Flooring for a Home Dance Space

Flooring for a Home Dance Space

Tuesday, July 7, 2020

31 comments

We've had so many questions lately about where our dance flooring is from in our homes! The short answer is: it's Marley flooring! If you've been following us for a long time, you've seen Abby's at-home ballet space since the beginning of our YouTube videos in 2012! She's moved a few times since then, but can pack this up and move it with her so it's a super great setup for portability and a small space. In one of her moves I got to take a piece of flooring home with me, so I've had a version of this in my home for awhile now too!

So we're going to share two different ways you can create a home ballet space - one with a "sprung" floor and one without. But either way, you are going to want marley as your surface to dance on, so here are options of where to get that!

W H E R E  T O  G E T  M A R L E Y

Marely is the smooth, vinyl flooring you'll most likely find in the studio where you take class. It comes in large roll-out pieces, but you can get pieces of it in smaller sizes that's great for home use.

Abby's marley pieces are from greatmats.com. You can put in the dimensions you want for your space to get just enough of what you need! You can also get pieces from Harlequin Floors - they have a dance mat option that is 5ft x 6ft for $86. If you have enough space to get two or three of these you can tape them together with gaffer tape or the clear PVC tape they offer on their website.

(A cheaper alternative to marley flooring is shower pan liner, but, there has been discussion about toxins coming from this, so you might do some more research before you go that route!)

I F  Y O U  W A N T  A  S P R U N G  F L O O R

This is really the ideal situation so it's safer for jumping and this is what Abby uses in her home!

This is a simple three layer setup that starts with interlocking foam mats which you can find here or at your local home supply store like Home Depot or Lowe's. Get as many as you need to cover the amount of floor space you want or need.

On top of the gym mats you will need to put plywood sheets over the top to create a hard, flat surface. You can also find this at a home supply store like Home Depot or Lowe's. You can use heavy duty tape to adhesive multiple sheets next to each other!

And then on top of the plywood you'll put your pièce de résistance, marley floor!

Something to think about before you do this setup:
This will add height to your floor so if you have low ceilings and/or a ceiling fan, make sure you have enough head and arm room above you!


I F  Y O U  J U S T  W A N T  A  F L A T  S U R F A C E

If you don't want to go the full sprung floor route, you can just add a marely floor to your space! This is what Jana does in her home since she has wood floors and a low ceiling (with a ceiling fan too!). But if you have carpet, you can get plywood sheets to put on top of your carpet and then put the marely floor on top of that!

My marley piece is 6ft x 9 ft and it is all one piece, but you can still tape together a couple smaller pieces, or bigger pieces depending on how much space you have!

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If you need to store your dance floor, make sure you keep the tubing it comes wrapped around in or use something to keep it from creasing - I have a couple of "pinches" in my floor from it being stored improperly and I can't get those spots to go away!

Let us know if you have other questions about a home dance space!

Jana & Abby

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Is It Too Late to Start Ballet?

Is It Too Late to Start Ballet?

Wednesday, January 8, 2020

14 comments

Happy New Year, dancers! I thought I would kick off 2020 by answering one of our most frequently asked questions on YouTube:

"Am I too old to start ballet?"

I think the question most commonly comes from the 12-16 age range, and while as a 35 year-old I look at that question and think “Of course you’re not too old! Why would you think that?!”, I forget what it’s like to be that age and start something new that your classmates may have been doing since they were three. So I’m here to address this, whatever age!

The answer is NO! You're never too old to start! Think about it this way: if you are currently 13 years-old and are contemplating starting ballet, think about your older self, say age 25. Do you think your 25 year-old self is going to be mad you started ballet at 13, or are you going to be glad that you did because now you have 12 years of ballet under your belt?! You do can do A LOT in 12 years!

The thing is: Time is going to keep moving whether or not you do the thing you want to do. So you might as well do the thing you want to do!

