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Remember To Breathe: Stepping Up Your Stamina

July 22, 2015 by 4dancers

You can practice breathing techniques anywhere! Doing this has helped me in other pursuits like hiking mountains!
You can practice breathing techniques anywhere! Doing this has helped me in other pursuits like hiking mountains!

by Alessa Rogers

Effortless grace.

That is what people think of when they think of ballet. And that is what we strive to be, with our tutus and tiaras and sweat and…wait what? Yes, dancers sweat, and we also curse sometimes too. Ballet is hard work after all!

But–back to effortless grace.

Yes, that is what we are. At least- that is–until halfway through Tharp’s In the Upper Room or maybe David Parson’s Caught or the Don Quixote third act pas de deux, when we are gasping for air like a fish out of water, with a variation and a coda left to go (and don’t forget those pesky bows that are next to impossible after a three hour long ballet).

No one wants to be that dancer that is visibly out of breath and increasingly out of control, making the audience worry if they need to call a doctor. But dancers for the most part tend to forget about stamina, focusing instead on technique and shape and choreography and musicality–and even injury prevention. These are all very important to consider, of course, but if a dancer is too exhausted to get through a piece then technique just isn’t going to be useful. Actually, as a dancer gets more tired, technique gets sloppy, choreography becomes harder to learn, and it’s definitely the time when injuries happen.

So a few years ago I set out to consciously improve my stamina. It was mostly out of necessity; a high-profile world premiere was looming where I would be onstage for all but four minutes of the entire full-length, no intermissions, ballet (and those off-stage minutes were for stressful costume changes!). A lot of the work was running and jumping. The first time I ran through the full ballet in the studio I went home and passed out at about 7 o’clock. I knew I had to get myself in shape.

Wouldn’t it be nice if dancers had trainers the way professional sports stars and Olympics athletes do–with scientists, analysts, nutritionists and trainers at our disposal? But we don’t. We only have ourselves, and our acute sensitivity to our bodies, to decide what works for us individually and what doesn’t. We have only ourselves to maintain accountability, to customize a plan that works for us and turn our bodies into fine-tuned machines.

Fast forward a few years and I’d say my stamina is now one of my strengths as a dancer. Other dancers often note how when they are bent over and panting I am still standing up and smiling. None of what I do now is scientifically proven–but they are the practices I’ve discovered that work for me.

See for yourself if some of these work for you: [Read more…]

Filed Under: 4dancers Tagged With: alessa rogers, alexi ratmansky, atlanta ballet, breath control, dance training, Emily Cook Harrison, nutrition, RD, Stamina, twyla tharp

Post Curtain Chat with Sean Stewart

October 15, 2010 by Matthew Powell

This month on Post Curtain Chat we have Sean Stewart, dancer with American Ballet Theatre.  Sean’s casual, “tell-it-like-it-is” mentality and heart of gold make him a refreshing guy to be around, and on a personal note, he is a wonderful friend of mine! He has led a remarkably diverse career – from his beginnings as a competition dancer, to training at the Paris Opera Ballet School and dancing a varied rep with ABT, this seasoned dancer has seemingly seen and done it all. In this edition of Post Curtain Chat, Sean talks of life in New York City, and schools me on the importance of not throwing around the word “Vegan” too casually!

Sean Stewart

1.  ABT has a quite a lengthy break in the summer after finishing their season at the Met. I know you did some guest work and traveling with your time. What were you up to?

Yeah, this year we had 3 months off and I decided to take full advantage. First, I did a show with John Mark Owen at Jacob’s Pillow. We stayed in this gorgeous log cabin in the mountains, so that’s where I kicked off my vacay. After that, I went to stay at a friend’s lakehouse in Virginia. Then I used some miles to fly to Mount Shasta in Northern California and then to Hawaii. It was a good summer… And thank God for frequent flyer miles!

2. What was your most memorable spot in Hawaii?

I really got into the town of Hale’iwa…SO cute!  I also went to this waterfall in Wameia where I was able to swim up and go underneath…incredible!

Want to visit Hale’iwa? Click here!

3.  You were a vegan before veganism became popular. Since you’re a pro on the subject, can you tell us a few of your favorite vegan spots in New York?

