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.

Ballet summary: The Nutcracker

The Nutcracker Ballet was originally performed in 1892 at the Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg, Russia. The music was composed by Tchaikovsky and the original choreography was set by Marius Petipa. The story is loosely based on the book "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King" by E.T.A. Hoffman, a German writer.

Though every company produces a different version of the iconic ballet, the story follows the same basic plot. Since the story is a bit nonsensical, children and adults sometimes become confused during performances of the Nutcracker.  This post is dedicated to explaining the plot of the ballet and preparing audience members for what to expect to see during a show.  I will also try to point out all details that could be considered offensive or inappropriate in any way so you can decide if the show is a good choice for you and your family to see.

At the beginning of the show, a family is preparing for a Christmas party.  (If Christmas offends you, this is not the ballet for you to see.) In the most versions, the family consists of Mr. and Mrs. Stalbaum, their son Fritz, their daughter Clara (sometimes called Marie or Masha in versions of the ballet), godfather Drosselmeyer (sometimes grandfather or uncle Drosselmeyer), and sometimes other relatives like grandparents. In most versions of the ballet, the time period is Victorian and the geographic location is assumed to be European. (However, some companies do more modern versions.)  

The scenery shows a big Christmas tree in the center of a living room or parlor. At the Christmas party, Mr. and Mrs. Stalbaum welcome their friends to the celebration. (In some productions, adult female party guests may be comedic parts played by both female and male dancers in over-the-top, drag-like costumes). Many of the visiting families have children who play with Clara and Fritz. The children can be a bit naughty (they may push each other or engage in mild kid-violence), but everyone is having a good time.

After the celebration has been going on for a while, Drosselmeyer arrives. He is a mysterious gentleman, so some of the children are a bit frightened. Drosselmeyer proves himself to be a nice man by handing out gifts and entertaining the children. 

As a toy maker, Drosselmeyer has the most impressive toys.  (In most versions of the ballet, Drosselmeyer is assumed to be a wizard or at least using magic to create his toys.  If magic or the suggestion of supernatural powers offends you, this is not the ballet for you.) He winds up life size dolls, which dance for the party guests. (Sometimes the dolls are played by male and female dancers, and they wear a variety of different costumes.  In some productions, they may wear tight unitards.)

Then Drosselmeyer hands out a special gift. He gives a nutcracker that looks like a large wooden soldier to Clara.  Fritz is disappointed that the nutcracker is not for him, so he snatches it away from his sister. In the scuffle, the nutcracker is broken, and Clara is very upset. (Fun fact: in most productions, the nutcracker's head or hat is attached with velcro so the toy can be "broken" and "fixed" on stage). Drosselmeyer is able to fix the nutcracker, so Clara's tears do not last long. 

Soon the guests have to leave, as the party is over. Clara and Fritz are ushered off to bed, and Drosselmeyer leaves with the other guests. The nutcracker is left in the living room with the other Christmas gifts. Clara cannot sleep, so she goes back to the living room in her nightgown to find the nutcracker. She decides to cuddle him on the couch in the living room, where she falls asleep. 

At this point, Drosselmeyer may reappear and seem to be conjuring "magic" in the living room. This awakens Clara. In other versions, Drosselmeyer does not come back and Clara simply wakes up. As she awakens and moves around the room, the Christmas tree grows to be very tall (Fun fact: the christmas tree is usually attached to the ceiling with a cable, and the cable is pulled to make the tree grow.) and mice as big as Clara begin to invade the room (it is not usually clear whether Clara is supposed to have shrunk or if everything else is supposed to have grown).

The mice are harassing Clara (they usually mime scratching at her, and sometimes they push or otherwise drag her around), and their leader, the mouse king (also called rat king) is scary to Clara and armed with a sword. (Sometimes the mouse king has multiple heads, light-up glowing eyes, or scruffy matted fur.  This character's appearance can be scary to young children.  However, elementary school aged boys usually love the mouse king more than any other character.)

Seeing that Clara is in distress, the nutcracker comes to life as a wooden soldier the same size as Clara and the mice. He calls to other toys in the house to assemble in an army to fight the mice. Toy soldiers appear, and they engage the mice in combat. (All the dancers move close together and may mime hitting, shooting, pushing, or otherwise engaging in violent activity with one another.  Sometimes characters mime sword fighting and may actually cross swords, which can make loud noises.  Note that all swords are made safe for the stage, and the dancers are not in any danger beyond the normal risks of dancing with props.) The mice seem to be winning, and the mouse king is hurting the nutcracker (the mouse king usually pushes the nutcracker to the floor). Clara is angry to see the mouse king hurting the nutcracker, so she throws her shoe at him (in some versions she pushes him or stabs him with a sword instead), which defeats him. After the mouse king is defeated, the mice go away. 

