The Reason Why We Need Ballet: Video Games

As a ballet teacher both my wife and I have noticed a sharp drop off in the basic level of physical ability among our students and in particular among the 10 year old and younger segment. What we have come to realize is that in the rush of daily life a great many parents are both attempting to limit the use of babysitters or daycare if they can (no doubt a good thing) but in order to keep their children occupied the use of today's electronic devices from iPads to PS3 to Wii and so on have become extensively used. The outcome of this is a lot of sedentary behavior by children right at the age when they need to be spending a lot of time developing their general physical coordination and abilities. Ballet lessons are an excellent way to counteract this because children are four-dimensional beings whereas video games and electronic devices are all at best two-dimensional things.

What I mean by that is children exist in three dimensional space and have a complex body designed to deal with a three dimensional universe. There is no owner's manual or quick start guide or Google-available cheat sheet of any kind to tell them how their body works. Add in to this the fourth dimension of time passing by and it quickly becomes apparent that it takes a bit of focus time to really learn how to deal with both the universe we live in and how the body moves through that universe. In the absence of being able to spend hours outside roaming around the farm or even playing outside in the neighborhood due to safety concerns, many children have definitely lost a lot of ground over their predecessors due to a lack of just general physical play time and activity. The average farm boy or farm girl "back in the day" spent much more time doing all types of physically complicated things whether doing work or occupying their time in a world without electronic immersion.

Video games and electronic immersion in general is at best a two-dimensional thing - all electronic images are totally flat and are really only a combination of pixels on a screen being lit, there is no real object there. Video games do take place with time so that adds a second dimension to them but even then, many games have slow down or speed up features altering the speed of time within the game which in my mind renders video game play completely useless to the development of a child outside of thumb/finger coordination. But there is far more to the body than the hands, far far more. The number of 6-10 year olds who are seriously challenged at skipping or skip traveling backwards, for example, is at least twice as high today as it was in the 1990's. To say nothing of the lack of imagination of children nowadays due to a high level of electronic immersion stunting the need to have a vivid imagination for the sake of creative play.

Ballet is a supremely four-dimensional activity. The Ballet student is on a quest to master three dimensional space with their body but added to this is the extra challenge of doing that on a tempo set to the time scale of the music the ballet is being done to, and over which you cannot have any control like you can on a video game. You simply must be able to control your body well enough in three dimensional space that you can accomplish the movements based on a time dimension. This is far, far more challenging and therefore far, far more beneficial than any video game or electronic device will ever be for childhood development. And, this is exactly what makes Ballet an absolute necessity in the 21st century world of iPads, PlayStation, smartphones and nearly 100% electronic immersion of children. The human body will not condition itself, it will not acquire stamina or flexibility or power nor will it maintain any of those once gotten without regular use in the real world under real conditions. With the heavy emphasis of creativity and imagination that also goes into it, Ballet is a perfect antidote for the highly interconnected sedation most children now live in.

Matthew Reinschmidt
Ballet Master,
Ballet North Inc
On the web: http://www.balletnorth.com/

Original article

Ballet Workouts on DVD

When considering taking up ballet as a form of exercise, sometimes taking classes is not an option. Perhaps no adult ballet classes are offered in the area where you live, or your schedule simply cannot commit to specified class times. Whatever the reason, there is still the option of using ballet as a workout in the comfort of your own home by means of ballet workout DVDs.

The aim of such DVDs is not to train you in ballet technique, rather, to use certain features of ballet and dance in general to provide a fun, yet physically beneficial product. Most of such products on the market are affiliated with dance companies or choreographers, who tailor these workouts specifically for people with no technical training. Moreover, most feature established professional dancers demonstrating the exercises.

My personal favorite of such products are the New York City Ballet Workout DVD's. Although an established and world renowned ballet company produces these videos, the workouts are easy to follow, even for people with no background in dance, without being over-simplified, as some other DVDs tend to do. That way, the practitioner is busy thinking on the sequence and form of the steps, and not on the fact that they are actually exercising. This is a good form of distraction for those who dislike the repetivity of gym exercise, as you do not focus on what you feel, because your mind is too busy thinking on what your body should be doing in the first place.

There are two existing DVD's produced by New York City Ballet, Workout 1 and 2. Workout 1 introduces several ballet exercises, 17 to be exact. These exercises range from warm-up exercises, to footwork, abdominal exercises, and stretches. although there are no Barre exercises, as is usual in Ballet classes, this is made up for in their floor barre exercises, which is essentially doing barre work on the floor. It is arguable that floor barre achieves better muscular results that regular barre work as one is working more against the weight of their own body than when standing up.

The second Workout DVD is similar to the first in structure, but a little more faced paced than the first. It contains new exercises and combinations, as well as a glossary of ballet terminology. It is recommended to start with the first DVD, and move unto the second after you feel confident enough with the first DVD. You could then possibly alternate between the two choosing what pace would be most suitable for that particular day.

