NUTCRACKER IS OVER - But me posting about it isn't!

Hi there.

You guys Nutcracker is over. *moment of silence for the 2015 Nutcracker*. I'M SO SAAAAADDDDDDDD!!!!! Yes, I know all of you know that the Nutcracker was over about three, four weeks ago, but now I'm going to write a post about, because I really wanted it to still be Nutcracker and it's not. So this post is dedicated to all the things Nutcracker. 

Dress Rehearsal:

Got to the Eccles Center a little late, freaking out because me and my mom couldn't find one of my academy earrings. I got into warm up late, but I was so excited, I could see all the seats, and I got to put my pointe shoes on, and I had a GREAT turning day. (I got a triple which I never get .... EVER).

Eccles Center Stage during dress rehearsal. Magical.
Photo Credits: tripadvisor

And we got to do sautes arabesques, which are my favorite things ever. Then I got to see my darling children, and I gave them the candy cane reindeers that I made for them, they were really really excited. I was so happy they liked them!!! But I had to leave them, because I had to get changed. So I got changed, and then when to see my buffoons and one of them, Sammy, wanted to see what dance they were on so then we went backstage to see what they were on. It was the one right before snow, doses anyone remember which one that is? Then I told her, "Sammy I'm really sorry, you have to go I almost forgot about helping my friend change." So she went and I got there just in the nick of time to help Nicole change from Snow to Arabians with one dance in between, Elephants. Needless to say very stressful. Especially when we couldn't find enough bobby pins. After that I when't back to check on the buffoons then did my base makeup (primer, foundation, concealer, highlighter), and then watched a few dances on stage with my darlings.

Candy canes I made for my buffoons, I drew in the pom pom because it fell off.

Then I asked Sandy about the skirt and me, Sandy, Claire and Taylor got backstage and helped me change into my giant skirt. I was so happy because I wasn't standing but sitting. We got all the buffoons underneath and the dance went great!!!!! The only hard part was when they turned me, attempting not to hit anyone with my pointe shoes (this didn't work I hit Claire), and actually getting off stage, because Claire and Taylor didn't know where they were going and neither did I. So them I had to get off the skirt which was really hard because I could barely even move. This is how that 30ish seconds went:
Me screaming at Claire and Taylor to stop helping me and get to the other side of the stage.
Claire listen but Taylor kept helping me.
Me and and Taylor book it across the stage while ripping a wig off my head.
Pushing through the swarms of little kids most likely looking like a maniac yelling, "I HAVE TO BE ON THE STAGE RIGHT NOW!!!"
Then, right as the all the corps were about to exit, I dramatically enter the stage, fall, scoot my self over to the right spot, then five seconds later, exit the stage with the rest of the corps. Yes, before all of you go crazy I knew that I was not supposed to go onstage because I was already late but I thought I could make it. Anyway after that we spaced Waltz for the longest time and everyone was getting really mad because we only had 30 minutes for lunch. End of dress rehearsal.

I hope you liked this post! Sorry for such an abrupt ending more to come later about the two shows. I am unsure about wather or not I should do a post about the Nutcracker costumes, so if you could vote on the poll that would be amazing! I'm so glad you took the time to read my post!

- Ali Grace

My Leotards!!

Hi there!!!!

MERRY SUPER BELATED CHRISTMAS!!!! I hope everyone had a great Christmas, and for everyone who does not celebrate Christmas, I hope you had a great day!! I thought it would be a good idea to do a dance haul leotard random stuff thing. Basically this post will be all about leotards and more posts to come about the rest of the things.

While writing this post I reallized that I had a TON of leotards, as did my dog (pictured above). Thank you very much to my Mom, who bought all these leotards for me. I love you! :)

My Leotard Collection:

Photo Credits: Me taken by my sissy Samantha
Editing Credits: Photo Grid

My first leotard is a plain, clothish material cami in black. I truly only wear this leotard during competitions and shows, because it's easy to put under itchy costumes during dress rehearsals. This leotard is from Mirella in size 14 it is in the color Black.

Photo Credits: Me taken by my sissy Samantha
Editing Credits: Photo Grid

My second leotard is also black. This leotard, surprisingly enough, used to have a cool lace back to it but I put it in the washer, on cool, and when it was drip drying the feltish stuff that was used to make the lace design started to fall off, and it did until all of it was off. I still like it though, especially the way the mesh comes from to back to front. I got it from Dance Boutique when I first got my pointe shoes. It's from Motionwear and it is in size: Small Adult.

Photo Credits: Me taken by my sissy Samantha
Editing Credits: Photo Grid

My third leotard is black (surprise!) and has lace all over it. The lace is not super breathable, and it shrinks a little when you wash it. Although it is a very pricy leotard, it's really pretty. The lace that is in the front is a little annoying but it's not to bad. Mine also has a small rip in the back of the lace, but it blends in well. The leotard is a Suffolk leotard and it is in size: Petite and the color Black Mascara.

Photo Credits: Me taken by my sissy Samantha
Editing Credits: Photo Grid

My fourth leotard is another black leotard, it's also another cami, but it has a cool backing to it. I really like this one because it's simple but it still has a lot of flare. It's super breathable as well. It's Mirella, in the size Adult Medium in Black.

