Lost

I got lost on the way to my blog but I found it again!

Ok, ok, I haven't been on here in a while. I'm sorry, but I haven't had much to blog about dance wise! I ended up not getting enough financial aid to take dance last year and I just wasn't interested this year.

I am doing a production with a friend of mine and that's exciting! I have a part in it and I'm teaching and choreographing which is great. I've really missed that part of my life.

Though it is hard to keep dancing when you're old out of shape! Makes you not as interested in continuing. I will say that I find myself paying a lot more attention to detail of technique versus just dancing. Maybe that's taking the fun out of it? Well that and SYTYCD has been a little boring this season. Kinda over that too.

Which brings me to my next point, I don't really want to continue blogging about dance. It's been great and I've had fun but I'm over it. I suppose I'll be posting on here from time to time but I think I'll going to start a personal blog to keep my writing skills up to par. (Also my birthday is Saturday my lovelies!)

Back from the dead? Or does it just feel that way?

When you're a younger dancer you are trained that taking a break will set you back. Two weeks off is three months of training gone. You're warned that allowing yourself to recover through injury will hurt your future and your potential. Some dancers push through their injuries and are fine, for a while, while other dancers are not as        risk-centric and allow themselves the proper amount of time to heal.

I've recently taken an emotional break from the dance world. I no longer work for a dance studio and am currently pursuing training from a local college to expand my modern repertoire. It feels good to be out of the drama filled studio atmosphere! I suppose as with any place in life there are good parts and bad parts and all the little obnoxious gray spaces in between. I'm ready to start taking my dance as an art to new levels and I couldn't do that within the place I was. Time for a revamp!

I cut my hair, bought new clothes, started a new job and met new people. I feel like conquering the world! Taking this time off has helped me remember what's important to me and where I would like to go. I'll keep you all updated on my progress with this over the next few years!

Is there a topic you'd like to hear about or discuss with me? Feel free to message me or comment on my blog any time! -Ms Ivy

Recital Time!

We're getting close to recital again! I love this time of year for my little ones, they're always so excited and nervous too... I don't remember my first recital, I barely remember dancing at all up until I was about eight but I do remember the magic of "The Recital."

With all the hustle and bustle that teachers go through and students to it's easy to forget just how lucky we are to be able to perform at the end of each year. I recently read an article about a women who moved to India to teach girls ballet and the lessons she's learned just by helping them understand basic concepts and positive body image had me in tears. (I say that a lot on here but I promise I don't cry very often :P)

We as Americans tend to forget just how lucky we are to live in a world that allows us to dance without shame and gives us the opportunities to perform our art for other people. Everyone can enjoy dance with or without a show to display your abilities but being able to perform really is a gift and every child, young and old should treasure it.

Is there a topic you'd like to hear about or discuss with me? Feel free to message me or comment on my blog any time! - Ms Ivy

Dance: Where did the art go?

We're knee deep in our competition season and man am I beat! The crazy thing about going every year is seeing how high the bar has been raised lately. I was competing five years ago and the expectations are insane now. Children can do so many miraculous things with their bodies now that we've never expected before and man, they have become entertaining too! With all these high expectations and amazing feats of agility I feel we've begun to lose the essence of what dance essentially is; an art-form.

I asked as many children as I could this weekend what they felt dance was to them. Most of them didn't have a logical answer and those that did would say something close to "The best sport ever!" I was partially annoyed and mostly shocked. No one looks at a football player and is reduced to tears by watching their movement, when did we allow dance to be reduced to a game? I won't lie, I do partially blame competitions but I don't believe they're the worst area of the dance industry, nowhere close to that actually.

Who do I blame? Modern day teachers who've allowed their students to become ignorant. On the first day of my students moving into senior ballet or a pointe class I tell them this is the year of you becoming a sponge. Absorb as much information as you can and let it become you. (How else would you expect to fully learn something as immersing as dance?) And for the most part it works. I often remind my students to "empty their cups" before coming to class so they have room for more knowledge. We spent "an empty moment" at the barre to prepare for the class and I personally use this time to take roll and quickly reflect on the day's lesson at hand. My students use this time to move their bodies and mentally let go of the whatevers that are bothering them outside of the dance room. I personally feel that a dance studio should be a shelter from the outside world in two respects. Firstly when you create this environment it enables you to teach better. When a student's mind is elsewhere their attention is gone with it. Secondly it provides a warmer atmosphere that gently makes students feel safe. The more comfortable you are in any environment the easier it is to let go of insecurities so you don't hold yourself back.

