Quick Update

Heeey!

OK, so not much has been happening at the moment. Although I did just find out that my exam is in about a months time, so ...... yeah - I'm really nervous.

Working on those pirouettes hard, must say!!

My teacher said that if you don't have space to practice pirouettes, then simply go over to a bench or a barr or something and practice your releves on one leg.

Hold your leg in the pirouette position for as long as possible. This helps you keep your leg up when you are turning.

So that what I'm doing. I also got new pointe shoes a few weeks ago, so I've been doing some pointe work at home.

I'm sure I've already said this, but my new pointe shoes are AMAZING! They are soft, but still good to work in and when I pointe my foot it looks great too.

I tell you, European Balance is the WAY TO GO!!

Thanks to all those people who have been voting on my most recent poll. However, I think I've only got 10 votes so far. Come on guys, surely more than 10 people have looked at my blog in the last two weeks.

There are only 4 more days to vote so get voting everyone. I appreciate it, as I'm sure you're aware of.

Thanks xx

Inspiration Please!

Hey!!!

OK, so I haven't posted for like a month or something ridiculous. I'm so sorry. Every time I get on the computer (which is like ten times a day), I think 'ooh, I really should update my blog,' but then I just end up checking my e-mails or doing homework or something daft.

But tonight I am specifically on the computer to update my blogspot.

Another thing that has been holding me back is that I'm not really sure what to write about. I feel like it's time to do an informative post, but I'm not sure what to write on it. Do you have any suggestions for what I should do an informative post on?
What would you like to learn about on my blogspot?

So I promise that the next post I do will be an informative one, but for now I have no inspiration. Come on guys - I'll write about WHATEVER you would like me to (regarding dance) in the next post.

Anyways ......

Going onto a 'diary update,' now. Mom and I filled in the exam form the other night. My exam is going to be some time in October.
We didn't know this, but it turns out the exam is in Melbourne. It'll be a bit of a drive, but it will still be fun. I can't say that I'm looking forward to it - exams are too scary for that - but it'll be OK.

On Saturday Mom and I headed up to the local ballet shop to get some new pointe shoes. My other ones are not too small for me, it's just that I've overused them so now they are pretty hopeless.

The ballet shop didn't have the ones we were looking for, but they have ordered them in for us and hopefully we will have them in the next couple of days. It was so quick and easy it was hard to believe!

Where we used to live, we would have to travel a few hours to Canberra and go to the big BLOCH store there. We would spend ages in the shop looking of the right pointe shoes.
However, this time, because I know what I'm looking for, it was basically just in and out of the shop in ten minutes.

Awesome.

I will post soon. Please remember to comment and say what you would like me to write about.

Keeping Fit During The Holidays

Holidays, ahhhhh how ballerinas look forward to them! A well deserved rest from a hard term's work of dance. It also gives your feet a chance to rest from those stiff pointe shoes.

But don't you worry that you'll get all 'out of shape,' for those few weeks you aren't dancing? Well, here's a plan.

Yes, you obviously deserve that rest. Your body need it, too. It gives you something to look forward to, and a chance for your body to recover. However, you don't want to get all unfit.

For the first week of these holidays, I let myself just sit back and relax. Then it was time to get into action. I strapped my pointe shoes on every day this week, and practiced for about twenty minutes to half an hour.

Now, that's not long or anything, but it keeps your feet in shape, so you don't go downhill during your few weeks off.

Also, I've done a bit of stretching. No more than five or so minutes a day, but it keeps those tendons working, so I can still do whatever I need to when I get back to class next week.

Thanks for reading/commenting, everyone!

P.S:

On the right hand side of my blog, just below this post, I recently created a poll. It is the first of a series of poll. I am wanting to know what you think of my blog (that's what this poll's about), what you want more of on my blog, and so on. Please vote!

So far, only five people have voted. Come on! Please, if you havne't, I encourage you to. This blog is for your benifit, so I want to know what you want more of.

You don't have to have a Google Account to vote, either. It's as easy as just clicking a button.

Thanks again.

BLOCH

BLOCH is one of my favourite brands in the whole world! I love their shops, and their leotards, bags, outfits, tights, etc are just amazing! If you don't own something made by BLOCH, I highly recommend you to do so. Here are just a few pics of some BLOCH stuff. My fave :)

My Ballet Treasures

Hi Followers!

I would like to share with you today three of my most precious ballet treasures. Here they are, I hope you enjoy .....

My first pair of ballet shoes. I got them when I started ballet when I was only five years old. That was almost ten years ago! I have had them ever since!

This was my first ballet leotard that I also got when I was only five years old. When I got it, it was way pinker than it is now. I wore it for a year at class, then I used it for dress-ups for about four years afterwards!

And last but not least, my very first pair of pointe shoes. As precious as these shoes are to me, they actually weren't very good pointe shoes. The 'pointe,' was too small, so it made it very hard to dance on. These shoes bring memories of great joy ..... but also of great pain!

Sort Of On Holidays : )

Hi Followers,

I guess that since last Thursday I have sort of been on holidays from ballet. Well, I danced through the holidays, but I've got until Saturday off!
However, I'm going to be very temped to strap my pointe shoes on and do a bit of pointe this afternoon.

