Champagne couch- October

[Striving for Grace]

Well, I'm afraid I haven't anything worth toasting over, but since the old thread was for September's triumphs, I just thought I'd stick this up here. C'mon folks, share your good news!

[Jaana Heino]

Not much to toast over here either, but since is about midterm, I looked back at our goals for the season and I think am on track with them. I am sticking to my harder classes (and one of the teachers even noticed and said to me I was doing a fine job at it). I tend to remember to think of my supporting knee more often than I did (no hope of getting to the point of not needing to think of it, yet!). I have a theory I might be getting pirouettes. I am certain my balance has gotten better in general, though I am afraid I am raising the expectations for myself faster than I am catching up with them.

[Striving for Grace]

Good job, Jaana! It takes a lot to stick to classes that you find to be quite challenging, I'm proud of you! And it's awesome that you're sticking to your goals and seeing improvement. Way to go!

[Laschwen]

I have something to toast:

For the first time since I came back to classes I did two full grand plies at the barre instead of my usual 3/4 depth (at best) attempts before I chicken out and come up.

Too bad the teacher didn't see them....yet.

 

 

Laschwen

[Guest pink tights]

Yeah

[Laschwen]

Yeah, Laschwen!!!

 

Blushing...but here goes. A few of my fellow classmates told me they love watching me dance.

 

 

 

And Yeah, Pink Tights! That is so sweet to hear. I think I'd have teared up a bit if it were me.

 

Laschwen

[dancingjet]

Good job to all three of you!

[Jaana Heino]

Blushing...but here goes. A few of my fellow classmates told me they love watching me dance.

Oh that's so nice!

 

Good going, Laschwen. And yeah, don't you feel they never see it when you finally do it!

[Claude_Catastrophique]

Now that's what I would call a compliment!

 

Well, I was on holiday for 10 days and I did not stretch at all there. Coming home totally stiff I thought that I could start again from zero with stretching.....but no, I was even more flexible as before. Another time I was taught that a break can do wonders.

[insidesoloist]

After our grand allegro today, my teacher said, "That was good, [insidesoloist]" and while I waited for the other shoe to drop, and waited, and waited, I realized she was simply telling me that it was good! No "but" attached! That was really a lovely realization. I was truly kind of shocked, as it hadn't even felt that good. But I'll take her word for it!

[Toadette]

Isn't it so nice to receive praise from your teacher?

 

I was really happy last night in class because during the adage, I did some attitudes that felt really right. I haven't been able to do arabesques and attitues derriere properly since I came back to ballet as an adult. It always feels awkward and wrong for my body. But last night, I really felt the energy flowing through my arms to my working leg, and when my teacher told us to lift our attitudes higher, my body yielded and it only hurt in a good way.

 

So that's my big achievement!

[ania]

On Tuesday in class we were doing a combination across the floor in pairs. As my partner and I finished, the teacher looked in our direction and said "that was beautiful". I guess I must have looked around to see who she was talking to, because she sort of laughed and pointed at me and said "Yes, You.". It felt nice.

[lampwick]

I had an AWESOME class this morning with the AD. In adagio, I held my ecarte extension way up, changed my direction, then did a beautiful developpe. So proud of myself.

 

Then in performance tonight, I biffed it BIG TIME on stage. Fell on my butt...very loudly. My first fall on a professional stage. Big one too... Ouchness. So embarrassing.

[missvjc420]

Ahhh, Lampwick, that sux! Although as a pro, you should fall at least once, so be glad you got it out of the way . I fell off pointe in a echappe to 4th the one time I fell on stage. I felt like such a dork. Glad you had a good class, and remember, some dancers are known for their falling and are admired for dancing on the edge, like Ashley Bouder.

[appleblossom]

It might sound silly but I was finally taught how to pull up from the hips properly... This has been a hinderance to my turnout, balance and everything for my entire ballet life.... and teachers have always said "pull up your hips" noone until now showed me the little muscles at the top of the hip bone at the very front of your body that you need to use to do that. See to me "pull up from the hips" makes me think of the outside of my leg... what a revelation today was... now i have the unenviable task of making 26yr old muscles that have probably never worked work!

 

oh my! don't it hurt! I had a private lesson today and for the first time in my ballet life i was exhausted by the end of plies. LOL

 

A teacher who not only knows her technique, but knows how to convey body mechanics to her students is a rare gem.