Christmas is my favorite time of the year. From the initial meaning of peace on earth and goodwill towards men, to the superficial sparkle of the lights and decorations, it gives me a warm feeling that lasts me through the cold. It’s no wonder that one of my favorite ballets is the Nutcracker. After seeing Boston Ballet’s this past weekend, I love it even more.
My boyfriend and I braved the slushy and icy roads to get to the Boston Opera House on Sunday morning. The gray weather had no effect on my sparkling excitement. When the overture began my heart raced, and I was quickly sucked into the world of the Nutcracker.
I have to take a moment to say a brief word about Clara’s (Emily Hoff’s) feet. I was in the mezzanine section, so I wasn’t super close to the stage, and I was looking down from above, yet I could see this girl’s feet extended and pointed from there. The girl just walked, and they were perfectly placed. Not only that, but her port de bras throughout was truly wonderful. Such maturity for a dancer playing Clara. Thank you for becoming the best Clara I’ve ever seen.
In the first scene, I quickly fell in love with Sabi Varga’s interpretation of Drosselmeier. I’ve seen in so many versions this character portrayed as an older gentleman who has been at times creepy. Drosselmeier has become this kooky old guy who’s intention is to scare Clara with the Nutcracker in many versions. This interpretation was playful and meaningful. He enchanted the street people in the beginning scene with his toys, and enchanted myself throughout the whole ballet.
My second favorite scene (the first will be revealed shortly) has always been the party. From the gowns of the women, to the ballet-ified ballroom dance style of the adults, I’ve always imagined myself as being at one of these parties in a past life. The choreography for this scene was amazing, and one of the things I remember telling my boyfriend is that I am always so amazed at the dancers in the background. There are times where there is choreography that is displayed as the main focus, but there are still people off to the sides. Most people don’t notice, but these dancers are staying in character, and really acting with their bodies for the entirety of the time that they are on stage. I was highly impressed with the amount that Boston Ballet had going on in the background.
One of my least favorite things came from this section, however. The doll that comes to life was really not very well done. I hate to say it, but Diana Albrecht’s interpretation was not pleasant. In my opinion, her dancing was choppy- not robotic. Instead of dancing like a doll, she danced as though she was being shocked by an electric buzzer offstage somewhere. It’s the only time I had a sour expression on my face throughout the ballet. A bit more subtle movements would do the section well.
The comedic sections of ballet are always amusing. The rats provide this on a constant basis during the battle scene. They emerge to twelve strokes of the clock at midnight after Clara has fallen asleep. The silly poses in which these rat appear were definitely laugh-worthy. In this scene, I was also impressed with the soldier boys. At one point they all did this parallel battements with flexed feet that came just above 90 degrees. Every single boy had straight knees, were definitively parallel, were in unison, and managed to stay in time while on releve. To get a group of dancers to be able to do that is a great feat. It makes me very excited for the future of ballet!
I am now up to my ultimate favorite scene in the Nutcracker. Even as I think about it now, I am getting “the feels” as the kids call it these days. The snow scene with the Snow King and Snow Queen (played by Alejandro Virelles and Seo Hye Han) and the snowflakes were beautiful. There is something so magical and powerful about the music, and Seo danced it undeniably beautifully. She is the type of ballerina that I love- strong, powerful, but with a subtlety of softness and pristine poise. Of course, she was only made to look so amazing by the strength and support of Alejandro. Those lifts- WOW! It made me miss my days of taking pas de deux class…
The snowflakes were gorgeous. I got the opportunity to watch one of the poor girls fall flat on her bum, due to what I’m assuming was some slippery “snow” that had fallen to the stage. While my boyfriend told me he lost track of her after that, I watched her dutifully as a teacher hoping that it didn’t affect her. Boy did it not! This ballerina came back stronger and prettier than she had started! This is the sign of true professionalism. After they left the stage and kept coming on at different points, I was unable to figure out which one she was, but the fact that it didn’t get her off counts, or even affected her and the dancing in the slightest was just a fantastic moment for me to be able to witness.
The Snow Scene is my favorite because it reminds me of snow days when you get to sit by your window and watch the snow fall. Dance truly brings to life snow to me, since I always watch the snowflakes and think that they are dancing anyway. To put them into human form is just a more organized version of what they actually are.
Act II is now upon us. While it is the most diverse section, I always find it hard to get through. I space out somewhere between Pastorale and the ending. This time was no different. Obviously not the fault of the Boston Ballet. While it kept me intrigued and more consciously present than any other, it was still a little hard.
Spanish was right on point- the arm flares and passion of the dancers shone through. Arabian was slinky and superb with the slow sultry music. Chinese…well, Chinese seemed as though they needed some more rehearsal time to get the timing together. I was unable to really get a good sense of what they were doing because they were so off from each other. Pastorale was pretty, but I was more pulled in by the cutest little black sheep in the background. Mother Ginger was, as per usual, funny and humorous. Mother Ginger herself (played by Isaac Akiba) was in fine form, and the children were well rehearsed and did a great job! That back flip at the end by the little girl got its own applause! Then Russian…Oh, Russian, the manliest/sexiest part of the whole ballet. Three men showing off how athletic they are with jumps and turns is truly a feat!
The Waltz of the Flowers left me wanting for some reason. The dancing and choreography was absolutely stunning, and I loved the idea of the costumes with the tiered skirts that were longer European length tutus. There was just something about it that left me wanting something more. Whether it was more lighting, a change of atmosphere, or maybe even just adding a little more to the costume, the “It” factor didn’t appear to me. I do want to express how much I loved the dancing, though. The music and choreography together made me want to strap on my old pointe shoes and get up there with them!
Of course the Grand Pas de Deux was beautiful with the Nutcracker Prince (played by John Lam) and the Sugarplum Fairy (Rie Ichikawa), but the ending excites me immensely. You get all the people dancing at the end in unison. No crazy choreography, but everyone dancing together to the escalating music just makes you feel good.
The ending was perfect with Clara waking up and wondering if it was all just a dream. As she walks towards the end of the stage, she touches her head and realizes that the tiara she received in the Kingdom of Sweets was still on!
I went to see the Nutcracker a few years ago with my mother. This was before they had redone the ballet just last year. I have to say- I love the changes. The costumes are unbelievable. I loved the prima ballerina tutus sparkling and glimmering underneath the lights. The snowflake costumes aren’t overdone, but simple and classy. As I mentioned earlier, the idea of the flower costumes was very different, but very wonderful. I loved the new scenery in the beginning with Drosselmeier’s workshop. I also really liked how they changed the tree. The bright green really pops on the stage. I was also impressed by the level of dancing that Clara, and the other younger dancers in the ballet, were able to perform. The children’s quality of dancing has improved since I last saw it. All the changes that I noticed were absolutely for the better.
So thank you Boston Ballet for redeeming yourselves in the Nutcracker area, and easily becoming my favorite version!
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
Friday, October 25, 2013
For Danvers
For the past couple of days, I have wanted to write about the horrific events that happened in my hometown this week. A 14 year old student allegedly killed a 24 year old teacher. While the passion and the fire have been there to write, I have not known how to approach the topic. Even sitting here now with tears in my eyes and a heavy heart, I’m not quite sure where this will go.
Everyone knows the details by now- the young teacher had asked the student to stay after class, and sometime between then and the next morning when the boy was found, Colleen Ritzer had lost her life at his hands. Motive is still unknown, or not being released. I’m not sure which one it is.
