sadface) because I'm working a lot. It's a double edged sword, because more work means I can keep taking dance, but the more I work the less time I have to dance. It looks like I'll be taking two ballet classes this year, 90 minutes on Monday with level 5 and 6, because they're both really small levels (4-5 people each), and 2 hours on Thursday with just my level. I'm excited, to say the least. I'm thinking of asking my dad if I can take a solo class at my old studio twice a month, but I don't even know if they'd let me do that, and how much it would cost, ect. I would love to learn a lyrical solo, or even a ballet solo.

Anyway, I've decided to do something I call, "Stretch Everyday in August!" where I stretch...everyday...in August. Pretty self-explanatory, really. It's my second day, and I decided to warm up first by attempting the Odette/White Swan variation (but I did it on flat). It's a really pretty, really simple variation, so I watched a few videos, and put my own spin in some places, and got warmed up. Now I'm sitting here, stretching as I type.

My goals:

• Stretch everyday, if it's 10 minutes or an hour and a half
• Get right split
• Get closer to left and center split

So what do you think? Anyone who wants to join me definitely should! We could all comment on this post to stay motivated, and accomplish your own flexibility goals, whether it's to touch your toes or to nail your oversplits!

Quick Pointe Shoe Video

Here's a video by the Australian Ballet about the pointe shoe fitter/ artistic co-ordinater. I know I would kill for a pair of custom pointes, wouldn't that be amazing?

Tell me in the comments if you've found your perfect pointes, what are they!?

New to Ballet?

Hey guys! For anyone out there who hasn't taken their first ballet class, but wants to, now is the perfect time to start looking! Summer classes usually end in mid-August and then the dance season starts, so look around for local studios!

As for me, next week (I hope) I'll either be taking lyrical or ballet, and probably am going to continue until the end of August.

How are all of your summer sessions going?!

Ballet Intensive: Days 3-5

Hey everyone! My ballet intensive ended on Friday, and I've been super busy so I haven't gotten to post. I've recently gotten a job (yay!) at a cafe, so I've been working most evenings, and on Sunday I worked almost 12 hours.

The last few days of the intensive were much like the first two. My pointe shoes broke in very nicely, however, I've discovered some flaws. They put a lot of pressure on my big toes, and the elastic drawstring is too tight so it digs into my heels very painfully. Ouch.

Something weird happened on the third day though. Our studio is located on the 4th floor in a big building that used to be a factory, and was turned into a building dedicated to the arts. So, there are a lot of art studios, glass blowing studios, wood shops, music studios, and our dance studios. On Wednesday, some people were walking around our floor (probably browsing art studios) and stopped to watch our class. For like, half an hour. It was strange, because they weren't bashful about getting right up to the windows. I actually appreciate an audience, because I know it makes me dance and perform better.

On Friday, I actually did some halfway decent fouettes! I got 5 or 6 turns and actually landed it, and it didn't look too bad.

Anyway, my dance classes are pretty much done for the summer, but I'll post some informational posts so stick around!

Intensive: Day Two

Hey guys! So yesterday was the second day of the intensive. It started normally with a 90 minute class, but before we put on pointe shoes, our teacher said she wanted to try something. Fouettes. Eeek! Yesterday was the first day I ever attempted fouettes, and oh my god, they're difficult. I have no idea how the girls my age in the company do them perfectly en pointe. On the right I managed to turn about 4 or 5 times, and then I fell out and had to start over.On the left...well, let's just say I am not a left turner. I can barely even do double pirouettes to the left.

After that we did pointe barre, and I got to try out my new shoes! I really like them, but they put more pressure on my toes than my old shoes did. I'm hoping all will be well when they break in. We also did some chaines across the floor on pointe. My right chaines were fine, but once again, my left turns are not too great.

Over all it was a really fun class! I love that there is only three people, because we get more time to try combinations. Like, yesterday we did petite allegro 4 times before we got everything right. Normally we would stop after 2 just because of time constraints.

Intensive:Day One

Oh my gosh guys, I love ballet. I didn't realized how much I missed it until I started barre. It's only been a little over a week! So, I was expecting at least 4 girls from my studio, plus a few others that usually come from other studios. There was only three of us. Three. That's practically a private lesson! We got so much individualized attention and we got to do a ton more combinations than usual because instead of having three of four groups of people do each combo, we only had one group, or else we all did it individually.

