Ballet Notes

Barre

• Feet fully on demi pointe
• Stand up tall without compromising your balance (tighten your center)
• During tendu/degage/ronde jambe exercises, keep your hips facing forward, not turned out to the side.
• Relax your shoulders.
• Tendu/degage: extend all the way to the front and back (pointe your toes, girl!). Also, your side degage/tendu is more in front than to the side.
• Devellope: when extending out, your foot goes to wear you would tendu to!
• When in fourth position, your front foot’s toe should be level with your back foot’s heel, your center evenly distributed, and don’t lean back when you plié.

Center Floor

• Chaine turns
• Relax the shoulders (especially your right)
• Hold your center
• Relax your shoulders

•  Pique turns
• Higher on demi point
• Keep your working leg straight
• Pull up on your posse
• RELAX YOUR SHOULDERS

• Grand Jete
• Keep your legs straight
• Arms in first position for in between leaps.
• Lower your arm in third arabesque when leaping so as not to cover your face
• Look up higher so your leaps have more height

Vocabulary

• Frappé
• Frappé means to "strike". Hitting the floor or an ankle with a moving foot, flexed.
• Coupe’
• The working foot is placed on the part of the leg between the base of the calf and the beginning of the ankle.
• Retiré
• A position in which the thigh is raised to the second position en l'air with the knee bent so that the pointed toe rests in front of, behind or to the side of the supporting knee.
• Devant
• In front. This term may refer to a step, movement or the placing of a limb in front of the body. In reference to a particular step the addition of the word "devant" implies that the working foot is closed in the front.
• Pas de chat
• Cat's-step. The step owes its name to the likeness of the movement to a cat's leap.
• En croix
• Meaning "in the shape of a cross" or "the cross." This term is usually used when doing barre exercises such as battement tendu and battement frappé. The required movement is done to the front, then the side, then back and then again to the side (a cross shape) closing in either first or fifth position.

~La vie est belle, Bri~

ACBA Christmas Show

This post is going to be a little scatter brained, just to warn you before hand.

Last Saturday I went to see one of my best friends, Helen, perform at the The Alaska Center for the Performing Arts in Anchorage (the PAC for short). It was a hectic day, trying to make sure I had my ticket (my daddy called in to get it. The silly online site didn't register that the address we typed in did indeed match the credit card number), getting my clothes washed (hey, I didn't have time at home!), shopping for the perfect gift, and getting to the theater on time. In the end, I was dressed in one of my favorite dresses (black strapless with a maroon shirt underneath), and waiting awkwardly in a lobby-like area upstairs where the ticket vendor had directed me.

So, I'm standing there, feeling extremely lonely, hoping Helen could for the love of nature and all things pretty text me back, when I hear somebody call my name. I turn and to my delight, I see MRS. LINDAMOOD!!!!! Yes, I was super excited to see her, and promptly glued myself to her for the rest of the night, except of course during the performance. When I was pointed to my seat, I sat for around 10 minutes before I was informed that I was sitting in the wrong seat, and moved back a row. The family that took my place were hilarious to watch and listen to. Parents and two daughters (one probably 17-19 year old, and one stubborn 5-6 year old). The conversation we had went along these lines:

Dad So, you're coming to the ballet alone?
Me: Yes. I've come to see a friend.
Mom: Oh, is she a dancer?
Me: Yes, she is. *smiles sweetly*
Dad: And whats her name?
Me: Helen Lindamood.
Them: Ooh.
*pause of a couple minutes*
Dad: So, are you a ballet dancer too?
Me: yes, I am.
Mom: Oooh, were you in The Nutcracker?
Me: *rolling eyes inwardly* No, I didn't audition in time.
Them: *sympathetic look*
Me: *smiles and looks back at program*
Little girl: *stubbornly not sitting in front by her sister* Mom I want to dance for flowers!
Mom: You can, but we need to sit down and watch this first,.
Dad: Hey, why don't you go sit by her? *nods toward me* she's a REAL ballet dancer
Little girl: *doubtfully sits down*


It kinda sorta made my day right next to Helen's birthday present.

On with the show! They had guest dancers from a ballet company in Idaho. They did a Pas De Deux, and it was beautiful, but because I didn't have light enough to read my program (and hadn't had enough time anyway), I totally assumed it was Alex Lammon who was dancing....*cough* this IS a compliment, by the way.

(The above picture isn't the Pas De Deux I saw, or even the same dancers, but you get the idea.)

