Halloween Safety

Dancewear items make great additions to some Halloween costumes, whether they are dance-related or not.  However, sometimes dancewear can be inappropriate or unsafe when it's taken out of the studio.  Here are a few tips to make sure you have a fun and safe holiday.

1.      Consider your shoes carefully.  If you are a dancer, don't wear your dance shoes as part of your costume (unless they will never go back in the dance studio).  Soft shoes like ballet and jazz shoes can be destroyed if they are worn outside on rough or wet surfaces.  If you are not a dancer, be aware that some types of dance shoes (notably tap and ballroom shoes) have little traction and can leave you prone to slipping.  Others like tap and flamenco shoes have metal on the soles that can destroy flooring.  Pointe shoes are never appropriate as part of a costume, and they can be dangerous if the person wearing them lacks ballet training.

2.      Ensure your costume fits with your plans.  Some dancewear items, like platter tutus, don't go well with activities like sitting and watching a movie (the tutu won't fit in a standard seat).  Others, like tall ballroom heels, don't do so well for long walks trick-or-treating.  Most dancewear items like leotards tights, and jazz pants, though they cover the body, are breathable (this prevents dancers from overheating).  If you need cold-weather clothing for an outdoor event, dancewear probably won't do it.

3.      Be aware of pieces that drag or catch.  Some dancewear items like wrap skirts have ties that can drag on the floor or get caught in something like a car door.  Other garments like flamenco skirts and jazz pants are cut long, and they can easily be trip hazards, especially in the dark.  Make sure pieces fit well, and take precautions so your clothing doesn't get damaged or end up injuring you.

4.      If you or your child are wearing a costume to dance class, check that you are still broadly obeying the dance school's dress code.  You should be able to move comfortably without adjusting your clothes.  Avoid masks, wigs, and unsecure hats that could fall off or obscure your vision.  Always wear your dance shoes, and wear your regular dance uniform under your costume in case you get too hot and need to take it off.  For young kids, make sure they know how to take their costumes off in case they need to use the bathroom.

What are arch enhancers?

Arch enhancers are thin silicone pads that are placed on top of the foot (between the ankle and metatarsals) to create an illusion of a higher arch and more exaggerated pointe.  The pad is usually encased in a thin flesh-colored fabric sleeve that can be slid over the foot and concealed under tights.  Arch enhancers are sold online (discountdance.com and other sources) and at some dancewear stores. 

Think of an arch enhancer as a push-up bra for your foot.  In ballet, high arches and exaggerated pointes are considered very aesthetically pleasing, especially on female dancers.  Everyone has arches, but some people are unhappy with the way theirs look compared to other people.  So, voila!  Arch enhancers can be worn so everyone can have high, pretty arches.

Is it ok to wear arch enhancers?  That's tough.  I personally lean toward no, but I naturally have good arches.  I believe that it's not right to purport your body as being something that it naturally is not, especially in a situation where you are being placed or hired based on ability, and in the future you will be working closely with the person evaluating you.  That means that for company auditions, auditions for summer programs or dance schools, or placement classes, you should not wear arch enhancers.  I also don't advise them for everyday class.  Enhancers can cover up the natural shape of your foot, which can prevent teachers from being able to see if you are working safely and correctly (especially en pointe). 

For performances (including dance competitions) where your main job is to perform your best in front of an audience, it's fine to wear arch enhancers if they make you feel more confident.  They can be a great tool for dancers who have a "good" foot and a "bad" foot to even things out. 

What is a demi pointe shoe?

This is a common question with a bit of a tricky answer.  It's one of those situations where there is a denotation (official definition) and a connotation (what people mean when they say it), and they are not the same.

The term demi-pointe literally means half pointe (or point).  The demi-pointe position in ballet involves a dancer standing on the ball of the foot with the heel raised, the conventional "tip toe" position people take when they are trying to walk quietly.  It logically follows that the balletic position of pointe involves a dancer standing all the way up on the toes with the ball of the foot, arch, and heel all off the ground and curving in a half-moon shape.

Therefore, we define pointe shoes as shoes in which a dancer can achieve a pointe position.  We define demi-pointe shoes as shoes in which a dancer can achieve a demi-pointe position.

No matter how you slice it, a dancer cannot (safely) rise to full pointe in demi-pointe shoes.  However, a demi-pointe position can be achieved in pretty much any footwear, including pointe shoes.

When people talk about demi-pointe shoes, they are most often referring to soft, shankless pointe shoes that dancers use to train before they are ready for pointework.  These shoes, also called pre-pointe shoes, are much stiffer and more confining than regular flat ballet shoes, but they lack the support of a hard insole (shank) and toe box, so dancers cannot rise to full pointe in them.

Occasionally people use the term demi-pointe shoes to refer to regular canvas or leather flat ballet slippers.  Sansha's ubiquitous SA1 canvas ballet shoes have "demi-pointe" written on their packaging, and I've seen more than one dancer confused by this nomenclature.  It's true that flat ballet slippers are demi-pointe shoes in that they cannot be used to rise onto pointe, but they are quite different from what most people mean when they talk about demi-pointe shoes.

How early should I arrive for class or rehearsal?

We all know it's poor etiquette to be late to your dance events, but what are the guidelines for arriving early?  In this post, I'll lay things out.

For young kids' classes (ages 8 and below), there's really no need for dancers to get warmed up before class begins.  Plan on arriving with enough time for a student to calmly put on shoes and be ready for class (about 5 minutes before class begins, or up to 15 minutes if the student has to get dressed at the studio).  Arriving any earlier can cause the young dancer to get bored, and there's more potential for misbehavior before and during class.