After a normal 90 minute class on flat (barre, center, across the floor), we put on our pointes and did about half an hour of barre and half an hour of center/cross the floor. We started with the basics, releves, eschappes, and passes, and ended with pique turns, arabesques, and pirouettes (eeek!). I didn't wear my new Russians because I wanted my teacher to check them out before I added ribbons and elastics, and she gave me the okay. However, that meant I had to wear my old shoes, which are dead as a door nail. Don't get me wrong, dancing in dead pointe shoes is kinda fun because they're so soft and flexible, but when I went up for left pirouettes (and my lefts on flat are pretty bad) my shoe gave out right under me, creating the scariest .5 second of my life.

I literally just got home, and will begin to sew my pointes right now!

New Pointes!

I just got my third pair of pointes! They are Russian Pointe Rubins, and I love them. My Capezios tended to pop off my heels, and they died too fast, so these should fix both of those problems. I'm not going to sew them yet, because I want my artistic director to check them and make sure everything is okay. I'm a little nervous because Russian Pointes tend to be less pink, and more silvery than most pointe shoes are, and my studio likes uniformity. When I get the okay, I'll sew them up and get pictures for you!



I was even thinking of making a "How to Sew Your Pointe Shoes" video, but I don't know yet, let me know what you think!

Recital!

Hello everyone! My Sleeping Beauty Show went very well! I arrived at the theater at 4, went in the back entrence (fancy!) and only got a little lost on the way to my dressing room. I was one of the last girls there, but the show didn't start until 5 and my piece was number 5 or something so I had time. I did my makeup, put on my costume, and stretched with the other 16 year old in my level while the other girls prepared and preformed modern. Then the two of us helped the girls change quickly in the Green Room (no one can be modest in shows, if you have to change in one number you're stripping backstage!), and we went to the wings to wait for our song. I think the 3-5 minutes spent waiting in the wings is the most anxious time of the whole day. You're back there, frantically marking your dance and practicing steps you're nervous about (for me it was left spot turns!). Then, your music is about to start and you take your place in the wings, you hear your cue, and without hesitation you step from the shadows onto the stage, big smile on your face, and hope to God that you don't mess up. We got through the whole dance without any mistakes, and then went backstage, stretched a little to keep warm, watched the other pieces on the TV, and practiced the finale. Soon it was about time to go for the finale, and we all filed out into the wings. In the 10 minutes or so we spent waiting, everyone in the company quietly marking in the wings, I became really thankful. How many other girls my age get to be apart of such a professional preformance? I mean, the costumes were brilliant, the venue was beautiful, and the dancers were amazing. And sure, I can't afford the company, or modern classes, but I get to be apart of this amazing conservatory, and that's amazing in its self.

After finale, we went on for bows, changed, and talked a little before we left. I was so sad to find out two girls in my level won't be returning! That brings our class from 6 to 4 people!

I don't have any more classes until the 24th, when my 5 day, 2.5 pointe intensive starts!

Tech Rehearsal!

Hey guys! Today was my tech/dress rehearsal for the Sleeping Beauty Recital! I went to my studio at 4 for an hour long ballet class. There was so many people, everyone from level 4-7, so probably at least 30 people. After class we walked over to the performance center, which isn't even a block away, and settled into our dressing rooms. Levels 6-7 shared one room while levels 4-5 had the other. They were fairly small, some girls had to double up on mirrors. Outside the rooms there was this nice common area, with a table with snacks, a TV that showed the stage, a couch, and two single bathrooms. The modern dances were first, and since I don't take modern, I chilled in the dressing room with two other girls who aren't in the company. Then I got dressed for my piece, and after sitting around for about 2 hours, we finally rehearsed our piece. Then we went back to the dressing room for another hour, then practiced the finale and bows, took pictures, and finally around 8 we went home.

The theater is actually really neat. It's newer and smaller than the one for Nutcracker, I could only find an outside picture!


And this is our costume (that is not me):

Drum roll please... New Autumn Show!

Hello guys, I'm super excited to tell you some news! Our company has been making a bunch of changes recently, such as a new location and no orchestra for Nutcracker (meh), and continuing the old tradition of having three shows a year! This means we will begin preparing in August for our new show, which is.....Alice in Wonderland! I am so excited, because I thought that the ballet would just be for company members, which I am not, but our teacher wants to incorporate the conservatory students as well!

Here's a video I've been obsessed with even before I knew we were doing Alice, a behind the scenes look at rehearsal:

Yay!

Pointe Shoes!

