Prix de Lausanne 2012!!!

  The Prix has started! Looking forward to video blogs and pictures. As I watch those dancer stretch and rehearse, I wonder, if I get the chance will I make it? Even just to the semi-finals?

I want too...

Turnout 101

  My dear reader Thea asked me about turnout in school yesterday... This is for you :)

What is turnout?
  Turnout is the action of turning the hips outward causing the knees and feet to follow.This rotation allows greater extension of the leg, especially when raising it to the side and back. Turnout is the basis on which all ballet movement follows.

Why do dancers need to turnout?
 As mentioned in the previous answer it allows the dancer to lift his or her leg higher in the side and back. One of my teachers also said that it is more stable compared to turn-in (the opposite of turnout). Some dancers will anterior pelvic tilt (stick the behind out)because this allows lateral hip rotation to occur more easily. This will however, affect the dancer's posture, since it requires the back to arch to remain upright.


What will happened if a dancer does not turnout?
  Based on experience dancers who don't turnout get a good reprimanding from their teacher :) Dancers who don't turn out properly or force the turnout carry a greater risk of injury, especially to the knee. They'r feet also tend to "roll forward." Although weight should be mostly on the big toe when dancing, rolling forward is incorrect. Turning -in will also cause the dancer to use the front quadriceps muscle to lift his or her leg instead of the ideal under-thigh (hamstring) muscle.


Some things to remember when turning-out:

• Turnout starts from the hips, NOT the knees or feet.
• Lift the arches.
• Don't force the feet out.
• Don't push the pelvis to the front.
• Don't lean back.
• Straighten the knees.
• Lift up...

This is just one part of dancing Ballet, Pull-up is another matter entirely! :D


Sources: Wikipedia, personal knowledge ^_^

Dahon: Ikalawang Galaw

ATTENTION PLEASE! ^_^  

Agnes Locsin's "Dahon: Ikalawang Galaw" Will be showing in the Locsin Dance Workshop on Febuary 10, 11, and 12, Starring Georgette Sanchez. More about the piece HERE.

* * *

Teacher Agnes

  I now get why there are nets with leaves on our classroom ceiling. Props for "Dahon" :D
  It was a freezing, unusual-Davao-weather-day today!!! Wore warmers to school and Ballet. I don't like dancing with cold calves... I don't know if it's possible or connected, but my legs hurt when I stretch cold muscles :| I read that they need to be warm... But maybe I was just influenced by that information :P

  We learned our entrance for "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and Teacher Agnes is slowly adding. little by little. I'm curious about my pointe number with fellow pointe starter, Christine... It was so cute today when we wore similar outfits, each with dashes of our personalities. Christine, lady-like and sweet, Me, boyish and laid back.
  So excited to watch "Dahon"!!!

Eating...

  This afternoon, Mom finally had Ashley’s shoulders checked. They are crooked, we notice and I thought it might be scoliosis. But I’m not a doctor.

  We went to Dr. Ritchie Madayag, a sports therapist. I went to him last year when my foot and back started hurting. It was he who explained to me, thoroughly, that I had chronic tendinitis on my left foot.

  While Mom and Ash were in the clinic, I bought food for my younger siblings, Nic and Allegra. I bought just enough for the two little ones, but Nic, being in a bad mood, had eaten a lot.

  I was snacking on the sight of them.

  Mom asked me what I was going to eat. In a sort of freaking out voice, I told her I didn't want to eat anything.

  This is not the first time this"food anger" happened. I noticed that when I'm stressed or pressured I start seeing food as an enemy. Other people eat when their stressed but me, I get more stressed eating and I start counting my food O.o When I don't eat in times of stress I also get so proud of my self-control that I totally lose it when someone offers me food. This behavior is particular to my immediate family:

ME:Not eating anything while everybody else is. Proud of my self control. Tired of today.

SOMEBODY:Do you want some?

ME:Totally irked and defensive No, I don't want some! I don't want to eat, I'm not hungry!

S:OK :|

  Maybe it's not as bad as I think. Maybe my voice just sounds that way to me but not to others. Just observed it....

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Autograph?

  This afternoon I gathered my courage and asked Georgette Sanchez for an autograph:

           Dearest Amber,

It's nice to see someone who enjoys dancing. May 

you always have that glow in you and that determination 

to achieve your dreams... always believe in yourself, 

always have the patience to learn from other people.

I wish you all the best.