I was delighted when, during the Waltz of the Snowflakes, "real" snow fell onstage. It added a magical touch to the performance, and I could hear people whispering around me "It's snow!" "SNOW!" "Look, snow!". I smirked subtly to myself. Helen did a pas de deux with a guy named Oscar Gonzalez. It was beautiful, despite what she keeps saying, even though I think it's kind of awkward, a 16-year-old dancing with a 40-year-old guy. The Christmas Extravaganza was HILARIOUS. That's all I have to say about that. The Trepak was absolutely amazing as well.

But, what remains my all time favorite though was Drumming Song. That would be Helen's modern/lyrical dance. It was freaking AMAZING. And I looooove it. And I wish I could have recorded it...because it was AMAZING.

~La vie est belle, Bri~

Benefits of Ballet

(Note: this wasn't written by me, although the picture is of me.)

Whether you're looking for an activity for yourself or for your child, ballet offers many potential benefits for both body and mind. It's a total body workout that requires both discipline and focus but is also quite enjoyable. Plus, ballet is usually taught in a group setting which gives you the opportunity to interact with other dancers. Here are some of the many benefits of ballet:

Ballet benefit: Promotes better posture

Ballet exercises require the use of good posture and alignment. For this reason, many ballet classes teach postural alignment exercises which help to promote good posture and create awareness of good alignment as you carry out your daily activities.

Ballet benefit: Sculpts and tones your body

The movements taught in ballet classes are designed to tone and firm muscles without developing bulk so you develop long and lean muscles as opposed to thick, bulky ones.


Ballet benefit: Develops poise and body awareness

When you take ballet lessons, you're taught a series of simple exercises called the barre. These exercises are designed to help build poise and grace which are necessary traits that a successful ballerina must have. These exercises are repeated at each class to help build balance, strength, and poise.


Ballet benefit: Helps to relieve stress

When you perform ballet exercises and movements, it relaxes your mind and removes you from the cares of the world. Your focus shifts to concentrating on each movement and the placement of your legs and arms. Many people report they can actually feel their stress melt away when they focus on ballet.

Ballet benefit: Promotes creative expression

Ballet is not simply a form of exercise, although it does provide many of the health benefits of exercise. It's also a form of artistic expression. You interpret each dance movement in your own unique way and it becomes your own personal expression. This can be quite therapeutic for both mind and body.



Ballet benefit: Promotes flexibility.

The movements of ballet are quite effective in promoting flexibility. Ballet uses muscles that are seldom used in other sports, giving you a total body flexibility workout.

Ballet benefit: Strengthens the back and abdominal muscles.

Ballet is an excellent form of exercise to strengthen and develop the core muscles of your back and abdomen. This may result in less back pain and a flatter abdomen. Ballet participants often notice that their waistlines become more defined over time.

~La vie est belle, Bri~

I don’t want to diet; I want to get in shape.

So, if you’ve ever danced, you know that natural instinct that insists you do everything perfectly immediately. It’s unavoidable. Even if your teachers are pushing you hard (and believe me, teachers can be super harsh sometimes), the one who’s really pushing is you. Dancers have a tendency to be extremely unforgiving of our mistakes, even when we don’t have to be. It’s a mental glitch placed the moment you step into a studio for your first class.


I used to think it was hilarious how my friend Helen would look at pictures of her dancing and call out every little thing that was wrong with her technique. I would tell her how it looked great, stop fussing, and she would in turn glower at the picture some more. I would think to myself how she’s just over exaggerating.

But now I’m

Just.
Like.
Her.

I notice every single thing that’s wrong in any videos or pictures taken of me while I was dancing, and I just end up feeling down and depressed.

Why do we do this to ourselves? 

When I first started dancing again my mom confiscated the scale. She insisted that dancers have an unnatural fixation with their weight and are prone to getting eating disorders. My first reaction to this was annoyance. I argued that, hey, you’re over reacting. I don’t need to lose weight, I’m skinny enough. I am not going to get an eating disorder. I love food too much!

But, after a whole semester at the dance studio? Yes, those last two statements are the only two I still believe. Don’t go all psycho on me though, hear me out. If you could see all the girls at the dance studio, you’d understand why I started feeling out of place, or “fat”. I can’t help looking at pictures and watching videos and all the while lamenting the fact that my hips look funny and my shoulders always seem to be hunched over (IMA HUNCH BACK!). I’m not fat, by every day standards, so why do I put myself down?

Because I could be better. 

Along with tossing the scale, my mom also forbade any “dieting”. The problem with this is that my mom has a significantly loose definition of what a “diet” is. Even the most discreet suggestion of maybe eating more fruit and vegetables (“eating healthier”) is always met with a suspicious look and opens up a lecture on how I am perfect the way I am.

But seriously, what’s wrong with trying to improve myself? Everyone can be better, so why not me?

