For the closet ballerinas among us

(see - http://forums.abrsm.org/index.php?showtopic=8334&st=21 onwards!)

ballet! yay! ive started pointe this year but i've only done a few lessons so far due to being off ill for most of the year..oopsy! i've been told to keep it up over the hols, but boy it's painful! except when you put the pointe shoes on over the top of slipper socks - i could stay on them all day then! (thinking about it, my shoes are probs fitted wrong aren't they?!)

Dance! Love it!

Well as I've told some of you before, I've studied Classical South Indian Bharatanatyam dance for a good few years (currently working on completing my repertoire - Arangetram hopefully beckons!) and am currently studying for my Intermediate Major in Ballet after sitting my Intermediate Foundation in May. I have danced en pointe for nearly 3 years and I study Checchetti method.

And for those "you have to start young's" among you all I'm 33 and started ballet at 29 and Bharatanatyam at 26.

And yes I am "serious" about it
No its "not just for fun"
Yes, I do hope to perform/teach" one day,
No I don't take "adult classes" I take regular exam classes
Yes a lot of my fellow students are quite a bit younger than me but this is my (and their) "give a damn" faces ->

So hopefully thats sorted all the prelimaries out! Any questions/comments happily answered!!!

CrazyCow - two words for you regarding painful pointe:

Ouch Pouches!

Ever used them?! They are these wondeful little gel-pouches which you put inside your pointe shoes to pad the toes and I can't sing their praises enough! Most dance shops should have them. They work much better than the bulky old-fashioned toe pads. Also try padding the toe of your pointe shoes with some lambswool (again, you can get it at any dance shop) and make sure those toenails are kept really short! If you want real comfort try a combination of Ouch-Pouches and Lambswool. Ahh! Bliss!

As for the fitting, well when you buy pointe shoes you need to get them fitted properly at a good dance shop by people who know what they are doing. Pointe shoes always hurt at first, even perfectly fitted ones so I shouldn't worry about that, but do make sure you have had them fitted (I hope you have!). If you are trying to dance on them without padding then yes thats going to be a major ouchies situation and you need to invest in something to pad the toes.

Also, different types of shoe suit different feet. I'm currently in Capezio, but still love my Bloch's (although so many people I know hate them and say they are bulky) and couldn't get on at all with the expensive high-tech Gaynor Mindens. People will find that certains makes "suit" them and other makes don't so if you still aren't happy with your shoes after you've broken them in, padded the toes and been dancing on them for a while, maybe try a different make (again a good dance shop or your teacher can advise you on this!)

I did ballet till I was twelve and recently have been trying again (with some encouragement from our resident ballet bod Lady Moonlight ) - and a class is starting in September in my town (first class that I know of for over a decade in my town!) so I'm looking forward to that!

If/when I'm let loose en pointe I will definitely be investing in some Ouch pouches... they sound like a fantastic idea!

Just had a quick google... sounds fascinating, all of it! and wow - do you have those incredible costumes? How did you end up doing Classical Indian dance?

I fell in love with Bharatanatyam after attending a performance given by the lady who later became my Guru (teacher) here in Cardiff and some visiting dancers from South India. Its a beautiful dance style, difficult to describe as its very different to anything we have in Western Classical Culture, but it combines two main different types of dance - Pure dance and Expressional dance. Pure dance is demanding, rhythimcal and can be fast, furious and exhausting. Its performed mainly in the Ara-mandi position (ara-mandi means "half-sitting" and basically means with knees bent or in a demi plie).

My costume is gold and scarlet and I love it! It was tailor mande for me in Bangalore and fits like a silk glove!

Because Bharatanatyam is too huge a topic to try to describe on one thread, here's a link:

http://in.geocities.com/medhahari/bharatan...ratanatyam.html

Some very lovely pictures:

http://in.geocities.com/medhahari/bharata-...yam-photos.html

Thanks LM... the costumes really are quite spectacular aren't they? It is quite hard to imagine the dancing just from pictures - sadly my 'net connection isn't up to video! However I've a few friends getting broadband soon so maybe when they have it they will let me have a look as I'm sure either on one of those sites or another I saw links to videos.

Ooh Helen does a lot of dancing, I'm sure she will reply in this when she gets back!

PS totally unrelated (well, not to the thread, but to Indian Classical dance!) - do you (or indeed anyone else on here!) have any good tips for exercises to strengthen one's feet? Just general ones, and also I don't know if it's just because my feet aren't hugely arched but I don't ever seem to be able to get to a convincing 3/4 pointe - I work really hard to rise above what looks to me more like demi-pointe... any tips appreciated.

