***Experience The Education***
Welcome to your free, MONTHLY, online connection to Ballet Class!
REMINDER: THE AILEY EXTENSION IS OPEN JULY 4TH!
We have 10:30 morning class as usual, and 3pm Holiday Ballet class!
KAT'S Class Updates for the month of July:
Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday Thru July 27th
Kat offers several quality levels of instruction in classical ballet & pointe for adult men and women at the times most convenient to you. All classes are held on a drop-in basis. Class includes the ballet barre, center work, stretching, and across the floor ballet combinations, intermixed with performance tips and personal adjustments, corrections, and coaching. Whether you are seeking a career, or dancing for fun and fitness, ballet class is a great way to tone up, increase circulation, and stay in shape. Adult Ballet students will gain the benefits of poise, grace, proper posture, and self-assurance, along with a solid foundation for all forms of dance. Adult Ballet Classes are offered for advanced beginning through advanced intermediate levels. All dancers are invited to join us! If you have never done ballet, or need basics, it is advised that you seek out a basic level class, which Kat does not teach in her current schedule, however private lessons can be arranged. kat_wildish@yahoo.com
*In the words of Ailey's inspirational Artistic Director, Judith Jamison, "If you can get yourself in the door, you can take a class!"
The Ailey Studios Location:
at the Joan Weil Center for Dance
405 W. 55th Street (at 9th Avenue)
New York, NY 10019
212-405-9500
Remember we have the long pirouette combo on Mondays, work on those wretched fouettes every Wednesday briefly! And of course our favorite Friday night adagio at the barre! Come join us for all the exciting ballet exercises to keep your body in summertime shape! *If you represent a large group, please let me know here: kat@katwildish.com or call Yvette Campbell at the Ailey extension 212-405-9017.
*Saturday & Sunday Weekend Intensive workshop classes:
Each year in June and July, we have our weekend intensives where we focus all weekend on specific aspects of your technique. So far this summer we have already covered several tips and pointers with our international arabesque weekend, studying the French, Russian, Italian and the American arabesque, including the hand (mains) placements. Also we have reviewed the positions of the arms, and upper body including the five positions of the head, our third weekend was devoted to jumps, the foot preparation (Pieds a terre, pieds a quarte, pieds a demi, pieds a trois quarts & pied a pointe) and training for maximum efficiency, allowing us to work on "beats" our fourth weekend. Everyone in the classroom did brise' en avant..what an achievement! Looking forward, we will review beats, and of course add your favorite: turns next weekend, to name just a few exciting upcoming features. We have the grandest "double wide" studios in New York City (no poles) lots of air conditioning, and plenty of room to dance our hearts out! Come join us, it's never too late to refine your technique this summer.
Saturday class is 4:30-6:pm, Sunday class is 1pm, both classes are followed, after a short break, with Pointe for an hour, if you are ready! Look under open classes-all instructors- Kat Wildish -for my complete schedule at the Ailey Extension!
*Adult Student Repertory Workshop
*WEDNESDAY nights 9:30pm rehearsals thru August 24. Sign up now. It's not too late! To register, call 212-405-9500 here at the Ailey Extension! Three months of rehearsals each Wednesday night for an hour, under the watchful eye of Kat, Royce Z, and Guest Choreographers, culminating in two performances, Yes, two this time!: 3rd Showcase Performance August 24th SUNDAY 5pm and 7:30pm 5fl. Sign up now! Our Adults, both men and women are currently learning the waltz and The Entrance Allegro from Act 1 of Swan Lake, also the dance of the lil swans from Act 2, and more each week.
(Vic DiMonda is setting a West Side Story Suite. It will be the Dance at the Gym sequence and will include Blues, The Promenade, Mambo and Cha-cha. His rehearsals will be Tues, Thurs, Sat class, Aug 5-23rd, contact Vicoftheworld@aol.com by July 21 to confirm participation)
Together, with presenting our ballet and contemporary works, we include guest artists and performers from throughout the dance world in the culmination of a unique adult dance experience only found here at the Ailey Extension! Join us now, don't miss another week of rehearsals! In September, starting the 8th we will go back to Monday nights for our Sunday November 23rd performances just before our Thanksgiving holiday!
