What's In My Dance Bag?

On YouTube, I keep seeing all these videos about what people keep in their dance bag, so I thought I'd make you guys a post about what I keep in mine.  Now, first off, I don't actually have a dance bag.  I have this cheap drawstring backpack I got for registering in the Junior Olympics, and I've had it for like two years so it's falling apart.  It's just a general sports bag; I take it to dance, P.E., lacrosse, surf, wherever I go that I need to carry more than my phone and iPod.  I have to pack it every time I go to something different, but there are some things I just always leave in it: sunblock, lip balm, bobby pins, a black permanent marker, safety pins, tampons, Tylenol/Advil, allergy pills, my debit card, and an extra hair elastic.  Right now my bag is empty except for this stuff, my lyrical shoes, a pack of gum, and a pen I stole from my best friend because he was drawing on me XD  For dance, I throw in my Theraband, iPod, flats, phone, and notebook.  The notebook is really small, I write all my corrections and the new terms I've learned.   I like to review on the way to class.  I also pack water, but I don't put it in my bag so the sweat from the bottle won't get my flats wet.  But that won't be a problem when I get a Freaker for my birthday *hint hint Mom*.  This is all I need for now because I only have one 60-minute class a week.  When I start needing more, I'll give you guys an update!  Now tell me, what's in your dance bag?  Comment below!

Class Update

Class last night was fun.  It was a pretty small class, most of the girls didn't come because of Thanksgiving.  We did barre and our middle splits on the wall, and then we got measured for our costumes.

This is our recital costume, isn't it pretty?  Please excuse my brilliant *cough cough terrible* photography skills.  Then we did some piques and pirouettes, which are my favorites :3  At the end of class, we did a little holiday dance.  It wasn't really ballet, but it was super fun!  It was a really easy class.  Did you guys have class or a break for Thanksgiving week?

Let's Keep It Simple

This weekend I had movie marathon with myself and the couch, and we saw all the Step Up movies.  In the first movie, Tyler/Channing Tatum said something about people treating dance like it's rocket science but it's really not.  And isn't that the truth!  Dance is complicated and difficult, but sometimes we exaggerate it and it becomes far more complex than it actually is.  I do this a lot because I overthink everything.  Sometimes I feel like there is a rule for every movement, like every inch has a right or wrong.  But a lot of the time the little things don't even matter.  Technique is important in ballet, yes.  But technique is only a guideline; the dance is you.  The way you move is your flair, your swag, whatever you want to call it.  Don't get caught up in the perfection of ballet, because perfect looks different to every person.  Let perfect be whatever you want it to be.  So keep it simple and keep dancing!

Sorry if I don't make any sense, it's hard for me to put my thoughts into words.
Also, if you haven't seen the first Step Up movie yet, go watch it.  Go watch it now!  Because one: Channing Tatum and all his goodness, and two: it mixes ballet and hip hop into one crazy risky final piece.  Now go.

More Motivation!

I wanted to show you guys this video in my last motivational post, but it was temporarily private.  But now it's available again :D  this is my all-time favorite dance video. Like, EVER.  Enjoy ;)

Another Class Update

I'm so sorry guys, I haven't posted in like forever!  It's been a really crazy week.  My dog needed emergency surgery, then I had homecoming (which was soo much fun!!), and I'm super behind on my schoolwork.  So this is just a quick update post.  Class this week was great!  Our teacher was sick last week, but she's back now.  We usually skip stretching, because it's only a one hour class, but we did a barre stretch which was great.  Then we did our splits.  My left hamstring is getting better, but still not completely, so I pretty much died on our left splits lol.  We practiced our pirouettes, and I landed a few doubles!  Double pirouettes, even triples, are easy for me turned in, but when I start in 4th and have to turn out it's harder.  Anyone else have that problem?  Anyways, we also learned how to do tour jetés!  They're surprisingly easy, yet still complicated.  Mind-blowing, I know ;)  and I'm not sure if I mentioned this in a previous post, but last week they showed us the costumes we're getting for recital.  I'll try to upload a picture.  We're getting measured next week.   And next week when I have more time, I'll post those product reviews I promised in the last post.

Class Update

This week our teacher was sick so we had a substitute.  From what I could figure out, she teaches a class with younger kids, but they're a higher level.  The class was really difficult.  We spent about a half hour at barre, then we moved to center and did some turns and leaps.  She kept asking us about stuff we normally do and spewing a bunch of terminology I didn't know.  I was just like O.o  And we had two leaps combinations, one was really hard but we all got it pretty well, and the other was easy but fast.  I think that was the first time I've ever sweated in class!  I really liked the challenge.  I hope all your classes are going well too!  Tell me about them in the comments :)

Btw, I'm going to be posting some product reviews soon!

Motivation

Lately I haven't been as enthusiastic about dance as I usually am.  I think I'm slowly losing my motivation D:  I put together a list of maybe why:

1.  I haven't been able to stretch for almost a month due to an injury.

2.  Robbie hasn't uploaded any new videos recently to mydancetv on YouTube.

3.  My favorite video of Polina Semionova was removed from YouTube.

4.  Class was cancelled last week for Halloween.

Now, I know these will all pass.  My motivation will come back to me soon!  For others that are struggling with motivation, I'm including some inspirational dance videos and quotes.  And try making your own list too!

“Ballet technique is arbitrary and very difficult.  It never becomes easy... it becomes possible.”

- Agnes de Mille

Halloween

Our class was cancelled yesterday for Halloween, because the studio closed at 5:30.  I was going to go trick-or-treating with some friends, but my mom wouldn't let me.  Some stupid excuse about my schoolwork not being "right".  So I stayed home and ate my feelings and watched The Birds.  Any of you guys ever seen that?  The 1963 one by Alfred Hitchcock?  Ohhhh my gosh it was the best!  New favorite movie right there.  So what did you guys do for Halloween?  Was your studio closed too?

Oh and random note: I was practicing my turns yesterday, and I did a double pirouette into a front attitude turn!  I started running everywhere screaming hahahaha.  I also manage to land a triple coupe turn, and a double arabesque turn :D  tell me what your favorite turns are!