Both products are professional, user friendly, and the DVD's are easy to navigate. Good music accompanies both DVDs, which is a lovely change from the generic music that some dance workout DVDs use.

Weather you choose to join a Ballet class or workout at home, a workout DVD is always a good product to have at hand, perhaps for the days when you cannot make it to class or as additional training.

Valentina, dancer, fitness enthusiast and long term ballet practitioner. I believe that dance is an art form that can be enjoyed by anyone, and therefore encourage people to practice dance for different reasons.

Original article

Why Send Your Children to Ballet Dance Class?

Why would parents send their young kids of 3 years old or 4 years old to ballet dance class. It doesn't need us to tell you that it is normally the parents that want their children to learn ballet, rather than the children like to dance. In this article, we tell you why we send children to learn ballet when they are young.

Ballet helps to foster child discipline. During the class, the ballet teacher will guide each and every children the proper dance steps and dance moves. So children will required to follow the teacher guidance to learn to dance properly. They follow instruction so that they have the proper dance step and posture. This ensure discipline inside the children.

Ballet class is also a platform to learn on group dynamics and provide plenty of opportunity for social interaction. A typical class of ballet lesson consists of 4-12 children. During the class, there will be interaction within children. They make friends and started showing each other the right dance move, or even tell the other kids what was wrong with their moves. Thus for home school children, this is a place where your children will get to know friends of their age. Often they are ballet performance from the class too. Children learning ballet together will be asked to performed in the group, thus they will be required to sync up and foster "team work" within them since young.

Even if professional ballet dancer is not what you envision your child to be, ballet students will learn and practice good body posture and learn to take care of their body fitness. Children who learn ballet since young will practice good body posture. It is the key element when performing ballet. They have to stand straight up. You don's see ballerina with hunch back. Ballerina is also required to watch out their body fitness. Ballet is just like exercise, children who likes to stay at home and play computer game at least can be send to a ballet class once or twice a week to get some stretching and exercise while having fun with other kids.

Often, children that learn ballet have self-confidence as they will need to perform in front of audience. Dancing in public does required a lot of confidence. For shy kids, they can start by performing in public with a group of young kids. Doing so for a few rounds will definitely boot up their confident and in no time, you will be surprise that this shy kid may actually perform solo!

Last but not the least, ballet is the root of all dances! Master ballet when they are young, and they can pick up any other dance easily in future. Regardless whether it is a jazz, modern or ballroom, once children learn ballet, they can master any of the dance easily.

Original article

How To Relieve Muscle Pain That Has Become Chronic In Ballet, Dance And Cheerleading

Dancers and cheerleaders need to know how to relieve muscle pain that has become chronic. Often, some area of the hips in particular can become imbalanced because of a postural misalignment. It seems like nothing gives those sore muscles relief.

In many cases, you will see a dancer's or cheerleader's postural habit when they are not dancing or practicing. There are variations on the lack of the postural plumb line, which is a line going straight down through the body, through the natural curves of the neck and spine. Ideally, the ankles, knees, hips, waist, and shoulders are all stacked neatly.

A tight area in the psoas, one of the large muscles that lifts the legs to the front, will pull the low back out of alignment. The back will look swayed, and the thighs will turn inward.

This is one way that leads to imbalance in the development of the hip muscles. A dancer or cheerleader will try to resolve this with more and more stretching. Yet, one muscle or another will get tighter and tighter, and others may get over-stretched.

Some students will feel a clicking, a snapping, or a clunky movement for a long time before it starts to hurt. Please tell your teacher or coach immediately if you feel these things. You can correct your posture and how you use your core and hip muscles, before you get the inflammation and pain that is so hard to get rid of.

Misalignment in the basic posture, and in the basic ballet positions (used everywhere in dance), will develop one muscle or area of muscles too much. Consequently, other muscles in the same group remain underdeveloped and weak.

Understanding the muscles around the hips, and how they work in connection with the deep low core muscles, will help students or dance team members prevent injuries.

Can you stand sideways to a mirror and check your posture? Can you see the natural curves of your spine and visualize the plumb line going straight through the curves? Can you pull up the very low abdominal muscles? Sometimes they can be harder to feel than the higher stomach muscles.

If you are not sure that you are using these low ab muscles properly, try this:
lie down on the floor, and make sure you have your natural curve at the small of your backyou should be able to slide your hand under the curve therefirst do this wrong - suck in your stomach so that the small of your back pushes into your handrelease the stomach musclesnow do it right - pull your very low ab muscles straight up from your pubic bone and away from your hip boneskeep the curve in the small of your back

Your belly button will move UP toward your ribs. Up not IN. This action, when you are doing barre exercises, or routines to warm up for your cheer leading, will support the right activity in the hip muscles. It is going to help you develop long lean muscles.

