Archives for May 2015

May 24, 2015

Claire Farmer’s Dance Injury App Survey

Recently, I received an email from Claire Farmer, founder of Dance Longer Dance Stronger (and who has guest blogged for ABP a few times) and she’s conducting  market research to support a funding application to create a dance injury app. Her goal is to create something that easily enables dancers to find resources and specialist dance injury care by just asking a few simple questions.

Take the survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/F9WZZWB.

You can also help spread the word about the survey by tweeting:

Dancers — take Claire Farmer’s (of @DanceStronger) survey about dance injuries.

Click To Tweet

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May 22, 2015

Ballerina Profile: Tricia Romanishen

IMG_5812When did you start doing ballet as an adult?

I started doing ballet when I was 39 🙂
Did you ever take lessons as a kid?

No I never took any ballet lessons when I was younger. I don’t really really even remembering asking to take any. I did take at least 2 seasons of Highland dancing when I was 5 or 6, until I convinced my parents to let me quit.

Why did you decide to take ballet as an adult?

My youngest daughter has been taking ballet and jazz lessons for the past 2 years. After watching her classes, her practicing at home, I thought I might like it. After watching her school’s end of year recital, I decided I really wanted to try and learn.

Where do you take classes?

I take classes twice a week at different studios. One studio is called Academy of Performing Arts, which is RAD based and my other studio is called Dixon’s Dance and Fitness Centre, which is Cecchetti based.

Continue Reading

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May 8, 2015

Adult Ballerina Profile: Emilee Ayers

10679831_10202366864563152_5848099646574163555_oThis week’s profile is of Emilee Ayers. Check out her blog, Everything I need to know about life, I learn in dance class, too!

When did you start doing ballet as an adult?

October of 2011 (I was 23)

Did you ever take lessons as a kid?

for two years at 6 and 7, then again at 10 and 11. But I was taught in correctly and ineffectively. (I didn’t know the names of any movement whatsoever save for an arabesque.

Why did you decide to take ballet as an adult?

Despite knowing the names of nothing, they said I could get on pointe in two years. (this studio let anyone on at a certain age. I’m glad I didn’t stay.) It had been my dream since I was a kid to dance on pointe, but my mom pulled me out of dance when I started gaining weight due to puberty and didn’t take me seriously when I wanted to go back.

Where do you take classes?

Munro Ballet Studios and I’m an apprentice with the Corpus Christi Ballet

What is your favorite part about ballet?

I absolutely love the history and tradition behind it. It blows my mind to know that so many people have done the same thing I’m doing and learned the same technique that i’m learning. I feel like I’m part of a special group of people that consists of people from all over the world. Ballet is a universal language. I also love how it makes me feel. I am most alive when I’m dancing.Continue Reading

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May 1, 2015

Adult Ballerina Profile: Meghan of Wellies and Pearls and Ballet Shoes

DSC_0624This week’s profile is of Meghan. Check out her blog: Wellies and Pearls and Ballet Shoes.

When did you start doing ballet as an adult?

I returned to ballet in 2014 so I’ve only been back for a short while.

Did you ever take lessons as a kid?

I took classes for a year or so when I was 6 to 7 and then my family moved overseas so my early ballet career was short lived. I’ve always loved ballet, but it made it difficult to stick to anything as a military brat. Thankfully, I discovered musical theater when I was about 11-years-old so I had plenty of opportunities while growing up to sing and dance and ham it up! Later, I took ballet in college which was a great experience, and also after graduation when I was an intern working in D.C. … then I took a decade-long break!

Why did you decide to take ballet as an adult?

The short answer is that I love ballet and found I really missed it! It was something I always said I would come back to when I had a good work and life balance so that I could fully commit.

Where do you take classes?

I take classes in the adult program at the School of the Richmond Ballet and feel so fortunate to be able to dance there.  I especially love that that the SRB has such a wonderful program geared at adults. I also take classes at a small studio near my work a couple of times a week.

What is your favorite part about ballet?

I love the whole ballet environment – the structure, the discipline, the combination of athleticism and artistry required, and especially, I love the challenge.Continue Reading

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