Christmas dance guide

My Christmas list this is sure to entice any dancer or dance teacher in your life this holiday season!

For the edgy contemporary dancer I'd suggest things to make their hectic "artsy" way of life more simple:

$0-$5 : A lot of contemporary work is done on the floor in a not always so fun manner... Making sure the dance in your life takes care of their body is an absolute must! These knee pads are soft on your wallet and don't have a lot of added bulk behind the knee.

$6-$10 : These socks are great for protecting the precious skin of our most valuable instruments! Available in a variety of colors, these guys are a life saver for your contemporary class and leaves the feeling of the floor without the lost skin and bruised feet at the end of the day.

$11-$15: What dancer do you know that doesn't love a new dance bag? With its funky design and easy to pack and care for design, this dance bag is sure to be a valued present for the dancer in your life.

$16-$25: All dancers could benefit from some conditioning and this book is full of different exercises that cater to a dancer's needs! Staying in shape over the holidays can be especially tough for most dance students and this gift will be a great start.

$26 + : Staying warm in cold studios is no easy task! A warm and cozy throw will help keep your dancer snug for this cold holiday weather.


Now for the ballerina in your life any thing to help with technique is helpful. Unfortunately class doesn't allow for a lot of room for individuality, but in select, smalls ways your gifts can be a life saver!

$0-$5: I know I've already mentioned these hair pins on my blog before, but they are seriously life changing! My hair is personally so thick and heavy that I'd go through an entire package (or two depending on the length at the time) of roller pins per performance! Until I discovered these, that is.

$6-$10: I personally LOVE legwarmers. There's no feeling like doing a rond de jambe and wool brushing against the tights on your legs on a cold studio day. Stirrup legwarmers cover most of the generally exposed leg area and still provide very little between your shoes and the floor.

$11-&15: These knit shorts are perfect for lounge wear and warm ups and Harmonie is a very good quality brand that will last you a long time.

$16-$25: Although generally sold from most retailers for around $30, Amazon offers this amazing book for only $19.77! This is by far my favorite ballet book of all time and Eliza Gaynor Minden is a genius in my eyes. Tons of insightful knowledge and wisdom inside.

$26 + : If you're looking for that one gift that you know they will never forget I'd suggest something that will help them improve their feet. This device is designed to help improve flexibility and strength which all dancers struggle with, but lack the necessary means to improve upon. Of course if you're looking to spend slightly less I'd recommend a dvd of the Nutcracker or any other ballets for that matter. All ballerinas enjoy seeing their craft performed well.


For the Tapper you know and love gift ideas may be a bit trickier. A lot of the dance world doesn't favor tap as highly as some of the other dance styles, but there are still some great gift ideas for your tapping friend.

$0-$5: Bumper stickers are cute, inexpensive and generally thoughtful. Let your tapper express their love for tap everywhere they go!

$6-$10: Replacing taps can be a pain in the butt, but definitely makes a difference in the quality of the sounds made by your friend.

$11-$15: Sometimes we just we all just need to show a little love for our craft, and this shirt is the perfect way to do it! Give the gift that shows you care about what they care about.

$16-$25: For the history buff in your life, they may be interested in a brief biography of their favorite tap heroes. TAP! is a great read and is sure to leave your tapper in a great mood this holiday season.

$26 + : And finally, sometimes busting our of your comfort zone is good for everyone, so why not try a new class? Jared Grimes is a wonderful teacher and performer. This dvd will be a hit with your tapper and hopefully give them some creative incentive.

Thanks for reading! -Ms Ivy

Workin after studenthood

Hello My Lovelies! I have been taking a tap class lately and have fallen back in love with rhythm. I'm taking from an old mentor and its funny to see how much we haven't changed. (I still hate wings and single pick ups!) But I think whats most interesting is how much my work ethic has changed how I view my students.

I guess I always was a bit of a lazy person. I have a wonderful talent for convincing myself that I don't need to do something, and since I don't need to do something, I shouldn't have to... So I won't. Hence why I've taken tap for almost 19 years off an on relationally and still can't do wings or single pick ups. I've been talking about it with my tap teacher and she agrees that while I can be very convincing to myself by coming up with an excuse and not performing a task or practicing these things, I'm not very convincing to her and should do it anyways. (Now that I am a teacher this tactic seems like it does wonders for the child, but I now remember that it doesn't make kids care about what you're trying to get them to do. I usually explain what the stretch or exorcize is used for and it helps them understand its importance.)

She also brought up the word can't to me. It seems I tell at least four people a day saying the word can't and then thinking, "well if you said I can, you might be able to..." Yet when it comes time to do something I dislike, the first words out of my mouth are almost always: "I can't." I know I'm holding myself back, yet continue to do so.

Why? I mean it honestly isn't that hard to change what words you use on a daily basis, but I'm so programmed to just do the same things over and over that I mostly don't realize that I'm harming my own potential. What kind of a role model does that make me? Human.

Some days it really isn't easy being a human teacher. I wish I was devoid of emotion from time to time or from the possibility of error. It would make my life a lot easier... But when I do finally master wings, I'll be sure to thank my instructor for not backing down with me ;) -Ms Ivy

Ballet Weddings

Have you ever noticed how many ballets feature a wedding? A positive and happy ending for our tragic story thus far! My best friend was married this Saturday and it inspired this blog post. I got to thinking about how many ballet things I'd want in my ceremony and then got to thinking about all the ballets that have a wedding in them!

My favorite ballet wedding would have to be Coppelia's. The nervousness, the tension, the humor? That's right folks, if you aren't very into ballet you don't know there are comedy ballets. My favorite ballet is actually one such comedy and has an adorable wedding scene that makes you giggle!

Maybe the most noted wedding is Sleeping Beauty's. The third act is all celebration! "Come see the Prince and The Sleeping beauty wed!" And the notable kiss mid Pas de Duex is such a sweet memory (and so iconic) for this classic ballet.

There are honestly hundreds more ballets that feature weddings but that's all I have time to mention right now. Maybe in the future I'll do a part 2?

Thank you for reading, My Lovelies! If you ever have any questions or just have something to say in general, please feel free to post a comment or message me! -Ms Ivy

Top ten things I'm thankful for this holiday season

I know its a little cliche but every once in a while I feel it necessary to do a list. I strive to be a very organized individual, but unfortunately life kinda comes at you faster than you'd expect!

10: My greatest life saver this year has been Moleskin's pocket notebooks. (I've gone through four and I'm working on a fifth this year alone.) They're portable, perfectly sized and work so well for just jotting down corrections, shopping lists, to-do lists, blogging ideas, poetry, (I could just go on forever!)

9: Strawberry energy water enhancers have seriously been getting me through the day as of late. With the current time change, the lack of sunlight and crazy, hectic schedule I've had they're definitely worth mentioning to you all.

8: My metal water bottle has been a constant blessing since the day of its purchase this time last year. I never have to remember to keep cash in my purse for studio bottled water and knowing I'm helping the environment just that little bit makes me feel better about my walk through life.

7: I don't know if I've ever mentioned my darling little fuzz ball of a pet on here yet, but Gypsi is a force to be reckoned with when she feels so inclined. If you're lucky she curl up in a ball on your lap, cuddle you and probably lick you until you can't stand it anymore! If you're unlucky however... She can get a little scary when she wants to be. I swear she's tried to kill me over not giving her kitty treats as often as she'd like them! Gypsi keeps me calm though. I never worry about being alone as long as I have a pet and she is darling when she wants to be.