I am not a parent. I cannot even comprehend what it must be like to have a child who has to walk into a school where a teacher was murdered. I can’t imagine how scared the parents must feel or how sad. My mother shared with me that on the day of 9/11, when I was a senior in high school and my sister was in middle school, she drove to the school and just sat out front, making sure that nothing happened at the school while she cried. My mother has a very protective and sensitive soul, and I know that there must have been parents that did similarly today.
I am not a student. I have no idea what it will be like to walk into that school and know that my peer murdered a teacher of mine. I can’t fathom how it must feel to walk by that second floor bathroom and know that it’s a crime scene forever. To have to walk into that teacher’s classroom and know that she will never return must be utterly scarring. To be a student at Danvers High School right now must be a nightmare.
I am not a teacher at Danvers High School. I do not know what it is like to walk into school knowing that my students that I have only had for 2 months are struggling with grief. I do not know what it is like to walk the halls not knowing whether or not it will be safe. As a teacher, to be dealing with students that may lash out, or even fellow teachers that may not know how to handle it, must be a terrible feeling.
What I am is a dance teacher that has students whom I care about deeply who are going through a really rough time. I am an alumni of Danvers High School who knows what it is like to walk those hallways, and knows what it means to be a Falcon. I am a sensitive person who knows that my family, and my friends’ families, and my sister’s friends’ families all live within a mile of the high school where this tragic event happened. My heart is breaking knowing how many lives have been changed forever.
In a different light, I am a dance teacher who is here for her students. While, I can’t do much more than provide an ear to open up to, or offer two arms to give a hug, I am here as an adult to help where I can. I am an alumni of Danvers High School who knows that being a Falcon means community. I have so much faith in my community that they will rise above this and become a beacon for pulling through and coming together in terrible times. I am a sensitive person who will cry from time to time knowing the impact of this situation, but will offer support and love to the universe. I am a Danvers girl, and I am strong.
When the Boston Marathon bombings occurred, I wrote a blog urging people to go out and do good in the world. Today, I write in Colleen Ritzer’s memory to do the same. There needs to be a call to arms- we must be ready and loaded to send love out into the universe. Generally, there is good in the world, and that good can overpower the destruction that bad can do. Our children, more than ever, need to be taught how to be kind, how to love, and how to create happiness. When awful things happen, we need to be the pillars of support, and the teachers of all things good. We need to lead by example to help those who are hurting, let them grieve, and be there for them when they need help. As a whole, the adults of today need to be reminded that even though we see these bad things, there is still good out there, so that we may point it out to the youth of today. Look at the pictures of the students, and the memorial, and even Ms. Ritzer’s twitter. There is goodness in the world.
“No matter what happens in life, be good to people. Being good to people is a wonderful legacy to leave behind.” -Colleen Ritzer
Well said, and RIP Ms. Ritzer.
Everyone knows the details by now- the young teacher had asked the student to stay after class, and sometime between then and the next morning when the boy was found, Colleen Ritzer had lost her life at his hands. Motive is still unknown, or not being released. I’m not sure which one it is.
I am not a parent. I cannot even comprehend what it must be like to have a child who has to walk into a school where a teacher was murdered. I can’t imagine how scared the parents must feel or how sad. My mother shared with me that on the day of 9/11, when I was a senior in high school and my sister was in middle school, she drove to the school and just sat out front, making sure that nothing happened at the school while she cried. My mother has a very protective and sensitive soul, and I know that there must have been parents that did similarly today.
I am not a student. I have no idea what it will be like to walk into that school and know that my peer murdered a teacher of mine. I can’t fathom how it must feel to walk by that second floor bathroom and know that it’s a crime scene forever. To have to walk into that teacher’s classroom and know that she will never return must be utterly scarring. To be a student at Danvers High School right now must be a nightmare.
I am not a teacher at Danvers High School. I do not know what it is like to walk into school knowing that my students that I have only had for 2 months are struggling with grief. I do not know what it is like to walk the halls not knowing whether or not it will be safe. As a teacher, to be dealing with students that may lash out, or even fellow teachers that may not know how to handle it, must be a terrible feeling.
What I am is a dance teacher that has students whom I care about deeply who are going through a really rough time. I am an alumni of Danvers High School who knows what it is like to walk those hallways, and knows what it means to be a Falcon. I am a sensitive person who knows that my family, and my friends’ families, and my sister’s friends’ families all live within a mile of the high school where this tragic event happened. My heart is breaking knowing how many lives have been changed forever.
In a different light, I am a dance teacher who is here for her students. While, I can’t do much more than provide an ear to open up to, or offer two arms to give a hug, I am here as an adult to help where I can. I am an alumni of Danvers High School who knows that being a Falcon means community. I have so much faith in my community that they will rise above this and become a beacon for pulling through and coming together in terrible times. I am a sensitive person who will cry from time to time knowing the impact of this situation, but will offer support and love to the universe. I am a Danvers girl, and I am strong.
When the Boston Marathon bombings occurred, I wrote a blog urging people to go out and do good in the world. Today, I write in Colleen Ritzer’s memory to do the same. There needs to be a call to arms- we must be ready and loaded to send love out into the universe. Generally, there is good in the world, and that good can overpower the destruction that bad can do. Our children, more than ever, need to be taught how to be kind, how to love, and how to create happiness. When awful things happen, we need to be the pillars of support, and the teachers of all things good. We need to lead by example to help those who are hurting, let them grieve, and be there for them when they need help. As a whole, the adults of today need to be reminded that even though we see these bad things, there is still good out there, so that we may point it out to the youth of today. Look at the pictures of the students, and the memorial, and even Ms. Ritzer’s twitter. There is goodness in the world.
“No matter what happens in life, be good to people. Being good to people is a wonderful legacy to leave behind.” -Colleen Ritzer
Well said, and RIP Ms. Ritzer.
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
DING DONG DOMA IS DEAD!
Dancers come in all shapes, sizes, genders, and races. Dancers also know what it’s like to walk into a room and be told to leave because you don’t “fit” what they’re looking for. Mostly it’s because you don’t have the right look that the choreographer is looking for. Perhaps you’re too short. Maybe your legs aren’t long enough. Either way, rejection hurts.
Nothing would ever compare, though, to being told that you don’t have the same rights when you get married to the person you love because of your sexual preference.
I am so proud to be an American today. DOMA (the Defense Of Marriage Act) has been shut down. It’s a step forward for our nation, and hopefully a step forward for our world. The amount of hatred I have seen in my lifetime against gay men and woman is despicable. One of the most vivid memories I have is watching young children hold signs outside of my college that spewed hateful messages about God hating gays and creating AIDS to eradicate the culture. Even as I type this, I am crying thinking about how much hate and ignorance someone must have in their hearts to pass on thoughts of inequality to children.
Some of my favorite people on earth are gay. In the dance world, as stereotypical as this is, you DO cross paths with a lot of gay men. Even though many of them are stereotypically “softer” in certain respects, these men are some of the strongest willed, and emotionally strong, people that I have ever met. I have seen many of them find someone who is just PERFECT for them, and yet sadly, they don’t want to marry, or they CAN’T marry (depending on where they live).
I have never understood why it wasn’t recognized that two people of the same sex couldn’t be together. I grew up in the dance world, not to mention that my mother grew up in both the skating and dance world, and my grandmother was an interior designer and ice skater. I grew up not just automatically knowing the culture, and what that entailed, but I grew up with parents that instilled within me a general kindness, acceptance, and loving nature that I wouldn’t know what to do without. I accept all people, and I only don’t accept those that act hatefully and put out a negative energy into the world that is harmful.
