Navigating the Christmas dessert table

Too many temptations this holiday season?  Did your friends give you sweets as merde gifts?  Did your neighbors drop off a plate of cookies?  Is Grandma in the kitchen cooking up cakes and pies?  In this post, I will outline some nutritional benefits and pitfalls of common holiday desserts.  The goal here is not to tell you to indulge or abstain, but to give you an idea of what each treat has to offer nutritionally so you can make an educated decision when choosing what treats to eat.

Treat	Pros	Cons
Chocolate	Dark chocolate contains antioxidants and less sugar.	Dark chocolate can taste bitter. White chocolate is not actually chocolate, contains almost nothing of nutritional value, and is high in fat.
Gingerbread	Ginger soothes the stomach if you are concerned about sweets giving you a stomachache.  Cinnamon promotes a healthy immune system.	High fat content in moist cake and chewy cookies.  Frosting is very high in sugar and artificial ingredients if it is colored.
Pumpkin pie	Pumpkin is high in Vitamin A and Beta Carotene, which promotes healthy eyesight, good skin, hearth health, and a good immune system	Crust is often high carb and high fat, pie filling is high sugar.  Not a safe dish for egg allergies.
Pecan pie	Nuts are high in fiber for good heart and digestive health, as well as minerals phosphorous and magnesium	Very high fat, high sugar, and not friendly to nut allergies.
Candy canes	Peppermint soothes upset stomachs and contributes to alertness and concentration, also low or no fat	Very high sugar content, fruity candy canes do not have peppermint benefits, lots of artificial colors
Fruitcake	Dried fruits in fruitcake contain antioxidants and vitamins (usually B for berries and C for citruis).	Usually very high sugar content, also beware of cakes soaked in alcohol.
Cinnamon rolls	Cinnamon promotes immune health, and loading up with carbs can be a good way to refuel after a performance	If you are not active, too many carbs will just weigh you down.  Watch out for high levels of saturated fats in the frosting.
Pudding or custard	Dairy promotes strong bones and teeth.	High sugar, also not friendly to dairy or egg allergies.
Sugar Cookies	Carbs are great post-performance, and one super sweet cookie should keep you satisfied on the dessert front for a long time.	Obviously very high in sugar, and chewy cookies are high in fat.  Watch out for colorful frosting with its saturated fats and artificial colors.
Meringues	Very low calorie and fat free	Not safe for egg allergies.  Do not expect a meringue to keep you energized for long!  Can also be high in sugar.

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: the best Starbucks drink to have before a performance

Do you love Starbucks, but never know what drink to get for your pre-performance coffee run?  In order to set yourself up for a good performance, choose something with carbs, protein, and the right amount of caffeine for you.  For most dancers over age 15, moderate caffeine is helpful to fueling a good performance.  Go with medium roast or 1 shot of espresso.  If you are under 15 or don’t tolerate caffeine well, go with decaf or something coffee-free.  Smelling and tasting peppermint can help you focus during the performance, and Starbucks offers both regular and sugar free peppermint syrups.  You can also choose from whole, 2% (default choice), and skim dairy milk, as well as soy and coconut milks to customize your drink. 

If you are getting a quick pick-me-up before a Nutcracker show, take advantage of Starbucks’ holiday menu and order a peppermint mocha (or peppermint hot chocolate if you don’t do caffeine).  Peppermint syrups are available year round, so you can order a regular coffee, hot chocolate, mocha latte, or mocha Frappuccino with peppermint syrup before any show any time of year.

Grishko DreamPointe pointe shoe review

Grishko’s latest innovation in pointe shoe technology has not been talked about too much.  Available in Europe since spring/summer 2015, this new shoe melds Gaynor Minden’s futuristic plastic shank design with traditional paste boxes and classic Grishko appeal into what really has potential to be “the perfect pointe shoe.”  (The DreamPointe is now my shoe.  I have replaced my Novas.)