Coming up next Month:
*August 1-17 is Vladamir 's vacation so look for guest accompanists during that time
*August 5&7 (3 days) Kat guest teaches in Chester, NJ
*August 12-15 (4 days) Kat guest teaches in Oneonta, NY
*August 23 (NYC) Kat guest teaches at DanzSynergy Workshop, NYC
*August 28-September 6 (8 days) Kat guest teaches in Alaska
*Your Special Guest teacher Jeanette Hoffman (Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo Alumni) will be teaching morning 10:30 classes, when Kat is out of town! If you have ever taken her class you will want to attend, and if you haven't... you have no idea what you've missed!
*September 1 Labor Day NO CLASSES Rest your body!
*September 8th we'll start Monday Rehearsals for next student workshop
*October 31 Friday 7:30 will be our Halloween class with judges and prizes...plan your costumes now!
A Word (or more) from Kat
1. Okay It's summer time in the city. Here is one of my projects for the summer: collecting your headshots & websites. Yeah! Help me out. Sometimes someone will ask, "Do you have a tall blond guy for a part in Mid-summer Night's Dream?" "Oh Oh Kat, you know who I'm talking about, the girl with the brown hair?" Yeah right! Like I remember 1200 students names when I get home! Click here and create a quick, free account to upload your picture and website. That way we can get to know each other's names and I don't have to call you by other names! Thanks!
2. Drink lotza water and rest when you can. Seems like hordes of tourists are here visiting. Try and be nice - they really don't know how hard it is to survive here. Just smile!
3. I know sometimes we are late. Just chill when you enter the studio. Once you have arrived everything will be okay. Enjoy this time…remember how cold it can get.
4. Also, yes I know the floors are a bit hard. Believe me, I feel it also. I have mentioned it. Maybe your voices are better heard upstairs - you can please address your concerns to our Director Yvette Campbell and/or her assistant Gina. Not sure what can be done. Maybe it's only the ballet department who feel it. In any case, I don't want to cut out the grand allegro portion of our classes. Please put your feet up when you get home and treat yourself to a massage now and again.
5. I just want to let you know that due to the Ailey school and the main company's attendance in the building, our Monday, Wednesday, and Friday morning ballet classes through the end of July 2008 will be held in studio LLB with the exception of July 4 (as studios are available). In August the morning classes will be held in Studio 1C.
6. Update on our Spring 2009 Hawaii Ballet classes…Adesina S. is currently hunting down reasonable air flights in mid- May 2009 for a minimum of twenty of us to travel to the Big Island for two weeks for classes and fun. Once that's done I'll pretty much have a complete package to offer up for you!
7.Happy Birthday this month JULY to My Husband Arthur C., June I., Emily W., Jackie D., Frank DLP., Janet H., Georgia E., Alex O., and Taylor G. Let me know when your b'day is!
All my best wishes, Kat!
ONGOING CLASS UPDATES
Kat's regular teaching schedule is here. Bookmark it so you don't forget. Go here to download a printable Ailey Extension Schedule!
