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! 

Today

9:30- 11:00 Gym
12:15-1:15 Warm Up class
2:00-9:30 Flowers rehearsal, Snowflakes, Opening, Finale, Runthrough B cast, Runthrough A cast....

Tomorrow class starts at 9:30!

What a day, I wish I was felt more energetic.

My life as a whirlwind

I'm back after having not written for a while.
Literally my life has been so hectic, these last two weeks have gone by in a flash.
  We haven't had a day off for a while because we put together the show for the Dance Centre. It was very stressful because we barely had three weeks to put an hours long show together, also two days before the show one my friend's back was too injured (she could barely walk) so we had to take her out and put new people in. On top of which we have been having overbearing Nutcracker rehearsals like crazy. On top of which I had shin splints, a ton of tutoring jobs, no time to go work out or relax really, on top of which my stomach problems started coming back and a million other things.
    On Wednesday we had rehearsal until 9:00 at night, on my way home I fell asleep on the bus and missed my stop (that is how tired I wish). Thursday (yesterday) we had the mini-show, we got to the Dance Centre at 9 to warm up. There was a lot of confusion as to where we were supposed to be and what we were supposed to be doing. The show was SOLD OUT and I had about 6 people coming without tickets! So I had to organize getting them on the waiting list during my warm up time. Blocking/ lighting was a bit of a catastrophe. We didn't have enough time to block all of the dances. By the time we were finished blocking it was only half an hour to the show. I didn't know if any of the people who were coming were able to get tickets. My stomach was a mess. I didn't have my eyelashes/ all my make-up on. Or my costumes sorted out (most of us had 4 quick, complicated changes and not very much space). And I didn't feel warm because I hadn't even had time to put my pointe shoes on to warm my feet up. I hadn't stretched and much as I would have like too. Ahhhh!!!
   Anyways everyone just put their head down and did what they needed done.
The show started and from then on everything went pretty seamlessly. I felt very content with most of my numbers and the best part was that my dad and Grandpa and our family friends managed to get in and see the show. A wave of relief flooded over me when I spotted them in the audience.
   I managed to do the Grand Fouettes in both of the pieces I had to do them in. I was so happy about that because they are a tricky step in general, a couple of months ago I would not have felt comfortable doing them. Especially in the theatre we performed in where it is very difficult to spot because it is all black.
   My turn were good though, I think sometimes I just have to relax into them and they work better.
   In the end I was happy about the show despite all the pre-stress. Actually I was super happy, because it went 1000 times better than how I expected it to go.

After the show we had to rush back to the academy and have our scheduled contemporary class (we had half an hour from the end of the show to get there).

After that I went home. Had 15 minutes to relax before I started tutoring.

Finally when my day ended I had a relaxing time with my family.... and I got to sleep in this morning =).

Rehearsal starts at 5:00, I think I will go swimming before then.

I'm sorry I haven't updated as often as I wish I could have... but as you can see, my life has been a whirlwind!

Eat Sleep Dance

Literally my schedule this week is packed yesterday for example:

10:30-12:00 Technique
1:00-2:00 Tutor
3:00-4:30 Snowflakes
4:30-5:30 Opening
5:30-6:30 Finale
6:30-7:45 Waltz of the Flowers

I went home and went straight to bed with four icepacks.

Today

11:30-12:00 Private !!!!
12:00-1:30 Snowflakes
1:30-3:00 Party Scene
3:00-5:30 Act 1 Runthrough
5:30-6:45 Mospigel (Neoclassical piece)
When I get home my parents are having people over for dinner.

Monday

9:30-11:00 Technique
11:00-12:30 Rehearsal
1:30-2:30 Gym
3:30-4:45 Rehearsal
5:00-6:00 Tutor at library
8:00-9:00 Tutor at home

.... ahhh