Let’s start with basic specs.  The design is based on the Grishko 2007.  The DreamPointe has a tapered shape, but it is slightly less tapered than the original 2007 (the DreamPointe is shaped more like the Triumph).  The glue used to form the box is the new flexible quiet glue used on Novas and Miracles, not the “crackly brittle glue” of the original 2007.  The crown is higher than that of the original 2007, and the platform is larger all around (again more like the Triumph).  The wing is medium, and the vamp is medium-high.

For sizing, the DreamPointe is on the same sizing scale as the 2007, Miracle, and Nova (about 1.5 sizes down from US street size).  It is available in sizes ½ (fits approximately children’s size 11 to 12) to 8 (fits approximately women’s size 9.5 to 10) and widths X to XXXXX.  I felt most comfortable in a 4 XX, the same size I wear in Grishko Nova and 2007. 

The shanks offered are a little different.  “LM” or light medium is approximately the same as the “soft” shank offered for the Grishko Nova (or between the super soft and medium shanks offered for the 2007).  “LH” or light hard is harder, approximately the same as the medium shank offered for the Nova and 2007.  “LS” or light soft is available as a special order.  I assume this is somewhere between the ProFlex and super soft shanks in terms of hardness.

The big deal innovations with this shoe are the materials in the shank and platform.  Instead of a compressed particle board covered in glue, plastic mesh (think about what casts for broken bones are usually made of) forms the hard supportive layers in the shank.  The same stuff is in the platform of the shoe, so technically neither can wear out.  The box of the shoe is made with paste (albeit more flexible and advanced paste), so the shoe performs just like a regular Grishko shoe, not like an extra-springy Gaynor Minden.  The huge advantage to this shoe over one with a traditional cardboard shank is that it cannot be worn out.  The shoe does not get softer and softer with each wear; the shanks and platforms stay has hard as they were they day they were purchased.

Now, this does not mean an indestructible shoe.  The boxes can be worn out, though the paste seems to hold its shape for a pretty long period of time.  The satin can still rip off the platforms of the shoes, which can lead to deterioration of support and balance.  The plastic mesh material in the shank can snap, which leads to a decrease in support.  Pointe shoe glue can hold a snapped shank for a short amount of time, but it is not a long term fix.  My Grishko DreamPointes have lasted about 3.5 months during performance season, compared regular Grishko 2007s which last about 1 to 1.5 months during performance season.

If you are comfortable in a Grishko 2007, Nova, Triumph, or Maya in a soft or medium shank, I think you could be comfortable in a DreamPointe.  The semi-tapered shape makes the DreamPointe a fairly generic shoe, although dancers with super narrow or super wide feet probably will not find a perfect fit.  Also, dancers who need a very high wing or low vamp will not like the DreamPointe.  However, a high vamp with a medium wing and soft shank is a great combination to promote control and security, and a large platform makes balancing easier.  This shoe is also very lightweight, so it is easy to dance in.  An unfortunate drawback to such a light shoe is that it is delicate.  Larger dancers and dancers who “sit” in their shoes and put a lot of pressure on their shanks will snap them. 

I adore the DreamPointe.  I find it very easy and comfortable to dance in.  My ankle issues have left me crushing shoes on one foot and barely getting over them on the other.  The DreamPointe gives me a gentle, yet supportive and resilient shoe that lasts a long time and only costs about $2 or $3 more than any other Grishko shoe.  For me, it really is perfect. 

The DreamPointe is not yet available in the US.  As far as I know, no local retailers or US based websites stock it.  Grishko does stock the DreamPointe on their website (grishkoshop.com).  They will ship to the US, but all packages come from Russia and take about 4 weeks to come in the mail (no shipping charge or sales tax, though).  Bestpointe.com also ships the DreamPointe to the US, and they mail from Greece and the Czech Republic (also with no sales tax or shipping charge).  Packages from bestpointe take about 2 weeks to arrive.  I am currently ok with this because I am sure of my size (although I HATE driving to the post office to pick up foreign packages).  However, I do wish the DreamPointes would become available so that more dancers can experience this wonderful shoe!

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.