How To Tie Pointe Shoe Ribbons.

Those ribbons and elastics sewn on yet? Here's the post from last week with the how tos; click here.

Here is a tutorial for how to tie on your pointe shoe ribbons.

Don't worry if your first few tries feel awkward. You'll get it!

Don't be in a rush to trim your ribbon ends. Make sure you get comfortable with tying them first. Some dancers, for various reasons, will switch their shoes back and forth from each foot. So make sure you are happy with how each individual shoe fits on each foot.

To help with fraying of ribbon ends it is recommended to lightly burn them. This should be done under adult supervision or by an adult. Using a match, lighter or lit candle, quickly run the very end of the ribbon across the flame. It doesn't take much to get the desired result. Burn too much and you will have a big, hard, jagged piece to contend with.

Once you have the ribbons and elastics sewn on go ahead and practice tying. Remember, do not try to go onto full pointe in your pre-pointe or demi-pointe shoes. This can result in serious injury.

Happy tying!

Please feel free to ask me any questions.

Enjoy the dance that is life!

~Miss Erin

Technique On A Tuesday; Stabilizing The "Standing" Hip {and a really good hip warm-up}.

So instead of Technique Tuesdays I'm adopting the name "Technique On A Tuesday" due to the fact that I seem to manage every other Tuesday, or so. Perhaps if I can manage to get a post up more consistently I'll go back to the former and drop the latter. But for now, I like it.

On to today's post.

 Stabilizing The Standing Hip. First, a quick and basic primer on what parts of the glutes do. The gluteus maximus gives us that booty popping shape (when trained to do so) and it works to bring the torso back into an erect position (coming from stooping or leaning forward). The gluteus medius has a hand in the outward rotation of the hip (turn-out). The glutes, in all their parts, are much more complex. But that is a basic overview.

In this photo I am letting the hip of the "working" or "gesture" leg (the one lifted in passe), namely the gluteus maximus, do most of the lifting. This causes the hip of the "standing" or support leg to essentially disengage, or not fire up in a way to stay stable. I can certainly hang out and find some semblance of balancing. But if I were to add any type of challenge, rising onto the ball of the standing foot, a jump, pivot of the heel or a turn, I would most likely fall out of the position.

In this picture I have engaged the supporting hip. The difference is subtle but vital. Here I have "quieted" the gluteus maximus of the passe leg and fired up the gluteus maximus and gluteus medius of the support leg. The gluteus medius of the passe leg is also more engaged than in the previous photo. Of course, all the muscles of the both legs are working. Each doing their specific job.

Some of the ways I have described this is to think of the hips as a type writer roller (yeah, I know not all age groups will know what I'm talking about). If your type writer roller is at an angle then your type writer is busted. To fix it it you must keep your roll level.

I have also jokingly asked what a student would do with their glutes on their supporting side if they knew I was coming in with a punch right to that area. That usually increases the engagement of the muscles.

A couple of good exercises to practice this, and some great hip warm-ups;

Here are a couple of exercises that emphasize pinning and stabilizing the supporting hip as well as the supporting side of the body.

I use these when I teach mat Pilates as a warm-up for both the hips and the concept of firing up the supporting side.

Passe Hip Circles.


Start with legs parallel, knees facing ceiling and toes pointed. Arms are alongside the body.

Engage the core as you draw the right knee up.

Pin the supporting side, or base side, of the body to the floor or mat. This requires an effort along the entire side of the supporting side of the body, especially in the core region (I like to call this area "nipple to kneecap").

Then lengthen the leg to its start position.

Do about 5 sets. Inhale as you draw the knee up and out. Exhale as you lengthen.

Do 5 sets in reverse.

Inhale as the knee draws to passe. Exhale as the leg lengthens.

Be sure to do the other side in equal amounts.

Table-Top Leg, Across and Side.


Bring the right leg to a table-top position.

Inhale as the leg crosses the mid-line of the body. Keep the back of the pelvis pinned to the mat. Don't loose control and fall over to the left.

Exhale as the leg opens to the right side. Keep the left, or base side, of the body pinned to the floor or mat. Don't let the body fall with the leg.

Do about 5 sets. Be sure and do the other side in equal amounts.

I love these exercise as they illustrated the importance of the supporting side, and they are great warm-ups for the hips.



Let's hear it for my crack-shot photographer! ( My 12 year old son, Neil).

Thank for hanging out! If you like what you see, subscribe at the top!

Enjoy the dance that is life!

~ Erin

Technique Tuesday; Keeping The Shoulder Stable During A Leg Lift Side.

The shoulder complex is just that, complex. There are so many small connections for fine tuned movement with all of the muscles, tendons and ligaments of the shoulders.

So it's no wonder that movements in other parts of the body can have a resounding effect on what the shoulders do.

The video tutorial today addresses an aspect of shoulder stability during movement. Of course, this is pretty specific to dance oriented movements, but stability is stability, so other parallels can probably be drawn when thinking about stability and placement during movement (i.e., a one-legged dead lift ).

Thanks for hanging out and watching.

Enjoy the dance that is life!

~Erin

So You Think You Can Tell A Difference? {I got a little ranty on this one...}

No shock that I am, as millions of others are, an Über-fan of FOX's "So You Think You Can Dance?" I adore most all of the choreographers, both the ones that have been around for multiple seasons and the newer ones. If you are familiar with the show, you know that there are male and female choreographers. 

