November celebrations

[Redbookish]

For those of us in the northern hemisphere, it's truly sliding in to winter, but for those of us in the sunny south, it's spring! Share your celebrations here.

[Balletlove]

Its spring/summer here (quite difficult to tell the difference where I live) and I can finally go back to ballet today after almost a week off yippee... now if this day would just end so I can go to class:innocent:

[TemptressToo]

I continue to struggle with pirouettes, but last night my teacher asked me to try something new...a DOUBLE. And you know what, I did it twice.

 

Apparently, I am putting too much torque into my singles and not focusing on "stay" in releve...

[gimpydancer]

TemptressToo - sounds like the same problem I have with pirouettes but I don't have enough coordination to spot twice

 

Great class last night! Wore my new Suffolk Ensembles with the soft shank. Felt broken in after just wearing them for barre in my Saturday class (demi-pointe only). My teacher likes how they look on me and said it's the best I've used my left foot (the weaker one). I will be alternating between the medium and soft shank Ensembles for class. She also said I'm looking stronger (last class she said my technique had improved) and she doesn't overdo complements so I must be doing ok!

 

Also, had my last physical therapy appointment on Tuesday. I haven't really had any tightness in my calf in several weeks, my upper back is looser, and my abs are stronger so yay! The alignment issues have pretty much been resolved (make sure both feet are flat when driving and try to alternate use of hands on mouse when at the computer) and I feel much more "even".

[gav]

A member of my extended family was a professional modern dancer in some very prestigious companies and is now a much-loved local teacher -- but only of advanced/professional-level classes. Now, I can keep up in fairly advanced ballet classes, but I've only taken maybe a dozen modern classes ever, so I never dared to take his class. But today I did (a bit nervous on my way over!), and I definitely held my own, aside from some of the usual growing pains associated with taking class with a new teacher.

 

It was also a GREAT class, very artistic and almost philosophical. There were some very helpful things in there for me, and I'm definitely going to go back!

[Claude_Catastrophique]

My ballet teacher who is "Primo Ballerino" (would be your ABT's Principal) is dancing the male lead in a famouse classical ballet and if I am lucky he will get me tickets for free or with some discount. I think that's really sweet from him *fingers crossed that it works* and great to get them right from him. After all I am so incredibly proud that I can take his lesson, being such a talented and amazing dancer, guest artist in many other companies.

 

Since I have taken my first lesson with him, I saw nearly every performance he was in and now he asked me if I would come.

[Pirou]

I have been en pointe for one month!

 

Also, seeing me work in my shoes in the barre, my technique teacher said my feet and legs were "made for pointe"!!

[Serendipity]

I got up the courage to try doubles in pointe class today. I didn't quite make it, but I know what I did wrong and now it's just making sure the supporting leg stays strong. The balance and body were fine. :-)

[AIC04]

Serendipity.Awesome job, especially en poine, congrats!!!

[Lidewij]

Had class again after a week, and it was lovely! Especially my tours piqués, I couldn't do more than three a couple of months ago, and then something clicked in my brain and since then they always go quite well!

 

And ever since I started dancing again I had this stiffness in my inner thighs when I stretched them (splits), and it seems to have gone away! (I'm not sure if this has anything to do with it, but I went to a nutritional specialist a couple of months ago who took a blood test and told me what my shortages are - I've been taking my supplements every day - so now I'm thinking it might have something to do with that?)

 

My grand écarts and splits I did a bit after class were deeper than ever (well, not counting when I was a child )

[TemptressToo]

I'm so, so close to being able to balance in retire' on releve on both sides. I feel strong and pulled up and I'm barely touching the barre...even able to let go for a few seconds.

 

Also, in last night's allegro combination, we had a pirouette en dehors from fourth to do...and I was so up, I did a double...just sailed around that second time.

[Tarthulhu]

Getting back into regular classes and rehearsals , finally, now that work has settled down. Also pushed myself to try a harder class last weekend - it was just difficult enough that I couldn't do everything, but not so tough that I will never be able to handle it, so I'm going to stick with it.

[Claude_Catastrophique]

First of all, I managed to do more than once some perfect triples in modern in all kind of positions, even without spot and not just by case.

 

Second, I have much more stamina than at the beginning and tonight in my additional adult class I managed to get through a set of entrechats quatre and royale which would make around 30 jumps of this kind in a row and I felt like doing it a third time without break.

 

Then we were only two in the afternoon pre-pro-class (3 are in NYC, 3 have found work, one was sick and one had to study) and the lesson was very intense with lots of individual corrections. The teacher nearly killed us but it was great for to be corrected so much on head-arm-upper body-coordination which I clearly lack.

[Marjolein]

My placement class in my new school went really well, from now on I'm taking class there on Wednesdays and Fridays, bringing the total of my classes up to 8 hours (yay!)

 

I even did pirouettes on pointe and cabrioles.

[Serendipity]

I received permission from my new school to wear my pointe shoes in the basic class I'm taking there. That'll up my hours to 3 per week on pointe. Just about fine, I guess, considering I'm not really training for any performances.