Classroom Confidential: TMI and Honorable Mentions
Visit here for all the events and special activities commemorating Ailey's 50th Anniversary!...Laura G. is in Colorado doing West Side Story and really misses classes here! She will be back mid-August, and look for her performing in the August 24th Student showcase in a new piece conceived and created by Paula T.…Although we haven't seen Miguel A. in over a year at barre, he should been in this summer…Jessica B. aka MONA shares her jumpin nephew…Gretchen D. says we'll be thrilled to hear how useful "the dolphin"(June stretch o' the month) is in maintenance of good form in push-ups & lawn-mowing…This years' Broadway BARES featured special performances by NATEkid, who showcased his unique fusion of hip-hop and jazz in a number inspired by "The Walrus & The Carpenter." Also appearing very hot: Ronnie N., Mathew Z. (Congratz on 88%), James T. and Adam. Here are pics from two sold out shows of Broadway Bares at Roseland. They raised $874,372 for BROADWAY CARES/ EQUITY FIGHTS AIDS!…Deborah G. just spent 2.5 weeks in the UK and Glasgow where she got sunburned -ouchie- and followed the Liza tour. Welcome back!...Professor Yuka K. has been invited by a Japanese music university to be in Japan, Aug 13 through Sep 22. as a professor! They want her to choreograph a party scene for the "Sound of Music" and give them some workshop classes! Excellent!...Noah A. is currently up at North Shore Music Theatre in Beverly, MA (about 30 minutes north of Boston) and just finished a production of The Producers and now he's doing Contact. He will be back this month. Look for him in class…Marcela N., one of our new friends from Brazil, will be back to visit us again this month…Amber P. has just booked a feature film that will be shooting off and on during August…Taylor G. went away for a weekend to this Dance Critics Conference in Washington, DC…Cree M., what are you doing on this "Goth" cruise?…American Ballet Theatre: School of Ballet & the participants of ABT's first Alumni Training Intensive in February, including Kat…Jack K. got an extra (yes, they call um "supers") part in La Bay. Enjoy!...This summer Ashley C. is working on a movie written and directed by Ed Ronin, and will be choreographing one of the scenes…A little "coucou" from Lyon, France, Valerie C. passed her exams and has become a beginning Jazz teacher there. Also Mylana A. passed her exams here to become a certified personal trainer. Kudos to both of you!...Sofia D. has been in South America on business for three weeks. Welcome back!...Coco #2 graduated from Columbia Journalism School with Honors and is doing a full-time internship, so we may not see her as often in class this summer…Yuki first came to our class three years ago. She will be here visiting from Japan again towards the end of the month, so please welcome her back…Regina & Marina say hello from Italy…Laura W., director of Octavia Cup Dance Theatre has a clip on youtube here…Alec aka Andrea T,, how is your ankle doing?...Where is Dennis M.? Did he get lost in a Rocky Mountain High? Yes, and should return soon with pictures to share…Kate B. has been in the south of France for a year and will be back to join us all summer!...Pierre Z., how are you? Where are you, frogman?...Noriko O., how's that knee? Check in please….Chris D. aka Jimmy Bear is understudying and playing an Inquisition Guard in Man of Lamancha. The show runs June 26 through August 3 at the John W. Engeman Theater in Northport, NY…Christina *bambi* J. is doing a summer intensive at the Martha Graham School...Hillary R. has been living in the rural Northern island of Japan for almost 1 year now. See class pictures. She'll be back in the US in August and living in Philadelphia, working for a theatre company there. Any recommendations for dance classes in there for the days she can't make it to NY?...Yasmine L. has a ten minute play being performed as part of a festival Fri July 18th, 7pm!
Got something you want to contribute? Tell Taylor in class, or drop us a line at the the Web site before the last week of the month & we'll do our best to fit you in!
Tony @ Circular Power.
Andros on Ballet: Check out Mr. A's website full of ballet history and witty insights on ballet. Mr. A is a dear friend, teacher and mentor to Kat. He has the answers to all those ballet questions we ALL need tutu know.
Hints by David Howard: Understanding the problem of bowlegs
Quote of the month:
"You cannot do a kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late."
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
Taylor's Tales
A column by our webmaster, Taylor.
DCA in DC: Dance Critics
This past month I decided to join and attend the Dance Critics Association (DCA) annual conference in Washington, DC even though I'm a far cry from the established writers usually in attendance. It was perhaps one of the most insightful, educational, inspiring, and stimulating weekends of my budding career.
