If the Pointe Shoe Fits...

Auditioning

kathrynemorgan — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 13:20:13 +0000

With audition season coming up, I hope this post will help many of you to be and feel your absolute best!

Photo by David Ryder.

You need to be well prepared for any audition, whether it is for a professional company, a role on Broadway, a temporary job, or a summer program. If you are willing to take the necessary steps, you can have a successful audition and be proud of yourself no matter what the outcome.

First off, do your research. Know things about the company/school/venue you are auditioning for. For instance, if you are trying for a ballet company, know the style they do- is it more of a Balanchine company? Classical? More contemporary? This will give you a hint of what the audition will be like. The same applies if you are auditioning for a summer course. Knowing the style will give you a heads-up on things. If you are auditioning for a role on Broadway or other theatre company, know things about that part. Know the character, know the purpose that that character has. DO YOUR RESEARCH! Not only will you be more prepared, YOU will feel much more confident going in.

At the audition, there are several important things you need to do. Going back to the research thing, know what dance items you will need- pointe shoes, ballet shoes, character shoes, etc. Make sure you have all the necessary items. If you come without these things, you will most likely be eliminated right off the bat. Wear something that is appropriate yet in which you feel your best. For ballet auditions, I would ALWAYS wear a black leotard and pink tights. This shows professionalism and that you are serious. However, it might be a good idea to wear something special in your hair. That way they can have something to remember you by. You won’t just be a number. : “I liked the girl with the red clip” or “The one with the pink flower had a nice jump.” This way, you are not in a completely innapropriate outfit but you will stand out. In a theater audition, you can get away with wearing something bright or more outlandish. Wear a special top, something that no one else has. There again, so they can remember you visually. No matter what you wear and no matter whay type of audition it is, make sure your hair is neat and tidy, your tights don’t have holes, and you just simply look your best.

Photo by Ellen Crane.

During the audition, PAY ATTENTION!!! Oftentimes, the teachers will give certain arms or a certain head just to see if you are paying attention. It is the people who catch on to these things that really do well. Plus, if you know the combination, you can focus on doing your best and dancing it, rather than trying to remember the steps. Don’t be pushy, don’t stand on top of the teacher! Trust me, that is never a good idea! When it is your turn to dance, do your absolute best. Show your passion and love for the art form. A company is not going to take you if you look miserable!

No matter what happens, remember, they are not looking for perfection. Just YOUR best. And if you are not taken, it may be because of MANY factors- they may only have a certain number of spots, they can only take tall people, or short people. For a role, they may need a blonde girl, or a brunette guy, or they may need someone who has a certain ‘look’. There are so many factors. Take each audition as an experience and something you can learn from.

Holiday Gift Guide #3

kathrynemorgan — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 16:10:33 +0000

Tulips by Tracy Skirts

My third holiday gift suggestion is these beautiful ballet skirts from Tulips by Tracy.

Born in Cork, Ireland, Tracy started dancing at the age of 5 and trained at the Royal Ballet School from the age of 11 where she graduated from in 2007. In her graduate year, Tracy performed with the Royal Ballet company in various ballets at the Royal Opera House and went on their international 2007 tour to Mexico and the U.S.A. Tracy started her professional career in August 2007 with The English National Ballet as a corps de ballet member, performing their repetoire around the UK and Beijing, China. The following season, Tracy joined Barcelona Ballet under the direction of Angel Corella, as an artist, where she performed a number of soloist and principal roles in various theatres across the world.

Tracy began creating ballet skirts for her friends in 2011 after under going surgery on a knee injury. She really enjoyed creating new designs and making the skirts and after encouragement from her fellow dancers, she created her own little buisness: Tulips by Tracy. Tracy is now back dancing after her surgery, and uses her time outside of the studios to bring skirts to dancers all over the world.

Tulip Skirts are wrap around skirts and are available in the following designs;
Extra short, Short, Medium and Long. They also make “Long Rehearsal Tulips”. This long skirt is a pull-on with an elasticated waist belt. They come in a wide variety of fabrics so you can choose your style and color.