6: I've finally begun to take control of my weight and my body this year. I can't tell you just how proud I am of myself for this since I've never had to worry about anything like that before and had absolutely no idea where to start. My recent accomplishment was realized when I weighted myself after two months of subtle dieting and exercise and discovered I'd lost ten pounds. I'm so proud of myself! Now if only it didn't mean I need to buy new clothes...

5: I have several very close women in my life who influence me and have helped me become the woman I am today. If not for them I would be a hollow shell of a person with little or no self respect and no desire to better myself in any way. I'm thankful for these ladies and I'm proud to have them as part of my little adopted family in my work place.

4: At this point last year I was still living with my parents, dating the wrong person, barely making ends meet and thoroughly depressed. I'm thankful that I've grown up enough to actually start taking care of myself without relying on anyone else for any sort of support. Not to say that I will never need help again, that would be a foolish and immature statement, I'm just grateful that I am capable of supporting myself and able to help others along the way.

3: My friends are literally the best people in the world. I could not get by a single day without thanking them for being such a huge part of my life! Thank you all for dealing with my more crazy moments.

2: I can't go without saying something about myself here. I love having an artistic outlook on everyday life. Being creative is less of a skill and more of a blessing than people realize and I am so thankful that my parents helped me to bolster that in my childhood and gave me the confidence to continue that on into adulthood.

1: And the number one thing I'm grateful for this Thanksgiving? All my lovely students who give me a reason to get out of bed everyday! Without my girls (and my boys) I wouldn't have started this blog or the Ocala Ballet Theater or even kept on teaching. I have some wonderful students that remind me each and everyday why I'm still here!

Whatever you're thankful for this Thanksgiving day, remember to eat healthy and have fun! Thank you for reading, -Ms Ivy

Social media site's effect on the classroom

With the growing social media scene is slowly taking over everyone's lives, its easy to forget how quickly constant access to a person's life can be detrimental to your reputation as a mentor and a role model.

I've personally decided to adopt an +18 policy on my social media sites, as I'm not at a point in my life where I'm ready to give up my personal life stream with my friends. All the research I've done has pointed to cutting the ties. Its not professional to be "friends" with your students.

Why? Its hard to remember a day when the internet didn't exist for most people. When I was a child we only had a telephone that plugged into the wall and you had to carry the set around the house if you wanted a private conversation. We didn't even purchase a computer until I was almost in middle school and then we all used dial up as a means of conversation. It was a different time and as strange as it seems, simpler as well. Now its part of my daily routine to check my Facebook, my email, my blog, my phone and once a week check the mailbox. How much has changed since the nineties! We're living in a world of instant communication and while this has done wonders for keeping in contact with people its also caused a lot of other problems between how we relate to each other. I know FAR too much about my friends because of social media site's instant access for everyone to see whats on display. I don't think it appropriate for children to see their teacher complaining about money, intimacy, or any of the other problems they may have accrued that day!

I also don't think I would have been comfortable calling my teacher to talk on the phone as a child, yet its becoming more and more acceptable to text message a teacher/student throughout the day. The lines of student/teacher relationship are getting more and more blurry as time goes on. What's the effect on classes? A complete lack of respect between peers and mentors. Knowing that your teacher said happy birthday and talked to you about your plans and how your boyfriend treated you throughout the day generally causes students to forget their place in the classroom.

Year's ago when the ballet classroom etiquette was established your instructor was someone you looked up to and revered, not your friend and confidant. The idea of people being superior to to each other is slowly fading away and while this may or may not be for the good of man kind, its certainly not good for how classrooms are structured. Teachers will do better to remember the difference in being a peer vs a superior in these situations. My social media outlets are designed for me to be friends with my friends and not my students and although it was a hard decision, I made the friends list purge today and am no longer allowing anyone that is a student or coworker to be part of my social media circle. In the end I think its for the best.

What are your thoughts? -Ms Ivy

Jazz Inspirations

Very rarely do I find jazz that I think is good, let alone inspiring. Ray Leeper and Sonya Tayeh being some of the last jazz choreographers I enjoy anymore! Ray Leeper likes to keep his style very close to old school while adding more flare that we need for today's dance community, while Sonya Tayeh created her own style of jazz entitled: Combat Jazz, because "it’s staccato, aggressive, and engaged, even when it’s slow. I’m always ready for battle." Whatever style you prefer, good jazz is as hard to find as a job is in today's economy!

This video has some very great ideas in it though. A jazz adagio? WHO DOES THAT?! I instantly wanted to take her classes after hearing about this! What a lovely idea and it obviously challenges the dancers to really dance outside of their jazz square! (Sorry, couldn't help the bad joke there...) I may start incorporating something like that into my jazz classes, every week.



Now Everyone already knows that Melanie was my top pick from the beginning, right? Well if you didn't, then now you know. This was Ray Leeper's best dance in my opinion and it may mostly be because it features my favorite dancer of the year, or it may just be his cool transitions. It certainly doesn't feel very old school jazz, now does it?





I may have already mentioned this dance a time or two, but it just so perfectly illustrates Sonya Tayeh's style and broad range of conceptualizations.Such a fierce woman! Such fierce choreography! *sigh* So lovely.





This last video actually inspired my jazz dance for this year's recital. So staccato yet so fluid. Sometimes youtube doesn't disappoint me and actually ends up inspiring me a lot! I love the new direction jazz is headed, its exciting and jazz has spent far too long already, being boring.

Dancin with Myself

It just seems to be one of those kind of days! I've always had this problem where I'd rather take private lessons eternally than spend an hour with a group of people my age that literally have nothing in common with me. I know you aren't supposed to talk during classes and for the record I wholly endorse that policy in my classes, but sometimes you just can't seem to shake that feeling of being an outsider.

My background for dance training was a little spotty as a youth. I initially started dancing at a neighborhood studio that went out of business the year after my sister and I enrolled, our next choice was the studio my cousin went to in the next town (30 minutes away) but they don't answer their phones during the summer, so we found a competition studio and started there. It was there that I realized I didn't want to be on Broadway or music videos, I wanted to be a beautiful ballerina, like my cousin, and dance in New York like they did in Center Stage. At the time our dance studio only offered a contemporary or lyrical style of ballet, but I was craving classical. This studio was no longer a good fit for me and my parents understood that so we switched. Walking into that place for the first time was so nerve wracking for me, I'm not sure how my knees held me up! (I was nothing but knees back then, I swear!) My first few classes with my new teacher were so different, I didn't know what to do with myself. She taught a completely differently method for ballet and I was 11.

I vaguely remember donning my first pair of pointe shoes and barely being able to support myself without the barre, but I will forever remember not really having any friends in classes until a new girl moved to the studio from out of state. What's my problem? I am by no means, what-so-ever, preppy. I'm the proud daughter of a mechanic, not a Dr's daughter and when I tell you I could hardly afford to dance, I'm not kidding! Social distinction starts very early in human life and monetary gain is usually where it starts for children. Its easy to know you're different from someone when you can afford different things and children don't understand the social faux pas with behavior.

