How to Not be Bored in Ballet Part 3

Hey there!

So this post has two tips because they fit in with each other quite nicely, and are almost inter changeable. After this post, their will only be one more, and then onto another topic. These tips are best to help you not be bored in ballet. So......here they are!!!

3. Focus on something
 A lot of times you might have no 'focus' except for can we please just never do barre! during ballet. This will definitely make you bored so find something you can focus on. Find something a teacher called you out on a while ago or recently such as "Make sure you're keeping your turnout!" focus on that! It doesn't have to be something the teacher said just to you, it can be others to. If the teacher says, 'make sure not to drop your elbow' to the girl across the room, make sure you do it to. Even if she/he says it to no one in particular make sure you apply the correction. The majority of the time teachers have a 'focus' to the class. Last night in ballet, Brenda's class 'focus' was turn out. She had noticed it was something our whole studio struggled with. She gave us many great tips such as using your plie to strengthen your turnout. Although she did very simple and somewhat boring combos, it was so then we could focus on our turnout, and having a focus helped me not get bored.

4. Challenge your self
I always like to keep a goal in mind, it helps me focus and makes me feel really really good if I complete the goal. It can be something like can I improve my turnout, or have a strong accent where it needs to be in a combo. It can be as hard as getting both of your splits (THIS WILL NOT HAPPEN IN A DAY, but if you are really close then go for it), getting above 90º which I recently learned from this site that it means like a cross, (THIS WILL NOT HAPPEN IN A DAY IT TAKES STRENGTH AND FLEXIBILITY, but it's a good long term goal). It can be as simple as having fun or completely focusing on ballet.

My attempt to get an attitude arabesque, it was my challenge

I hoped this helped you with how not to be bored in ballet, I really hope that this makes ballet exciting to you even on the dull days! I'm so happy that you have taken the time to read my post!

- Ali Grace

Okay so these posts was meant to be up a week ago, but I got really really distracted, and ended up with an hour of dance footage so if you would to interested in that, here is a little bit:

Anyway posts will hopefully be up every weekend preferably by midday Saturday, but no promises.

If you like the leotard I was wearing it comes from here, and the tights and shoes come from here. 

If you like any of the songs I got them from this playlist. 

How to Not be Bored in Ballet Part 2

Hi there!

This is is the second tip in the How to Not be Bored in Ballet series, and it is my favorite. I love prepping and feeling ready before events, even if it's ballet. Although this step is optional I would strongly recommend it.

2. Prep before
This step is optional and kinda goes with step one, but It's still really great to do. It's split into two parts, if you have time or if you don't have time.
a. Have time
So if you have a lot of time after you have gotten dressed and done your hair, depending on the time of your dance I would suggest making a smoothie. It's a great way to make sure you're not hungry and you'll be powered up for later in class. I love smoothies. I think I have one at least once a day. So, if you want to make it really easy to make one, just buy some Jamba Juice smoothie mix, and make it at home! I think they taste delicious and the only thing you need to add to it is water/orange juice/apple juice (one of the three not all three unless your feeling adventurous) I normally use orange juice and my favorite mix is Caribbean Passion. Another thing I would suggest to do it to get a water bottle and fill it up with ice. You can add other things, but I only really like water. A health nutritionist came and talked with our dance group over the summer, and said that if you are dancing for longer than an hour or and hour 1/2 at a time with no brakes, it might be a good idea to try power aid in the second hour. I have never tried this but I might. So for the final thing is that you should try to 'wake up' all your muscles before dance so then they are able to move, like your own warm up before class. I like _____ video, I've used it several time is it's amazing, once you've got it down you can do it in seven minutes or so. If you would like to hear more about my warm up routine, please vote for it on the side.
b. Don't have time
Alright, you can vary this depending on how much time you have, but the first thing I would do is to ask someone to make you a smoothie, I really like smoothies and I love having them before dance. Instead of warming up grab sweats and put them on, if you can wear them into dance that's great because you'll warm up your body more. I would suggest taking off the sweats after tandus. This is my favorite trick, If you don't have enough time to fill up a water bottle, bring an empty one and fill it up at the studio before class.