Tulips by Tracy ships all over the world. I personally love these skirts because they are comfortable, beautiful, and very flattering. The company has lots of new ideas and business collaborations coming your way in 2013, with lots of new fabrics for you to order- wherever you are in the world! In order to make this transition a quick and smooth one, Tulips have put together their favorite fabrics and created ready made to order skirts. This means you wont have to wait the usual time for them to process and make your order- perfect for Christmas!

Please visit Tulips by Tracy to see all of their options and to place an order.

You can also follow them on Facebook and Twitter.

Holiday Gift Guide #2

kathrynemorgan — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 17:10:07 +0000

In this second installment of the gift guide, my suggestion is not only perfect for dancers but for anyone who loves dance, die-hard ballet fans, or just for someone who appreciates beautiful things.

Prints and Book from Kyle Froman Photography

Kyle Froman has made the extraordinary transformation from a dancer with the New York City Ballet to one of the country’s best-known dance photographers. After coming to New York to study at the School of American Ballet (the official school of New York City Ballet), he was awarded the first Rudolph Nureyev Scholarship in 1994 to study at the school year-round. He was chosen as an apprentice for NYCB, and a year later signed his contract as a corps dancer for the company. He was a member for 13 years.

In the course of his years with NYCB, Froman began to photograph the company’s inner workings, from the daily rituals of morning class to the agonies of injured dancers being treated in the company’s physical therapy room. His work was recognized by John Wiley and Sons, which in 2007 published a book of his work. IN THE WINGS: Behind the Scenes at the New York City Ballet established him as a major photographer in the ballet world.

Anyone interested in the goings-on at NYCB would LOVE this book. You can purchase it here.

Froman’s photography has been frequently published in New York Magazine, The New York Times, Time Out/New York, and Playbill. He conceived and shot a photo book for NYCB entitled “…the true foundation” that Vanity Fair published entirely on its website. Froman is also a regular contributor to Dance Magazine, Pointe Magazine, and Dance Teacher Magazine.

Here are just a few of the incredible shots Froman has taken througout his career.

These are just a few of hundreds of wonderful images Froman has produced. I myself have worked with him on a full portfolio. He is incredibly gifted not just in capturing an image but in his styling, timing, and ideas.

In 2010, Froman was named company photographer for the Miami City Ballet. He has also worked with Christopher Wheeldon, the Royal Danish Ballet, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and the Vail International Dance Festival.

Kyle is without a doubt once of the best dance photographers in the world today. His images are beyond stunning and would be the perfect gift for anyone who loves and appreciates dance.

You can find MANY more images and his contact information to order prints at Kyle Froman Photography.

Kyle Froman

Holiday Gift Guide #1

kathrynemorgan — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 19:31:21 +0000

During the next few weeks, I will periodically be posting some dance-related gift ideas. These are perfect things to get any dancer in your family or to ask for if you are dancer yourself! You can trust any of my suggestions as I have had personal experience with each.

Échauffe Leg Warmers

Échauffe Inc. is the creation of the brother and sister duo of Cameron and Caitlin Dieck. Cameron is a dancer with the New York City Ballet and Caitlin, a former professional dancer, is currently a senior at Columbia University. Drawing on their knowledge of ballet dancer’s needs, they and their team paired up with the top knitwear professionals in New York City’s Fashion District to solve some age old legwarmer problems.

Legwarmers have notoriously been considered by professionals and students alike to be poorly manufactured, leaving the ballet dancer with an often bulky and cumbersome product that just does’t cut it. Through this collaboration, revolutionary redesigns of the legwarmer and calfwarmer have been achieved.

These products employ:

・A new unibody seamless design.

・A lightweight wear, which allows the wearer to see muscle definition.

・A 3/4 inch elastic band that eliminates slippage.

・A moisture wicking design to keep the wearer dry.

They have a WIDE range of colors and styles- striped, solid, black, bright, pastel- you name it! They also have both male and female varieties.

All of this has been achieved while creating a beautiful design that will be the envy of all your classmates and/or colleagues. To sum it up, Échauffe Inc. is a dance apparel company based in New York City that promotes social consciousness, fair trade, and sustainability while providing its customers with superior legwarmers made in the United States. Their mission is to design products that delight the spirit and enhance the dance performance of their clients.

Please visit Échauffe Inc to see their full product line and to place an order.

You can also follow them on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date on the brand.