If you take contemporary dance classes and study the Martha Graham technique, you know that the contraction movement actually elongates - even though it changes the shape of the spine and DOES push out the curve at the small of the back, it requires that you pull UP the lower core muscles and maintain length in the spine.

The stronger your low ab muscles are, the more fluidity you will have in your ballet movements. For cheer leading too, your core control will be so much better.

Make sure you get the right ballet stretches. It includes a whole section on sore muscles relief.

Original article

Should I Change My Child's Ballet Class?

You chose a particular ballet class for your child, but now - for whatever reason - you are now thinking that it's not the right dance class and perhaps you should change. The first thing to do is to discuss your unhappiness with your child's dance teacher. Many issues can be sorted out with some decent dialogue. However, having spoken to the current teacher and having got nowhere, then switching class will be the only option. Here are some of the things to think about when choosing a different class.
Will your child feel comfortable changing to a different class? If she (or he) has friends in the current class, you need to consider whether she will enjoy the new class as much if she doesn't know anyone in it. Perhaps you could persuade one of her dancing friends to switch classes at the same time, so that they could go together. If you have a particular concern over an issue in the current class, then often other parents will have the same concern. If you discuss your worries with other parents, then you may find that they too are keen to move their child. Moving together will be a lot less worrying for children.
What is the style of the new teacher? Is she strict and exacting such that she is likely to get the best ballet exam results from her pupils? Or does she have a more relaxed approach such that your child is likely to have more fun in her ballet class? You will know which approach will be the best for your child. You can request that your child has a free taster class to see if she enjoys the class, before you sign up to a whole term of lessons.
What exam boards does the new ballet school do? If the exams that have been done are different, then it may be that different ballet movements have been taught. Talk to the new teacher about the differences to see if they are significant. It may be that one or two private lessons would be all that would be needed for your child to fill in the gaps.
Does the new ballet school put on an annual show? All children love the opportunity to put on a new ballet costume or tutu and show their parents and relatives how well they have been doing in their weekly classes.
You need to consider the logistics of getting your child to her new class. How long will it take to get there given the traffic situation at the time of day of the class? Children get easily bored in the car and a new class would have to have some significant benefits to travel far.
Obviously, the cost of the new class will be very important when considering whether to move your child. Remember to enquire about the cost of taking the exams and the cost of the ballet attire required when comparing the two classes side by side. Another cost that needs to be included is parking costs. It is easy to overlook things such as parking charges when assessing the overall cost of the new class.What will you do whilst your child is in the class? Are you able to watch or are you just hanging around outside? It could be extremely welcome if there is a local cafe to read a magazine in or surf the internet whilst your child is in her class.
Naturally, you will need to consider what day and new time the class is on. However, you should also enquire the days and times of the classes, as your child progresses up the ladder. It may be that as she moves up a class, the day changes to one which you cannot do. So, it is always important to ask about the timing of the higher grade lessons.
Does the new ballet school offer other types of dancing? Your child may wish to branch out into different types of lessons as she progresses e.g. tap, modern, character dancing, jazz, song and dance etc.
You need to enquire about any rules the new teacher may have. For example, about the way hair should be worn, the ballet outfit to be worn including any special ballet uniform, whether jewelry can be worn, the colour and type of the ballet shoes. Your child will want to fit in to the class and will not want to stand out by not having the correct attire.
You may wish to give your child a gift to help ease any concerns she may have about changing class or simply to praise her for her progress. All aspiring ballet dancers will be thrilled with a present of ballet jewellery. Ballet jewelry can come in different metals such as silver and gold. Be careful with ballet jewellery made in base metals, as they can cause allergies to the skin.

For beautiful ballet jewelry including charms, pendants and necklaces go to Ballet Shoe Jewellery and Ballerina Jewellery.

David Valle is the jewellery designer of Valle Designs & Co which produces sports jewelry in gold and silver including ballet jewellery. Aside from ballet, other sports covered include gymnastics, cricket, horse riding, motor racing, scuba diving, skiing, swimming, tennis and windsurfing.

Original article

Ballet Movies And Steam Punk Movies

I love ballet movies. The abundance of movies available now is of great interest to me, and I'm sure it is for most dancers.

It is not possible to get around the world, see all the dance festivals, or travel to catch all the ballet touring companies every year. Yet, while collecting ballet movies, I feel like I just lucked out.

I bought a "deal" package of 4 ballet movies recently. Swan Lake, Romeo and Juliet, The Nutcracker and The Sleeping Beauty. I only bought it because The Nutcracker is Maurice Bejart's production, which I had not seen. The others...well I can always watch another one, whoever.

The "Swan Lake" was special because Evelyn Hart danced Odette/Odile. I had not seen her in that role, so it was a nice surprise for me.

Secondly, I watched "Romeo and Juliet", choreography by Angelin Preljocaj, with the Opera National De Lyon, filmed in 1992. Cool. That's a company that has not graced my neighborhood. I knew it was a neoclassical style.