                               Love, 

                                     Georgette

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Just A Thought...

Georgette Sanchez in Encatada

  Georgette Sanchez did not take class with us this morning. But she watched our Gershwin piece which we will be dancing again for the next recital alongside "A Midsummer Night's". Teacher Agnes explained that our recital will be just be based on "A Midsummer Night's". We will wear more modern costumes. No tutus.
  I have to work on Gershwin. Will keep watching the videos and take note of my mistakes... This morning before class started, I was walking up the stairs in my pointe shoes and I stubbed my toe on the step >_< No dead nails though...
  Ate Gorgette/ Ms. Sanchez (that awkward moment when you don't know what to call an older person O.o) will be teaching on Monday, Chinese New Year (red leotard opportunity XP). But I think it's Ballet 4 not 3 :| I found this article about her very interesting: Mindanao Times; Lifestyle, Dancing leaves
  I suddenly, for some reason I don't know, thought of myself as Georgette Sanchez for a while. You know, kind of like put myself in her shoes, and I thought that if I'm like an adult already, and I'd read my past blog entries, I'd probably cry :')... Just a though...

Do It Like a Prima

Katrina {the memory card} and Dianne {pretty feet} 

  Today, at school, we played  Tigso. It's a super fun game wherein there are two bases. The two teams on each base try to take prisoners from each other. To save the prisoners, a player on the prisoners' team has to tag them.The game gets reset when a player from one team gets to the base of the other (like a home run). In order to reach the person saving us when were prisoner, we split. I always get taken as prisoner so I get many chances at splitting XD the younger children saw me and said "Ate Amber, teach us how to split!"

Georgette Sanchez

  Georgette Sanchez was in Locsin's today. She's taking class with the Ballet 4. Gosh I hope she'll be in the combined class on Saturday. For a moment I wanted to ask for an autograph... but I'm a bit shy. At first I didn't even know it was her until my mom said. I just heard Teacher Agnes say something about her being able to attend class.

   Tr. Agnes went up to Mom and said I improved. :D EEE!!!!! ^_^

 On Monday, we had a fun time taking pictures after class. This was a funny one... Nina on the left in blue, Me in orange, (from back to front) Christine, Louise, and Lian =D

Ballet Chuck's

  I got pretty bored changing my shoelaces form black to white and back, so I decided to give it a balletic spin. I'm proud of the results!

  This morning, I woke up at seven but I didn't get out till 30 minutes after. Ate breakfast as quickly as possible and left the house. It was one of those cold, rainy, grey days.We had a one hour pointe class followed by a regular class. I felt very shaky. My classmate said it might be the sugar I ate for breakfast :| My toenails hurt now... I remember, I forgot to trim them :( No blisters to show off though :P None in a long time...
  Were doing "A Midsummer Night's Dream" for our next recital. So excited! Beginners on pointe are going to dance a short number, the rest of the show will be on soft shoes :D
  Lots of dancers opt not to watch videos of whatever role their dancing so that they won't get 'influenced'.
  We did "A Midsummer" in the first quarter of school for English. We had to role play a scene from it and it was HILARIOUS!

Pull Up, Check!

Vintage Coke :)

  I think I get how to pull up now.

  Teacher Agnes lifted my torso up and I felt the lower part of my tummy just follow. Just like that. I tucked the lower portion in, leaving the top part looking flat and concealing my ribs! YEAH!!!! Finally got it!

  Pointe class tomorrow... first of the year.

  I don't know why but the side of my legs hurt... like muscle pain... could it be lack of stretching?

  I feel like I have a sore throat.. Drank Coke with Durian... and than sang my heart out to T. Swift's "Superman" :P Coke and Superman do NOT go together...
 
  LOLOLOL XD

  This is pretty random.. so Goodnight!

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SHE PULLED MY HAIR!

Another beautiful friend, Alex.
I did this bun on her during P.E

  My ribs problem is back. The same old story... Bad back bends, ribs out, suck-ish pull up... you name it. Urghh.. bad habits never go away. I feel especially bad because she (and you probably know who) pulled my hair. She wanted me to pull up more and she grabbed my bun made hatak  to it, if you get... T_T One of my friends said that she does it a lot, that I'll, get used to it, and that after a time it's going to feel 'relaxing'. I usually  like it when people touch my hair, but last night really hurt!