You have to be careful when throwing around the “Vegan” title, as some people take it very seriously, which I completely respect. I’m not really a Vegan. I just follow a diet comprised of mostly raw plant foods, which excludes animal foods. I do drink wine, which can use animal products in the refining and clarifying process. With that said, I really like the restaurant Counter in the East Village. Angelica’s Kitchen has a few really good items. Peace Food in the Upper East Side is also pretty yummy. Apparently, S’MAC has a Vegan mac and cheese that I’ve never tried. Pure Food and Wine and Quintessence are two “raw food” restaurants that I have frequented as well. There are so many now! I kind of live in the Mecca of Vegan/Vegetarian dining, which I love!

Click here to check out Angelica’s Kitchen in the East Village!

4.  I’ve heard from many ABT dancers that the Met Season can be exhausting because of it’s numerous performances over a small period of time.  Once a show is finished do you like to go out to unwind? Or would you rather go straight home to your bed?

Toward the beginning of the season, I try to be very responsible because I have to make it through 8 weeks of performing 6 days a week, while rehearsing all day long (after taking daily ballet class). I’ll usually take a taxi straight home after the show and go to bed. Toward the end, I loosen up a bit, especially if I don’t have anything too taxing to dance.

5.  You’ve now lived in New York City for 17 years. As I’m sure you know, it can be a challenging place to live for a number of reasons.  Can you offer any advice for those who sometimes feel they are being eaten alive by the big city?

I had a very hard time adjusting to the city when I first came here. It’s an amazing city, with everything to offer. I knew that from the moment I got here. I was overwhelmed and exhausted though, as I was going to high school as well as working with a ballet company. Eventually, I found “my” NYC. I like to stay in the village mostly. It it feels more calm to me, but it still retains the youthful energy of the city. When I’m uptown, I’ll take a moment to head into Central Park and recharge my battery. Also, get plenty of sleep! You don’t have to do everything that NYC has to offer!

6. The East Village is one of the hottest neighborhoods in New York right now. As an East Villager yourself, do you have any favorite places to hang down there?

I grew up mostly in the east village, so it really feels like home to me. I never know where anyone goes out there. Lately, I’ve been dropping into Shoolbred’s and Ninth Ward, both have very cool vibes.

Click here to check out Shoolbred’s in the East Village!

7.  Finally, give us three words that describe who you are as a dancer, and three words that describe who you are once the curtain has closed.

I’m giving you six words that describe me both in dance and in life: analytical, cerebral, ironic, intuitive, controlled, unpredictable.

Born in Mt. Holly, New Jersey and raised in Vacaville, California, Sean Stewart joined American Ballet Theatre as a member of the corps de ballet in 1997. He began dancing at the age of 10 with Lisa Clark, started ballet at 12 with Yanina Cywinska, and went on to study at Joffrey II and the Paris Opera Ballet School. He participated in summer programs for The Joffrey Ballet in San Antonio and the Bolshoi Ballet at Vail.

Stewart left ABT in 2002. He has performed as a guest artist with the Washington Ballet, Ballet NY, Lar Lubovitch Dance Company, Atlanta Ballet and Chamber Dance Project. Stewart was an original cast member in the Old Globe’s production of Twyla Tharp’s The Times, They Are A Changin’.

Stewart rejoined American Ballet Theatre in January 2008.

In addition to various corps roles in all of ABT’s full-length ballets, Stewart’s roles with the Company include Lankendem in Le Corsaire, the Nutcracker-Prince in The Nutcracker, Benno in Swan Lake and roles in Airs, Black Tuesday, Citizen, Cruel World, The Elements, Marimba, One of Three, Sinfoniettaand Stepping Stones. Stewart created roles in Everything Doesn’t Happen at Once, Gong and Known by Heart.

To see Sean and the rest of ABT perform, visit www.abt.org.

Also, look for ABT’s brand new Nutcracker by Alexei Ratmansky this holiday season at the Brooklyn Academy of Music!

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Filed Under: 4dancers, 4teachers, Editorial, post curtain chat, Studios Tagged With: abt, alexi ratmansky, american ballet theatre, angelica's kitchen, jacob's pillow, john mark owen, matthew powell, ninth ward, sean stewart, shoolbred's

10 Questions With…Avichai Scher

August 5, 2010 by 4dancers

Today’s “10 Questions With…” features Avichai Scher…dancer and choreographer…

1. Can you tell me about how you came to be a choreographer?

I was always choreographing and making little dances in my living room. At age 16 I got my first chance to make a short piece for the SAB choreography workshop, and I was hooked, I knew I had to continue. 