Hey guys! So, every girl that starts ballet dreams about getting pointe shoes. I know I was so excited to get them! Here are a few videos on Youtube of my favorite pointe shoe videos.

Summer Plans for Dance!

Hey guys! How are you all doing? With school coming to a close soon, summer is just around the corner! I am super excited for this summer. I'll be doing a 5 day, 2.5 hour per day ballet/pointe intensive in June. I did one of these last year too, when I first got my pointes. It was set up like a regular 90 minute class on flat, and then an hour of pointe. I don't know if it will be the same this year, but hopefully it will be! I'll also be attending open classes, probably once a week, in addition to that.

Also, drumroll please, I decided to try out lyrical. Anyone who's been reading for a while knows I used to attend another competition studio, and I miss it sooooo much. The girls were awesome and the teacher was so much fun. It was much more of a family atmosphere, and I miss them! So I'll be taking a lyrical class once a week there, and maybe even continue it and take it next year as well!

What are you guys doing this summer?

Combined Classes Scare Me

Hi guys! Nothing too new, just wanted to talk about dance today! I had a 90 minute class, right after school, and upon arriving to the studio I discovered we were having a combined class. Now, I hate combined classes. Well, no, hate isn't exactly the right word. I am intimidated by combined classes. They scare me.

Combined classes are when two or more levels take class at the same time. Sometimes there aren't enough teachers, sometimes it's a show day and there is one big warm up class, and sometimes it's an open class. Today, the teacher for the highest level, level 7 (14-18 years old), wasn't there. So we had a combined class of my level 4 (ages 11-16) and level 7.

The pro of these classes are that you have a role model, someone really good to mimic, which helps you improve. Also, it creates more competition, so you always push yourself. But the cons are that sometimes, you end up messing up. My teacher never teaches down, if there are two levels she'll teach at the level of the higher one.

So, basically this long, poorly written post is just saying I screwed up in class a lot today. That is all.


Leave me a comment, they save me from my boredom!

Turning Tips!

One thing that every dancer always wants to improve is turns. Why? Well, there is no limit on turning. You can do a great single pirouette? Now do a double. You can do a double en pointe? Next master a triple. You can always build on turns to make them better, which is why they're so tricky. Here are a few little tips to help push your turns to the next level.

1. Spot! Spotspotspotspot. Did I mention, spot. Seriously, spotting is necessary to do more than one turn in a row. The faster you can spot, the better. The way I practiced spotting was by sticking a bright sticky note on the wall, and always keeping my eyes on it when practicing. In the studio, pick something specific to spot until you can do it well. I like to look at the door hinge (oddly specific) when spotting in studio.

2. Don't use too much power! When a lot of people start turning, they use too much power. I did this too. Think of a turn as a balance, and just use enough power to get yourself around. Don't torque yourself up like you're about to do 50 pirouettes.

3. Practice balances. Practice balancing in passe, or in second, or whatever position you want to turn in. The longer you can balance, the longer you can turn.

4. Get on your leg. So, I'm not sure if this will make sense to everyone, but you want to "get on your leg" when turning. Hm, let me try to explain this. When in a pirouette prep position, say, in 4th, you want all your weight on your front let. This is so you can immediately spring up into a balancing position. If you have weight on both legs, it won't be as clean and efficient. If you're turning from 5th, stay on your toes! No weight in your heels at all.

5. Don't move. Okay, well obviously you have to move. What I mean by this is, while you are turning, don't shift your arms or legs. Once the turn starts, pretend like everything is glued into place. Keep your arms still, and don't move your working leg.

6. Posture! Stand up tall, engage your stomach muscles, open your chest, shoulders back and over your hips, hips even, pelvis tucked. Not too hard to remember, eh?

Hope this is helpful, good luck turning!

Pointe Shoe Padding

Hey guys! I wrote a post on this months ago, it was super long and I spent like an hour on it, and then my computer shut down and it was deleted. I didn't have the heart or patience to rewrite it then, but here it is! Better late than never!

So, there are many different types of pointe shoe padding. Some people use very little padding, others use a lot. It all depends on your feet, your shoes, and your pain tolerence. Here's a breakdown.

Fabric Padding:

Fabric padding are generally not too thick, but also not thin. They can occasionally shift around in the shoe, but is a great option. They can be hand washed and air dried. They don't rip and tear easily, and can sometimes be trimmed down, depending on the brand. Fabric tends to be pretty pricey, $15-$25, but is the most durable.













Some examples are Ouch Pouches (which come in nice colors too!), and Skinny Dips.

