the dancer

As dancers, we tend to get a lot in our heads and struggle to find the bigger picture. Personally, there are some days where I feel that I am improving and working hard and seeing a lot of progress. Other days I am plateauing, giving up. Seeing no hope in my future as a dancer. Now, yes, I may have over-exaggerated just a little bit. But for many dancers, these emotions are extremely common. 

I am here to spread some light upon your lives and help you see the bigger picture!

We spend a majority of our lives in the studio, in front of multiple mirrors (mind you in a leotard and tights!), with many other people who are trying to achieve the same goals as ourselves. It is

intimidating. It may even make you want to quit. And that is normal. But think back and try and count all of the hours you have spent working hard, leading up to this moment. You can’t. Because there are just too many. You have worked so hard since you were a little boy or girl to be where you are today. Endless days of stretching, pulling your hair back so tight for the last show of your run of Nutcracker. Believe me, when you were eight years old, there is nothing more that you wanted than to be where you are today. In the studio with the “big kids”, achieving your dreams, being able to wear a spaghetti strap leotard. 

When you find yourself feeling down and starting to give up. Think about where you have gotten in the last ten years, and try to imagine how you will be in ten years from now. 

Dancers often deal with rejection. Honestly, I am not sure there is one dancer out there who has not dealt with rejection. Believe me, It is tough and devastating. But like Emma Woodhouse from Jane Austen’s, Emma, once said, “You must be the best judge of your own happiness.”

My advice to you is to always remember who you are. You are a hard worker. A dedicated dancer. An artist. No matter how prestigious the school you are auditioning for is or how famous the ballet company may be, no one can take away your hard work, dedication, and artistry. 

Before going into an audition, or performing on stage, or even just taking a class, I think about who I am going to “channel” that day. Whether it be Marianela Núñez, Tiler Peck, or Sylvie Guillem, I’ve always had someone who I aspire to be. Although, to be honest, do I aspire to be them? Or do I want to be the best version of myself that has been inspired by them? 

People don’t want to watch two of the same people on stage. They want to see two completely different dancers who complement each other’s dancing but have something incredibly unique to both of them. 

For more advice and inspiration, here is an article from Dance Magazine: Lauren Lovette Isn’t Afraid To Send Shock Waves Through The Ballet World! 

-Christiana ♡

Ps. Believe in yourself, because you’ve got this!

Audition season can be tough. The endless hours of preparing to dance your best, look your finest, and impress those who sit at the front of the studio. You never know what the judges are looking for, so the best thing you can do is be yourself and work your hardest! Here are a few tips entering audition season…

What to wear:

For girls, the uniform for an audition is typically a black leotard and pink tights. With that being said, I highly recommend wearing a simple black leotard that does not have any distracting pieces to it. It is important that the judges are able to watch you dance without being sidetracked by whatever you are wearing. Also, make sure to bring extra leotards and tights just in case if anything were to happen. For boys, the dress code is usually a white leotard or shirt, black tights with white socks and white shoes or black socks and black shoes. I would definitely choose whatever makes your lines look best and whatever you feel more comfortable in, but be sure to have everything neat and clean, not wrinkled or stained. It is also important that you have white socks (without labels) and white shoes in your dance bag in case they ask for that specific uniform.

Ever heard the quote “She leaves a little sparkle wherever she goes!”? I live by it. It is always a good idea to wear some accessories to an audition (earrings/ hair clip), make sure that you don’t over do it though. You should wear a pair of earrings that make you feel pretty and elegant, something like studs. It can be distracting when someone has big, dangly earrings that make noise when they hit your face when you’re trying to turn. I also would not recommend walking in to an audition with rings, necklaces, or bracelets. Your teachers at your home studio might be a little more laid back with jewelry but most of the teachers who are giving or judging an audition expect to see bare wrists and fingers. 

What to expect:

Walking into the classroom with one-hundred other people who have the same dream as you is super intimidating. Trust me, I get it.  You can’t allow it to get to your head. It may seem like the auditioner is super serious and stern, to be honest, they are probably just overwhelmed. They have to make such quick decisions in such a short amount of time. Sometimes it may even seem like they are ignoring you, chances are they are just trying to scan the room and decide on what  combination to give next. Another thing is, they most likely will not give a lot of corrections. I have been to auditions where the teacher was giving many corrections and was actually individually talking to each auditionee. I have also been to auditions where no corrections were given and the only time the teacher spoke was to give the combinations. It really depends on who is auditioning you and how big or small the audition is. Most importantly work hard, stay calm, and enjoy the process!

For more information, here is a link to POINTE Magazine- Plan your SI audition tour!

-Christiana ♡

Welcome back! Today’s post is going to be all about pointe shoes! In the ballet world,  it truly is a right of passage. Every little ballerina’s dream is to one day be “en pointe”. When  it happens, only then do they know what is in store for their poor little toes. They are a blessing and a curse at the same time but to  be completely honest, I love being able to dance en pointe, execute the steps and portray characters that are ethereal. 