By saving the nutcracker, Clara has proven her love for him. The nutcracker turns into a prince. (In the original story, the mouse king put a spell on the prince, which turned him into a nutcracker. It is assumed that Clara's love had broken the spell. In some versions of the ballet, Drosselmeyer has been trying to remove the spell on the nutcracker, but has been unsuccessful, so he deliberately gives the nutcracker to Clara in the hope that she will fall in love with the nutcracker and break the spell.) To reward Clara and to prove he loves her back, the nutcracker prince takes Clara on a magical journey to the mystical kingdom where he is from.  (Despite the fact that the nutcracker prince is in love with Clara, they usually show few PDAs aside from hand holding and perhaps a hug.)

In order to go to the magical kingdom, the nutcracker prince and Clara must travel through an enchanted forest of pine trees and snowflakes.  (On this journey, the nutcracker prince and Clara may walk or ride in a sleigh or other vehicle such as a hot air balloon that moves or flies across the stage via wheels or cables.  It is also possible that the journey is made to be a dream sequence with the nutcracker prince and Clara sitting on a bed or couch that spins or moves across the stage.)

Many dancers dressed in white costumes represent the snowflakes.  They dance for approximately 7 minutes and perform high energy choreography.  As they dance, fake snow falls from the ceiling and covers the stage.  (Fun fact: in most cases, the snow is held in a huge porous net-like bag above the stage.  It is swung back and forth to get the snow to fall.  Most dancers get just one or two dress rehearsals to practice dancing on stage with the snow falling.)  Clara and the nutcracker prince may walk or otherwise move across the stage during the snow scene to represent their journey toward the nutcracker prince's kingdom.  After the snow scene, there will be an intermission to give the audience a break and to allow the stage hands to sweep the fake snow off the stage.

When the second act begins, Clara and the nutcracker prince will have made it to the magical kingdom, sometimes called the kingdom of sweets.  Angels or seraphim may accompany the nutcracker prince and Clara as they arrive.   The couple is greeted by some of the other residents of the kingdom.  Usually a female monarch or leader figure (sometimes the Sugar Plum Fairy or Dewdrop) will be the first to welcome them.  Other members of the kingdom may also be present.

The nutcracker prince will dance a solo that explains the battle with the mice and how Clara's affection turned him back into a prince.  The female leader and other subjects of the kingdom listen with interest, then bow or otherwise show their respect to Clara and the nutcracker prince.  Clara may be offered a dress, crown, or other luxurious item.  The nutcracker prince and Clara may be taken to a pair of thrones or seated behind a table piled high with desserts. (Fun fact: if the dancers are seated behind a table of food, the food is usually made of papier mache and cannot be eaten).

At this point, the residents of the kingdom of sweets will begin to perform to entertain the nutcracker prince and Clara.  The first dance may be the dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, or this dance may take place later in the ballet.  Sometimes Clara dances to the sugar plum music, and she may perform first before taking a seat to enjoy the other dances.  It is also possible that the other residents of the kingdom will perform first and the Sugar Plum variation will be the last one.  (Fun fact: the dances representing the different inhabitants of the kingdom of sweets are called "variations" or "divertissements".)

The different inhabitants of the kingdom will begin performing short pieces to entertain Clara and the nutcracker prince.  These dances are usually associated with both a country and a food or drink item that is consumed around Christmas and comes from that country.  Some of the country associations are very stereotypical and may not accurately represent the culture of that country.  Remember that the dances and there themes were originally imagined by older European men in the 1890's, and they probably did not have a super progressive worldview.  In honor of the original choreography, most versions of the ballet have not been updated much.

 The dances usually happen in the following order, but sometimes the order may be a bit different.  Dancers representing Spain and the winter treat of hot chocolate perform an upbeat dance.

 Next, Arabian dancers representing coffee perform a more smooth and sensual piece.  (The Arabian dancers usually wear costumes that show more of the body.  Female dancers may wear harem pants and bra tops, and male dancers may dance bare-chested.  In other versions, dancers wear tight unitards and portray snakes or birds in the Arabian theme.)