For older kids' classes, pre-pro technique classes, and all recreational teen/adult classes, it's good to arrive about 10 to 15 minutes before class starts.  Students over age 8 usually have more autonomy in what they wear and where they stand during class, and it's good to have a chance to work these things out before class begins.  Go to the bathroom, get a drink, put on a skirt, choose a spot at the barre, and do some warm-up plies before the teacher calls class to order.  This will help set dancers up for a successful class.

For advanced/pre-pro pointe or partnering classes, it's smart to arrive 15-20 minutes early to get settled and substantially warm up before class starts (especially if it's the first class of the day).  Students will have much more successful classes if the body and feet are warmed up.

For all rehearsals (excluding those scheduled just after classes), dancers should arrive about 15 minutes early to warm up.  Most of the time, directors start running choreography at the beginning of rehearsal and only stop at the end.  Dancers must be prepared to perform full out, so a few plies and tendus before rehearsal go a long way.

Is it possible to arrive to class or rehearsal too early?  In some cases, yes.  There's nothing wrong with coming to the studio 1 or 2 hours before class if the studio is open and a dancer has something to do (homework, etc.), but sometimes it's not such a good idea.  If a dancer is talkative or tends to get silly, they may distract others.  It's also possible to warm up too much, and dancers who intend to practice for an hour before class may get tired and perform poorly when class time comes.

It can take some experimentation to see what the best routine is for each individual dancer, but arriving a little early for class and rehearsal is always a good thing.

Tiny Tips: Adjust recipes to meet your nutritional needs

Do you ever come home from class feeling exhausted, knowing you need to eat, but not feeling hungry?  Or are you sometimes ravenous just an hour or two after your last meal?  Most athletes and dancers frequently experience both.  Knowing how to tailor your go-to meals and snacks can help you fuel your body and satisfy your cravings (or lack of cravings).

Think of a healthy meal, like cereal with fruit and almond milk.  If you aren't very hungry, but need calories, use a high-nutrient cereal like granola as the base, and add sprinklings of berries and nuts, and add milk.  Just ½ cup of granola contains the calories of about 1 cup of a larger-piece cereal, so you get everything you need without putting a large volume of food in your stomach.

If you're really hungry, but don't need a lot of calories, start by filling your bowl with fruit (like berries or grapes).  Use a little bit of cereal and nuts as a topping, and add a splash of milk to bring it all together.  Fruit is filling, but relatively low calorie in comparison to grain-based cereal.

You can do the same thing with dishes like soups and salads--up the high-calorie, nutrient-dense ingredients like brown rice, avocado, cheese, or nuts for energy-boosting small portions, and add more low-calorie ingredients like broth, salsa, or veggies for a filling portion with fewer calories.

Syllabi and styles within styles

Have you ever noticed that students who study dance at different schools and studios sometimes have different understandings of specific dance steps or use different words to describe them, even if they are learning the same overarching style (like ballet)?  Sometimes it's just studio culture, but many of these differences can be attributed to various syllabi or sub-types of dance styles.  In this post, I'll give you a simple overview of dance syllabi.  Note that this is a conceptual explanation, not a dictionary of dance syllabi, and I am never trying to insinuate that any syllabus is better than another.

Let's start with an analogy.  Let's say that a style of dance (I'll pick modern) is like a language (I'll pick English).  People who dance at school A perform their modern dance differently than those who dance at school B, though both can recognize each other's dancing as modern dance.  People who live in the US speak English differently than those who live in the UK, but both can recognize each other's speech as English.  School A teaches students to dance in the Graham technique, while school B teaches students Horton.  In the US, people speak and publications use a specific English called American English, and in the UK, people speak and publications use a specific English called British English.  American English and British English both have rules of usage, spelling, and grammar that guide the way they are used.  Oftentimes they are similar, but some spellings and grammar rules are different.  Graham technique and Horton technique share some basic steps, but the styles also have unique attributes.  Therefore, different sub-types of dance styles are like recognized variations of the same language.  We could say Vaganova ballet technique is like Spanish spoken in Spain, and Balanchine ballet technique is like Spanish spoken in Latin America.  The list goes on and on.

If a student grows up dancing at one studio and learning one particular syllabus, they will probably be very accustomed to that syllabus.  If the student attends a master class or visits another studio for a class in the same style of dance, but with a different syllabus or sub-type, they may end up a bit confused.  Arm positions, head positions, and quality of movement (smooth, sharp, etc.) are the most likely to differ among syllabi, so even an advanced student might get a lot of corrections on the basics when taking class in an unfamiliar sub-style.
Like dance schools, professional dance companies use different syllabi.  Martha Graham Dance Company uses (obviously) Graham style modern dance, and New York City Ballet uses Balanchine style ballet.  If a dancer is interested in auditioning for a company, they should know the company's preferred syllabus.  Sometimes a director will weigh talent and drive over syllabus knowledge, but often times dancers who use another syllabus's technical details in an audition will be seen as unprepared and/or making errors.

Another big thing when it comes to syllabi (especially Cecchetti ballet compared to almost any other ballet syllabus) is the time at which dancers learn different things.  In Cecchetti, young female students often get pointe shoes as young as age 7 or 8 because of the gentle barre-based teaching method.  Most other ballet syllabi reserve pointe for older students.  No syllabus is better than any other, and all move at their own rates to educate accomplished dancers.  It's not a good idea to compare your dance education to anyone else's if you are learning from different syllabi.

All established syllabi and sub-styles are created equal.  Some people may like one over another or find one more challenging than another, but as long as a syllabus is legitimate, it's good.  It's important for a student's dance education to come from an official syllabus (or a combination of several syllabi).  A studio's website or class description flyers should list any syllabi used for a class or style of dance (like Vaganova-based ballet training, or Davida bronze standard ballroom).  If it's not listed, ask a teacher or studio director what syllabi are used.  All quality dance educators should know what syllabus they are teaching, no matter what the syllabus is.