Gel Padding:

Gel padding is usually pretty thick. It is very protective, but can prevent you from feeling the floor, which is important, especially for beginners. They can tear or rip. They should be hand washed, air dried, and then sprinkled with baby powder or talc powder.


Examples are Eurotards Feather lights and Sansha Toe pads.

Combination Padding

Gel and Fabric can be combined. These types of pads are usually gel with a layer of fabric. The fabric can be worn on the toes, or the gel can, depending on preference. Like gel pads, these can rip and tear, however it is less likely due to the fabric. Like gel, these should be hand washed and sprinkled with powder. I use these (mine are Gellows) and have had them since I started pointe 10 months ago. I really like them, not too thin or thick, and mine have not torn. They aren't too expensive either.












Examples are Gellows and Gel Tip Toe Pillows, both by Pillows for Pointe.

Lambs Wool:

Lambs wool padding can be used as a primary padding or just as a filler for problem spots. It is probably the oldest type of padding. It can be formed into a pad that fits to your foot, or it can be bought in a pre-made pad. It gets thinner as you use it, but can be carefully washed and fluffed dry so it returns to it's original shape. It's generally very thin and versatile.



Examples are Discount Dance Supply Lambs Wool and Lambs Wool Pillows from Pillows for Pointe.

Extras:

There are types of padding other than the main toe pads like those shown above. For example, if you have a large space between your toes, you may want toe spacers. Toe spacers are like a little chunk of gel that you stick between your toes to keep your toes aligned properly. If you have problems with specific areas, you may want to get gel spots, which can be placed anywhere that needs more protection. If you have problems with a specific toe, or if your big toe is smaller than your second toe, you can get toe caps to even the length or further protect a specific toe. I use both Space Makers and Gel Tips because of the gaps between my toes and the length difference in my first and second toe.

Examples are Space Makers, Gel Spots, and Clear Stretch Gel Tips by Bunheads.

There you have it, a basic guide to pointe shoe padding. Tell me what you like, and don't like, to use in the comments!

"Dancing isn't modeling business"

Okay, so I just posted a reply to someone worried that they were not pretty or skinny enough to dance, and I responded with this video by Anaheim Ballet featuring the wonderful ballerina Maria Kochetkova. She has some inspirational words, so check it out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmRpNwb0NZ0

Recital Time is Nearing!

So, spring has sprung, and you know what that means; competitions and recitals for everyone! My studio does not compete in normal dance competitions, but the company does dance in festivals and some dancers go to YAGP. I do, however, have a recital coming up! The "Spring Performance" will be my first recital with my current studio, and I'm honestly a bit nervous! It's at a new location for me, so I don't have the comfort of knowing how big the stage is, or where the dressing rooms are, and that always makes me uneasy. For some reason, I have the fear that the dance will start and I'll just not be there because I'm lost in some hallway.

We have officially finished the recital dance. It's not the most fun dance I've done, but it is definitely the most technically demanding. There is a bunch of pas de chats, and soutes in arabesque, and some turns as well. The costumes are absolutely adorable, they're blue and look sort of like peasant dresses, because we're the townspeople in the dance. Maybe I'll post a picture a little later.

Tell me about your competitions and recitals below! What songs are you doing, what do you think of the dance?!

Also, I have a friend with a beauty/fashion You tube (you know who you are, I know you follow me) and I was thinking of asking her to do a stage makeup tutorial, and maybe a hair tutorial since performance time is approaching. Tell me what you think!

I'm here!!

Hi guys! I'm still alive, I promise! Thanks for the concern, I've been busy with dance and school and all sorts of stuff, but I'll have a post or two up tonight!

Sorry, again!

Company Woes

My dance studio can be kind of confusing if you don't know how it works, so I'm going to break it down for you and then talk about it. Ready for this? Okay. 

1st, we have the Conservatory. This is the actual leveled classes. There is levels 1-7, and I'm in 4. There is a Spring Recital every year, and that's about it. Jazz and Tap is offered for students 1-3, modern is offered for 4-7.

Then there is the Company. The Company is divided into the Jr. and Senior Company. The Jr. Company is levels 4-5, and some people in 6, and the Sr. Corps is levels 6-7. You must try out for the company. You can go to the conservatory and not be in the company (like me!) but you can't be in the Company and not the conservatory. The company has class every Saturday, and they rehearse on the weekends. Nutcracker is put on by the Company, as well as the Spring Gala Performance. They also perform in the Parade, the yearly Jazz Festival, Regional Dance of America, ect., and for a few students, YAGP.