JAMBA JUICE SMOOTHIE!!!!!!!!!!!  The smoothie in the picture is Caribbean Passion from Jamba Juice

So that was the tip, I hope you liked it! My favorite tip ever is in here which is bring a water bottle to class and filling it up at the studio. I hope you found this entertaining, and thank you soooooooo much for reading my blog!

- Ali Grace

How to Not be Bored in Ballet Part 1

Hey there!

First of all thanks so much for voting on the poll on the side. I again want to emphasize how important this is for me!!! This literally takes 15 seconds of your time and gives me so much inspiration. If you want to know more about this please check out announcements and/or everything postable. So here it is what you've all been waiting for.........HOW TO NEVER BE BORED IN BALLET!! (Have you noticed I like capital letters? It makes everything so dramatic)

1. Find some way to say to yourself, okay now it's time for ballet, before class
Okay, so this probably sounds like a very weird tip, but it makes sense. When I enter my ballet class we always do reverence. It's a tradition my first ballet teacher started. It's a simple way to enter the class and get yourself into a ballet mode. Reverence literally means to give deep respect for someone, and in ballet class it's showing your teacher respect by bowing the teacher to thank them for teaching you. My ballet teacher Julianna said that she can always tell how the class is going to go by the reverence. The whole reason we do it is to get yourself in the ballet mood. You need to be in the ballet mood, because then you can focus on ballet, and really have ballet become a part of you. Now I know everyone has those days they just cannot do anything in ballet, mine was last Wednesday in Brenda's class, I couldn't do a turn from fifth no matter how I tried and I always ended up on the floor. (If you don't believe me, ask Mikelle or Alecia).

Reverence by me

So in addition to the reverence I would like to add other things that I do to get the mood of ballet. A thing I like to do is find things in my life that i would like to dance for. I know this is deep, but it helps a lot. Today when I was walking home I saw a little girl alone in her driveway silently talking to herself and drawing with chalk. I thought about how it felt to be very little and have that great big imagination. I will think of it when I dance and try to incorporate freeness and dreaming into my dancing. I looked around me and saw the whole beauty of the world that God created, and when I danced I thought about how beautiful it was and tried to incorporate the beauty into my dancing. 

Another great thing that i like to do is play a piece of music that reminds me of dancing or why I dance or compels me to dance, it makes me feel great and excited for dancing. My top right now are:

Flight of the Eagle - Brian Crain

It makes me feel so inspired and so ready and excited for dance

Where is my Mind - Maxence Cyrin (from the movie It's Kind of a Funny Story)

 I LOVE this song, I am currently choreographing a dance to it, and every time I hear it it makes me want to dance.

White Flag - Chris Tomlin 

I am obsessed with this song I know all the words, and it makes me want to dance. 

Thank you so much for reading my blog! Posts in the How to Not be Bored in Ballet series will be up soon. I hope you enjoyed this!

- Ali Grace

What's in my Dance Bag? Part 3: What Dancers Normally Have in Their Bags

Hey There!

So now it's the moment you've all been waiting for, the end of the series of What's in my Dance Bag. For the finale post I've decided to do what dancers normally have in their dance dance and a summery of thing you need in your dance bag. 

This is a really big group of things for warming up and stretching. This includes, my yoga mat, my sweats, a bag for my sweats, amazing socks, and my phone, my Thera Band (not pictured). My yoga mat is essential to stretching/warming up, because I have a very bony back. This helps to protect my back, but also gets me in the mood/motivates me to actually warm up and stretch. Sweats are really great for stretching because they keep your body heat in so then your muscles warm. They are also really comfy so you can focus on being comfortable and try to forget the pain you are in. My amazing socks are great because they feel like clouds and warm my feet up. It's also important to let your feet breathe (A.K.A. not wearing socks) because if your feet go from socks in boots to fuzzy socks to cramped pointe shoes, you can get athletes foot and in grown toenails really easily. I need my phone just in case my mom forgets to pick me up, class runs late etc. but it also is great if you listen to music on it. Music is what motivates me.  "Dance is music made visible." George Balanchine. We need to warm up to music of we are to make it visible. My Thera band, shown in three pictures below this one picture, is great because it builds strength in your feet. There are so many exercises that you can to with it. They are relatively cheep and you can get them from Walmart.

