Pliés in a Restaurant

Last week

our family and some friends

from ballet were eating

at one of our favorite

local restaurants.

Considering the fact that
we were eating
Chinese Dim Sum,
which had a variety
of unusual food
for the American pallet,
everyone's behavior was
appropriate for the occasion.

The conversation was delightful
and filled with laughter.

The end of the meal conversation,
of course, turned toward
the subject of Nutcracker-

from rehearsals,

to how to do multiple parts,

to making up
a new Nutcracker story
that combines parts
like the Snow King and
the Mouse King
with a half-and-half costume.

Then we discussed
how best to exercise
while at work;
suggestions included-
exercises at a desk,
lifting bank tellers,
and ended with
one of the male dancers
standing up and
demonstrating pliés
as he would hand paper work
to a coworker at a bank.

The funniest part was
that there was no embarrassment
on anyone's face at our table-
just lots of laughter. 

Spontaneity, laughter, and friendship
among like minded people is such a joy....

Family Vacation from Ballet

For the first time in five years,

our family took

an extended family vacation

during a season of ballet.

While the kids

had ten (10) days

of no ballet,

a costume project

did make it into the car.

On the first day of vacation,

five hours of the twelve hour drive-

in between navigation duties- 

were spent taking off beads

from a couple of costumes

in order to reuse some

 of them in the beading rework

for the costumes.

My husband patiently helped remove

the remaining beads

while sitting

at Nutcracker rehearsal

the day after returning from vacation.

My son had thought

that he would have time

to do some stretching exercises

during vacation.

Alas,

this was a twelve hour a day,

go all day at full steam

vacation.

Of the six days

at Disney World, Florida-

two days were spent at EPCOT;

a midnight swim

and getting up very early

the next morning;

two days at Magic Kingdom;

a day in torrential rains

and at Downtown Disney;

a half of day of packing

and leaving.

Then a quick trip to put our feet

in the Atlantic Ocean

before continuing on toward

Savannah, Georgia.

A day in Savannah

included a Girl Scout Pilgrimage

to Juliette Gordon Low's Birthplace

and the Birthplace of Girl Scouts

in order to celebrate

100 years of Girl Scouts USA

and ten years of my daughter

being a Girl Scout,

as well as, my ten years

as a Girl Scout Leader.

A day in Atlanta

included the High Museum of Art

and a quick drive around

the Capitol building.

(On the way to Disney World,

there was a quick stop around

the Capitol building

in Tallahassee, Florida.)

The only ballet that was done

during this trip was a quick,

and a little reluctant,

pose in the Canadian area

at EPCOT

for our ballet family friends

who live in our hometown

but are originally from Canada.

(They gave us great advise from

their Disney World experiences.)

It has been a month since

we started out on our vacation;

reality is just now starting

to impose on my

vacation euphoria-

there is soooo much

to get done before

Nutcracker performances.

Family Memories

made outside of ballet,

imagine that....

Nutcracker has begun...

...and it's only September.

As soon as summer Ballet Intensives

were over in August,

there were classes to review 

Nutcracker choreography

for the students.

For me,

since last Nutcracker,

visions of having a

Nutcracker Handbook

for cast members,

especially new ones,

have danced in my head.

After a month

of gathering the information,

typing and formating,

retyping and reformating,

having it edited by others,

I consider it done....

Well, except for

getting the directors

to write a welcome letter

and then

printing it out.

In a couple of days,

I definitely will  be doing

A HAPPY DANCE...

...and maybe even to the tune of

Snow

or

Chinese

or

Sugar Plum Cavalier....

En Pointe

Two years ago,
at the beginning
of the fourth decade of my life,
and having taken ballet
on and off
for about a decade,
I decided that I wanted to attempt
to go en pointe by my next birthday.

Mind you, I struggle with remembering:

1) the French ballet terms;

2) the warm up lessons
after the fourth or fifth exercise;

3) any ballet combinations that
require more than two parts;

4) not letting my other activities
interfere with going to ballet class;

5) and, basic proper alignment
for ballet dancers.

However, I set the challenge for myself
and attempted to attend
more than my usual one class per week.

Also, I was encouraged by
one of my children's ballet teachers,
who is also a parent
of one of their ballet friends,
who is an extraordinary ballet costumer,
and, a great friend.

She gave me specific exercises
to strengthen my feet
and
reminded me to use my core muscles.

Just before the end of the calendar year,
one of my friends that had been taking
ballet classes said that she had gotten
permission to start en pointe
in January, just around my birthday.

So, I went out and purchased pointe shoes
at the beginning of January.

And then, just as it looked like I would be
en pointe by my birthday,
a snow storm hit
and
closed down everything
for almost a week.