To be in the company, there is a mandatory 3 week 8 hour a day intensive. Teachers from all over come to teach variations, character, seminars on makeup and nutrition, technique, and modern. This costs $1000. That is a lot of money. I auditioned for the Company, and was accepted, but couldn't pay this hefty fee. 

I recently have been applying to jobs in hopes of being able to afford the intensive, but I haven't had luck. I asked my teacher about auditions just incase, and she sent my dad an email saying I wouldn't have to audition and it would be good for me, and we'll talk more tomorrow. I think I'm going to explain that I'd love to, but I can't afford it, and maybe ask if there's a discounted option. Who knows, maybe I'll be given a discount, maybe not. 

You guys might notice that I do have ads on my blog. Those aren't spam or anything, every time someone clicks one I get a little bit of money. I set the account so it doesn't send me the cash until I get $100, and as of now I've only raised about $13. So if you see something that interests you, feel free to click ;). No, but I just wanted to clear that up so people don't think I use this just for money. I only get about a dollar a month, and once I do eventually get the money from it, I'll use it to pay for dance supplies and I'll tell you guys about it so you know I'm not just buying a new pair of jeans or whatever.

Recital Dance!

Hey Everyone! For our Spring Recital, the Conservatory theme is Sleeping Beauty. The Sr. Corps are doing actual variations, and everyone else (including my class) is just doing dance routines to the music. We started our dance last week, and are about 40 seconds into it. I and the other 16 year old girl in my class walk on stage and begin the dance, and soon the other girls join. I'm so nervous! I've never been on stage with less than 5 other people, let alone being the only person on my half of the stage. Yikes! Here's our music:

Quick summery (I'm paraphrasing here): Carabosse (Maleficent if you only know the Disney version) the fairy gets a little angry because everyone's having this big party to celebrate the christening of the Princess Aurora, and she didn't get invited. So she just shows up and is like, "C'mon guys, what the heck? Why wasn't I invited?" and the parents are all, "I dunno, blame that guy." So she casts this curse that on Aurora's 16th Birthday she will prick her finger on a spindle and die. Ouch, pretty harsh, right? The parents are all, "Nooooo, please!!" and Carabosse shows no mercy. But, all hope isn't lost! The most powerful fairy, The Lilac Fairy (her variation is pretty common), still hasn't given her gift to the Princess. She can't undo the curse, so instead she changes it so that instead of dying Aurora will just fall asleep for 100 years and then be kissed by a prince to wake up. Phew, really dodged a bullet there, right?

So then, fast forward to her 16th party. This is the clip above. Aurora's having a ball, literally and figuratively, and all of a sudden this creeper comes out of the shadows and gives her a spindle. She takes it, and even though her parents know what's coming, they're kind of just like, "Hang on...wait...oh whatever." She pricks her finger (the end of our dance) and wobbles around a little and falls into a deep sleep. The Lilac Fairy casts a spell that the rest of the kingdom would fall asleep with Aurora, so that when she wakes up everyone isn't dead.

100 years later this prince is going hunting with his friends. He leaves them, and the Lilac Fairy shows him an image of Aurora, and he's like, "Woah, I want to meet her!". (Seriously, what would they do without the Lilac Fairy?) Anyway, the prince is smitten with this sleeping 116 year old princess, kisses her, everyone wakes up. Boom, easy as pie, right? They get married and all is well.

Moral of the story: Always invite the envious fairy to the party or she'll cast a spell to kill your daughter.

100th Post!

Hey everyone! Sorry for the break, I wanted my 100th post to be a little special and decided to try my first video! Here it is, a look at my dance bag! Sorry it's so quiet, and my head got cut off at some parts, but hopefully you enjoy it!

Here's a list of things in the video

Bag: Sorry I couldn't find the actual link! I think it's discontinued or something, the brand is Recollections.
Leotard: Capezio Bratek in Burgandy
Pointe shoes: Capezio Arias
Toe Caps: Bunheads ClearStretch Tips
Toe Spacers: Bunheads Spacemakers
Toe Pads: Gellows by Pillows for Pointe
Old Pointes: Bloch Serenades (I almost forgot!)
Shoes: Capezio Dasiy

Tell me if you'd like to see more (hopefully better!) videos, or if I should stick with blog posts for now!

