Wednesday, October 31, 2018

Happy Halloween




Link of the Day:

Quote of the Day:
“First of all, it was October, a rare month for boys. Not that all months aren't rare. But one strange year, Halloween came early....”
― Ray Bradbury, Something Wicked This Way Comes & A Sound of Thunder

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Tuesday, October 30, 2018

Terminology Tuesday Cheville



Terminology Tuesday Cheville

If a dance teacher tells you to stretch your cheville, would you know what that means? (No, it’s not a style of automobile – that wouldn’t work in context anyway.)

The noun cheville (shuh-VEE-yuh) means “ankle” in French. It can also be “a thin pointed piece of metal that is hammered into materials as a fastener”. Or, the English definitions from Merriam-Webster: “1 : a redundant word or phrase used to fill out a sentence or verse. 2 : a peg of a stringed musical instrument.”

I guess this is why the word “ankle” is most commonly used in a dance class.

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets
Secret #:
“Cheville means ‘ankle’ in French.”

Link of the Day:

Quote of the Day:
“I like good strong words that mean something…”
― Louisa May Alcott, Little Women

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Monday, October 29, 2018

Mad Monday Sail



Mad Monday Sail

Last week I talked about how the body can be imagined as a ship at anchor. Today I’m continuing the nautical theme and talking about a sailing ship at sea.

Since the human rib cage is slightly wider in the back, when the ribs are correctly aligned the front part of the rib cage never pokes out, but  becomes invisible within the torso. Dancers are aware that the ribs must not poke down or out but align naturally. They should have the sensation of the back of the rib cage expanding outward, which also aids in a correct port de bras.

Therefore, the back of the rib cage can be imagined as the sails of a ship as they fill with air, propelling the craft forward. Think of the air being blown from the front, into the stomach area, up under the rib cage and out into the “sails” of the back.


From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets
Secret #1aaaa:
“Imagine the back of the ribcage as sails in the wind.”

Link of the Day:

Quote of the Day:
“Keep your hand on the helm.”
― Matthew Goldman, The Journals of Constant Waterman: Paddling, Poling, and Sailing for the Love of It

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Sunday, October 28, 2018

Halloween Week Motivation



Halloween Week Motivation

A Halloween costume party with dancers is always an experience. Their creativity is boundless and that always makes for a memorable evening.

What are you doing with your creativity this Halloween?

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets
Motivational Secret #251:
“Use your creativity this Halloween.”

Link of the Day:

Quote of the Day:
“You can't use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.”
― Maya Angelou

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Saturday, October 27, 2018

Superstitious Saturday Haunted Theater



Superstitious Saturday Haunted Theater

Halloween is almost upon us, so it seemed like a good time to visit one of the world’s most haunted theaters. Lots of theaters have ghosts, but this one is reputed to have many. It’s the St. James Theatre in Wellington, New Zealand.

The St. James Theatre was built in 1913 and was initially a silent movie house. But as time went on it showcased live theater, film, musicals and other entertainments. One ghost is purported to be “Yuri”, a Russian acrobat. It is said that he fell to his death during a performance, although some accounts say he was only injured. Regardless he is believed to be the ghost who turns lights on and off in the theater.

Another ghost is an actress who was booed offstage during a performance. She went back to her dressing room and committed suicide. Today is blamed for any bad luck(everything from sprained ankles to falls) that happen to actresses at the St. James. She is also believed to be the “wailing lady” whose cries  are often heard in the theater.

Other spirits are believed those of a boys choir that sang its final performance right before WWII. They sailed away on a ship that was never seen or heard from again. Their voices are still heard singing in the theater today.


From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets
Haunted Secret #143:
“The St. James Theater in New Zealand is one of the world’s most haunted theaters.”

Link of the Day:

Quote of the Day:
“Ghosts could walk freely tonight, without fear of the disbelief of men; for this night was haunted, and it would be an insensitive man who did not know it.”
― John Steinbeck, Tortilla Flat

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Friday, October 26, 2018

Fun Friday Bobbing Boat



Fun Friday Bobbing Boat

Yes! It is time once again for yet another postural image. Applause, applause applause!