So, after sewing on my pointe shoe ribbons,
which I was supposed to have waited to do
after the teacher had approved
the first pointe shoes,
I got to go en pointe at the barre
just a few days after my birthday.

I would love to say that I improved
over the next year,
but I was unable to get in my
pointe shoes on a regular basis
and remained doing barre work.

In order to improve en pointe,
this January, as part of my make-up
classes for all the classes I missed
in the fall due to other activities,
meetings, Nutcracker duties
in the costume room and props,
I decided to take the class
for students (around 11 years)
who were about to start
en pointe for the first time.

Today,
after my fourth pointe class
this year,
I went en pointe
in the middle of the floor.

It wasn't pretty,
but I did manage at least
three times
to go on full pointe.

I only wish my children
had witnessed it
because at least one
of them seems
to be a little doubtful.

Oh, well, I know I put my
fear of falling behind me.

En Pointe!

10 Years of Nutcracker

Our family just finished our
10th
Nutcracker.

It was the first Nutcracker
that no one was
in Act I.

This was a very odd feeling.

I never even got to watch Act I
from backstage
because either
I was helping with last minute
sewing projects
(mending, buttons, shoe elastics, etc)
or
helping my daughter
with her hair and make-up.

It was really the first year
that I understood
one of the other mother's advice
to trade daughters
during dressing room preparations.

My daughters hair is very thick
and this year it was shorter
because she had donated
some of the length to
Locks of Love
during the summer.

Due to the thickness,
I always braid her hair
into several small braids
in order to make the bun
look flatter.

Just before performance,
we thought that the hair was fine
until we tried putting
the headpiece on her head
and found that the bun was too high.

We tried moving the bun lower,
but it messed up the rest of her hair
and
she could not get the bun to feel secure.

After taking out the braids
and while re-brushing her hair
and trying to find the perfect spot
for the bun after several attempts,
a sudden feeling came over me
that I needed to just pull her hair
off her head and make it a wig
with a permanent bun.

There was no feeling of wanting
to hurt my daughter-
just wanting do something
that would make the whole
bun process easier.

Finally,
the perfect spot for the bun;
and,
I was able to make a great bun
without having to re-braid her hair.

So,
even if one has a good relationship
with family members,
during stressful times backstage,
have a third party help.

A couple of things
that I enjoyed this year:

1) watching my daughter help my son
put on his make-up;

and 2) my son occasionally asking me
to help make sure that
his hair, costume, and make-up
were ready for stage.

(Although he's not thrilled
with the way that I like his hair
to be on stage,
he was good about asking
if it was done to my liking.)

The best part of
10 years of Nutcracker
is that it is
a family activity.

Nutcracker- A Family Tradition

One of the reasons for this blog is to help me preserve our family's ballet memories.

Now, the Nutcracker defines
our winter holiday season
(from Thanksgiving to New Years).

Our family often bases our travel plans
around rehearsals at Thanksgiving;
and then,
visiting plans for December
are based on which
side of the extended families
has been most neglected
due to ballet schedules
throughout the year.

We have not had a Christmas tree in our house since 1999.

Due to weather in 2000,
we managed to buy one
and immediately had to put it on the porch
because ice cycles had begun to form.
(That tree stayed green until February
and was still green when my husband
thought it was time to put it on the street
because it was Valentine's Day).

Due to my husband's overseas travel schedule in 2001,
we managed to get one
in time to put it in the back
of our new pick-up truck
(and used battery powered lights)
before having to travel out-of-town
for family visits.

From 2002 to the present,
we have not had a family Christmas tree
because of Nutcracker.

My children have their own miniature trees,
but at some point,
they decided not to put up
their trees every year.

My children have been able to help decorate
their grandparents' Christmas trees,
but in general,
they don't seem to miss that particular tradition.

To us,
Nutcracker
and
traveling to see relatives
makes for great family traditions.

Nutcracker 101- Make-up

Let's start out by saying that this is not, by any means, an expertly written blog on stage make-up.

These are the things my little brain can remember after thirteen years of performances (this includes school performances and spring shows, as well as, Nutcracker).

As a quick side note:
Ballet dancers tend to wear less street make-up
(and often none)
than the rest of society.

The basics of ballet stage make-up includes:

1) Base that is one shade darker than one's skin color.

2) Eyeliner

a) Black or brown

b) Optional: White
(For between the upper and lower extended lines of the black or brown)

3) Blush
(pink or orangish)
(nothing with a blue tint*)

4) Lipstick with some shine to it.
(nothing with a blue tint*)

* Note: A blue tint makes one look blue and unnatural on stage because of the lights.