Fast forward a few years and I'm back to being a loner. My friend for a time has gone from being my best friend to preppier than anyone else at the studio and I thought it was cooler to dress like a boy. (Far more comfortable, fyi.) Don't get me wrong, there were a lot of other things going on, but our major differences came down to priorities and we just didn't agree on anything anymore. With the passing of Ms Jeanne, the studio began to change. It was no longer enough to work hard in class, we had to constantly compete with our new teacher's 2-3 favorites for every correction. There were times I felt like asking, "If I wasn't here, would you have even noticed?" My little sister happened to come across our old competition studio and decided to take a hip hop class and came home crying. When asked what's wrong, she said "I haven't had fun dancing in almost two years!" We switched studios within the week and I found myself on a competition team with girls I literally thought were insane. I'd come from an atmosphere where it wasn't proper to talk during class, let alone disrupt the class for a story about your boyfriend! It was a really hard adjustment, but I made a few good friends that year, that I still talk to. One of which was a goth girl and the other is currently working for that same studio with me.

 In all this time though, I'd rather have not had to go to a studio and see other people constantly. I was in a seriously bad depression and just being around people made it so, so much worse. I spent countless hours in the spare dance rooms doing barre and meditating, just to be alone. Our competition team won countless platinums that year, but I found the whole experience trite. I didn't need a trophy to know I was a good dancer and when I said that I alienated myself from everyone at this studio as well. Looking back at everything now I can say that I was always designed to be in love with being a loner and I was always meant for teaching. The stage doesn't do anything for me anymore, which is crazy, as it was my sole reason for dancing in the first place! My advice for anyone who may be reading this and feeling the same way is that its hard growing up, but you will get through it and while it may feel like you're the only person in the world who is going to a studio where you don't fit in, but you still love practicing the art of dance, just keep at it. You'll find that when you grow up it doesn't really matter what people think about you and your zany personality.

As always, Message me or comment on here, My Lovelies! I'd love to hear some feedback! -Ms Ivy

Fall

We're a month into Nutcracker rehearsals and everything just seems to be falling into place. My cast is coming along beautifully and they're having a blast learning their newer repertoire.

I love Autumn, its literally my favorite season of all, especially in Florida. A lot of other places have a real changing of the seasons with golden and red colored leaves, crisp weather and Halloween decorations, Florida has the decorations and that's about it... For me fall has always been a gateway into the holidays I love so so so much.

Halloween is still my favorite one and I'd dress up every year pretending to be something I wasn't for years, now I still do but its not as much fun once you've grown up. Thanksgiving I could honestly do without. Its not that I'm not thankful to everyone I have in my life, or that I don't care about spending time with the family, I just don't understand the importance of having a holiday to reflect something we should be doing everyday of our lives anyways. Christmas is the biggest one of the year, millions of people dread it every year and I too, used to look at the Christmas season as my own personal hell with cute themed music and decor to match. Now I look at Christmas as a time to come together and share your past year's experiences and spread the message of peace and love to each other.

For a dancer Christmas holds a special place in their hearts, Nutcracker season. Its the time of the year that every dancer becomes fearful of missing a musical cue every time they hear certain "traditional Christmas songs" while walking through the mall with their family. How many times does one have to hear the traditional Nutcracker March before they can't take it anymore?

In response to this conundrum that's plagued me for years, I've decided to change our Nutcracker music. Only the variations in act 2 though. All of these dances will now be done to traditional styled versions of the original songs. Hot Chocolate will now be played by a guitar, tea will be played by a Chinese mandolin and so on. My girls are so excited to be doing something so traditional in a new way. They're the body of the new generation and I can only hope to continue to provide everything they need to succeed in the dance world.

Comment or message me and let me know what you think of this blog! -Ms Ivy

The Elephant in the Studio

If you don't understand the picture I've added, I'll sum it up for you, eating disorders. Its the elephant in the studio for a reason, every studio has had a problem with eating disorders at some point. The balance between maintaining proper dancer weight and becoming obsessed with losing weight is a hard line. In my profession I've heard several girls complain about their weight and a smaller number coming forward to tell me they have a problem and need help.

From my personal experience a skewed view of yourself is very easy to come by. I was bulimic for years without my parents knowledge. Its not like they weren't paying attention either. Teenagers are very adept at hiding things they don't want you to know about. The studio atmosphere I grew up in very focused on how much you weigh, girls would argue over whether or not they should have an entire serving of Wheat Thins or just half almost daily.

One person who was very close to me was borderline anorexic for years without anyone knowing. Our teacher gave us a diet that literally consisted of about 300 calories a day. The person in question stuck to it as much as possible but once her mother realized how little she was eating, she put a stop to it. The girl in question then started to develop anorexia, which she suffered with for at least three years. Why? Because her breasts developed to a B cup size and her teacher told her she'd never get a job working for anyone if she remained that "heavy looking."

Dance is a hard field to understand. The typical body type for dance has been the Balanchine ballerina for almost four decades, however recent dancers are learning more and more about how to protect themselves from the harsh ballet world's view of what they should look like and are becoming more womanly looking over the years. Look at Misty Copeland of ABT, yes she is still skinny, but look at her thighs and her chest. She has the body of a woman and not the body of a prepubescent woman-child.

Many studies have been conducted on what a dancer should eat verses what they typically do eat and its still a hot topic for most old school teachers too. For every new age teacher, there are fifteen old school teachers that say "Back in my day...." Unfortunately for the die hards, they won't be around for forever and while most take this as a sign to force their ideals onto their students, smarter teachers realize the world around them is changing. Don't get me wrong, a plie is still a plie and a tendu is still a tendu, but our bodies have changed since America's golden age of ballet and moving into the second decade of the 21st century our perspective on the human body is changing with it.

One look at each season of SYTYCD proves my theory. You can't do all these amazing feats of athleticism without having stronger, larger muscles. The ballet world is changing and its time to stop putting so much pressure on children and young women to remain unhealthily tiny.

As always, Message me or comment on here, My Lovelies! I'd love to hear some feedback! -Ms Ivy

Musicality Musings

I know its strange, but sometimes I wonder where my brain comes into play when I'm teaching. A parent recently asked me why I sometimes use classical music for my young students and other times use whatever the latest Disney movie's soundtrack is. I actually told her I don't know, it just seemed like the thing to do each week.

Then I got to thinking about it. (I don't like not knowing why I do somethings.) Its easy to figure out why some people use Disney Music, its easy for the kids to communicate to and they generally love listening to it so they want to come back. The other side of the board is using classical music for their students. I know using classical music helps children's minds to expand, bolster creativity and a better understanding of broader concepts later in life.

My reasoning for not always using classical music though is fairly simple, I'm a control freak. When you're working with a three year old its hard to teach them how to count music and understand it's different rhythms. They generally have a better understanding of Disney Music or pop because its simple. The beats rarely drastically change within the song and words really help them identify with each songs quirks. A child will be able to clap their hands to the beat of "Under the Sea" a lot easier than Beethoven's 5th. I also think its important to choreograph to the words of a song for children. Its a skill that they have to have for the rest of their dancing lives, so why not teach it to them young?

This is not to say I don't agree with using classical music, I obviously do from time to time or this blog would never have needed to be posted. I generally use classical music when doing warm ups with my kids. It teaches them there is a rhythm to each song, just watch me to understand it. Classical music is the basis of ballet. If a child cannot count to 8 they also cannot be choreographed. Its important for children to start learning these skills young, so it doesn't impede them in the future. Trust me, nothing is more frustrating than a fifteen year old who still doesn't know how to count music or hear the different tones in each piece. I also use classical music for freeze dance and other games like that so children really have to listen to
what they're dancing to.

