Black Tights Recommendations!

Black Tights Recommendations!

Thursday, February 19, 2015

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One of the luxuries of being an adult is that you never ever have to wear pink tights to ballet class if you don't want to :) For me, I've been more comfortable in black tights ever since puberty! I've gone through many a pair but have now found my two most favorite black tights ever.

First up is the incredibly inexpensive Theatricals Adult Footless Tights. They are thin, but sturdy, super soft, and the biggest perk: the waistband isn't super tight! Since I have a short torso my hips can sometimes feel like they're practically at my boobs, but with these tights I can wear them lower on my waist without them sliding back up. I like this for two reasons: 1) I feel like it gives me the illusion of a longer torso and 2) It keeps me in check with engaging the "belly button to spine" placement.

I have three pairs of these tights that I've been rotating through over the past year and I have yet to have one snag or run (I say this and now I probably will!). For $6.25 a pair, there's no reason not to order them!

 My second favorite pair of black tights is the Eurotard Ankle Length Legging. Unlike the Theatricals tights, these are pretty much opaque, which is super slimming. Because they are called a legging they are thicker than regular ballet tights, but they are just as stretchy! The waistband is super wide so it makes it extra comfortable on those bloated days. Here are some photos of them:

These run about $18 from Discount Dance also come in capri length if that's more your style!

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Sleek Pointe Shoe Ribbon Tying

Sleek Pointe Shoe Ribbon Tying

Tuesday, February 10, 2015

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Since we've been on the topic of pointe shoes lately, I thought I would share another way to tie your pointe shoe ribbons that I learned about a month ago (we have another version here)! I had never seen this technique before but it allows you to get that sleek, knotless look. It would also be really great for sewing your ribbons together if you are performing!

1. Start with your outside ribbon. Wrap it around your ankle (I like to flex my foot when I do this).

2. Then take the inside ribbon and wrap it around your ankle. When you take it around, keep it below where the outside ribbon is already placed. You will probably need to wrap it around twice, so when you do, keep the ribbon aligned together.

First wrap

Second wrap

3. Double knot the two ends of your ribbon together where there is a dip next to your ankle bone. Then fold together the leftover ends and tuck them under the ribbon.

4. Then run your finger gently under the inside ribbon all the way around to the knot. This will give you a small amount of slack at the knot to move the ribbon up and completely hide your knot. It's a very small adjustment, but very effective!

Voila!

I've also done a video version of this, so make sure to check that out below:

Thank you to my teacher, Pat, for sharing this technique!

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What to Expect at Your First Pointe Shoe Fitting

What to Expect at Your First Pointe Shoe Fitting

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

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Hi Friends!

It seems many of you are reaching your goals of going on pointe! So first off, Congratulations!! There is no more exciting a time for a ballet dancer than getting pointe shoes for the first time! :)

If you are completely new to pointe shoes as an adult, you may be wondering just what to expect when you go to the store to get fitted. There is so much build up to this moment, that it can be a bit nerve-wracking when it gets here. It's the first time you'll actually stand on pointe! But no need to panic. You will be great :)

Below I've compiled some tips & information to help you prepare!

Attire
If you plan to dance in your pointe shoes with pink tights over your feet, wear pink tights to your fitting. If you plan to dance in them barefoot, try them on without tights. Wear shorts, yoga pants, or loose pants that you can easily roll up so you can see what's going on with your feet and ankles. Full ballet class attire is not necessary.

What to Bring
If you are brand spankin' new to pointe, then you'll want to purchase some kind of toe pad either online beforehand or at your dance store. I really like the Ouch Pouch Jr. Large. Once you've been on pointe for awhile and have an idea of what kind of toe protection you like best, make sure you bring that to every fitting after. The general rule is that you don't want too much protection on your feet because you still want to be able to "feel the floor". I, personally, wear my Ouch Pouches with the Bunheads Big Tip on my second toes because they are crazy long and I lose my toenails without them! I'm currently not using toe tape since getting back on pointe in December, but when I do need it, this stuff is amazing. Don't buy the off brand version because it does not work as well!

What Will Happen
The person fitting you will first measure your feet for length & width. They will also take note of your toes shape & length, and your arch height. Based on this information they should have an idea of what shoes to start with. If you want more background information on that process, Abby and I go into more detail about the different parts of the pointe shoe and how they fit different feet types in our Intro to Pointe Shoes video.

From there, I would say the trying on process can be as quick as a 1/2 hour, to as long as 2 hours if you're a first timer. It can be tricky the first time around to understand what you should consider "comfortable" because honestly, you're standing on your toes, it's not like trying on jazz shoes or soft slippers! BUT, I do think you will notice the sweet spot of comfort after trying on many different types of shoes.