I arrived in DC just early enough to catch the beginning of the conference. After receiving my registration information, I walked to find a seat for the welcome and first panel discussion. It was held at The Kennedy Center, Washington's big, beautiful theater that houses companies like Suzanne Farrell Ballet, The Kirov, ABT, Joffrey, and others when they tour. It is huge!
Inside there were about 80 seats set up for the audience and a single long table in front for panelists to sit at, complete with skinny microphones at each seat that reminded me of the kind old TV game show hosts held on those dated episodes you see reruns of.
The people who may have been kids watching those shows in real time made up the majority of the audience. The first thing I noticed was that I was the youngest one there – by at least 30 years. I had to laugh to myself as I took a seat in the last row in the corner trying simultaneously to be inconspicuous and to pay respect to those who have been writing about dance for so long.
There was a lot of chatter as I flipped through the schedule and presenter biographies. Eavesdropping was no option – there was too much going on. As I read through the packet listing who would speak over the weekend (Alastair Macaulay & John Rockwell of the NY Times, Laura Jacobs of Vanity Fair…) I looked around in excitement, wondering which faced belonged to which name I so admire in print…
…Continue reading here.
Kat's Monthly Mailbag
Hi Ms. Wildish, I am interested in taking your Open Pointe classes at Alvin Ailey Extension on Saturdays and Sundays. I have only taken two pointe classes before, though. May I ask what level the pointe classes are, and the structure/exercises of your classes? Thanks very much, C.
Dear C., Pointe classes are an OPEN level, meaning that we all work out together at all levels. It's always advisable to take a proper ballet class prior to attending pointe class, so that your body is completely warmed up and ready to lift your entire weight up on a few tips of your toes. It is completely fine and ultimately advisable to attend pointe class without pointe shoes first and for a while, to get to know the excercises and develop your strengths. Many of the beginning pointe students, including our men, take class in soft shoes to develop proper foot alignment and confidence. It's also very important to wear the
correct shoes and tie them on professionally and properly. I'll be able to assist you in that process, as we work together. My best wishes, Kat.
Dear Kat: Thank you very much for the newsletter! It's very informative and provides a wide spectrum of your professional activities, which amazes me in addition to what I've known about you already. I admire your humanism and endless willingness to give and share your knowledge and skills! Will you still have weekend ballet classes after the workshop series completion? On Thursday, what time is available for private lessons? I still would like to explore options for your privates. It's such a pleasure of meeting you, Kat! I'll see you on the weekend. O.
Dear O, Thanks for your lovely email. We will continue Saturday classes throughout the year, however Sunday classes are just special for June and July. My private lessons are currently scheduled: Thursdays from 3pm thru 9pm at the conveniently located Circular Power studios 850 7th Ave. (between 54th and 55th) Suite 305 NYC. In August I will once again have Sunday times available for private lessons also. All my best wishes, Kat
Dear Kat, I hope you are getting all kinds of emails today of praise and thanks for yesterday's wonderful culmination of the latest Repertory Workshop…It has been an amazing experience--the learning, the rehearsal process, the new exposure to partnering, the performance tips and tactics from you and the other pros, and of course the exhilarating, exhausting experience of the performance itself. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to learn and express ourselves in this even more expansive way. T.
Dear T, It is my great joy and pleasure to be able to pass along the tips of the trade to such an eager and receptive group of dancers.
And Finally...
Re've'rence:
*Cyd Charisse…Trained as a ballerina in the Russian tradition.
* Kermit Love, Costume Creator, the costume designer for some of ballet's most renowned choreographers.
*If you no longer care to receive this monthly newsletter, please just let me know and I'll remove you from the list. Anything else you wanna let me know, just email me at kat_wildish@yahoo.com. Thanks, and drink lotz o' water!
