Editorial – Page 58

Resource: Boys Do Ballet

November 9, 2010 by 4dancers

Today I’d like to share a resource with readers–an interesting site–Boys Do Ballet.com. I found this site and was intrigued by the team of writers and the variety of posts there–definitely worth checking out. I’ve really enjoyed reading the sites around the web that are dedicated to men/boys in ballet. Here are a few more to take a peek at, or pass along to a guy you know:

Ballet for Men

Dave Tries Ballet

My Son Can Dance

I think it is so important to have good resources for the men and boys who are interested in dance. So many times they are slighted, or at worst, ignored. Pass the word along about these great sites to the guys you know…after all, they desrve a little support!

About Pointe Shoes

November 8, 2010 by 4dancers

Today I’m dedicating a post to pointe shoes.

Like all the other little girls out there, I couldn’t wait to get into a a pair.

And, as anyone who has had their feet in a pair knows–once you do–it becomes a whole other story…

My feet actually survived pretty well–I have little permanent damage from years of pointe work, unless you count the fact that my second toe used to be slightly longer than my big toe, and now they are the same length. I don’t feel it is particularly noteworthy…especially considering what could have happened to them.

After trying several brands, I wound up in Freed pointe shoes, which had an unusual, almost orange cast to the color of the satin. Very pretty. I can still remember going to buy them with my Mom. The place that sold the shoes was in an old building in downtown Chicago. If memory serves, you had to take a cage-style elevator up to the little store, and it always seemed like there was no one else on the floor when you got out. I remember it as a little spooky; but kind of exciting too.

I have always found it interesting, the different ways that ballet dancers prepare their pointe shoes. I didn’t have much of a special routine to break them in, although I always did wrap my ribbons nicely around the shoes after I took them off.

As for protecting the feet, after a while I didn’t bother with lamb’s wool or toe caps. Once in a while I would wind some paper towel around my toes if they were feeling particularly tender. My feet always felt sore to some degree, but you just learned to live with it, and oddly, it simply became normal to be in pain.

I was just telling this story the other day…after my feet toughened up, I was walking through the house without shoes or socks on and suddenly heard a clicking noise each time I took a step on my left foot. When I looked, a tack was stuck into the bottom. I felt nothing, and when I pulled it out, I didn’t bleed either. Kind of funny…

What about you? Any peculiar stories to share? Any preference in terms of pointe shoes? I’d love to hear from you…

Dance Teacher Press Featured In Dance Teacher Mag

November 4, 2010 by 4dancers

Today is just a quick post–I wanted to let 4dancers readers know that one of our advertisers (Dance Teacher Press) has been featured in the October issue of Dance Teacher magazine for The Ballet Combination Book – a planning tool for ballet classes that includes everything from combinations to music suggestions.

There is information for both those who teach young dancers and those who have intermediate-level classes. This site is a great resource for teachers–if you haven’t checked it out yet–drop by and take a peek. You might find something you can use!

Editorial: What Dance Means To Me…

November 3, 2010 by 4dancers

I asked 4dancers contributor Karen to share a few words with us today about what dance means to her…here’s her reply…

It’s funny….when I was a little girl, my mom wanted me in dance classes. However, I–being the rebel–wanted nothing to do with them. And yet, I was the girl who secretly danced for years in her bedroom (although, once I stole my mom’s black patent leather pumps and showed her my little routine to “What’s New Pussycat”).

It wasn’t until I was in my early 20’s that I really found dance. I realized then that dance was more than just ballet and jazz. And the more classes I took, the more I fell in love, even if I felt the class was challenging. Today, I still take classes as well as teach and perform and my love for dance has not weakened in the slightest.

As I grew as a dancer, dance began to have more meaning to me. Dance has become food for my soul. Yes, I know it sounds cliché, but it’s true. I feel lost when I can’t take a class, like something is missing. It has become my piece of mind. When I went through a very rough time of taking care of my mom, dance was the one thing that kept my stress down. When I danced, I felt free. My mind could relax and focus on something else for a moment and become recharged.

My mom knew and understood this and she made it a point to make sure that even though I needed to be there for her, I needed to be there for myself as well. So I still danced. Even after losing her, I can still hear her voice every now and then telling me to make sure I dance. Dance is therapy for the heart, soul, mind and body. And in my travels, I’ve talked to a lot of women from various parts of the globe who all feel very much the same. Some discovered dance after their spouse died, or after suffering from a stroke; it filled a void, helped their memory loss, and in essence, gave them their life back. It is that powerful.

Dance is as essential as drinking water. I would feel very empty if dance was no longer in my life.

Karen shared some very personal thoughts about dance here…what does dance mean to you?

10 Questions With…Dylan Gutierrez

November 2, 2010 by 4dancers

The Joffrey has been kind enough to work with me to help 4dancers readers get the chance to know some of the company members there. This week we have with us Dylan Gutierrez for our “10 Questions With” series…

1. How did you become involved with dance?

imterview photo 2 — Dylan Gutierrez, Photo by Maria Ponce

I started dancing because my mother is a dance teacher. When she taught class when I was really young I would just be sitting around or running around, so she just decided to have me start taking class. I didn’t know any better–I just joined in. Then, as I grew up I started to realize that I really loved it. I was never forced into anything–once I got older I made the decision to keep going.

