Holiday gift-giving: merde gifts and more

If you are in a performance of The Nutcracker or another winter show, it can be little tough to figure out how to give gifts to your teachers and friends.  It is customary to give small gifts (candy, pencils, etc.) to your fellow dancers for luck on opening night of any show.  During the winter season, many people also like to give out Christmas or other holiday gifts.  How many gifts should you give out?  And to whom?  In this post, I answer basic questions and outline some ways you can navigate holiday gift giving and your winter performances.

What are Merde gifts?

The idea is to give your fellow dancers a little something to make them happy before the opening performance.  This custom applies to all shows, not just Nutcracker or winter programs.

 (In case you don’t already know, merde is French swear word that means poo.  Ballet and other dancers say it to each other before shows to mean “good luck.”) 

Are merde gifts necessary? 

Absolutely not.  If you are on a tight budget or think merde gifts are stupid (which they are), you can skip and go for holiday gifts only.  However, if you are in a company where everyone gives merde gifts, you may be seen as unfriendly if you don’t participate.   

What should I buy to give out as merde gifts?

Usually silly or fun things are a good and inexpensive choice. It is also a good idea to get a large quantity of merde gifts so you can pass them out to everyone in the company (some people, especially young kids, get upset when they see others receiving gifts and they are left out).  Some things I have received in the past are: toy dinosaurs, a mini rubber duck, candy (lots of times), a small Christmas ornament, Epsom salts, chapstick, and hand sanitizer. 

When do I hand out the gifts?

You must hand out merde gifts on opening night before the show or they are no longer merde gifts.

What are holiday gifts?

Holiday gifts are the things you would give your teachers and friends for Christmas or to celebrate the winter season.  It is ok to give these gifts to only your close friends.  However, it is a good idea to give a present to everyone in your class or everyone dancing with you in “waltz of the flowers” so you don’t leave anyone out (and if anyone asks you why they didn’t get a gift, it’s a lot kinder to say “I was only giving them to dancers in my class” rather than “I don’t consider you my friend”).

What should I get my friends?

 I like to use the “goodie bag” model when putting together gifts for my friends.  A few chocolates, a packet of ribbon and elastic, a lip gloss, and a couple of festive tea bags make a great goodie bag that is sure to delight everyone.  You can also get each friend an individual gift, like a small stuffed animal or piece of jewelry. 

What should I get my teacher?

For teachers, I recommend nice Hallmark cards with handwritten notes thanking them for teaching you.  If you want to give a gift, make it a gift card to the dancewear store or coffee shop (that crystal ballerina figurine may be tempting, but your teacher probably already has a lot of dance knick knacks). 

How much should I spend?

If you are passing out gifts in public (at the studio or in the dressing rooms at the theater), don’t spend more than about $10 on each person.  If you have a large, bulky, or expensive gift to give, do so in private.

Anything else about what to get?

 Unless your company is openly religious, don’t assume that everyone celebrates Christmas in a Christian way (or celebrates Christmas at all).  You don’t need to go out of your way to get your Jewish friend a menorah card, but be aware that giving her a nativity card may not be the most sensitive choice.  If you can find Nutcracker, ballet/dance, winter, or “commercial Christmas” themed gifts, they are the best for mass appeal. 

Don’t include candy or food containing nuts if your friends have allergies or braces. 

It’s also really sweet to know your friends’ favorite colors or other likes and base their gifts around their preferences.

When should I give out holiday gifts? 

Mid-December or as close to Christmas as possible. 

Can holiday gifts be combined with merde gifts for one compact gift giving experience? 

Yes, if the timing is right.  If your show is in December, give out all your gifts on opening night (you can also just give out holiday gifts on opening night and skip separate merde gifts if you wish).  If your winter show is really early (like Thanksgiving weekend) and you will continue to see your friends and teachers at the studio through December, give out your merde gifts on opening night and wait to give out holiday gifts until closer to Christmas.

Any last thoughts?

If someone gives you a gift (of any kind) and you don’t like it, thank that person anyway and take the gift home with you.  Then you can throw it away or re-gift it to someone outside the company.  DO NOT give it to someone else in the company; I guarantee the gift-giver will notice and he or she will not be happy.