Once a child has made the transition from "split level" classes into "full hour" classes, the entire game changes. The only time they get to listen to music with words in a ballet class is if their recital dance is to one. I guess I also use classical music so little ones are more used to it when they make the transition into older kid's classes. It seems like quite a shock on the system to be listening to music you've never heard on top of doing an entire hour of the same thing each week, when you're tired from school and maybe even have a different teacher.

I suppose you could compare it to having a child do Tendus properly every time but letting a few step points across the floor slide. It doesn't harm them to not force them to be perfect every time they do something, but in a controlled atmosphere, its crucial. The barre is the most important place for children to do things properly and later learning to take the thing your learn at the barre to the center or across the floor are important. Music is the same way. You can't rationalize expecting a three year old to understand music they aren't immersed in any more than you can expect a child to always do something unnatural to them without help.

As always, Message me or comment on here, My Lovelies! I'd love to hear some feedback! -Ms Ivy

The Nutcracker

Hello my Lovelies! If you're reading this then you already know casting has been posted and rehearsals start soon for our 2011 production of The Enchanted Nutcracker! I'm proud of each and every one of you and I know you'll continue to make me proud throughout the upcoming performance season.

This season is going to be a little bit different than last year as we have more local performance opportunities and we'll be using a real theater. (Not that there's anything wrong with using a parish hall, but the theater experience is so much better!)

This is the season where we all get to pull our weight and really work our ballet butts off for the show. My younger one's need strong role models and I know my Grande Premiere company members are just the thing they need. We'll be doing a big sister/little sister program this season and I hope everyone can really take the time to bond with each other.

Naturally we'll be using a lot of the same choreography, but we will be changing quite a few things. First of all you can expect an entirely different battle scene, using the original Nutcracker score and brand new modern and contemporary ballet choreography.

The second thing you can look forward to is brand new Snow Scene Costumes and revamped choreography with one of your fellow students dancing the lead role of Snow Queen, en pointe. Tea (China) will also be danced en pointe this year.

I'm pleased to announce our newest roles added to the Enchanted Nutcracker will be The Spirit of the Christmas Tree, Gingerbread Children (Germany) and The Fairy Doll. (I'm so excited!)

Ocala Ballet Theater has opened a cafe press store for all of your nutcracker and obt wants/needs, we also have a facebook page available for everyone who prefers to view their information online.. This looks to be a very promising a fulfilling season for everyone involved. Welcome back everyone!

Thank you for reading this, My Lovelies! Tell me what you want to hear about, are curious about or confused about and I'll post a blog about each topic. Please email, comment or facebook me!

Love,
Ms Ivy

The Legion of Extraordinary Dancers

Have you heard? Someone has taken my two favorite things in the world and created something amazing with them! If you know me at all you know that I love comics, video games, rpg's, all of it. I'm such a geek it's crazy! So when I heard about the LXD I literally jumped for joy. I heard about it through a dance spirit magazine a few years ago and eagerly waited and waited and waited for them to finally produce the series they've been wanting to do for so long. I actually forgot about it by the time they were famous and a dear friend of mine who knows very little of the dance world but loves comics sent me a link to it and said just watch, I promise you'll love it! Ok, I'm hooked. For good.

The series starts with forming the legion and the story goes from there. It explores how the energy of dancing can effect the world, by saying all of the dancers in the legion have superpowers through dance. I've literally never been so into any internet video series in my entire life. It's totally worth checking out and at least watching the entire first season. (That's right I said first, they're working on season three right now.)

Their performances on SYTYCD have been extraordinary and Yellow piece they did, had me so pumped I was almost in tears. All in all, it's just super cool.

As always, Message me or comment on here, My Lovelies! I'd love to hear some feedback! -Ms Ivy

SYTYCD Choreographers

Hello my lovelies! I'm sure if you're a dancer you've seen So You Think You Can Dance and you've witnessed some very moving and touching pieces over the years. Where does it all begin? With a choreographer, coming up with a concept and executing it on dancers. I've found a few interviews from choreographers that have really touched me over the past few years and I'd like to share them with you.

Mia Micheals has been my hero since I first saw season 2's the bench dance. I absolutely adore her! She's very down to earth and no nonsense at the same time and a stunning women to boot! Her leaving the show actually had me in tears. (Finding out she doesn't have cancer made me feel better though.) In this interview she talks about being a dancer and season five and a myriad of other things. How can you help but love her?

To witness Sonya Tayeh is an experience like no other. She's my favorite contemporary jazz choreographer of all time and finding out she loves super heroes? TOTAL BONUS! She didn't begin dancing until she was seventeen or eighteen. I have so much respect for her, its crazy! In this interview she definitely shows just how eloquent and intelligent she is (which is something that unfortunately doesn't always come across in the show.)

Next we come to Stacey Tookey. I can honestly say she's not always my favorite choreographer, but when she does it right, its right. I love anyone who loves ballet as much as I do and knowing she initially wanted to have a career in a classical ballet context? I'm in love, we're done. Hearing about how people find their inspiration has always fascinated me, and I absolutely adore violin as well! This interview is short and sweet but you get to know her just a little bit better after this.

Lastly in my journey to find out more about these lovely ladies, I found this article about how professional dancers, teachers and choreographers feel about the show. I can say I was initially shocked, but now I understand where they're coming from. You can't take an art, turn it into a sport and give dancers a false representation of what the dance community is really about and expect it to always be respected. I can understand why there is never any ballet or hardly any tap on the show, but I hate rarely seeing the ballet dancer on the show. There are plenty of B-boys, contemporary dancers and ballroom phenoms on the show from year to year. That's just my opinion.

What would you like to hear about next? Message me or comment on here! -Ms Ivy

Random Dance Stuff :D

Hello, My Lovelies! We've just begun our first week of regular class schedule and I feel good. I have so many exciting choreographic ideas for this year's recital and for Nutcracker! I have to say that I love seeing how much my students improve from year to year. You're all becoming such lovely artists! Our auditions are this Saturday and I am so pumped!

This season of SYTYCD was kinda lacking in phenomenal choreography and the male dancers were pretty lack luster as well, but the few pieces that did really inspire me were: The circus sets up, Total eclipse of the heart, Skin & Bones, Misty Blue & Pop Drop & Roll. (And as person satisfaction, I knew who the top three were going to be after watching the first episode.)

I just read an interview with Melanie, (which if you remember was the first person they showed auditioning on the show this year.) I just love her! How can you not? She's beautiful, talented and humble. Who is humble anymore? I love her and my boyfriend who doesn't know anything about dance loved her. I can't wait to see the things she'll do in the future with her career.

I'm working on a blog on Fusion Classes, but I'm always looking for more ideas for my blog! Message me or comment on my blog. Thank you My Lovelies! -Ms Ivy.

Boys in Ballet

Ah the elusive boy's ballet class. With the amount of strong male dancers being produced from year to year it's hard to imagine such a class to be so rare. When you think of ballet you generally think of the tutu's, pointe shoes, over all femininity and well, women. Little girls have tutu aspirations and the competition is fierce for those coveted prima-ballerina parts.

Where does this leave men? Where do our princes, cavaliers, kings and nutcrackers come from? I can say as a ballet teacher keeping a boy's interest is tough. If a boy doesn't have a strong male role model to look up to in a ballet class they're more and more likely to not care and stop taking classes at a young age. Angel Corella believes that male dancers are born to be male dancers. Its something in them from day one of their existence, I wouldn't know, I'm not a boy.

