ballet advice

Masks for the hair and skin that will get you ready for the week ahead.

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!

Oof. Whether it’s inside first or outside first, over or under, or wrap the…

Right now, ballet kids are all getting ready to head out to their respective…

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 when it comes to finals or a major international competition, the cost is the last thing people think of. But, how much is too much for a tutu? What are you paying for? And, is it even necessary?

Recently, a young woman wrote in asked if she should keep dancing. Her e-mail…

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 ballet, how they work inside of this crazy world, and some of the challenges that a body type will face.

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 a sticker for being in the proper uniform. I was always told my hair was not right for the class. Eventually, I told my mother about the issue. We met with the director who apologized, and I finally got my stickers. This experience was traumatizing for me. It could have deterred my interest in this art form. Ballet schools must be more accepting of the cultural and racial differences of their students. The ballet community should accommodate hairstyles for Black dancers who have beautiful, naturally coarse hair. Training to be a professional ballerina is challenging and takes a lot of discipline, regardless of who you are.

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 Stay Away from, people have searched high and low for the replacements to these five- and they have found them.

The show Dance Moms portrayed some of the craziest, over the top, and outrageous…

Notes on Pirouettes En Dedans… Working on pirouettes en dedans (pirouettes to the inside)…

Whether you are twelve or twenty, this variation is one of the most recognizable…

It seems, as of late, the majority of emails coming in, at the moment,…

It is the first week of 2018, and it already has me thinking… a…

Hey ABE readers, guess what? Guest post. I think this book is really relevant…

There comes a point for a lot of dancers who have to make the…

There are so many types of teachers out there, it is important that parents…

Catching up with social media sensation, entrepreneur, and ballet dancer Robbie Downey. And, if…

Every Saturday morning dancers around the world hear their alarm clocks go off and…

      The waiting game… From January until May, sometimes even longer, dancers…