Tiny Tips: Don’t let Thanksgiving weigh you down

Nervous about all the yummy food at Thanksgiving making you feel bloated and sluggish?  Avoiding those feelings is actually quite simple.  Don’t overeat, and don’t forget to exercise.  You can taste each dish on the table without eating a huge portion of each one.  Put only a small serving of each side on your plate, and take larger portions of lean protein (white meat turkey) and veggies (green beans, salad).  For dessert, nix the crust on your pumpkin pie and eat just the filling to satisfy your sweet tooth, get good vitamin A and beta-carotene, and avoid a carb-coma. 

For the rest of the month, participate in the “Planksgiving” challenge.  Plank for a minimum of 1 minute 30 seconds per day, and aim to increase your time each day.  A few hours after your turkey day dinner, go for a walk, play some family football, or escape to your room and do a quick barre so you don’t feel like you took in too much without burning it off.

Holiday travel tips for dancers

Travelling this holiday season?  In this post I will go over some tips to keep you in top dance form during your winter vacation.

1.  If you are driving to your destination, frequently move your legs and feet while sitting in the car (if you are the driver, of course you will need to be careful).  Stop every 2-3 hours to walk around outside.  Take the time to stretch a little (standing up) and pop any joints that feel stiff. 

2.  If you are flying, you should also be sure to move around frequently.  It is absolutely fine to stand up and walk down the aisle every hour or so (as long as you are polite, don’t worry about inconveniencing your neighbors, as a dancer you must take care of your body and do what you can to prevent blood clots).  The plane’s bathroom is a good place to do simple standing stretches like clasping your arms above your head and leaning side to side. 

3.  For all travelers, make sure to drink plenty of water and other healthy fluids like 100% juice and tea.  Avoid drinking too much soda (1 is ok, but stop there).  Try to eat healthy snacks.  Pack your own if you can, or do your best to choose the most wholesome options of what is available.  Many fast food restaurants have salads or grilled chicken sandwiches.  Starbucks has oatmeal, granola bars, juice, and sandwiches.  At the vending machine or convenience store, look for trail mix or beef jerky instead of chips and candy.  Eating and drinking well will help ward off motion sickness as well as the “blah” feeling that comes when dancers are inactive for long periods of time.

4.  No matter your method of travel, do not lift heavy luggage incorrectly.  If you can’t lift something properly by yourself, ask for help before you hurt yourself.  Use your legs, not your back, when putting suitcases in the trunk.  Use rolling suitcases when possible. Flight attendants or fellow travelers can assist you when putting items in overhead bins.

5.  Once you arrive at your destination, try to maintain your usual diet, hygiene, and sleep routines.  It’s ok to have a couple of decadent meals or a late night or two, but try to celebrate in moderation.  Indulging too much will only set you back when you get home.

6.  Keep up your exercise.  Sightseeing on foot can take the place of your usual cardio.  Keep yourself in dance form by doing a few stretches and barre or similar exercises each night before bed.  If you are staying at your destination for a week or more, see if you can take any open dance classes at a local studio (many have drop in rates and “first class free” deals).

7.  If you have time, stop by a dancewear store in the city you are visiting.  If you are going somewhere like New York City, make a point to go to the Capezio flagship store and the Yumiko boutique.  Almost all cities have local dancewear stores, and they will probably have products different from what you have seen at home.  If you do pointe and are in the market for a new shoe, it can be refreshing to get a fitting with a new fitter at a different store.

8.  Finally, don’t forget to have fun and enjoy yourself on vacation.

Help! The heels of my dance shoes keep slipping off!

Slipping heels can be a common problem in the dance world.  Fixing it is usually simple enough, but the best methods to keep heels on vary depending on the kind of shoe you are wearing.  In this post, I will outline the most efficient methods for keeping your heels on for a variety of different dance shoes.