I am so glad and proud today that our nation is standing up and acting out against that hate. Perhaps with this will come more education and understanding that people are people. It doesn’t matter what your race is or what your sexual preference is or what your gender is. We are all human who are trying to make sure that we keep intact our basic right to live.
Today, celebrate who you love. In this world, you never know when that might be taken away from you, whether it’s the cause of a government, or if it’s fate, or nature. You never do know, so on this day of celebration, make sure everyone you love knows it. And if there’s that special someone out there, make sure they know you love them.
Nothing would ever compare, though, to being told that you don’t have the same rights when you get married to the person you love because of your sexual preference.
I am so proud to be an American today. DOMA (the Defense Of Marriage Act) has been shut down. It’s a step forward for our nation, and hopefully a step forward for our world. The amount of hatred I have seen in my lifetime against gay men and woman is despicable. One of the most vivid memories I have is watching young children hold signs outside of my college that spewed hateful messages about God hating gays and creating AIDS to eradicate the culture. Even as I type this, I am crying thinking about how much hate and ignorance someone must have in their hearts to pass on thoughts of inequality to children.
Some of my favorite people on earth are gay. In the dance world, as stereotypical as this is, you DO cross paths with a lot of gay men. Even though many of them are stereotypically “softer” in certain respects, these men are some of the strongest willed, and emotionally strong, people that I have ever met. I have seen many of them find someone who is just PERFECT for them, and yet sadly, they don’t want to marry, or they CAN’T marry (depending on where they live).
I have never understood why it wasn’t recognized that two people of the same sex couldn’t be together. I grew up in the dance world, not to mention that my mother grew up in both the skating and dance world, and my grandmother was an interior designer and ice skater. I grew up not just automatically knowing the culture, and what that entailed, but I grew up with parents that instilled within me a general kindness, acceptance, and loving nature that I wouldn’t know what to do without. I accept all people, and I only don’t accept those that act hatefully and put out a negative energy into the world that is harmful.
I am so glad and proud today that our nation is standing up and acting out against that hate. Perhaps with this will come more education and understanding that people are people. It doesn’t matter what your race is or what your sexual preference is or what your gender is. We are all human who are trying to make sure that we keep intact our basic right to live.
Today, celebrate who you love. In this world, you never know when that might be taken away from you, whether it’s the cause of a government, or if it’s fate, or nature. You never do know, so on this day of celebration, make sure everyone you love knows it. And if there’s that special someone out there, make sure they know you love them.
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
Top 20 For Season 10 of So You Think You Can Dance!
It is officially my favorite time of the year. No no, not summer. So You Think You Can Dance has started! I’ve decided to start keeping weekly tabs on here of my opinions on the progress of the show. I mean, why not? So You Think You Can Dance is everything that I love and hate about dance rolled into one reality tv show!
Last week, the top 20 were introduced! Instead of going through each and every individual dancer and dance, I’m going to go over the things that particularly stood out in my mind. I have plenty of opinions on this year’s bunch. Also, please remember as I go through this- these are my OPINIONS! I just don’t want any angry retribution that occurs here.
First off, I am highly disappointed in the female contemporary showing. Yes, these girls are strong, and they have SO much potential, but the problem is that they are all cookie cutter. I was hoping that since it was season 10 that the judges would be looking for dancers that were DIFFERENT! I get it, they want people that are going to win the hearts of the judges, but the only person who I can even think of that stands out is Malece, and I’m wondering if that’s only because she has a different look to her with that bleach blonde hair, cupie doll face, and I-just-want-to-pinch-your-cheek personality. And yet through all that standing out, the judges were almost hardest on her in the first round. I mean, really? The only contemporary girl that stands out, and you’re trying to knock down her image? Ugh.
While I’m on the contemporary dancers- WHY is Jasmine in the competition? Her contemporary showing in Vegas was HORRENDOUS and that is HER STYLE?!?!?! I get it, she has the great story of being Cyrus’s ex-girlfriend, but this is a show about dancing. She DID do better last week on the show, but I’m just NOT a fan! Too whiney for my taste.
The contemporary boys are definitely stronger. I’m in love with Tucker. He has so much going for him, and he has such a big heart (as you could tell from his crying the first time he hit the stage!). I’m hoping for a top ten with that kid. Carlos has a great personality, and his dancing is strong. The teenage heartthrob this season, though, is going to be Nico. With that adorable smile, and legs for days, he’s going to get ALL the girls’ attention!
Now onto Ballroom. WHEW!!!! I’m finally excited to watch ballroom dancers this season. They are STRONG and they are HOT! I could not believe the fire that all four of the ballroom dancers had on the stage. I couldn’t stop watching! Usually I get bored with ballroom dancers, and I say that only because I am not as intimately versed in ballroom as I am with other styles. I am so excited to see how these ballroom dancers match up against the contemporary dancers.
I am SO EXCITED that there is a strong tap showing this season. Alexis is so cute with her smile, and the fact that she wants audiences to connect with tappers is something that I’ve been hoping for! Curtis is so adorable. I want him to go far only because he makes me smile when he dances. His smile is infectious, and his dancing is so full of energy and happiness! Aaron is someone I want to see more of, mainly because I don’t like him yet due to the fact that I haven’t seen much of him. Not to mention that his shoulders were up by his ears half the time and it was killing (dance teacher moment where you just want to go up behind him and push the shoulders down for him!). I was also excited that the tap choreography was done by Anthony Morigerato. I saw him win so many categories in a National competition when I competed. His group was up against mine back when we were both in high school. It was really neat to be able to see him be so successful!
Hip Hop- Fik-shun has a lot of heart, but he fell so short this past week. His counterpart Mariah was sexy, but the choreography was so boring to me that I didn’t feel like either of them stood out. I’m excited to seen Mariah, though. It will be very nice to see a strong female competitor for hip hop again in the competition.
As for the animators- why oh WHY is Jade in the top 20? He had to fight for his life TWICE in Vegas. My eye was drawn to him more than once in the group dances because he was SO off in choreography! It’s one thing to be a good animator, but it’s another thing when you can’t pick up choreography. BluPrint is MILES ahead of him. Not only does BluPrint shine in what he does, but he picks up choreography amazingly well (as was even pointed out by Nigel at one point) and keeps up with everyone. I’m hoping Jade is the first out of the competition because I can’t stand watching people who expect to be professional, and can’t keep up with choreography.
Finally, the only jazz dancer of the season- Jasmine. I LOVE HER! She is FIERCE! I don’t know why, but there is just something about her that I really like. She has a personality that’s drawn me in, and I think she is going to grow and come up from behind. The judges critiqued her on her technique, but I think her dance personality will win her a lot of votes.
My favorite piece last week was done by my favorite choreographer of all time- Christopher Scott. I’m in love with him as a choreographer. He created the top 10 guys’ Sand dance. Not only did he choreograph a piece using SAND, but he took 10 guys who have very different ways of dancing, and made them not only look seamless, but choreographed points to showcase each of their individual talents. I can never get enough of Christopher Scott’s musicality within a piece, nor can I get enough of his unique style. If there’s ever a choreographer I could be like, it’s Christopher Scott.