Are also, anyone who posted ballet contributions on that other thread, do you have any objections to the ballet related posts being quoted here as and when I have the time?

sorry, enough random ramblings... can't wait to have a look at the Bharatanatyam sites properly on a decent connection

Oooh yes, she does Ballroom right? unless I'm totally mistaken. Point this thread out to her, won't you!

I am working towards my Advanced 1 Tap (equivalent grade 9/10) and Intermediate Modern (equivalent grade 8/10). This Indian dancing sounds really good.

Wow, you must be really good. I did tap a long time ago but was never very good!

I'm not great, its just something which few people (especially blokes) do so it probably appears harder than it is. I've been learning for about 10 years so I'm officially better at tap than piano but no practise needs to be done between lessons so its not as difficult to master, I'd say!

Never tried it - but my mother knew someone who took tap lessons and was getting on really well, until she slipped and had a bad fall in class one evening, while wearing tap shoes, and broke her ankle . I think she did have a few more lessons once her ankle had healed, but the fall put her off a bit.

I'll stick to ballet.......although that doesn't come without it's dangers, especially pirouettes en point

Random question for the ballet folk out there - I was reading some really interesting stuff about the Gaynor Minden pointe shoes. Anyone tried them/like them/hate them? Not that I'm likely to be able to afford a pair EVER or need such a good pair of shoes to pay £70, but was just interested!

My little cousin has just got distinction in her grade 2 ballet and honours in a modern dance exam woo

so proud!!

Yes!!!! You're not mistaken. Ballroom, Latin, Freestyle (not so much now) and I would quite like to start (formal lessons in) ballet.

How did your exam go?

I restart ballet lessons in September, I hope!

Ugh.

I messed up right in front of the examiners table. I'm not going to get the honours grade my teacher wanted. Or even a highly commended which has been my lowest grade ever.

Oh no! which discipline was the exam in, Latin or Ballroom? or are they combined. That's rotten, especially when you know you are able to do well.

Do you have a regular partner that you dance exams with?

You will get great marks Helen! Have confidence girl!!

Ballroom.

Sarah: Not at the moment. There's not that many guys around Birmingham who do ballroom dancing... Or if there are... I can't find them! And of course dance pairings are based on so many other things than the dancing...

They need to be cute guys

Actually its based along the lines of height (major factor), build, looks (eg hair colour and other random things), how well you can dance together and work with etc.

Never mind that...if he's not cute- you don't haev him!!

Advertise... I'm sure Nat'll help you word the ad!

Do you take the exams with your teacher then or what? Yup, I'm nosy!

for the would be ballet dancers, came across this about feet/ankle strengthening:

"To be successful on pointe, it is important to have strong ankles. I suggest doing an exercise my ballet teacher has my class do everyday: Standing in first position, do 16 relevés (begin and end in plie) and then 16 elevés (begin and end with straight legs). Next, standing on your right foot, coupe you left foot in back. Keeping this position do 8 relevés and then 8 elevés. Repeat on the left foot. Try not to do them too fast, or else you will start to build endurance, not strength. It may be hard at first to get through, but after a while it gets easier and soon you will be able to do the whole thing twice through! This has really strengthened my feet and ankles this year, improving not only my pointe work, but also my arabesques and turns."

oooh yes, we will advertise.

I see Helen today so will work on the advertisement Sarah!!!


"very cute guy needed to be a dancing partner with Helen. Requirements- has to be good looking, dancing experience useful, has to pass through Nat first"


mwaahahahahahaa

I do tap and riverdance all though you wouldn't think it. I love doing it because I go to and adult and Junior class and we do a cabaret and show every year and then exams. I really enjoy it. I used to do ballet when I was about 5 but gave up because I found it a bit boring but I really wished I hadn't given up. You do have to wait a while though don't you before you do proper ballet but now I'm not flexible enough. I would love to be able to stand on my toes.

Don't give up if you really want to take it up again. Sure, if you start later you're less likely to become Prima Ballerina of the Royal Ballet, but ask Lady Moonlight - she started at 29! So it's never too late to have a go, or regain some of that flexibility, especially if it wasn't tooooo horrendously long ago that you stopped.

Ok Am looking into doing a 10 week evening ballet course run by the local college to see if I like it. Have always been told I'm too tall - just over 5'10'', and at a size 14 and a bit don't feel very waif-like. Will this be a problem?

The booklet says 'wear dance clothes and ballet shoes'. This looks to be a minefield! Not wanting to appear a complete idiot, does one go for split soles or not? Nice shiny satin ones or leather? elastic bits or ribbons? The only thing I'm sure of is that I'll not be buying pointe shoes just yet!!!