--Pointe shoes, flat ballet shoes, and jazz shoes: First, make sure your shoe is not too big or too small (either will cause heel slippage).  If your shoe is the wrong size, get re-fit.  It it’s ok, try pulling the drawstring if your shoe has one.  If your shoe has no drawstring or the slippage doesn’t improve, you will need to do something to increase the friction between your shoe and your foot or tights. 

Try putting rosin on the heel of your foot, heel of your tights, and inside the heel of your shoe.  You only need a little bit, so just take a little on your fingers and rub it on the area you want to rosin up.  If your studio or theater does not allow rosin, you can spray hairspray on the heels of your tights (or feet) before putting on your pointe shoes. 

Another good method is sticking waterproof Nexcare medical tape to the heels of your tights and the heels of your shoes.  The tape is foamy in texture, so when two pieces of it touch (regardless of whether or not the adhesive side is up), they want to stick together rather than rub past each other.

--Hard enclosed shoes like tap shoes, character shoes, and men’s oxford ballroom shoes: Again, make sure your shoe is the right size.  Many dancers become uncomfortable when they can feel the end of the shoe with their toes, so they go a size up.  Remember that gently feeling the end of a dance shoe shoe with your toes is a GOOD thing; it means that the shoe is snug and supportive.  The shoe is only too small if your toes feel crunched up or painful.  Wearing a shoe that is too big will cause the foot to slide forward so your toes will crunch up even more, and the heel will slip. 

If you have a very narrow foot, see if the shoe you are wearing comes in a narrow width.  Sometimes narrows can be ordered even if the dancewear store doesn’t usually carry them.  Certain brands also tend to run narrow or wide.  Bloch and Capezio run more narrow, while Sansha and So Danca run more wide.

If the shoe fits properly and the heel still slips, consider what you are wearing inside the shoe.  If you are wearing tights or trouser socks, the thin nylon material may be taking away any friction that would help keep the heel in place.  Try wearing the shoes with nothing on your feet or with cotton or wool socks. 

If this still doesn’t fix the problem, try attaching a heel grip to the inside of the shoe.  This device is a small fabric or gel pad that is adhered to the inside of the heel of a shoe to minimize heel slip.  You can usually buy heel grips at shoe, dancewear, or department stores for about $5-$10.  Because heel grips are adhered to the inside of shoes (with either pre-applied adhesive or fabric glue), they can ruin the lining of a shoe if they are applied then removed.  Try other methods of reducing slip before resorting to heel grips.

--Open toe and/or strappy Latin/ballroom shoes:  First thing’s first: make sure the shoes fit.  Your heel should be all the way against the back of the shoe, and your toes should be at the end of the front of the shoe with ¼ inch or less extra space.  If the shoe is too big, it will probably slip at the heel, and it will be unstable to dance on (which increases the risk of injury).  If your foot is very narrow, try to find a shoe that comes in narrow widths or is from a brand that runs narrower.

If the shoe fits and the heel still slips, try using a shoe strap (available at most dancewear stores for $2-$6).  This clear plastic adjustable strap is meant to wrap around the arch of the shoe and fasten on top.  It holds the shoe tightly on your foot so it moves around less. 

            If you don’t want to use a shoe strap or can’t find one, try using the waterproof Nexcare     medical tape method.  This is especially effective if your shoes are very lightweight and you wear them with tights or fishnets.

The truth about understudies

Are you understudying a part (or parts) in this year’s Nutcracker or winter show?  Are you feeling disappointed that you aren’t performing that role as part of the main cast?  Here’s why you should actually feel good about being an understudy.

 1.  The artistic director trusts you.  He or she thinks you are reliable and won’t get sick or hurt and have to drop out of a performance. 

2.  The choreographer believes in you.  He or she thinks you are able to pick up choreography and perform it on stage with fewer rehearsals (and probably no dress rehearsals) than the main cast.

3.  The artistic director recognizes your hard work and humility.  He or she knows you are good enough to dance the part, but also knows that you are mature enough to handle not being in the main cast.

It can be totally boring to stand in the corner of the studio and mark steps while the rest of the company rehearses, but try to remember that being an understudy is an extremely important part of what makes the company run successfully.  Even though it may not feel like it, being an understudy is an honor.