I wasn’t too impressed with the top 10 girls. It was a cute piece, but it didn’t have the same kind of excitement as the guys. Obviously I love the mod style, and the song “Let’s Have a Kiki” holds a special place in my heart, but something about it fell a little flat. Perhaps it’s because it’s harder to take 10 girls who have little personality dance-wise, and all different styles, and have to make them all seem the same. Ray Leeper definitely made it work. The girls all looked uniform, but it made the dance not seem as special.
The top 20 dance by Sonya Tayeh was SO disappointing. I’m getting tired of Sonya’s work. It’s all the same stuff. I loved that she branched out last year and made softer pieces. Her quirky choreography has always been great, but I think that even she may be getting a little tired of it. However, I think that a lot of my disdain for the work, though, had to do with the fact that you couldn’t see ANYTHING! The cameras were TERRIBLE during this dance. The camera angles changed so fast that you couldn’t see what was happening. There were so many moments that I felt were meant to watch as almost a tableau, and yet you couldn’t see what was happening because the cameras were jumping from one group to the next. Also, holy smoke, Batman. No really, what was up with all that fog onstage? There was SO much that I couldn’t see feet, and I could barely see anyone when they went to the floor! I’m hoping that the cameramen get better with the group numbers because if they continue as they did with this piece, I’m going to stop watching.
Overall, I’m excited to see what happens with the dancers this season. I can’t wait to see who is going to come out on top. Also, curious to see what “celebrity” judges they’ll be having on the show. I’m always amazed at their choices for judges. Half of them don’t have much of a background in dance. The only one I like is Jesse Tyler Ferguson. He is the dance judge love of my life. But that’s just me.
Cheers to Season 10! Can’t wait to see what happens tonight!
Last week, the top 20 were introduced! Instead of going through each and every individual dancer and dance, I’m going to go over the things that particularly stood out in my mind. I have plenty of opinions on this year’s bunch. Also, please remember as I go through this- these are my OPINIONS! I just don’t want any angry retribution that occurs here.
First off, I am highly disappointed in the female contemporary showing. Yes, these girls are strong, and they have SO much potential, but the problem is that they are all cookie cutter. I was hoping that since it was season 10 that the judges would be looking for dancers that were DIFFERENT! I get it, they want people that are going to win the hearts of the judges, but the only person who I can even think of that stands out is Malece, and I’m wondering if that’s only because she has a different look to her with that bleach blonde hair, cupie doll face, and I-just-want-to-pinch-your-cheek personality. And yet through all that standing out, the judges were almost hardest on her in the first round. I mean, really? The only contemporary girl that stands out, and you’re trying to knock down her image? Ugh.
While I’m on the contemporary dancers- WHY is Jasmine in the competition? Her contemporary showing in Vegas was HORRENDOUS and that is HER STYLE?!?!?! I get it, she has the great story of being Cyrus’s ex-girlfriend, but this is a show about dancing. She DID do better last week on the show, but I’m just NOT a fan! Too whiney for my taste.
The contemporary boys are definitely stronger. I’m in love with Tucker. He has so much going for him, and he has such a big heart (as you could tell from his crying the first time he hit the stage!). I’m hoping for a top ten with that kid. Carlos has a great personality, and his dancing is strong. The teenage heartthrob this season, though, is going to be Nico. With that adorable smile, and legs for days, he’s going to get ALL the girls’ attention!
Now onto Ballroom. WHEW!!!! I’m finally excited to watch ballroom dancers this season. They are STRONG and they are HOT! I could not believe the fire that all four of the ballroom dancers had on the stage. I couldn’t stop watching! Usually I get bored with ballroom dancers, and I say that only because I am not as intimately versed in ballroom as I am with other styles. I am so excited to see how these ballroom dancers match up against the contemporary dancers.
I am SO EXCITED that there is a strong tap showing this season. Alexis is so cute with her smile, and the fact that she wants audiences to connect with tappers is something that I’ve been hoping for! Curtis is so adorable. I want him to go far only because he makes me smile when he dances. His smile is infectious, and his dancing is so full of energy and happiness! Aaron is someone I want to see more of, mainly because I don’t like him yet due to the fact that I haven’t seen much of him. Not to mention that his shoulders were up by his ears half the time and it was killing (dance teacher moment where you just want to go up behind him and push the shoulders down for him!). I was also excited that the tap choreography was done by Anthony Morigerato. I saw him win so many categories in a National competition when I competed. His group was up against mine back when we were both in high school. It was really neat to be able to see him be so successful!
Hip Hop- Fik-shun has a lot of heart, but he fell so short this past week. His counterpart Mariah was sexy, but the choreography was so boring to me that I didn’t feel like either of them stood out. I’m excited to seen Mariah, though. It will be very nice to see a strong female competitor for hip hop again in the competition.
As for the animators- why oh WHY is Jade in the top 20? He had to fight for his life TWICE in Vegas. My eye was drawn to him more than once in the group dances because he was SO off in choreography! It’s one thing to be a good animator, but it’s another thing when you can’t pick up choreography. BluPrint is MILES ahead of him. Not only does BluPrint shine in what he does, but he picks up choreography amazingly well (as was even pointed out by Nigel at one point) and keeps up with everyone. I’m hoping Jade is the first out of the competition because I can’t stand watching people who expect to be professional, and can’t keep up with choreography.
Finally, the only jazz dancer of the season- Jasmine. I LOVE HER! She is FIERCE! I don’t know why, but there is just something about her that I really like. She has a personality that’s drawn me in, and I think she is going to grow and come up from behind. The judges critiqued her on her technique, but I think her dance personality will win her a lot of votes.
My favorite piece last week was done by my favorite choreographer of all time- Christopher Scott. I’m in love with him as a choreographer. He created the top 10 guys’ Sand dance. Not only did he choreograph a piece using SAND, but he took 10 guys who have very different ways of dancing, and made them not only look seamless, but choreographed points to showcase each of their individual talents. I can never get enough of Christopher Scott’s musicality within a piece, nor can I get enough of his unique style. If there’s ever a choreographer I could be like, it’s Christopher Scott.
I wasn’t too impressed with the top 10 girls. It was a cute piece, but it didn’t have the same kind of excitement as the guys. Obviously I love the mod style, and the song “Let’s Have a Kiki” holds a special place in my heart, but something about it fell a little flat. Perhaps it’s because it’s harder to take 10 girls who have little personality dance-wise, and all different styles, and have to make them all seem the same. Ray Leeper definitely made it work. The girls all looked uniform, but it made the dance not seem as special.
The top 20 dance by Sonya Tayeh was SO disappointing. I’m getting tired of Sonya’s work. It’s all the same stuff. I loved that she branched out last year and made softer pieces. Her quirky choreography has always been great, but I think that even she may be getting a little tired of it. However, I think that a lot of my disdain for the work, though, had to do with the fact that you couldn’t see ANYTHING! The cameras were TERRIBLE during this dance. The camera angles changed so fast that you couldn’t see what was happening. There were so many moments that I felt were meant to watch as almost a tableau, and yet you couldn’t see what was happening because the cameras were jumping from one group to the next. Also, holy smoke, Batman. No really, what was up with all that fog onstage? There was SO much that I couldn’t see feet, and I could barely see anyone when they went to the floor! I’m hoping that the cameramen get better with the group numbers because if they continue as they did with this piece, I’m going to stop watching.
Overall, I’m excited to see what happens with the dancers this season. I can’t wait to see who is going to come out on top. Also, curious to see what “celebrity” judges they’ll be having on the show. I’m always amazed at their choices for judges. Half of them don’t have much of a background in dance. The only one I like is Jesse Tyler Ferguson. He is the dance judge love of my life. But that’s just me.