I think that I'll also do about an hour of stretching today. You know how you sometimes just get that feeling that you really need to stretch? Well that's how I feel right now!

You know how last time I posted, I said that there was a girl who was dancing with me, just for the holidays? Well, it turns out that she now lives in Alice Springs and is dancing with a company up there!
I felt really privileged to be in a class with somebody dancing at that higher standard, even if it was only for four lessons.

My ballet teacher is really great, too. I know that I have already said this, but she really is. She danced with the Australian Ballet for a few years, then came here and started teaching.

One thing that my teacher said that I really had to work on was, strangely enough, my arms. It's true that when you are doing a hard exercises that your arms/fingers will show it.
My teacher said that when I am working really hard, my thumbs stick up! Then after thirty seconds or so, my arms start to droop, especially in second position.

So, you may thing, well, just change it and do it properly. That's when I've been trying to do, but it's SOOOO hard. You will not believe how hard it is. Like ..... seriously!
I have been working on them in the last four lessons I have had with her, but still, my arms droop all the time!

My teacher said that it's just practice, practice, practice. She game me some pieces of paper to hold between my thumb and palm. That helped, but I'm still working on it. My goal is that by the end of the year to have perfect hands!

Thanks for reading/commenting, everyone! I will be back to post again, soon - I promise!

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.

This Week, Pointe Shoes, And Books!

Hi everyone!

In the last 3 days, I have picked up 2 NEW FOLLOWERS! I am SO excited, now I have 7 followers - I feel so popular. ha ha. I know it's not a lot compared to most blogs, but it's still really exciting each time I get a new follower.

I just got home from two hours of ballet. First up I was teaching half of the primary class their "pig," dance.
Although they can be really disruptive and naughty at times, they are also really cute and fun to hang out with.
My teacher has split the primary class up into two groups, so I am taking one.

My teacher also split the grade 2 class up into two groups. I am taking the "cats." They are also really good fun to hang out with, despite their occasionally misbehaviour.
I really enjoy hanging out with all of the students.

My dance as "Peter," is going okay. I am SO thankful for the new pointes. I would NEVER have been able to do the kind of stuff I am doing at the moment if I didn't have them.

The pointes that I had before (the bad ones) were the "BLOCH," brand name. As much as I love BLOCH, I wouldn't suggest their pointe shoes.

However, my new pointes (the amazing ones) are the "European Balance," ones. I highly recommend them if you are going to get a new set of pointes. They are so comfortable and easy to pointe and balance in - just AMAZING!

Anyway, at ballet today I really felt like I was improving.
I haven't felt like that in the last few months, but finally I felt like I was actually keeping my balance, pointing my toes hard, and getting right off the ground in the Allegro.
Perhaps all the practice has started to catch up ......... ?

Guess what ...... because it was my birthday on Monday (finally I turned 14), my teacher gave me the book "Mao's last dancer." It was really nice of her to give me a present for my birthday.
"Mao's last dancer," is a great book! I had talked to my teacher about it in class one day, she said she had read it and really enjoyed it.

I started the book last night and was hooked from the first page. I can't wait until tonight, when I can read, read, read, read read!

Okay, I think I need to go and get out of my leotard and give it a wash. I haven't washed it for about two week, and with all the sweating I do ..... it's starting to stink!

Have a great week!

"Peta And The Wolf"

Gidday All!

I think that I must just accept the fact that I am really slow at updating my blog.
It's not that I don't absolutely love my blog spot - to be honest, I check it every day for comments and pole updates, it's just that, whenever I DO look at it, there usually isn't time to actually update it. For example, in a school break.

I have spent the last ..... ages trying to change the caption on the header of my blog.
At the moment it says "the lead up to my first pointe exam." Well, we all know that's all over with, so I am trying to write another caption instead. Problem is, I don't know how. Sigh. But ..... If anyone does know, please, don't hesitate to tell me!

Yesterday I spent ages in our office practicing standing on one leg on pointe, the other up on the window still.
I took a video of me doing this, and corrected my mistakes. When I eventually took my pointe shoes off, my feet we all numb and really sore.
I had ballet later that day, too. I don't think my pointe work was that good in class. ha ha.

Hay, I haven't told you this, but our end of year concert this year is going to be "Peta and the wold." Yup, Peta, not Peter.
It is still pronounced the same, but Peter is a girl (me, in fact) and so my teacher decided to change the spelling to Peta - which is pretty cool.

The music for "Peta and the wolf" is really beautiful. I will be doing my dancers on pointe which is really good.
In last years end of year concert, I danced on pointe, too. Unfortunately it wasn't very good, but I guess I had only been on pointe nine and a half months, then.

I am REALLY excited for the concert, even though it's about ........ nine weeks away. Maybe ten.
I will have to ask somebody.

My teacher asked me to come half an hour earlier (4:00pm) on Monday so that I could practice my dances with the grade threes before me, which will be pretty fun doing extra ballet, and having other people to do it with.

