Tiny Tips: use a wine bag to organize shoes

Is your dance bag a chaotic mess because you have multiple pairs pointe shoes, ballet shoes, and jazz shoes to keep track of?  You can easily organize your shoes using a wine bag. Wine bags are small re-usable totes separated into 6 sections.  They are available at most grocery stores that sell alcohol (you do not have to be 21 to purchase a wine bag) and usually cost about $2.  Once you have a bag, pair up your shoes and slip a pair into each section.  You can also slip things like leg warmers or a leak-proof water bottle into the compartments if you don’t fill them all with shoes.  Keep the wine bag in your dance bag so your shoes stay organized.   Dance Theater of Harlem’s Ashley Murphy uses this organizational method, and so do I. 

Tiny Tips: Grishko shoes cheaper from grishkoshop.com

It seems like discountdance.com should have the cheapest prices for all brands of dancewear.  However, this is not always the case.  Grishkoshop.com, Grishko’s official website, sells all models of their pointe shoes (discount dance only stocks some models).  Grishkoshop’s prices are lower than discountdance’s by an average of about $5 per pair (with some as much as $14 lower on grishkoshop.com), and grishkoshop does not charge tax or shipping.  Packages from grishkoshop do ship from Russia via registered mail and take about 4 weeks to arrive in the United States.  So, if you are able to order your pointe shoes well in advance, you can save a lot by shopping at grishkoshop.com!

Tiny Tips: warming up hips

To warm up your hips before class or a performance, wear knit shorts or trash bag shorts during warm up.  Make sure you do some leg swings or balancoires too.  This will warm up your hip joint and make it easer for you to use your full extension.

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.

Tiny Tips: Dancewear with logos

You can get logo dancwear from your studio, your summer intensive, or online.  Here's a quick tip about what's appropriate to wear at certain times.  It's always cool to wear the logo of your home studio at home or while traveling.  If you pick up an item with a logo at an intensive or on a trip, you can also feel free to wear it your home studio and everywhere else. 

If you recently switched studios, it is offensive to wear logos from your former studio in your new studio, especially if the two studios are in the same town.  It's less offensive if you just moved from another city or state, but it's still not the best taste.  In this situation, make your old studio's logo-wear into pajamas or save it for scrapbooks, and replace your dancewear with items with your new studio's logo.

Tiny Tips: scented hand sanitizer

Summer dance classes will leave you sweaty and feeling very un-fresh.  The barre and studio floor are also covered in germs, which flourish even more in warm environments.  Scented hand sanitizers like this one from Bath and Body Works kill germs and smell great.  You can even dab a little behind your ears or anywhere else you would put perfume for a blast of instant freshness.  Many mini sanitizers can be put in cute rubber holders that can hook onto your dance bag or purse, so they are fashionable as well as functional.

Stay in shape during your vacation

Are you heading out on a family vacation this summer?  Or just taking a break from the studio between spring and summer classes?  You need to do at least a little to stay in dancer form over the break, especially if you have placement classes or auditions on the horizon.  In this post I'll give a few tips to stay in shape at home and on the road.

If your studio is closed between spring and summer sessions or does not offer classes outside the school year program, you may suddenly find yourself spending a lot more time at home.  Just because you're stuck without a studio does not mean that you're stuck on the couch.  There are plenty of ways to dance and work out without leaving your home. 

The most important thing to remember is to keep moving.  Stay active through running, swimming, or playing outside with friends and pets.  This will keep you in good aerobic health, which is extremely important to your success in dance.

If you want to work with a structured class, look to YouTube.  Kathryn Morgan has an awesome ballet channel that features barre workouts ranging from beginner to advanced.  Check it out at this link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJ7v_GfFQaVoaPak9_SwR5A.  You can also find some pilates and yoga videos that are easy to follow.  

If you prefer to work on your own, try to think of what you normally do in your dance classes.  Barre can easily be done at a kitchen counter, windowsill, or while holding a chair.  Any hard floor (kitchen tile or linoleum, wood, etc.) can be a dance floor.  Just be aware of the size of the space and adjust your movements to avoid injuring yourself or any property.  (Note: If you are an intermediate/advanced pointe dancer and want to practice at home, make sure you are on a hard floor and have something to use as a barre.  Home floors can be very slippery for pointe shoes.  If you are just beginning pointe, do not practice without the supervision of a teacher).  If you are a tapper or Irish dancer, finding a place to safely and respectfully practice in your hard shoes can be difficult.  Garages are great places to practice if you have permission and access.  If you don't have access to a garage, grab some old or beat up sneakers (they don't have to be dance sneakers, any kind will do as long as they are sturdy enough to protect your feet) and do your moves outside on pavement.  You will feel more resistance than usual, and you may not be able to execute all of your steps perfectly, but working on the basics will be enough to keep you in shape until the next season of classes starts.

