My Life From Today, Onward...

Goodbye, Hip hop classes, I now turn my life into the short,
beautiful, strict life of a ballet dancer...

  Called Ballet Manila for an audition. I'm so excited to try out but, Mom and Dad say that even if I get accepted, I can't go. It's my birthday gift, to audition. 

  This audition is also waking me up, telling me that if I truly want to be a pro, I better start training. I want to be a name in the ballet world. I'm now seeking training and will start class this Saturday.
  I'm moving into a Ballet-centred school and Teacher Agnes ( my will-be ballet teacher) said that I have to go this Saturday for assessment, I'm thinking, "I will not disappoint you, I can dance!" But I know that its much more than that. I'm probably behind technically. She also said that I'm late. I'm pretty old to start serious training but I have the body and I will work as hard as I can. I will bug mom for Yoga classes and swimming on week ends. Cross-training.

  When the topic of age comes into my dreams, I always turn to Misty Copeland for inspiration. She started training at the age of thirteen after a teacher encouraged her saying she had the physique. She's now a Principal with American Ballet Theatre. But I'm not sure if she did ballet before or not...

  A dancer's life is short. Your at your peek at your late twenties and you start to go down at around 35. By Forty, you've already retired. Guest starring a little and some dancers become teachers. In five years I want to be a rising star. I hope now, that I'm not yet even begining to shine, I will not burn out...

Misty Copeland: Inspiration

 

 

Beauty and the Beholder

"It is the small imperfections that make a thing beautiful."

Misty Copeland - take note of the super hyper
extended knees.

  I just thought of this phrase on our way home from Sunday lunch. It's true, especially in ballet. It's just the same as "beauty is in the eye of the beholder." Take short torsos for example. A short torso and long legs are the ideal ballet form accompanied by hyper extended knees, arched feet and good flexibility. Try saying that to a non dancer. Freaky.

  I posted a picture of Svetlana Zakharova on my Facebook page, The Balletomane, and one of my friends called her foot "distorted."  Before that I called it beautiful and amazing.

My 1st Contemporary Class

LCB Performing Arts Center

  Just came home from a Contemporary class. Our teacher, Teacher Zoila, Is from Costa Rica and actually graduated with a Bachelors degree in Contemporary.  

It was a really fun class and Teacher Zoila complemented me on my Attitudes but said I had to work on my Core.

 Our feet were sooooo dirty after class.

I like Contemporary. I'm looking forward to another fun class, more dirty feet, and Improving my Core strength.

My Classmates Josh and
Alyanna showing their
"contemporary feet"

In addition, it was the first day of school and I am, happily, not behind in anything.

  Today was a good day... And tomorrow will be too.

Me, walking to the School entrance.

My Inspiration

  If you ask my friends if I have a boyfriend, they would say yes. I've been in love with my Pointe shoes ever since my mom bought them. Well, at least my first pair. They were Capezio, size 4 and a half, width E. I used to tie them around my neck after class, airing them out while waiting for Mom or Dad to pick me up. My friends fondly saying, as they passed "Amber, your with your boyfriends again?" and me, replying, "Yes, and they hurt me very much."

  I wanted to dance after I watched "Ballet Shoes" starring Lucy Boynton. At first I was hesitant to ask my mom to enroll me in a class because I thought I was too old to start. I was around 11 at that time. I finally had the guts to just go for it and Mom enrolled me in a well known ballet school here in Davao; Locsins Dance Workshop.

  I went to class two times a week with my sister. I always looked forward to class and made sure I was never late. Though, of course there were times when I had to be. What ever problem I had that day could be solved by a Ballet class. I remember having a stomach ache one day. But the moment I put my hands on the barre, all the pain I had felt that afternoon was gone!

  Only a few months after starting ballet, my mom gave birth to my little brother making me and my sister stop dancing. We started ballet again, after that, but in a different school. A year later I became a scholar in LCB Performing Arts Center and took classes in Jazz, Tap, and Hip hop, as well as Ballet.
  I have come so far from where I started. I would never be where I am, or know what I know now
if not for her:

Lucy Boynton

School...

Reading Pointe Magazine

  After being homeschooled for five years, I'm going back to school tomorrow. It's a small and non-traditional school. The reason I made the decision to go back to school is because of dancing. I want to join the Prix de Lausanne, a prestigous ballet competition and I'm afraid that if I get a scholarship for dance it would be hard for me because I don't have an academic background.

  I'm pretty nervous. I'm afraid that I might be behind in my studies. But my Mom asssures me that I'm not but still I'm a bit worried.

  Another thing I'm looking forward to is the Contemporary class tomorrow afternoon. Wish me luck!

P.S. Do dancers need to take academics?