New Blog

Hi Everyone,

Just in case you are interested, I have started a new blog called License To Complicate
http://blogs.ubc.ca/licensetocomplicate/ which I am writing for as part of the UBC Blog Squad.  I still plan to continue this one, and perhaps do more interviews in the Winter/ next Summer, but probably will not be posting any time soon (expect for maybe Nutcracker?).

xxx <3

A Day in the Life: Hannah

 Hannah is originally comes from Montana, but has trained at the Goh Ballet Academy for the past five years. When we first met we barely ever talked to each other (she was a level above me), but over the years of RAD exams, performances, and competitions we gradually became really close friends. Hannah is known for her outgoing personality, great sense of enthusiasm and breathtaking contemporary work. She is tremendously hard-working and always the first one to take on any new challenge.

Q: What is your current daily schedule?

A: My daily schedule changes slightly from day to day depending on the teachers and classes that are being offered. I am staying in New York City for the summer and I am training at Steps on Broadway! I have enjoyed having such a selection and variety.

I wake up fairly early...about 7:15 AM and I do my hair and make up. I then eat breakfast and organize my lunch to go. I leave my apartment at about 9:00 AM and arrive at the studio by 9:30 AM or slightly earlier. I take morning ballet followed by a dancers Yoga or Pilates class. I have also taken the Advanced Contemporary Jazz class taught by Suzi Taylor which is incredible and a few other classes I have never tried like floor barre. 

Q: Most memorable rehearsal ever? 

A: My most memorable rehearsal would have to be the Willis rehearsal we had for Giselle coached by Mr. Chen at the Goh Ballet Academy back in 2007. He was by far the most strict teacher I have ever had and was known for his precision in all the pieces he rehearsed. 

We had attended a couple rehearsals prior to map out where each of us stood and what the steps and counts were. On this particular day we begun rehearsal without music allowing for us to recap what the counts and steps were. 

We first ran parts without music making sure everyone was sure of the count. As it got cleaner and we then ran the different casts with music. After, we were all feeling fairly confident and so we were asked to dance the entire piece.....roughly 25 minutes! 

Just as we were getting into the more difficult corps parts, Mr. Chen, sat at the front of the studio and starting pounding this giant wooden stick on the dance floor so we all could hear the timing. He stopped the music numerous times to repeat parts over and correct the mistakes he saw. This lasted for well over an hour and a half and we had started to go over time.

Suddenly, while we were rehearsing the arabesque hop section in Act 2 of Giselle (which most ballet dancers are familiar with) he threw this huge wooden stick across the room slamming it right against the barre on the far side of the studio. We all froze in terror and the room got completely silent. 

I hadn't experienced something so frightening in a rehearsal before.....After another moment of silence he told us that until we could do better there was no point in the rehearsal continuing on.... We were finished for the day.....thankfully.

Q: Favorite leotard?

A: My favorite leotard would have to be my first Yumiko! The base is expresso brown and the trim is dusty rose. The style is Daniela. I absolutely love it! 

Hannah wearing her favourite leotard.

Q: What brand of pointe shoes do you wear and how do you break them in?

A: I am currently wearing Mirella pointe shoes. I have struggled with finding the right pointe shoe for years and it has been my shoe of choice for a couple years now. It is very light weight and requires hardly breaking it in at all. I bend the the shank where my arch is at its highest and then press down the top of the box until its snug against my toes. I have found it to work out great, lasting me roughly 3 weeks. 

Q: What was your best on-stage experience?

A: I don't feel I have had one particular on-stage experience that stands out to me than all the rest. What I can say is that you really can't beat the feeling when you step off stage into the wings and you knew that you really gave every ounce of your energy into your performance. I feel so inspired and happy- I thrive for this very feeling!

Q: Favorite part of class?

A: I have to say I do really enjoy barre. It feels great to concentrate on different parts of your body....frappes are my favorite! 

In the center I love grande allegro. You are your warmest at this point and get to move across the floor...I find this the most enjoyable!