Cheers to Season 10! Can’t wait to see what happens tonight!
Thursday, May 23, 2013
Response To An Article About Teaching
Today I happened to stumble across an article from The Huffington Post entitled “A Letter From Your Dance Teacher” by Keesha Beckford (you can read the article HERE ). Not only was I moved, not only could I relate, but it brought back so many memories of my own experiences with past dance teachers.
The basic gist of the article was that teachers are not here to try to be your friend, but rather to teach. We are in a society that is trying to boost students and create independence, yet that comes back to us with defiance, and so often the teacher is branded as “disrespectful.” The teacher in the article explains that often times she becomes overzealous in her teachings, and since her humor borders on sarcastic, she is often misinterpreted as being offensive. That can cause problems.
I’m very lucky in the respect that my students get it. Even in my recreational classes, I very rarely have problems where I’m blamed for an outburst or an issue in class. Like Ms. Beckford, I sometimes have a sarcastic sense of humor. There is always a certain amount of sensitivity that is required to deal with adolescents. I’ve found that particularly with the pre-teens, “tweens”, and early teens, it is essential to make sure that what comes out of your mouth doesn’t go too far. The problem that teachers have to today, and not just in the dance world, is that children become so sensitive, and parents and guardians are so quick to defend their children, that misinterpretation becomes the smoke screen for the real problems.
If I begin to yell at students, it’s because they are pushing to me to a point where I have lost patience. I have a lot of patience. I’m not quick to jump to angry yelling. Students have to constantly be dismissing what I am telling them, misbehaving, and/or not paying attention. I have not had problems, but I know in certain situations that other teachers have had parents blame them for being mean.
When I was in middle school, I was dancing with an older class as an understudy. One of the girls in the dance had been injured. Our teacher at the time was getting frustrated because the girl didn’t know the choreography, nor could she do a good majority of the choreography, because of her injury. The teacher told her he was pulling her out. The dancer began to sob, and called home to her mother. The next thing we know, the mother was interrupting class, blocking the doorway, and screaming at the teacher in front of all the students. Now, at the time, in my small town dance studio, this was shocking to us. I had never heard of a “dance mom” or even been privy to a situation where a student was kicked out of a dance. Not only were we all in shock at the teacher, but we were mostly horrified at the mother. Everything worked its way out. The student was still part of the dance, but only because she worked extremely hard over the course of the next few weeks and proved that she could do it. However, she only got her way because her mother forced the situation at hand.
A good point was made by the teacher in the article- she noted that when she was in class, the teachers were mean and straight forward, and if that bothered her, she went home to cry and came back the next day to work harder. If she had a problem with it, she approached the teacher. This reminded me of a good majority of my college experience. I came from a recreational studio that turned competitive when I was in 8th grade, and decided that the almost-conservatory-like program at The Hartt School would be a good experience, and a good way to enhance my technique. I was certainly not prepared for half of the experiences I went through. I had some teachers that were really cool. There were teachers that I respected and got along with, and really enjoyed as people. Then there were the teachers that had methods of teaching that I had never dealt with before.
My sophomore year of college, I remember a month long period where I came home and cried after every single ballet class with this one teacher. She was particularly hard on me, and I think it was because she could see my potential. I didn’t understand at the time why her nails making scratch marks along my legs where my legs should be rotating, or why pulling me up by the nape of the neck until it hurt was going to help me. I remember being on the phone with mother and sobbing asking if I could come home, and what other options I had to go to other schools. I’m pretty sure my mid-semester grades were all C’s for ballet. However, my mother- the amazing role model, advisor, and friend that she was- told me to dig my heels in and continue to work hard. I did. The end of the semester brought up my grades to A’s and B’s.
There were multiple situations in college where I cried over many a difficult teacher. One teacher screamed at me and threatened to kick me out of class because I had two front chunks of hair fall out of place and into my face. That teacher wound up giving me the most out of class, and I had never worked harder for a teacher in my life. Most of my ballet technique that I now pass on to many of my students come from the two teachers that made me cry the most. And it was because they were hard on me, and the lessons stuck.
One ballet teacher that I had made me particularly angry one day. She could tell. She turned to me and told me that she didn’t care if I was angry at her. She told me to take that anger and put it into my dancing. I then managed to pull off the sharpest triple pirouettes in my life. That has always stuck. I love that attitude- “I don’t care if you hate me. I’m not here to be your friend. You’re here to learn, and I am here to teach you.” Not that I want my students to hate me, but sometimes ticking them off can benefit them.
Society has become softer on children. We want to nurture them and help them grow in a world that’s becoming crueler and harsher. In the dance world, where it becomes more competitive by the day, there isn’t any room for that. Obviously, with recreational students, we will continue to help them grow and nurture them in a safe and fun environment where they learn and experience dance as an activity. In the competitive world, however, I am still going to yell at my students. I’m going to be hard on the dancers that have the potential, and the dancers that I think will learn and benefit from it. I will not be mean. I will not bully. I do not tolerate anything of the sort anywhere remotely near my classroom. I will, however, push the dancers that need to be pushed. I will make them angry at me, then I will make them put it into their dance. I will be that teacher that MAKES them learn.
And I will sincerely hope that someday they will look back on it and think “she was a good teacher.”
The basic gist of the article was that teachers are not here to try to be your friend, but rather to teach. We are in a society that is trying to boost students and create independence, yet that comes back to us with defiance, and so often the teacher is branded as “disrespectful.” The teacher in the article explains that often times she becomes overzealous in her teachings, and since her humor borders on sarcastic, she is often misinterpreted as being offensive. That can cause problems.
I’m very lucky in the respect that my students get it. Even in my recreational classes, I very rarely have problems where I’m blamed for an outburst or an issue in class. Like Ms. Beckford, I sometimes have a sarcastic sense of humor. There is always a certain amount of sensitivity that is required to deal with adolescents. I’ve found that particularly with the pre-teens, “tweens”, and early teens, it is essential to make sure that what comes out of your mouth doesn’t go too far. The problem that teachers have to today, and not just in the dance world, is that children become so sensitive, and parents and guardians are so quick to defend their children, that misinterpretation becomes the smoke screen for the real problems.
If I begin to yell at students, it’s because they are pushing to me to a point where I have lost patience. I have a lot of patience. I’m not quick to jump to angry yelling. Students have to constantly be dismissing what I am telling them, misbehaving, and/or not paying attention. I have not had problems, but I know in certain situations that other teachers have had parents blame them for being mean.
When I was in middle school, I was dancing with an older class as an understudy. One of the girls in the dance had been injured. Our teacher at the time was getting frustrated because the girl didn’t know the choreography, nor could she do a good majority of the choreography, because of her injury. The teacher told her he was pulling her out. The dancer began to sob, and called home to her mother. The next thing we know, the mother was interrupting class, blocking the doorway, and screaming at the teacher in front of all the students. Now, at the time, in my small town dance studio, this was shocking to us. I had never heard of a “dance mom” or even been privy to a situation where a student was kicked out of a dance. Not only were we all in shock at the teacher, but we were mostly horrified at the mother. Everything worked its way out. The student was still part of the dance, but only because she worked extremely hard over the course of the next few weeks and proved that she could do it. However, she only got her way because her mother forced the situation at hand.
