A Very Nice Compliment

This week has been the last week of classes at the dance studio before we go on break for a month and then come back with new classes and students.  It's bittersweet because some kids will stay in the level while others will be moving up (that means I won't have them anymore).  Sad!  I have enjoyed the last year teaching my seven classes with these wonderful kids because they were good students and kept me young with discussions of Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez.  Plus, we had so much fun and worked hard on the Alice in Wonderland Ballet.

Tuesday after I finished teaching my three classes that day, Katelyn Midgely's mom came up to me and thanked me for being such a great ballet teacher.  She went on to say that I have inspired Katelyn to dance especially in ballet and to work towards earning pointe shoes one day.  Katelyn loved coming to my classes because I pushed her.  I was very touched by this because sometimes as a teacher, you don't always here feedback.  It was great to know that I am inspiring some of my students and making an impact in their lives.  I want to make that impact because there were three ballet teachers I had in my life that really inspired me (Sheila Bailey, Bene' Arnold, and Mark Borchelt). They pushed me because they believed in me and knew what I was capable of.  When someone pushes you because they believe in you, you begin to feel that the end result is such a rewarding moment.  That is what I want for my students.

At the end of August, I am looking forward to the new year of my ballet classes.  I'm excited to see what is in store for my cute dancers.  Plus, we will be doing the Wizard of Oz ballet.  (I'm hoping I can choreograph the flying monkeys!!!)  But at the end of the day, this compliment seriously made my day!

Coming next July!

8 Days and I'll be in the Mediterranean

In eight days, I'll be leaving to go on my spectacular vacation.  I am really really really excited!  I can't wait to go to Barcelona and have some delicious doner kebabs, Athens for some gyro and baklava, and Rome for some pizza and pasta.  Oh and lets not forget the cool sites.  This trip is going to awesome!

Bon Voyage!

My Cute Caterpillars!

My darling girls in my Basic Ballet class on Thursdays

(Katelyn, Emily, Corinne, Paige, Elizabeth, Anushka, Daniella, & Ele)

This last year I have been teaching 7 ballet classes and I love them all, BUT there is one class in particular that has my heart.  These girls are seriously the best class ever at this age that any ballet teacher could ask for.  They were all so well behaved, worked very hard for me, and were so cute at the same time. 

On St. Patrick's Day, I had my green purse and pulled out some cookies for them.  I told them I took them from the Leprechaun and then they told me I was the "Leprechaun Barbie"...I about died!  I thought it was cute and highest compliment I could ever receive from a bunch of kids. 

At the end of July, classes will change for the new dance year.  It's a bittersweet moment because I'm happy for them to move on, but sad because I wish I could keep this group of girls together forever. 

Dress Rehearsals

This week is crazy at Momentum (the dance studio I work at).  This weekend we have our annual recital.  The first part of the show is the variety show which includes all the tap, jazz, hip hop, lyrical, musical theatre, etc.  Then the second part is the ballet in which we are doing Alice in Wonderland.  I have had a big part with helping put this together.  I have been busy that last six months with choreographing four of the dances.  I was in charge of Bunnies, Caterpillars, Butterflies, and Rosebuds.  It has been really fun, but quite a challenging process at the same time. (Who knew teaching 20 butterflies challenging choreography for their age would make you feel like a dead butterfly!!!) :)

Anyway, today was the dress rehearsal for Alice in Wonderland for both casts.  It went really well, but I am sure quite exhausted.  I was watching, giving notes, setting up my dancers, and running props all at the same time.  (I was seriously getting a pretty good workout after eight hours).  After dancing for so many years, you learn the art of running a backstage and what it's like to deal with parents of the dancers.  Maybe someone who reads this understands what I mean. 
The point of this blog though, is that these recitals just confirm even more of why I love dance especially ballet.  I love what I do, I love the art, and have no regrets at all. I better get to bed, I have another long day!

Thinking Body, Dancing Mind

When I was in my last semester in college, my ballet teacher Shayla had us study from a book called,"Thinking Body, Dancing Mind" by Chungliang Al Huang and Jerry Lynch.  This book focuses on the concepts of using Taosports for extroadinary performance in athletics, business and life.  This book made such a difference in my dancing and I remember I felt a renewed self confidence in myself.  The concepts especially helped me in my pirouettes (turns were never my favorite). 

Fast forwarding now two years later, I have forgotten the ways of the Taosports and how it can not only be used for athletics, but also in every aspect of your life.  After a recent trip last week to the emergency room for terrible headaches that had been building up for three weeks and discovering that they were "Tension Headaches,"  I decided it was time to pull out the old book and focus on relaxing my brain.  So, to keep myself calm and relaxed, I have decided to read one chapter/concept a day and to share it.

Today I will share the "Preparations for the Journey."  This chapter mainly discusses what the TaoAthlete is, how to use the concepts, and what you hope to gain. To give you a little background of what I'm talking about, a TaoAthlete is:
-an individualistic;
-has courage to risk failure, learn setbacks, and forge ahead;
-possesses a multidimensional approach to competition;
-focuses on how the game is played (process) as opposed to outcomes (product);
-uses the event to gain greater self-realization;
-trains the mind to see through the complexity of outer trappings of athletics into its essence;
-knows his or her vulnerabilities and trains to strengthem them;
-creates balance, moderation, and simplicity when possible;
-sees competitors as partners who facilitate improvement;
-sees success as one part of the process of sports;
-understands that performance is a roller coaster and had the patience to ride the ups and downs;
-blends with forces so as not to create counterforce;
-has vision, and dreams things into possibilities; and
-enjoys sport for the pleasure it gives.

That's all for today!