Hands and Arms

kathrynemorgan — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 14:21:17 +0000

Photo by Henry Leutwyler

Every dancer wants to have a beautiful port de bras that looks effortless. What is the secret? Using your back! When you are performing, rehearsing, or just at the barre, focus on your arms coming from your back. Thus, they will always be correct. This makes them look effortless yet strong at the same time. For instance, when you do something like a grand jete, if you just stick your arms out, they are going to look stiff, and most likely your shoulders will go up. But if you use your back to move your arms, they will look soft and be in the right place. Try this exercise- next time you are at the barre, the whole time think of pinching a pencil between your shoulder blades, even when you lift your arms. This takes the focus off the arm muscles and forces you to use your back. When your arms are in second position, the same thing applies- press your shoulders down and squeeze your shoulder blades together. A bonus to this is the fact that your arms won’t get as tired! Your back muscles are much larger than the ones in your arms, so there is more support.

As far as your hands go, different schools teach different things. At the School of American Ballet (the official school of New York City Ballet) we were taught to have a more rounded hand with space between the fingers. This is so that from the audience, you can see all the fingers. In the first 2 divisions at the school (around ages 8 and 9) the students train with their middle and thumb fingers touching together. That way, their hands learn that rounded shape. Obviously, in a few years, they separate their fingers, but it gives them the idea of a rounded hand. Other schools teach different things, such as the Royal Ballet and Kirov based schools, but no matter what you are taught, it is important to make sure your fingers are relaxed. Not stiff and rigid-that makes you look like you have doll hands.

So, the moral of the story is, for both your arms and hands, keep them soft and pliable. Stiffness makes you look rigid on stage.

Arabesques and Back Flexibility

kathrynemorgan — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 17:16:34 +0000

Romeo + Juliet
Photo by Paul Kolnik

There are definitely ways to increase flexibility in your back in order to improve your arabesque. But, contrary to popular belief, it is not all about bending yourself in half. Here are a few things to do and think about to achieve your best possible line.

First, you must think of doing an arabesque in a certain way. If all you are worried about is getting your leg up in the back, you are actually not executing it correctly. Think of the arabesque coming from the inside of your leg rather from the top of your hip. This gives you a longer line, and just by thinking about it, you can actually make it higher. When you raise your leg to the back, use your inner thigh. Your knee will be straight, and the position will feel lighter.

Increasing the height of your leg is not just about being limber. You need to have the strength to hold it there. An exercise to increase your back stength is this: Lie on your stomach with your arms stretched above your head. Raise your upper body up just enough so your shoulders come off the ground. You should not be straining- think of using your upper back, not your lower back. At the same time, raise your feet just enough so your lower legs come off the ground. Raise and lower your upper body and legs slowly 10-12 times really feeling the muscles. When you have mastered this, hold both the upper body and legs off the ground and “swim”- raise the right arm and left leg higher and then switch, all the while keep the upper body and legs of the ground. Again, use your upper back- do not pinch into your lower. There is NO need to get very far off the ground- just a few inches.

You can do a stretch at the barre to help your leg feel the correct arabesque position. Standing close to the barre and holding on with your left hand, raise your right leg and put it on the barre. This puts you in an open position. You should feel the pull of your inner leg against your upper body. This helps that line stretch so you can eventually do it without your leg on the barre. Hold it for 30 seconds, turn around and do the other leg.

Remember, both flexibility and strength don’t happen overnight. Gradual improvment is your friend! Remember not to strain to the point of real pain. It is never worth tearing a muscle just to get your leg up!

Creating Your Own Story

kathrynemorgan — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 16:33:02 +0000

Everyone loves a dancer that can truly become whatever character they are playing. I like to think that no matter what kind of ballet I’m doing, there is some sort of story involved-even if it is a short reperatory piece. If there is not a plot, I create one in my head. It is important that you approach your roles in a way that the audience will believe you. If you simply ‘act’, it will look fake. No matter if you are in the back of the corps or the principal out in front, thinking about what you are doing makes a world of difference.

Juliet
Photo by Paul Kolnik.