If you are heading out on vacation, see if you can pack a few basic fitness items.  A Theraband takes up very little space in a suitcase, and it can be used to stretch and exercise the feet and ankles.  Tennis balls can be used to stretch and massage the feet and other parts of the body.  If you are intermediate or advanced and want to practice pointe on the road, throw a pair of pointe shoes (old ones so you won't miss them if your bag goes missing) and toe pads in your bag.  Most hotels have desks and bathroom countertops that can be used as a barre.  A towel can make a passable yoga mat if you want to do a little yoga or ab-work.  

If your trip involves a lot of sightseeing, walking, swimming, or other activity, you don't need to do any more specific cardio (DO make sure you stay hydrated during your activities, just like you would during a long dance class).  When you can, stretch, work your abdominal muscles, and practice little bits of dance technique.  Even if the only time you have is while brushing your teeth, you can still get in a few piles and releves.  

If you are visiting family or spending several days in a city, look into taking a class or two at a studio in the area.  Most studios offer individual class rates (some with the first class free), and you can really benefit from learning from a new teacher.  If you choose to do this, try to make arrangements before you travel.  Be aware of dress code requirements, and pack appropriate dancewear and shoes.

Whatever your summer plans may hold, remember to move your dance muscles, even if only a little.  It's the greatest gift you can give yourself in order to have a successful season.

Yumiko 20% off for 24 hours (EXPIRED)

Yumiko dancewear is celebrating reaching 20,000 followers on Facebook by providing a 20% discount on all orders for 24 hours.  This promotion is happening NOW, so head over to the Yumiko site (http://global.yumiko-online.com/en/)ASAP to take advantage of this deal.  It will expire tomorrow, June 10th around mid-morning, so hop to it!  This is the biggest discount Yumiko has offered in a very long time, so if you have been dreaming of your own custom leo, now is the time to snap one up.  

Be aware that production time for custom items is still 4-6 weeks, and Yumiko charges shipping ($10-$20 per item, depending on what it is and where it is sent) for orders under $250.  ($313 worth of product minus 20% makes $250, just FYI).

Tiny tips: hairspray as a stain remover

Hairspray is an amazing backstage tool for all dancers. Not only does it keep hair, pointe shoe ribbons, and other costume pieces in place, but it also quickly removes stains. If you get a pesky splotch of lipstick on your costume just moments before your call, don't fret. Spray the spot with a generous helping of hairspray and quickly scrub it with a paper towel or makeup wipe. The alcohol in the hairspray will break down the stain and make it much less noticeable. 

Tiny Tips: blisters

Blisters are painful and super inconvenient.  Usually blisters pop up when you are wearing a new pair of shoes that aren't broke in yet.  For class, apply a first aid drying powder to blisters, then cover them with band-aids or tape.  Try not to pop or drain them; they will eventually heal themselves.

If you have a big performance with long numbers (especially pointe variations) and your blister is very large or painful, you can drain it by gently puncturing it with a sanitized needle and very carefully pressing on it to release some of the liquid.  Try not to remove the skin from the blister; that will just make it hurt more.  Apply some drying powder, then add a band-aid or tape.

After you are finished dancing for the day, apply a square of 2nd skin (available from some drugstores or amazon.com) to the blister.  This will help the blister feel cool, stop hurting, and heal more quickly.

Tiny Tips: dancing with emotion

When you have a part in a show, your dance probably expresses emotion and helps advance the story of the piece or production.  Check with your choreographer to make sure you know what emotion you're portraying, then try to act it out every time you practice the piece.  Download the music for the piece on your phone or iPod, then listen to it and practice "being" that emotion with your face and body.  Right before showtime, think of something that makes you feel the emotion you need to "be" in the piece.  If you're dance is happy, think about a party.  If it's sad, think about a funeral.  If you need to show deep or sad emotions throughout the production, cheer yourself up afterward with a sweet treat and time with your friends.

Tiny Tips: Recipe for "natural sports drink"

All dancers get cramps and sore muscles during long classes and rehearsals.  Drinking water can help, but H2O alone is not always enough.  Active bodies need electrolytes, acids, and minerals to replenish everything lost through sweat.  Here's a simple recipe for my favorite beverage to enjoy during marathon dance sessions.

In a 24-oz bottle or straw cup, combine 12 oz unflavored coconut water, 8 oz water, 2 to 3 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp natural sugar (or a comparable amount of stevia or monkfruit sweetener), and (optional) 1 packet of emergen-C or another vitamin drink mix or mineral powder.

This beverage provides the same minerals and electrolytes as drinks like Gatorade, but with more natural ingredients and acids that help break up muscle cramps that can slow you down during rehearsal.

Don't forget to drink plain water too.  Cool your body down with a nice glass of regular water after class or rehearsal is finished.