Steam punk movies? I may have seen three before - "Dune" designed by Tony Masters and Carlo Rimbaldi; City of Lost Children" designed by set designer Jean Rabasse and artistic director Caro (and coincidentally both scores were by Angelo Badalamenti); and "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" with set designer Andy Thomson - all steam punky designers...

Well, this "Romeo and Juliet" has the flavor of steam punk movies and it is moody and powerful. It is not designed with Victorian alternate-reality machines and housing, or costumes, it is sparser. But it has all the typical steam punk social control and dark suppressed emotionality, at least as is presented in the steam punk movies I've seen.

None of the lush velveted, pearl and gold-laden Italian wealth of the Renaissance power families is there to rescue us. No colorful market place or town square, except for brief showings of persons outside of the Montague and Capulet families/street thugs.

I did not think I would like the modern choreography - having been partial to John Cranko's - yet with the Prokofiev score, it was captivating. Preljocaj's choreography demands a strong classical technique which the dancers deliver with ease.

I did not assimilate what I was looking at immediately. This production re-invents some of the characterization, trimming down the cast and events. The Montague characters are garbed in loose suits, and the Capulets appear with the demeanor of highly strung Dobermans, in tight black outfits that are padded like body armor.

When I realized I was watching a Steam Punk Movie I sat back and enjoyed it. The wall guards with the German Shepherd were a chilling touch.

If you love ballet movies and steam punk movies you will really enjoy this one.

Dianne M. Buxton trained at The National Ballet School of Canada, The Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance and Toronto Dance Theater. She was led by her career teaching and directing professional ballet dancers, to study ballet/sports/fitness, nutrition, and the mind/body connection. She writes about ballet pointe shoes and ballet parents tips to help you with your ballet classes, and those of your dancing daughters and sons.

Original article

Ready For Pointe Shoes - Do Your Feet Have Ballet Muscles?

Almost every dance student starts ballet because they want to dance in pointe shoes. They know they will have to work hard to get their foot muscles strong enough for the beautiful pink satin toe shoes. Adult ballet beginners know they may not get into toe shoes. Yet many will work very hard to see if they can.

Are there special exercises that could make this easier for both the young and old ballet beginner? It is a given that each wants to find the best ballet teacher in their area. And a dance academy that has a pleasant encouraging atmosphere.

Or one that fulfills their expectations of discipline and drive...

What can a ballet beginner do at home to get closer to being ready for pointe shoes?

At home, exercises for pre pointe can be learned and practiced six days a week. Always have a day of rest. But bear in mind that the ballet barre exercises you do in every class, also get you ready to dance in pointe shoes. Not perfectly, but pretty close to.

Every ballet position and exercise prepares you to dance en pointe. Understanding correct posture (which is natural posture of the spine), just to start, will help you get the best ballet position in plies, tendus, and all the ballet exercises done at the barre.

Correct ballet positions use your core muscles perfectly - pulling up the lower abdominal muscles. Holding in your stomach as you breathe adequately. Does this help you prepare for pointe shoes? Oh yes!

Understanding correct ballet turnout, how to increase it and how to hold it correctly with the right hip muscles...yes, this helps you to be ready for pointe shoes.

Understanding that ballet stretches, done with comprehension, relax and tone your muscles - yes, this too gets you more prepared to dance in toe shoes.

And, yes there is more. Very special exercises that isolate and strengthen the foot muscles, those little tiny muscles that are particular to the sole of the foot. The advantage you have in taking time to learn these pointe shoe exercises is that you will determine exactly which foot movements have a weakness.

You can work on your particular weaknesses until you have perfect confidence that your feet have the right ballet muscles functioning correctly.

When the sole of the foot muscles get strong, the muscles of the lower legs -the calf and shin muscles - get a relief from over-exertion. This can prevent shin splints and Achilles Tendon inflammation.

When the sole of the foot muscles get strong and sensitive, ballet foot control will be better in releves, and jumps - and for pointe work!

Also, learning how to take care of your ballet muscles is part of the process. Knowing how to massage your calves and feet properly is not to be slighted. Using a tennis ball, or a Pinkie ball, helps you prevent inflammation and injuries.

Learning some details about nutrition, the best kind of protein, and how magnesium resolves muscle cramps will help you too.

And THEN when you go to buy pointe shoes, you will be ready! Whatever you can do in soft shoes, you will be able to do in pointe shoes. Of course it will take some getting used to. I recommend that you learn the best ballet stretches and get your own ballet muscles dancers guide to be ready for pointe shoes.

Original article

Ballet Dancer Health, Blood Sugar Balance, Depression And Hypoglycemia

Young ballet dancers often drop comments in a casual way, referring to their self esteem problems. Whether it is a body image issue, a perfection issue, a weight control problem, or a slightly depressed lack of energy issue, they either don't come out and say it, or they really cannot articulate what the problem is. Recently when I started reading about hypoglycemia, and blood sugar balance, I began to relate its symptoms to many of the statements I have heard.

