Archives for September 2013

Kristen Gillette September 30, 2013

Weekend Recap: #RescueRun5k and WordPress Class

It’s been a ridiculously busy weekend. I took another WordPress class through the wonderful GirlDevelopIt Philly. I always learn so much through their classes and they’re always super helpful. I’ve taken a WordPress 101 class, an HTML/CSS intro class, and now a WordPress theme class.

As a result of this class, I’ll be working on giving Adult Ballerina Project a major overhaul as I practice my new skills. I’ll keep you updated about how that is going and I’m very excited to get into web development with WordPress since it’s something I love.

I also spent my Sunday morning running another 5k. As I’ve mentioned, I haven’t been keeping up so much with running, so I was kind of nervous and feeling unready for this one. Since I had the class, I knew it was going to be a long day and I’d have a tight schedule.

HQ and I woke up early around 7:15–although later than I wanted since he had worked on a class project until late Saturday night so I pushed our alarm a bit later. We ate a quick bagel and grabbed our running gear and headed down to the Navy Yard in Philly.

Getting there was a little confusing–the Navy Yard only really has one address despite it being a huge complex and walking into it from the subway stop was a little confusing, especially given construction, but we were there in plenty of time for the 10 am start. Unfortunately, I wanted to avoid petting any puppies before the race because of my allergies.

HQ before the race–I took photos of him but we forgot to take any afterwards!

There were a lot of people but the race started on time, and the course was really flat. I had a really good first mile and a half, until we got to the turn around point. I was expecting there to be a water stop, and unfortunately, there wasn’t any, and the second half of my race was much slower. Even though we took a couple of walk breaks, I still beat my last 5k race time by about 2 and a half minutes, which isn’t bad considering I didn’t get much training in the month of August and missed a lot of runs in September due to sickness allergies.

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Here’s to hoping our next one in three weeks (for my college’s homecoming) goes better!

What have you achieved lately?

Filed Under: Blog, Running Tagged With: Girl Develop It, Rescue Run 5k, running, Theme Design, WordPress 2 Comments

Claire Farmer September 26, 2013

Guest Post: Ballet for Body and Soul

So you’re on your way to your first ballet class, either ever, or in a good few years, and you’re feeling anxious, nervous, excited, a bit self conscious, wondering if it was a good idea at all. If you think this is just you feeling like this, you are wrong. Any dancer feels this at regular intervals, no matter how long they have been dancing. What sets us apart is that decision to walk through the door, embrace those feelings and do it anyway and the achievements that spawn from that first decision are what drives us on!

Dance, Ballet in particular, is not just good for your body, but also for your mind and soul. You learn to be comfortable with your own body, to feel graceful and beautiful, to meet like minded people and more often than not make friends for life.

If you are new to or returning to ballet you may feel frustrated to begin with as you try to master all the steps, or co-ordinate your arms and legs to move at the same time as you are trying to complete a port de bras and plies at the same time. Do not despair, it takes hard work and commitment but each week you will find something is slightly easier, you will remember a bit more and before you know it your arms/legs will be travelling to the right position without even needing to think about it.

On a psychological level this concentration also means that any other noise in your mind; what to cook for dinner, whether you’ve put the washing out; what time you need to pick the kids up, will all be quietened, allowing you that bit of peace in your day to calm your mind and just be present in your body. You will begin to notice every movement of your body, listen to what your body needs, both inside and outside the dance studio.

As a dancer myself, I have found dance to be hugely therapeutic. I am not dancing for the audience, for the other people in the class, I am dancing for myself, getting lost in the music and the movement. I have no doubt that with continued practice friends, family and colleagues will comment on how you are carrying yourself, not only in your physical stance but your persona. Ballet gives you grace in both body and mind!