The other day I was on Facebook (or "book-facing" as my husband would call it) and I came across an interesting article;
Behind the "ballet is like porn" headlines... That'll get one's attention!

The quick and dirty of the article is about a comment made by a female artistic director, Tamara Rojo, about how the world of classical Ballet is dominated by male choreographers vs. female choreographers.

Just about any subject combined with the words "like porn" will cause a stir. The article does address that her comment was not necessarily omni-focused on the sexuality of specific choreography:

Rojo's use of the word porn, however, has a very different and specific slant. She claims that men and women tend to approach the art of choreography from opposite perspectives: while the latter start with the emotion they want to express, the former begin with the making of steps – an approach to bodies that Rojo suggests is parallel to the objectification of porn.

Hmmm....interesting. I teach in a small city, and as is fairly typical in communities like mine, most ballet instruction and choreography is done by women teachers and choreographers. But I have worked with male choreographers in the past. Bigger arenas do have a trickle down effect on the world of dance. I think that when its an issue of female choreographers being encouraged to produce works and pave new grounds, it's worth discussing.

From my own experiences, the male choreographers that were objectifying, or had a running theme of portraying female dancers as muse-like creatures reeking of poorly veiled sexual undertones, were kinda sceevy bastards any ways, and should in no way have access to young female dancers. The ones who produced work that had passion, depth and emotion were men comprised of, well, depth, passion and emotion. Any sexual undertones were shared among male and female dancers.

I have long considered many of the traditional tales of the classics of ballet to be somewhat misogynistic and degrading to women. "Giselle", to me is the worst among them. A handsome, young male aristocrat decides to go slumming for the afternoon in a village of peasants. He gets sweet on one of the pretty young ladies in the village, and bestows all kinds of promises on the naive Giselle. It is soon found out by all that he's a liar when his mom and dad catch up to him and his escapades. To Giselle's humiliation it is revealed that her new love is not who he said he was and that he is already engaged to another. And a woman of a much higher station than Giselle. Ouch. Giselle goes completely mental (clearly the works of Judy Blume and a copy of Go Ask Alice were missing at her local library). She eventually, although quite gracefully, dies of a broken heart. Right there in the center of town. And why wouldn't she? She is a young female, clearly incapable of any sort of resilience, and completely at the mercy of all that makes her the "fairer sex".
So Fancy Pants (he has a name. And no, it's not punk-ass punk. He is referred to as the Duke) does feel kind of bad after all. He goes to mourn at Giselle's grave late at night. That's when the Wilis come out (the spirits of young maidens abandoned on their wedding days, set on revenge. Oh, Hell hath no fury!). Queen Wili rolls onto the scene and breaks out the Official Girl Interrupted Rule Book. She commands that the Duke do what all men must do when they trespass onto Wili territory; dance till he dies! (okay, I will concede that she is a bit harsh). But Giselle comes wafting in (remember, she's a Wili now) and saves his sorry hide. She agrees to do half the dancing so Duke can do what it is he needs to do to stay alive. Carbo-load and cat-nap, I guess. Well, Giselle does get eternal peace in the end. She earns the privilege of becoming just worm food and not a spirit of nighttime torments. While Sir Spring Break gets to go on swiving the hired help and maybe tossing a thought or two about the pretty young village girl as he slowly hurls himself towards gout and sleep apnea. Yeah, its not my favorite story line.
Wow. I digress.
There are other story lines of the classics that have that equation of female empowerment = automatic sacrifice. No reaping the benefits of making strong independent choices, or having the opportunity to learn from one's mistakes and then building a strong sense of self. Think about where all those female villains come from in these antiquated tales. They are almost always a woman scorned, seldom a woman wisened.
Dang it! I went on another tangent.
One last thing before I make my way back to the beginning (what were we talking about?). Lest you think I have it in for dudes, don't. I'm frequently horrified at attitudes towards men and boys in our modern culture, and how we (as a society) punish them for behaving as if they have a male brain (um, hello?) while simultaneously punishing them for not exhibiting signs of having a female brain. Men are more than capable of being both strong and sensitive, as women we need to understand what sensitive looks like for a man. Just like how we, as woman appreciate being recognized for how we show strength.
Okay, seriously. I went in directions that I did not intend to when I started.

My original point for this post was going to tie the article about ballet and porn to having the opportunity to observe any stand out differences between male and female choreographers on SYTYCD. After reading the article I can't help but want to see if there are any stand out differences. Join me?

Paul Taylor is one of my all-time favorite choreographers. His male and female dancers soar not as objectified stereotypes, but as graceful artists and commanders of movement and space.

Have a look!

Paul Taylor's Esplanade Part 3/5


Company B is one of my all-time favs!

One last question. Was Degas a misogynist? Remember, he did all those paintings of ballerinas and women drying off after bathing. Here's an interesting article.

Thanks for hanging out! No, really! Thanks!

If you enjoyed this posts or other posts, be sure to subscribe by email.

Enjoy the dance that is life!

~Erin

Technique Tuesday; A New Way To Think About How Limbs Are Connected. {And Maybe I Unload About The Past, Just A Little...}

How do dancers get that quality in their arms that makes their limbs appear to go on forever? They don't just move through the air, but rather they move the air around them.

