Stage Fright...?

Performance. Dread or love? Enjoy or hate? If you're anything like me, you would probably rather spend all day dancing within the confines of your studio rather than onstage, with a sea of potentially unfriendly strangers as your audience. So, in order to calm your jittery nerves, I've compiled a list of tactics, recommendations, etc. that can help you get ready for the big day. Here goes:
-Visit where you will be performing beforehand (you probably will for rehearsal, anyway)
-Practice your dance! Practice practice practice!
-Mentally rehearse your dance (go over it in your mind constantly)
-Practice applying the makeup you'll need to wear for your dance starting a few days before your performance
-Stay hydrated!
-If you have ANY questions regarding your performance, be sure to ask your teacher (better to be safe than sorry)
-Get a good night's sleep beforehand
-Cut back on salty or fatty foods before your show (it's not a good idea to eat a lot of them, anyway)
-The night before, lay out your costume and all your makeup (make sure it's all there), and then store it in your dance bag (if need be)
-Arrive a bit early on the day of your performance (it's not EVER a good idea to be late!)
-Before going onstage, take several deep breaths to calm yourself
-Try to imagine your family, friends, or whoever in the audience, rather than complete strangers
-And just...dance!

Ballet Dress

Before the establishment of the Academie Nationale de Musique et de Danse in 1661 by King Louis XIV, ballet dancers in royal courts were forced to wear stiff, elaborate clothing and uncomfortable corsets that limited range of movement. Although the dance wear worn at the Academie were slightly more freeing than what was previously worn, dancers often still had trouble dancing in such heavy garments. A ballet dancer named Marie Camargo was the first dancer to dare to wear shorter skirts. Dancer Marie Salle quickly followed suite, challenging her audience's expectations by dancing in only a white muslin dress. In 1826, the Paris Opera dancers swapped long trousers for short breeches or silk tights when performing. The women wore long, multilayer skirts, known as "bouffant skirts", which were made of layers of gauzy material. By the end of the 19th century, however, the tutu took the place of the bouffant skirt. In the 20th century, the leotard was developed, completing the look of today's modern ballerina, who we are all undoubtedly familiar with.

Famous Ballets

When I was a little girl, my mother bought me a book of some of the most famous ballets ever performed. Along with descriptions of said performances, there were also photos and watercolor illustrations in the book. I would spend hour after hour reading each and every little picture caption and footnote, absolutely enthralled with these famous ballets. Sadly, the book has long since vanished, but I can still remember at least bits and pieces of the text. One of the most visually appealing ballets that I can remember was Giselle. Giselle was a young peasant girl who becomes engaged to a nobleman who (unknown to her) already has a fiancee. When she learns this, she dies of a broken heart. The second act of the ballet depicts her as a ghost along with the other women who have been buried in the forest where her body lies, and is known as the "white act", because all the dancers are dressed in white.

Tchaikovsky's first ballet, Swan Lake, is also considered a classic in the world of dance. A young woman named Odette, who has been cursed by an evil sorcerer (she must become a swan during daylight hours and can only transform back into a human at night), becomes distraught when after learning that the prince she loved (who was supposed to help her break the spell) has proposed to another woman. She throws herself into a lake and dies. The prince, realizing his grave error, also throws himself into the lake and drowns. Swan Lake is traditionally performed in four acts. This is perhaps one of the most tragic and beautiful ballets of all time in the world of dance.

Benefits of Dance

We all know (hopefully) that dance of any form is beneficial to our health. But in what ways, exactly? The first, and most widely understood health benefit we can receive from dance is increased flexibility. Studies have shown that individuals with a greater range of flexibility were typically free of lower back pain and had better posture than those who did not. The reason for this is that stretching encourages muscle relaxation, leading to far less tension and tightness in our backs. The second reason that dance is so wonderful for us is that it builds up strength. Dancers must train their muscles to resist the pull of their body weight, especially in jazz and ballet classes,  where leg muscles are heavily relied upon in jumps and leaps. Most dancers have also been found to have greater endurance, meaning that their muscles do not tire extremely easily, and larger lung capacity than the general population. Have high cholesterol or diabetes? Try dancing. It's been proven that even just taking one or two classes a week can cause a significant drop in cholesterol and help balance blood sugar levels in diabetics. Dancing is also good for our social lives and mental well-being. Taking dance classes is an excellent way to make new friends and socialize, but it is also a lesson in social interaction. You must learn to get along with others ad help those in need of assistance, as well as share the dance floor with others. All in all, dancing of any form is beneficial to the health in many ways, and shall hopefully continue in the future to be a notable form of exercise.