A good point was made by the teacher in the article- she noted that when she was in class, the teachers were mean and straight forward, and if that bothered her, she went home to cry and came back the next day to work harder. If she had a problem with it, she approached the teacher. This reminded me of a good majority of my college experience. I came from a recreational studio that turned competitive when I was in 8th grade, and decided that the almost-conservatory-like program at The Hartt School would be a good experience, and a good way to enhance my technique. I was certainly not prepared for half of the experiences I went through. I had some teachers that were really cool. There were teachers that I respected and got along with, and really enjoyed as people. Then there were the teachers that had methods of teaching that I had never dealt with before.
My sophomore year of college, I remember a month long period where I came home and cried after every single ballet class with this one teacher. She was particularly hard on me, and I think it was because she could see my potential. I didn’t understand at the time why her nails making scratch marks along my legs where my legs should be rotating, or why pulling me up by the nape of the neck until it hurt was going to help me. I remember being on the phone with mother and sobbing asking if I could come home, and what other options I had to go to other schools. I’m pretty sure my mid-semester grades were all C’s for ballet. However, my mother- the amazing role model, advisor, and friend that she was- told me to dig my heels in and continue to work hard. I did. The end of the semester brought up my grades to A’s and B’s.
There were multiple situations in college where I cried over many a difficult teacher. One teacher screamed at me and threatened to kick me out of class because I had two front chunks of hair fall out of place and into my face. That teacher wound up giving me the most out of class, and I had never worked harder for a teacher in my life. Most of my ballet technique that I now pass on to many of my students come from the two teachers that made me cry the most. And it was because they were hard on me, and the lessons stuck.
One ballet teacher that I had made me particularly angry one day. She could tell. She turned to me and told me that she didn’t care if I was angry at her. She told me to take that anger and put it into my dancing. I then managed to pull off the sharpest triple pirouettes in my life. That has always stuck. I love that attitude- “I don’t care if you hate me. I’m not here to be your friend. You’re here to learn, and I am here to teach you.” Not that I want my students to hate me, but sometimes ticking them off can benefit them.
Society has become softer on children. We want to nurture them and help them grow in a world that’s becoming crueler and harsher. In the dance world, where it becomes more competitive by the day, there isn’t any room for that. Obviously, with recreational students, we will continue to help them grow and nurture them in a safe and fun environment where they learn and experience dance as an activity. In the competitive world, however, I am still going to yell at my students. I’m going to be hard on the dancers that have the potential, and the dancers that I think will learn and benefit from it. I will not be mean. I will not bully. I do not tolerate anything of the sort anywhere remotely near my classroom. I will, however, push the dancers that need to be pushed. I will make them angry at me, then I will make them put it into their dance. I will be that teacher that MAKES them learn.
And I will sincerely hope that someday they will look back on it and think “she was a good teacher.”
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Graduating Seniors
Yesterday was the last day of classes for the studio that I teach at. What that last day also brought was the last day with my graduating seniors. Throughout the course of my teaching career at the studio, I have had plenty of classes with seniors that have graduated. From teaching assistants whom I’ve known since I was in high school, to students I’ve only had for a year before they went off to college, none of them get easier, and all of them I am proud of.
It’s always difficult for teachers watch their students “leave the nest” so to speak. You watch these kids grow and learn, and then suddenly they are off to spread their wings elsewhere. It’s a humbling experience to think that you as a teacher are just a blip on the radar of their big lives.
The best part of it, though, is knowing that dance has enriched their lives. Even if you weren’t their favorite teacher, or the class wasn’t the most exciting, it is the art form itself that has taught them so much. Dance teaches discipline, organization, and structure, while at the same time fostering creativity and artistry. It gives the students a form of exercise that takes more than just physical stamina, but also a keen mind. If you’ve done your job, you’ve also given them a sense of confidence and well-being that will last with them. Dance gives so much.
I often see past seniors when they come home for breaks, or when they’re home for the summer. I teach in an area where I will actually see a lot of my students. We go to the same malls, same restaurants, same general public places. When I see each one, no matter where they are in life, I am always proud of the people that they’ve become. Each one comes into their own. It’s wonderful to see the students that were so worried about college applications and decisions on where to go, knowing that they’ve made the right decisions, or if they haven’t, knowing that they’ve made a decision that didn’t quite fit, and are in the process of rectifying that. I love that. It’s that self-awareness that dance classes help with.
I also love to see the reunions with past and present dancers. The younger dancers always look up to the older girls. Being able to see them thriving in a world after the studio life is something so great. Not all the graduating seniors go off to dance-related majors, or even participate in dance teams or what have you that colleges and universities offer. These younger dancers see the older ones prospering and happy, and they think “I want to be like that.” And more often than not, these dancers are the best kind of people to look up to.
This time of year with the recitals approaching, I always think back to many of the seniors that I have had. Many keep in touch through Facebook, or come back and visit. Particularly around this time of year since many of the college students have just finished out the year and have just made it back home for the summer, I get to see many of them. Each one of them holds a special place in my heart.
And to my two graduating seniors that I have this year, you both hold special places in my heart as well.
I am excited for this upcoming week to watch my seniors fly, and to watch ALL of my students do their best on the stage!
It’s always difficult for teachers watch their students “leave the nest” so to speak. You watch these kids grow and learn, and then suddenly they are off to spread their wings elsewhere. It’s a humbling experience to think that you as a teacher are just a blip on the radar of their big lives.
The best part of it, though, is knowing that dance has enriched their lives. Even if you weren’t their favorite teacher, or the class wasn’t the most exciting, it is the art form itself that has taught them so much. Dance teaches discipline, organization, and structure, while at the same time fostering creativity and artistry. It gives the students a form of exercise that takes more than just physical stamina, but also a keen mind. If you’ve done your job, you’ve also given them a sense of confidence and well-being that will last with them. Dance gives so much.
I often see past seniors when they come home for breaks, or when they’re home for the summer. I teach in an area where I will actually see a lot of my students. We go to the same malls, same restaurants, same general public places. When I see each one, no matter where they are in life, I am always proud of the people that they’ve become. Each one comes into their own. It’s wonderful to see the students that were so worried about college applications and decisions on where to go, knowing that they’ve made the right decisions, or if they haven’t, knowing that they’ve made a decision that didn’t quite fit, and are in the process of rectifying that. I love that. It’s that self-awareness that dance classes help with.
I also love to see the reunions with past and present dancers. The younger dancers always look up to the older girls. Being able to see them thriving in a world after the studio life is something so great. Not all the graduating seniors go off to dance-related majors, or even participate in dance teams or what have you that colleges and universities offer. These younger dancers see the older ones prospering and happy, and they think “I want to be like that.” And more often than not, these dancers are the best kind of people to look up to.
This time of year with the recitals approaching, I always think back to many of the seniors that I have had. Many keep in touch through Facebook, or come back and visit. Particularly around this time of year since many of the college students have just finished out the year and have just made it back home for the summer, I get to see many of them. Each one of them holds a special place in my heart.
And to my two graduating seniors that I have this year, you both hold special places in my heart as well.
I am excited for this upcoming week to watch my seniors fly, and to watch ALL of my students do their best on the stage!
Friday, April 19, 2013
Hope
For today, I am going to take a break from talking about dance. I am not typically one to write out my thoughts about current events. For one time, though, this is too important.
By now, the whole world has heard about the bombings that took place at the Boston Marathon. It is incredibly tragic. People who died, children who lost limbs, people who are still in the hospital with traumatic brain injuries. It's horrific to think that someone would want to do that to people.
And today, even as I type this, there is a massive manhunt going on after one of the two suspects has died, and one is on the run.