5) Eyeshadow
(usually the color of the eye color)

6) Make-up remover wipes
(Sensitive skin works best)

Some parts in Nutcracker have professional stage make-up, these include:

Drosselmeir,

Animated Toys,

Soldiers,

Gingerbread Children,

Mother Ginger,

and possibly,

Arabian,

Chinese,

or other character parts.

At some point, photographs will be added to better illustrate this post, because it is definitely difficult to describe everything in details.

Nutcracker Backstage Version

One of the fun things about Nutcracker is the camaraderie among the backstage helpers.

While sewing costumes, building props, moving into and out of the theatre, and working backstage during a performance, patterns begin to emerge in the way people act and react, often based on their part or their child's part in Nutcracker.

Over the years, a Nutcracker Backstage Version has emerged in our minds.

We have only discussed this version and never really written anything down, so here is my attempt at some of the ideas.

Act I: Scene 1

Backstage Costume Room less than five minutes before performance:

Costumes are being frantically sewn and pinned together at the last minute.

Young ladies with nervous giggles are being sewn into their tutus.

Pointe shoe ribbons and boys' shoe elastics are being sewn at the last minute and blood is being drawn with each stitch.

Party Men are nervously asking how to put the costume together.

And, Party Boys are being wrangled to make sure that their costumes are in order.

Act I: Scene 2

Backstage Wings:

Dancers are jumping up and down to keep warm and fight off nervousness.

Dancers are checking each others' costumes.

Little ones and some Nutcracker veterans are being yelled at by the backstage crew to leave the props alone.

And, there are lots of "shs" being sounded.

Act I: Scene 3

As Clara gets ready to go on stage, her mom is frantically making sure that every curl is in place with more hairspray.

Clara's hair ribbon is getting pinned to her head with cries from her mom of:

"Now don't cry!

I'm sorry!

Yes, I should have used a bobby pin, not a safety pin that was meant for your dress ribbon.

Stop yelling at me!

Smile, it's time for you to go on stage.

Remember to smile..."
(as Clara runs on stage just in time).

Act I: Scene 4

The director is frantically trying to get someone's attention on stage because they forgot to take off their backstage socks that they wear over the ballet shoes.

Note: Socks are worn over the ballet slippers backstage so that wax is not brought on stage, which could make the floor too slippery for the pointe shoe dancers.

Act I: Scene 5

The backstage crew is cursing under their breath because of all the Party props that have to be removed off stage before the Battle begins.

To top it all off, no matter which way they attempt to clear a path for themselves and the props, there are dancers and moms getting in their way at every turn.

Act I: Scene 6

The Snow Scene begins and beautiful dancers run on and off stage between their pieces.

All one can hear is "THUD, THUD, THUD"
(not to the music)
of the pointe shoes on stage

and

the PANTING of the dancers as they try to catch a quick breath before running back on stage.

Intermission:

Parents, family, and friends are flooding backstage to congratulate the dancers and take pictures among the chaos of trying to prepare for Act II.

The little ones are being wrangled to get their costumes off before they try to eat a snack.

Company Ballet Dancers are doing a last minute hair, make-up, and costume check.

Mothers are telling their daughters to go to "So-and-So" because it is easier to deal with another child that is not your own whiny one.

Act II: Scene I

Angel moms are obsessing over the costumes, trying to make sure they are "perfect" before their princesses go on stage.

As the angels go on stage, their moms are trying to take pictures with flashes on their cameras.

Note: Flashes should never be used at a dance performance because it can temporarily blind the dancers.

Note: Flashes going off backstage can often be seen by the audience- a very big "no, no."

Backstage crew is muttering under their breath about "newbies,"
as the angels and their moms take their time to leave the backstage wings and walk where they are not allowed in a possible "audience may see backstage zone."

Act II: Scene 2

Instead of dancers on stage, the moms and some dads in some very gaudy costumes have decided to imitate the dances that they have seen year after year to the same music that they hear year after year.

The dancers are looking very appalled backstage.

Act II: Scene 3

The backstage crew and props people have put police tape around the props as a reminder to not touch.

The Nutcracker has been wrapped in bubble wrap before being returned to Clara on stage because the backstage props crew is tired of repairing it year after year.

A few Party Girls are in tears because the Fritz took their chocolate and other candies and tried to rub it on them.

And, Fritz, well, let's just say he really is in
"Time Out"
(since spankings are no longer allowed in this day and age).

The End!

Nutcracker- Clara Mom

While I try very hard not to be a "backstage" mom, when your children get "lead" parts, sometimes it just comes with the territory.

When my son was Fritz, he was ready to be out of the Party Scene after four years of being a Party Boy.

