Month: June 2015

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Three Ways to Summer Semester

Going into summer semester at the studio can be exhilarating and exhausting all at once, so gear up for three ways to smile, be challenged and get into shape!

Three Ways to Make a Dancer Smile

  1. Put her in modern class. Even though my modern-dancer pas de chats make me feel like I’m part of a western hoedown, I got to ditch the awkward Cecchetti arms for a class.
  2. Tell her that she’s getting new pointe shoes in September. Russian pointes, I love you dearly, but oy with the poodles already. Every time I break you in, you come back stronger!
  3. Drive her to the studio after three weeks. It’s like being home again. Coffee dates with sisters and sneaking up on baby bunnies– yep.

Three Ways to Challenge a Dancer

  1. Put her in improv class. I left totally uncomfortable and racking my brain, so…. I think it was good. And I think it will get easier. For now, I’ll be shuffling up my iPod and thinking about dynamics.
  2. Give her The Deathly Hallows and tell her to read a chapter without crying. Then, give her a blueberry muffin because that’ll help with the tears.
  3. Tell her to do 56 releves on pointe. And then remind her to put her feet in a bucket of ice because otherwise, she’ll be in a lot of pain.

Three Ways to Get into Shape after Break

  1. Stretch. And don’t forget. It’s important. I should know. I barely made it down the stairs this morning.
  2. Learn how to do a jazz-style hitch kick. They’re ridiculously fun, even if I look ridiculous doing them.
  3. Take class with teachers who really care about you and how you perform– teachers who know your best and want to see you excel. The best teachers make class challenging and instill passion; they’re truly one of God’s great gifts to humanity, and I’m blessed to be surrounded by them.
Here’s to a beautiful summer!
Aquinnah
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Welcome to The Swell Life

When I’m not dancing, I’m reading. When I’m not reading, I’m writing. But what about when I’m not dancing, reading or writing?

Well… then I’m adventuring.
I love traveling, and so does the rest of my family. I have a whole list of places that I plan to visit before leaving this earth, and I’m confident that as a team, the six of us (counting the dog here) can make a pretty good dent in that list. I don’t often detail our road trips on this blog, which is why I am super excited to introduce to you (drum roll please)… The Swell.
Our all-new family blog has been in the works for weeks, and I, for one, am very proud of it. On the new webpage, you can read about my family’s adventures, both at home and far beyond. You’ll find “Whoopie Cookies” and “Making Forever Memories”, two pieces of mine on Summer Tour, already posted, and you’ll get to read some of my parent’s stuff, too.
PLUS! just for subscribing, we’ll mail you a free vinyl sticker (and–let’s be honest–our logo is freaking amazing). You get an email every time we post. You get a sticker at no cost to you whatsoever. We’re just handing out presents all over the place.
Life is one big, joyous adventure! Read more about mine and my family’s at The Swell. We hope to see you there!
Aquinnah
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Recital 2015

Over summer tour, between listening to the new Renegades playlist and plowing through Harry Potter, I thought a lot about what this post would say. I’ve given you the play-by-play of Recital the last two years, and I didn’t want this post to be a schedule, as I did then. I wanted non-dancers to be able to relate to the feeling a dancer gets when she has only two songs to change into an elaborate costume, plunges into the darkness of stage and waits for the lights to come up, gasps for breath in the wings and reenters with emotion to match the piece or watches the rest of the show from backstage. Then, I realized– I couldn’t do that. It’s impossible to relate feelings like these to something else because there’s nothing like them. But once you’ve truly experienced dance, there’s no letting it go. It takes a piece of your heart and replaces it with music. You live to share your song.

So, what did happen at Recital 2015? Prelude 2, Multiplied, Arise and J’y Suis Jamais Alle won over the crowd, and I, in turn, was wowed by everyone else, particularly my own teachers. We danced to “God Is Bigger Than The Boogieman”, and Abby helped me “not fail” my last four pieces as Firebird. I can’t get “Something in the Water” out of my head (mostly because I keep listening to it and smiling).

SO MANY THANKS to Ms. Tina, Miss Mia, Miss Bethanny, Miss Sara and Miss Mimi for the best two days of my entire year. A HUGE thank-you to Emma S., who brought all of my kiddos onstage and off, and to my ever-amazing mom, who helped me into my corset one more time.

For the smile on my face, I could be writing this the day after the shows, but it’s been awhile! I’ve added Leaps and Turns with Miss Bethanny to my summer schedule, wherein I’ll be assisting with this year’s Frozen camp and Dancing Dolls camp as well. We worked a lot on this year’s photo shoot on tour. I’m a very happy person.

When does the beginning of something become the rhetoric middle? I missed the last week of dance classes, but school says I’m a junior. Life is weird and wonderful— all at the same time.

Much love,
Aquinnah