You should try on as many pairs as you need until you find a pair that:

• Allows your toes to lay completely flat (no curling or scrunching) when standing.
• Feels snug around your foot and toes, but doesn't pinch anywhere when standing, on pointe, or on demi-pointe.
• The shank/sole stays even with your foot (no movement to the side when on pointe).
• Allows you to get fully over the platform (flat portion at the end of the shoe) without buckling over.

There are many more factors than those three, but I think those are some big ones to be aware of when your fitter is asking you questions about how a shoe feels. The more you can communicate what's happening inside your shoe, the quicker the fitting process will go (not that you have to be quick. please take your time!). If you happen to get a really good fitter, they will know before you ever even go on pointe if a shoe is going to work or not! Which brings me to...

Final Tips

• If possible, go to a well-recommended dance store that carries a variety of pointe shoe brands. Twice I have driven 3 hours to get a really good fitting at a superb dance store!
• The person fitting you should bring out as many shoes as needed until you find a fit. If you don't find a fit, or they seem annoyed to bring out more than three pairs of shoes, I would take your business elsewhere.
• Before you sew or do anything to your shoes, have your teacher look at you in them to double check they are a good fit!! Pointe shoes can not be returned if the satin is scuffed or the shoe has been altered in any way!

Let me know in the comments below if this was helpful to you! I'd love to hear about your first fitting experiences if you'd like to share! And if you fancy watching me talk about these tips, check out our corresponding video right here!

Also helpful: How to Sew Your Pointe Shoes Ribbons & Elastic :)

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February Goals

February Goals

Sunday, February 1, 2015

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I really enjoyed starting off 2015 by sharing a list of January Goals. It helped me keep my mind clear on my long-term goal (being able to dance as long as I possibly can) and it gave me some much needed structure and purpose.

Because I enjoyed the list-making so much, I've decided to keep this going for the rest of 2015! Every month I will post updates on how the previous month's goals went and then include my goals for the current month!

J a n u a r y  E v a l u a t i o n

My biggest goal in January was to cut back on classes to give my poor body a break. I've been dealing with tendonitis in my right hip flexor for a year and I knew I needed to cut back, but I was scared. It turns out this was the best thing I could have done for myself! Cutting back to two classes a week has allowed my body to have plenty of rest days, but I haven't cut back so much that I feel like I'm losing strength or technique. In fact, quite the opposite has happened. I'm going to less classes, but I'm doing more productive work, so I actually have been making improvements! It's that whole quality over quantity thing. Wake up call! :) 

My other goals, like drinking more water, doing pilates once a week, and getting a massage were all there to supplement my healing and my overall well-being. I've kept up with all of those goals except I haven't been to get a massage yet! My skin looks healthier and my body in general has been happier since upping my water intake. And the pilates helps me with my breathing, balance, and core strength. All things that are very helpful in ballet class!

F e b r u a r y  G o a l s 

Continue attending two classes a week. Right now I'm going Tuesday and Thursday nights. I'm going to give myself permission to add a third class if I'm feeling particularly good one week, but again, I don't want to push the feeling good too far.

Add more head & upper body movement. I've always been very timid about using my head and upper body with my dancing. For some reason in December I started to let that fear go and it feels really good. I want to keep working on it to conquer that fear of doing it wrong or looking silly! I feel like using your head and upper body is the last step to feeling like you're really dancing. Which is probably why it's so hard!

Start doing center combinations on pointe. I put my pointe shoes on in class in December for the first time in probably a year and half. We've been doing some pointe work on Tuesday nights at the end of barre and then taking them off for center work - until two weeks ago! We kept them on and did three combinations in the center. My toes were b-u-r-n-i-n-g by the last combo! But I can already tell I'm gaining back strength and flexibility in my feet just from working in them one night a week. 

Take Beyondbarre class one day a week. I was trying to do this during January as well, but due to my changing schedule I don't always make it every week. I like this workout because while it does incorporate some ballet-ish technique, it isn't ballet, and I think it's good for me to let loose while still building total body strength and increasing my stamina. It's also the only time I ever workout my arms!! Maybe I need to add arm workouts to my March goals...

Remember to use my feet "tripods"! I've been so tense the past year that I realized in Beyondbarre class last month that I've barely been putting any weight in my heels - like ever! Don't do this!! I think I've been so obsessed with not sitting back in my heels that I just eliminated putting weight on them altogether. But this actually makes everything much harder. I need to find the balance of having control while staying relaxed!

What are your dance goals for February? 

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