Archives for January 2013

January 23, 2013

Floor Barre (and why can’t I take ballet in a swimming pool?)

dance-academy-heatwave-cart-c19In a post on my old blog (around the time I first injured my ankle/leg), I posted about how I wished I could do ballet in a pool. I’ve always really enjoyed swimming (I was a lifeguard full-time for four summers and part-time for two summers). I first got the idea from an episode of Dance Academy entitled Heatwave where the academy holds their barre class in the pool because it’s too hot and the air conditioning in the studio is broken.

While I have messed around with barre exercises a little in the pool, I don’t really have a place where I can put this into practice as my school only has lap swimming at odd times. So I’ve been looking into floor barre, or doing exercises normally done at the barre while sitting or lying on the floor, as an alternative.

This Dance Advantage article entitled “How Low Can You Go?”  lists several benefits of floor barre, including it being good for injuries, developing strength, and helping to improve with movement execution (including realizing what you might be doing wrong with bad habits).

While there are no floor barre classes in Philadelphia (that I could find) you can find a list of instructors of the method developed by Zena Rommet here. Another book I’ll be looking into checking out at the library is Maria Fay’s Floor Barre.

Would you ever consider doing floor barre or taking a floor barre class?

Filed Under: Ballet, Ballet Class, Info, Outside Class Tagged With: , , , , , , 4 Comments
January 22, 2013

Beginner Ballet Tips: Exercises for Pointe

Just some quick exercises to strengthen for pointe using a barre while wearing pointe shoes. I’ve been working on some of the exercises we do in class, but I figured I could definitely use something I could work on at home since my pre-pointe classes are only running every other week at this point.

As always, don’t try these exercises without any prior pre- pointe or pointe  experience, and be careful.

How do you practice pre-pointe or pointe safely at home?

Filed Under: Ballet, Info, Outside Class Tagged With: , , , 1 Comment
January 21, 2013

My Return to the Dance Studio

I miss blogging about my own experiences, so about once a week or so, I’m going to return to doing so, while still bringing you tips, interviews and more throughout the week!

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I finally made it back to the studio this past Thursday after a little over a month off. I was extremely worried that I was going to struggle, but Thursday’s class went well. The class was PACKED. Generally, at PDF, the classes hover around 1o people (although I’ve been in some classes as small as five or six). This class had about 18, and we had to be split up into two groups for some of our center work, and barre space was quite cramped. Still, it was an effective class and quite a workout. I can’t wait until my instructor installs a permanent barre on the wall in the back of the studio. While it will block my view of the mirror, I love permanent barres so much because they’re sturdy and you don’t have to worry about wobbling the barre or having someone else wobble the barre.

Saturday’s class (and pre-pointe class) did not go as well. I was extremely nervous about pre-pointe (because I was two classes behind); I feel as if it’s going to take a lot to get me strong enough to catch up. My brain was completely scrambled and I could not remember combinations and I felt as if I was failing at the most basic steps. I couldn’t even manage to not screw up a basic tombe pas de bourree to fourth position turn preparation because I was distracted (these felt more solid, although not perfect on Thursday). For some reason, my brain and Saturday morning class do not mix, as I never seem to be quite as focused.

Hoping for better classes in the upcoming week to make up for my disappointing weekend.

Do you prefer evening or morning classes?

 

Filed Under: Ballet, Blog Tagged With: , , , 4 Comments
January 21, 2013

Top 5 Blog Posts: Dance Advantage Round-Up

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I know, I’ve already posted this before, but since Dance Advantage’s monthly roundup is your top 5 posts, I figured I’d clean up this post a bit.

When I started this blog back in September, I didn’t expect to fall in love with ballet like I have now, attending four classes a week. Although it’s been a struggle (between two ankles injuries and a number of sicknesses), I’m looking forward to a new year where I won’t be so bogged down by class work and can attend even more ballet classes.

Why Should You Take Ballet Classes as An Adult? One of the very first posts I wrote for this blog, listing a lot of reasons why you should do ballet (a lot of them from readers). I’d love for this post to keep growing, so if you’ve got suggestions, add them.

Boyfriend Does Ballet I dragged my boyfriend to ballet at Koresh, and he helped write a post about it. I’m hoping to drag him to more classes in 2013.

What Was it Like to get Your First Pair of Pointe Shoes I love this post for how helpful everyone was in the comments. If you’re getting pointe shoes soon, read them.

Two Week Split Challenge: I made a plan to work on my splits with various yoga sequences and other stretching plans so that it wouldn’t get boring. It was an expansion on my 30 day challenge and a way to make the challenge really work.