Thank you Hannah! I will miss you! <3

A Day in the Life: Danielle

Danielle Gould is a dancer from North Vancouver. Currently she is dancing with the Goh Ballet Youth Company, but will be attending the Stuttgart ballet school next year on full scholarship. Amongst an extremely long list of achievements she was a finalist in the YAGP finals, has completed her Solo Seal, and has received numerous scholarships from the Vancouver Ballet Society, BC Arts Council and Hnatyshyn Foundation to name a few. Her long legs, incredible flexibility, delicate frame and extremely dedicated work attitude really make her stand out in class. Please take a look at her youtube channel to see her dance! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUjOujm0k_c&feature=related

What does your daily schedule look like?

Usually I dance 5-7 hours a day and 6 to 7 days a week. Right now I am doing summer school so my schedule is a little different from that of the regular year. Right now my schedule is generally 9-3 and the classes are a combination of; daily ballet class, pointe/variations and pas de deux plus some contemporary, musical theater and Pilates. During the year I have a very similar schedule of classes plus many other rehearsals or private coaching.

What type of pointe shoes do you wear and how do you break them in?

I wear Bloch Aspirations. I absolutely love these shoes and have been wearing them for about 3 years. I really don't have to do too much major breaking in of my shoes, basically right after I have sewn them I step on the box, to help alleviate the extra pressure on my bunions. Then I break in the demi-pointe of the shoe and the arch with my hands and they are ready to go. I don't like to bang the box as I like my box harder than my shank.

What is you favorite part of class?

Hmm. Well I think I would have to say that my absolute favorite part of class is adage, pirouettes and traveling exercises across the floor in center. But I also enjoy barre as that is where I can really focus on my center and technique, as well as get a good warm up. Basically I really do love doing class, so I enjoy every part. 

What is your favorite variation?

I like a lot of variations as each role requires a different character, and each time you perform a variation you gain a better feel for the character and the elements of the variation. Some of my favorites would be Giselle Act 1, Sleeping Beauty, Don Quixote Dream Scene Var. and Talisman variation. 

Most memorable onstage experience?

I absolutely love performing on stage and I have had many memorable experiences on stage. My first very memorable experience was my first performance of Snow Queen in the Nutcracker, and others include performing through out China, competing in New York and performing Les Sylphides, White Swan pdd and Talisman pas de deux.

Favorite leotard brand?

Well let me just start by saying that you know how people collect things like antiques and stamps, well I collect leotards. I mean i don't just hang them on my wall -I do wear them like every day for more than 3 hours a day- but I do love my variety of leotards. Some of my favorite brands include Yumiko, Bloch, Ainslie Wear and Capezio. 

You are vegan? Do you have any advice for dancers with dietary restrictions?

Yes, I am a Vegan but I also have severe dairy allergy. I have had the allergy my entire life and have been 100% vegan since I was 13. My advice for any dancer with allergies or dietary restrictions is always make sure to pack lots of food with you and always plan for your day at dance. I never go to dance with out my bag of lunch/ dinner/snacks depending on the schedule for the day. Everyone is different and what works best for each person is very individual but I feel that the more natural and unprocessed food you eat the longer and healthier you will feel and that will come out in all aspects of your life. 

One more thing:

I love to give back to my community through performances in as many public events as possible, it helps to spread the love of ballet and the arts. And I am very thankful to the community and people who support arts, dance and ballet. We could not do what we do with out the support. 


Thank you Danielle!!! 

A Day in the Life: Brichelle

Brichelle is from Nanoose Bay, Canada. She is currently a dancer with Ballet Victoria (Victoria, BC). We both met when we were 15, when we had both just moved away from home to study at the Goh Ballet Academy. After 3 years of dancing together at the Goh, going to early morning classes at school, and going through the ups and downs that come with growing up, we finally graduated. Brichelle went to China with two other friends (Cheston and Takeaki) for a year to study at the Liaoning Ballet in Shenyang, China while I started YBC with the Goh. Known for her amazing arabesque, beautiful extensions, and friendly, down to earth attitude, she is one of those people that you never really lose touch with no matter where in the world you are!