I recently saw a piece of art this week that invoked tears for me. It told the story of the world trade centers and the end had a man standing outside with two children while his wife was still inside telling him to take care of their children and she loved him. It was put together breathtakingly and not a soul in the audience didn't cheer for them. It was different. It was art. Anyone can do a sad lyrical dance that might make someone feel remorseful but dancers are trained to make those faces and throw their bodies with the music.It's not flowing art anymore, it's solely based on technical agility. I've been told before that it isn't really considered a dance unless there is at least one kick, one turn, one leap and it should be around two minutes and thirty seconds. Not a lot of leeway for creativity and I can think of a few beautiful classical ballet pieces that don't feature all of those, are they no longer considered dances?

As a teacher I feel it is my responsibility to teach my students to become artists and not sportsmen. Anyone can play a game, but it takes something unique and special to be able to dance. After all no college has a degree program for football players but liberal arts degrees are on the rise!

Is there a topic you'd like to hear about or discuss with me? Feel free to message me or comment on my blog at anytime! -Ms Ivy

Little Lovelies

I think sometimes we tend to forget the reason most little girls start dancing. A student of mine helped me remember it today and it genuinely made my evening.

I was working on a duet for competition with some of my little ones (4-6.) The song is step-sister's lament and they are adorably gaudy, (if you can conceive such a thing.) Another one of my students was watching and was in love! She looked up at me, smiled and exclaimed "Ms Ivy you could do a trio instead and I could be Cinderella! Wouldn't a ballerina Cinderella be wonderful? I wish I could dance at the ball like Cinderella! She was lovely."

I stopped and laughed. The rehearsal wan't going as well as I would've liked, my throat was sore, I had a head ache and my girls cup runneth over with choreography so they weren't as quick witted as they normally would have been. I was done. This made me smile. I ended rehearsals and let them go. They didn't have any juice left anyways. When my boss asked me why I wasn't rehearsing their dance that they have to perform in just two days I said "Little girls just want to be pretty. They'll be pretty and that's all that matters today, tomorrow we'll go back to fixing that hot mess of a dance." To my surprise she laughed and agreed. Isn't life funny sometimes?

Little girls come to "Ballerina World" to be lovely and for no other reason than that. It's my job and the responsibility to keep them feeling beautiful and try to squeeze some technical training in there too. I love this age group since they still believe in magic and want to be a part of something bigger than themselves. One day one of my students will look back at this time and either remember having a mean teacher that only yelled at them or a teacher who instilled a love for their art, I aim towards the latter.

Is there a topic you'd like to hear about or discuss with me? Feel free to message me or comment on my blog any time! -Ms Ivy

Happy New Year!

My New Year's resolution is to post at least twice a month, every month on here! My holiday schedule was crazy and during the break I just needed some me time. A lot of me time, actually. I spent a lot of time baking and cooking and crocheting. It made me calm down a lot too. Taking a break like this was good for me. Helps take down a lot of the post Nutcracker trauma I've had. The only problem I've been having with doing these productions is the feeling of completion leaves me empty, just a little bit.

It reminds me a little bit of postpartum depression. You spend so many months for something to happen and then when it does its over. Its done. No more until the next time. You're suddenly not a part of something important until the next production you do. Its a little humbling to think of how reliant humans are on outside sources for comfort. In the process of this production I'm losing three students. Two of which I taught their first plie's and helped them learn how to dancer like a butterfly. I'll miss them all but I know that'd just how this job goes. I can't adopt every child who's parents found a better job. besides, children have this nasty habit of eating and I'll admit I don't eat on a regular enough schedule to maintain one right now.

Looking back 2011 was pretty rough year for me. Not a lot of catastrophic things happened, just enough to make it stressful, for months. I've successfully kept my weight at a reasonable place and I aim to keep it that way. I don't focus a lot of attention to losing weight and I don't push it on my students, but I will say that keeping my body healthy is really improving my over all attitude towards myself.

I focus a lot on eating. I love doing it. I love doing it a lot. And often. One of the problems with having an out of control metabolism as a child I suppose. Hopefully I don't lose sight of my goals this year and decided its too hard or too much to keep track of halfway through the year. If I don't take care of myself, who will?

I'll leave you with some music for your mind. -Ms Ivy

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