backonpointeI am not on Pinterest!
Please read my FAQ before sending me a question.



I'm a college student and a dancer, and I'm working to lose weight, gain muscle, become more fit... and help others do the same!

My Ask Box is always open to questions, suggestions, or if you just need to talk. If you'd like something to be answered privately, just let me know in the message. (Note: anonymous questions cannot be answered privately.)

I track the "backonpointe" tag!

Reader Survey!

Please take this short survey to help Back On Pointe be the best blog for its readers!
somaymalou:

Alina Cojocaru in Coppelia 
Photo (c) Sergey Stepovoy

somaymalou:

Alina Cojocaru in Coppelia 

Photo (c) Sergey Stepovoy

Comments
I’m going through my old photos on Facebook and was looking through the ones from my last day of pointe class at UW-Milwaukee. It was so much fun, especially since I brought my camera to get a group photo and my teacher (and, at times, a student who was sitting out) used it to take pictures of us dancing.
So here’s my pointe class, minus a couple people. I’m in the blue top and cut-off tights (it’s a long, gruesome story).

I’m going through my old photos on Facebook and was looking through the ones from my last day of pointe class at UW-Milwaukee. It was so much fun, especially since I brought my camera to get a group photo and my teacher (and, at times, a student who was sitting out) used it to take pictures of us dancing.

So here’s my pointe class, minus a couple people. I’m in the blue top and cut-off tights (it’s a long, gruesome story).

Comments

bapgeek replied to your post: bapgeek replied your post Back On…

i danced from ages 2-32 and i never heard the term. its completely made up. grrrr.

I wouldn’t say that. I have been called a bunhead jokingly by my old ballet teacher. It’s just not nearly as common as the books and TV shows would like you to think.

Comments
“This is random, but what kind of pointe shoes do you wear? :)”
-Anonymous

Not so random, and I realized that this should actually be in my FAQ, so I’m going to add it now!

But I use Grishko 2007s. I wear a size 6.5, 5X because I have massive feet, with a medium shank.

Comments
How to Dance When You Can’t Afford to Dance

I get people asking me all the time about how they should go about taking dance classes when they/their parents can’t afford to pay for classes. And luckily, there are ways, and I’ve done most of them, having taken classes as a poor college student. So here’s information on finding classes when you don’t have much/any disposable income. (This is not going to include ways to raise money for classes, such as baby-sitting, selling things, etc. This is studio-focused.)

Scholarships
Many dance studios will offer scholarships, though these are normally reserved for children and young teens. These may be need-based (where poorer students get scholarships) or merit-based (where talented students get scholarships) and may require only paperwork or an audition as well. Contact local studios for information on scholarships.

More ideas after the cut!

Read More

(Source: backonpointe)

Comments
“How were you able to start pointe after only a year of ballet? I'd like to work up to that too!”
-Anonymous

I got lucky. Really, that’s the main reason I got to start pointe so early, so much earlier than I would recommend for people. But I have strong and flexible ankles, a decent arch, a good instep, the passion for it, and a ballet/pointe teacher who believed in me. She pushed me, hard, but it meant I progressed quite quickly.

Comments

kaedef:

Me, being early like always, at my first ballet class in a looooong time. (14 years o.o)

I signed up for adult beginning ballet classes at a local university which started tonight. The class was small, only 3 people, but I got to be “that” girl with awesome turn out. That won’t last for long. Across the hall the “advanced beginners” class had former professional dancers spinning across the floor. We did some basic exercises (plié, releve, tondu, dégagé) and quickly moved on when the teacher saw we all had some prior experience. We closed with center work, doing combos of the steps we did at the barre. I found that I really need to work on my balance/core strength, and learn to release the death grip on the barre. Next class is in 2 weeks, I can’t wait!

That studio is gorgeous!

And don’t worry; balance will certainly come in time. (Though if you want to hurry it, walk around your house on your tip toes and practice standing on one foot, Syrio Forel style.)

Comments

I’m finishing watching the Prix de Lausanne 2013 finals when I realize I recognize a guy standing in the wings, waiting for his cue to go onstage. I check the screen for his name, pop it into Google, and as I’m pondering, I realize that it’s VaganovaBoy here on Tumblr! Zach, I’ll have to go back and find your classical variation, but your contemporary piece was wonderful!

Comments
“Thank you so much for your (pre) pointe exercises! I'm already up but I'm not as strong as I'd like to do so this will be so helpful :D Would you ever consider making one for foot and arch strengthening, too?”
-Anonymous

You’re welcome!

And I probably won’t, but I’m hoping to make a video in the future with all the basics for preparing for ballet/pointe: turnout exercises, ankle stretches, arch work, etc. But there aren’t enough foot-strengthening stuff to make a workout for it.

Comments

I’m watching the finale of the 2013 Prix de Lausanne. The dancers are all so talented, but I’m 9 people into the classical section and have only seen 4 different variations. I’m a little disappointed in their choices. Like, I know they have a list to choose from, but it’s a list of nearly forty variations between the four groups of dancers. I want to see some Bluebird!

Also, Miko Fogerty is still amazing.

Comments
blog comments powered by Disqus
fly to Top next »
Athenability
Design by Athenability
Powered by Tumblr