Everything I've ever studied about dance between men and women is men have so much support from the ballet community and women are a dime a dozen and replaceable. I've worked with both sexes for teachers and the perspective men have on the anatomy of the ballet dancers has always fascinated me. One of my favorite teachers of all time was a man (Tom Barber) who would constantly drag my class and I back to the basics, which made class extremely difficult some days.

There are entire websites devoted to boys who do ballet with plenty of encouragement from professional dancers, honest opinions of parents and different advice from male dancers world wide for young men. In such a female dominate field of study it never ceases to amaze me the strength and the courage it takes to be the only boy in a ballet class. Angel Corella, Ethan Stiefel,
Mikail Baryshnikov and George Balanchine have really paved the way for future generation of men in the ballet field. Younger Generations will appreciate Danil Simkin's fresh approach to dance and his blog will really connect with younger boys needing to feel "cool."

Where ever you are and whoever you are, I highly reccomend taking a ballet class at some point in your life. You'll never know what you're missing until you've tried it. My younger brother (13) takes ballet on a regular basis because it "calms" him and is a positive outlet between video games and sports. I know quite a few men who started taking ballet in their late teens and now are fellow teachers that are so passionate about what they do, they blow me out of the water at times! And my adult ballet class has a few men that take ballet as a way to keep in a shape and practice an art form. Ballet is so obviously not just for girls, it just sickens me to hear that backwards mentality being produced for boys. Men who dance have much more endurance than professional athletes its hilarious!

One ignorant statement that has always bothered me is the "you have to be gay to be a male dancer" train of thought. Boys who dance are not necessarily gay, as a matter of fact I've danced with more straight men then gay men in my life time! Many of whom had a wife and children. People are people and an assumption is almost always wrong.

Alright my lovelies what would you like to hear about next? Message my facebook or comment here to let me know! -Ms Ivy

My Long Leave of Absense

Its been almost an entire month since my last post. Where have I been? Well, I've moved, begun co-running a summer camp, choreographing, and in short, far too tired to post as often as I'd like. I feel like I have the dancer blues right now. I'm incredibly tired and not dancing very often.

If you Google "depression in dancers" you'll be shown a long list of eating disorder problems and over achiever hardships. I'll be honest, I fear I suffer from mild depression, but I don't have an eating disorder and I'm definitely not an over achiever, so where does that leave me?

The past few years have been a roller coaster for my dance training and my emotional well being. After graduating high school, I chose to move across the country twice in pursuit of young love and give up my life long passion. After a long struggle and fifty extra pounds I moved back to my hometown to begin dancing and teaching again.

After what has felt like forever I'm finally in control of my weight and I'm ready to start really pushing myself as a dancer again, but where to start? I'm not as strong as when I was a teenager and some days I wonder how much my natural ability carried me through when I was younger. I've noticed how much more susceptible I am to "just accept" how my body is now. I look in the mirror and see a completely different person than I did when I was younger and I'm just getting discouraged. I'm constantly asking myself how I can be a positive role model for my students when I feel I'm not able to believe my words about myself.

I previously stated I do not have an eating disorder, I feel I need to explain my background on the background matter. In my teen years I struggled with wanting to be thinner, as most girls did. I suffered from a mild bout of bulimia for two years. I say mild because even though I knew scientifically it wouldn't help and I knew I need fuel for my body I still forced myself to throw up at least four times a week. (Some diet plan huh?) It wasn't until talking to a respected teacher about my problem and a very good friend that I started treating my body with the respect it deserves and taking care of it. I know what I'm talking about when it comes to these things.

Fast forward four years: I've recently gained and lost almost fifty pounds and I'm beginning to dance again with a stronger appreciation for having good technique and with a passion I never could've experienced when I was younger, but every once in a while I still catch that bad angle in the mirror or that unflattering line that makes me cringe and I start letting myself slip back into negativity.

I've always had a hard time with letting go of negativity and I'm afraid I still do. Just not being able to spot as well in a turn or develope with the same amount of grace as some of my students is enough to upset me for weeks! I worry whether my teaching abilities are enough to convey the beauty of the art I love and it in turn that effects my relationships with my students and coworkers. Its amazing how much negativity can really effect you.

I never really understood the statement "Dance Like Nobody's Watching" as I'm a performer and love every minute of a performances, but I'm starting to feel more and more closed off from the audience and more into feeling the movement for myself. Its been rather invigorating and an almost spiritual feeling.

All that aside, I'm still feeling depressed and exhausted. I'm looking into better, heartier food choices and spending more time outside for contrast from the indoor studio atmosphere. I'm just not really inspired enough to post very often right now. Once Nutcracker season starts up I'm sure I'll be back on the right track ;) -Ms Ivy

Proper "bunning" techniqes

Oh the classical beauty of the ballet bun! I've been doing them since I was a child so its hard for me to understand that there are actually people out there who don't know how to do it! I grew up in a dance studio where every single person I came into contact with had these steps drilled their heads from a very young age. I apologize for my ignorance and I hope this video will help you!



As a side note, I find these a lot easier to use than your traditional bobby pins! You can find them at most dance retail stores and as always, your trusty discount dance supply will never let you down!


I hope this helps you with the perfect hair for class or for your performance. Message my facebook or comment on here, my lovelies! -Ms Ivy

Stage make up for recital

I've found some more wonderful stage makeup advice for children in my travels! This is just in time for recital and I hope it helps you out.



If you will, note the neutral colors used on the eyes. It gives you a softer hue while still making your eyes pop!

The technique used here for children's blush is fantastic in my opinion. I've seen far too many performances with three year old's displaying wildly inappropriate blush streaks! Keep it to the cheeks and don't use dark red colors.

Although I've stated previously I'm not a huge fan of red lipstick on stage, this color actually looks good with this skin tone. I would say to think of summer when picking out a lipstick for your darling daughter! Nothing too deep or bright.

I love this look for the babies though! So pretty and light! No need for grown up features here, mommy!



Here we have a bit more of an adult look for the stage. You can never go wrong with highlighting properly and simplistic colors. Stick to the classics, and you'll never go wrong!

For my ethnic beauties out there I simply can't find a handy youtube video! Ehow has my back though with these instructions.

I hope this makes up for my maze of blogs when it comes to my studio parents. If you ever have a question, message my facebook or comment on here! -Ms Ivy

Warm Ups: Pointe Work

Oh pointe shoes! How I love you and how I hate you.... Such is the life of a dancer though! Important note: DO NOT PUT ON A PAIR OF POINTE SHOES WITHOUT PROPERLY WARMING UP THE REST OF YOUR BODY FIRST!!!!!!!!!

Now that I've got that nasty little tid bit out of the way let's begin. When starting a warm up like this always force your shoes to stick to the floor like you're dancing in a thick layer of molasses. Its strengthens your feet and gives you a better quality when doing floor work.




Releve's en pointe are different from releve's in technique shoes. You must always focus on pulling your toe under where your heel was.



This next combination should be done at least eight time to get the full effect (Back, front, back, front, back, front, back, front.)



Doing a nice short Pas de bourre combination is a good way to check your alignment and your placement. I'd recommend doing this four times at the barre and four time in the center.



Well that's all for Without a pencil's warm up series! Our next post will probably be centered around proper hair styles for recital and maybe some more dance inspiration!

As always, I'm very eager to hear from you, message my facebook page or comment on here! -Ms Ivy

Warm Ups: Stretching

Hello my lovelies! In our fifth installment of our warming up series, I'd like to focus a bit on stretching.

