What company performs your personal favorite version of The Nutcracker? 

(Source: theballetblog)

What role(s) are you in The Nutcracker this year? 

I’m Dew Drop Fairy and Arabian Coffee
…and possibly Clara’s mom depending on if more adults are needed

(Source: theballetblog)

What songs make you sad? 

Songs that make me the saddest

I’ll be seein you by Billie Holiday
Ladder Song by Bright Eyes
The Sea by Corinne Bailey Rae
Ballad of a Paralysed Citizen by The Faint
Never is a Promise by Fiona Apple
People on the mountain, people of the sea by Jupiter One
Ghosts of a Future Lost by Clint Mansell
What he wrote by Laura Marling
Obsessions by Marina and the diamonds
Little Motel by Modest Mouse
Gravity Rides Everything by Modest Mouse
Oh, Comely by Neutral Milk Hotel
Split Needles by The Shins
The sound of silence by Simon and Garfunkel
Set Fire to the third bar by Snow Patrol
Any Other Name by Thomas Newman

By Regina Spektor:

Ode to Divorce
School is Out
Field Below
The Noise
Firewood
Hero

(Source: theballetblog)

The answer to the “is it too late to dance professionally?” question 

Professional dancers spend an extraordinary amount of time and childhood focusing on their chosen profession. Though they do have lives outside of dance, the day to day life of someone working toward a professional dance career revolves around dancing. If you want to dance at a professional level, you need to pursue it at a professional level.

What does it mean to pursue dance at a professional level?

It can mean a lot of things but this covers it in a general way:

• Rigorous, daily practice and attention dedicated to your art form.
• Continual training and sometimes cross-training to keep you in top physical form.
• Constant assessment of where you are in relationship to where you want to be.
• Focused seeking of experiences that will extend and improve what you have to offer as a dancer.
• Regular quenching of the thirst to see and understand the field and how others approach their art form.

A dose of reality

I am a firm believer that people DO have the power to achieve what they set their mind to.

Setting the mind to something is more than just thinking on it, though! And in dance, more than the mind is involved. The body plays a pretty big role and requires frequent tending to remain equipped for high-level dancing. I believe in dreaming big but your dreams will stay dreams without real action propelling them.

The field of dance is highly competitive. Be realistic.

It does not matter what kind of dance you are pursuing, either. But ballet holds some of the more stringent expectations of dancers but in every situation. Starting ballet at even age 10 and becomming a professional is considered an amazing feat! Like it or not, your dreams won’t happen without getting serious and setting some serious goals. There are no exceptions to this rule, no way around it, no shortcuts.

“‘Just do it’ can be excellent advice. If you wonder whether you could write a book or run a marathon, don’t waste a minute calculating your chances. Instead, spend an hour a day on your dream.”

Every moment you waste calculating your chances, asking, or even wondering if it’s possible to have a career or live your dance dream is a moment not spent on making it happen. JUST DO IT.

And remember, nothing should ever stop you from just dancing just for fun and exercise! People at any age can start ballet or any other form of dance for its many joys and health benefits. Source

(Source: theballetblog)

Different Ballerinas Perform Giselle’s Mad/Death Scene 

Alina Cojocaru
Natalia Bessmertnova
Natalia Makarova
Carla Fracci
Natalia Osipova
Alessandra Ferri
Laetitia Pujol
Polina Semionova
Olesya Novikova
Anette Delgado
Galina Ulanova
Fernanda Oliveira
Elena Nikolaeva
Nadezhda Gracheva
Laura Valentin
Alicia Alonso
Svetlana Zakharova
Evgenia Obraztsova
Lopatkina Kurkov
Natalia Osipova

Which interpretation is your favorite?

(Source: theballetblg)

Does anyone have any good links/videos/articles/games/ideas for teaching young ballet classes? 

I am teaching 3 pre-ballet classes (45 min)
1 class for 4-5 year olds and another for 6 year olds. (1 hour)

I have some ideas & plans but I need more. Clever ways to teach technique and the basics while making it fun. Anything?

Which ballerina’s interpretation of the Giselle mad scene is your favorite?  

(Source: theballetblog)

I studied ballet as a child and stopped for several years. Now that I am a young adult can I still become a professional dancer? 

Individual bodies and circumstances are different so there is no one simple answer. In general, continuous study from childhood through the teenage years is necessary to mold muscles, secure the necessary technique and strength, and acquire the movement qualities of a classical dancer. Previous training might allow someone to catch up more quickly in class upon their return to professional study. Other forms of dance, outside ballet, might also remain as possible options to pursue.
From NYCB’s Website

(Source: theballetblog)

so this new girl in my dance company came in last month and last week i got the solo all the girls on point wanted and then yesterday i found out the bitch took my solo. is it me or do i have every right to be pissed off i have been working at this for months to get this part . what do i do to get it back 

I’m guessing this is a studio company? First off, it’s not her fault it was taken away from you and given to her so place the blame where it should be. You need to talk to whoever was in charge of the decision in a private & professional manner and tell them how excited you were to receive the part (and how hard you worked!) and then how crushed you were when it was taken away. Then ask them why it was given away after you were told it was yours. Casting is always a very difficult decision to make for those in charge and there is often controversy about those choices made. The rules and expectations of a company and a studio is very different from those at a professional company. I do see the decision as not fair at a studio because you pay them but in the professional dance world this can happen because it is simply a business decision and you are an employee. At a studio however, you do have a right to be told why this happened and you can always choose to bring your talents somewhere else. I hope everything works out. Keep dancing!

I NEED ADVICE!! What can I do to stop my pointe shoes from coming off while I dance. PLEASE NEED HELP! 

You need to get re-fit. Your shoes do not fit you correctly, pointe shoes should fit snug like gloves with your toes lying flat and the tip of your longest toe touching the end of the box when standing. When on full pointe you should only be able to pinch about 1/2 of an inch of material (satin) on your heel. When you have shoes that fit correctly, I recommend sewing a criss cross elastic with the elastic at the very back of your heel (to truly keep your shoe up and on) stretch to where your ribbon should be (right at the start of your arch). This will pull she shoe not only on the back of your heel but also pull the ribbon and shoe up into your arch giving a pretty and form fitting line. (three quartering the shank helps this too) You can also put rosin on your tights where the heel meets the shoe. They even make inserts that you stick on the back of your shoe that make the shoe grip to your tights. (Heel Grippers by Gaynor Minden) Good luck!!!

who is your absolute favorite dancer and why? 

Marianela Nunez. She is flawless in my eyes. When she dances I feel like I know her. It’s so unreal. You can feel her passion and see her soul. Her stage presence is just so natural. And her musicality. And her facial expressions when she dances. And her smile is so beautiful and she’s also so sweet. I feel like I could be friends with her. Her balance and technique and grace are unmatched. Sure, she has gorgeous legs and exstension but she doesn’t use it in a “gymnast” type way like many russian ballerinas do. She is very controlled and has gorgeous lines. She’s everything I could want in a ballerina, athlete, artist and human being! You can check her out here http://theballetblog.tumblr.com/tagged/marianela_nunez/

What’s your favorite kind of canvas ballet flat shoe? Also, do you know what kind of ballet flats/brand these shoes are? 

Complete the sentence. When I dance (or watch) ballet I feel… ? 

(Source: theballetblog)

Has a ballet or a ballet piece ever made you cry? If so, which one(s)? 

(Source: theballetblog)