Tech problems...

  Ok, I'm trying to calm down now.... As you can see I'm having some technical difficulties, most of my photos appear to be corrupted :( I don't know whats happening and I need serious help... 


  Please just be patient and bear with my 'problem' for now... Thanks :)


  Will solve this problem as soon as possible...

  {My goodness, this is scary... I want to give up blogging, I wanna give up my computer entirely!}

grrggrrhjdhfoasfhj.... T_T

Tap Tuesday

  What a day! Yesterday morning we went 'Violin Hunting' for my sister Ashley. You can read about our 'adventure' in our shared blog; Girl at a Clavier.

  I made sure I was absolutely ready for my first tap class of the month! Before heading to Locsin's though, Mom and I passed by the dentist to fit my retainers. Yes, my braces are gone :) I can't stop smiling (hopefully this will make me more positive). It feels so different, but, unless you'v had braces half your life, no  one will really understand me. How I feel? #Finally!!!

  My  nervousness about getting late for tap was heightened by the weather. It was the kind that makes me feel that way; anxious and worrisome. The kind that makes you want to stay indoors at dusk but which produces a beautiful and cool night such as last night's :) The class that evening was fairly easy. We worked with slow music and basic steps ^_^ Gian asked me about my back and said I should visit school tomorrow'! LoL! I wish!

  Checked out the sched for ballet and found out that Pointe class doesn't start till August :)

  Woke up this morning with aching feet... Who would think tap could cause muscle pain  :(

Goodbye Quotes #7

  Dancers of the Locsin Dance Workshop rehearsing the curtain call of this years Summer Showcase ^_^

Tap starts now!

  Called Locsin's the other day. Tap classes have already stared and I can't wait to start making some noise!!!! Last year, tap was not included in the school year classes of Locsin's. It was just Ballet, which doesn't start until July this year. 

  Read about injury in The Ballet Companion. It's probably my fave part so far :P I'm applying ice on my foot and compressing it, following the instructions for treating Achilles Tendinitis. Also read about a back injury called Spondylolysis; supposedly caused by repetitive back bends... I'm not sure, though if that's what I have on my back :(  

  The Locsin Dance Workshop is offering classes on Tap, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 6:30 p.m. For inquiries call The Locsin's Dance Workshop at (63 82) 227-4753 

The Locsin's Dance Workshop 89 Elpidio Quirino Ave., Davao City 8000, Philippines 

Answers

  Still working on The Ballet Companion and am in the chapter: The Healthy Dancer. I'd say that Eliza did a great job on shedding a light on the subject of anorexia. While reading, I realized that I had, or could have had, anorexia...


  There was a time during my school days when I was only eating salad for lunch, got irritable when I was offered food outside mealtimes, very rash toward my friends, always feeling super stressed out... A time when my skin was flaking and my hair was falling out a lot. I was also making an effort to wake up really early to do some core work and stretching. These were all signs of anorexia: answers to why I got burned out during that time... 


  I guess that was my reaction to stress. It's weird, yes: I get stressed out, and instead of taking it easy with the minor things, I take in more work than I should. BUT when I am not at all busy and am doing nothing at all, I also start feeling down! 


  There's a section in the same chapter in Companion about dealing with burn out but I haven't read it yet. 

  I'm now afraid for myself. What if my body is now permanently damaged? I should stop thinking about how much I eat and instead turn my attention to what I eat. It's been said time and again, but I think I only get it now (blonde moment).

  Now that I've solved the problem concerning my health, I have another question,

How do those real, long term, anorexics survive without feeling so down? 

  I mean, I felt terrible and have only just begun to bounce back to my happy self... how do they bear it for so long?

 Oh, maybe they don't realize that it's not eating that makes them feel bad if they do...

  Wow, this is a lot of discovery for me... Thank you Ballet Companion...

Goodbye Quotes #6

  One of the very first quotes on dance that I learned. I originally posted it on Facebook with a photo of Svetlana Zakharova in rehearsal (taken by Marc Haegman). This pic, on the other had, was taken when Ballet Philippines came to Davao (link: A visit from Ballet Philippines). I'm not sure who this dancer is exactly ; all I know is that she's from BP (if you do, please let me know).

Lisa Macuja's Interview in 'HEADSTART'

  After her inspiring performance here in Davao, Lisa formulates her exit strategy...

Part 1:

and Part 2:

I cannot count the number of times Karen Davila exclaimed 'I swear!' and 'Are you serious!'...