I became more interested in hypoglycemia and its sometimes subtle symptoms, due to a conversation I had with a non-dancer, a talented performer, in another field. This person has performed in many countries, is pushed forward by all her teachers, and yet cannot accept the accolades from teachers or peers, or the enthusiasm of fans, because - she just can't.

The lack of self-esteem in this person confuses me. A person who won the number one state award for acting while still in high school? That's like winning the ballet competition performing the Blue Bird or Swan Lake pas de deux.

Disorder eating is most broadly defined as, the behavior that results in an emotional outcome by controlling what you eat. This does not necessarily mean anorexia or bulimia, but may refer to a practice of self control or self approval in regards to the food you eat, the caloric content, and this does not only apply to dancers.

It may involve an extreme situation like a teenager who insists on being a vegan, in which I have personally witnessed the result causing stress fractures in this dancer who still thought that she was going to be able to get stronger on pointe and have a professional career in ballet, while she looked at her x-rays.

Recently I took a look at hypoglycemia and its symptoms. Now this is tricky. Symptoms are almost unique to the individual. But the dominating symptoms, according to what I have read, are:
sadnessself criticismhopelessnessfeelings of absolutely no self worthperiodic complete failure of energy, dizziness, mental confusionthoughts of suicide, though not enough energy to think further than that

Hypoglycemia is...drum roll...too low blood sugar!

It is caused by a nutritional deficiency of protein, or just lack of food.

Hypoglycemia does not mean you are diabetic, or almost diabetic. More concisely called Reactive Hypoglycemia, this is a condition that results from a poor diet, or not eating often enough for whatever reason. Or eating too many carbohydrates with not enough protein.

The most common recommendation for hypoglycemics, is to eat some protein every two hours.

Also, I would like to mention the rule of nutritionists, that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Why? Proteins set your brain chemicals for the day. Skip those, and your brain chemicals will not be properly functioning until the next day IF you happen to eat protein for breakfast.

Dance parents reading this - how often does your dancing daughter or dancing son run out of the house and skip breakfast because they slept late?

And what will they eat when they get to the food dispensers at school? Or will they go hungry until they get to the school cafeteria for lunch? This is a miserable situation for a non-athlete student, not to mention a ballet dancer or any other athlete.

And later when they run off to their ballet academy? Are you one of those ballet parents who have to suffer hearing "I'm not that good"..."I'm not good enough"... and worse? While the ballet teacher is telling you your child should be aiming higher - auditioning for professional summer intensives?

Confused yet? Let me give you some relief. Hypoglycemia-without-Diabetes at http://benjimester.hubpages.com is an eye-opening discussion. It is worth reading the entire thread.

Personally, I believe that hypoglycemia is caused by:
lack of education about nutritionprocessed, fast-food, frozen food productsnot enough time to serve fresh food indicating what nutritious food isaddiction to sugar (nutritional ignorance)ignorance about grains, GMO grains, glutin and GMO sugars

And, sadly much more I cannot cover here. BUT please, if your dancing child or anyone in your family has any energy or depression issues - but not severe enough to consult your physician (who probably will not have any nutritional education) or therapist, please investigate hypoglycemia. It is an insidious condition - but can be reversed with a good diet!

It is not that difficult. I would love to never hear from again, a ballet dancer, or any other kind of performing artist, who feels morose, depressed, sad, or hopeless about their talent or potential, when they have no idea where all this negativity comes from. And they skip meals, eat nutrition-free snacks, and have low blood sugar...

I would love to never hear from again, a sad, depressed ballet parent, whose amazing talented child is failing, sinking, not even treading water, suffering from body image problems, or self esteem problems, and contemplating quitting ballet, or even suicide. For the want of nutritional balance.

This may take a lot of extra food preparation for ballet parents! If you're still reading this post, I bet you're O.K. with that.

I do not believe that nutrition is superior to the human spirit. But I do believe that the aspirations of the human spirit are so much more easily achieved if we know about and support our bodies' needs, every day. This may take a little extra study. Visit my nutrition blog to learn more about natural muscle building and blood sugar balance.

Original article

How to Perform Ballet Pointe

Dancers perform pointe by rising to the tips of their toes while performing steps from ballet. They perform the technique while wearing hard-toed and stiff-shanked pointe shoes. Pointe is one of the most graceful and famous forms of dance. If done wrong, it can be painful and cause permanent foot damage.

Only a few dancers will be able to master pointe work, which is an exciting and essential part of any ballet student's training. Most students begin pointe work after they reach advanced levels in training. To learn the pointe technique and combinations, they work in flat shoes and develop the strength they will require.

To learn the art of en pointe dance, you should be mindful of a few requirements. You must be ten years old and have two years of ballet training. The bones of your feet start to become harder at this age, a common thought that dancers should not go on pointe until this time. You must have taken three classes a week consistently as a minimum.