Many dancers like to research the roles they are dancing. I like to do a little bit, but not too much. For instance, when I first danced Juliet, I read the play and watched a few tapes of different dancers in the role. However, I did not study for hours and hours. That would have completely overwhelmed me. Plus, I like to make a character my own. So I used them as inspiration and built my own version of her from there. To me, something much more important than the research is becoming the character in the moment. It honestly doesn’t matter HOW much preparation you do, if you do not ‘feel’ the character, it won’t look right. Something I do is to constantly have dialogue going in my head. For example, in dancing Juliet, when I see first Romeo, I literally think to myself “Who is that?”. When I am doing a big mime scene with my parents and the nurse, I have that dialogue in my head- “Why are you doing this to me?” or “Please don’t make me marry him!”. You get the idea. It sounds silly, but this allows your facial expressions to read correctly. If you are simply acting “sad” or “in love” or “angry”, it doesn’t work. This applies to any ballet. When I recently danced Swan Lake, I also had a story going in my head the whole time. That helped me really become either Odette or Odile, depending on what part of the ballet I was dancing. Many people like to draw on personal experiences to feel emotions onstage. That is great and works well, but it is not something I do. I bascially take my character’s brain and put it in my head. I think their thoughts and feel their emotions. Either way, you want to make sure everything will be realistic and not look “acted”.

Throughout a performance, different dancers maintain their characters in different ways. For instance, many like to stay in character the entire time- even in the wings between entrances or in the dressing room. For me, the minute I get offstage, I drop it. I find that maintaining my character, even offstage, tires me out. This allows me to have every entrance be fresh and exciting. For example, I remember between entrances in the white act of Swan Lake, I would joke around with Rothebart. Then the minute I went back out onstage, I switched back into Odette’s brain. Same happened for me in Juliet- between a really emotion scene with her parents and meeting the friar, I had a little conversation with a friend. Then, I snapped right back into “Juliet Brain” when I went back out onstage. There is NOT a right or wrong way of maintaining your character. You just have to find what works for you.

Finding a story in an abstract or “story-less” ballet can be difficult. Ask yourself “What is the music telling me?” or “What do I get or feel from this choreography?” Make up your own little plot! That keeps it interesting and gives you a purpose behind your dancing. The audience does not want to see you just “do the steps”. They paid for more than that! This also helps keep things

Snowflakes
Photo by Kyle Froman

exciting when you have to do the same performance over and over. I remember when I was in the corps and danced all 46 performances of The Nutcracker, every show, all of us in Snow would come up with a theme for the day- we would pretend we were kids playing outside, Disney princesses, different jewels, etc. The steps all stayed the same and the audience had no idea, but to us, it really kept things new and different. Little things like that can really make each and every performance satisfying.

As I said earlier, it is SO important to remember that it doesn’t matter if you are in the last row of the corps or the lead ballerina, you need to dance as if you were the only one onstage. Believe it or not, the audience DOES see you, so really give everything you have to them. Plus, you will feel infinitely more satisfied in the long run!

The Basic Stage Eye

kathrynemorgan — Sat, 24 Nov 2012 19:39:18 +0000

With so many performances of “The Nutcracker” just around the corner, I thought it would be useful for me to show all of you a basic stage eye. I learned this from Michael Avedon, a former makeup artist with the New York City Ballet. This is my blueprint for doing my makeup, no matter what character I am dancing. I will just change the colors around. Today, I will teach you one with neutrals that can work on any skin-tone, under any lighting, and for any role. I will get into more colors and details in future posts!

WHAT YOU WILL NEED

~ 4 eyeshadows- a white or very light beige, a peach or neutral taupe, a medium brown, and a dark brown. Here’s what I used:

~ Black Liner

~ Brown Liner

~ Mascara

~ False Lashes and Eyelash Glue (Not required but HIGHLY recommended)

STEP BY STEP

(Click on pictures to enlarge if needed.)

1. Apply the peach or neutral taupe to the lid.

2. Brush the white or very light beige under the brow and just in the inner corner of the eye. Then take the medium brown and place it in the outer corner to give a little depth to the eye.

3. With your black liner, draw a thick line along the lashes that extends slightly upward at the end. The extension is important- a flat line or one that droops can make your eyes appear sad onstage.

4. Take your brown liner and draw a line following the crease of the eye, and connect it to the end of the black one. It does not have to be perfect- you are going to blend it out in a minute.