One of the keys to employing this quality of movement is to rethink how the arms connect to the body. Yes, the arms are connected to the torso via the shoulders. But what if we think of arm movements originating in the center of the back. Now we are not just aware of the muscles, ligament and tendons of the shoulders, but we have tapped into the power supply provided by the muscles of our backs as well.



To be more specific; the trapezius (connecting shoulder and back), the latissimus dorsi and rhomboideus major.

The shoulders have enough to do, what with the complex structure of the shoulder complex, without having to be the "engine" of sweeping arm movements. The back however, well, just look at the size of those guys (muscles).

I first was introduced to this concept years ago (many, many years ago) at a Summer Intensive Dance Workshop. It was laid out for me in a kind of round about way though. (Cue "doodly, doodly, wavy going back in time" music).

It was back in the mid to late 80's. I was at a Summer Dance Workshop at Westside School Of Ballet in Santa Monica, Ca. Yvonne Mounsey was the founder. In her youth she was a much esteemed ballerina for the father of neo-classical as well as American ballet, George Balanchine.

It is very common at Summer Intensives to bring in guest teachers, as well as using a studio's own talent. This particular summer it was decided to bring in another of Balanchine's Ballerinas. Melissa Hayden. Okay, for starters, there is no question that that lady had credentials (may she rest in piece).  Pretty sane here. Here is a lovely article about her, It is a great tribute to her careers as both a highly esteemed dancer and dance teacher.

I believe all the words of the above article. But I tell you what, she was scary as HELL that summer. Even her friend who had danced with her long ago was taken aback at her approach to teaching students as a guest artist.

Now, I was a pretty shy young dancer. Frequently uncertain of my abilities, and frankly terrified by my own shadow half the time. Boy, I tell ya. She went after that like a dog after a rabbit.

Two incidences that have seared themselves into my memory from her week (2 weeks?) of teaching;

Standing at the barre (did I mention these were very populated classes?), I can't remember what step we were working on. Apparently I was rolling my shoulders in a bit. Okay, I admit it...I was slouching. It was most likely the kind of slouching that attracts bullies to their victims like bees to honey . Not a slouch of disinterest, but lack of confidence. Anyway, she came up to me, fairly close to my face. She proceeded to ask me, "Have you ever known happiness?" (What kind of question is that? and OMG, the guest teacher is talking directly to me!). "Um...yes. I think so", I answered timidly. CLAP!! Right in my face. A loud, invasive clap of thunder, mere centimeters from my nose. Well as you can imagine I did exactly what she wanted me to do. I stood up straight as possible. Chin up. Sternum presented in all its glory, despite my mortification and humiliation. Hey, I get it. Every teacher has their methods for getting their points across. But for frick'en frick's sake, we have a complex language for a reason. Lord knows I've come up with some pretty crazy analogies and metaphors to explain things to dance students. For me though, their intimidation and humiliation  do not serve any purpose to me. I'll let someone else in their life provide them with whatever bullsh*t baggage they are destined to drag along their journey through life. Questioning someone's ability to understand happiness in one's life to teach proper carriage of the torso seems rather personal and inappropriate. Performing arts is greatly comprised of smoke and mirrors anyways. "Pretend you are the happiest you've ever been child. Now never dance another way!" How hard was that? I'm no great scholar or word smith even. That was a great ice-breaker for the mighty leg-hip/arm-shoulder pin-grab-wrestle-wrangle-jam. So violent was she in her minstrations to the placement of my limbs during grand battements (she did not necessarily hurt me and OMG, the guest teacher is grabbing my limbs!), that one of the studio owners pulled me aside an hour later to make sure that I was okay.

I was not alone. Even the top dance students had stress related pains and injuries. I'm pretty sure that, to this day, I have a knot in my upper back with her name on it. Most of the class pianists grew apprehensive to play for her classes, due to her combative nature and abrasive approach to every interaction. She also exhibited some authentic O.G. dance teacher habits like smoking during rehearsals of Balanchine rep. Ah, the good old days...

Okay. Enough whining about the past. Thanks for letting me unload.



Let's get to the positive. Fortunately, somewhere along the way, I innately developed a sense of learning what I could from whatever teacher I happened to be working with. While I don't remember her exact words, Miss Hayden conveyed a very strong sense of moving your limbs, especially your arms, from a place more central to your core than just the limb's connecting joint. I didn't necessarily internalize and utilize this point of technique right away. But as my skills and technique grew, and challenges were presented to me, I would revisit the lessons presented to me.

I suppose I should be grateful for the attention I received from Hayden. In many ways I am. While I wouldn't clap in a student's face, getting an understanding of proper posture and presentation of the torso (carriage) is of the utmost importance to dancers. I prefer, as an instructor, a well constructed verbal instruction combined with gentle physical manipulations. While it felt awkward as hell to have my limbs pulled this way and that in front of my peers (where is that gaping, swallowing  hole in the ground when you need it?), it has contributed greatly to my understandings of body alignment for ballet technique. Here and here. Perhaps most importantly though, how I wish to convey information and ideas to my students.

Thanks for hanging out and reading.

Enjoy the dance that is life!

~Miss Erin

That's A Wrap! Post Show Reflections.