2. What are you currently doing in the field?

I am a second year dancer with The Joffrey Ballet.

3. Would you share a special moment from your career with readers?

One of the most special moments for me was my graduation performance with the Royal Ballet School at The Royal Opera House in London. To be able to dance lead roles on that stage in front of such a huge crowd was a surreal moment and I will never forget it.

4. What is the best advice you have ever received from a teacher or mentor regarding dance?

I don’t think there was any definitive piece of advice that I got that I thought was the most important, but I have my mom Andrea Paris (Los Angeles Ballet Academy) Susan Jaffe (American Ballet Theater, Principal) and Meelis Pakri (Royal Ballet School, first year teacher) to thank for the most important and greatest contributions to my career. Their advice and the faith they had in me has made me the smart, reasonable, ambitious dancer that I am today, and I’m so grateful for them.

5. What has been your greatest challenge?

imterview photo — Photo by Dave Friedman

There have been many ups and downs so far in my short career, but I would have to say my biggest challenge is dealing with the patella tendonitis in my knee which can be extremely painful. I have been taking care of it for a while, and some days are better then others. Thankfully I love what I do so it’s all worth it. Another challenge was leaving home at 16 to move to London and fully pursue my career at The Royal Ballet School–but that challenge paid off greatly and made me better.

6. Do you have any advice for dancers who want to go on to a professional career?

I would tell someone trying to pursue this professionally to go into it full on. Don’t come into this career if you don’t expect to work. You need to keep an open mind and be like a sponge. You have to be quick at picking up choreography and be receptive to corrections from ballet staff. Most importantly, you have to know your worth, know what your capable of and know what role you could play within a company. Always remember that you are not bigger or better then the art itself. There are always things to work on, and settling with what you already have is not an option. The ones who always work for more and try to get better are the ones who last the longest and the people audiences love and dancers respect.

7. Do you have a special routine that you go through prior to a performance?

Kind of…

I usually have a good lunch that fills me up and then I typically go to physical therapy at the theater to get massage and ultrasound. After that I usually listen to some music and put my make up on so I can get focused and in my “zone”. After that its time to go to the stage and DO IT.

interview photo 3 — Photo by Johan Persson

8. Do you have any advice specifically for men who want to go into ballet?

If you are a man or boy who wants to get into ballet then …. do it. Don’t be scared and don’t worry about what other people say. If you love something and have the means to pursue it, then go for it. I got made fun of a lot when I was younger at school, but now I get to look at where I am and where those people are and know that I am a winner. I stuck with it and worked to perfect it and never gave up. I did it because I loved it and now I perform in front of thousands of people. I get to tour around America and I am surrounded by fun, beautiful people.

If you think a career in dance would be right for you then go for it, it’s liberating and filled with opportunity.

9. What do you enjoy most about your life in dance?

I enjoy performing…..

I think that is what you have to enjoy most about a life in dance. If you don’t love to perform then being involved in a “performing” art is pointless. I thrive off of it and I am most comfortable when I am on stage.

10. What is next for you?

This week I dance the Aria 2 Pas de Deux from Balanchine’s Stravinsky Violin Concerto which is the second Pas de Deux. It is the Principal role and I worked really hard to get this part and get to this performance. It’s my turn and I can’t wait.

BIO: Dylan Gutierrez started his dancing career in Los Angeles under the direction of his mother Andrea Paris at the Los Angeles Ballet Academy. In 2006 he left for London to train at The Royal Ballet School with a full tuition scholarship and sponsorship from HSBC. He studied there for two years and graduated with honours. At graduation Dylan received the Cyril Beaumont Award. At Royal, Dylan performed the Pas de Deux from Concerto by Kenneth MacMillan, Gallantries by David Bintley and Unwritten by Natalie Weir. The Pas de Deux from Suite Classique by Petal Miller Ashmole was created on Dylan, and he performed in Palermo, Sicily, Orange County, California, and Dresden, Germany.

Dylan Gutierrez has performed in such ballets as George Balanchine’s The Four Temperaments, which was his debut performance with the San Francisco Ballet. He has also danced the Arabian and Mouse King in Helgi Tomasson’s Nutcracker. During San Francisco Ballet’s 2009 season he danced in Helgi Tomasson’s Prism, Jerome Robbins’ The Concert, George Balanchine’s Stravinsky Violin Concerto, Jerome Robbins’ West Side Story Suite and George Balanchine’s Jewels.

With the Joffrey Ballet Dylan has danced in Lar Lubovitch’s Othello, The Arabian in The Nutcracker, one of the four season Cavalier’s in Fredrick Ashton’s Cinderella, and the second Pas de Deux in Gerald Arpino’s Reflections.

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