What I Wear To Ballet

Hi All!

Have you ever wondered what a ballerina wears to dance class. Well, those of you who are reading this, probably not, because you are all professional dancers yourselves.
However, I guess all dancers dress ..... just a little different for one another.
Here's what I wear to ballet:

Tights

Black ballet leotard from BLOCH

So that's what I wear to ballet. I haven't included shoes in my list, since there are so many types that I wear (pointe, demi pointes, flats, character etc ...) that I just decided to leave it be.

If you are wondering how often to wash your ballet clothes, it's as simple as this: whenever they start to smell.

ha ha ha, well, you don't actually want to be smelling in your class, so if you know that they are fine for, say three lessons, and then after the fourth they get a bit smelly, then wash them every three lessons. That's what I do!

It's All Over For The Year!!!

The concert was awesome!

It went for 45 minutes - which was actually quite long! Last years concert (I think it was the first concert the ballet school had ever had, it's still really new) only went for about 20 minutes.
This years concert was much grander!

Last year, the hall was pretty small, there was no special sound system, and no curtains. But this year ..... the hall was all renovated and new (bigger, too) the stage was bigger (I think .... - still good enough, though), there was a huge sound system, electric curtains and ..... it was just awesome!

There were also loads more students this year than last year. I am not exactly sure how many are in the school, but I would say about 40. Last year there wouldn't have been nearly as many.

Anyway, let me not tell you about the actually concert. Well, all the students were asked to arrive 1 hour before the concert was supposed to start. They were also all asked to come with their hair and make up done.
So, all my teacher and I had to do (and other helpers, too) was get the costumes for everyone, and fix up a bun or two.

I ran over a dance with one of my groups, then ...... it was time to go on stage. They were cute, what with all their hair and make up on, and their amazing costumes.
Of course, up there on stage in front of 80 - 90 people, they were very nervous, but they still did well.

Unfortunately two of the groups went onto the stage way too late in the final. But it didn't really matter, they were only about 4 - 6 years old.

Finally, after what felt like forever, it was time for the older students to go onstage. I think that I was okay.
My pointe work was good - I thought, but that was just me thinking that, so who knows what it looked like from an audiences pointe of view. I have really noticed that, since doing all the work for my concert, my pointe work has improved dramatically.

The other older students were great, too.
Apparently one little boy (I know him) said to him Mom, "Mommy, what's the wolf going to do?" His Mom just said to him, "Don't worry, he's just pretending to be a wolf." Then the little boy turned to his Mom and said, "Mommy, what is Izi pretending to be, then." Him Mom explained to him that I was Peta, and that the wold wasn't going to eat anybody, it was just acting.
ha ha - so cute!!!

Anyway, after the concert by teacher brought me and another girl out onto the front of the stage, and told the audience how we had done exams this year, and said that we had done "very well," ha ha - thankfully she didn't tell them about my marks.

Then, one of the Mom's of the girls who I help out with stood up and thanked both my teacher and I (and another lady who had been helping with the concert in the last few weeks,) and gave us all flowers.

(At the moment, I have the flowers in my bedroom. They smell sooo strong and I just love the smell.)

Once everyone was aloud to get up and go outside for afternoon tea, my Mom and Dad and Grandparents, (who had come down to watch the concert) all started taking pictures of me and my flowers and my teacher.

ha ha - I felt famous.

So ..... ballet is finished for the year, and we now have 7 whole weeks of holiday. Although I am going to keep practicing my pointe and other work through the holidays.
I want to keep my pointe up, I really feel like I am improving at the moment, and I also want to be able to do the splits by the time I go back to ballet next year.

So, if you are following my blog, stick around, I will be updating every week.

Thanks so much to everyone for reading/following/commenting on my blog over the last few months - I really appreciate everybody who does.

Thanks again

Izi x

P.S: Sorry, I don't have time to read through my work before I post it on the internet today. ha ha - there were probably be heaps of mistakes. Anyway, hope you still enjoyed.

Pics!

Images are: 1) Blisters on my toes, 2) My pointe shoes, 3) the skirt that goes with my costume, 4) My costume

100 mph!

Well ...... it has been busy lately, so that's the reason I haven't been able to update my blog for quite a while.
Let me think .... when was the last time I updated. I think it was the, hang on, perhaps the the Wednesday after last. Well, heaps has happened since then.

I had a one hour class with the grade 3's last Monday, then my own one hour class.

On Tuesday I we had extra lessons, so I was helping teaching for 40 Mins (20- Mins primary and 20 Mins grade 2), and then I had a lesson with the grade 3's again for 20 minutes.

Wednesday was normal classes. Did I mention that since Monday last week we have been at the venue for the concert? We have been able to practice on stage heaps. Even though it isn't a massive stage, it is still a good enough to fit everyone on comfortably enough.

I had to miss Friday's ballet class, but I was back Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Right now I am supposed to be in the middle of a class, but, due to a sore throat and headaches, I decided to miss it.

My Mom said that it would be better to rest than go to ballet, because I don't want to be sick on the day of the concert. I mean .... Wow - would just suck!!!

Anyway, because of all this dancing I have been doing (a lot of it on pointe), my feet are pretty sore and blistered. I guess that's just what happens when you stand on your toes for hours on end. Ooh well ......

The good thing is, though. Because I have been doing all this pointe work for the concert, I have noticed that my pointe in just usual classes has really improved.
Practicing more really does work.

One thing my Mom told me to put on my blisters was ...... Vitamin E oil. It is really thick and smells disgusting, but it works! Just apply it twice a day and your blisters will disappear.
I had one blister that just would not go away.
When I started using Vitamin E oil, it almost disappeared immediately. Try it ..... if you have blisters.

Okay, I think that I had better go and cut my toe nails. They are really long and need snipping off before the concert. Only 3 Days and 22 hours away! YAY

Thanks for reading/commenting

P.S: My teacher gave me my costume to take home the other day. Sorry, I have been really slack and haven't taken a picture yet. I will ..... I promise, and put it onto my blog.

Cute Costumes

At Ballet classes this week we have actually hardly done any practice for the concert.

My teacher asked me to come half and hour earlier to ballet this Monday, so I could practice my dancing with the grade 3's.

I (obviously) did. We practiced the dances for the concert then, but haven't done anymore work for it so far.

However, my teacher gave me a photocopy of the steps for the dance, so I can practice at home by myself.

I did that today, but got confused with one bit. In the end I worked it out - I think.

Yesterday, whilst helping my teacher out with the grade 2's, I took the two boys and got started on their dance with them. (They are lions)

That gave my teacher some time to go over some dancers with the girls.

I also got my first sight of the "bee" and "pig" consumes yesterday. We have divided the primary girls up into two groups (in fact, we have also divided the grade two girls up into two groups as well), one group being bees and the other pigs.

The costumes are SO cute. I almost wish I could fit into them.

Although, I guess, my costume (well, the part that we have of it - we've only got the skirt. ha ha) is absolutely BEAUTIFUL!

I can't wait for the rehearsals to start so I can wear it! I will have to take a picture of it an "blog it" so everyone can see!