Ignorance is not a bliss: 3 things no one tells you about

No matter how elegant, effortless and beautiful the ballerinas look on stage, the reality behind the look is a bit different. The hard work, exhausting rehearsals, the lack of personal life and body aches stay hidden backstage and few people realize how hard it is to become a professional dancer. I am not going to mention the fierce competition, the pressure to be the best and the fear of mistakes ballerinas all have in common. I am going to talk about the little things we all fail to think about when we start dancing that seem quite obvious but everyone assumes you already knew.

“Ballet is an extraordinary art: this torture of the body to make something so graceful. All this hard work, to look effortless”

Normal people start their day with a latte to go, some fruit and the Guardian on their way to work. I, on the other hand, usually start my day laying in my bed, with a cup of strong, black coffee, a piece of cake (my only guilty pleasure, I know it’s unhealthy but I love sugar in the morning) and Vogue. Since the magazine is in the newsagents only once a month and I read it in two hours or less I thank God every single day for the magic of the internet and Vogue’s website that satisfies my desire to constantly have a sneak peek into the glamorous fashion world.

Ballet vs. yoga or why it is worth the effort to try them both

Ballet and yoga are extremely different from each other. However, there are some exercises that you can steal from the yogi so you can become a better ballet dancer – learning how to relax your body and mind and how to lead a healthier life.

Ballet is all about motion – elegant, graceful, short repetitive movements is what makes the dance beautiful. It is about rhythm – it will take you time to learn how to follow it. Keep in mind that ballet needs persistence, you will most certainly feel inadequate and clumsy in the beginning but the key is not to give up. What ballet develops is your coordination, concentration, even memory (you do have to learn your dance routine, don’t you?). I would say it develops your ability to handle stress as well (if you’re on stage and you suddenly forget the steps, you will know what I mean). Ballet requires determination and hard work but it is proven that no other dance or sport develops and trains at the same time so many muscle groups, so if you are looking for something to transform and change your body completely, from head-to-toe, this is it.

Ballet is all about movement!

The ballerina bun – not as hard as it looks or how to create it in just 5 easy steps

Elegance is the first thing that pops into my mind when I say ballet – poise, grace and style. Of course, you can’t look very graceful with a sweaty, messy hair that gives the impression that you are not familiar with the meaning of the word brush. While models are triumphing down the catwalks with their hair styled in the ballet-inspired bun and celebrities down the red carpet, they leave the impression that only a hair guru is able to create the dazzling look. I say this is not true. You can easily make the perfect hairstyle for your dance classes in just 10 minutes and look as fabulous as Natalie Portman on the cover of a magazine.

Elegant and classy look for the ballet studio.

But not to get distracted. The elegant look is a must in ballet not only because it goes so well with the whole atmosphere but because it is more comfortable for you as well. Those I-just-rolled-out-of bed sexy curls are perfect for a night out but not for the studio. I am sure you wouldn’t feel comfortable with sweaty locks of hair falling down constantly in your eyes and all over your face.

Celebrities are also in love with the ballet-inspired look.

Here is a guide for creating the perfect ballet bun:

1. Start by washing your hair. If you don’t have the time (I know you are a busy girl) use a dry shampoo – it will miraculously absorb the excess oil and keep your hair fresh.
2. Secure your hair into a high pony tail making sure it looks sleek. Brush in all the small hairs so you get a smooth look. Use a hairspray if you have to, but be careful, just enough to hold them in place (you want a silky look, crispy hair is NOT pretty).
3. Now, this is the tricky part. If your hair is long enough you won’t have any problem twisting it around the ponytail. Since not all of us are blessed with a long, gorgeous, thick hair you can cheat a little and get one of the so-called hair donuts (I am not talking about Krispy Kream, don’t get distracted, it is an accessory). You can make it out of a sock (I tried once and miserably failed) but it can also be easily found in Primark and H&M for as cheap as  £1-2 so it’s not worth the effort (well, maybe only if you are a DIY fan).
4. Spread your hair around the hair donut and secure it with bobby pins.
5. Use a hairnet around the bun for a clean look so no extra hair is sticking out. It will hold all the loose ends.

Voila! You now have the perfect hairstyle for your ballet classes – stylish and simple but still dazzling look. Now all you have to do is go and have fun!

3 Rookie mistakes every dancer makes

Congratulations! You made it to your first ballet class – despite the million excuses you found you managed to somehow squeeze the ballet lessons somewhere in your busy schedule. However, as you are a beginner you should expect a few slip-ups along the way. A professional dancer will tell you this is inevitable and that the best experience you can get is learning from your own mistakes. However, some of them can be quite painful or embarrassing which will just cause you unnecessary stress. To avoid it just keep reading the three basic mistakes we have all done (yes, including myself).

You never warm up.

Warming up is essential before every lesson. It helps your muscles relax and makes you more concentrated. You need just 10 minutes of stretching and you will feel the difference once you start dancing. Recent studies have revealed that only a few minutes of warming up increases the blood flow to your muscles which prepares your body for a tougher physical activity. It will help you avoid muscle tears and pulls.

Concentration is an important part of your warming up routine – stop thinking about the deadlines at work or uni, you have plenty of time after the class to worry about that 3, 000 word essay you had to start writing a week ago or how your boss’s only mission is to make your life miserable. Spending an hour not thinking about your problems won’t kill you. It is important to get not only your body but also your mind in a ballet mode. Devote that one hour only to yourself and enjoy the entire experience.

Stretching before rehearsal is essential!

You wear a lot of makeup.