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Claire started dance classes at the age of 5, taking classes in ballet, modern and jazz and continued until the age of 13. After a short break from dance she then returned to dance at 16 with tap, contemporary, jazz and ballet and continued on to study BA (hons) Dance Studies at Roehampton University, London. Claire has always been very interested in how dance can improve your health both mentally and physically for professional dancers and people new to dance. She is currently studying Msc Dance Science at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, London. Find out more about Claire at www.clairefarmer.co.uk and http://healthierdancers.blogspot.co.uk/

Filed Under: Ballet Tagged With: adult ballet, ballet, body, first ballet class, mind, soul 2 Comments

Kristen Gillette September 24, 2013

Blogtember: My Favorite Dancing and Running Fuel

Juggling work, ballet, running and more often means that I don’t have time to eat a meal before heading to ballet class or heading out for a run–plus my stomach doesn’t tolerate exercise well if there’s any significant amount of food in it. So here’s a few of my favorite snacks and running fuels that I use to give me some energy when I don’t have time for a full meal:

Clif Shot Bloks

These are my favorite to munch on before a run (and sometimes before dance class) especially in the morning when my stomach can’t tolerate a whole lot of food. I usually just munch on 2-3 before heading out the door for ballet class or 30 minutes before a run. I love that these usually run me about $2 for 2-3 uses.

Real Food Barre

Although these are on the pricier side ($2.50 a piece), I still pick some up occasionally at my local Whole Foods. Cinnamon pecan is my favorite flavor. Check out the interview I did with the creators, Julia and Aaron to learn more about how they created this bar specifically for dancers.

LaraBars

These have become my cheaper alternative to Real Food Barres, although I haven’t quite found a replacement flavor for the Cinnamon Pecan that I love so much.

Luna Bars

Blueberry Luna Bars are my absolute favorite (although they can sometimes be a little bit tricky to find). These often end up serving as my breakfast on the go even if I’m not running or going to ballet class that day. I also love their cookie dough protein bar.

What snacks do you eat before ballet class or a run?

Filed Under: Ballet, Reviews, Running Tagged With: LaraBar, Luna Bar, real food barre, running fuel, shot bloks 3 Comments

Kristen Gillette September 23, 2013

Blogtember Link-up: “Life Lately”

Here’s the next in my series for the Blogtember link-up, a “life-lately” post, described as “What you’re up to, how you’re feeling, how you’re doing on your goals, etc. Bonus points for great photos!”

While I don’t have too many photos, here’s what my September has been like so far:

Another Trip to the Zoo

My best friend and I taking the same photo we took four years ago in the same place freshman year of college.

One of my best friends came to visit for her birthday and we went to the zoo.

He was trying to escape and come home with me.

This time, I got to hang out with the turtles even more than I did the last time (and if you saw my Wordless Wednesday post, you know I love turtles). It was a fun day, and my best friend finally got to try the mac and cheese truck here in Philadelphia.

Baseball players foam roll and theraband just like ballerinas do!

HQ and I also went to a baseball game for the first (and only) time this season.

Started a Part-Time Job

I said goodbye to my summer internship (which I’ll miss, a lot) and started a new part-time job in an office building a half a block away. It’s a pretty nice job, and I get to do a lot of writing, which I love.

Struggled with Allergies…

Ugh, normally, I love fall. But not this fall. My allergies have hit full force and it’s made getting to ballet and getting running done difficult because of constant headaches and congested sinuses. Lovely, I know. It’s part of the reason I feel like I’ve fallen behind in ballet class and why I’m nowhere near ready for this 5K next weekend like I wanted to be.

…and with Shin Splits (again)

Because of my lack of practice in both dance and running lately, leg pain hit me full force last week in my Thursday ballet class, so much that I wanted to cry. I had some realizations about my hyper-extended legs (partly thanks to @dancinbranflake on Twitter!) and learned they’re an extra thing (along with my overpronating feet) that I really need to be careful of in class. I took the entire weekend off from both, but I’ll hopefully be back at it this week.

What has your September looked like?