My Dance Schedule

So, I've realized that looking through my blog it might be super confusing to how much and what dance classes I'm taking. So here's my schedule:

Monday- Ballet for 90 minutes
Tuesday- Ballet/pointe for 2 hours
Wednesday-Sleep!
Thursday- 20-30 minutes of Yoga or pilates, and stretching
Friday- Attempt to have a social life
Saturday and Sunday- 1 hour stretching and yoga, some pointe exercises

So, as you can see, I'm currently only taking 2 dance classes a week. TWO. It's driving me crazy. I technically can be taking 4 ballet classes and 1 modern class and my level, but the thing about dance is it can be so expensive!

Hopefully, my summer is a little different. This summer I'm doing a week long 2.5 hour daily summer intensive at my studio for beginner pointe, and also taking some open classes. At my old studio, I also want to try some lyrical classes, assuming I can find a stinking job. Anyway, there you have it!

Flexibility Problems?

Hey guys! How are you all doing? (That is not a rhetorical question, feel free to answer!) I don't have school today (yay for in-service days, right?) so I decided to work on my flexibility. Here are some of my tips.

1. Get warmed up! I put on some nice warm pants; fuzzy pj's, sweat pants, leg warmers, ect, and do some warm ups. Sometimes it's a few rounds of Just Dance with my sister (I win every time, #danceradvantages), jumping jacks, yoga or pilates, or some barre routines. 

2. Start off easy. Don't rush into your splits right away! That can cause pulled muscles, tiny tears which cause soreness, and it won't even improve your flexibility. Your goal is to stretch the muscles, not break them!

3. Find a routine that works for you! Stretching is the most beneficial when you do it often right? So put together a fun routine, add some music, and do it as often as you can! Right now I'm in a yoga kick, so I've been trying out some different yoga routines. Sometimes, I just do my favorite stretches from dance class to some pop music. So make a music playlist, and a list of your stretches! It doesn't need to be long, 5 stretches for each side (10 total), holding for 30 seconds each is just 5 minutes. In addition to a warm up, you've only spent 10 or 15 minutes, out of 24 hours!

Here are some different videos and stretching guides:

Videos:
Yoga for Flexibility
Yoga for Core Strength
Pilates for Core and Flexibility

Web Pages:
Dance.net Guide to 120 Stretches
Gymnastics Stretches for Splits
Gymnastics Stretches for Center Splits
Improving Extensions

If you have trouble getting settled into a routine, try this method with me, it's called Don't Break the Chain. Basically, draw up a calander, or print one out, set a minimum goal (ex, 20 minutes of stretching, 5 days a week), and every day you do it, give yourself an X. Since my goal is just once a week, I made 4 colomuns of 5 boxes, with the labels, Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4. See how long you can go before starting over, and remember, don't break the chain! 

My Pointes are Dying

Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today in honor of my pointe shoes. Because they're practically dead. They fit pretty nicely, and the shank is molded perfectly to my arch, but they're looking pretty soft. I got these shoes less than a month ago, (what, 2 weeks?), ugh. I really do not want to fork over another $85 for new shoes. I knew the shanks were softer on these shoes, and my dance teacher told me to try them out and get a harder shank next time, so I guess that's what I'll do.

On a cheerful note, Happy Valentines Day! Lots of love to my readers out there, you guys are awesome. I love all the comments and everything. So have a good day!

New Pointes and Fitting Tips!

Hello Everyone! Yesterday after school I had a pointe shoe fitting. My dance studio owner scheduled two pointe shoe fitters to come to the studio and get pointe shoes for the girls in my level who had pre-pointe shoes and some of the older girls who needed new shoes as well. I was a bit late from the snow we got, but when I got there I was instructed to put on my toe pads and get in line. I waited about 20 minutes, and then one of the ladies came to help me. She asked my street shoe size, and then looked at my feet for a few seconds and grabbed a pair of Capezios. Way too big. Next, another pair of Capezios. Again, too big. Then a pair of Blochs, too loose. Then another pair of Capezios. I went over to the barre for these ones, and when I stepped onto pointe (when getting fitted they always say, "Step don't roll!") and they winged out and were super loose and baggy. One more pair and I was done. The winners were a beautiful pair of Capezio Arias. When I went over to the barre and stepped onto pointe, they accentuated my pretty high arch quite nicely, and my dance studio owner said they looked amazing (it's hard to get a complement from him!). They are quite a bit softer than my old Bloch Serenades, but I think that will make them a bit easier to dance in. Not to mention, they also have a bigger box. I do get a lot more pressure on my big toe, so I'll need to get some gel spots or something to ease that.