 

Avichai Scher, Photo by by Matthew Murphy

2. Would you comment on the process? How do you come up with the movements you create?

I am inspired by music and dancers. So, I’ll be grabbed by a piece of music and then a specific dancer will appear in my head and I’ll imagine how that dancer would move to the music. When I get in to the studio, I have an outline of the piece, but the movements tend to come to me on the spot and I develop it with who’s in front of me, hopefully that same dancer I originally imagined. 

3. What are some of your “career highlights” thus far?

A big highlight was working with ABT Studio Company when I was 18. That was a major learning experience and a big honor for me at a young age. Recently, working with Marcelo Gomes for the debut season of my company was a dream come true. 

4. You still dance as well as choreograph. How is the feeling different when you perform someone else’s work?

Dancing in works by other choreographers is a great learning experience for my own choreography. I get to physicalize and internalize different points of view and (good or bad) they filter into my own work. 

5. When you were chosen by DANCE Magazine as on of the “Top 25 To Watch” in choreography—what was your reaction?

I was shocked and ecstatic, to put it mildly. I had felt like I would be a good candidate for that, choreographing at such a young age, but didn’t actually think it would actually happen anytime soon. 

6. What are some of the things that inform and inspire your work?

I go to see A LOT of dance. I take full advantage of what there is to see in NYC. It always surprises me what sticks in my head, sometimes I hated a whole show but there was one gesture that stayed with me forever. 

7. What other choreographers do you especially admire and why?

Of course Balanchine and Robbins are my biggest influences as I grew up at SAB, I’ve seen basically all of their works several times. For new works, I’ve been inspired lately by Alexei Ratmansky’s large scale classicism and Anabelle Lopez Ochoa’s dance-theater style. 

8. Is there a piece of music that you just find completely compelling?

I like many different types of music so it’s hard to choose just one piece. Right now I’m hooked on the music of Elena Kats-Chernin, a contemporary composer who’s music I hope to use soon. 

 

Avichai Scher, Photo by Matthew Murphy

9. Do you have any advice for up-and-coming choreographers?

My advice to an up and coming choreographer is to be pro-active about your career. You have to find and create opportunities all the time and you have to be your own biggest fan to keep the motivation.  

10. What is next for you?

My company is performing at Jacob’s Pillow July 23, I’m creating a new work for Ballet West and Ballet West II, and another Avi Scher & Dancers NYC season is in the works.

Bio: Avichai Scher, 26, was born in NYC and raised in Israel. He returned to New York to study on scholarship at the School of American Ballet for eight years. There he had the opportunity to perform Fritz and the Nutcracker Prince with New York City Ballet in The Nutcracker for four seasons. A desire to work with many different companies and choreographers took him on a journey, dancing with ten different companies in six years: Sacramento Ballet, Washington Ballet, Ballet San Jose, Joffrey Ballet, Los Angeles Ballet, Tulsa Ballet, European Ballet, Ballet British Columbia, Carolina Ballet and Ballet X. Some standout roles have included: Puck in Ashton’s The Dream, working with Sir Anthony Dowell, “Red-Man” in Elemental Brubeck, choreographed and staged by Lar Lubovitch, Mark Morris’s A Garden, Michael Smuin’s Shinju, Matthew Neenan’s Steelworks, and Tharp’s Nine Sinatra Songs. Scher always had the desire to be a choreographer and his first professional commissions came at age 18, creating Jouons for American Ballet Theater Studio Company and The Perilous Night for Miami City Ballet. Since then his work has works at: Miami City Ballet School and San Francisco Ballet School’s annual showcases, Usdan Center for the Arts, Washington Ballet Studio Company, Harvard University, Festival Ballet Providence, Manhattan Youth Ballet, West Wave Dance Festival, Ballet Builders, Sacramento Ballet, and Shut Up & Dance: Dancers of Pennsylvania Ballet. Dance Magazine recognized his choreography by naming him one of the “Top 25 To Watch,” and he is the recipient of the Strassler excellence Award from Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival. In 2009 his company Avi Scher & Dancers debuted at Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, and danced its first NYC season at the Alvin Ailey Citigroup Theater in April 2010. He has created 6 works for the company and the performances have included several guest principal dancers from New York City Ballet, American Ballet Theater and Boston Ballet.

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Filed Under: 10 Questions With..., 4dancers, 4teachers, Studios Tagged With: abt studio company, alexi ratmansky, anabelle lopez ochoa, avichai scher, balanchine, choreographer, dance magazine, marcelo gomes, robbins, sab

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