What does your daily schedule look like?

Well my daily schedule is a little bit all over the place right now, which drives me crazy!!! I like to do my physiotherapy exercises at 8ish, after which I bike to my technique class that starts at 9:00. With Ballet Victoria we have rehearsal for a few hours, a lunch break from 1-2 and then we rehearse until 4:00 p.m. After this I head off to work at a grocery store from 5-10. I also work on the weekends. 

My favorite schedule was when I was in China because all I had to think about was dance! We woke up at 6:00 a.m. for a run, then I would go to 2 ballet classes, (mens’ first and then girls’ class) before lunch break. After lunch I would do some exercises, abs and such and I would have a pointe class and variations rehearsal. Some days we also had character class. After dinner Cheston and Takeaki and I would do our crazy routine covering stretching and all our strengthening exercises until it was lights out at 10:00 p.m!

What type of pointe shoes do you wear, how long do they last and how do you break them in?

I wear Bloch aspirations in a 6C. They last about 2 weeks. I wear them once to bend the top of the shank and I put jet glue in the bottom of the shank after they have conformed to my feet. 

What is your favourite leotard?

I really like my Larissa yumiko and the Jessica yumiko with sleeves! They both have a pink “jazz” trim and they are very comfortable!!

Who is your favourite dancer?

DREW JACOBY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What has been your favorite piece to perform?

I really enjoyed the solo I did this year choreographed by Paul Destrooper. The piece I did was called Le Plat Pays, all of the songs were done by Jacques Brel. Every piece in this work was really nice to dance! I also really enjoyed dancing in Rise by Toru Shimazaki, there was something really uplifting about that piece!

What has been the toughest challenge you have had to face so far?

  The toughest challenge I have had to face so far was definitely getting back in shape after my stress fracture. I had taken three months off -which isn't to bad really- but had an all or nothing attitude and had done nothing to maintain my strength. Coming back to dance was tough both physically and emotionally, but it was mostly a mind game! I still feel like I am recovering emotionally from taking time off, which is really strange! I feel like any sport or art form is far more of a mental challenge than a physical one. You NEED a strong mind and a lot of willpower, or you will never be as successful and happy with your dancing career as you could be! 

This is Brichelle with one of her teachers -Sasha- in China,

 Could you tell us a little bit about your experience in China? What advice would you give students wanting to study there?

China was amazing!!!!! I loved everything about my experience there and I am so lucky to have amazing people in my life that made it possible!!! The dancers there are beautiful and the attitude when training was awesome as well!!! There are no excuses, and the students are not babied like we are in Canada and the US. I feel like I went there with some of the wrong intentions though. I wanted to come back being a crazy asian dancer, with perfect lines and perfect everything!! It got to be a bit much at times as I lost some passion for dancing, going in every day standing beside gorgeous dancers that I could not look like even if I starved myself! You have to approach dance with a positive mindset everyday!!! Working to make your body the best you can be!!! You have to be healthy. I got quite carried away in China, some days just drinking juice for all of my meals!!! It was a bit ridiculous! Many of the girls there didn't have the passion for ballet, because the training was so grueling. I loved that all I had to think about was ballet though!! The studios were massive, and you could practice all the time! Everyone I met there was so extremely good to me, I really miss it, my teachers were unreal, and I would of liked to have stayed longer. But at the same time feel like it was good to figure things out for myself! 

A Day in the Life: Zoe

This new section of my blog is going to be focussing on interviews that take a sneak peek at the daily lives of ballet dancers. I hope that you find it interesting, also if there are any interview questions that you think might be suitable and you would like me to ask please feel free to add a comment below.<3

Zoe is a dancer from Sydney Australia, she is currently spending the summer at the Joffrey in NewYork. We first met three years ago at the Goh Ballet where at one point we had a hilarious time acting as the maids in Act One of the Nutcracker. As well as having absolutely stunning technique, she is one of the kindest people out there who will always bring a smile to your face. =) Alright I will start with the questions:

What does your daily schedule look like?

