March 10, 2014

How Does an Adult Beginner Break in Pointe Shoes Safely?

bend that shankWhen I started pointe class last fall, I had no idea how to break in pointe shoes. Of course I heard of people bending the shank, banging the shoe on the floor, hammering or standing on the box and even slamming a shoe in a door frame. Remember the montage of dancers breaking in their shoes in the movie Center Stage? Since I didn’t know what I was doing, I knew that trying one of these methods was a surefire way to break (not break in) my pointe shoes.

On the first day of class, my instructor had us put on the pointe shoes and walk, then run around in demi-pointe. Although I felt like I was shuffling around in wooden shoes, I knew this was the first step to actually breaking in the shoes … I just couldn’t imagine my feet being strong enough and lasting long enough to break them in successfully. I felt more discouraged when I releved – my feet looked like tiny stilts.

A bit depressed and embarrassed, I lamented about my first class to my neighbor, a ballet dancer who performed the Sugarplum Fairy role in a professional DC-area Nutcracker production just 8 months after having twins. “Oh … maybe I’m in over my head. Maybe I’m not ready. Maybe I shouldn’t even be trying pointe,” I sighed.

She scoffed, “That was your first day! And you had on new pointe shoes! What do you expect?” She paused and thought for a moment. “Try this: wear your pointe shoes in the house, but put socks on over the shoes. Walk around the house in demi-pointe while doing your normal tasks, like the laundry, dishes, etc. with socks over the shoes.”

I wasn’t sure if this was going to work but tried it anyway. At least this method seemed safe (for me and my shoes) and built onto what I did in class. After a few of 20-minute sessions of walking around in pointe shoes in demi-pointe (that is all my feet could stand at the time), I felt like the shoes were not so stiff … and I felt less discouraged. Of course breaking in the shoes didn’t happen overnight and more exercises in class were needed to break them in, but I felt encouraged by this low-maintenance, convenient method that worked from my own body heat and foot strength. I liked this method because:

  •  the socks kept in body heat to warm up the shoes, which of course softened the shank and box, allowing them to mold to shape of my foot;
  • I wasn’t breaking or bending the shank in random places;
  • the socks protected the shoes from being scratched up;
  • I didn’t worry about slipping on the tile floors with the socks’ traction;
  • I was strengthening my feet at same time and;
  • this method took no time out of my day since I could incorporate it in my everyday activities – especially important for adult dancers!

By my second class, the shoes felt much more comfortable and I could bend and flex my foot to roll up and releve. I can’t say that walking around demi-pointe in pointe shoes covered with socks broke in my pointe shoes completely, but it was an encouraging start.

Filed Under: Ballet, Clothing and Gear, Info Tagged With: , , 2 Comments
March 7, 2014

Beginner Ballerina Profile: Cynthia of Young Wild & Free

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This week’s profile comes all the way from France:

Cynthia, who runs a blog over on Tumblr at http://alldayandallnight.tumblr.com/, shares why she started ballet at age 24.

When did you start doing ballet as an adult?

I started this year, in September, at age 24.

 Did you ever take lessons as a kid?

No. I would have loved to but my mom was against the idea 🙁 I did rhythmic gymnastics as a kiddo but quit after a few years. I went back to gymnastics (artistic this time) for leisure at age 15 and never stopped. Now I help training the kids and use some time to work on my flexibility.

 Why did you decide to take ballet as an adult?

Last year I took a floor barre class. I thought I would never be able to start ballet so late, so I figured floor barre would be a way to get nearer the ballet world. I was quite anxious but the teacher was really nice, and it seems everyone there had wanted to take ballet classes but didn’t. I wasn’t able to attend it again this year, so I took my courage and asked if I could join a ballet class. The beginner’s class was only for kiddos, but she said I could definitely come to the advanced class. I did; and although the first classes were just a blur, I enjoyed it so much!

Where do you take classes?

I take classes, 2 hours twice a week, at a little studio in my hometown (near Paris, France).

 What is your favorite part about ballet?

(Can I say the male ballet dancers’ butts?) The grace of the dancers. And the costumes! Personally I feel like the hippopotamus in Fantasia but I’m working on it.

What is your least favorite part?

Turning. I really have bad upper/lower body coordination but my head… it doesn’t like to turn. And being behind in classes; the others all have years and years of practice, so sometimes I feel like I don’t belong here.

 Who/What is your ballet inspiration?

Probably my dance teacher. She’s really a great teacher, very nice – and beautiful ! She pushes us to our best. She believed I could perform a variation after only 4 months. And I did. I’m eager to see what we’ll do for the annual gala.

What motivates you to keep dancing?

I simply love it, even though it’s hard sometimes – it’s really a dream come true, so I won’t let it go. And that my dance teacher believes in me. I’m shy and a negative person, so it helps to have someone acknowledging your improvements.

 Do you take any other dance classes?

No. But I’d love to learn other dances (like Irish dance or hula) !

What are your hobbies outside of ballet?

I’m a bookworm. And I love going to the museums. I’m also a student-teacher and would like to teach French abroad.

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

No matter your age, your body shape, your flexibility… you can do it if you want it! What’s important is to do it with passion. Go dancers!

 Anything else you’d like to add?

If you’re willing to understand the basic moves and vocabulary before your first class, or even if you get lost at some point, you can find videos on youtube and stuff in books at the library. And of course, don’t hesitate to tell your dance teacher you didn’t understand.

