Recital is coming up and many dancers suffer stage fright. Most of the fear occurs before you step on-stage. Once you're up there, it usually goes away. Try to think of stage fright in a positive way. Fear is your friend. It makes your reflexes sharper. It heightens your energy, adds a sparkle to your eye, and color to your cheeks. When you are nervous about speaking you are more conscious of your posture and breathing.
Symtoms of Stage Fright are:
Dry mouth.
Tight throat.
Sweaty hands.
Cold hands.
Shaky hands.
Nausea.
Fast pulse.
Shaky knees.
Trembling lips.
To help get over Stage Fright:
Concentrate on how good you are.
Pretend you are just chatting with a group of friends.
Close your eyes and imagine the audience listening, laughing, and applauding.
Remember happy moments from your past.
Think about your love for and desire to help the audience.
Picture the audience in their underwear
Some people think they have stage fright when it is really excitment.
REMEMBER- Take a deep breath, go out onstage and HAVE FUN!
Adapted from (http://www.antion.com/articles/stagefright.htm)
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Friday, May 29, 2009
Recital Check List
Recital Time is coming up so I made the check-list for you:
Hair
1. Hair nets
2. Bobby pins/hair pins
3. HAIRSPRAY
4. Gel
5. Head pieces
Shoes and tights
1. Pink tights
2. Flat shoes
3. Pointe shoes
4. Toe pads
Costumes
1. Flesh leotard
2. Costume
3. Arm bands
4. belts, hats, other accessories
Other
1. Camera
2. First-aid
3. Make-up: blush, eye shadow, mascara, lipstick
4. Water bottles
5. Snacks
1. Hair nets
2. Bobby pins/hair pins
3. HAIRSPRAY
4. Gel
5. Head pieces
Shoes and tights
1. Pink tights
2. Flat shoes
3. Pointe shoes
4. Toe pads
Costumes
1. Flesh leotard
2. Costume
3. Arm bands
4. belts, hats, other accessories
Other
1. Camera
2. First-aid
3. Make-up: blush, eye shadow, mascara, lipstick
4. Water bottles
5. Snacks
Boston Ballet-Melanie Atkins and Jared Redick Retire
After seven seasons with Boston Ballet, soloists Melanie and Jared will retire from the stage to pursue new paths with Boston Ballet. Redick will continue as Principal of Boston Ballet School's Norwell Studio and Aktins will begin as Children's Ballet Mistress of Boston Ballet School. Both will make their final performances in Ballets Russes. Read their final interview below.
What is your favorite memory at Boston Ballet?
(Melanie Atkins) I have so many wonderful memories at Boston Ballet it's impossible to pick just one! Dancing one of my favorite ballets, Duo Concertant, with my husband (Sabi Varga) is definitely a highlight. Also traveling to Washington D.C. to see the company perform Jorma's Brake the Eyes was great - I felt so proud to be part of such a wonderful group even though I wasn't actually dancing! Our tour to Spain was unforgettable - I could go on for ages about favorite memories. I'm definitely grateful to have so many!!
(Jared Redick) I have so many excellent memories of my seven years here. The one that stands out is when Reed Anderson came to work with us on Onegin, duing my first season. Working with him was an experience that I will treasure; that ballet is a special ballet.
Another highlight was opening night of (Jorma Elo's) Plan to B. It was one of those truly unique moments in the theater where we finished the ballet and there were two or three seconds of silence. And then, like a rock concert, the audience exploded. That was awesome for us as a cast.
What is your earliest memory as a professional dancer?
(JR) My earliest memory would definitely be the first time I did Sleeping Beauty. It was my first year with San Francisco Ballet. We went on tour to Washington DC, my hometown. The role that I was given was one of the musicians that stands in the back, followed by carrying the guns across the stage. All the older dancers got a good kick out of that.
(MA) I was hired out of SAB to dance for Fort Worth Dallas Ballet in Serenade - the company needed two more corps dancers. I've always had a special place in my heart for that ballet, and have danced it many times since. The feeling of standing on stage waiting for the curtain to go up, bathed in blue light and listening to the gorgeous Tchaikovsky music come up from the pit was magical. The role I've danced most recently in Serenade is not a part of the opening moment - even so, I get the same shivers hearing the music while backstage waiting for my first entrance.
What would you like to say to all your fans and supporters?