Also, what constittues dance clothes? It's an adult class, so guess there won't be a fashion parade, but assume it doesn't mean tutus... Are we taking leggings? I'm not sure I like the idea of me in a leotard... although I did have one I think it's now rather small!

Any advice gratefully received!

No, it wont be a problem.



My limited experience of ballet, says, go for leather (more practical for lessons, however more expensive in most places, so ultimately is upto you). Elastic bits for lessons as well, hugely practical, ribbons for exams/shows etc. And you're right with the no pointe shoes!



Nope no tutus! I would go for a leotard (you can get alsorts of styles, so if you're thinking of how you look in one, you could go for long sleves if you desire! If not, thinner straps like the sort you would get on a one piece swimming costume are fairly good, definately my choice). You can always go for leggings as well, as leotard, which I assume most people would. However, I would advise taking a pair of tights in your bag as well incase you get too hot in your leggings because then you can always make a quick change if neccessary!

Do you have a local dance shop? If you do, go in and try on and have a move around to see if you feel comfortable in that one, if not, try more until you do find one!

Oh, and don't forget to take:
- water
- towel (you will get hot. And sweat )
- Hair bobbles. If you have hair anywhere near as long as mine (mines nearly waist length!), I would stronly advise putting it up in a bun. I find its most secure when in a high (ish) pony tail which is plaited with a bobble at the end, then wound round and hair gripped in place, and I usually stick a scrunchie on top to hide the grips.
- something to change into after class to go home in.

Good luck and let me know how the first class goes. If you want to know anything else, feel free to PM me.

Absolutely second everything Helen just said, and if you think you will be too hot in tights but don't like the idea of being in just a leotard, then you can invest in a dance skirt - that is what i plan to do.

Thanks all! A skirt sounds like a fab idea!

So what about split soles? I don't think there is a dance shop locally. Might have to go to Plymouth whre I got my tap shoes from; a bit of a trip, but thery were really helpful. I heard once that you need to but shoes a bit smaller than your normal size?

Have you booked lessons Sarah-flute?

Lessons should be starting at the beginning of next month - however I haven't heard details from the teacher so I'm planning to ring her in the next couple of days. She's doing it on a lesson-by-lesson basis which suits me fine at the moment. We'll see how it goes! I'm quite excited.

Split soles - they are designed to make your foot look better and the shoe hug you more closely when your foot is pointed. Nice, but more expensive I think, and not really necessary unless you really fancy them! I find that my fairly basic leather ballet slippers have moulded to my feet pretty well and because of the elastic they hug quite close anyway.

Sizewise it depends on the make... I take about size 6 sometimes more in street shoes and am happy in the size 5 1/2 ones that I got mail order. Some of them apparently have to be up or down one or two sizes - it does depend on who's made them. I was chuffed when I fitted a size 5 1/2 as they are classed as children's - therefore no VAT and cheaper!

Can I ask where you got your shoes from? It might be easier to get them mail order...

Here is a link from Dancesport for companies with mail order

Yes childrens dance shoes go upto 7 in katz and roch valley!

Yes, size fluctuate so much with different makes, but if you have mail ordered them they can always be returned.

Can I recommend Dancia? They have a branch in Birmingham where I go and I find them incredibly helpful!

Edit:
Here is another link I find useful, large selection, and eveything you might possibly want! I finally found it after searching through "my favourites"

Yes, Danceworld in Bristol (Helen's last link there) is where I got mine. I rang them up and they were very helpful.

And the good thing is, they do mail for us poor souls who don't live anywhere near Bristol.

Yes

I used to do ballet when i was a child from the age of 3 - 7 but then i became ill and couldn't dance anymore. Now i do an adult ballet class and i started Tap last September and when i go back i will be going into the Level 2/3 class but will be going to the end of the level 1 class to run through the dances to do the Level 1 Adult Tap exam at Christmas. I love Tap and really look forward to it. We start back at classes the week after next.

they were fitted properly by a pro, so they should be ok, i think it might be just because im not used to them yet, but i think i should invest in more padding because it hurts a lot less with slipper socks inside the shoes too!

Cotton wool?

The classic is sheep's wool if you can get hold of it, but I think the modern alternatives are supposed to be better... depends who you ask!

Anyone of you ever studied classical ballet with the Imperial Society ? I play the piano accompaniments for their exams in Belgium (they seem to be all over the world).

Sorry, somethings just occured to me.

The only thing you need to be careful about with a skirt, is when you are in your lessons and your teacher is watching s/he will of course be checking you are executing e.g. the positions properly and not injuring yourself. This would be difficult to check with a skirt. For example, 1st pos, checking the turn out is coming from your hips and not your knees. Tights/leggings are good for this, but skirts, not so.