Yesterday was the final performance of Kinetics Academy of Dance's 2013 show, "Rose Red". A fairytale ballet It followed the classic Grimm tale Snow-White and Rose-Red. Not to be confused with the dwarf wrangler of Disney, Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. Although there is a very mean and grumpy dwarf in Rose Red.

 KAD's show encompasses pretty much all the classes offered at the dance studio, 2 yr. olds to 16 yr. olds, as well as all the styles- ballet, tap, hip hop and lyrical. We've done a storybook ballet format before, having a narration of parts of a story as a voiceover mixed with music. But this year we went bigger and bolder. We had more solos for our dancers on pointe and more elaborate dramatic sequences, bringing in a young male actor who submitted to being in a big bear suit (who then got to show that a handsome prince dwelled within the whole time!), and a young lady to play the part of the angry dwarf. She got the joy of wearing a long fake beard. Our actors used their bodies to tell the story, our dancers brought out their acting skills.

It took a lot of extra time and effort to pull this larger than previous years endeavor. But worth every second. I had forgotten how much I loved working on the dramatic sequences of ballets. Of course, I loved working on the ensemble pieces as well.

As for working on all the solos for the pointe girls, I really enjoyed the transitions between choreographer and dance/ performance coaching. Trying to pull the best out of each dancer and their given roles was an educating experience. Since no two dancers are alike, corrections, suggestions, challenges and the like must, at times, be custom fitted. They stepped up to the challenge. Each one grew. And the ones who had the extra challenges of acting grew in that aspect as well. I feel like we can do anything!

Here are some of the things I worked on the most;

Work those arms from the middle of your back! Don't work them from just the shoulders, but imagine that they are actually attached in the mid back. That way the muscles of the back help support the movements of the arms and give that strength + grace quality of movement (I sense a tutorial on that concept!).

Stay off your heels! Most of ballet work is done on the front to mid part of the foot, even if the dancer is not on releve (perched up and balanced on the ball of the foot or feet). The heels work more as an assisting stabilizer to the rest of the foot. This is true whether you are executing a dance step, walking or running. Even in jumps, while the heels should make contact with the floor to ensure lengthening through the lower leg, ankles and feet, the weight of the body should not sink into the heels. Rather, a lengthening of the lower leg should happen while simultaneously the rest of the body lengthens away from the floor.

Dance past the mirror. The people in the back row spent good money on their tickets too! Plus, as a dancer, it is a wonderful feeling to project your soul into the atmosphere of the universe.

Flirt with your audience. Don't dance at them. Take them on a journey that you have designed (or rather, your choreographer has designed).

Don't dance as if you are anticipating failure. Make success your expected reality. Every dancer has come upon steps they struggle with. And while one of the joys of solo work is that things can be customized to a dancer's strengths, not everything can be made easier. It's just not the dancer way! It's the struggles that we overcome that help us to grow. This doesn't mean that you must become the best turner if turns are something you struggle with. Improving from where you started is where the gold is.

Smile! Smile! Smile! Or at least maintain a pleasant expression if that is in line with your character.

Okay, and I may have said "Ribbon ends and bows are the nipples of ballet slippers and pointe shoes. Best to keep them out of sight!". Hey, bold statements get remembered!

The one down side to the whole production, the whole dance year really, was...


Having to say good-bye to this beautiful young lady.

Helene is a foreign exchange student from Germany, who stayed with one of our dancers family. She wanted to continue her dance studies and it fit perfectly for her join her host "sister's" classes.

She started pointe with us...

...look at those beautiful feet! Helene loved her little bows! They are pretty cute. But tuck them in we must!

I'm so grateful for Facebook.

I love these girls!! I am also so grateful to be able to do what I do! I'm also happy to say that they have some amazing moms and dads, who not only show their kids love and support, but they give us, their dance teachers, plenty as well!

Now what to focus on for summer...

Enjoy the dance that is life!

~Erin

The Magic Of You Tube {And Teaching An Old Dog New Tricks...}

I think we can all agree that You Tube is a great tool. Sure, among all the music videos and DIY tutorials some of the more disgusting and disappointing aspects of humanity are represented. But equally represented are the inspirational and amazing feats of humanity and nature. And there is some truly entertaining, if not befuddling things floating around the You Tube-o-sphere.

Aside from Bad Lip Reading videos, Steve Kardynal with a Shake Weight and epic-whatevers, I am constantly using You Tube for inspiration and education for much of what I do relating to dance, fitness and dance + fitness.

When I was growing up in dance, in a relatively small community at the time, from my best recollection there was ballet, modern, jazz and tap. Hip Hop had really not blown into town yet, and not as much fusion was going on. Contact improv was about as wild as it got. Much of what I learned was influenced by being in a college town with a pretty awesome dance department (during the 70's and 80's). Competitive dancing (competing in dance competitions, think "Dance Moms") just did not have legs in my town at the time. I had a very traditional upbringing in dance. Traditional ballet, traditional modern dance, traditional jazz moves (tap, traditional or otherwise, is still on my bucket list). So things like acro dance and trading in macro steps (perfectly placed turns, power moves with smooth transitions) for more expressive micro moves that bring individual beats of music to life really weren't featured tools in my tool box. I'm not complaining, and it's not to say that I wasn't exposed to creative and unique forms of dance or choreography. Because I most certainly was. But in my opinion, in today's world of dance, there is an explosion of styles that have a great way of combining the excitement of movement with a deep soulfulness, all the while having a certain amount of accessibility. I'm grateful for much of the dance education I have received over the years. And I'm grateful for all the stuff available to me now.