For all ballet students like you, follow these dance tips on ballet pointe:

Hold your turnout while dancing - As the main concept of ballet, turnout allows you to execute certain steps that you couldn't do otherwise. Holding your turnout while dancing signifies strength and conditioning. If you don't have the strength to maintain a turnout, then you are not strong enough for pointe. It is much more difficult to hold turnout en pointe.

A strong, straight back while dancing, especially the lower back - En pointe requires the muscles in your legs and feet to stand en pointe and not use the shoes as a crutch. If your back is weak, then it will throw you off balance while dancing en pointe and will make it difficult to do ballet steps. A straight back is also important for doing pirouettes.

Keep your heels forward toward the big toe - The most stable position when doing pointe is to have your weight slightly forward over the big toe. If you have your weight over the little toe, it will be much more difficult to stay up en pointe. There is also a better chance of strain or injury.

Use plié while dancing - You will need to use pliés while dancing since this is how to get up en pointe. By you won't use pliés, your legs will bend incorrectly. Ballet dancers execute the pliés by bending the knees smoothly and continuously.

Point your feet while dancing - Point your feet while dancing to strengthen the muscles which pointe work requires. These muscles should be strong enough to support your body weight on the ends of your toes. If you always use these foot muscles, you will be able to support yourself en pointe and knuckle over on your toes, with no risk of getting hurt.

Pique passé using a straight leg - To push onto half-pointe, you should have built up enough leg strength. This step is much difficult to do en pointe. A bent leg is usually the leading sign of weakness and improper step preparation.

Do 16 relevés in center without stopping - Relevés are a great way to build up vital strength in your calf muscles for pointe work and to go up as high on half-pointe as possible.

Hold a passé balance on half-pointe - You should still have the strength to balance on half-pointe, your hips square, back straight, and legs turned-out. The surface area for balancing will be smaller, so the requirements for balancing en pointe will be greater.

A difficult ballet technique like pointe demands strength, experience and countless training and conditioning of the feet and leg muscles. Why not read The Perfect Pointe Book and you should be healthy and physically fit to execute such a step. A pointe work done wrong could result to an injury.

Rose Starr - A Practicing psychologist. Has traveled some places of the world in order to foresee herself how amazing and wonderful God have created the world. Also practicing ballet for the better improvement of mental skills and to be a good instructor.

Original article

Bloch Ballet Shoes - A Premier Shoe Line

In any type of relationship trust is important, and the bond that Bloch creates with it's customers is built on a foundation of trust. This is a company whose primary objective is to make a positive contribution to the world of ballet, and not to subtract from it in any way. With that said, this companies primary focus since it's beginning, has been it's devotion to the creation of the highest and most durable handcrafted dance shoes, and Bloch ballet shoes have and continue to be it's premier line of shoes.

The reason ballet captivates it's audience is because of the grace and power demonstrated by the dancer, which when executed at the highest levels, conveys multiple emotional expressions related to the story line and the music of the ballet. The various techniques, which must be mastered to become a successful artist in this field demand an unusually high level of discipline, and countless numbers of hours spent in practice.

Any ballet artist will tell you that mastering this dance styles various techniques is actually not the actual goal, but rather a means to an end. The end goal is to accomplish a result through the dance movements which is so beautiful that it seems to be not of this world. Although the observer may be drawn to the graceful movements of the ballerina, there eyes are also drawn to the ballerina's feet.

This fact alone suggests that a tremendous demand is placed on the feet of anyone who is committed to this style of dance. As with any art form, mastering it's technique and possessing the correct tools to do so plays an important role in the artist's success. For ballet, investing in the best possible pair of ballet shoes is critically important. The quality of Bloch ballet shoes goes beyond normal requirements which a dance shoe of this type is expected to fulfill. They truly go beyond the ballet artist expectations.

All of Bloch's ballet shoes are handcrafted and made of the best of materials which include satin, canvas, or soft leather. More importantly the people who craft these shoes are artisan craftsman in their own right, and many of them are ballet artist as well.

A comfortable fit is as important as a proper fit when it comes to these type of dance shoes. Keep in mind that a properly designed ballet shoe will not only protect your feet and ankles, they will also aid in improving your overall technique as well. The shoe should actually not fit too tightly but at the same fit snugly. You should have ample room within the shoe to move your toes freely. If you're undecided, because more than one pair of shoes you are considering are closely matched, the best choice is to go with the pair which is slightly larger. It may even be a good idea to seek advice from your ballet instructor if you're a beginner.

Not only does Bloch create a ballet shoe which fits comfortably, their shoes are very durable, and will without question, stand up to the rigors of performance and practice. As an additional bonus Bloch offers a large selection to choose from and all with their own unique style.