Lets begin with the butterfly position. I like to start with this position because its easy on your hips and I'm generally a bit lazy when it comes to stretching, immediately after barre ;)



Next we'll move on to doing some stretches through your straddle. Generally I do this stretch the longest as its really rough on your hips and turn out:



The last thing I work on is extensions. I always wait to do these last because my hamstring muscles are very tight and need a lot of "warming" before really stretching them.



Naturally, its better to do this one before costume and with a lot of room. If my hips still feel tight, I may add some hip rotations and go nice and slow.

We're coming up on our final warm up segment! Stay tuned for our quick pointe warm ups! -Ms Ivy

Warm Ups: Barre pt: 3

Hello my lovelies! This will be out last segment at the barre and its full of large leg movements! Make sure you don't kick anything in those back stage areas! ;)

Start with a nice hard developpe combination. I'd recommend doing this combination twice en croix on both sides, holding as long as possible.


Now for the fun part, Grande Battements! Really focus on keeping your hips in line and using the floor to gain height.


Next post we'll focus on some stretches to do before your costume is donned and as always, feel free to post a comment on here or send me a facebook message about anything you'd like to hear about! -Ms Ivy

Warm Ups: Barre pt: 2

Sorry its been taking me so long between videos my lovelies! Recital can be so stressful for us dance instructor types... So to continue our warm up lets move to Rond de Jambes.

A good Rond de Jambe combination will loosen your hips and help you focus on your turn out capabilities. I love simple combinations like this for a warm up because it is just designed to lubricate your hips and start remind those muscles to hold your legs properly:


No lets wake up a bit and work those quick twitch muscles with some Frappes! You can alter this to fit your specific needs but a warm up generally needs to be done quickly and this will get the job done quickly for you:


We'll be done warming up soon ladies! Comment on here or facebook me for comments, suggestions or questions! -Ms Ivy

Warm Ups: Barre pt 1

Now that you've warmed up your body and got the blood flowing, its time to start applying some technique to your warm up. You don't have to follow these exercises to the T, but paraphrase to custom fit your body's needs.

Lets begin with plie's. Not a difficult combination but just enough to warm up your hips and thighs some more. As a variation I'd recommend adding a port de bra instead of the second set of demi plie's.




For the next portion we begin with tendu's. I like using this combinations or one's similar because it really works the feet and ankles. For a more complex variation try adding a series of quick tendu's and degage's after doing this en croix, once or twice.





This is a combination my ballet instructor Ms Jeanne Benson-Smith was famous for. It was used through out my ballet training for warm ups every Saturday morning and became one of my student's favorite combinations. Remember to really focus on your leg and foot work and don't skimp on the details of your lines!




That's it for this week lovelies! We'll continue our warm up series next week with some more barre combinations. As always, feel free to comment on here or message me to speak your mind. Love my Blog? Say so! Hate my Blog? Say so! Just give me some feedback! -Ms Ivy

Warm Ups: Getting Started

Hello My Lovelies! Its taken me a bit of time to upload all these videos, and technical difficulties caused them to be up a day later than promised, but here we are! This will be the first post on how to properly warm up your body pre-performance.


I always start by meditating or praying before warming up before classes or warming up in general. It clears your mind and relaxes your body and I love starting with the exercise because it starts tell your body to wake up and subtly reminds your muscles how to breathe. Although Hope is very naturally flexible, don't push yourself too much on the first exercise. Its about getting your muscles going, not stretching yourself to death!



Are you breathing enough? Both of these exercises are designed to remind your muscles how to move and the remind your lungs they need to start utilizing more air. Inhale for a full eight count and exhale for a full eight count between combinations. You'll see a difference next time you perform!



You should do this combination four times at least (right, left, right, left) to get the full effect. Remember to keep breathing!

As always my lovelies, I'm dying to hear from you! Message my facebook or leave me a comment! -Ms Ivy

Respect, its a two way street

Do you ever wonder why your teacher seems to only have eyes for the students that are "good"? Or is constantly yelling at you and getting frustrated over things that "aren't that big of a deal"? Assuming that your teacher doesn't just hate you and isn't just out to get you, maybe the problem is how you're acting during your class?

Lets play out a scenario from the teacher's perspective:
Student walks into the classroom, five minutes late, again, wearing clothing that hides their body and their hair is a wreck. They take a place at the barre, don't learn the combinations or take any corrections and scoff at everything that's been said as a general rule. Every time the teacher turns their back she's right back to talking or marking the combinations. At the end of class, the rest of the students line up and curtsy and say "thank you Ms Ivy." while she is just concerned about leaving. Walking up to their teacher she does a quick curtsy, mumbles thanks and goes off into her own little world.

Now lets play this out from the student's perspective:
Omg! I'm only five minutes late! Whats her problem? Its not like plie's are important, or anything. What is her problem with my hair? She obviously has no fashion sense what-so-ever and my hair is my problem, not her's. She'll get over it. OOOH!!! Amy's here, I'm gonna stand by her today! This combination is stupid, and I don't feel like doing this one either, because I'm tired. "Amy, did you see that new movie about that girl doing stuff?" Ugh!!! Why won't the Ms Ivy leave me alone let me talk to my friend during class? I already know I do this better than everyone else in the class, so I'm not going to keep working on it and I know she's not telling me to fix my arms, I'm the best one in the class! Oh Thank God class is over! I can't wait to go home and watch tv. I really don't think this was a good enough class for me to curtsy and thank Ms Ivy for...


What was the difference between the two perspectives? Although I can definately relate to both I still have to side with the teacher on this one. Respect is a serious issue all young people have at one point or another but it is always expected during a dance class. In the sacred world of Ballet, respect is demanded by your teacher and your peers.

Please, thank you, and excuse me are all incredibly important things to remember here, my lovelies!!!! Your ballet teacher is your only source of knowledge in this wonderful world. You must at least, give her the respect you want her to give to you and too be honest, quite a bit more. They've trained and worked for a very long time to become an instructor and help you learn the ropes.

I know it isn't standard practice for ballet schools to have each student individually thank their teacher by a curtsy at the end of class anymore, but its something I require at the end of mine. First of all, learning how to properly bow is really important for performances and second of all, your teacher put a lot of work into this class too, you know. Thanking her for her time is one of those small ways you can show her she's really, honestly and truly helping you.

When in doubt always ask yourself if you're following the following rules:

1: Keep talking to a minimum.

2: Always wear the appropriate dance clothes to each of your classes. (For more info on that check here)

3: Please, please, please, please, please remember your combinations!!!! The combination is designed to improve your technique and help cultivate your mind for more knowledge.

4: Don't ever mark a combination when its supposed to be done full out, you're only hurting yourself and no one wants to watch someone who doesn't appear like they even want to dance.

5: Yes Ma'am, no Ma'am, please, thank you, excuse me and a beautiful curtsy at the end of class are always appreciated ;)

I'll be working on a video log over the weekend with different exercises I do to warm myself up pre-performance. Thank you for reading, my lovelies! -Ms Ivy

National Dance Week: Julie Kent

Julie Kent is in a class all her own, in my humble opinion. Her grace and poise are that of an angel's! I loved watching her in Center Stage and Dancers when I was younger and still love revisiting the classic works she's done over the years.