When you are young and are fitted for your first pair of pointe shoes, your teacher will recommend a style  that is best for your foot as a beginner. As you get older, you have the freedom to experiment with all the different types of shoes made my many different hands around the world. A famous manufacturer, Freed of London.  makes all different kinds of dance shoes but specializes in pointe shoes. Most professional dancers prefer to wear them because they are a good performance shoe. After being in a professional company where your shoes are supplied  for you, you are able to get your shoes customized to your foot by a specific maker of Freed. For example New York City Ballet is sponsored by freed. The students at the School of American Ballet, the official training school of New York City Ballet, are preferred by the teachers to wear Freed. 

 Freed pointe shoes are exceptionally made and hand crafted, they are of course extremely expensive. Many parents of young dancers  don’t really understand all the needs and wants of dancers. The do not want to pay $120 dollars for a pair of shoes that will probably only last you one week. That is why it is such a luxury to be in a company that pays for your shoes! For more about Freed of London, here is a video about the beautiful process of making these beautiful shoes…Freed of London!

Now for some tips to make your shoes work for you!

Sewing your ribbons!

Every dancer sews their pointe shoes a different way, it is all about finding what supports your feet the most. There are multiple kinds of ribbon , for example satin and stretchy. Personally I like to use the stretchy ribbon but the satin ribbon is more common. When sewing your ribbons, it is best to place the ribbon where the arch of your foot meets the shoe. This way the ribbon pulls up the sides of the shoe creating the best line for your foot. 

Three quartering.

Three quartering is wear you cut the shank of your pointe shoe a third of the way down. This makes the shoe bend at the exact spot where your arch is and make the shoe last longer. Personally, I cannot dance without three quartering my shoes, but it is different for every dancer.

Jet glue! 

Jet glue is truly a savior. Without jet glue who knows how many more pointe shoes I would have gone through over the years. Jet glue is a super liquidy type of glue that hardens instantly making your shoe feel as good as new. Be careful because a little goes a long way!

Tape your Toes!

Taping your toes will actually save your life. Pointe shoes will often given you blisters or ingrown toenails, so taping your feet is kind of a necessity. I personally love the tape brand Nexcare. It is super soft and provides great protection! Be kind to your feet, they work hard!

There are sooooooo many other pointe shoe tips but this blog would be a thousand pages long if I included them all. Although here is a video for more pointe shoe tips by Insider!

I hope you have enjoyed this post and ill see you next time! -Christiana ♡

There are many things that are important to have in your dance bag. From leotards to bandaids, it is key to be prepared at all times! We have all had that one day when you go to do your hair for class, reach into the bobby pin box, and there is only emptiness. All you can do is hope that one of your friends has extra pins or that there are enough pins on the floor of the studio you can scavenge to make a semi-decent bun. Or right before class, when you are putting your tights on and notice a big, huge, massive hole that is definitely not capable of covering it up. It’s in that moment when you regret not putting that extra pair of tights in your bag the night before. With that being said, here are a few lists of everything that is necessary to get through a day of dance!

Apparel:

• Class uniform leotard
• Extra black/ white leotard
• Multiple pairs of tights
• Black/white practice skirts
• Warm-ups are key!
  • Leg warmers
  • A ballet sweater
  • Trash bag shorts
  • Etc.

Shoes:

• Pointe shoes!
  • Brand new pointe shoes
  • Dead pointe shoes
  • Extra pairs of pointe shoes!
• Ballet slippers!
  • Ballet pink
  • Nude
• Optional:
  • Socks
  • Jazz shoes
  • Tap shoes
  • Ballroom shoes
  • Etc. 

Hair and Makeup:

• Extra pins!
• Extra hair nets!
• Hair elastics
• Brush 
• Comb
• Hairspray 
• Optional hair accessory to make you feel pretty!
• Extra makeup!
  • Lip gloss
  • Mascara
  • Chapstick
  • Blush 
  • Etc. 

Hygiene:

• Deodorant is a must!
• Perfume
• Hand sanitizer
• Makeup wipes (Optional)
• Moisturizer
• Toenail clippers
• Etc. 

First aid:

• Band-aids!
• Tape
• Second-skin squares
• Blister bandaids
• Arnica gel
• Icy-hot
• Gauze
• Scissors 

Tools:

• Foam roller
• Therabands
• Pinky ball
• Stretch bands
• Jet Glue 
• Many more optional tools!

I know what your thinking. How in the world am I going to fit all of this in one small dance bag? This list is to help guide you while packing your dance bag. All of these things are not 100% necessary, but it is definitely important to check off at least two or three from each category. Every dancer knows what they need and what they don’t need for their long day of classes and rehearsals. I can assure you that I do not have all of this stuff in my dance bag. I have the staples (dresscode, bandaids and deodorant, etc) but everything else varies. If I feel like I am definitely going to need my foam roller that day, then, of course, I will pack it. But if it doesn’t seem necessary then I leave it home. Another important thing to keep in your dance bag is a water bottle and a snack. It is key to have quick snacks that fill you up with protein and provide you with energy for the long day ahead of you. 

A few easy snacks are:

• Protein bars
  • RX bars
  • Kind bars 
  • Etc. 
• Fruit
  • Banana
  • Apple
  • Dried fruits
  • Etc. 
• Chocolate! 

I hope you’ve found this post helpful! For more information, here is another list from backstage!

-Christiana ♡