I know you put so much effort during the past two hours when you were applying your makeup –full coverage foundation, eye shadows, eyeliner, fake lashes and some bronzer to get those “sun kissed” cheeks to finish the look. If you thought you looked like a prettier version of Angelina Jolie before the class I can guarantee you that at the end you would have a trashier look than Lindsay Lohan after a hard night out.

The biggest mistake you can do is go to a rehearsal with a lot of makeup. I know you feel a silent terror every single time someone sees you with no makeup. I am not saying you can’t put any – a light foundation, mascara and lip gloss are totally acceptable but, please, leave the glitter and everything fake (hair, lashes, tan, nails etc.) for the nights out and not for the ballet studio.

The only good thing about it is you will never ever make that mistake twice, when you see the way your makeup looks after a practice, you will know exactly why.

A natural, barely-there makeup look is what you have to aim for!

You don’t ask questions.

 Since you are taking a beginners class I can assure you no one is going to judge you if you make a mistake (or most likely a couple of mistakes). Perfection comes with practice and that is why it is so important to ask about everything you don’t understand. You might feel quite lost since you haven’t done it before and there is indeed a lot to take in.  So don’t act like you know-it-all, swallow your pride and ask. The instructor is there to show and explain to you everything you don’t get. Doing an exercise in the wrong way over and over again is bad only for you and you will just be wasting your time and money.

Don’t be shy and ask questions!

Keep calm and shop on!

You have just bought a couple of glittering tutus, pointe shoes (because all the ballet dancers in the pictures you have googled wear them) and since you never do things in a halfway manner you got yourself a tiara to complete the look (it was so fabulous you couldn’t resist). Congratulations darling, you are now probably officially broke and you still don’t have anything appropriate for your first lesson. That outfit would look good only on stage (you have got a long way ahead of you before going on one) or if you are trick-or-treating on Halloween.

A leotard and tights are the perfect clothes for your first class

When buying clothes for training there’s only one thing that matters: comfort. No one expects you to come with pointe shoes on your first lesson, what you need to buy is called ballet slippers. You can ask your instructor whether there is a dress code but if you haven’t a simple leotard and leggings/tights would do it. Make sure your clothes are close-fitting but the fabrics are still light and soft. This is essential so the instructor can see every movement of your body and if your posture is correct. Baggy clothes are simply unacceptable: I know how comfortable sweatpants are, but they are designed for being worn at the gym or for when you eat popcorn in front of the TV, definitely not for when you are dancing.

Slippers – perfect footwear for your first lesson

Going to the professional dancewear shops if you are a beginner is not a good idea – clothes there are ridiculously overpriced and you will probably have to spend the rest of the month on rice and 11p Tesco noodles after shopping there.

The cheap and practical alternative is online shopping. As a chic and modern girl I’m sure you are quite familiar with its beauty – amazing bargains and items being delivered right to your doorstep. Here’s a mini-guide to the most amazing websites where you can find quality and cheap dancewear:

1. eBay – I always refer to it as a shopping Mecca. This website is where you will find the most amazing bargains (although you might need to invest a few hours of your spare time). Items that are on auction are the ones you will get for less but beware : NEVER buy second-hand footwear, as cheap as it may be because it gets worn out quite fast. Don’t be stingy, it’s eBay and the new items are quite cheap as well.

2. Porselli – it’s the UK’s leading online retailer for dancewear that offers a huge variety of everything you will need for your ballet lessons. Everything is divided by categories which makes navigating through the website very easy.

3. DanceDirect – it’s a website that offers up to 50% less than retail prices. They have amazing sales so I would recommend to wait for one.  Another perk is the free delivery over  £60. You might have to spend a few extra pounds on this website, but the quality of the clothes is amazing, so you will save a lot of money for the future.

Have fun, ladies! xx

Keep calm and shop on!

 

Keep calm and dance on!

There are two types of people you would meet in a beginner’s ballet class: the ones with the terrified deer-in-the-headlight expression who look like they want to melt into the background and the ones with the smug, self-confident smile who are positive they can do everything.

I had that smile on my face when I went to my very first ballet class. People used to tell me that ballet is the cruelest of the performing arts. I remember this phrase was stuck in my mind like an annoying song chorus while I walked into the room. I didn’t believe that and just laughed on the inside: I mean, get real, how hard jumping around in a tutu could possibly be? Well, as it turned out, very. As 30 minutes later I found myself gasping for air and looking like I have just come out of the shower, my perception for ballet has taken a 180 degree turn.

Perfection!

I have always considered mastering the ability to walk around all day long in my 6 inch pumps my highest sports achievement and so far it was the biggest effort my body was used to make during the day. The next week even tying my shoe laces felt like I was trying to climb Mount Everest: every single muscle of my body hurt so much. As I swore I was never going back to that torture again I remembered I have prepaid for a whole month (silly me) and they didn’t do refunds. I decided I am not wasting my money and went back for another lesson (when you think about it, how much worse it could get?).  And it turned out it was the smartest decision I have ever made. There’s no such dance as ballet – the strength, the full concentration and determination that requires can’t be found in another type of dance.

As a recent survey revealed an hour of dancing ballet might burn up to 700 calories – twice as much as an hour of jogging (without having to put up with the cold and rainy weather) or swimming (you can keep that soft hair of yours away from the damaging chemicals they pour in the swimming pools). Not to even mention that ballet classes have become a hit in Hollywood and most of the A-list celebrities from Natalie Portman to Sarah Jessica Parker swear that’s how they get their gorgeous bodies.

So, to all the girls who used to dream about being dancers, who adored the colorful tutus and shiny tiaras, who felt like they belong under the spotlight. Ladies, it’s time for you to stop whining how hard it is or how you’ve got no time and head directly to the nearest dancing studio. And don’t forget to have fun! xx

Keep calm and dance!