For the teen late starters, I understand it can be a tough age to start. It’s easy to compare yourself to friends that have been dancing for years, maybe are already on pointe, and you’re going to have to learn how to just stand at the barre and hold your posture right! But you're going to have to go through that step whether you start now or wait until you're older! You may have to dance with younger kids for awhile; you may stumble around for awhile; but it will come together if you keep going. Remember, this is YOUR journey, not anyone else’s journey. As I kid I was really hung up on keeping up with friends who were ready for things I wasn’t ready for yet. I wish I had learned how to put on my “blinders” on back then. Keep focusing on you and work hard and HAVE FUN!

I think as we get older it gets easier to not worry about what other people think. But it can still be hard in our 30s, 40s, 50s, etc. to start something new or return to something we loved back in the day, especially as our aging bodies like to make things more difficult lol!

But the answer is still the same: It’s never too late to start! I went back to ballet at age 21, overweight from college life and nervous as hell about returning to something I loved so much and gave up too early. But if I hadn’t done that, I wouldn’t be 14.5 years into ballet with so many wonderful experiences and friendships and performances that have morphed who I am today!

So I encourage you to start something you're passionate about! And if you need help figuring out where to take a ballet class, you might start here with our Find a Studio page or our Find an Intensive page! And you can start connecting with other adult ballet dancers through our private Facebook group that Abby runs!

Much love,
Jana

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Thoughts on YAGP and Competitions

Thoughts on YAGP and Competitions

Monday, January 21, 2019

1 comment

Good morning, dancers! It's that time of year again. YAGP! Competitions! Let me share a few thoughts on all of this. 

I am a big fan of participating in competitions for several reasons. 

First, the process of preparing one or more solos and being coached on them can help you move forward as a dancer. Fine tuning transitions, port de bras, épaulement, and other minutia in a variation will carry over into your class work. Classes give us combinations that we always have to pick up on the spot, but working on a variation allows you to focus on only a few steps, and to dig deep. We all have to find how to make our lines and our positions look the best on us and our bodies, so working one on one with a teacher or coach can help with this. 

Also, having a goal to work towards, knowing that on "x" day you are going to go out and perform for judges, can help increase the motivation to make every class count and for dancers to work their hardest leading up to it (hopefully creating good work habits that will carry beyond).

The scores and adjudicated comments will give you an idea of where to work from moving forward. Did the judges notice you need to work on arms, on turnout, or something else? Instead of taking these too personally, use them to grow! 

It's easy to let a score or comments get you down if it doesn't produce the outcome you had hoped for. However, keep in mind that the journey was always part of the outcome! View your growth as its own medal or plaque, and one that will serve you much better than something that sits on a shelf.

No single competition will define you as a dancer. You could win the top prize, and that will only be meaningful if it is backed up with a proper work ethic. Keep in mind what your goal is as a dancer - to go pro, to dance in college, to teach, to choreograph, or simply to become the best dancer you can be? Those are the real prizes in life, and competitions should only be a tool to move towards them. 

A "win" or a "loss" at a competition is short term. Progress in your dancing, learning, growing, and moving closer to your ultimate goal is forever. So go dance, have fun, make new friends, and take the competition and yourself only seriously enough to strive for the most benefit from the entire experience.

Abby

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What to Expect at Your First Adult Ballet Class

What to Expect at Your First Adult Ballet Class

Saturday, July 8, 2017

3 comments

Our video this week is for the adult dancer wanting to start ballet for the very first time, but is not sure what to expect in class. That fear of the unknown can sometimes hinder us completely from doing something we are interested in. Jana sat down to talk about the basics of going to adult ballet for the first time in the video below. Make sure to check it out and let us know if it helps anyone who has been a little unsure about making that "leap" to ballet...HA. ;)

W H A T  T O  W E A R

Adult ballet classes generally don't have a uniform or clothing requirement other than wearing something form fitting. This can depend on the studio where you are dancing, so make sure to inquire about that before class. If the idea of putting on pink tights and a leotard scares you, try opting for black footless tights or yoga pants. You'll want to keep your torso covered, so leotards are great, but tank tops or fitted running shirts can work as well. Discountdance.com is our favorite place to shop online for dancewear.

