Ballet Requirement

It is easily determined that to achieve most dances you have to have the technique you get from ballet. Ballet is the foundation of all dances. Although it may be boring to some dancers, people don't realize how much of an impact it really makes.

When signing up for any dance class besides hip hop you have to also take ballet. Some people get frustrated by this requirement, considering everyone who takes dance classes isn't going to have an actual dance profession when they get older.

The way that some parents and kids see it is "Why would I take or spend money on a dance class that my kid doesn't enjoy. All s/he wants to do is have fun with a class they love. They are just doing it for fun, I don't see why I can't just sign them up for one class that they will love."

It is clear that some people have an issue with this requirement, but it is more than just another dance to others. Ballet has been shown to have other benefits besides being just another dance that some kids enjoy.

Ballet is a slow moving dance, but that is the beauty of it. It gives you the time to relax, stretch, and give you the technique of a real dancer. Ballet has been proven to improve coordination, flexibility, and it is truly healthy for you. It also improves strength, alignment, and balance. Ballet is also a stress reliever and helps with any problems you may have.

When doing ballet you must have the right technique and proper training. Ballet is a very high risking sport of injuries when not properly doing the dance correctly.

Based on this information it is shown that the ballet requirement exists not only because of it just being another dance but there is more to that.

Competition Day

Dancers are always excited for competitions. Spending months and months learning different dances to get ready for these days is exciting but can also be exhausting.

Usually the day of a competitions start pretty early considering you have to wake up get your hair and makeup done, make sure you have all of your costumes, shoes, accessories, and props in your bag with you, and be there two hours before you perform to warm up.

Once you get there it is pretty hectic. Depending on if your dance studio has their own dressing room or if you have to share with other studios determines how crazy and crowded it can really get. There are girls and their moms all running around like crazy trying to hurry and get you ready to go practice the dance a million times before you go out and perform.

When you are all ready to go through your routine that you are about to perform, you go with the other dancers and your dance teacher/s and get lined up to go behind stage. This is about the time when your nerves start kicking in nut when you are on stage the adrenaline kicks in and you don't even realize what's all happening because it goes by so quick.

After that, depending on how many dances you do it is usually an all day thing and most studios have all dancers stay for awards.

Yes, it is an extremely busy and chaotic day but for some weird reason, us dancers love it! It's what makes us want to come back and do it all over the next weekend. It's because we are doing what we love and nothing is more important than that.

Nutritious meals

When dancing and doing any other sport it is important to stay fit and keep healthy. You also want to keep your energy up with the hard going sport. Food is major thing to keep you healthy and your energy up. It's choosing the right things to eat that can be difficult for some people. Depending on how much you dance determines how much you should eat. Full time dancers have to eat a lot each day to keep their metabolism up. Dancers need lots of carbohydrates, right kinds of fats, protein, and micronutrients.

For full time dancer it is important to eat a good breakfast before going to class. Some nutritious breakfast ideas are:

1) Blueberry Soy Shake

• 1 cup of frozen blueberries
• 1 cup of a soy beverage
• 1 banana
• 1 tsp. flaxseed oil (optional)

2) Scrambled eggs with toast

**For 1 and 2 website-  http://www.actsafe.ca/wp-content/uploads/resources/pdf/dancernutrition.pdf
Being a dancer it is also very important to eat many snacks during the day when you have time. Some healthy snack choices are:

1) Vegetables and low fat dips such as avocado-yogurt dip, creamy garlic-herb dip, smoked salmon dip, lima bean dip, and guacamole. To find these recipes and many more low calorie dips go to http://www.cookinglight.com/food/recipe-finder/low-cal-dips-spreads/low-cal-easy-guacamole

2) Fresh fruit

3) Nuts

Lastly, dancers need a good dinner. Some nutritious meals are:

1) Poached or baked chicken/fish with no skin

2) Steamed vegetables or rice

For desserts you can try frozen yogurt instead of ice cream or popcorn with NO butter.

**For more ideas and recipes go to this website: https://www.theballetworkshop.com/Nutrition_and_the_Dancer.html

Lucky hair tie

Many people have that one thing that gets them through every game, competition, etc. It's their lucky charm, they can go a day without or else they will "lose". That lucky charm is different for everyone who has it, for me its a lucky hair tie.

When it is competition season for dance it get kind of intense. Everyone is rushing to get all of their hair and makeup done and making sure they have all the costumes they need. Every weekend I happen to just use the same hair tie to hold up my hair; a dark purple, thick, and average sized ponytail. I know people would say that would stand out with your hair too much but my hair always had to be in a bun, so therefore when my hair is being wrapped around ten million times you can't see it. The reason I always use this hair tie is because it just always happens to be sitting out and it always the one my mom picks.

