Are you getting tired too early in your workout? Do your muscles feel tense even when you’re not exercising? Is your mind over stimulated with uncontrollable thoughts? Welcome to the club. We all have these issues. But wait – there’s hope! Just BREATHE. I know, you’re rolling your eyes disbelievingly even though I’d already given you a hint in the title. Or, more likely, because I gave you the answer and it sounds ridiculous. But there actually is a lot of truth to this simple tool. For instance, when you stretch, try breathing slowly and deeply. You’ll probably find that your muscles will give a little bit more. By breathing you feed your body oxygen which allows it to do what it’s supposed to do: live. And when we breathe more consciously (on purpose) there are a multitude of other things that can happen too. We become more aware of the present moment which can dispel those random thoughts and allow us to concentrate on what’s important right now, such as the pirouette or the tour jeté or the test at school. A win/win, right? So – let’s do it. When in doubt, BREATHE! You’ll be glad you did.

As ballet dancers we’re constantly told to, “Pull-up, pull-up!” But in reality this mindset is counter-productive. As dancers, we must learn to use the floor to our advantage. So, if you find yourself consistently falling out of your pirouettes try a different approach. When you prepare for an outside pirouette do a nice, even plié in fourth position and fix your eyes on the object that you’re going to spot – whether it’s your face in the mirror or the red lamp on the table – whatever it is. Now, when you take off for the turn, “Pressdown into the floor with your support leg as you relevé” This can have a much more solid effect than imagining “rising” for the tour. And continue to concentrate on this to avoid spinning out of control. End your rotation by stopping and holding your spot on the same object that you used before the turn. Use the floor! Push down into the floor! Use the floor! And good luck with your pirouettes!

Love, Miss Chi

Sometimes a kid can feel like they’re going to jump out of their own skin if they have to stay stationary very long. I, for one, was one of those. Almost constant motion was my motto: running, jumping, riding a bicycle, shooting baskets or playing tetherball by myself, bouncing to musical rhythms… I was fortunate that both my mom and grandmother recognized this and enrolled me in ballet at a young age. In this way, my need for physical activity, a love of classical music, and the passion to express myself theatrically could all be addressed. Plus, I loved the hard work and discipline that ballet required. Even later, as a dance major in college, I viewed my morning ballet class as dance therapy. It’s what I looked forward to. Dance is hard work, but it’s also play. Let’s celebrate both and enjoy the fusion that this art form provides!

Love, Miss Chi