Hip Hop

No matter who you are or where you come from, you've probably heard of hip hop. Although it is considered to be a more "modern" form of dance, having first risen to popularity in the 70's, hip hop has proceeded to take the world by storm. Hip hop can trace its origins to the streets of many American cities, such as Los Angeles, Compton, and New York City. It attracted the attention of many young adults, who happily adopted the new moves as a form of dance. From the start, it was common to see, on many city sidewalks, hip hop competitions taking place, their participants popping, locking, and gliding with grace and dexterity. Although the exact origins and ideas behind this type of dance are partially shrouded in mystery, it has become wildly popular worldwide, and will continue to inspire many generations of dancers for years to come.

All That Jazz

Jazz. What does that word bring to mind? Somber saxophone music? New Orleans? Hazy cafes? For me, it's all that and so much more. Although I've never taken a straight on jazz class in my life, I took hip hop and jazz combo classes for several years (despite the fact that the class was labeled under "hip hop"). Consequently, I became interested in the world of jazz. I always assumed that it had some form of deep and mystic roots that could be traced back to the palaces of European emperors, but that was not the case. Jazz as we know it is believed to have been born from the post-World War 1 social revolution, in which young men and women shed their constrictive upbringings and danced the night away in speakeasies and clubs, scandalizing the older generations of Americans. The new types of dances they performed, such as the Charleston, Foxtrot, and Shimmy, required different forms of music to accompany the steps. Thus jazz, a blend of various string instruments and drums, was born. Although New Orleans is able to claim many jazz influences as its own, St. Louis, Kansas City, and Memphis are also credited with the creation of this alluring and unique form of dance.

The History of Ballet

All throughout my middle school years, whenever we would need to do a project on a sport or create an independent assignment (I was in GATE), I would always write an essay about some form of dance. Be it tap, ballet, jazz, or hip hop, it didn't matter-they all fascinated me. In particular, I found ballet to be quite lovely. From its beginnings in the Renaissance courts of the 15th and 16th centuries to present day, this intricate form of dance and expression has been present throughout history. During the time that it graced the Italian Renaissance courts, ballet also caught the eye of Catherine de' Medici, who was married to King Henry the second of France. It spread like wildfire throughout the French courts after the Queen Consort introduced it to them. Ballet became so popular, in fact, that in the 17th century, King Louis XIV founded the Paris Opera Ballet, the first professional dance company in France. The Russians and the Danish quickly followed suit, opening their own ballet companies in the 18th century. Eventually, ballet spread all over Europe and America, captivating the hearts of millions of people. The 20th century saw great strides in the development of ballet, from the creation of neoclassical ballet by George Balanchine to the introduction of contemporary and post-structural ballet by William Forsythe of Germany. In recent years, the world has seen many famous ballerinas enter and exit from the spotlight, and the opening of prestigious ballet academies worldwide. Ballet is a classic and timeless dance, and hopefully shall continue to touch the hearts of countless people for many years to come.

The Greats

Just like the actors and actresses of the big screen, the world of dance has its celebrities as well. Perhaps the most famous of all dancers was Fred Astaire. Even if you are not a dance enthusiast, you've probably heard of him. Born in Omaha Nebraska (I nearly moved there a few years ago!) in 1899, he began dancing at the age of four along with his sister, Adele. They became quite successful and appeared in several Broadway musicals, including "Lady, Be Good" (1924) and "The Band Wagon" (1931). Adele gave up dancing in 1932 after getting married. Fred married in 1933 to Phyllis Livingston Potter, and made his way into the Hollywood business shortly after. After creating several dancing films, he retired from movie-making in 1946 and went on to found several successful dancing schools. He eventually remarried to Robyn Smith, a jockey in her 30's, after Phyllis died of cancer in 1954. He eventually died in 1997.
One of the most famous ballerinas of all time, Anna Pavlova, is not necessarily considered a "household" name, but she is nonetheless celebrated in the world of ballet. She was born in St. Petersburg in 1881, and became mesmerized with the world of dancing at the young age of 10. 2 years later, she was accepted into St. Petersburg's Imperial Ballet school. While there, she was praised not for her beauty, but for her ability to bend and twist with extreme grace and ease. She became incredibly famous and travelled worldwide (in the days before air travel, too). Well known for her performances of "The Swan" and "Giselle", she died in 1931in the Netherlands.
Alicia Alonso, a lesser known but nonetheless talented ballerina, was born in Cuba in 1921. She studied in both Cuba and New York at the American Ballet Theatre, and, in 1948, formed her own company. She continued to dance through the Ballet Theatre despite her failing eyesight.