Just recently, I have started not just walking and riding the exercise bike but ......



JOGGING!



I usually hate jogging, but since our holiday at the beach last week (where I jogged along the beach every day and got my fitness up) I have really started to enjoy it.

Now I must go, my piano teacher has arrived, and, you know what, I think I have said everything I need I wanted to.

Thanks for reading/commenting!

Intermediate Foundation Ballet

Hi again! Sorry I haven't updated for a while.

I have got being upset and angry with myself about my exam marks, but I haven't changed my mind to practice at home.
Unfortunately I have only practiced once in the last week. ha ha - I feel really bad about that.
Straight after this I am going to go and practice.

What I have managed to do it ride 66 km on the exercise bike in three days and walk up and down our drive about a million times (it's quite long, too).

Yesterday I was practicing my arabesque with my leg up on the window-sill and up on demi pointe. I think it set my back off, because now it is really sore and in spasm. Sigh!

It won't stop me practicing right after this, though!

(As I sit here writing this, my brother is watching me - irrrrr. He wants me to write about him. When I asked him what he wanted me to say about him, he just said "Just say that I am a very talented ballet dancer." ha ha)

You know what, I just noticed that since I started intermediate, I haven't really written about it at all.
However, it is going well. The new pointes are AMAZING! I fell like I can do anything on them. I just with that I could have had them before the exam.

Most of the exercises on demi pointe are really hard, but, as I have said before, It is good to be able to do something new!

The Exam!

As always, it wasn't as bad as I though. Though I was still shaking!!!
We stayed at my uncle and aunt's place about half an hour out of Canberra. Even though it is only supposed to take half and hour from their house to Canberra, we left really early (7:30), because we thought that there would be heaps of traffic.
We arrived at 8:15, but only found the building at 8:30. We sat in the car and listened to the Italian news until we saw my teacher.

I said goodbye to my family, then went into the building with my teacher.
There was a lady at the door who we had to give my photo ID and a letter that they sent us to. My teacher handed the lady my photo ID, then I opened my suite case to look for the letter.
I looked and looked and looked, but it wasn't there. My blood literally ran cold!
Thankfully, my teacher had a photo copy of the letter, and the lady said that was good enough.

Then the lady attached a number (8) to the back and front of my leotard. Don't ask me why.....

We then went into the change rooms and my teacher put the "light pink velvet hair ribbon" (she had picked one up for me) into my hair, then she passed me a package and told me to open it once the exam was over.

The lady came in and told me to "say goodbye to Mom and go into the warm up room." (the lady thought that my teacher was my Mom - ha ha!) My teacher said, "Ooh, I am your Mom, OK," then she told the lady that she was actually my teacher. I said goodbye to her and went into the warm up room.

I put on my flat ballet shoes, then did some stretches.
A little while later, another girl came in. Then another. I found out later that a fourth girl was supposed to come, but she never did.
We practices some exercises, then the lady came it. (I have no idea was the 'lady's' name was).
She showed us how we would enter the exam room, and what the examiner and pianists name was.

Then she left us. We warmed up for a while, then the 'lady' came in. She said it was time to go in for the exam.

We collected our pointe shoes (guess what, we weren't supposed to wear toe protectors - but we all took them in with us), then lined up at the door, ready to go in.

I WAS TERRIFIED!

The bell went and we all ran in. We said good morning to Mrs. Everson and the pianist (I can't remember her name).
Then we put down our pointe shoes and ran to the arr.

The barr seemed to be okay. One exercise the the other girls did a little differently, I just kept doing it the way I was taught.
We actually skipped a lot of the exercises, I guess that there wasn't enough time to do them all.

The center was okay, too. Except for the 'thing' (I just spent ages on the Internet looking up how to spell in, but google had no idea what I was talking about.) aka: jumble of exercises you have to do at the examiners command. I totally stuffed that up, and so did another girl - ooh well!

Again, we skipped a heap of the exercises. We also had lots of breaks, where we could go over to the corner and have a drink. There was a shelf with a water jug, cups a tissue box and a vomit bowl (thankfully none of us had to us the bowl).

The other girls did the dance a little bit differently from me. But again I stuck to what I was taught, and I think that I did it well - possibly..... (!!!)

Pointe wasn't actually that hard. One of the exercises at the barr we didn't do, and we only did half of each exercises in the center.

YAY!

Finally the exam was over. We said goodbye to Mrs. Everson and Mrs. Turner (I think that was her name - maybe no!) then ran out.

"No more exams for another year," I though. I got changed into some other clothes, then said goodbye to my teacher.

We went to BLOCH to get me some new pointe shoes, Demi pointe shoes and a new leotard. I got a fantastic pair of pointe shoes, they are sooo comfortable - well, as comfortable as a pointe shoe can get.
The demi pointes are soooo funny. They look just like a pointe shoe, but have nothing at the end. If you go on pointe on them, you actually wreck them!
I tried on litrally millions of leotards, all different sizes. I will have to take a picture the one I chose, and put it on my blog.

After BLOCH we went to the food court. Then headed home.

I am SO glad that the exam is over, and that I don't have to do another one for one more year!