Category: ballet advice
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Summer Intensive Guide 2023
It is that time of the year again; the time where everyone is overwhelmed, overworked, exhausted, and juggling a million different things. Yes, the 2023 audition season is upon us, and it is more stressful than ever. It could be that this is the first year back of full in-person auditions since the pandemic restrictions.…
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5 Myths in BALLET… The Finance Edition
In case you missed it, on Sunday, I hosted an Instagram LIVE where viewers tuned in for an hour presentation about the finances of ballet. If you want to view it, it is posted on my instagram here. Just click the image below.
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Don’t Miss Out This Summer!
Are you feeling left out? Everyone is announcing their summer intensive commitments and you don’t have somewhere to go? Did you miss audition season due to injury, travel restrictions, or just didn’t know? Don’t worry! We got you covered.
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The Chess Game of Ballet Strategy…
When it comes to ballet, parents can get a little a crazy, and truthfully, I don’t blame them. Between the hours of dedication, the thousands in tuition, pointe shoes, private lessons and costumes, you should have some sort of strategic plan, right? Parents start to strategize what YAGP they will go to, what the odds…
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Sunday Self Care: For the Dry Skin Dancer
Masks for the hair and skin that will get you ready for the week ahead.
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Self made Super Star
Sound the alarm, YOU are taking control of your social media accounts! Take it from us, not all posts have to be professionally made, but you also do not want the post that you made to look bad either. We’ve got you covered!
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The Guide to Tying Pointe Shoes
Oof. Whether it’s inside first or outside first, over or under, or wrap the ribbon twice- there really isn’t one way to tie a pointe shoe. I think for a lot of women it is about comfort, and what holds the foot in. As a male teacher, I always think it is odd that when…
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The Summer Intensive Packing List
Right now, ballet kids are all getting ready to head out to their respective summer courses, unless you are attending Ballet West, then you start today. But, if you forgot anything, thank goodness for Amazon Prime. Here are some things to bring that you will most likely need. –Dance Shoes (Make sure you have character…
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The Tutu Dilemma: costs versus practicality
It is that time of the year where high-end tutu makers or costume makers are taking deposits for the next competitive season. If you are new to the ballet competitive circuit, brace yourself, because it’s about to get very tricky, sort of expensive, and somewhat intense. Looking at photos on Instagram will show you that…
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Should I keep Dancing?
Recently, a young woman wrote in asked if she should keep dancing. Her e-mail was nothing new, we get these emails all the time. But, as she went on and explained her proposed trajectory, I was reminded why I started A Ballet Education. I asked if I could share her e-mail, and she politely declined…
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Ballet Body Proportions
A question we get asked all the time, “Do I have a good body to pursue ballet?” This is usually followed by, “What makes the body good?” We have talked about this in the magazine and on the blog, but today I wanted to take the time and focus on different types of bodies in…
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Growing Up Black by Lauryn Brown
When I was younger, kids in my ballet class were awarded stickers for coming to class in the proper uniform with their hair in a neat ballet bun. My mom arranged my thick natural hair into individual braids that were nicely pulled back for class, however, I was the only girl who did not get…
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5 Variations To Stay Away from (2019)
It was the year of Dulcinea, and I died… Thank the Baby Jesus that the ballet competition season is over. If the 2018-2019 season was the year of “Satanella,” then this was the year of “Dulcinea.” While I appreciated that people have listened to the first article published back in 2015 about 5 Variations to…
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Beware of the Monsters…
The show Dance Moms portrayed some of the craziest, over the top, and outrageous personalities in competitive commercial dance, but that show has nothing on the real-life world of ballet schools. Recently, my heart has been heavy as Kate Spade, a long time fashion icon committed suicide, leaving a lot of my colleagues at a…
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Notes of Pirouettes en dedans…
Notes on Pirouettes En Dedans… Working on pirouettes en dedans (pirouettes to the inside) can be hard. While it seems like they are easier than en dehors turns, the problem with en dedans is the turnout factor. Whether is a pirouette or attitude turn to the inside, these can be rather difficult to master because…
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Notes on Cupid
Whether you are twelve or twenty, this variation is one of the most recognizable variations for those who have danced. For a lot, this variation was the first variation they learned in variations class (that or Florine from Sleeping Beauty). This is the variation known as Cupid from Don Quixote. This extremely fast petit allegro…
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How Much Should You Cross-Train for Ballet?
It seems, as of late, the majority of emails coming in, at the moment, revolve around cross-training… and it isn’t just parents writing in. It is studio owners, colleagues, and other dancer teachers out there. In a recent video on Instagram, it shows super talented dancers cross-training at the gym; not to mention ABT’s obsession…
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This Week In Ballet…
It is the first week of 2018, and it already has me thinking… a lot. Between Peter Martins retiring, YAGP Philadelphia being postponed, YAGP Seattle underway, new job offers, new job titles and the pressure of ballet building… it has really made me start to think about a life outside of ballet. Don’t forget you…
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A Ballet Mindset…
Hey ABE readers, guess what? Guest post. I think this book is really relevant to ballet dancers both professional and training. Sometimes we get lost in our work and sometimes we don’t know where to turn, or you just want a good read… So here is my friend Andrews new book. “Hey! My name’s Andrew…
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Should You Homeschool?
There comes a point for a lot of dancers who have to make the choice of homeschooling. Ballet is so time-consuming, so there has to be a “give and take”. I myself, did high school online and finished in two years, third in my class and with my AA. So, if you are self-motivated it’s…
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