And like any dancer I have trash in my bag. Band-Aid trash, more band-aids and of course more bobby pins. I also have a spare Advil. Here's a tip, if you don't have IcyHot, brake the Advil and use the liquid stuff inside of it. Make sure it doesn't get on your tights. Wash your hands afterwards. 

I also have my dance shoes in my bag. It's a good idea to always have them in your dance bag, but if you don't have enough room put them somewhere you can easily access and find them. I suggest getting Bloch flat shoes, because they stretch with your feet and will last you along time, It's also a fantastic idea to label them right and left and put your name on them. I love my no lace Capezio tap shoes. You don't have to tie laces if you get these. It's amazing and less time consuming. I also have my Capezio Foot-Undies. These are great for turning, and for Jazz but they are easily destroyed...

So this is all the things I suggest you should have in your dance bag. Ballet shoes of course, food, a phone, IcyHot, a bag for sweats, this is really helpful trust me, and a book of Bible verses.
Here are some pictures to explain what I meant above:

Foot stretching with Thera-Band

Rolling out my feet with a tennis ball

Pointe shoes with socks

I hoped you thought this was funny or inspiring or thought provoking or entertaining. This was so fun and I hope to post again soon!

Thank you so much for reading my blog!!!

- Ali Grace

What's in my Dance Bag? Part 2: Things I Need

Hey there!

This is the second in the series of What's in my Dance Bag, the things I need in my dance bag. If you are wondering, yes they are being split into different posts because one post was too long. If you would like all the What's in my Dance Bag posts, go to the bottom of this post and click the label that says What's in my Dance Bag. Now here is your post: 

These are the things I need in my bag. They are, IcyHot, Ice Breakers Coolmint, a tennis ball and a bouncy ball. IcyHot, or in other words magic, is like instant pain remover. This works great for cramps, sore muscles, or feet that hurt. I use this before and after practice. It helps me forget that I am in pain and just focus on dancing. I have to say this is my favorite thing in my dance bag, which is a big deal because that means I like it more than my pointe shoes. Ice Breakers, are lifesavers. A lot of times I end up eating before I go to dance and my breath smells pretty bad. So I just eat one and then I'm good. They also just taste really good. You might be wondering, why do I need a tennis ball? To roll out my feet. Rolling out my feet loosens up the muscles in my feet and makes it easer to articulate my feet. It's amazing. The bouncy ball is used for the same reason, but it focuses on more specific places. It was given to me by Gold Medalist Nikki Stone. She came in to tell us about recovery and how she kept trying even when she blew out her back. It was really inspiring. At the end of the presentation she gave us the bouncy balls and said they should be a reminder that when we hit rock bottom, we can bounce right back up.

Of course I have bobby pins, hair ties and a head band. KEEP HAIR TIES IN YOUR BAG. It's a really good idea, you'll never know when you, or someone else will need one. I suggest keeping bobby pins in an empty box, empty mint container, or a thing that you are supposed to keep chapstick in. I love this head band, it's thin but keeps my hair back. ALWAYS REMEMBER TO BOBBY PIN YOUR HEADBAND ON! If not It will fly off your head when you're doing turns and it will hit someone in the face. Too many experiences with that....

I also keep candy in my bag, not a good idea, but if you really are craving chocolate, then it's okay. I would recommend keeping a healthy snack such as granola, snap peas or nuts in your bag. I also have another pair of socks. These are for tap shoes they are really nice and make it so then you don't get blisters. Do you see the spot on the back of it, that's blood.

Your welcome :)

Thank you so much for reading my blog, I hope you found this entertaining, or you learned something new. This series will be going on for a little while by the end I expect about 3 or 4 posts. Thanks so much for tuning in.

- Ali Grace

What's in my Dance Bag? Part 1: Pointe Shoes

Hey There!

First of all thank you soooooooooooo much for anwsering the poll on the side of my blog! This helps me so much because then I know what you want to hear. This post was so much fun! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. So, without further to do.... here is what's in my dance bag! All pictures were taken by me. 