C L A S S  S T R U C T U R E

I won't get into the specifics of the order of combinations, but the general structure is that class starts at the barre with a series of exercises that everyone does together - once on the right side and once on the left side. There is usually some kind of stretch time at the end of barre and then the class will move to the center of the room and the combinations will start small and build up until you are doing big movements across the floor. You can watch any of our barre videos on our channel to get an idea of terminology and structure if you want to study up! :)

E T I Q U E T T E  T I P S

Ballet class has a lot of etiquette rules that you may not be aware of if you didn't grow up dancing. These rules tend to not get passed on to adult dancers ahead of time and you have to just learn as you go. Here are a few general ones to get you by your first class:

• Arrive at the studio at least 15 minutes before class starts. If you need to register for the first time, I would get there even earlier. If you're running late, you don't want to jump in in later than 5-10 minutes after class has started. This is to prevent injury since all the exercises build upon each other.
• Limit your talking amongst peers and definitely don't talk while the instructor is talking. 
• If you're confused about a combination, raise your hand and ask to have it repeated. If later on in class you are not sure about a combination when going in groups in the centre, hold off from going in the first group so you can observe others once or twice before your turn.
• Only bring water or approved beverages into the studio. 
• After class finishes, go up to your instructor to bow to them and thank them for class.
• If you had a live pianist in class, make sure to thank them after class as well.

Lastly, Abby and I want to share some words of encouragement because ballet class is not easy! And sometimes it doesn't love you back :) But if you can stick with it for 2-3 months, you will feel progress and things will get easier and it's THA BEST FEELING. It's going to be hard, but that's also what makes it fun. Best of luck, happy dancing, and let us know if this info helps you or gives you that boost to sign up for class!! Video with more chatty bits of info below :)

- Jana

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To the Adult Dancer Who is Leaving Performing…

To the Adult Dancer Who is Leaving Performing…

Saturday, April 8, 2017

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It’s been two years since I’ve been on stage. I have taken breaks in the past, but I knew at that point, the performing side of my dancing was really over. Although I have been teaching and watching dance for the past two years, I haven’t been in an audience watching a ballet during that time. I finally went to one this past weekend, and it brought on many thoughts.

Yes, I still grieve not performing. As a performer, I knew exactly where to park, and what entrance to the theater to use. It was fine for me to go all over backstage or wherever I wanted. I didn’t have to worry about being cold because I had a bag full of warm ups and was jumping around all over the place to keep warm. But as an audience member? It’s, “Oh, maybe I can’t park here.” “Will call? Where is that?” “How do I find my seat because I don’t know where this number is.” “Oh yeah, it’s really cold in the audience! And I didn’t bring a jacket.”

Then there’s the going back stage to see friends and getting barked at by a well-meaning employee who is trying to protect the backstage from being flooded by the audience, and to keep the dancers’ spaces safe. But for me, those spaces still feel like my spaces. They are still familiar. It doesn’t feel like it’s been years. Not being recognized felt like the moment in The Last Unicorn when the unicorn is mistaken for a horse. Except that in this case, they were right – I was just another person.

It’s strange. And sad. The dancers are riding their post-show high, huge smiles on their faces. They are so excited. And it gave me a post-show high right along with them. It was good to see people and get hugs…to feel a part of it again, even though I’m not. Because I didn’t go home dripping with sweat and every muscle hurting, but I did go home with the radio blasting and singing along with it, because it still felt good.

I realized how much I missed it. Which is why it can be easier to stay away. I see it in former professional ballet dancers. Some stay with teaching or directing, but some go in a completely different direction. At least for some number of years, until it doesn’t hurt so much, and they can go back to it on different terms. I feel like there is so little discussion about how much it hurts to not be a dancer anymore.

Going back was therapeutic. In the few days after, as I had time to reflect, a lot of things came to my mind. Things that I had missed with my family to be in those shows. The freedom I have in my life without being tied to it.

As much I love performing, there is a downside. There’s always that question of how it’s going to go. There’s always so much criticism leading up to it. It’s mentally, emotionally, and physically exhausting, especially as an adult and a non-professional. When you are dancing in a company, you get to point where you are dancing so much, you feel on top of your game all the time. It comes with the 8 hours of dancing all day, every day. Your worst day is still a pretty darn good day in the grand scheme of things. But, there’s also an insane amount of pressure to go along with it. Pressure I didn’t have the maturity to handle when I was in it.