Filed Under: Blog, Etc. Tagged With: ballet, baseball, Dance, hyperextended knees, Overpronation, turtles, zoo Leave a Comment

Kristen Gillette September 20, 2013

Beginner Ballet Profile: Heidi Edwards

Heidi Edwards was encouraged to start ballet while working as a receptionist in a studio and a ballet instructor inspired her when he told her, “You know, Heidi…it’s never too late to start ballet. If you want to learn, just go for it.” Read the rest of her Q&A to learn more about her inspiration and about her journey to become an adult ballerina!

When did you start doing ballet as an adult?

I took a two ballet classes in college because I needed art credits to graduate. After that, I started taking ballet at a studio in 2006, when I was 24.

Did you ever take lessons as a kid?

My mom put me in ballet when I was 2, but I didn’t like it. I took jazz and tap lessons a few years later and then joined my school’s dance team. After 9^th grade, I quit because our dance coach was verbally abusive. I thought I would never dance again.

Why did you decide to take ballet as an adult?

Initially, it was just to get those art credits for college. I was surprised at how much I liked ballet. I took classes after graduating at my husband’s suggestion…he said: “You always look so happy when I watch you dance.”

Where do you take classes?

DancEncounter Ltd. School of Dance in Geneva, IL It’s a great local studio with a very positive and encouraging atmosphere. They are very good about including the adult dancers in performances and studio events.

What is your favorite part about ballet?

My favorite thing about ballet is how therapeutic it can be. When I’m in class, all I can think about is my body and how it’s moving…there’s no room for anything else. When life gets difficult, I just go to ballet class and forget all my worries. Ballet also helps me express my emotions. My father recently passed away and instead of speaking at the service, I danced. It really helped me through the grieving process.

What is your least favorite part?

My least favorite thing about ballet is that it takes a lot of flexibility, which I do not have. Now that I’ve had a child, it’s even harder to do certain things in class. I also hate frappes…I usually get caught making faces during that part of class.

Who/What is your ballet inspiration?

I was 21 and working at a studio as a receptionist. There was an older male ballet teacher who caught me “dreamily watching” a ballet class from the office. He said: “You know, Heidi…it’s never too late to start ballet. If you want to learn, just go for it.” I tried the studio’s adult ballet class once and he came in to watch and cheer me on. Later that year, he passed away. I made a promise to myself to never forget him or how much he inspired me with his words, attitude and amazing dancing. He opened my eyes to the possibility of dancing as an adult.

What motivates you to keep dancing?

My family! My husband is so supportive of me, even though I have to spend two nights a week at the studio (sometimes more!). My son is only two and a half, and he tells me constantly: “Mommy, I proud you. You go dance class and wear pointe shoes!” Who could stop dancing after hearing that? My other motivation is performing! I love being on stage, so all the hard work in class is worth it!

Do you take any other dance classes?

Not right now…just ballet twice a week. In the past, I have taken jazz, lyrical and tap as an adult.

What are your hobbies outside of ballet?

I like to sew, read and watch documentaries. I love board games…my husband and I like to get together with our friends and have game nights. I also enjoy drawing and making crafts with my son.

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

Take the time to find a studio and a class that is right for you. Every dancer has different needs and goals, and every studio has different expectations and teaching styles. If you try a class and it’s not what you want, don’t hesitate to try something else. Don’t dance below or above your ability. If you’ve danced before and adult classes are too easy, ask if you can take class with the older teens at the studio. If the adult class is too difficult, ask if there is a basics class or stretch class for teens/adults. And remember…don’t compare yourself to anyone! Everybody improves at their own pace.

Anything else you’d like to add?

For those of you who are mothers, don’t be afraid of going back to dance (or starting dance) after having a baby. Yes, your body is different. Yes, everything will be harder for a while. But, with the right teacher and the right class level, ballet can still be part of your life. Plus, it gives you much-needed “me time” away from the kids. 🙂

Filed Under: Adult Ballerinas, Interviews Tagged With: ballet, Beginner Ballerina, Heidi Edwards, profiles 3 Comments