But I've got my own dance students to educate now. And while we aren't on the competitive dance circuit, it is important that they know what's out there that they need to know. And something else too. This stuff is hella fun to do! So often, I'm learning this stuff right along with my students!

Here are some of the dances I have found on You Tube that my lyrical class and I have been working on.


We are madly in love with this one. When I went to find the music on ITunes I came up against a bit of a struggle. The artist and the music are Russian. But I prevailed (a dramatic way of saying I used Google translate) and found it. And yes, I now know how to do a cartwheel onto my knee. The choreographer is Galina Peha.

 

This is the latest one we are working on. Great song. Some awesome moves. I'm especially excited because of all the little moves to individual beats in the music. A way to become one with a musical composition. The choreographer is Anita Zanelli.

 

So perhaps this old dog can learn some new tricks. Fuse the traditions of my upbringing with the amazing world of what's available with a mere click.

Got any cool dance videos to recommend?

Thanks for hanging out.

Enjoy the dance that is life!

~Erin

Technique Tuesday! Using The Glutes In 2nd Position Plie.

This Tuesday's tutorial centers around maximizing the use of the glutes in a 2nd position plié. To go back to the basics of proper alignment during a 2nd position plié, click here for a tutorial.

I still haven't solved why the little Blogger elves (evil lil' buggers, they are!) won't link up directly to my You Tube channel. I'm sure if I appear frazzled and hopelessly inept enough my 12 year old son will come to my rescue (and I won't even have to pretend).

So whether you take ballet or a ballet flavored movement program or would just like to incorporate this into movements that you do at home or at the gym, you can easily do so.

Using The Glutes In 2nd Position Plie.

Throughout the week when I teach ballet or Balletone, I refer to the use of the glutes at the top, or completion of a second position plié. Especially when followed by a side port de bras, or side bend stretch. By emphasizing the maintaining of the gluteal engagement at the end of the plié into the side stretch the challenge of having the upper and lower halves of the body working together but separately is further illuminated. Bull on the bottom, Swan on top. As soon as any of my students are old enough to not fall apart into giggles at the words "butt cheeks", I try to instill this concept.

Thanks for hanging out!

Enjoy the dance that is life!

~ Erin

Technique Tuesday! Placement Of The Leg In Tendu Side. Plus, A Simple Scarf Trick!

Technique Tuesday!

I have a short tutorial about the placement of the leg for tendu side in a turned out position.

Once you find your turned-out ballet first position picture yourself in your own personal rectangle. Rather than stretching your leg and pointing your foot directly side, think of pointing the foot to the corresponding front corner (right foot, right front corner). In this way you can better maintain proper alignment of the pelvis over the standing leg without causing torque in the joints and causing the working hip to lift up.

Using a scarf or dish towel as an aide, you can practice finding the proper placement for balance and proper use of the muscle groups of the legs, hips and pelvis.

Thanks for watching!

Enjoy the dance that is life!

~Erin

Technique Tuesday; More On "The Pinned Butterfly". {Placement For the Hips and Shoulders In Tendu Front.}

Last Tuesday I posted about the concept of pinning the hips and shoulders to an imaginary mat, like a butterfly on display.

Today I have a short video to show it action.

 

I use a tendu front as an example move, but it applies to leg movements of any height that require stabilization of the hips and shoulders.

Hope this is useful!


Thanks for hanging and watching.

Enjoy the dance that is life!

~Erin

Technique Tuesday; Pelvic Alignment In Second Position Plie.

A few weeks ago I posted a Technique Tuesday about pelvic alignment for plies in first position. You can review it here.


This Tuesday's tutorial is super short. Everything from the first position plies apply.

Pull the belly button towards the spine
Feel the glutes "wrap around" and gently squeeze

As the knees bend, imagine the back of the pelvis is sliding up and down an imaginary wall.

Knees stay opened out over the tops of the feet.

As you straighten the knees, feel those glutes do that wrap and squeeze.

 

Because second position puts you in a wider stance, it gives a great opportunity to feel those thighs stretch out to the side, making sure to keep those knees over the feet.

 

In the video I start off by showing the pelvis out of proper alignment for plies, by showing the hips go behind the feet. When doing a squat you want the hips to go behind the heels, but not in a turned out plié.

Doing properly aligned plies in second is, of course, a necessity for classical ballet technique, but it is also a great move to add to any fitness regiment where you do squats. I'm a big fan of the squat. I do them all the time and I have my young dancers do them as well. Knowing how to properly align the pelvis for various moves can only make you stronger and more agile.

Thanks for hanging out and reading.

Enjoy the dance that is life!

~Erin

Some Thoughts On Fostering A Healthy Body Image; Mother To Daughter.

image credit
There is a never ending stream of images, messages and pressures bombarding girls and young women. Really, women of all ages. But so many of these images are most impactful to the females on the younger rather than older spectrum.

There is a ridiculous amount of information floating out there in the world. Some of it sage, a lot of it silly if not down right irresponsible. Confusing at best. Sadly, I don't think this mom's experience of finding the media's reach on her 7-year old is that uncommon (warning; there is some strong language in the article).