So, when you're getting ready for your first pointe shoe fitting, here are some tips. Make sure you are wearing convertible tights, and if you have toe pads, bring them. If not, get them before you try on shoes, because the shoes will fit differently depending on the padding you have. It's ok to wear jeans, but make sure you can roll them up to your knees. So no skinny jeans! You could be trying on pointes anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour to find the best for you. You'll probably want to try on at least 3 pairs to make sure you get a good variety. Buying your first pointes is more difficult than your second or more pair, because you don't really know how they're supposed to fit. I found out after a few months en pointe that my box was too tapered for me, and the shank was pretty hard for a beginner. Of course, I never would have known this in June, because I didn't really even know what all that meant. You may try on a hundred shoes in 10 different brands, but don't try to rush the process. Pointe shoes need to be the best fit possible to make it as easy and painless as possible for you. When you get the pointe shoes, make sure to get ribbons and elastic as well. You don't want to get ribbon from a craft store, you should get dance ribbon that matches your shoes. Some dance stores even throw it in for free.

When you're getting your pointe shoes, make sure you go to an experienced fitter if your teacher doesn't set up an appointment. If you have to drive 45 minutes to get there, do it. At my last "pointe shoe fitting", I tried on one pair and she said they were good. Ugh. Don't let that happen to you!

So there you have it! My pointe shoe fitting and tips, hope I helped!

Pointe FAQ

Frequently asked questions about pointe. If you have any questions, ask in the comments!

1. When can I start pointe?
I don't know. I don't know you, and even if I did I couldn't tell you. What I can tell you is that you generally need about 3 years of 3 classes a week to start pointe, and you should be 12 or older. There is no set rule though, I began pointe after 2 years of classes at the descretion of my ballet teacher and artistic director. I know girls who have been dancing for years but are still not ready, whether they are still growing or too weak.

2. What shoes should I get?
You need to be fitted for pointe shoes by a professional fitter. There are tons of styles for high arches vs. low arches, long toes vs. short toes, tapered toes vs. squared toes, ect. No brand is really better than the other. I have Bloch Serenades and love them, they're nice and hard, durable, and pretty. They support my feet well, but they may not work for you. It might take a few different models and brands before you find your "perfect shoe".

3. What kind of padding?
It depends. I'm writing a padding post tomorrow so you can compare and contrast. I use gellows by pillows for pointe, and like them a lot.

4. Does it hurt?
Well, sort of. It's uncomfortable, but only if you have injuries. For example, I get really bad ingrown toenails (gross I know, sorry!) and it causes a lot of pain en pointe for me when they are bad. However, when they aren't ingrown, it is not painful. At first it will feel foreign, because lets face it, people weren't built for dancing on their toes. With the proper toe pad and pointe shoe combination, it shouldn't hurt.

5. Will my feet get blisters/bruised toenails/ect?
Probably, they will. Embrace it! Gross feet are the mark of a dancer. Ingrown toenails, bruised toenails, cracked toenails, blisters, and bruises may occur. If your feet aren't too bad, you may just get some callouses.

6. What can I do when I first start pointe?
Well, unless you're getting pre-professional training, you'll start with a lot of eleves, releves, and eschappes. Then you'll move on to passe and coupe balances, and things like bourrees and pas de bourrees. Then maybe chaine and pique turns. Rome wasn't built in a day!

7. Is it worth it?
To me it is, or I wouldn't be doing it! If you love ballet and a little discomfort doesn't bother you, go for it!

Bloch Serenades!

So, hope that helps! To the other pointe dancers out there, is it just me or do new pointes smell amazing?

How Nutcracker Went!

Hey guys! I know it's been over a month since Nutcracker, but here are the highlights!

On opening night I showed up about an hour before it began, and most of the girls were already in the dressing room costume for party scene (I was a soldier, so I didn't need to get into costume just quite yet). There were a bunch of different dressing rooms, I was in the Jr. Corps room. There were counters along the walls that had chairs at them, with a mirror surrounded by lights at each seat, just to give you a visual. There was also a row of sinks, and a little back cove with showers. 15 minutes to curtain, and one of the girls bursts in and declares, "They can't find the ladder!" In our Nutcracker, there's an important part where Clara climbs a ladder, puts the angel on the top of the tree, and everyone freezes for a second and the lights focus on the angel. Without the ladder, there is no angel on the tree, and about 15 seconds of awkward stillness for no reason. They eventually found it, about 5 minutes to curtain, in one of the storage closets. Apparently, one of the guys that worked at the theater thought it was just an old ladder and put it away. Crises averted.