There are so many diets out there in the world right now, some healthier than others, so naturally when someone tells you they need to get skinnier and lose some weight, the first thing that pops into your mind is a diet, right?

That’s why I like the phrase “get in shape” better. It’s more centered around exercising and eating healthier things than limiting what you eat and not eating too much in one day. Obviously, I’d have to make sacrifices (such as; not as much sugar, McDonald’s, etc.). If there is one thing right now that I want to learn more about, its nutrition. This is going to sound really stupid, but I have no idea what calories are and how they affect our bodies. When I was younger, sitting at the dinner table, my sister and mom were talking about how many calories our rolls had. When I inquired what they meant, I was told that I was too young to worry about it.

Now, even If I were to ask, it’d be the simple version intended to make it sound like not a big deal so I wouldn’t worry my pretty little head about how much I weigh. Can you imagine how many times I roll my eyes a day?

I don’t want to diet; I want to get in shape.

As a last thought, I’d like to go back to what I said about dancers being over dramatic and self-conscious. Almost every dancer you could ask, they would say that they have made this or that mistake. In the words of Bekah Cornell, “If we did everything perfectly, no one would come to our recitals because they’d have seen it all before. Our mistakes make us unique and original.”

~La vie est belle, Bri~

Five and Ten Year Plans

In Five Years I will have…

• Graduated from high school in the spring of 2014
• Been accepted to a college (an arts college or BYU) and attended my Freshman and Sophomore years (2014-15, 2015-16) studying dance, business management, and creative writing.
• Attended church diligently 

I could have…

• Taught at a local studio of dance for extra money
• Visited my family for holidays
• Gotten tan 

In Ten Years I will have…

• Graduated college with a (doctorate? Bachelors?) in dance.
• Gotten married in the temple.
• Opened a dance studio (with Renaye?) in (a state that’s not too warm but not too cold). 

I could have…

• Held a calling in the church.
• Visited with old friends.
• Watched Helen perform an amazing ballet piece with a ballet company.

My Goals

My Goals (Summer 2012)

1)      Dance at Sonja’s

a.       Ballet 2b

b.      Jazz 3b

c.       Lyrical 2

d.      Modern 1/2  

2)      Get through Pre-Algebra

3)      Catch up in Seminary

What I need

1)      Dance

a.       $700+ for classes and gas/food

b.      Advance in my classes during spring semester

2)      Math

a.       Workbook

b.      Time

3)      Seminary

a.       Scriptures

b.      Manual

c.       Time

My Plans

Dance

1)      Advance to the higher classes (mentioned above)

a.       Be more attentive in class

b.      Workout/Stretch Daily

                                                               i.      10 minute jog

                                                             ii.      50 crunches

                                                            iii.      Ballet ab work

                                                           iv.      Other stretches  

c.       Practice more

                                                               i.      Barre work

d.      More outgoing in class

                                                               i.      Ask questions (at the end of class, preferably)

e.      Eat healthier

                                                               i.      Not a diet, just healthier food. No more McDonald’s and soda all the time!

2)      Money

a.       Penny Per Page

                                                               i.      “I’m working towards a scholarship for dance”.

                                                             ii.      Maybe make a video of me dancing, and explaining what I want?

b.      Babysitting

                                                               i.      For gas/food money

c.       Photography

                                                               i.      Ask mom

Pre-Algebra

1)      Do an hour a day

a.       Stay on schedule

Seminary

1)      Do a lesson a day

a.       Extra when I can

2)      Read my scriptures

a.       Every night

Classical Ballet vs. Modern/Lyrical

I spent Thursday and Friday with my amazing friend, Helen. The whole point of the trip was because it was "Bring a Friend" week at her studio. I got to watch her classical ballet classes and her modern class.

I easily figured out which I prefer.

Now, my brain was impaired by lack of sleep, therefore impairing my ability to judge, but the thing is....ballet put me to sleep and modern didn't. My theory is that the reason I was falling asleep was not only because of lack of sleep, but also because watching ballet barre work with classical music in the background is...repetitive and somewhat...soothing? Eh, well, either way watching Helen's footwork (which was amazing, so all of you know), was just...so...peaceful...and...*yawns* zzzzzzzzzz.............

I like lyrical and modern because they're not as stuffy as classical ballet, more free in their movement. Ballet is all about perfection. The right angle to hold your foot, straight lines for your arabesque, square your body, don't sickle your foot, make those calves burn with your precision in moving your foot across the floor.....who am I kidding? I don't think I'll ever get to that level. Those girls are amazing, and I am supremely jealous.

Maybe when I get a little farther along? I love ballet, but at some times I just get so frustrated with it. I can only do so much at a time.

Check with me this time next year and see what I think then....

~La vie est belle, Bri~