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Casting Call: Hot Auditions and Gigs Here
*Playbill On-Line's Casting and Job Listings
*Dance NYC audition listings
*Backstage Casting listings
*FOX's NEW GAME SHOW "Hole In The Wall"! Looking for groups of 3 of each category and have castings in both NY and LA. Please click on the YouTube to see how the game is played... contact Chelsey Stephens CastReality@gmail.com
Kat's Klassifieds
This is a new section of the newsletter, we need to add for your classmates offering/needing services. Please note, these are not reccomendations just announcements:
*Adele is seeking a rental on the UWS 50's - 111th street. I'm looking around the $1100 range and am open to a share. I'm a working professional, non-smoker, easy going roommate. Or if anyone is renting their apt (not a share situation), that would be great too. My e-mail address is adysai@gmail.com
*Thomas Victor is now a certified Ear Acupuncturist along with his other excellent massage techniques. Mention this newsletter, and get an additional discount throughout the summer!
*Dancers Responding to Aids: When AIDS is stopped we will dance for joy. Until then we will dance for Life! Become a dancer responding with action. Make a difference, a donation of as little as one dollar can make a difference in a dancers life. For more info and to make a secure online donation visitwww.dradance.org
*Tis the season for bathing suits and getting into shape!...thus, Erin is looking for more students for Pilates lessons! Please pass the word on, whether or not you are interested. What she charges is minimal, and you'll look and feel great! Erin Ginn 423-361-2066
*Summertime Special @ Circular Power Inc. Intro Gyrotonic session ONLY $65, Please call or e-mail to make appointment, 917 849 8569 info@circularpower.com and mention this newsletter! Please note Kat trains at this location 3hours min. per week, plus conducts most all her private coaching sessions here.
*Sophia Robbins is a headshot photographer and offering summer discounts (%20 percent off), mention this newsletter. 1650 Broadway, suite 407,(917) 513-0585.
*General Yoga, Hatha Yoga, Vinyasa Yoga, Renee Veneziale
Ballerina of the Month: Cyd Charisse
Cyd Charisse was born 8 March 1921, to be a dancer. Her Birth Name Tula Ellice Finklea. Grew up in the Texas dust-bowl town of Amarillo. Her Baptist jeweler father, a closet balletomane, encouraged her in early childhood to begin ballet lessons for health reasons, she was frail and sickly at the time and had a bout with polio She joined the Ballet Russe at 13. In 1939 she married Nico Charise, her ex-dance teacher while still a teenager. She danced with the Ballet Russe using the names Natacha Tulaelis, Celia Siderova and Maria Istromena.. Took the exotic first name "Cyd," from a nickname originated from her brother. Initially he could not say sister and called her Sid. She took the nickname and convinced her agent to keep the name with the present spelling. He feared that Sid was too masculine. Although one of the greatest female dancers in the history of the movie musical, her singing in films was almost always dubbed. Got her start in Hollywood when Ballet Russe star David Lichine was hired by Columbia for a ballet sequence in the musical film Something to Shout About (1943). Cyd, who was then billed as Lily Norwood, appeared in the scene and attracted attention. Movie offers, including a dancing role opposite Astaire in Ziegfeld Follies (1946), led to a seven-year contract offer by MGM. In 1952 she had a $5-million insurance policy accepted on her legs, her Star-making role came in that same year, 1952's Singin' in the Rain opposite Gene Kelly in the sensational "Broadway Melody" production number. Height 5' 7½".Measurements: 34 1/2B-22-37 (in 1953). She retired from dancing in the late 1950s to become a straight actress. She was featured in the 2001 Guinness Book of World Records under "Most Valuable Legs" She was awarded America's highest artistic honour, the National Medal of the Arts + Humanties , in 2006 by the National Endowment of the Arts in Washington D.C. for her services to dance.
Beloved actress/dancer Cyd Charisse reportedly suffered a heart attack and died June 17th, 2008 in a Los Angeles hospital .She is survived by her second husband singer, Tony Martin for whom she was married to for 60 years and her two sons.
