As part of our trip we got to see Aladdin on Broadway in the historic New Amsterdam Theater.
Waiting for the show to start!
Times Square!
NYC Skyline
Back to work the next day!
In Pas de Deux class. Photo by the Rock School.
Christmas in July!
Having fun after a long day!
Mirror Selfie before the showcase at the Mann Center.
The Mansion at Cabrini collage.
At the entrance to the Mansion.
With teacher Sebastian Riou, who trained with the Paris Opera Ballet.
In the Variations showcase.
It feels great to be back home!
My five weeks in Philly attending the Rock School for Dance Education were truly amazing! Each teacher brought something to the table and raised the standards of the quality of movement I executed. I am so thankful to all of them for their patience and wisdom apparent in every class they taught.
I am very thankful for all of the wonderful girls in my house. The support and friendship these girls had for me and with each other was a true blessing. I will forever be indebted to them for all the wonderful memories.
To all of my friends and family who supported me and helped me get to Philly this summer, Thank YOU. I couldn't have done it without any of you.
To my wonderful parents and patient brother, you guys "rock". I don't know of any other families who would be so encouraging or miss me as much wile I was gone.
My pointe shoe situation is dramatic to say the least. I ordered four pairs about a month ago and realized after they came that the shank was going to be too stiff for my foot. At the same time My ballet teacher also recommended that I look into custom pointe shoes. I wish I could stress how magical custom shoes sounds to me. Custom pointe shoes are made to fit your foot perfectly, minimizing blisters and other problems caused by regular pointe shoes. They also make your feet look AMAZING, and last longer because they fit your foot, perfectly. The only thing is custom shoes take 4-6 weeks to arrive... It's also a long process to figure out what they need to make for you. This includes sending emails back and forth, taking pictures of your feet, trying on stock shoes, and making phone calls to New York City.
Meanwhile, I need pointe shoes for my Summer Intensive! I returned the shoes that were too stiff and I have just ordered four more pairs of the stock shoes in a softer shank. I'm hoping they will last me the five weeks... But I have no idea!
I know a few of you have said you wanted to give a donation and haven't yet. Now is the perfect time! There's less then three weeks left untill I leave! It would be great to have the ability to buy extra supplies when something comes up while I am there.
Thank you all for your support! There's nothing quite as exciting and exhilarating as fulfilling this dream! And I could not have done it without each and everyone of you!
Four years ago I walked into the Classical Ballet Centre for the first time. I sat on the bench inside the studio and watched a class. The teacher, Ms. Shields, was lecturing on softening the arms so they didn't look like wet laundry being thrown around. I remember being extremely intimidated by her fiery personality and graceful air. It was obvious she had been a ballet dancer, and a fantastic one at that. I knew that I was nowhere near the level of the students in the class, who were a few years younger then me, and that my training before hand had very serious gaps.
After the class, I put on my ballet clothes and she tested my flexibility, range of motion in the hip, and had me do a few jumps. I was sweating bullets because I knew, that she knew, what she was talking about.
Ms. Shields's wit and charm, her warmth, kindness, patience, and sense of humor has helped me though every challenge and obstacle.
This Friday my wonderful ballet teacher Ms. Shields, will be retiring from artistic director of Classical Ballet Centre. I will miss her greatly, but am so excited for her opportunity to do all the things she has talked about doing One Day. That day has come, but I am so grateful for all the years she has spent reminding people to turn out and to pointe their toes. She has changed my life and the lives of countless other students. We will always be indebted to her.
I can think of no better way to say goodbye and to celebrate her new path, than over delicious food and with great company. This Friday at 7:30 we will have a Potluck for her at CBC. To RSVP, please fill out the form here! Thanks, and can't wait to see you there! :)
I have been on pointe for about 6 years now. Pointe work takes years of training and even more discipline then dancing in flat soft shoes. You are putting your entire weight onto the tip of a hard satin shoe that you turn on, rise, lower and roll though using your feet, ankles, legs, back, and abdominals to control. Ballerinas are famous for dancing on the tips of their toes so it is important as a dancer to have well-fitting pointe shoes. Ideally they should fit like a glove, offer support, and allow you to manipulate the feet against the floor and into the air. Finding the perfect balance of shoe takes years of work. Your feet change; they grow stronger and form calluses in places where your feet rub up against the shoes. Blisters, bunions, corns, ingrown toenails (that cut into the skin and cause bleeding), cracked and bruised toenails, are all normal for any ballerina. How your feet are shaped, how long your toes are, how high your arch is, all affects how your feet look and fit in the shoes.
There are about 10 different brands of pointe shoes available in the U.S. They are made in France, Russia, London, and New York City. They take hours to complete and must be made by well-trained cobblers. Here is a short video of pointe shoe production.
It takes constant experimentation for a dancer to prepare her shoes for use.
Yesterday's experiment: three-quartering the shank; a popular way to accentuate the arch and make the shoes last longer.
First I ripped away the shank from the canvas.
I then marked the shoe and took a small handheld saw to the shank. Below is the first cut I made which was too high for my foot.
After an afternoon of cutting bit by bit away I finally managed the perfect amount!
It's amazing how complex the human body is, the limits that we dancers push beyond in an attempt to make unnatural movement appear natural. We bend, we stretch, and we strengthen. Our bodies do have breaking points and sometimes a break, a tear, or pull can come from months, or years of unknowing misuse.
I was stretching during class in early March when I heard and felt a pop in the back of my leg. Ice, and a little bit of rest kept me going until the performance. All went well, but once I was back in classes the pain in the back of my leg only grew worse.
After a week of rest my leg still hurt horrifically. We made an appointment with a sports medicine doctor who referred me to a Physical Therapist. I had torn tissue in my hamstring, most likely from an imbalance of flexibility and strength. I was given stretches like the one below, with my leg on a wall gently stretching the hamstring. Getting my leg straight up and down like this is progress but before the injury I could get my leg to my head.
I am now in week two of recovery and it's great to be back in ballet class. It's going to take a few more weeks of healing before I reach where I'm supposed to be. Things are healing fast, but I know that I must return to my top dancing shape slowly lest I injure myself again.
After months of hard work the performance was a smash success! Thank you to all who came out to support me! The theater was packed and it was a great audience to preform for. :)
Here are some pictures leading up to and from that night. :)
Taking Photos the weekend before.
Icing my feet after a long day of rehearsals.
Practicing stage eye makeup. Stage makeup is all about making it easier for the audience to see your eyes, cheeks, and lips from a great distance.
Gathering pointe shoes for the big day.
Applying my stage makeup at the theater. Photo by Jairy Hunter Photography.
In the "Friends" Variation from Giselle. Photo By Jairy Hunter Photography.
My dear friend Alexandra and I after the performance. She has been offered a spot at a prestigious year round ballet school and I'm so excited for her!
Having the opportunity to help with the little ballerinas at the school has been such a wonderful experience!