I'm going to take this moment to make it very clear that I am not a therapist, a counselor, a nutritionist or a doctor, of any kind. What I am, though, is a mom to two daughters, a daughter myself, a woman, and someone who has spent most of her life in dance, ballet to be specific, a realm where, depending on the environment you call home, can have a lot of pressures on body image. For both males and females, but especially girls and teens. I have also fought my own battles with being on the body dysmorphic disorder spectrum and the self destructive behaviors that commonly spring from it.

A few weeks ago I posted about body image in Who Is That In The Mirror?  While I don't want to belabor the point or subject over much, there has to be some cosmic sense to why I endured all that stuff and am strong and alive to talk about it. Hopefully I have gained at least some wisdoms to pass along.

I have been asked over the years if dance, mainly ballet, causes eating disorders. My overall opinion is no. Eating disorders are very complex, and can involve much deeper issues. This article articulates this pretty well. But certain disciplines have higher risks for dangerous behaviors when it comes to body image issues. From I understand, horse racing jockeys are at very high risk.

No one knows what stresses and struggles lay ahead for ourselves or our children as they plow through life. So why not err on the side of caution and help the daughters of today become the strong, healthy and focused pioneers of tomorrow.

Be Very Careful How You Talk About Yourself!

We, as mothers, whether we like it or not become the first image of feminine beauty to our daughters. When we, as mothers, put ourselves down for things we dislike about our bodies or appearance we don't just train our daughters to put themselves down. We train them to distrust their own inner voice. Please take a moment for that to sink in. Remember, a baby's mother is his or her first definition of beauty, regardless of what the rest of the world's opinions are. When you reinforce that as a lie, you run the risk of reinforcing that your daughter's inner voice is also capable of lying. Without an inner voice, we are but lost.

Keep Your Crap In Your Own Luggage!

Okay, so your daughter inherited your hearty, child-bearing hips (or whatever it is, most all of us women have that "thing"). The same hips you've hated your whole life for as long as you can remember. Hey guess what, your daughter may not give a crap about her hips. She may think they are just fine. You didn't like it when that relative made an unwelcome remark about your hips (or whatever; thick ankles, small/large breasts). If she does share your frustration, help her find ways to focus on the things that she does like about herself. I feel that we as women are conditioned to point out our flaws and while appearing to be irreverent to our assets. Especially those assets that are based on performance, not appearance.

Let Your Daughter Be Her Own Beauty.

Let your daughter explore her own view of what makes her feel beautiful. Within reason, of course. Dressing in a suggestive or objectifying way is an obvious no. If the desire to dress provocatively comes up, start a conversation. Find out your daughter's views on the images she sees in her everyday life. Let her know that she does not need to be a victim of society, but can become an architect of it. You might learn things about yourself as well.

Do Not Diet! Opt For Healthy Lifestyle Choices Instead.

For one thing, diets don't work. Especially crash diets. Since when is crashing a way to start anything, unless your talking about celebrity wedding receptions. Oh, and on the topic of celebrity diets; your relying on the words of their publicists who get paid to keep their clients relevant. Plus, they really don't represent the everyday. They are often held to unrealistic standards. And they aren't in charge of raising your kid!
You want to change your chow? Focus on the "feeling better, feeling healthy" aspects of changing how you or your family eats. Not solely on the weight loss and appearance aspects.
Unless you are keeping tabs on a medical issue involving organ failure, don't focus on the scale. Rather, judge progress by how your clothes feel. Your clothes don't have hormonal fluctuations or retain water. Although I'm convinced that my 2004 Chevy Suburban suffers from occasional PMS. It just doesn't want to fit into its regular parking spots!

Learn To Take Care Of Yourself!

I know it seems cliché to point out the whole "Please put your oxygen mask on first before helping others", but it's true. Learn to take care of yourself. In this way you can demonstrate ways for your daughter to learn to empower herself.

Here is an article I found while doing some research for this post.

And here's to the two most important gals in my life!

 

Thanks for reading.

Enjoy the dance that is life!

~Erin

Technique Tuesday; Opening Up The Collarbone And Front Of The Shoulder Stretch. Part I "Upper Body Alignment For Ballet".

 
We live in a techno world. Laptops, cell phones, and many other handheld devices provide a never ending opportunity for slouchy shoulders. Many occupations require long hours in front of an computer.

Opening up those collarbones and the fronts of the shoulders is harder than ever, but oh so important for everyday posture. That is why the upper body alignment for ballet training can be so beneficial for that everyday posture.

I have come up with a gentle stretch and exercise routine to help prepare the collarbone and front of the shoulders. While I designed this as a preparation for upper body alignment of the shoulder girdle for ballet training, it can be used by anyone. Ballet or not. A good counter movement for all that forward slouching.

I hope you find this useful!

Thanks for reading and watching.

Enjoy the dance that is life!

~Erin

Who Is That In The Mirror?

image credit.


So at the dance studio where I teach Ballet and lyrical/contemporary dance it has been a long standing practice that the pre-teen and teen girls can wear those little athletic spandex shorts or chiffon ballet skirts over their tights and leotards.
  