There's a girl with down syndrome at my studio, and she was a soldier too. She's very sweet, 13 years old, but another soldier and  I were sort of in charge of making sure she didn't wander off and was in the right place. She kept getting nervous and declaring that she couldn't dance as we were waiting backstage to go on, and the other soldier and I had to convince her to dance because everyone wants to see her and she'll be amazing. When that didn't work, we got one of the boys she has a crush on (he was the Nutcracker, and in a few other dances, he's around 17) to give her a high five, which made her happy enough to dance. It was so cute, and Nutcracker was such a good sport about it.

There was also a mishap in which a flute for Mirlitons was lost, but again found right before the dance.

Oh man, but this is the really exciting story of the night. Ready for this? So there's this one girl in the Jr. Corps, very good little dancer, but her mom is one of those crazy dance moms. She makes these snide comments to the other girls, and isolates her own daughter by being mean to the other girls. For example, during the dress rehearsal she said to the girls, "My, Megan sure has a lot of frizzies." (as in, loose hairs sticking out), while Megan was right there! Later, the girls went to all go up to watch another scene being rehearsed, and the dance mom's daughter had just gotten there and her mom was doing her hair. As everyone was leaving, she said, "Oh, wow, looks like no one will be nice and wait for you." Anyway, this crazy dance mom was in our dressing room, and the girls are goofing off and practicing their Italian Fouettes (link if you don't know what they are) and one of the girls almost kicks this mom in the face accidently. She shouldn't even be in there, but she starts yelling at this poor girl for almost kicking her and screaming that this girl was always so mean to her daughter (she wasn't). So this girl is crying, and her best friend is crying, and another girl walks in and the mom starts yelling at her for no reason, so she's crying. Then, our artistic directer, the most flamboyant yet intimidating man I know tells all the girls to leave the dressing room, goes in, and is like, "Leave. Just go. Now." All the while, she's yelling about how she's going to sue the studio and all the girls ect.

We haven't seen that girl since.

Anyway, the show was generally very good. That I know of, only one person fell (and recovered very gracefully), and the show got great reviews.

Things People Don't Tell You About Ballet

Hey everyone, sorry for the long break! With finals coming up I was super stressed, but I read all your comments and was so thankful you guys want to read more! Thank you all so much, seriously.

So, when you're about to start ballet, and you're talking to late starters or people who used to dance, they leave out some things. Here they are:

1. You don't wear underwear with a leotard, generally. It looks absolutely ridiculous when the sides of your tighty whities are sticking out of the sides of your leotard. If you want to wear underwear, go with a thong, or something seamless. Victoria's Secret has seamless yoga panties, they work like a charm. With bras, if you don't need one don't wear one, but they do make dance bras or if you don't care about it showing, sports bras.

2. You'll be sore. Oh my, will you be sore. When I came back from a 2 week winter break, I was literally shaking by the end of class due to overstretching my muscles  Fast forward to next morning, everything hurts. Even things I didn't know could be sore were sore.

3. Some days will just be off. Sometimes, you won't be able to turn, or you'll mess up that combination every single time. And then, if you're like me, you'll start tearing up about messing up. Don't worry about it though! It happens to all of us!

4. Pointe = ouch. I love pointe, it's so fun, graceful and difficult. But boy, do my feet hurt after pointe class. In the toes, the arches, and the ankles.

5. You will not be good right away. It took me months to nail a single pirouette when I first started. And en pointe, things don't just carry over from flat. I've been en pointe since June and still am doing basic barre work in class.

6. 80% of the time, you'll start writing pointe instead of point.

7. Your feet will be gross. Bunions, blisters, ingrown toenails, bruised toenails, no toenails, callouses, ect. Right now, I have ingrown toenails on both of my big toes, making pointe really painful, but also, my feet are horrendous. 

I promise, they won't be this bad!

8. Some dance moms are crazy. I don't know why, but a lot (not all!) of dance moms are super protective of their dancing daughters, and they'll do anything. They'll yell at little girls (see my next post), they'll yell at artistic directors and teachers, they'll make back handed comments, and they'll tell their little girl they are the absolute best. Just a warning to everyone.

So, there's just a few things to the other dancers, did I miss any? Don't let these discourage you from dancing though! Dance is my favorite thing to do, and no matter how gross my feet are or how sore I am, I still can't wait to get back. Happy Dancing!