She began her dance training in Maryland with Hortensia Fonseca at the Maryland Youth Ballet. She attended the School of American Ballet, before joining the company, as an apprentice. In 1986 she was the only American to win a medal at the Prix de Lausanne International Ballet Competition and became a member of ABT's Corps de Ballet.

She starred in Herbert Ross's film Dancers in 1987 and in Nicholas Hytner's Center Stage in 2002. She's danced countless notable and featured roles with ABT and has danced as The Sugar Plum Fairy in the nutcracker, the title role of Cinderella, Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, Medora in Le Corsaire and numerous others.

Julie Kent has had two children and danced to full term during both pregnancies. She is currently still a principal with ABT and occasionally guest teaching throughout the country.

National Dance Week: Mikhail Baryshnikov

Oh Mikhail Baryshnikov, how I adore thee! I have a bit of a confession to make. I love learning about different people who defected from communistic countries to live in America. (Or in his case, initially Canada.) I was first introduced to Mikhail Baryshnikov by my mother when I was about six or seven. I'd never seen a male dancer that I thought was any good and he completely blew my mind out of the water. Leave it to the Russians to create something so amazing with their government!

Mikhail Baryshnikov began his dance training at the age of 9 in Riga where he was born. Four years later he entered the Vaganova school, in what is now, St Petersburg. (It used to be Lenigrad.) He won top prize in the junior division of the International Varna Competition and joined the Kirov Ballet and Mariinsky Theater in 1967, dancing the Peasant Pas de Deux in Giselle.

While on tour in Canada with the Bolshoi Ballet in 1974, he defected and later would join the American Ballet Theater as a principal and danced with Gelsey Kirkland during his time there. He also danced with the New York City Ballet and worked exclusively with George Balanchine.

Mikhail Baryshnikov is the founder of The Baryshnikov Arts Center and can be found teaching whenever possible and staying in the best dancer's shape he can.

National Dance Week: Paloma Herrera

I first saw Paloma Herrera's flawless lines and beautiful smile in a pointe magazine when I was about thirteen. I immediately fell in love! My favorite performance has to be Gulnare in Le Corsaire. She's such a beautiful dancer, you'll regret never watching her before!

Paloma began her ballet training with Olga Ferri in her homeland, Argentina in 1982 at the age of seven. She became one of the the most note worthy dancers of South America, winning competitions and receiving The Finalist Diploma from the Varna Ballet Competition in 1990, at the age of 14.

At 15 she moved to New York and continued her studies with the School of American Ballet, where she was given the lead role in Balanchine's Raymonda Variation for their annual workshop. She joined the American Ballet Theater six months later, was promoted to soloist at 17 and at 19 she became the youngest principle dancer in ABT's history.

Since then she has won the hearts of many ballet fanatics throughout the nation and was chosen as one of the top thirty artists to change culture for the next thirty years, by the New York Time's critics. Today you can find her still dancing her heart out for ABT and looking for a way to continue dancing for as long as possible.

National Dance Week: Leslie Browne

Leslie Brown will forever be the ballerina I cherish the most in my heart. My favorite dance movie, of all time, is The Turning Pointe, which stars the lovely ballerina, Leslie Browne.

I grew up picturing myself looking just like her one day, long lines, fair skin, beautiful smile and of course always happy as a wonderful ballerina. I remember watching her fall in love and get heart broken in The Turning Pointe (1977), over and over and over again as a child and seeing her dance with The Fonz on Happy Days. She will forever be the ballerina that made me love my craft, so here's a bit of her history.

Leslie began her training under her father's direction at his studio on Arizona, along with her sister Elizabeth and brother Ethan. At the age of fifteen she received a scholarship to study at the School of American Ballet and at seventeen joined the Corps de Ballet of New York City Ballet company.

Her career took a dramatically positive turn when she was hired on as an extra for The Turning Pointe, through her parent's ballet community connections. Gelsey Kirkland was originally cast for the lead role, but chronic tendonitis forced her to drop out, Leslie was the next natural choice.

After filming The Turning Pointe and being nominated for best supporting actress she went on to make Nijinsky (1980) and Dancers (1987). She guest starred in Happy days and in 1976 she joined the American Ballet Theater as a solist and was promoted to principal in 1986. She retired from the company in 1993. She has since been a guest teacher, choreographer and performed in Broadway's rendition of The Red Shoes.

Leslie Browne is currently on faculty with STEPS on Broadway, The ABT summer program and various master classes in NYC and around the world.

National Dance Week: Martha Graham

As promised here's my first post of dancer's who've inspired me and touched my heart in some way. First I'd like to focus on Martha Graham.

I've always loved Martha Graham's story and her style. She was a visionary in the choreographic field and a rebel to her core. She took dance and made it speak from the heart and never wanted to let go of the light inside her soul when dancing. Here's some brief facts about this amazing women:

Martha Graham was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1894. Her parents were strict Presbyterians and were somewhat wealthy. She was strongly discouraged from a career in the performing arts.

In 1925 Martha Graham and Robert Mamoulian produced a two color film, featuring Eastman students, entitled The Flute of Krishna. In 1926 she established her own company, The Martha Graham Center of Contemporary Dance and went on to teach Alvin Ailey, Twyla Tharp, Merce Cunningham and countless other performers, dancers and actors. To this day she is credited as "The Revolutionary Mother Of Modern Dance."

Her choreography has been compared to Picasso's Painting and James Joyce's literature. Her desire to break away from classical constraints and embracing new "contemporary" movements earned her a place in the dance hall of fame.

Graham says in Blood Memory that she danced at the White House for eight different U.S. presidents. Franklin Roosevelt was the first, in 1937... She married the dancer Erick Hawkins in 1948, after a long love affair. The marriage was short-lived, and they divorced in 1954. It was Graham's only marriage and she had no children.

Graham's legacy lives on in the heart's of her former students and through the reteaching of her choreography and ground-breaking technique.

Recital Time! pt 4: Stage Makeup (For Kids)

And here's our finished look:


Any questions? Facebook me or comment on here! -Ms Ivy

Recital time! pt 3: Some Mommy Themed Basics

If your studio is anything like mine, you receive news letters pretty regularly. Reading them is always nice. Referring to them often is often helpful too. Our current news letter features what shoes to purchase for the recital, where the event will be, picture day and some fundraising information. Follow the instructions of your studio's guide lines to the T.

In our next studio news letter we'll be mentioning the appropriate items to bring back stage with your child. It will contain water, carrot sticks, apple slices or lunchables for snacks. (You don't want to bring anything too messy or your child's costume could get ruined)

A book, gameboy, coloring book or playing cards to keep yourself entertained with. (Nothing that can ruin a costume and hopefully nothing too loud)

For a parent recital can be really hard. Not a lot of mommies are ok with their baby being kept back stage without them. If you think you're one of these parents, sign up to be a backstage mom! You will usually be allowed to watch your child from the side of the stage and you'll get to know the rest of the children in your kid's class too. Although this is a good solution for some mom's, its a nightmare for others. If dealing with a three year old who's mommy forgot to give a nap, has a habit of hitting her friends and throwing lipstick when she's upset, isn't exactly your cup of tea, maybe spending some time getting to know the mom who will be taking care of your precious baby is a better alternative.

You don't want to be too stressed out during this time. Remember mommy, its about your baby! Be organized, arrive on time, sign in and out with the person at the door and wish your baby good luck. Remember how nervous you both were for her first ballet class? She's just as nervous now as she was that time! Show her everything's gonna be ok and she'll get to play with her friends in their pretty costumes til they do their dance! Be a good mommy and boost her confidence by being the cool mom who's kisses her good bye and brings her flowers afterwards.