5. Now, taking the dark brown shadow, go over the brown line you just made, blending it out. This is to ensure the line isn’t harsh.

6. Using the brown liner again, line the lower lashline, finishing right up under the black line. This creates one shape with your eyeliner- not 3 separate lines.

7. Take the dark brown shadow once again and soften the underline, again preventing it from looking harsh.

8. Curl your lashes and apply mascara.

9. You can stop there, but I highly recommend false lashes. They really make your eyes pop onstage, and they hide a multitude of sins makeup-wise. Any uneven lines around your eyes disappear! They take practice but are completely worth it.

You are done!

REMEMBER

Here are some things to keep in mind when doing stage makeup:

- DON’T PANIC UNTIL YOU ARE DONE! It’s ok if it looks a bit messy! Honestly- mine is a mess until I apply the false lashes. Keep in mind, you are on the stage. You are not up close and personal!

- Blending is your friend. Never leave your lines harsh. This can make your face and features look strange under stage lighting. This is something Michael taught me. Unless you are portraying a character that needs special distinctive makeup (Firebird, Mother Ginger, etc.), ALWAYS blend your lines.

- Practice! I did NOT get my makeup right the first time or the tenth time. I worked with Michael A LOT before I finally got the hang of it. So don’t be discouraged! You can only get better.

Let me know if this helps you all! Feel free to ask any questions, and I promise to post some more intricate looks soon!

xoxo

Kathryn

On Your Own

kathrynemorgan — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 18:56:36 +0000

Photo by Gwyneth Muller

Ever been injured and had to figure out how to get back into shape? Are you one of those dancers who teachers ignore? Maybe you are a student who isn’t getting enough classes in a week to push your dancing to a professional level. Whatever your circumstances may be, often times you are left to fend for yourself. Here are some things that might help when this happens.

Supplement your dancng. Pilates, yoga, cardio, weight training… these are ALL beneficial to dancers. Get on some sort of program or routine to help your body get stronger. Pilates helps strengthen your muscles without adding bulk and lengthens them simultaneously. I noticed fast and drastic improvement when I started practicing pilates. Also, in a future post, I will be giving ballet specific exercises with pictures that can really benefit your dancing. As far as cardio goes, I prefer the elliptical. I generally try to do 30-45 minutes whenever I can. When I was preparing to dance Swan Lake, I would get on the elliptical and go through the ballet doing the arms. As silly as it sounds (and as weird as I might have looked) my stamina shot through the roof. When I got onstage, I was barely tired. Many other dancers like swimming and sometimes running as other cardio options. The most important thing however is to monitor yourself. If you are coming back from an injury, DO NOT do too much too fast. You could end up making yourself worse! Just listen to your body and start slowly.

A second problem a dancer might be having is feeling like you are not seen. If it seems like the teacher is ignoring you, the first step is to get brave and talk to them. Listen to what they have to say. Maybe they will mention one thing that could make all the difference. If you don’t get anything out of talking to them, learn to be your own teacher. Each class, work on something specific- “Today I will focus on my alignment” or “I am going to work on my musicality”. Take everyone else’s correction as your own. Be aware of what your muscles are doing, and if something isn’t working, really think about what you may be doing wrong. Don’t just give up. If you feel you are not getting enough classes, one thing that is never wrong is to ask your school if you may also take a LOWER level class. Never ask to take higher- that can be misinterpreted and might end up coming back to bite you. By taking a lower level, you can REALLY focus on alignment, placement, correct technique, and thus improve drastically. If your school does not allow you to take extra classes, consider looking for an additional school in your city. This might be a bit controversial, but it is YOUR career. This happened to me. Before I went to the School of American Ballet, I was only getting 5 classes a week, so I went to another school in my area for an extra 3. My dancing got so much better, and thus prepared me for SAB. I know some schools frown upon this idea, but if they are only offering 4 classes a week, that is not enough to get you to a professional level. To be safe, FIRST, ask if you can take lower levels. Only then seek classes elsewhere.

I will be posting more detailed exercises and tips for improvement soon. But for now, just think about this- if you do what you’ve always done, you will get what you’ve always gotten. So push yourself!