I grew up in a town about 20 minutes north of Boston. I went on school field trips there. I went there for theater and dance events. After college, I spent evenings enjoying the nightlife it has to offer. I worked in Boston for 4 summers. I have gone into to Boston just to hang out. I have attended Red Sox games, Bruins games, and Celtics games, all right in Boston. Boston is practically my home turf.
I have gone through a vast amount of emotions. I started out scared for the people I knew that were in Boston for the marathon. After finding out that my friends and family were safe, my fear turned to sadness. At points, I felt angry. I remember watching the video footage of it for the millionth time on Monday, and just crying out "WHY?!" to the air. Mostly, though, I felt that heavy hearted sadness that can only come with knowing that so much innocence has been ripped away from a city I love so much.
In the days after this circus has started, I have come to terms with the sadness. Yes, I still have moments of tears, and I will not lie- I feared for many friends this morning who I knew were affected by the lockdown. What has scared me the most, though, has been the outcry of hopeful violence on this second suspect on the loose.
I can't tell you how many Facebook or Twitter statuses I saw that spewed hate. "Let's kill this [expletive] and make him pay!" "We should tear this guy's legs off as punishment!" So many many more were similar.
In times like these, I am disappointed in humanity. In the wake of the bombings, the world watched as people ran towards the bombs and towards the victims to help. Marathoners ran to the hospitals to donate blood. The people who were there saw the carnage and the desperation of the victims. They are not the ones who are sitting on their computers typing messages of hate. Those people behind their computers are sadly an influence in this social-media-obsessed age, and it saddens me that they are not focusing on the good that people are doing.
What I want from this tragedy is not for this 19 year old boy who is a suspect to be found dead. I want him to be found alive, and for him to cooperate. If he was coerced by his brother, or he had found some kind of hatred in his own heart to turn on a country that had taken him in, I want him to live.
This is my reasoning. I want him to be convicted. I want the family of Richard Martin to be able to look into his face and know that it's over. I want the family of Krystle Campbell to forgive him for his sickness. I want all of the families that have been affected in one form or another to know that he is one against billions. I want this 19 year old to see that in wake of this darkness and pain and hurt that life continues. Life grows, and that our hearts as a community grow.
Last night, I attended a candlelight walk in honor of those affected by the bombings. 2,500 were reported to have shown up. We stood on the Salem Commons with flags and candles in our hands. We listened to the speakers (including John Young) and stood silently. I have never been prouder than last night to not only be a part of something so big, but something so loving. There was SO much love being sent out into the universe. To look around the Commons and see the flickers of light in the dark was such a powerful and hopeful moment for not only the community, but the country.
I want who is responsible to see the amount of love in the communities across the world that this has spawned. I want them to see that these families that he has broken will be put back together. I want him to see that this is not tearing our country apart, but pulling us together. I want him to see that even though it seems that he tried to attack the spirit of an international event held by one of the greatest cities in the world, our spirits are stronger than ever, and our convictions are more positive. I want him to see that he failed.
I want him to see that in darkness, there is, and always will be, LIGHT.
I urge anyone who reads this to go out there and do GOOD in the world. Be kind. Be hopeful. Help those in need. Our world has seen so much tragedy in just one week, not just from the bombings, but from the Texas explosions that has caused more casualties, that we all need to continue to bring the light to our own lives, and to others.
Whether you go about it through religion, politics, or just helping a friend or stranger out, send your love out into the world. We need it.
By now, the whole world has heard about the bombings that took place at the Boston Marathon. It is incredibly tragic. People who died, children who lost limbs, people who are still in the hospital with traumatic brain injuries. It's horrific to think that someone would want to do that to people.
And today, even as I type this, there is a massive manhunt going on after one of the two suspects has died, and one is on the run.
I grew up in a town about 20 minutes north of Boston. I went on school field trips there. I went there for theater and dance events. After college, I spent evenings enjoying the nightlife it has to offer. I worked in Boston for 4 summers. I have gone into to Boston just to hang out. I have attended Red Sox games, Bruins games, and Celtics games, all right in Boston. Boston is practically my home turf.
I have gone through a vast amount of emotions. I started out scared for the people I knew that were in Boston for the marathon. After finding out that my friends and family were safe, my fear turned to sadness. At points, I felt angry. I remember watching the video footage of it for the millionth time on Monday, and just crying out "WHY?!" to the air. Mostly, though, I felt that heavy hearted sadness that can only come with knowing that so much innocence has been ripped away from a city I love so much.
In the days after this circus has started, I have come to terms with the sadness. Yes, I still have moments of tears, and I will not lie- I feared for many friends this morning who I knew were affected by the lockdown. What has scared me the most, though, has been the outcry of hopeful violence on this second suspect on the loose.
I can't tell you how many Facebook or Twitter statuses I saw that spewed hate. "Let's kill this [expletive] and make him pay!" "We should tear this guy's legs off as punishment!" So many many more were similar.
In times like these, I am disappointed in humanity. In the wake of the bombings, the world watched as people ran towards the bombs and towards the victims to help. Marathoners ran to the hospitals to donate blood. The people who were there saw the carnage and the desperation of the victims. They are not the ones who are sitting on their computers typing messages of hate. Those people behind their computers are sadly an influence in this social-media-obsessed age, and it saddens me that they are not focusing on the good that people are doing.
What I want from this tragedy is not for this 19 year old boy who is a suspect to be found dead. I want him to be found alive, and for him to cooperate. If he was coerced by his brother, or he had found some kind of hatred in his own heart to turn on a country that had taken him in, I want him to live.
This is my reasoning. I want him to be convicted. I want the family of Richard Martin to be able to look into his face and know that it's over. I want the family of Krystle Campbell to forgive him for his sickness. I want all of the families that have been affected in one form or another to know that he is one against billions. I want this 19 year old to see that in wake of this darkness and pain and hurt that life continues. Life grows, and that our hearts as a community grow.
Last night, I attended a candlelight walk in honor of those affected by the bombings. 2,500 were reported to have shown up. We stood on the Salem Commons with flags and candles in our hands. We listened to the speakers (including John Young) and stood silently. I have never been prouder than last night to not only be a part of something so big, but something so loving. There was SO much love being sent out into the universe. To look around the Commons and see the flickers of light in the dark was such a powerful and hopeful moment for not only the community, but the country.
I want who is responsible to see the amount of love in the communities across the world that this has spawned. I want them to see that these families that he has broken will be put back together. I want him to see that this is not tearing our country apart, but pulling us together. I want him to see that even though it seems that he tried to attack the spirit of an international event held by one of the greatest cities in the world, our spirits are stronger than ever, and our convictions are more positive. I want him to see that he failed.
I want him to see that in darkness, there is, and always will be, LIGHT.
I urge anyone who reads this to go out there and do GOOD in the world. Be kind. Be hopeful. Help those in need. Our world has seen so much tragedy in just one week, not just from the bombings, but from the Texas explosions that has caused more casualties, that we all need to continue to bring the light to our own lives, and to others.
Whether you go about it through religion, politics, or just helping a friend or stranger out, send your love out into the world. We need it.
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Teaching While Sick
Welcome back friends! I have decided to make a triumphant return to my blog. Between sicknesses, my personal life, my schedule, and other such things, I have had a prolonged absence from here. I am changing that, however. With the promise of spring on the way (40’s all week! Yes, I am calling that the promise of spring!) I am feeling a little more apt to productive behavior.