This is my dance bag:

Just kidding, this is my dance bag:

Let's get a good look at it:

Ya, it's kinda messy, but I try. You'd be surprised how many things can fit in it, and these are things I use every day for dance. I hope this gets you inspired for things you can put in your dance bag!
Here are my pointe shoes:

I love my pointe shoes, they are my second pair. My first were Russian Pointe. I love Bloch, I feel like they look the prettiest on my feet. I am over my box on both of my feet, and I am getting pretty good at a single turn en pointe! I also got my first blister on this pair of shoes. It wasn't because of the shoes though, it was because I wore my friend's mother's Ugg boots without socks. If you want to hear more about this blister, my pointe shoes or my first pair of pointe shoes, please vote for it on the side.

This is all the things I need for pointe, my toe pads, tape, band-aids, waxy thread and socks, and the bag for my pointe shoes. My toe pads are Ouch Pouches by Capezio. They are my first and only pair of toe pads, and I like them, they make pointe a little easier. My favorite thing in this group would probubly be my tape. I don't know the brand, but I call it magic tape. It helps support my feet, and keeps my band-aids on. Last year when I had hurt my arch, I wrapped this around it and my arch felt way better. I adore my band-aids. They are just typical Western Family band-aids. I have been using them with my blister and the majority of the time they make sure the blood doesn't get everywhere. Now, the waxy thread/floss. DO NOT I BEG OF YOU USE WAXY THREAD TO SEW YOUR POINTE SHOES! My friend, Mikelle would know this. We used it to sew our pointe shoes and it just doesn't work. The wax gets everywhere. Just use the normal kind. I love my socks because, If you want to walk around the house or carpet with your pointe shoes and you don't want the bottom to get frayed, just put the socks on and then they are protected!

NUTCRAKER!!!!!!!!!!! NUTCRAKER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi there!

So, If you couldn't tell I'm REALLY REALLY REALLY excited for NUTCRACKER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I cannot even express it in words.

So, a little background on NUTCRACKER!!!!!!!!!!! (Yes I'm going to write it like that every time I say it because I'M REALLY EXCIED!!!!!) My studio puts on a production of NUTCRACKER!!!!!!!!!!! every year and everyone in the studio is involved in it. Every ballet level has an assigned core dance, and Park City Dance holds tryout for the main parts. So, it's really special if you get a part because not everyone in guaranteed a part.

STORY TIME!!!

This year, (for the first time in three years maybe?) I decided to try out for Nutcracker!!!!!!!!!! I wanted to maximize my chances of getting a part I tried out for (drumroll please) Waltz Demi, Snow Demi, Spanish, Tarantula Soloist, Elephants, Mother Buffoon, Raggedy Ann and Andy, Mouse King, Solider King, Young Clara and Harlequins ( Even though technically, I was too tall for Young Clara, Harlequins, and Raggedy Ann but whatever). So, I was at the studio from 11:30 to 5:00 in the afternoon. (If you are really interested in the schedule click here, the auditions ran late BTW). So, I did terrible in the pointe auditions (I only really tried out because Hannah told me I would get 'brownie points') but I had a blast, despite the fact of my blister* and that was the longest I had been in my pointe shoes in my entire life. So next (PS I would suggest checking the schedule right now) I tried out for the non-pointe roles and that was a BLAST!!!!!!!!!!! I had so much FUN!!!!! (Even though I forgot half of the combinations....) And I was so tired at the end!!!!!!!!

So after three days of anticipation I knew that the cast list would be posted. The anticipation was KILLING ME!!!!!!!!!!! I was sitting in art and literally told Amanda, "I am so excited I can't wait!!! Amanda can you just please tell me what everyone got now?!?" She got annoyed. I was walking to French when Rachel, ran up to me and said, "YOU GOT MOTHER BUFFOON!!!!" in an excited whisper. (I don't even know how that was possible maybe because of how loud the hallways are in Treasure but who knows) And when I got the cast list I could believe my eyes!!!!!!! Taylor and Mikelle got Elephants, Alicia got Arabians and I GOT MOTHER BUFFOON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I GOT MOTHER BUFFOON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I GOT MOTHER BUFOON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OHMYGOODNESSGRACIOUS I GOT MOTHER BUFFOON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was in shock.