At one of my competitions I was getting ready to go on stage, I was already so nervous (this is also when I was a lot younger) and I was focusing on not forgetting the dance. who knew that was thing to not worry about. As I was dancing I felt my hair becoming loose. I started to panic a little inside but kept dancing hoping it would stay in just a little longer. I had a dance move coming up where I had to whip my head and I knew at that moment I was going to get I trouble by my teacher for not putting my hair up tight enough because it was clearly going to come out by the end of the routine.

The move came upon me and my hair had came out and the ponytail had flew across stage. I was so upset when I went back to the dressing room (mainly at my mom because she was the one who put my hair up). I noticed my purple hair tie in my dance bag and wondered why I didn't have it in my hair. My mom and I always laugh we have noticed I always happen out of coincidence to use the purple tie and we both thought it was weird how this one day I didn't use it.

Being a normal 6 year old I freaked out and told my mom to put the ponytail in my hair and started accusing my hair catastrophe on the black hair tie that I used that day instead. Ever since then I have always double checked that I have my "lucky" hair tie with me.

Importance of Ballet

People in dance always say they "hate" Ballet. They say it is boring and slow and they just don't like it. What people don't understand is that Ballet is everything to become a dancer. You need to have Ballet technique to be able to do the other types of dances you like to do and it creates a strong foundation for them. According to doctors, it strengthens bodies and can also correct posture if practiced correctly. Ballet is a very difficult style of dance and usually isn't taken very seriously by younger dancers. Ballet is also used for other sports to strengthen your body such as, gymnastics, skating and even football. Many guys take ballet because it helps with their balance, speed, agility and it keeps them fit and helps them with their other sports.

Another reason ballet is very important is because if you want to become a better dancer you have to practice ballet. The more you practice that style of dance other types will come easy to you as well. It will also help with your flexibility which is everything for a dancer, it will decrease you chances of injuries. It is also proven to show more confidence in yourself and you will feel better after a class.

Dance is a mindset. If you say you can't do it then you wont. You will be able to do everything you set your mind to. If you really want to do something you can, you just need practice and some help from an instructor. "Practice makes perfect" is so cliche but very true.

If you want to go into dance as a career, the instructors are going to look at your ballet technique the most out of everything.

"Learning is a wonderful thing for children even if they never become dancers. It is wonderful because it teaches discipline, grace, and manners."      -Anna Paskevska

Dance Moms vs. reality dance

I know most of you have seen the show "Dance Moms", and it is crazy and so over dramatic. "Dance Moms" is very different from most dance studios in the U.S.

Moms do not fight that often and do not scream at each other, there isn't usually a favorite or a "star" at the studio, and the dance instructors are not usually that strict or mean. If you have seen the show you would know that when the girls compete they perform different dances each week. Most studios do not do that; they learn and practice multiple dances and then perform the dances they have learned every weekend. Also, when they announce awards, the judges don't just announce who got first, second, third, and so on, they also announce how most of the dances did itself and who got best choreography and lots of different awards like that. "Dance Moms" just announces who got first and second because it is faster and it is the main award that people care about most. You have to remember, this is a T.V show and they have to keep it entertaining so people will watch. It is clear that most of the things you've seen on the show are made up, no one would stay somewhere for that long just to be tortured in my opinion. There are many dance studios around the U.S and if they are willing to go across the world to compete then I don't think they would mind going across the country to be at a studio where their kid is treated right.

Based on this information, dance is not as bad as it looks on t.v. Dance for most kids id fun and relaxing, its suppose to relieve stress not create it. If you want a real and more accurate opinion over dance, talk to real dancers instead of watching a "reality" t.v show.

How to prepare for a dance audition

Dance auditions are very stressful; everyone wants the same spot you want. You are constantly feeling like you have to do perfect. There are so many ways you can prepare to do well, but I have three major steps on how to succeed.

First, you are going to want to stretch every day, not just in practice. It would be horrible if you were to hurt yourself before you try out. Flexibility is a huge step into becoming a great dancer. Also, make sure you are stretching every part of your body; your head, neck, shoulders, hips, all the way down to your toes. Use the stretches that your dance teachers tell you to do if you’re not sure what to do. You should stretch whenever you possibly can. Try to stretch for 25 minutes if not more a day.

Another thing you should do is PRACTICE! Practicing your dance for the audition is so important. What a lot of people do is practice by them and then calls it good. That is not what you want to do, you audition is front of judges so you need to practice in front of people to get your nerves out of the way and that way they can critique you. If you could practice in front of people who have dance experience that would be the best, that way when they critique you they actually know what they are talking about. 

The last step I have for you is to just be confident with yourself. Don’t be negative; stay positive because you can do it! Don’t let the other dancers intimidate you and just worry about yourself. You should come out of the audition knowing you did your absolute best, not that you could have done better.