Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween!  I hope your day is filled with treats, spooks, and a whole lot of fun!  The past few weeks I've been getting in the spirit and creating and crafting some tricky and treaty projects, and today is the perfect day to share them!  Have a fun and safe Halloween!

Welcome guests to your house with a bevy of spiders!
Attach magnets to the backs of plastic spider rings
(take the ring portion off) and you have creepy crawlies
to attach to your door!

Use mini black trees and candy corn for a festive table setting.
I plan on decorating these trees tonight.  Use orange or silver buttons,
mini lights, whatever!

Of course I had to include a tutu!  I added a black flower
to this green and yellow one and it was a hit with my
students, who pretended to be witches brewing spells
in it!

Nureyev: A Life in Dance

The Bay Area can be a Mecca for artists, dancers, musicians and generally the art inclined and enthusiasts.  There is always something art oriented happening in the Bay, and it's fantastic!  I wanted to share some information about an exhibit that's at the de Young Museum in San Francisco.  Rudolf Nureyev: A Life in Dance is a special exhibit running now through February 17th showcasing costumes and photographs from the legendary dancer and choreographer's personal collection.

Costume by Nicholas Giorgiadis for Rudolf Nureyev in the role of Prince Florimond inSleeping Beauty, Teatro alla Scala, Milan, 1966 (left) and costume by Ezio Frigerio and Mauro Pagaono for Rudolf Nureyev in the role of Romeo, Romeo and Juliet, London Ballet Festival, 1977 (right). Collection CNCS/Rudolf Nureyev Foundation. Photographs by Pascal François/CNCS

As well as being an acclaimed dancer, working with some of the greatest ballerinas of all time (Margot Fonteyn among them), Nureyev was a choreographer, director and ballet master as well.  As a performer, he was meticulous about his costumes fit and appearance, and he had an obsession with fabric, decoration, style and line for the costumes of the ballets he choreographed as well.

Rudolf Nureyev in La Bayadère, Palais Garnier, 1974. Photograph by André Chino. 

Visit the de Young website here, or check out the Press Release about the exhibit.  I can't wait to get to see this exhibit soon and will be sure to report back!  If you've already been to see it yourself, I'd love to hear from you and know your thoughts! 

Ballerina Halloween Characters

Halloween is just around the corner! Still looking for costume ideas?  Look no further...
I always love asking my students what they plan on being for Halloween.  After a myriad of responses that usually include: mermaids, ballerinas (duh), fairies, witches and Disney characters, I ask them what they think I should be.  They usually ponder for a moment or two, and provide me with a litany of creative responses.  My favorite this year has been a princess zombie.
So I got to thinking about Halloween characters and costumes that could be ballet and dance inspired.  "Ballerina" is a pretty general character to portray, why not spice it up a bit and get more specific if your budding ballerina (or maybe you) are interested in being a creature from the dance world for Halloween.  Here are some ideas for characters and costume ideas too.  Happy Spooking!

Medora from Le Corsaire
Medora is a spunky harem girl in the Ballet Le Corsaire, a la Jasmine from Aladdin.  Set to be sold to a Pasha, Medora and her friend Gulnare embark on a set of adventures with Conrad the pirate and his slave Ali in this ballet.  

Viktoria Tereshkina

I love the idea of a yellow tutu and leotard, sparkled up and with a floaty veil or scarf to give the costume an Arabian Nights kind of feel.  Or some baggy pants (you could use ribbons or hair ties to pull the pants in at the ankles and knees) and channel Princess Jasmine.

Coppelia from Coppelia
Click here for the full story on Coppelia.  She's a great option because not only is she a 'ballerina' but a doll as well.  A ballet dress with an apron, and some fun and funky make up will make an easy and cute doll look.

Jewels
Balanchine gave us this gem of a ballet and this is a great option if you have a ballerina on your hands who LOVES a specific color.  Emerald, Ruby and Diamond were the original variations, but think outside the box!  You could also go Lilac Fairy from Sleeping Beauty!

Ariadne from Errand Into The Maze
Wanting to go a little more trick rather than treat? Martha Graham's Errand Into the Maze explores the Greek tale of Ariadne and the Minotaur.  Here is a picture of the traditional costume used.  This could also be a great costume to use make up on, both the face and the body!

Miki Orihara

La Sonnambula
We can again thank Balanchine for another darker character in La Sonnambula (The Sleepwalker).  Also an opera, this haunting character floats mystically through her story in a long white nightgown, hair down, with a single candle lighting her way.  It's not only a chilling costume option, but a chillingly beautiful ballet.

Wendy Wheelan