The reason the studio owner (whom I have a great amount of respect for and gratitude towards) put this into effect many years ago was because, as many of us women know, pre-teen and teen girls tend to start to feel more modest and self conscience about their changing bodies. Over the years, as a dance teacher, I've really never thought much about it either way. Spandex shorts and short, flowy skirts are form fitting enough that it's pretty easy to visually assess pelvic alignment. I can tell when a student is engaging their glutes and core simultaneously, because that level of muscular engagement can be seen along the entire torso, including the shoulders and neck.

I do understand the aura of strict discipline in attire; dressing the part. I've been to studios where there was a very strict dress code. Every student in the program wears the same style, brand and shade of pink tights and the exact same color, style and brand of leotard. I've nothing against that. If that's how a school wants to kick it, then that's how they should do it. I've also been to studios, very successful, sought after studios, that just required pink tights and a solid color leo. Some teachers wanted all extras like cover up shorts and skirts shed after the first few combos. Others didn't really mind the extra wardrobe pieces as long as everything was fairly snug and didn't obscure a clear view of what the student's body was doing. Honestly, I learned more at the studios where the attire was less militant. They tended to be a little less about the prestige of being at their school and more about sound technique and artistry of dance. On the other hand though, I did not spend as much time at the studios with a "policed" dress code. So to be fair, I don't want to declare one right and the other wrong. If it works for the school and their students...

For me, as a teacher, I love discussing dance technique and strategies with my students, adjusting my comments to their age appropriate levels of understanding. I don't necessarily want them all to look like a specific dancer. I want them to learn how to be the best dancer they can be. I want them to learn to challenge themselves and to fall in love with the art of peeling back layers of understanding and enlightenment for the tasks they are handed. I want them to learn to think on their feet, take a risk here and there. Learn how to entertain and move an audience, as well as learning to be true to themselves as burgeoning artists and technicians. I believe that's how dancers learn about themselves. I also believe that most dance teachers that value the health and safety (physical, mental and emotional) of their students view dance instruction in a similar way. So, speaking solely for myself as an instructor, the "strictness" of a dress code can easily become an arbitrary point. There are so many other ways to foster a sense of discipline in a student. Mind you, I'm speaking mainly about the teen age group. Little ones, I believe benefit from the mystic of putting on a uniform for a specific activity. Plus, having to don a required outfit for dance class can be a help on those mornings when your little ballerina wants to be a cowgirl all day. No pink tights and black leotard = no dancing in Fairy Princess Land with all the other Fairy Princesses.

Things start to get a little more complicated and dicey when your Fairy Princess becomes (gasp) an adolescent.

So back to the spandex and chiffon of the studio I teach at. A few weeks ago I was at the studio on an evening that I'm normally not. The group of teen dancers that I instruct were having their class with the studio owner. They take from both of us each week. Both of us love the idea that they are getting instruction from more than one teacher. What I don't catch, another teacher can. A student just learns more. Anyhow, my colleague waved me in to watch a dance she had been working on with the girls.
After the dance, she made mention that she was going to declare Tuesdays "No Pants Tuesdays". How could anyone help not laugh at the thought. Of course the "No Pants" referred to the not wearing of shorts or dance skirts. My fellow dance teacher said that she had made them do most all of the class in just their tights and leos, and that it was quite enlightening for all involved, especially the young ladies (13-16 being the age range). The group of students all had looks of agreement, and maybe a little relief to have survived the ordeal. By the time I was in the room, towards the end of the class, the previously shed items were back in place.

The funny thing was that, a day or so prior I had been thinking about something very similar. The thought of them possibly going to various auditions for summer dance programs being among my thoughts. I thought about how, as young female dancers, they would need to not be distracted by how they would look in just the lines of tights and leotards. Even though spandex shorts are skin tight, they have a different line than that of the basic uniform. Dance style shorts sort of break up the lines, or rather curves of the hips and upper thighs.

I expressed my thoughts.  - "Ya know, Ladies. That's actually a really good thing for you guys to do and get used to seeing. There will be times that you will have to present yourselves in just tights and leos, and you need to get used to knowing what that looks like. Get comfortable with it, and not let it be a distraction." The looks on their faces were pretty much this- "Yeah. It's a sucky reality, we know we can't escape (sigh)." It's impotant for me to point out that this is a group of lovely young ladies. While their body types vary from one another, they are each beautiful.

Oh, and by the way...Those lines and curves, as subtle as they may be given their youth, have every right to be there. More so than any lines demanded by any dance form ever created. I'll get to what I told them the next day in a minute.

As early as 5th or 6th grade I remember developing a sincere hatred for my upper thighs. As I matured into early adolescence my body shape developed into one of a small waist, hips that went straight down with extra curves in the upper thighs. Think saddlebag region. In retrospect, I had just a regular female shape. Women tend to carry important fat stores in the upper thighs. It's a design feature for our, and our offsprings' survival. Overall, I was, for the most part, evenly proportioned. But for whatever reason, those damn inner thighs became my nemeses. It's like I couldn't see past them. I let them define me. They became my art, my technique, my measure of success. Failures were both stored there and sprung from there. Through much of my adolescence and early adulthood my obsession with controlling that specific part of my body was the very thing that tore away at the fabric of my art, my technique and my success. It wasn't until one summer afternoon, while in Richmond, Virginia, that I first really saw how much it had torn.