Book Review : Apollo's Angels

  Ok, so I'm finally going to take this book reporting seriously. So here is my first entry, Apollo's Angels by Jennifer Homans. My grandmother, Momsey, got this for me when she went to Manila.

  This book really unfolded the whole story of Ballet. From when it started, to it's slow decline into the modern days of our 21st century. The book was very detailed in describing the great choreographers and Ballet pioneers,  including, even, their personal lives, and how it affected their work. The author divided the chapters according to places. Not time. This is helpful if you want to know how ballet evolved in a certain place; Ms. Homans did chapters on the ballet in , France, Italy, Denmark, England, and America. Before I realized this, I was getting a little confused with the time frame but I figured it out after reading the chapter titles... Call me slow, I know :P


  I found the chapter of France in the Romantic period, and Russian Ballet, intriguing. I did skip most of the first chapter, though, which was about the very beginning of Ballet; court entertainment in Italy, and as an elaborate means to show reverence to the 'Sun King'. I was excited to get to the more recent Ballet and see some familiar names like the legends Pavlova, Plisetskaya, and Fonteyn among others, all of whose performing styles, Ms. Homans describes in detail. :)


  I recommend this book to anyone who likes history, art, and to the scholarly dancer. It is a book balletomanes will have conversations about. And one dancers will learn much from.

Goodbye Quotes #5

  This is an old photo I took of my friend Patricia taking an RAD class in LCB. She invited me to just come and see what they were doing. It was my first time to see a pointe class, though they aren't wearing pointes in this pic yet.

She likes!

  Yes, yes, Lisa Macuja Elizalde, A Ballet Star has liked my Facebook page. Wow! I'm so proud :') LoL This is so very exciting...

  Lisa Macuja Elizalde started Ballet at age eight, training under the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) sylabus. She is much acclaimed due to her Russian Vaganova training and is the first Filipina to ever join the Kirov Ballet. She has received numerous awards and has participated in various competitions world wide. Her radio show, Art2Art,was awarded by the Catholic Mass Media Awards (CMMA) as 'the Best Educational Program in Radio category' She is the current artistic director of Ballet Manila.

  Here's a link list to all things Lisa:

Lisa's Facebook page

Lisa's Blog

Ballet Manila Website

Lisa's Profile: BM

Way to go!!!

Photo from BP Website

  Exactly one week ago, Ballet Philippines' Principal Dancer Candice Adea won 1st prize in the Helsinki International Ballet Competition. She danced with her non-competing partner; Jean Marc Cordero whom she has dance with in many other competitions before. I just wanna share the Pinoy Pride and congratulate her. I'm looking forward to watching Ms. Adea on BP's touring season. Hopefully in Teacher Agnes' Encantada.


Read:
BP Company Profile: Candice Adea
BP Company Profile: Jean Marc Cordero

Goodbye Quotes #4

Lisa Macuja-Elizalde;10 June 2012 in SM-The Annex, Davao City

My day is complete...

Me and my Grandmother, Momsey
after my Confirmation in Sta. Ana Church

  Yesterday was a milestone for me; I had my Confirmation. To complete my day, Lisa Macuja-Elizalde and Ballet Manila came to perform at the SM Annex. I watched with my Locsin's friends while Mom, Dad, my godparents, and immediate family, ate at a nearby restaurant.

  We arrived at 4 o' clock, not knowing that the show was at five -_- Worth the wait though, because me and Ballet Buddy Christine got to chat a little about ballet info we gathered from Eliza Gaynor-Minden's The Ballet Companion ^_^  I really have to thank Ballet Buddy, Zoe's, Mom for reserving the seats for the Locsin dancers.

  The last five minutes of waiting for a performance is really the one of the most eternal 5 minutes one waits for... The show opened with a tribal themed number (still danced en pointe) with Lisa Ballerina in a red unitard, adorned with various ethnic jewelry. I have a booklet of Ballet Manila with Lisa in this costume on the cover. It was given to me by Mr. Dante Perez (a member of BM's faculty) when I took class there last year. I don't know the title of the piece but if you do, please, please, comment :)


  It was followed by exerpts from another tribal themed work, Don Quixote, and two other colorful numbers. Lisa performed a Pavlova-ish Dying Swan which made the hair on my arms stand up (in a good way, ok). The last number was, I think, performed in honor of our Independence Day on June 12. The dancers were all wearing different kinds of national costumes, from terno style dresses to Malong inspired skirts, and waving Katipunan flags.