So the topic I want to tackle today is teaching while trying to conquer a cold. I’ve had multiple small ailments this winter. Between a sore throat for a few days, a few days of feeling overall rundown, and most recently a cold that knocked me on my tush, I’ve had to teach on more than one day of not being at my best.
As a teacher, you need to be present for your classes. There are times when you can go on auto-pilot- whether it’s the warm up that you’ve taught 8 of your same classes since the beginning of the season, or the mere act of running routines- but most often, your students will throw curve balls your way without you seeing them coming. When you have a compromised immune system, that can be difficult to deal with.
I was teaching a group of young ballerinas the other day. As I was calling out a combination, I began to have a coughing attack. Of course I had to walk away to grab my water and make sure that I could get the coughing out. I squeaked out as much as I could for them to keep going, but they all stopped what they were doing to stare at me having this minor attack and to ask if I was okay. Not to say that I don’t appreciate the concern of an 8 year old, however, knowing that I am fine and that it’s just a cough, I had hoped the students would continue on with the combination that they were doing.
Moments like that are difficult. There are always so many distractions in a class to begin with, particularly with the younger age levels. They like to look at themselves in the mirror, or giggle at their friends who are playing with their leotard, or the bass for the jazz class in the room next door is blaring, or the students in the lobby made a funny noise, or another teacher came in to ask a question, etc. The last thing that you want is to become another distraction for them. Even just a sneeze can become disruption enough to distract the students.
With the younger levels, I tend to try to ignore it. If I’m coughing, or my voice is cracking, I act like it didn’t happen. If the students acknowledge it, I make a minor comment, and then try to steer the class quickly back to what we were doing. If the students are older, most of the time there is a mutual laugh over it. “Oh, you’re sick? Haha, that’s okay. We all get sick and sound like this!” Majority of the time, the older students will realize it and move on.
The biggest problem isn’t the students. The biggest problem for me is the lack of energy from your body working overtime to get better. Personally, I’m usually a healthy woman. I don’t get sick often, even if I am tired a lot. This winter was difficult being sicker than usual. When I found myself in classes thinking “I really should be in bed right now,” I dug down deep and found ways to fix it.
I found that going into the studio with a clear cut plan for the class made it a lot easier. When I was following a step by step plan in my head and not letting distractions lead me away from it, the time went by faster. The students responded better, and they even looked better doing what they needed to. Usually, I have plans going in, but it’s more of a general plan in my head, rather than a moment by moment lesson. There were goals for the classes, and because I had to push myself through feeling terrible, I was more likely to stay on the task.
I don’t take cold medications going into class. I would rather be downing crazy amounts of water and coffee in class than take any kind of pill or liquid that would make me loopy. I tend to be affected really easily by any sort of medication, so even just taking one sinus cold pill will make me feel fuzzy. Having my head in a foggy place does not help. I would rather take some ibuprofen for any pain, and suffer through the minor situations. As long as I’m not in pain, or feeling nauseous, I usually feel clear headed enough to be on top of my teaching game.
Knowing your body is the most important part of teaching while sick. If you wake up in the morning, and you feel as though you won’t be able to get out of bed- don’t try to go into teach. A cold is something that you can deal with. A serious sickness like the flu or strep before you’ve been able to see a doctor is not something you should go into a dance studio with. Particularly since you are working with children, you don’t want to start spreading something that will make the children have to miss class. Colds, however, are easily dealt with when it comes to teaching. Even if it’s a struggle, as long as you’re using your hand sanitizer and washing your hands, the students will appreciate you showing up, your boss will appreciate you showing up, and I guarantee that even if you’re feeling tired and rundown, in the end you will appreciate yourself for showing up.
On that note, I hope everyone is taking their vitamins, eating right, and staying healthy out there!
Expect more blogs from me soon!
So the topic I want to tackle today is teaching while trying to conquer a cold. I’ve had multiple small ailments this winter. Between a sore throat for a few days, a few days of feeling overall rundown, and most recently a cold that knocked me on my tush, I’ve had to teach on more than one day of not being at my best.
As a teacher, you need to be present for your classes. There are times when you can go on auto-pilot- whether it’s the warm up that you’ve taught 8 of your same classes since the beginning of the season, or the mere act of running routines- but most often, your students will throw curve balls your way without you seeing them coming. When you have a compromised immune system, that can be difficult to deal with.
I was teaching a group of young ballerinas the other day. As I was calling out a combination, I began to have a coughing attack. Of course I had to walk away to grab my water and make sure that I could get the coughing out. I squeaked out as much as I could for them to keep going, but they all stopped what they were doing to stare at me having this minor attack and to ask if I was okay. Not to say that I don’t appreciate the concern of an 8 year old, however, knowing that I am fine and that it’s just a cough, I had hoped the students would continue on with the combination that they were doing.
Moments like that are difficult. There are always so many distractions in a class to begin with, particularly with the younger age levels. They like to look at themselves in the mirror, or giggle at their friends who are playing with their leotard, or the bass for the jazz class in the room next door is blaring, or the students in the lobby made a funny noise, or another teacher came in to ask a question, etc. The last thing that you want is to become another distraction for them. Even just a sneeze can become disruption enough to distract the students.
With the younger levels, I tend to try to ignore it. If I’m coughing, or my voice is cracking, I act like it didn’t happen. If the students acknowledge it, I make a minor comment, and then try to steer the class quickly back to what we were doing. If the students are older, most of the time there is a mutual laugh over it. “Oh, you’re sick? Haha, that’s okay. We all get sick and sound like this!” Majority of the time, the older students will realize it and move on.
The biggest problem isn’t the students. The biggest problem for me is the lack of energy from your body working overtime to get better. Personally, I’m usually a healthy woman. I don’t get sick often, even if I am tired a lot. This winter was difficult being sicker than usual. When I found myself in classes thinking “I really should be in bed right now,” I dug down deep and found ways to fix it.
I found that going into the studio with a clear cut plan for the class made it a lot easier. When I was following a step by step plan in my head and not letting distractions lead me away from it, the time went by faster. The students responded better, and they even looked better doing what they needed to. Usually, I have plans going in, but it’s more of a general plan in my head, rather than a moment by moment lesson. There were goals for the classes, and because I had to push myself through feeling terrible, I was more likely to stay on the task.
I don’t take cold medications going into class. I would rather be downing crazy amounts of water and coffee in class than take any kind of pill or liquid that would make me loopy. I tend to be affected really easily by any sort of medication, so even just taking one sinus cold pill will make me feel fuzzy. Having my head in a foggy place does not help. I would rather take some ibuprofen for any pain, and suffer through the minor situations. As long as I’m not in pain, or feeling nauseous, I usually feel clear headed enough to be on top of my teaching game.
Knowing your body is the most important part of teaching while sick. If you wake up in the morning, and you feel as though you won’t be able to get out of bed- don’t try to go into teach. A cold is something that you can deal with. A serious sickness like the flu or strep before you’ve been able to see a doctor is not something you should go into a dance studio with. Particularly since you are working with children, you don’t want to start spreading something that will make the children have to miss class. Colds, however, are easily dealt with when it comes to teaching. Even if it’s a struggle, as long as you’re using your hand sanitizer and washing your hands, the students will appreciate you showing up, your boss will appreciate you showing up, and I guarantee that even if you’re feeling tired and rundown, in the end you will appreciate yourself for showing up.
On that note, I hope everyone is taking their vitamins, eating right, and staying healthy out there!
Expect more blogs from me soon!
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