Denise Madison is a professional dancer whose primary interest is ballet. For more information about, Bloch Ballet Shoes you can check out her newest website at http://www.blochshoes.org/, where she provides unbiased information and advice about the complete line of shoes which are offered by the Bloch Shoe Company.

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Back To Ballet With An Adult Ballet Class

I talk to many adults who ask if they should try to get back to ballet class. Depending on how many years it has been since you have done ballet, or any kind of dance related exercise, I always say go for it. You may have to call several local studios to find an adult ballet class that is right for you. You may worry about the dance wear dress codes and if you will want to comply. If you are overweight, or have lost your flexibility, you probably feel very self conscious.

Most dance academies that offer adult ballet class level work will offer a one-class-pay for a new dancer, and after that you will be asked to pay by the month. There are usually other types of class packaging that are further discounted, depending on the amount of classes purchased.

Will You Get Injured In An Adult Ballet Class?

There is always a possibility of injury, with ballet and most sports too, if you are out of shape. But bear in mind that every single ballet barre exercise is designed to train your muscles so that you prevent dance injuries. The basic ballet posture, for example, is a natural posture. It may not feel or look that way, since most people slouch and are slowly injuring themselves just by that bad habit.

Standing up straight is not an exaggerated military posture, but maintains the natural spinal curves, placement of the shoulders under the ears, and is completed with a relaxed and curved neck.

Ballet turnout is the main technique that prevents knee injuries. The feet should not be forced out more than the knees can match the rotation. You may never get into the performance standard fifth position - toes to heels - and yet over time you can still gain elegance and control in your adult ballet class.

You will achieve your artistic fulfillment with careful, patient hard work. You will feel the exhilaration of the air borne leaps and spinning pirouettes all the more, having the confidence that you can land from jumps safely, and reaching your ballet position after turning, well grounded, without the room spinning on without you.

Control And Perfectionism

Ballet classes truly give an ongoing sense of control and mastery, through repetition, and slow increase of strength. Yet, the affliction of perfectionism is a dead end for any dancer, especially a self critical individual in an adult ballet class. If there is any quest in your mind/heart for a perfect kind of control and a harsh way to discipline yourself, you will be the dancer to most likely injure her/himself in class.

I caution this because, a drive to be perfect usually entails over-working, not resting enough in between classes, and maybe not eating enough to achieve any muscle building. I don't mean muscle shape or bulk, but just strength, and a normal recovery. Dancing ballet, you can always get better, so there is no perfect.

The real control comes with practice, developing better reflexes, and knowing how to do ballet stretches and relaxation techniques correctly.

I hope you DO get back to ballet, and find an adult ballet class that you love.

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Ballet Rules! Tips on How to Have Fun in Every Ballet Class

Ballet is the root, the foundation of all movement. It fosters strong technique in all dance mediums by increasing flexibility, balance and core strength. It improves your lines, turns and jumps. It teaches you how to correctly transition from one movement to another, prevents injury, and helps a dancer to find grace through strength. Ballet is fun! Wait, ballet is fun? Taking ballet class can sometimes seem like a necessary evil, a means to an end or a repetitive mix of the same pliés and tendus that can put you into a lull of sleepy monotony. No more! Here are 5 ways to make every ballet class a joy.

1. Make every exercise a performance. Even at barre, think of someone you'd like to be dancing for and do it! Picture them watching your every move. Use your eyes, your head, your power and your heart to give them the show of a lifetime.

2. Challenge yourself. Think about the corrections you received in your previous class. Choose one to focus on the entire class long. You'll be amazed how one correction can fix so many things from adagio to allegro and everything in between.

3. Be inspired by your peers. Don't be jealous. Look around. Who grabs your attention, makes you want to watch them dance? Think about what it could be that makes you want to watch that person dance. Is it their passion, expression, lines, energy, confidence, mystery? Then, use that inspiration to find your own spark and work to become the dancer in class that no one else can take their eyes off of!

4. Cheer each other on! Clap when other groups complete a combination. Congratulate other dancers when they perform well or make a new breakthrough. It feels good to be nice. It raises everyone's spirits and the whole room can float on the accomplishment of just one when celebrated.

5. Go somewhere else. In your mind, that is. No, that doesn't mean to ignore your teacher! Pretend you are dancing each combination in some exotic location. What would that piqué arabesque feel like on the Moon? Pretend you are under the sea and imagine little bubbles floating off of your fingers with each port de bras. You can go anywhere, it's your mind.

Ballet is fun! Try these 5 easy ways to make taking class a blast and you'll love it forever. Now get to class. Ballet rules!

By Amber Keeley; Ballet Instructor, Dancer, Choreographer
Copyright ©2011 Amber Keeley

Amber Rosah Keeley has been a ballet teacher and an award winning choreographer in the Twin Cities metro area since 1993. She is currently the School Director at Out on a Limb Dance Company & School http://outonalimbdance.org/, a St. Paul non-profit arts organization, and the ballet coach for the national champion University of St. Thomas Tommies dance team.