Photo Credits: Me taken by my sissy Samantha
Editing Credits: Photo Grid

My fifth leotard is new, and is black. I have not gotten a chance to wear this one to class because I just got it for Christmas. I have wanted this leotard for the longest time!! It's very cofterable as well as beautiful!!! The dots on the leotard are smaller in really life than in the picture and the sleeves come to the tips of my shoulders rather than closer to my neck, but those things are minor details. I was originally going to get this one in white, so if anyone gets it white please send me a picture. Also this leotard is in collection called to Dot Collection by:Natalie Couture, and I love all of the ones in the collection. Here is the link if you want to check it out, just look at the ones that say dot on them. This is a Natalie Couture leotard in size Adult Small in the color Black.

Photo Credits: Me taken by my sissy Samantha
Editing Credits: Photo Grid

My sixth leotard is PERIWINKLE!!! (NOT BLACK! YAY!) I got this one to wear on Fridays, which is the only day in our studio we are allowed to wear colored leotards. I also haven't gotten a chance to wear this one to class yet, but it is the most comfortable leotard I have even put on! The color is sooooo pretty, and the lace is fantastic and more breathable than the third leotard. It's also in the New York City Ballet collection which makes me reallllllly excited because NYCB is my favorite company!!!!!! It's a Danskin leotard is the color Dusted Periwinkle is size Small.

Fun with the Mirrors
Photo Credits: Me taken by my sissy Samantha
Editing Credits: Photo Grid

Bloopers
Photo Credits: Me taken by my sissy Samantha
Editing Credits: Photo Grid

A big thank you to my sister Samantha for helping me for about an hour with the whole thing. (She wouldn't let me take a picture of her so I found this one on my mom's phone, it was from a race she was in on the 2th). Thank you to my mom for letting me use her phone, P.S. you can delete all of them from your phone now :). 

Anyway more posts to come about the other things, I really hope you enjoyed this, thanks once again to my sissy Samantha and my Mom! If you like the way the pictures came together the template I used was from Photo Grid. Thank you for taking the time to read my blog!

- Ali Grace

RANDE DE JAMES A.K.A. Why I Love Ballet

Hi There!

I haven't written in a really really long time, and I really really need to write again so here it is. I have promised a 10 things I like and don't like about ballet post for quite a while now, and I haven't gotten to it. Because I like to rant it's split up into 4 parts. YAY!!!

1. Those people who dance so well you can't take your eyes off them
You know when you see a dance, and although you want to look at the group as whole but there's that one person the you can't take your eyes off of? Although this person might be 'disliked' among her friends, the person makes me so happy. They really got into the dance connected with you and dragged you into the story they were telling and you got to experience it for the whole 2:30min dance. It's amazing and that's what dancing is all about (in my opinion) connecting with the audience and speaking your emotions though movement.

Can you tell what emotion she is trying to get across? It's a powerful image.

2. The companions you make
Iv'e never had the chance to be with the same people in my studio for more than one year, but every year all of us connect.  The best thing about your friend you make in dance is you can go up the them and be like, "Her arches are so beautiful they make me cry." (actual thing said by Mikelle) and your dance group will totally understand. Also, your dancing group is probably almost always with you, (A.K.A. during school and dance which is the only thing I have time for) so you never run out of things to laugh about, and you connect on a different level than normal friends.

My wonderful dance group (from 2014)

3. EVERYTHING ABOUT RAND DE JABMES
OHMYGOODNESSGRACIOUS I LOVE RANDE DE JAMBES SO MUCH THEY ARE MY FAVORITE  THINGS EVER AND I LOVE THEM SO MUCH AND I COULD JUST WRITE MULTIPLE SERIS OF BOOKS ABOUT THEM BECAUSE ITS ALL OF THE THINGS MIXED TOGETHER IN TO ONE I LIVE THEM SO MUCH THEY ARE MY FAVORITE THINGS EVER THEY ARE EVEN BETTER THAN CHOCOLATE AND NOTHING BEATS CHOCOLATE.

I LOVE THIS SHIRT SO MUCH I WANT IT SO BAD!!!!!!!!!!!
The best picture ever courtesy of: spreadshirt 

4. Preforming
I really really like preforming almost as much as rand de jambes, but not as much. (rand de jambes are they favorite can you tell?). I love the ability to preform to others and have them get a taste of why I like dancing so much. I love the Nutcracker soooooooooooooo much!!!!! I love the chance for people to come and take way something from my dancing and I love the thrill of preforming and the whole process.

Last year's Nutcraker (Taylor is the Soldier King on the Right)
Photo Courtesy of: Park City Dance

5. Stage Makeup
Some people might think I'm a little crazy but I really like stage makeup. This might sound a little strange because I hate normally makeup, but I love the process of putting on stage makeup. It helps me get my game face on, (haha see what I did there?) and it is fun I really like putting on crazy makeup that makes me look insane in person.

Stage Makeup
Photo Curtesy of: Dance-for-Kids

Thank you so much for reading my post, the next five will be out soon, and I have an exciting announcement, I'm giving y'all a Christmas present!!!! I will post five more times before Christmas and you get to read them YAY!!!!!! For more check the Announcements tab it will be up soon.
- Ali Grace