Okay a little on Mother Buffon. Mother Buffoon is the lady who stands on a big chair, put's on a big skirt and waves and smiles as little children come running out from under the skirt. Kind of weird yes I know, BUT I'M SO EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I so glad that I was chosen out of all the people in the studio to be Mother Buffoon. Here is the cast description:

Mother Buffon Criteria (Photo Courtesy of: Park City Dance Casting List)

Okay first of all I think it's funny that it says, "must be comfortable standing on a platform while preforming in a very large skirt" because ya I've totally done that before, on a daily basis I stand on a platform wearing a large skirt. :)

Mother Buffon: this will be me this year (Photo Courtesy of: Park City Dance Nutcracker)

So now every Saturday (including Halloween) I'm at the studio, for Waltz, for an hour and a half. Taylor told me she thinks 'Waltz of the Flowers' should be changed to 'Waltz of Inconvenient Poses' and I kinda agree....... so far I'm only on stage 16 counts. For those of you non-dancers (THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING MY BLOG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) and 16 counts is kind of like 16 seconds for or less. Ya, that's how long I'm stage. I would get it if the dance has 2 - 3 minutes, but oh no, Waltz is 8 MINUTES LONG!!!!!! THAT'S RIGHT 8 MINUTES OF THE SOLOISTS DOING FOUETTES AND JUMPS!!!!!!!! The worst part of this is, my sisters told me that Watlz is their least favorite part in the Nutcracker. So ya. BUT I'M STILL SO EXCITED BECAUSE THIS IS MY FIRST POINTE DANCE AND I GET TO BE MOTHER BUFFOON!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The only downside is I have 30 or so seconds to change from my Mother Buffoon costume to Waltz so that will be challenging. And the Nutcracker is on the 19th at the Eccles Center, (There will be two showings, unsure of time more about that later). So you should buy a ticket and come see it, it's super cute and fun and people of all ages love it. :)

Mouse King: this year it's Willoughby Staley You can visit her sister's blog here
(Photo Courtesy of Park City Dance)

This is Snow only the people in ballet 8 of Park City Dance are in this. Snow Queen in the front, demi's in back.
(Photo Courtesy of: Park City Dance) 

This is the Tarantella Soloist. In the real Nutcracker they don't have this. This dance is new and was added a few years age by Ms. Julianna. We also no longer have a boy old enough in our company to take the role as the boy in this picture
(Photo Courtesy of: Park City Dance) 

These are the Arabians. The soloist is in the front and the others in the back. NOTE: this year we have NEW COSTUMES FOR ARABIANS!!! This is really good because normally we never have new costumes. Oh, also I didn't try out for this because I'm not flexible enough.
(Photo Courtesy of: Park City Dance)

This is Elephants a very high energy dance that is normally the audiences favorite. Taylor and Mikelle got this part :)
(Photo Courtesy of: Park City Dance) 

This is Spanish, a dance on pointe that you must try out for, it's beautiful and very spicy.
(Photo Courtesy of: Park City Dance)

This might help explain the children coming out of my skirt. If it doesn't come to the performance please!!!!!!!!
(Photo Courtesy of: Park City Dance)

Clara and her prince. NOTE: This is NOT young Clara, This 'old' Clara is normally played a teacher at our studio and the Prince they normally get form the U of U in SLC
(Photo Courtesy of: Park City Dance)

Nutcracker cast at bows at the end of the performance.
(Photo Courtesy of: Park City Dance) 

Waltz of the Flowers, the other dance I'm in this year. Guess which one I am? The one in the blue. The soloists are the ones in the pink who jump around the whole time and look pretty. But the dance still is cool and in a dancers eyes interesting and very very beautiful. :)
(Photo courtesy of: Park City Dance)

This is the blister I had on the day of Nutcracker. FUN!
(Photo Credits: ME!)

My current foot situation. :) Moral of the story don't step on other people's blisters. If you would like to hear more about this story make sure to vote for 'A Journey of Ali's Feet' on the side.
(Photo Credits: ME!)

YAY!!!!! So that concludes my first of many Nutcracker posts, if you got all the way down here thank you! Also if you like the pictures above be sure to check them out here.

Thank you so much for reading my blog!!!

- Ali Grace