As an adult, I had the maturity, but I wasn’t dancing enough to feel as on top of it as I wanted to. I was still dancing a lot, but not enough for the expectations I had of myself. There was a different kind of pressure for my performances, because at any time, I didn’t trust my body to do what I needed it to do. The performance high usually wasn’t high, because I didn’t feel as good as I wanted or needed it to feel.

If you are a fan of Dance Academy, you may remember one of the last episodes where Saskia is talking about retiring. She has been let go from the company after it comes under new leadership, but Tara tells her that plenty of other companies would be glad to have her. Saskia, who is still coming back from an injury, replies, “I’m just sick of starting each morning with coffee and a pain killer.” I think this embodies what happens to a lot of us. We get tired of the fight.

All this to say, that yes, there is a life after performing. A beautiful life. A life where you can stand in the back of a classroom and dance, and feel like you are on stage. Where you can have your evenings and weekends to shop, or garden, or clean your house. Where you can wake up and not be in pain. Or you can be in pain, but from Pilates or Crossfit, or whatever else you decide to conquer.

I wish ballet could be more balanced, and could be something we could do without it being so demanding on both bodies and time.

Don’t stay away from the ballet. Go. Let the dancers inspire you – fill you with spirit. Breathe right along with them, and you will feel like you are dancing too.

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Foam Rolling For The Win!

Foam Rolling For The Win!

Sunday, March 26, 2017

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I can no longer function as an adult ballet dancer without my foam roller!

I've had my foam roller for years, but really didn't understand how beneficial it could be until I started getting massages a few months ago. Finding out just how tight the state of my muscles had become was kind of devastating, but having discussions about the steps to take to release them back to normal gave me hope, and a mission, to get them there. Foam rolling has always been painful for me, and I wasn't sure if that pain was good or bad, so I avoided it. Now I know the difference between good and bad pain so I can work on my own in addition to my massage appointments.

I roll out after every class now because it eliminates feeling stiff the next day! I'm currently focusing on my calves (my massage therapist says they "are a mess!"), my hips, my quads, and my back. I also take time to stretch since we don't normally focus on long stretches in class. My flexibility is the lowest it has ever been in my life, so I'm trying to stay hopeful that if I can keep up with consistently stretching and rolling out that I can get back to where I "expect" and want myself to be. I have always loved stretching, so this is new territory for me to be in so much pain doing it!

All that to say, if you find yourself feeling stiff the day after class, try rolling out your muscles after class to see if that makes a difference for you! (And if you're not sure how to, here's a good starting point).

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Struggles of the Adult Ballet Life

Struggles of the Adult Ballet Life

Thursday, March 2, 2017

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As some of you know from my Instagram post last week, I recently had a meltdown trying to balance too many things going on in my life right now! I'm wearing a lot of hats as it is, but this past month or so was particularly crazy. My breaking point was when I found myself crying over absolutely everything and over absolutely nothing!

The cherry on top is: I'm a perfectionist. So when it comes to creating content for Ballerinas By Night, I tend to put things off until I feel like it's the most perfect little package it could be. I don't advise being this way! Haha :) Somehow my brain managed to clear enough space to give me a breakthrough thought after my meltdown that made me realize: I don't act like a perfectionist in ballet class. In fact, it's the one place in my life where I crave the process of going for it and perfecting after. So I thought, why in the world am I not talking about this with our Ballerinas By Night community??! I know we are all balancing so many things and then on top of that all we want is at least one night a week to feel like a ballerina. And sometimes that feels like an impossible task.

So in complete contrast to my perfectionist ways, I set down my darn camera and just chatted about this. It was completely unplanned, and I brought up some of your thoughts from the comments on Instagram.

I hope this can spark a discussion and encourage each other to support everyone in their dance journey - we are all on different paths and each path is worth celebrating, so let's all take a breath, and appreciate where we are instead of where we want to be! My casual, chatty video is below :)

All the love,

Jana

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New Video! Collaboration with Kathryn Morgan

New Video! Collaboration with Kathryn Morgan

Wednesday, November 11, 2015

2 comments

Hello friends!