  Yesterday I brought my ballet bag to school and showed it to my friend Thea...(Thanks for being such an interested blog reader :*>) She kept smiling like the way she does when we talk about *toooot!* :P

  Pat and I are folding up Dance Club. With not enough active members and two dear fans (Thea, thanks again) it's pretty much a waste of time. There's other stuff besides that but those are the main reasons...

  Another bestie, Meg is learning French!!!! I thought you were Japanese girl!!! I'm the ballerina!!! <3

Fashion x_x

  I'm a little annoyed right now because you can't connect you'r blog with a Facebook page :( Sigh... I'll have to update my Facebook page manually.
  I logged in to Bloglovin' and went to the popular blogs part. I started reading fashion blogs. It's actually pretty fun. I love A Beautiful Mess! Especially the hair dos she does :D
  Fashion blogging looks fun. Usually, in Tumblr the stuff I re-blog are the fashion and ballet stuff. I like dressing up, but at the same time, I hope I'm not vain.. :| A ballerina isn't vain when she dances in front of mirrors for hours! :D OK, Far out O.o
  Fashion is actually closely related to Ballet. As I learned in Apollo's Angels, clothes in the 1800's were inspired by the costumes of Marie Taglioni and other famous dancers. Why'dya think stocking are fashionable? Nowadays when you look at fashion photos everyone is standing turned in. I don't know when this pigeon-toed craze started but I gotta admit it does look cute :P Imagine a model standing in first position in Loubotins :D
  This morning was good. I woke up (actually, got out of bed) 2 hours before class started. That's usually what the dancers in BalletNEWS' Cupcakes and Conversation do. And I see why. You'r not too full from Breakfast, but not hungry either. I was just in time for class. What I don't like about morning classes are the worry of getting late and the sunlight, hurts my eyes. My place on the barre is near the window...
  OMG! hahahaha! At school we were told to write a New Year's Resolution... I was the only girl in class who wanted abs :P

Back to Class

  First Ballet class of the year ^_^ All the barres were re-painted and I was the first to arrive in the studio so I decided to take some pictures.  I did some warm-up and stretching hoping, that this class wouldn't be too trying and me not too soft (you know, the break was more than two weeks).

    My friend Dianne arrived and she was worrying about her stained ballet shoes. The foundation we put for for the recital didn't wash off. Her shoes looked tie-dyed :P It was actually cute! Dianne has nice arches so I took some pictures of her feet too.

  During class Teacher Agnes made 'awakening' exercises for the barre. It was mostly side stretches, which felt really good :)

  While doing combinations from the corner of the room, Teacher Agnes said "Amber's knees are getting better, she's not so knobby anymore... Future looks brighter." :D Yay!!! after six months! :D I'm so happy...

  Class on Saturday starts at 10 AM -_- whew!... Teacher Agnes is giving us time to get used to it again :D

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Christmas Vacation

  We went to Eden Nature Park for a two-day vacation. Dad and I went on a 4 km (ok 3.7) hike in the "Mountain Trail". It took us an hour and it was exhausting, but fun. That's something I'll definitely do again.
  We also went horse back riding which was also as fun. There was this guy who stood on top off one of the horses!
  For me, the highlight of the trip was Zip-lining. My grandma, Momsey, (who turned 66 this Christmas) actually gave it a try! I'm so proud of her!

While hiking, Zip-lining, Eating, Horse-riding, etc., I thought that the place was perfect for ballet photography. I really wanna go again next year!

Mumsy zip-lining; she looks so happy! 

 

Showy Me

  I haven't been blogging as much as usual nowadays. Well, there's lots of reasons for that. Of course, there's the holidays but my spirits are also low on this blog... I've been called a show off by someone I know to be reading my blog.... If you don't like me, don't stalk me, ok? Wait! Don't take this the wrong way! I'm not fighting you.
  But, I did reflect on your comment on my personality... I am a show off. Most of my blog posts are about Me making a big deal out of very little things... It's just a negative way of saying I'm grateful for them... But I know. I am showy and fun-loving by nature. I love performing. I love being the star. I like getting attention. I am proud of my flexibility. I dress differently at school... Is there something wrong about being who/what you love?
  Do I threaten you? I hope not. In my opinion, your even a better dancer! I know I have to respect you to a certain level...
  But I will be less of a show off . I'll take your crass remark as an advice for self improvement... I hope this doesn't stop me from inspiring... if anyone does get inspired... :(
 Please know that I am not writing this with anger, revenge, or jealousy in my mind... I just want to blog.

  I just want to dance ballet.

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