Tricky Turn-Out (and one tenacious tot)!

When I saw this video, I had to share; this little one is just too cute!  I've seen many of my students struggle with mastering first position as well.  Turn-out (an outward rotation of the legs from the hips) is one of the most iconic images people recognize in dancers, and trying to figure out how turn-out works is not easy, which is why we start learning it at such an early age!  

Many people wonder why ballet dancers use turn-out in the first place, it's not a natural movement of the body, can put stress on ankles and knees, and is just so difficult!  Turn-out actually not only helps dancers move faster in quicker steps such as petit and grand allegro, but it gives them a greater range of movement and motion.  In the court of Louis the XIV, not only did men's fashions (in that day, men did the majority of theatre dancing) demand them to use turn out (their wide topped boots forced them to turn their legs out when they moved), but theaters in that day sat audiences only on one side, and dancers could really only move side to side, and were not allowed to turn their backs to the members of the audience.

I admire this little ballerinas tenacity... my favorite tactic is when kids literally try to place their own feet in first position, usually resulting in them falling over, but hey, if at first you don't succeed....!

Tutu Easy

Ballerinas can never have too many tutus!  (Say that five times fast)!  Tutus are works of art in and of themselves, and definitely qualify as a labor of love. However, there is something to be said for busy women with demanding tutu lovers (children, grandchildren, nieces, cousins, or in my case, my students) on their hands.  Enter the easiest, no sew tutu you'll ever find.  I have to give my mom credit for this one (again).  She has a knack for finding great sites with fun flourishes like littlelizardking.blogspot.com.


Mom and I tried the Tutu Tutorial out (you can purchase the pattern for $5) and we had a full, fluffy tutu in under an hour.  Thanks to Deacon the dog for willingly modeling our hard work (can you see him eyeing his treat/bribe in the pictures below)?  I'm planning on making a green one for my niece for St. Patty's Day, and I'll definitely be trying to make a few every week, so that future Ballerina Birthday girls can enjoy!

Interested in the history of the tutu?  Class Act is a great resource not only for ordering tutus, but for a brief and fun history of all that tulle! 
www.classacttutu.com/hints-history-of-tutus

Framed!

I started this project about 2 years ago, the idea was given to me by my friend Janice who like me, has been to many a ballet/orchestra performance/Broadway show and has kept not only the programs as a reminder of these special times and occasions, but the tickets as well.  I had put said tickets away in a box, pictures, newspaper and magazine articles that held some meaning to me scattered and stacked on top.  Needless to say, this frame option is a way better (and cuter!) idea!

Not only does this hold memories and occasions that are near and dear to my heart, but it's a great conversation starter, and it really reminds me of where I've been, and how far I've come.  There are tickets from shows that I've performed in, shows where friends were performing, world premieres I attended, shows that I helped collaborate on; taking in all all these tickets reminds me of what a lucky girl I am to have had the chance to do and see all that I have.  And as you can see, this frame is full to the edges, and frame number 2 is in progress!  I can't wait to see how it turns out!

Urban Ballerina

The Ballerina Birthday loves girly stuff!  What gets more girly then Sephora?  I'm a sucker for the place.  Put me in a room full of girly stuff with the promise that it'll make me look beautiful and smell great and I'm hooked.  With spring around the corner, there were floral scents, bright colors and feminine accents all around.  My mom saw OPI's new line out called Urban Ballerina via an e-mail, so forming our own search party of 2, we tracked it down at Sephora in Walnut Creek.

I love not only the colors (both feminine and edgy), but the names of the colors are cute and clever.  From left to right they are: Leotard-Optional, The Way Tutu His Heart, Who's Spinning Tonight, Break A Leg-Warmer!  Rock on Urban Ballerinas everywhere!

Ballet Beautiful and The Dailey Method

Ballet Beautiful is a program founded by Mary Helen Bowers (an accomplished dancer in her own right), but if you remember hearing Natalie Portman mention her name at any awards shows lately, she was one of the driving forces behind getting Portman ballerina ready for her performance in Black Swan.  Here's the link for information on her full program and routine:

http://www.balletbeautiful.com/about

Speaking of exercise regimes, here's my latest: The Dailey Method.  As a dancer and someone who is constantly looking for ways to stay fit with my busy schedule and excited to find to athletic challenges, let me tell you, The Dailey Method fits the bill.  A combination of Pilates type core work and deep Yoga stretching, The Dailey Method will get you toned, strengthened and feeling great.  Listed is the website for the Benicia location I frequent.

http://www.thedaileymethod.com/benicia.html

What makes a ballerina?

What makes a ballerina?  Many things, hard work, grace, and dedication to name just a few.  But if you ask my 4 year old students, or generally any young aspiring ballerina to-be, more than likely they'll tell you... TUTUs!

And they have a very good point!  Here are two great sites for tutus, all unique and many customizable.  If you're like me, you'll be wishing that these came in adult sizes too!  Here is one of my favorites from esty.com!

 

www.etsy.com/shop/tiarastutus

http://tutugirl.com/