* Official site
* Legs, a tribute * Profile
* Famous Texans
* Photographs and bibliography
* Hillside Memorial Park
* NY Times
* The Cyd Charisse Appreciation Page
* Cyd wallpaper
*In "Party Girl", SILK STOCKINGS, 'Meet me in Las Vegas' with Ricardo Montalban, WOW! Band Wagon - Dancing In The Dark My favorite scene-Kat! Singin in the rain w/ Gene Kelly, Tango with Montalban, WOW! performs Santiago R.I.P. CYD!
Read all about each month's ballerina here for all archives.
Performance Corner: Catch Your Fellow Students and More
*FIRE ISLAND DANCE FESTIVAL FOURTEEN
JULY 19 & 20, 2008 SATURDAY 5PM & 7PM PERFORMANCES EMCEED BY WHOOPI GOLDBERG The Fire Island Dance Festival is DRA's signature event and one of the most memorable events of the season in the beautiful Fire Island Pines. The Festival has grown exponentially over the past 13 years raising over $1.3 million for DRA! Together we make a difference in dancers lives!
COMPANIES SCHEDULED TO PERFORM*:
ALVIN AILEY AMERICAN DANCE THEATER
ATLANTA BALLET WORLD PREMIERE
BALLET HISPANICO WORLD PREMIERE
JERMAINE BROWN WORLD PREMIERE
ELLIS WOOD DANCE WORLD PREMIERE
VERNARD J. GILMORE WORLD PREMIERE
JACOBY & PRONK
JENNIFER MULLER | THE WORKS
PARSONS DANCE WORLD PREMIERE
RASTA THOMAS AND BAD BOYS OF DANCE
(CHOREOGRAPHED BY JERRY MITCHELL) WORLD PREMIERE
JASON SAMUELS SMITH
*program subject to change.
WATCH THE FIRE ISLAND DANCE FESTIVAL FOURTEEN PROMO VIDEO. To make a donation, or learn more about DRA's programs and events, visit us on the web – http://www.dradance.org/
*Chris D. aka "Jimmy Bear" is understudying and playing an Inquisition Guard in Man of Lamancha. The show runs June 26 through August 3 at theJohn W. Engeman Theater in Northport, NY. For dates, times and ticket info go here.
*Tickets for the 2008 Jacob's Pillow season are on sale. The festival runs June 14 to August 24 in Becket, Massachusetts, and features performances on three stages, interviews with artists, film showings, exhibits, classes and more. This year's lineup includes Alonzo King's LINES Ballet, Lar Lubovitch Dance Company, Keigwin + Company and Trey McIntyre Project. Info here
* American Ballet Theater Metropolitan Opera House NOW thru July 12th. 150 W. 65th Street, New York, NY,
*2008 Vail International Dance Festival July 27 - August 10, 2008
The Festival presents a fantastic array of dance: from Paul Taylor Dance Company to Morphoses/The Wheeldon Company, from Pacific Northwest Ballet to Noche Flamenca, from Keigwin + Company to Buckets and Tap Shoes, and from the brilliant stars of the International Evenings to the thrilling champions of Ballroom's Best.
*HBO Bryant Park Summer Film Festival Mon. nights through Aug. 18; Park opens at 5 p.m. for picnicking, films start at dusk (8-9 p.m.)
*If you have performance info you wanna share with your fellow classmates, please send it to kat_wildish@yahoo.com.
Fun Stuff: Take a Break and Enjoy
*CLASS PICTURES : FUN PICTURES MANY HAVE BEEN ASKING ABOUT be sure to scroll down. Also pictures from our 2nd showcase performance June 1 here
*JEANETTE HOFFMAN SUBMITS: Did you think US people invented Break Dance? This video shows Russian people invented it half a century ago.
*Kad says: CHECK THESE potato Salad GIRLS OUT
*Arthur's Dad Rob shares this interesting HUMAN CLOCK
*The first-ever board game for dancers-waltzing its way into your living room this summer: DANCE-OPOLY is the new property trading game with a dance twist and the first and only board game based on the world of professional dance. The game is created especially for dance aficionados, teachers, choreographers, competition and convention dancers, parents and grandparents.
