Confidence is key.

Hello everyone!

Today's post is all about confidence, which is something that I think all of us dancers need more of!  As dancers, we all strive to be the best and hope that someday, we get a solo or some important character in a ballet.  However, how do we get there?  

Believe it or not, confidence is key.  Self confidence is important in dance, as well as many different activities in your life.  Now, what is confidence exactly?  We've all heard of it, but do we really know what it is?  Sure, we can look it up in a dictionary, but the meaning of confidence changes throughout person to person.  Confidence to me is feeling certain of myself and not being afraid of being my real self.  When you hear the word confidence, what does it make you think of?  What is your definition of the word?  Post your ideas below!

Now comes the hardest question of them all.  Why is confidence so important?  Well, have you ever had someone come up to you after a show, whether it was family, friends, dance teachers or instructors and/or just a complete stranger, and say "Good job!"  How did it make you feel?  When I get that, I feel pretty good inside!  When somebody says good job to me, I want to work even harder and do even better than I did before.  It boosts my self-esteem.  And we all know what happens when you work harder...you do better!  Maybe next time you have a show, invite some of your relatives or even a couple of your friends.

It is not only important for you to get complimented, but also that your dance friends/peers do too.  At dance, it is important that you stay close and true to your friends.  Trust me, I've learned from experience.  Your friends and you are in it together, and you should always try to do the best you can to support them!  


I hope this helps!

Pointe shoes: fitting, tips, and tricks!

Hello everybody! With the summer starting, many dance students will find their studio picking students to go on pointe! This is an exciting time in the student's ballet career, and is very important!

Before you go on pointe, some studios will require you to go to the doctors to make sure that you are strong enough. It is important for you to be strong so that you will not fall off of pointe or hurt yourself.

The next step to do...go to your local dance shop! :)

When you go to get your very first pair of pointe shoes, it is good to have the teacher come with you. This is so that they can see what pair of shoes they think will work best with your feet. All dancers' feet are different.

The person fitting you will give you different kinds of toe pads.

1. Gel

2. Lamb's wool

3. Ouch pouch

After they give you the toe pads that you find most comfortable, then they will give you the pointe shoes based on your feet! Exciting! There are many different brands of pointe shoes, as well as many different kinds! It can sometimes be very overwhelming!

After trying on lots of different pointe shoes, you will finally pick out the one that feels the best and looks the best on your feet.

Now, you need ribbons and elastics!
Ribbons & Elastics

When you get home, you should sew your pointe shoes. You shouldn't try them on at home...you should wait until you get to your dance studio so that you don't hurt yourself. Meanwhile, you should watch videos on youtube of how to tie your pointe shoes.

Anaheim Ballet Pointe Shoes Trying & Tips
Anaheim Ballet: Let's Talk Toe Shoes!!!

Some other accessories that could be useful are:
Jet glue –– Apply to the bottom of your shoes to make them last longer.
Stitch kit –– For sewing your ribbons and elastics.
Knot keepers –– For shows mostly, can be used during class; keep your ribbons from coming undone

Good luck! Hope this helps, and I will write more later!