Yesterday we published an exciting video collaboration with former New York City Ballet soloist and fellow YouTuber, Kathryn Morgan! If you're aren't familiar with Kathryn's channel and/or her career, you should definitely take some time to explore her videos where she talks about her illness that led to her leaving her position with NYCB. It's a heartbreaking story, but she's making the most of the situation by sharing her experience and knowledge of professional ballet to aspiring dancers in her YouTube videos.

I was in New York City last week so Kathryn and I met up to film a video together and chat about all things ballet and YouTube! It was great to talk to someone else in this niche! We filmed ourselves talking about confidence in ballet class, as that's something we've both dealt with in varying levels and it's something I think every dancer deals with. We went over things like body issues, difficult steps, and "off days". It's a great discussion and I think it helped me, personally, getting to talk those things out with her!

After we filmed we went for dinner and dessert at Cafe Lalo - the charming cafe from the movie You've Got Mail. :)

It was a super fun evening and I wish Abby could have been there with us! Maybe one day?? Check out the video below and subscribe to both of our channels if you haven't already!

- Jana

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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

76 comments

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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Perspectives on Casting

Perspectives on Casting

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

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Hi everyone! With Nutcracker season in full gear, it's the time of year when some dancers end up either ecstatic or heartbroken over casting. There have been times in my life when I've been in a bad place, and really put my personal value as a dancer and person into casting. Often times I would covet roles that were the exact opposite of my strengths, and then be devastated when I didn't get them. It led to hurt feelings, damaged relationships, and burn out. But, it was all internal - it doesn't have to be that way! And shouldn't be that way. Over the years, I've gained a lot of perspective, especially through all the times when I had no performance opportunities.

Today, I'm at a much better place when casting comes out. I don't make casting into a hierarchy (this role is "better" than this role), so whatever I am given is a gift. I am realistic about myself and my strengths as a dancer, so I can view it from a director's point of view and see why they would want me in particular roles. And I am happy for everyone else's casting, as opposed to the green eyed monster that I used to have eating away at me.

If anyone has shared any of these issues, I hope my journey will help you on yours!

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Improving Low Arches

Improving Low Arches

Tuesday, September 30, 2014

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 This week I am discussing a topic that has been very prominent in my ballet life: flat feet.

Feet are a very big deal when it comes to ballet. They complete the leg line and look so pretty in pointe shoes. That is, for people with naturally normal to high arches.

I have what are called Flexible Flat Feet. There is an arch in my foot when there is no weight on it, but when standing it is flat. I struggled with the appearance of my feet (standing and pointing) until about age 27 when Abby helped me concentrate on finding their full potential. Now I am okay with my feet and sometimes I even like them! ;)

In this video I share some tips that helped me improve the strength and flexibility in my feet. The best thing is, I hardly spent any time outside of ballet class working on my feet, so this video is really about being aware of the opportunities that are provided in class to concentrate on your feet.

If you are struggling with low arches I hope this video will give you something to look forward to working on in your next class!

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Yes, Imperfect Bodies Can Dance

Yes, Imperfect Bodies Can Dance

Saturday, September 6, 2014

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I was teaching a group of 10 year olds yesterday, and was talking to them about turnout. I explained that I, personally, have very little rotation and circumduction in my hips, so I had to learn to work in a way that allowed me to use the correct muscles and as much turnout as possible in the correct way. As I looked around that room of absolutely beautiful children - some extremely talented, I told them that traditionally only the best bodies were chosen for ballet. Only the ones that already had the rotation and circumduction, along with a host of other things. Most of us in that room would not have made the cut (mainly me!).

A few days before I had been in one of my own classes, and was doing a stretch for my hips. While others had their knees falling to the floor, mine were no where near. My teacher that day commented that it is interesting about me that I have so little of that flexibility, yet it doesn't show in my a la seconde. And for that, I have to thank my training for teaching how to use what I have.