*Recycling Magazines is Excellent
*Before Peter Pan, the term "Never-Never Land" referred to uninhabited regions of Australia.
* Remembering Alvin Ailey: Through the Eyes of Dana Hash-Campbell
THIS MONTH IN DANCE HISTORY
Read all about each month's ballet history here for all archives. July History here.
BALLET TERMS
Echappe:Escaping or slipping movement. An echappe is a level opening of both feet from a closed to an open position. There are 2 kinds of echappes: echappe saute, which is done with a spring from the fifth position and finishes in a demi-plie in the open position, and echappe sur les pointes, or demi-pointes, which is done with a releve and has straight knees when in the open position. In each case echappes are done to the second or fourth position, both feet traveling an equal distance from the original center of gravity. (these excerpts were taken from Gail Grant's Technical Manual of Classical Ballet, a great reference tool for your ballet studies).
*Clinton Luckett (currently ballet Master @ ABT) demonstrating échappé sauté
*Abigail Mentzer (Pennsylvania Ballet) demonstrating echappe sur les pointes
Shopping Deals:
*Check out Bloch's Pro Arch: The Pro Arch #SO271 is a split sole canvas ballet flat that allows the dancer to experience the freedom of wearing nothing on their feet and still feel protected. The fine mesh inserts in the arch, hug the foot creating a beautiful line and allow the foot to breathe.
* Danny's Warehouse News: He just received a small delivery from a new vendor called Nae and Audie. They were featured on daily candy, and even Oprah. The line is not so much dancewear as yoga/lounge/sleep wear. It is soft, sexy and scrumptious!
*Halloween Costumes?: Everything 50% off use code #OFF50 shop now for Halloween class Friday night this year, be ready!
Weekly Tips: Stretching, Pointe, Health, & More
*Stretch-o-da-Month: July 2008: Downward-facing dog. One of the most widely recognized yoga poses...an all-over, rejuvenating stretch, Stretches the shoulders, upper back, hamstrings, calves, arches, and hands. When learning this pose, your focus needs to be on proper alignment. Added guidance (& visualization) of sliding shoulder blades toward one another & down the back, plus 'melting the heart' towards the front of chest, and rotating the triceps inwardly, seem to aid in lengthening the spine to heels. Your weight should be evenly distributed through your hands and feet, your hips (or pubis bone) lifted high and your head in line with the rest of the upper torso.
*Pointe Shoe Tip 'o the Week:
:
Emily Steel, the reporter for the Wall Street Journal, was horrified by what she saw with some girls teaching themselves pointe via videos on You Tube, and so am I. Don't attempt to teach yourself to sky dive or dance on pointe. Come and take pointe class in soft ballet slippers, learn the excercises to get your feet strong. Learn from a pro before you jump out of a plane. Jeeze!
*Health:
*Open your shoulders with a 20-minute yoga video
*Nutritional yeast. At its core, a favorite condiment is great for your health since it packs necessary B-vitamins and satisfies your salt-tooth without too much sodium. Its cheesy, nutty flavor tastes great in soups and stir-fry dishes, and on salads, garlic bread, and yep, popcorn.
*Harkness Center for Dance Injuries is offering FREE Injury Prevention Assessments. Call for an appointment 212 598-6022
*The Dancers Resource, providing emotional, educational and emergency financial support to professional dancers facing health problems or injuries. For additional information directly contact The Dancers Resource call The Actors Fund 212 221-7300 ext 119 or intakeny@actorsfund.org
*Cramp control methods:
Exercise - it improves blood and oxygen circulation, including through the pelvis, and releases feel-good endorphins.
Get a Massage - massage therapists can target your cramps to ease the tension.
Avoid Caffeine - it constricts blood vessels and increases tension.
Eat Less Dairy and Meat - antibiotics we add to certain foods may make cramps worse.
Spice with Cayenne - cayenne pepper also improves blood circulation.
Drink water!
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