After that, Chinese dancers in brightly colored costumes perform a very short and fast piece representing tea.  (Sometimes dancers of many races wear full "Oriental" makeup and black wigs to make them appear Asian, and some choreography requires dancers to make specific shapes with their hands.  Both of these aspects are regularly seen as culturally insensitive.  Not all companies do these things, but be prepared to see them.)

Following the Chinese dancers, Russian dancers take the stage to perform a wildly athletic piece representing candy (it can be either nougat, ribbon candy, or peppermint/candy canes, depending on the production).  Sometimes male dancers are included in the piece to represent Cossack dancers, and their appearances can sometimes be a little "rough" with facial hair and fur hats.

Next, French dancers come on to do a gentle piece.  (This is one of the most diverse variations across different productions.  Sometimes called "Mirlitons," "Marzipan," "Reed flutes," or "Shepherdesses," the dancers usually wear brightly colored costumes with "country" touches.  They may represent marzipan or ribbon candy, or they may represent the peasants of the kingdom who make music or tend sheep instead of being a particular sweet.)

 After that, Mother Ginger and her children or puppets do a cute and joyful dance.  (Fun fact: Mother Ginger is usually a male dancer in drag.)  A motherly figure with a huge dress comes on stage, and small children (called polichinelles, or little clowns) come out from under the skirt to perform.  (Occasionally Mother Ginger can be a little rough with her kiddos and engage in actions such as shoving them back under the skirt.) This dance is associated with gingerbread or other sweets, and it sometimes has a German or French theme.

At this point, if the Sugar Plum Fairy variation will be performed if if has not already.  It can be danced by the Sugar Plum Fairy or by Clara.  If the variation has already been performed (or after it has just been performed), there will be either a pas de deux (dance between one male and one female dancer) or the waltz of the flowers.  The pas de deux is usually danced with either Clara and the nutcracker prince, Sugar Plum and the nutcracker prince, Sugar Plum and a cavalier (male dancer and member of the kingdom of sweets), or another female dancer and a cavalier.  Either before or after the pas de deux, there will be the waltz of the flowers.  In this piece, dancers representing flowers will perform a long and beautiful piece to honor Clara and the Nutcracker prince.  After this, the residents of the kingdom of sweets assemble to give their final honors and usually a goodbye to Clara and the nutcracker prince.

At this point, one of several endings will take place.  They are all "happily ever after" or at least emotionally neutral.  You will never find a Nutcracker Ballet with a sad ending.

Ending 1: Clara and the nutcracker prince stay in place on their thrones in the kingdom of sweets.  They may be crowned king and queen, and the other residents of the kingdom continue to honor and bow to them.  In some versions, it is assumed that the nutcracker prince and Clara are getting married.

Ending 2: Clara and the nutcracker prince get in another vehicle such as a sleigh or balloon and travel away.  It is usually not clear where they are going, but it could be either back to Clara's world, or to another kingdom where they will either visit or reign as monarchs.

Ending 3:  Clara and the nutcracker prince travel back to Clara's world.  Sometimes they walk, sometimes they ride in a vehicle, or sometimes they take the spinning couch or bed (it's usually the same way they arrived in the kingdom of sweets).  Clara may be asleep, or she may be conscious.  Either way, the couple arrives back in Clara's world.  The nutcracker prince usually says goodbye and departs.

Ending 4: Expansion on Ending 3, Clara wakes up after the nutcracker prince departs.  Sometimes the wooden nutcracker toy will be back, denoting that the experience was a dream. (In some productions Clara's mother, Drosselmeyer, or another character will come back on stage and greet Clara, sometimes treating her as if she has been ill overnight and therefore having vivid fever dreams.)

 Sometimes Clara will have a flower, crown, or other relic from the magical journey to leave a sense that the trip may not have been a dream after all.  This ending usually leaves it up to the audience to decide what really happened.

Occasionally another scene will show the family's Christmas day celebrations.  Sometimes the dancer who portrayed the nutcracker prince will turn up as a guest at the Christmas celebration.  As he is introduced to Clara, it is made clear that they have a connection and will end up courting and eventually marrying.  It can be assumed that he is the nutcracker prince in his human form, and he and Clara really did spend the last night together, or it is possible that Clara's dream was a fantasy premonition letting her know that this young man is her soulmate in the real world.  This is usually left up to the audience's interpretation.

I hope this explanation, as long and confusing as it may have been, gives you a better understanding of the Nutcracker Ballet and prepares you to attend a performance this holiday season.