Well I've just moved to New York and am taking classes at the Joffrey at the moment. So on a usual day I will start the morning off with pilates followed by an open technique class, then in the afternoons there is pointe work/ variations and pas de deux.

What type of pointe shoes do you wear? How do you break them in and how fast do you go through each pair?

I wear Bloch European Balance and I go through about 1 pair every 1-2 months...European balances are quite a soft shoe to start with so I don't break them in any other way than just wearing them for class...I do like to take barre in new shoes though, because I find plies and tendus help to soften my shoes up nicely through the demi pointe. 

Favourite variation?

I love Grand Pas Classique! It is so beautifully elegant and technical.

Favourite part of class?

Pirouettes, I love the feeling of being so perfectly on centre and balanced in a turn...(on a good day)

Toughest challenge to date?

Toughest challenge to date would probably be leaving home when I was 18 to dance overseas..Leaving behind my friends, family, the life I was used to and traveling half way across the world by myself for the first time was hard! It brought with it a lot of everyday challenges like adjusting to living by myself in a new country and of course the physical and mental challenges of being in a full time ballet training course. But challenges are a good thing and they make you a stronger person! That year I learnt so much and had such an amazing experience!

Something that you wish you had known 5 years ago:

I wish I'd known how important it is, when you find the thing you love and are most passionate about in life, to not be afraid to dream big and give it your everything! 

When I was younger my dreams of becoming a professional dancer were clouded by worries that I would not be good enough even if I tried my hardest. I used to not put 100% of myself into my dancing and held back because I was scared to find out if my best was good enough. When I finally started to let myself dream and believe in my abilities, I put my whole heart in to my dancing and so many opportunities opened up to me.

It is so important to follow your dreams, love what you do and believe in yourself.

Thank you so much Zoe for your inspiration!!! 

How to Make a French Twist

French twists may seem notoriously difficult. I first started doing them a year ago when I challenged myself to do french twists for a week straight. From that day onwards I never wore a bun to class again! I love the way a french twists looks (much less studenty than a bun, you can wear it on public transit without as many strange looks) and after a little practice they are also much quicker to make. You do not need a hair net, hair tie or a whole lot of hairspray. No more hunting for hair elastics which I believe is a good thing!

What you will need:
U-shaped hair pins
Flat bobby pins
Smoothie brush
Normal hairbrush
Water
Two mirrors (so that you can see the back of your head)
Hair spray

1. Make sure hair is a little damp

2. Brush hair thoroughly with a normal hair brush

3. Pull hair back as if you are going to make a low ponytail (use a smoothie brush to smooth things out)

4. Start twisting hair while it is still in the low ponytail position

5. Once you have twisted it a little bit start twisting it upwards along your head

6. Continue twisting until your hair feels secure

7. Tuck the length of hair that is sticking out in underneath your french twist 

8. Starting pinning your hair. Begin at the bottom. Stick your pin in at a 90 degree angle to your head, then fold the pin over, through the hair along your scalp and secure it back into the french twist 

9. Continue pinning until your hair feels sturdy enough to make it through class

10. Fix any little things using a smoothie brush, and hairspray

11. If there are any strange pieces of hair sticking out, use two flat pins crossing over each other to secure them.

12. Insert a nice clip along the side of your french twist for a change.

TIP: To ensure that your pins do not stick out through the other side of your french twist you can bend them slightly. Then insert the pins so that they lie flush with your scalp.

WARNING: Try to practice this hairstyle before you decide to wear it for class/ a performance. It will not feel as secure as a bun, but you want to make sure that it will hold up! Everyone's hair is a little different, some people seem to prefer to do their french twists when their hair is completely dry (thick black hair), whereas others like to do it when it is wet (thinner, frizzier hair). 

Sometimes the direction of the french twist also makes a difference. I like to twist mine away from the side of my head with the part. Also make sure that your french does not start too high up! Sometimes they can make you resemble a dinosaur... which is not a particularly attractive look!

I hope this tutorial helps! Remember practice makes perfect, so if you do not feel comfortable with a french twist at the moment keep trying until you get there. <3