(JR) Do I have any? (laughs) Thanks a million. It’s such a privilege to dance in front of the audience in this company. To have people who are there almost every program and supporting you, is truly a blessing. I am deeply grateful.
(MA) Thank you, thank you, and thank you! It's been wonderful to finish my performing career where I grew up. The Boston audience welcomed me immediately on joining the company - I will always be grateful for the support both on and off stage. Boston's ballet community is unique in that they really take an interest in their dancers. The audience is proud, as they should be, to have a world-class ballet company and they show their appreciation on many levels.
What are you most excited to do next?
(MA) Well, I think most people will guess the answer to that question: one word - Sophie! I'm so excited to be a mother. I look forward to bringing her to the ballet and introducing her to this crazy wonderful business that I've been a part of for so long. Of course, I'll still be around - definitely backstage, and who knows, I might show up as an evil witch in a future production...
(JR) Hopefully get some sleep! I’m looking forward to exploring different things now, both within the field and outside of the field. I have lived and breathed being a dancer for so many years, almost 30 years, that to now have a little bit of time to explore new things is a little overwhelming but definitely very, very exciting.
What is your favorite memory at Boston Ballet?
(Melanie Atkins) I have so many wonderful memories at Boston Ballet it's impossible to pick just one! Dancing one of my favorite ballets, Duo Concertant, with my husband (Sabi Varga) is definitely a highlight. Also traveling to Washington D.C. to see the company perform Jorma's Brake the Eyes was great - I felt so proud to be part of such a wonderful group even though I wasn't actually dancing! Our tour to Spain was unforgettable - I could go on for ages about favorite memories. I'm definitely grateful to have so many!!
(Jared Redick) I have so many excellent memories of my seven years here. The one that stands out is when Reed Anderson came to work with us on Onegin, duing my first season. Working with him was an experience that I will treasure; that ballet is a special ballet.
Another highlight was opening night of (Jorma Elo's) Plan to B. It was one of those truly unique moments in the theater where we finished the ballet and there were two or three seconds of silence. And then, like a rock concert, the audience exploded. That was awesome for us as a cast.
What is your earliest memory as a professional dancer?
(JR) My earliest memory would definitely be the first time I did Sleeping Beauty. It was my first year with San Francisco Ballet. We went on tour to Washington DC, my hometown. The role that I was given was one of the musicians that stands in the back, followed by carrying the guns across the stage. All the older dancers got a good kick out of that.
(MA) I was hired out of SAB to dance for Fort Worth Dallas Ballet in Serenade - the company needed two more corps dancers. I've always had a special place in my heart for that ballet, and have danced it many times since. The feeling of standing on stage waiting for the curtain to go up, bathed in blue light and listening to the gorgeous Tchaikovsky music come up from the pit was magical. The role I've danced most recently in Serenade is not a part of the opening moment - even so, I get the same shivers hearing the music while backstage waiting for my first entrance.
What would you like to say to all your fans and supporters?
(JR) Do I have any? (laughs) Thanks a million. It’s such a privilege to dance in front of the audience in this company. To have people who are there almost every program and supporting you, is truly a blessing. I am deeply grateful.
(MA) Thank you, thank you, and thank you! It's been wonderful to finish my performing career where I grew up. The Boston audience welcomed me immediately on joining the company - I will always be grateful for the support both on and off stage. Boston's ballet community is unique in that they really take an interest in their dancers. The audience is proud, as they should be, to have a world-class ballet company and they show their appreciation on many levels.
What are you most excited to do next?
(MA) Well, I think most people will guess the answer to that question: one word - Sophie! I'm so excited to be a mother. I look forward to bringing her to the ballet and introducing her to this crazy wonderful business that I've been a part of for so long. Of course, I'll still be around - definitely backstage, and who knows, I might show up as an evil witch in a future production...
(JR) Hopefully get some sleep! I’m looking forward to exploring different things now, both within the field and outside of the field. I have lived and breathed being a dancer for so many years, almost 30 years, that to now have a little bit of time to explore new things is a little overwhelming but definitely very, very exciting.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Ballet Buns
I was at dance class and noticed that the younger girls (class before mine) didn't wear their hair in buns. I asked one of the parents why and she said most parents don't know how to make a bun. This worried me because recital is coming up and I know the AD will not be happy with messy buns.
