Cool!

The other day, I cut some old tights feet off...so I can have tights to ware if I want to just dance around in shoes! They are old cheap tights, so hopefully it will still work with my good ones as they ware out. See then I will use the top part of the tights to make cut tights to go under my leotard! For that you just cut a small hole in the crouch. And then you put your arms through the legs, and your head through the hole you cut. (the tights are then upside down) You can make them more like tanks, or leave a small or long sleeve. Here are some pictures!

Feet Tights

Cut Tights

Jump!

We took this last night!

Then after all that jumping I put these ice packs on my legs!

Wow!

This is the Winner of the Discount dance model youth contest. She is Good!!!!!!

Summer Class

Another Picture of Rachel at Balletmagnificat! She is sitting on the ground of the left. In the middle with the pointe shoes on is the founder of Balletmag! and her husband.

Today in class Rachel showed us the anatomy of muscles, bones, and the ligaments and tendons. (from a dancing perspective-she learned at BalletMagnificat!) It was kind of interesting.

Ligaments attach to bones, and tendons attach to the muscles. Something interesting was about the abs. They don't go all the way across your stomach. They stop right in the middle. Learning about the knee cap and the hip was interesting too. We talked about different kinds of body problems like sway backs, and knock knees. That sort of thing is when your knees are not lined up with your feet.
Sprains are different from strains. I can't remember exactly, but the strain is actually better, even though it stretches the ligaments that are not supposed to be stretched. Because it will eventually heal as the sprain will never get back to where it was.

One more thing... In your calf there are really two muscles, a deeper one then the outermost one. Then off of the calf muscle a tendon goes down to the foot.

Tip

I remembered something that Rachel had taught us before. When your arm is in second position, think about your arm above the elbow as rotating down. Then the lower part of the arm rotating up. Here is a picture. (girl in our studio)

You will know when you get it! You will feel it! (Ouch!)
-Sarah-

Summer Classes!

I am taking summer classes every Tuesday from Rachel. (She is the trainee from Ballet Magnificat that used to take classes at my dance studio) So Here is some Things she has given us students.


-Me on the ground, and Rachel
in the back!-
1. Any stretch over with arm one arm in fifth, you should keep your hand in fifth right above you head. For example you are at the barre, Croisé in big lunge you stretch back keeping your arm going back right above the top of your head.(arms fourth position) So if you were to look from the ceiling, you would see that you would be able to bring your arm back to first without moving your arm to place it back where it should be. Also sort of the same thinking when you stretch to the sides. Keep your hand curved and above your head.
Also when you stretch back you have the choice of head. Looking back at your hand, or looking out.



2. When you stretch over, then roll up, pull up first from your stomach. This will get your posture back in place so you don't have to do that after you have come up.

3. She had us start in fifth(feet) then relevé and go then go to sus-sou. The point was you should be so lifted that you knee shouldn't bend and place into sus-sou. It should be a strong slide over to sus-sou.


4. (At the Barre) When ever your feet are in fifth and sus-sou (I think), your head is out. When you go to the side you head is forward. To the back your head is out...you can slightly keep it forward or tilt it back toward the working foot.


5. When doing demi plies, relax everything except your stomach. Oh, dear that was new!


6. She told us to lift our sternum. She said that she always thought to lift your sternum that meant your rig cage wasn't closed. But now she knows the it doesn't mean that. I think it is a fine line...but does make a difference.

7. Your spot is your rhythm. So find our how fast the turn is and spot your head, too that. This will helps you get around.


8. When doing an Arabesque, (like in relevé) Think more of making it longer and stretched then pulling upward and scrunching together. I think this helps you get your leg higher!

I think that is all for now!
-Sarah-