I know its hard for you to hear mommy, but your baby girl doesn't need you back stage during this time. She's going to be busy playing and getting ready for her dance. Don't go back stage no matter what! You won't be allowed to grab her during intermission and you have to stay through the entire program. Enjoy the show! Watch the older girls, eventually your baby girl with be able to dance just like them. Your job during the show is to cheer your hardest for her when she comes out on stage.

As far as video taping or picture taking goes, it really varies between studio to studio. The studio I work for has decided to allow video taping of the performance and picture taking, but no flash photography. If the studio provides you the option of buying a professional quality dvd, take it! Your child will only be a child for so long and you'll be surprised to see how much you're child has grown from year to year.

Get some rest before the big day. Staying up all night the night before organizing costumes and preparing, is not the best idea. Make sure little one has had a nap and make you you've gotten your morning coffee. Recital time is very stressful for everyone involved. I promise you're not the only one who's running around like a chicken with its head cut off today! But keep yourself rested leading up to the event and organized along the way and we'll all be good.

Still looking for some volunteers for making some videos! Message me on facebook or leave me a comment. -Ms Ivy

Recital time! pt 2: Lets warm up

Give yourself a good warm up my lovelies! I personally find that sticking to a strict barre, jazz warmup or modern warm up to be a rather inefficient method.

To start, try doing some simple movements with your body to music you enjoy. This step is just to get your blood pumping and your muscles moving. You've never walked into a class and done grande battments right off the bat, now have you?

After I feel I've said a sufficient "Hello!" to my muscles, I usually do breathing exercises, with a light modern combination. Almost like a yoga preparation for your performance. Clear your mind and focus on preparing your lungs for this performance. You need it you know?

This is where my warming up varies depending on my mood, I either head straight to plies or do some hip opening exercises (I'll make a video soon, to demonstrate.) If I'm skipping that particular exercise, I do a good barre: Plies, Tendu's with Degage's, Rond de Jambe's, Frappe's, Develope's and Grande Battments.

Now its time for stretching, my favorite! According to Art of Ballet.com, stretching is individual and personal. Take your time and do it right. I always start in a butterfly, move through a pike into a straddle then start working on the individual legs.

To end our warm up sessions I generally recommend doing Sote's or Tenleve's. (8 in first, 8 in second, 4 in first, 4 in second, 2 in first, 2 in second, 2 in first, 2 in second, Repeat staring in second.)

I'll be converting this to a video log in the future, I just need some volunteers, to help me out. Interested? Facebook me or comment on here, my lovelies! -Ms Ivy

Recital time! pt 1: Some basics

Oh my lovelies, I hope you're as excited as I am, Its recital time kiddo's! Time to show mom and dad all the stuff you've been working on your entire dance career! Whats wrong? You're nervous? Well, I'm sure you'll be fine. Just follow some general knowledge and everything will be ok.

First things, first. Make the list. Your back stage woes go so much smoother when you have a list, I promise. When I was a kid my mom would make a list of every single thing I needed and place them all in plastic baggies with my name on them and I'd be completely set up and ready to go in no time. Now-a-days when I'm dancing I still do this. I have everything for the ballet company on a list in my office as well. I'm a bit of a compulsive person I guess.

The next piece of recital advice is bringing extra EVERYTHING.

Baby wipes/Shout wipes (to fix makeup mistakes or dirty hands.) Baby powder (for itchy costumes). Safety pins (for emergency costume repairs). Clear nail Polish (to repair minor holes/runs in tights when there isn't time to change them). Tylenol, Advil, Motrin or your pain reliever of choice. Extra contact lenses (because the show can't be stopped to search the stage for one). Band-Aids (the "invisible" kind -- stage is not the place for sponge-bob band-aids :P.

Those are some new ones I hadn't really put too much thought in before. (Thanks Dance mom.com!)

Some of the things we shouldn't have to mention are still oh so necessary, which I'm annoyed by, by the way. Make sure you have your hair and make up done properly and securely, don't wear nail polish and bring the correct tights and shoes. You have no idea how stressful it can be to have to send mom back home or to a local dance wear shop because Suzy Q forgot her tights at home! Bring your the correct stuff and you'll be good.

Next feature? Write your name on everything you plan on taking back home with you. Try to write it in a place that won't be seen by the audience, but easy enough for everyone to see when going through costumes at the end of the day.

Bring something to do. If you aren't in a lot of dances you're probably going to be spending a lot of your time bored out of your mind, back stage. Bring a book or a gameboy (muted, of course) but keep yourself entertained. Mom won't be able to go back and rescue you, you know.

As I find more advice, I'll keep you informed. Thank you my lovelies! -Ms Ivy

The Healthy Dancer

I know you've heard about the one kid in ballet class who's doctor insisted they took ballet to help with their posture or inverted hips or a myriad of other things, but what are the actual physical effects of dance on your body?

Googling this entry I found all sorts of mixed results, I've found everything under the sun talking about the negative and positive influences dance takes on the body. For a positive starter, we'll begin with Flexibility.

Flexibility helps promote good circulation throughout the body and can help alleviate muscle soreness. Its also incredibly necessary to get those lovely leaps and high develope's! Make sure you stretch daily to keep up with your body's needs.

Dancing is also great for building strength and endurance, two things "normies" actually have to worry about. Have you ever watched someone climb a set of stairs and get completely winded? It all boils down to their endurance, or lack-there-of in this case. The benefits of strength and endurance are obvious, the help you continue throughout your day without having to stop.

Some of the positive mental and emotional benefits of dance are slightly harder to find. Movies like The Black Swan certainly show us the down side of the ballet community, but what are the positive effects it has on our mental health?

Dancers and Health together is an organization that shows the world the positive side of involving dance in your life. Aside from the a fore mentioned movie, dancing promotes a sense of accomplishment and over all well being. Any well put together ballet program will provide you with a set of goals to master and achieve. Personal growth is a very healthy character trait to develop. (Develop it early, I promise its worth it.)

Now for some of the negative aspects. According to the Rudolf Nureyev Foundation, dancers put themselves in jeopardy everyday by the loud music we expose ourselves to and by our frequent use of rock rosin. Whats wrong with rock rosin? This one surprised me too, just fyi. It apparently has the capabilities of causing severe skin irritation and asthma. How completely and utterly horrifying! Rosin is an everyday part of most dancer's lives. My best advice is to use it sparingly. Don't let it make direct contact with your skin either.

We've all had our parents tell us at one time or another to turn our music down when its so close to our ears, but what about when its blasting at us with the bass vibe from hell, during a jazz class? Or when we just have to feel it louder, during our lyrical or modern classes? The effects the sound has on the body are astonishing! Asking any seasoned dancer will provide you some profound insight on how music can be related to, but remember, smart dancers take care of their bodies (ears included) so they can dance long healthy lives.

The longer you dance, the harder dancing becomes. A lot of the ballet veterans have had knee surgery, hip replacements, ankle and foot surgery, etc... How healthy can that be for you? Lisa Probert, of the English National Ballet brings certain obvious things to light is this interview.

Dancing is a fun, healthy life style in the long run. Just be safe, smart and use common sense. You can't really go wrong with that, now can you, my Lovelies?

What would you like to hear about next? Comment or message me on my facebook! -Ms Ivy