  I took a whole lot of photos so instead of posting it here, I'm posting it on FB. Just 'like' from Pointe to Pointe's page to see them :D Please do not expect high quality photos, just creatively edited ones... I did try my best ^_^


  After the whole performance, us Locsin Girls all tried to get a sneak peak back stage. Not everyone was allowed in, but we fangirls held our ground, waiting for the star! ^_^ Christine even brought her old pair of pointe shoes and a marker :D

  We waited at both sides of the dressing rooms, but when the Prima Ballerina finally emerged, she had to leave quickly to catch her plane. None of us were able to get a picture with her, or even ask her to autograph our shoes...

  The show inspired me. I always loved the Dying Swan... still do. I'm going to the chiropractor.

  I'm going to dance again.

Lisa Macuja-Elizalde dances Mikhael Fokine's The Dying Swan

Goodbye Quotes #3

Goodbye Quotes! #2

  This quote is taken from director, David Kinsella's website, in an article on his ballet documentary; A Beautiful Tragedy.

 Re-blog on Tumblr

Music

  Most of this week I have spent doing my Math, doing the exercise, and listening to... Coldplay!!! :D Yes I couldn't get Princess of China out of my head! In the midst of today's stalking, I discovered something balletic. While I was watching Every Teardrop is a Waterfall on YouTube, Florence + The Machine's Spectrum caught my eye. I'm sure you'll figure out why as soon as you see the video ^_^

  Hahaha!!! Yes! The ballet dancers!!!

  Aaaannd, found something fun at Coldplay's website:

  Hahahaha!!! It's Coldplay's album art with my initials :P:P:P You can also do this to your name here.

Goodbye Quotes! #1

  As I am accumulating more and more widgets for my blog, I have decided to remove the quotes gadget. Just for remembrance, I'm going to post them g r a d u a l l y  in my new and improved Tumbr Site!!! :D Goodbye, Inspirational Quotes, I feel a great loss for you!

  The first quote that I'm going to let go of is also one of my favorites;

  Ya' see that!!! Photo credits to my sister; Ashley ^_^

  Mehn, what a day, I'm waiting for an important email...

  I love Tumblr ^_^ ...I still don't have Pinterest! :(


  I almost did not eat meat for the whole day yesterday... Beef steak for Dinner, though, so...

Pretty Pictures

     ummm... I had another dream last night O.o This time it wasn't too nightmarish. I dreamed that I was taking a ballet class. Yes! I was dancing. I kept waiting for the pain in my back to suddenly strike, but it didn't!!! I was so happy! Also, after the class, when we were all in the dressing room of Locsin's, All my classmates had sweets. And I ate a lot of it. I woke up with a soar throat and an aching ear :( Going to the doctor for that later on....

  

  Girl at a Clavier (me and sisters' music blog) is going really well ^_^ We have already posted some videos and I hope you guys can check it out... Thanks! 

  Anyway to get to the main pointe of the post (hahaha 'pointe' you get? hehehe... ok, corny) Seeing many pretty ballet pics feeds inspiration wonders :) Thanks to Brian Mengini and The Ballerina Project, inspiration has a lot to feed on :D

  I was so thrilled with the email I got by Brian M. from The Ballet Bag that I re-tweeted the post :) please

Subscribe to my list on Twitter...

  Sigh, Ballet pics really make you wanna dance... especially when they have shades of pink in them! I know it's a really cliche ballet color but it just adds to the effect! And who can deny that Ballet and pink (or white) were made for each other? My main source is my Tumblr dashboard ^_^ I transferred most of what I downloaded to my phone, though, because my laptop is running out of memory :( #USB

One Creepy Dream @_@

  Ok, so I had a dream last night... I'm not so sure how it started but somehow I ended up in Locsin's and was talking to Teacher Agnes. She told me that my back injury could be fatal. She said something like "You have to be careful because you could die..." @_@ Afterwards, she fixed my hair with a curling iron and random friends were coming in and out of wherever we were, and helping her with my hair and, if that wasn't weird enough, one of my best friends from LCB came in asked her something in such a squeeky voice that was so unlike her O.o Does any of that mean anything? It's just too weird... I'm creeped out myself... It's just too random for interpretation...

  I don't feel like doing my math right now ('I don't feel like'... sounds so un-professional) and I'm kind of falling behind. I made this bow out of denim from my aunt's old pair of pants that I cut into shorts this afternoon ^_^  Haha! #ArtsandCraftsDay...

  Please check out the new blog my sister and I made, it's about music; http://girlatclavier.blogspot.com/ 

  Class in Locsin's starts June 18.... Watching Dance 212: Freedom Within the Movement :)


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