I was in the last week of an 8-week summer intensive dance camp. Things were wrapping up. End of program performances were going through final rehearsals. Students still in high school were getting ready to go home. Dancers like myself, high school grads interested in dancing as a profession, were hoping for company apprenticeships. In this case, with the Richmond Ballet company. The dancers of the company were all settling back in after being away for their summer breaks.

Many of the workshop students had high hopes for their next opportunities. I was not one of them. I knew I was in bad shape. I barely had any jump in my legs, no length in any of my lines (think dried out Thanksgiving turkey), as well as an ever deepening depression. I barely had enough strength to manage my own limbs, let alone negotiate maneuvers with a partner, which was very unfortunate, as partnering was always one of my favorite aspects of dance. I finally saw myself in the mirror for what I actually looked like. I looked like a drowned rat. My hair was thin, limp and dull. My eyes were sunk and almost completely void of any spark. My skin was the horrible color that comes with emaciation. I had the slim upper thighs I'd always thought I wanted, but the rest of me looked like a corpse. I realized that I looked like the walking dead. I had gone too far a field. I was lost. I needed to find my way back. Not just to dance, but to live. I was at a crossroads. Fight to survive or just accept a slow, painful act of wasting away. Who or what did I have to wage war against? I had a seriously distorted view of my body image. I had had it for so long that it had invaded every fiber of my being.

The story of my way back is for another day. But fight my way back I did.

So it's pretty safe to say that I have some pretty strong feelings when it comes to issues of body image.

Before I go further...Something amazing happened...

While I was in Virginia preparing for battle with myself, something happened that would fuel my fight for years to come and contribute the feeding of my soul, as well as my body.

The professional dancers of the ballet company had trickled back into town after their summer break. They had a performance coming up, sort of a heralding of the upcoming season. They were works from the previous season.

One of the pieces consisted of three pas de deux. Each of the partnered sections represented different stages of a relationship. I can't remember the name of the original piece. Poorly nourished body = poor memory and cognitive skills. Anyhow, there were two main female, or principle, dancers in this company. One of them had stuck around for most of the summer. Quintessential ballerina would be the best way to describe her. Painfully slender, blonde, long limbed, aloof. Seared into my memories of my summer in Virginia are of her stretching those long limbs and doing arm exercises with dainty 1 lb. weights in between cigarette breaks (think ballet dancers are beacons of healthy choices? Think again. At least in the 80's). She was indisputably beautiful to look at. Ballerina Q.

The other principle female dancer had a very different body. Tall with a sturdy structure, she had a good 20 pounds on Ballerina Q. My first thought on seeing her in pedestrian mode was, "This is their Prima Ballerina? Somebody enjoyed their time off." Ballerina E (soon you'll learn the what the E stands for).

We, as workshop students, got to watch their rehearsals. The first two pas de deux did their thing. One of the couples included the beautiful Ballerina Q. Exquisite in her waifish aloofness.

Then came Ballerina E and her partner. Watching her and her partner rehearse in the studio that day would become what can only be described as my first religious experience. She moved with a confidence and grace that defines artistry. Her presence was bold and commanding, yet capable of giving the comfort and security that only Gaia herself could provide. Her curves served to bring life to mere steps that meant nothing till she executed them.

25 years later I still feel intense emotion threaten to overwhelm me when I think of the first time I saw her dance that day. I think because she represented the elixir to my ailment. The enlightenment (there's the E) to my disillusionment. The promise of a cure for my disease. The Ballerina Q in me would need to be sacrificed, because the Ballerina E in me, the part of me that truly wanted to survive, had been awoken. The Valkyrie had given her cry of war. Ballerina E was, in addition to being an amazing artist and dancer, a very kind, congenial and enlightened person. Damn, did I have my work cut out for me.

I would have liked to get to know Ballerina E better, but my time in Virginia had come to an end. The scholarship that had been granted me for the 2 month program would not be renewed for a longer stay. Most likely due to my declining health and performance abilities. It was time to return home, lick my wounds and get on track. I had to put the dream of dancing professionally on hold so that I could start addressing the realities of survival.

"Life is what happens to you while you are busy making other plans" -
                                                                                                              John Lennon.

No regrets. I love how my life has turned out. While I have my battle scars I have wisdoms to pass along because of them.

So what did I tell my adolescent students about how they should regard the images of themselves that they see in the mirror? In essence, I encouraged them to disregard.

I reminded them that they are beautiful and perfect the way that they are. I reminded them that it's not all about how you look but rather about how you present yourself. Take a 90 lb. waif who is shrunken in on her self, slumped shoulders, arms folded across her stomach (I. Hate. That. Stance. I have been known to ban it in my classes), a meek look on her face. Oh, she's tiny and thin and dainty. Now take her counterpart- maybe she is 20 or 30 lbs. heavier, but she is alive and vibrant, brimming with confidence. Which light will garner the most moths? Who will complete the loop of energized interaction? Focus on building confidence in yourself. Be strong and brave, because that is how the world will see you and regard you. That is the image that you want looking back at you in the mirror. Anyone who tries to tell you otherwise can go...Oh yeah, I'm talking to young'ins! You get the idea.

Thanks for reading.

Enjoy the dance that is life!

Here are a couple of resources for information and help in regards to eating disorders, HelpGuide.org and National Eating Disorders Assoc. (NEDA).