Q & A with Julia and Aaron, the creators of Barre: A Real Food Bar. Julia and Aaron took some time out a few weeks ago to answer some questions for ABP.

What are some of your favorite posts YOU’VE written this past year?

(Note: a form of this has already been published. I cut it down to 5 posts for the Blog Circle at Dance Advantage.)

Filed Under: Ballet, Etc. Tagged With: , , , , , Leave a Comment
January 18, 2013

Ballerina Profile: B of Under the Purple Magnolia Tree

This weeks post comes from B, who co-runs Under the Purple Magnolia Tree. She restarted ballet about a year ago after dancing throughout her teenage years. Enjoy!
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Adult Ballerina Project: When did you start doing ballet as an adult?photo 3

B: I restarted ballet in September 2011 with one class a week to ease back into things, then properly started again in January 2012, so I’ve had just over a year of doing ballet as an adult. I turn 25 this year so it’s actually only been about a 5 year gap between stopping and starting.

ABP: Did you ever take lessons as a kid?

B: I actually spent all of my teenage years dancing. I started at 10 with ballet and then added jazz the following year. I tried Irish for a couple of years, along with rhythmic gymnastics, but it wasn’t until I was at university that I discovered contemporary dancing and started to combine that with my ballet. I did ballet until I was 18 or 19 (my last year of uni), the only reason I stopped was in anticipation of moving to a new city and because my body wasn’t physically coping with dance on top of everything else I was doing.  I did my grades through to Intermediate Vocational Level in the British Ballet Organisation, which is equivalent to about grade 7 but with pointe.

ABP: Why did you decide to take ballet as an adult?

B: I’m a middle school teacher, and in 2011 when I started teaching I started up a dance group for my students at school. Watching my students get excited about dance reminded me of how much I loved it and I decided it was high time I went back. I’m not so into the performance side, so I decided to go back and work towards my ballet teaching qualifications instead. Of course I still take regular classes to help refine and maintain my technique while I study for my exams.

ABP: Where do you take classes?

B: I currently take three advanced level ballet classes at a studio in my home city Wellington, New Zealand, one of which is advanced pointe. It’s a pretty great little place, nothing fancy but with seriously awesome teachers. In New Zealand all ballet classes are taught within an exam-based syllabus – usually British. The one I take classes in (and always have) is BBO or British Ballet Organisation. They’re not as well known as say RAD but I really love the challenging nature of the choreography and the emphasis on developing dance quality and musicality.

ABP: What is your favorite part about ballet?

B: I love everything we do at the barre. It’s absolutely my favourite part of class. I also love port de bra – it along with epaulment is probably the part of dance that comes most naturally to me. I’m a big fan of anything in ¾ time too, so waltz enchainments have always been a favourite of mine. I’m learning to really love turning en pointe too.

ABP: What is your least favorite part?

B: Batterie and petit allegro – I’m not a natural jumper and I find anything that beats requires so much concentration. Pirouettes from 5th is another thing I’m really not a fan of.

ABP: Who/What is your ballet inspiration?

B: Hmmm… that’s a tricky one. I really love the Royal New Zealand Ballet and there are a couple of dancers in particular I enjoy watching. I guess my teacher also inspires me in terms of my teaching study since she is such a fantastic teacher.

ABP: What motivates you to keep dancing?

B: The little successes and the ultimate goal of sitting my teaching exams. I had a whole term out this year on crutches and in a moonboot due to a misdiagnosis, and coming back in to dance in the last term of the year has been all about the little things. When I restarted ballet back in 2011 I launched back into advanced level classes and coped fine but also took my body for granted. When you’re coming back to dance after an injury and find you have to work hard just to releve, it changes your perspective and you appreciate the little successes even more.

ABP: Do you take any other dance classes?

B: As much as I love classical ballet, my biggest love is actually contemporary ballet – I love the fluidity of it. I also take an advanced contemporary class at the same studio – I really do think it is a great compliment to ballet as it teaches you so much about being grounded in your body. I also teach a lot of creative movement and intro jazz and contemporary classes at the middle school I teach at (though it’s not the main aspect of my job).

ABP: What are your hobbies outside of ballet?

B: I love creating things, enjoy writing and love literature. My partner and I both have a strong interest in living a simpler, more sustainable and down to earth life.

ABP: What advice would you like to give to those who want to start ballet or have just started?

B: Go for it. Yes it can be very frustrating I won’t lie, but it challenges you to think about yourself and experience  movement in such a profoundly different way.

 

Filed Under: Adult Ballerinas, Ballerina Profiles, Ballet, Interviews Tagged With: , 3 Comments