 Do you have a blog?

Yes: www.alldayandallnight.tumblr.com

I blog about books, rugby, ballet, gymnastics, but mostly silly stuff and personal bits too.

 

Filed Under: Adult Ballerinas, Ballet, Interviews Tagged With: , , 1 Comment
March 6, 2014

Thursdays are for Thinking Out Loud #4: Theater Week – Jitters and Joy

This week’s Thursdays are for Thinking out Loud is brought to you by Rachel of Clara’s Coffee Break. Check out the link-up here.

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This weekend, I am going to be in Birmingham Ballet’s production of Hansel and Gretel. I am very excited about it. Quite giddy actually. Today is our first dress rehearsal.

I am performing the role of a Village Mother and also a Flame in the witch’s forest (there are anthropomorphic parts like flames and shadows in this scene).  I feel that it’s more challenging to “get into character” when your character is something like a flame, but I am trying to draw inspiration from the Firebird. I’ve been watching a YouTube video of Maria Alexandrova dancing the Firebird and I love the quirky energy and power that she puts into it. Her dance is much different than ours, but I think it’s helpful to try to absorb the general mood of it and try to emulate the way she accents her movements (*try* is the operative word here!)

In both of my roles I’ll be doing more dancing than I have in past performances, but I’ll also get my “acting fix” since the part of the village mother is dramatic as well.

We will be performing in a smaller theater than we usually do and seeing the audience’s faces will be unavoidable. I guess this should not make me nervous, but, I confess that it does. Yet, on the other hand, I actually like the smaller size of the stage and wings. It has a cozy magic to it. And after watching some of the rehearsal from the house, I think it is special how the audience will be closer to the performers.

It always seems like theater week is going to be long, but it goes by so fast. Too fast. After this, there won’t be anything until Nutcracker rehearsals begin in September. Oh well…so long as you have another performance to look forward to, life is good.

Filed Under: Ballet Tagged With: , , 8 Comments
March 6, 2014

Listen While You Workout Campaign

I was given a MacMillan Audio book in exchange for this review. All opinions are my own, not MacMillan’s. I was not otherwise compensated for this review.

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Getting motivated to workout this spring can be difficult. I’ve struggled getting back into running and ballet because of the harsh and cold winters we’ve suffered here. We’ve also had about 15 snowstorms which can make running outside and getting class anything but a walk in the park.

MacMillan Audio recently launched their second annual LISTEN WHILE YOU WORK OUT CAMPAIGN, which seemed like the perfect way to motivate me to get back into running, stretching and ballet.

I have to admit, I’m not much of an audio book listener. I often find myself distracted by looking at or reading something (or even my own thoughts) while trying to listen to them.  But the audio book I’ve been listening to (Runner by Patrick Lee) has been perfect for holding my attention.  It’s perfect for helping me stretch a little longer (you have to wait until the end of the chapter before you can stop!) and motivating me to do a couple more reps of strength training. As a bonus, it’s been great to keep myself entertained during my 30+ minute commute–I walk and take a train.

Users can participate in MacMillan’s program  by signing up on the website and logging in the amount of minutes that they spent listening to audiobooks that week (there’s samples of audiobooks available, including Runner). Five users will be featured each week and you can join in at anytime until June. (There’s also a contest going on to win a Fitbit Flex if you visit their website.)

I can’t wait until it’s a little bit warmer and I can try running and listening to Runner.

Learn more by visiting http://page.macmillan.com/audio/workout.

Have you ever tried listening to an audio book while working out? 

I was given a MacMillan Audio book in exchange for this review. All opinions are my own, not MacMillan’s. I was not otherwise compensated for this review.

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March 5, 2014

Can Dancing Improve Your Memory?

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Usually I don’t have much of a problem remembering combinations in my ballet classes. More recently, I seem to be struggling a little bit more with remembering ballet combinations after my two month sabbatical from ballet. My brain seems to be somewhat scrambled and I seem to be struggling to remember things both in and out of the studio.

Now I know that the two probably aren’t really that connected and that my memory isn’t suffering that much from being out of class for a couple of months, but it still had me thinking–do ballerinas (and other dancers) have improved memory because of dance?

Back in September, information from a study was released that “implies that years of training can enable dancers to suppress signals from the balance organs in the inner ear, which might otherwise make them fall over” according to a Daily Mail article. The study was printed in a journal called Cerebral Cortex. The findings could help improve patients with chronic dizziness.

So I decided to go hunting for some information about ballet dancing and whether or not it’s been linked to improving dancer’s memory. Here’s what I found:

An article on Standford University’s Social Dance website, entitled “Use It or Lose It: Dancing Makes You Smarter,” was published back in 2010 by Richard Powers with a simple message: frequent dancing makes you smarter.  In the article, Powers referenced a study published in the  New England Journal of Medicine which found that the only form of physical activity that offered protection against Dementia was dancing.

But why?

Powers wrote that mental acuity increases best when you have to make rapid-fire decisions and that “dancing integrates several brain functions at once — kinesthetic, rational, musical, and emotional — further increasing your neural connectivity.”

So, those difficult ballet combinations you have trouble grasping after only having a few moments to learn will only help you improve both your memory and ballet dancing more.

Like my ballet teacher always says, no challenge, no change.

 

Filed Under: Ballet, Info, Outside Class Tagged With: , , 2 Comments