Amber is available for master classes, interviews, private lessons, workshops and judging positions at amber@outonalimbdance.org.

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The Ballet Dance

Ballet came into being in the Italian courts during the fifteenth century where dance performances flourished. Soon after, it spread to France and King Louis XIV, who was passionate about this particular form of dance, founded the Royal Dance Academy to promote the dance of ballet. This is considered to be one of the reasons French vocabulary is used in ballet.

However, after the eighteen hundreds, the popularity of ballet declined in France. Although this was also the case in France, it was still popular in countries such as Russia, Denmark and Italy. Fortunately, during the 1st world war, a Russian ballet company brought the art of ballet back to the western countries of Europe, where it once again flourished. Developments in ballet meant that many variations of this dance were developed, namely classical ballet, contemporary ballet, neoclassical ballet and romantic ballet.

Classical ballet has all the elements of the techniques of traditional ballet. In classical ballet there is a position that is incorporated in every practice and this is called 'plié'. Neoclassical ballet however is not as rigid as classical ballet. Tempos are faster and complicated positions are performed. It is a mix of classical and contemporary ballet. One of the pioneers of this is said to be George Balanchine. In contemporary ballet, techniques and positions are inspired by modern dance and classical ballet. It focuses on utilizing abdominal strength as well as foot movements. Dancing without shoes is the norm for contemporary ballet.

Ballet skills are very hard to master and a lot of practice is required to be put in before one can dance with the grace and skill that is required of this beautiful dance form. Movements are extremely precise and coordinated and a sense of balance is also essential. These can all be acquired, but time and effort needs to be put in for this to be translated into the performances that bring the story to alive. Choreography is also extremely important to bring the attention to the dancers' skills. It is also critical in relating the movements to the music played. With perfect choreography, dancers appear to be walking on air with their perfect coordination and sense of balance. Without this balance, all the twisting and turning that is required cannot be perfected.

The world famous female and male professional dancers often start their learning and training process when they are quite young; some as young as 4 years old! Since joints and muscles need to develop at a constant and stable pace to accommodate the techniques, starting young is quite important. When they start at a young age, children enjoy their basic training and this makes it easy to learn the techniques that are required. Once younger children enjoy the practice, then it becomes easier for them to continue to practice so that they can master the skills that are needed. It is not easy to become a professional dancer as dedication, passion, grace and skills are crucial aspects of ballet. However, once these are perfected, these dancers float across the stage and mesmerize the audiences with their performances.

For accessories such as ballerina shoes, come see what we have to offer.

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Ballet Pumps

When it comes to fashion, ballet pumps never run out of style. These shoes are good for all ages and are very flexible when it comes to mixing and matching your overall outfit. Many people believe that ballet can only be learned effectively from a young age. This couldn't be further from the truth. While younger dancers do have it slightly easier due to increased flexibility, age is generally not a deterrent to becoming a competent dancer. One of the chief benefits of learning ballet includes heightening the flexibility of your legs and hips.

Ballet pumps are the most important equipment a ballerina uses for ballet dancing. But this style of footwear is also popular for casual wear. You may have noticed that ballet pumps are becoming more abundant on the shoe racks at the stores and they are widely seen as trendy for everyday wear. It be noted that "pumps" is a distinctly British term as it is commonly used as slang for court shoes in North America. This type of shoes already has a wide array of designs and colors that one can choose from.

Because they are suitable for casual occasions, they are not only seen on the stage. They are form fitting and usually possess a thin sole. However, the soles on those made for casual wear are distinctly thicker for added protection. You can get them in just about any color in the palette and they match up easily with anything from a skirt and top to a great pair of jeans. Its strength lies in its ease of use and its versatility.

This is exactly why more and more women are opting to purchase them for their wardrobe. While traditional ballet pumps were made primarily out of canvas, satin or leather, those that are found at the stores are made from a greater variety. Flexibility of the foot is not of prime importance when walking on the streets, durability and comfort is. For that reason, they can be made from various plastic derived materials as well.

Cushioning is increased by thickening the sole slightly as traditional ballet pumps have soles that are far too thin for the kinds of surfaces we see on the streets. In fact, it is so thin that you will likely damage your foot after prolonged use outdoors. The cheapest varieties on the market are always those made from various plastic materials. They may look good and may have reasonable durability but they are usually hard to the touch and can never be accused of being comfortable.

The basic ballet pump that is chosen by women worldwide is leather ballet pumps. Leather costs a bit more but is far more durable than satin or canvas. It is also somewhat resistant to staining and is slightly water resistant to boot. For something with a high gloss finish, patent leather ballet pumps are also available. Similar to satin however, its high gloss finish tends to fade over time.

There also needs to be some amount of maintenance when it comes to leather goods. Various conditioners restore the inherent shine that comes with these products and may increase their resistance to water.

Shop with us for ballet pumps in silver, red, black and many more popular colors today!

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