Terrific Tuesday Blinders

Terrific Tuesday Blinders

Most people are familiar with a horse wearing blinders (see above photo).  The blinders are designed so the horse isn’t distracted by things around him, and instead focuses only on the road straight ahead.

This is a good image for dancers.  In the classroom, it can be difficult to leave one’s problems outside and have that laser focus necessary for daily progress.  So remember the horse in today’s photo.  Dance as though you have mental blinders on and put all your effort inside the classroom and on everything that is going on during class.  Leave everything else outside.

Whenever you feel yourself being distracted, remember the horse.  It may also make you smile.

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets:

Secret #7bb:

“Take class with blinders on – concentrate only on what you need to do and ignore distractions.”

                Link of the Day:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03TDqZPdZ84

Quote of the Day:

“You simply have to put one foot in front of the other and keep going. Put blinders on and plow right ahead.”

-          George Lucas

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Marvelous Monday Ringlets

Marvelous Monday Ringlets

I have likened the sensation of turn-out to various things, like Ballet Secret 3b, involving barbershop poles.  There can never be enough images for turn-out, in my opinion, because it is so important!

Today the image involves hair.  Specifically hair with long, spiraling ringlet curls.  Think of Shirley Temple, or any movie stars from the silent film era.  These ringlets represent turn-out:  they are like the constant rotation that is initiated in the hip socket and continues through the entire length of both legs.  The ringlets, of course, curl in opposite directions, and the sensation is one of upward energy.

So the next time you are concentrating on your turn-out, imagine long, luxurious, ringlet curls.

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets:

Secret #3h:  

“Turn-out is like long ringlets in hair – a constant spiral.”

                Link of the Day:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zpqt3zgdYUw

Quote of the Day:

“The spiral in a snail's shell is the same mathematically as the spiral in the Milky Way galaxy, and it's also the same mathematically as the spirals in our DNA. It's the same ratio that you'll find in very basic music that transcends cultures all over the world.”

-          Joseph Gordon-Levitt

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Sunday Mind

Sunday Mind

Well, the picture says it all.  The things that hold us back – almost always – are only in our minds.  The trick is identifying these insidious underminers (or should that be “under-mind –ers?).

Do you compete with yourself, as we are so often told to do; or are you constantly comparing yourself and your technique to others?   Is the “self-talk” in your brain negative or positive?  How do your friends see you – as a bright, uplifting person, or one with a dark cloud overhead?  All of these things and more are the things that hold us back.

So ask yourself:  Are you like the mule in the photograph – being held back only by the ideas in your mind?  Instead, walk away and eventually the rope that ties you to the chair will break.

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets:

Motivational Secret #40:  

“Sometimes the things that hold you back are all in your mind.”

                Link of the Day:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWEK944Nn5Q

Quote of the Day:

“Being challenged in life is inevitable, being defeated is optional.”
― Roger Crawford

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Saturday Statute

Saturday Statute

It goes without saying that a dancer’s movements should always appear effortless and beautiful – like moving sculpture.  We all know how difficult (impossible?) this is, especially on a daily basis.

Today’s statute is a reminder to strive for this graceful appearance, no matter how hard it is.  With repetition comes greater facility, of course, but even in the early stages of learning a step or set of movements, constant vigilance to gracefulness must be maintained.

That’s the big difference between sports and dance.  In sports (like football) it is okay to grunt and groan and not disguise the effort.  But in the arts illusion is tantamount.  It must always appear to be so easy that anyone in the audience believes they could do it too!

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets:

Ballet Statute #20:  

“Dancing should not look like football set to music.”

                Link of the Day:

https://theskinnymirrorblog.wordpress.com/2014/08/18/requiem-for-a-pirouette/

Quote of the Day:

“Success depends almost entirely on how effectively you learn to manage the game’s two ultimate adversaries: the course and yourself.”

- Jack Nicklaus, professional golfer

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Fun Friday Flats

Fun Friday Flats

The arms in fifth en haut, or high fifth, should create the shape of an oval picture frame – not a round picture frame.  In fact, as I have discussed before, the shape of the arms is almost, but not quite straight - much straighter than most people think.

But too often the arms become droopy and the resulting line is no longer beautiful.  This is particularly true in fifth en haut, and when the arms are not fully stretched into the aforementioned picture frame they look more like a flat tire – over the head.  Not good!  No flat tires are allowed!

To avoid flat tires on the head, always stretch the arms fully, just as they are shaped in à la seconde.   The arms do not shorten simply because they are overhead!

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets:

Secret #6u:  

“The arms in fifth en haut must create an extended curve:  No flat tire fifths.”

                Link of the Day:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnRhLMxkWas

Quote of the Day:

“It’s easy to be mad at a flat tire, but that doesn’t put the spare on.”

-          Unknown

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