Sometimes I get a little too down on myself, saying that I had very little natural ability. I do have some natural ability for dance, and could never have achieved what I did without it. However, I have a lot of things I have to fight, and because I have attained a fairly high level, it's not always obvious what I have had to overcome. So when I get a correction about turnout, I have to be gentle with myself. When I am told I am rushing the music, I have to remember that once upon a time I could barely pick up combinations. Now, I tend to rush because I do remember the combination, but until I am really confident in it, I get driven to the next step, next step; instead of thinking about my musicality. Sometimes I tense up and get stiff, but that's ok because mentally I have to think about 50 things at once to keep up. It's not always that way, but sometimes it is. It's strange to think that there are people out there that don't have to think about all those things at once because it happens naturally for them. But, that's me. I'm imperfect. And guess what? I still get to dance!!!

There are ways to teach imperfect body types. Check out http://www.ballet4everybody.com/, which teaches teachers how to train dancers with different abilities. Without having learned from someone who had gone through this training, I would never have achieved what I have with dance. Most likely, I would have ended up injured, frustrated, and burned out. I probably would never have become interested in teaching because I couldn't figure things out for myself. Now that I am using these methods to teach, I feel like I have so much more of an understanding of what students are or are not doing to make movement happen.

Don't get me wrong, I love to watch an ideal body type perform ballet in an ideal way. But, I also love to see different body types, and how they use their differences. More than anything, I am grateful to live in a place, and a day and time, where I got the chance to dance despite my imperfections. And I think it is my imperfections that make me the teacher I am, because I did have to learn how to dance.

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Conditioning and Pilates

Conditioning and Pilates

Saturday, March 1, 2014

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Hello everyone!

You may have seen a video I posted on the facebook page recently. It was a cardio workout video. The first time I did the workout, I really loved it. It burned a lot of calories, was good cardio, and was something really easy to do at home in an apartment living room.

The problem was, when I walked into ballet class the week I was doing that workout, I was totally off. My turns weren't working, and I just didn't feel together. Oh, and my hips, which I have chronic problems with anyway, were just killing me. The only explanation I could come up with was the new workout. It was the only thing I changed.

In terms of looking for a workout for my days off from class, I was back to square one. For me, that means back to pilates. Pilates supports my dancing in such amazing ways. When it is added to my routine, I feel so much more centered in class. It helps me feel more controlled, and to really be able to let go because I'm not struggling to find my core.

This book is such an excellent resource, taking you through many different pilates exercises individually.  It has pictures to show you what to do, with written explanations telling you when to breath, and extra tips for things to think about. I could design many different workouts from this one book.

It can be found on Amazon here.

Another really good resource is Fitness Blender on youtube. They have workouts of all kinds, including many pilates workouts. So, if you prefer a video you can put on and follow someone, they will have something for you.

Here is my current favorite pilates video from them:

 And here is a video from Jana and me where we talked about conditioning:

What kind of conditioning do you like? If you add in some pilates, let me know if you can feel the difference in ballet class!

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Taking Corrections with Grace

Taking Corrections with Grace

Monday, February 17, 2014

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Sometimes it is easy to have a love/hate relationship with corrections. And, as an adult, it can be frustrating to be corrected about something that it might feel we have limited control over - i.e., turnout. Additionally, some teachers are naturally more crass than others.  While teenagers are sometimes more willing to 'take it', we adults have been out in the workforce or keeping children in line all day, and have much less patience if our class time feels antagonistic.

But let's remember the bottom line: corrections are our friend. Corrections are what keep us moving forward and getting better. And, even if a teacher says something in a way we don't care for sometimes, they are giving us attention through that correction, which means they see that we have potential. As a student, they always say the time to worry is when a teacher doesn't address you at all.

You should always feel comfortable enough with your teacher to address certain issues (privately, after class). If you really feel like you are being pushed in a way that isn't beneficial, talk to your teacher and let them know how you feel. If you would like MORE corrections and feel like you aren't getting enough, again let them know. Most of the time your teacher will be willing to work with you, or maybe they could give you more insight into a correction (it's not just the amount of turnout, but how you are turning out).

The thing teachers love to see are the people that take corrections and utilize them. If you do this to the best of your ability, it is likely the teacher will want to work with you more and more simply because it makes their work fun too!

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