Perhaps this past summer you had the opportunity to spend some time on the water. Maybe it was in a small boat, or maybe a larger one. Think back to the sensation of the boat being anchored close to shore on a calm, clear evening. The boat bobs gently on the waves. Ahhhh.

Now picture your postural alignment. Your head is the boat and your tailbone is the anchor. The head rests gently on the water and your spine is the chain that connects to the anchor (tailbone).


From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets
Secret #1zzz:
“Imagine a boat at anchor.”

Link of the Day:

Quote of the Day:
“To reach a port we must set sail –
Sail, not tie at anchor
Sail, not drift.”
― Franklin D. Roosevelt

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Thursday, October 25, 2018

Throwback Thursday and Gareth Jones



Throwback Thursday and Gareth Jones

In the ironic world of the performing arts, sometimes one is best remembered not for their skill as an artist but  for the manner of their death. Dancer Isadora Duncan is remembered for her art and her death, but she is an exception. A case from the theatrical world of one who is known today for his death is British actor Gareth Jones (June 6, 1925-November 30, 1958).

During the early days of television, shows were often broadcast live, and it was during a live broadcast of the Armchair Theatre play Underground on November 30, 1958, that  Jones suffered a heart attack and died. Fortunately, most accounts say he was off-camera and in between scenes at the time. However, according to actor Peter Bowles who was also in the cast:  "During transmission, a little group of us was talking on camera while awaiting the arrival of Gareth Jones's character, who had some information for us. We could see him coming up towards us, but we saw him fall. We had no idea what had happened, but he certainly wasn't coming our way."

Regardless, the remaining cast was forced to improvise – since this was a live broadcast. In yet another ironic twist, Jones’s character was supposed to suffer a heart attack during the play.


From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets
History Secret #254:
“Actor Gareth Jones is best remembered for the manner of his death.”

Link of the Day:

Quote of the Day:
“I'd rather be partly great than entirely useless.”
― Neal Shusterman, Unwind

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Wednesday, October 24, 2018

Wild Wednesday Stop Sign



Wild Wednesday Stop Sign

The most important characteristic of a plié is the fact that it is a continuous movement. It never stops. As I have said before, “a plié is a movement, not a position” (Ballet Secret 2b).

When performing a plié, think of it as a path, or road, that is continous – winding its way toward the horizon. This road has no intersections and no stop signs. None.

There aren’t any yield signs either.

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets
Secret #2hh:
“There are no stop signs on the path of a plié.”

Link of the Day:

Quote of the Day:
“Wonder is the heaviest element on the periodic table. Even a tiny fleck of it stops time.”
― Diane Ackerman

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Tuesday, October 23, 2018

Terminology Tuesday Assemblé de Suite



Terminology Tuesday Assemblé de Suite

A term of the Cecchetti school of training, assemblé de suite a-sahn-BLAY-duh sweet) is a series of assemblés that are perfomred without straightening the knees at the end of each assemblé. The term means “continuous assemblé”.

I seldom see this term used, or the step performed, today. But it is one of twenty-seven (yes, I counted them!) different assemblés listed in Gail Grant’s book “Technical Maunual and Dictionary of Classical Ballet”.

Don’t you just love ballet?!

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets
Secret 15uuu#:
“Assemble de suite is a series of assembles.”

Link of the Day:

Quote of the Day:
“You're different. And I'm different too. Different is good. But different is hard. Believe me, I know.”
― Matthew Quick, Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock

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Monday, October 22, 2018

Mad Monday Massage



Mad Monday Massage

Tendues are more than just a stretch of the ankles and/or the feet. All parts of the foot from the ankles to the toes are active, even aggressive, participants. And usually it is the toes that come up short.

Think about what it’s like to have a deep massage. Now imagine your toes massaging the floor like that. Pressing deeply downward as the foot slides out. The toes leave the floor reluctantly as the foot comes into a full stretch – and they never leave the floor completely.

Then, on the way back the process reverses. Deep tendu massage!

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets
Secret #4z:
“Imagine massaging the floor with your toes as you do tendues.”

Link of the Day:

Quote of the Day:
“Massage has had a possitive effect on every medical condition we've looked at.”
-Tiffany Field, Ph.D.


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