TO MAKE A BALLET BUN
You will need:
Brush
Spray bottle
Hair spray
Hair tie
Hair pins/bobby pins
Hair net
To make the bun:
Gather hair in a ponytail
Twist hair
Wrap it in a circle (coil) around the hair tie
Add hair/bobby pins
Add hair net
Hair spray And DONE
This is a picture version (http://www.schoolofballetarts.com/bun2.jpg)
For more creative ideas see (http://forums.dancemedia.com/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=1281&sid=206be2e9f23fbcee24351b76cbe5ce96)
TO MAKE A BALLET BUN
You will need:
Brush
Spray bottle
Hair spray
Hair tie
Hair pins/bobby pins
Hair net
To make the bun:
Gather hair in a ponytail
Twist hair
Wrap it in a circle (coil) around the hair tie
Add hair/bobby pins
Add hair net
Hair spray And DONE
This is a picture version (http://www.schoolofballetarts.com/bun2.jpg)
For more creative ideas see (http://forums.dancemedia.com/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=1281&sid=206be2e9f23fbcee24351b76cbe5ce96)
Finished Bun
A Dancers Closet
Ok so this is about what I think every ballet student needs
BAG
A good bad should be big enough to hold all your dance stuff, a water bottle (or 2) and have a pocket to air out your pointe shoes. Some bags I have used are - drawstring bags, backpacks, messenger/shoulder strap bags and tote bags
LEOTARDS
Everyone should have a plain black, camisole leotard.
I perfer TACTEL leotards (http://www.blochworld.com/shop/c-11-leotards.aspx) many of BLOCH'S leotards are tactel.
Colored leotards are fun, but many studios have dress codes.
I recommend a good long sleeve leotard for chilly studios (though you do get very sweaty)
A flesh colored leotard for performances is a MUST. (http://www.discountdance.com/index.php) [searh undergarments]
SKIRTS
Shorter wrap skirts are good for ballet (http://www.discountdance.com/index.php)
Longer skirts are to heavy and distracting
SHOES
Ballet slippers should be fitted like a second skin
The should NOT be bought with "room to grow"
Most kids have single-sole leather
Older girls tend to like split-sole canvas shoes
Personally I like leather ones
Pointe Shoes- one-two pairs with ribbons and elastics
HAIR
Should always be in a bun
I use BUNHEADS products from (http://www.discountdance.com/index.php)
WARMUPS
I LOVE legwarmers
I think everyone needs a pair, I recomend the fuzzy ones by HARMONIE
I have never liked the wrap sweaters, but thats just me
So I have an e-mail dancingteenblog@gmail.com so feel free to ask any questions or for something you want posted
BAG
A good bad should be big enough to hold all your dance stuff, a water bottle (or 2) and have a pocket to air out your pointe shoes. Some bags I have used are - drawstring bags, backpacks, messenger/shoulder strap bags and tote bags
LEOTARDS
Everyone should have a plain black, camisole leotard.
I perfer TACTEL leotards (http://www.blochworld.com/shop/c-11-leotards.aspx) many of BLOCH'S leotards are tactel.
Colored leotards are fun, but many studios have dress codes.
I recommend a good long sleeve leotard for chilly studios (though you do get very sweaty)
A flesh colored leotard for performances is a MUST. (http://www.discountdance.com/index.php) [searh undergarments]
SKIRTS
Shorter wrap skirts are good for ballet (http://www.discountdance.com/index.php)
Longer skirts are to heavy and distracting
SHOES
Ballet slippers should be fitted like a second skin
The should NOT be bought with "room to grow"
Most kids have single-sole leather
Older girls tend to like split-sole canvas shoes
Personally I like leather ones
Pointe Shoes- one-two pairs with ribbons and elastics
HAIR
Should always be in a bun
I use BUNHEADS products from (http://www.discountdance.com/index.php)
WARMUPS
I LOVE legwarmers
I think everyone needs a pair, I recomend the fuzzy ones by HARMONIE
I have never liked the wrap sweaters, but thats just me
So I have an e-mail dancingteenblog@gmail.com so feel free to ask any questions or for something you want posted
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Summer Intensive
Ok so this year I'm going to Bossov Ballet in Maine (http://bossovballet.com/) for the one week workshop [My family's a little short on money]. I'm really excited. Next year I want to audition for; Boston Ballet, Bossov (5 weeks), ABT, Nutmeg, Kirov, and Walnut Hill.
First Post
SOOOO this is a blog about the thing I love most Dance....well...........mostly BALLET. I hope you like it!
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