What to Wear

We all know (hopefully) that for dance lessons, one must wear loose and comfortable clothing. This allows the body to move with minimal restriction, which encourages the buildup of muscles and endurance, and the increase of flexibility. Ballet, of course, is an obvious exception, due to the fact that ballerinas are generally required to wear leotards, tights, and specialized shoes (soft, demi-pointe, or pointe). Most dance studios are fairly relaxed in terms of their dress code; the majority of hip hop, jazz, and modern dancers are allowed to wear comfortable, loose clothing. Some jazz and modern dancers are told to wear shorts (booty shorts) in the place of sweatpants or P.E. shorts. Also, when I took hip hop classes, the studio did not allow students to wear shorts that rose above the knee level, because many floor stunts involved the use of the knees, which needed to be protected. Most jazz or hip hop or modern classes do not require their dancers to tie their hair back, but it is important to remember that loose hair is distracting to both others and yourself, therefore, putting hair back in a ponytail, braids, or a bun is always a good idea. For ballerinas at most dance studios, the standard uniform is a black leotard, pink tights, and soft/demi-pointe/pointe shoes. However, some studios are far more relaxed with their dress code. For example, when I take ballet, I wear a black leotard, tan leggings, black booty shorts, and, of course, my ballet shoes. Many dancers at my studio choose to wear the traditional uniform, while others opt for a more alternative style of dress. After ballet classes, I typically slip on a jacket over my leotard and swap my ballet shoes for flip flops (where I live is fairly warm year round). However, no matter what classes you plan upon taking, it is always a good idea to CHECK beforehand with your studio about the dancer dress code.

On Ballerina Hair:

We all know, whether we are dancers or not, that it is a good idea for one to keep their hair out of their face when dancing. Why? If your hair is left to whip about your face while you leap and twirl and twist across the floor, you can become easily distracted. Many professional studios require their ballerinas to wear their hair up in a bun because it improves concentration and can help instructors determine the muscle mass and range of flexibility that a dancer, particularly a ballerina, has attained. That being said, if you are interested in becoming a ballerina, it is fairly important to learn how to create a bun.
The Classic Ballerina Bun:
Step 1: Brush hair until it is smooth and virtually knot-free.
Step 2: Lightly spray hair with a squirt bottle filled with water, or wet hands and smooth through hair. Rake hair backward with a brush.
Step 3: Secure hair with a ponytail about halfway up the head. Be sure to avoid creating any bumps or tangles in the hair in the process.
Step 4: Separate the ponytail into two sections. This will help with the creation of the bun itself. Tightly twist one section of hair into a coil, and wind the coil clockwise about the ponytail holder. Use a bobby pin to tuck in the edge of the coil. Use several more bobby pins along the coil, securing it to the base of the ponytail and the scalp.
Step 5: Twist a hair net that matches your hair color over your bun. Secure it with several more bobby pins. Spray heavily with hairspray.
Step 6: (OPTIONAL) Some dance studios are very picky about the style of bun worn, but, depending on which studio you attend (or plan on attending), you may be allowed to use an elastic hairband to hold back any bangs or layers. Secure the headband with more bobby pins and an extra douse of hairspray. Viola! You are ready to go to your dance lesson!
So where can you buy such materials? Just about any drugstore will carry the materials needed for this look (hair net, hairspray, bobby pins, plastic squirt bottle, hairbrush, and elastic headbands), and many online dance stores offer a wide variety of hair nets and snoods for buns.
Again, not all dance studios are alike: Some may be far more relaxed about hairstyles, while others maintain a very strict policy on hair. It's simply up to the studio.

The Beginning

I can't  confidently claim that there was anything particularly exciting about the time I started dance- that is to say, there wasn't anything really memorable about it. It just kind of began and then quickly slid into a sort of  routine, without much thought put into it. I started my dancing career with tap lessons at my town's recreational center, under the guidance of a ruddy faced woman with long blonde hair. For the next year or so, I took those classes, my mother dutifully shuttling me back and forth to lessons in her burgundy station wagon. Around the time I finished kindergarten, I quit tap lessons and began taking ballet at a dance academy closer to my home. During my first recital, I tripped and fell onstage, and promptly forgot all the steps of my dance. Despite the mishaps that occurred throughout my early years of dancing, I stuck with what I loved, and, through a series of twists and turns of fate, have found myself here, writing a blog about my dancing career. What's the purpose of this blog? To entertain as well as inform. I will include in this blog: Stories of my dancing career, interviews with various dancing teachers, advice for beginners, and maybe even a few dancing pictures I find pretty. Enjoy!