In other words, he was starting to need less time with me as a backstage "boy wrangler" and almost resented me making a big deal out of him being Fritz.

My daughter became Clara the next year.

Now, my daughter wanted to be Clara from the first Nutcracker performance she watched around age two.

She repeatedly told her ballet instructors this fact.

She could not wait until she was:
first, old enough to be in Nutcracker;
and then, far enough along in ballet to audition for Clara.

She enjoyed her first year in Nutcracker as a Small Mouse, just like her older brother had begun his Nutcracker career.

At the first rehearsal for Small Mice, my daughter had to be told that there was new choreography, so she had to stop trying to teach everyone the old choreography that her brother had used.

The next year she was excited to be in the Party Scene as an Animated Small Doll.

Her third year of Nutcracker, she was finally able to audition for the part of Clara.

She got the part of a Party Girl and she was happy.

The next year, she had it in her head that she would be Clara.

There was no talking her out of it.

It was difficult to prepare her for not getting the part because of her positive enthusiasm.

As a mom, I was extremely worried.

I prepared myself for a cry no matter what the outcome.

When we arrived at the ballet studio and saw the cast list, we were elated- she had the part of Clara!

I left the ballet studio as soon as possible, both to keep myself calm and to do some errands.

I called one of my best childhood friends in California.

The phone kept cutting out for almost ten minutes.

Finally, we got a good connection and I managed to tell her the good news through my tears.

The relief to finally cry was cathartic.

And then, Clara Mom was set in motion.

The reason Clara Moms act the way they do is mostly due to pressures.

The pressures include:

1) Three to four practices per week for Clara.

2) Learning and practicing the hair and make-up, which includes:

a) Putting lots of curlers in my daughter's long, thick hair; a task that takes at least an hour after a long day
.
b) Wearing curlers overnight and having a daughter who claims not enough sleep the next day because of it.

c) How much hairspray and what kind is needed before, during, and after curling in order to make the coiffure last.

3) Learning to help with the Clara quick change from party dress to nightgown in the dark.

4) Keeping Clara calm as the stress mounts the closer one gets to the performances due to:

a) Even more rehearsals

b) Special mini performances at schools, homes for the elderly, libraries, etc

c) Late night Tech Week

5) Nutcracker gifts for the cast
(While both my daughter and I love to craft our Nutcracker gifts, we chose to go a slightly easier route and bought mini Nutcrackers and my daughter hand-stamped cards and signed her name and I filled in the cast names.)

Of course, the hardest part is remembering to smile at people when your exhausted;
especially for me because am naturally a shy person and have to think about smiling anyway.

And, the best part of being a Clara Mom is helping other Clara Moms through the ordeal.

My daughter and I like to host an annual Clara and Mom Gathering where past Claras and past Clara Moms pass on their words of wisdom and memories to the current Claras and their moms.

As one of my friends reminded me when I started to get upset because I thought my daughter was being overlooked for a part, "Remember that she had the honor of being Clara."

I had the honor of being a Clara Mom.

Once a Clara Mom, always a Clara Mom.

Nutcracker 101- Casting

The most difficult part in dealing with Nutcracker is casting.

A cast for Nutcracker can include hundreds of people.

While most parts are for ballet dancers, there are some that might be cast to actors.

Those that are cast to actors may include:
Fritz,
Adults at the party,
Drosselmeir,
and
Mother Ginger

As a parent, there are parts that you would really love for your child to have, especially the "lead" parts.

The "lead" parts for girls include:
Clara,
Snow Queen,
and
Sugar Plum Fairy

The "lead" parts for boys include:
Fritz,
Snow Cavalier,
and
Sugar Plum Cavalier

Of course, there are years when your dancer also wants these parts too.

Let's just say that emotions run very high around casting time.

However, the thing that one must remember is that the Artistic Director has their own idea of what they want to see on stage.

This means that sometimes parts are cast based on dance ability, or "looks," or a combination of both, and, on very rare occasions, monetary contributions.

And, the Artistic Director does NOT have to explain their reasoning for the cast list.

So, at the end of the day, a dancer must embrace the part they are given and hope for the one they want next year.

Seasons of Ballet Details- Winter

"Winter
Summer Intensive Auditions"

Winter should be for hibernation.

For every hour spent on Nutcracker, one should have one hour of sleep in hibernation mode.

However, now that there is one teenager on the career track for ballet, Summer Intensives have become very important.

This past winter break was spent driving back and forth to another city to take daily ballet classes in order to perfect techniques for try-outs for Summer Intensives.

January is spent making sure that ballet pose pictures and head shots are done, forms filled out, choosing a location and time frame, and then auditioning.

And, all of this on top of
"Winter
Spring Performance Season"

It's my understanding that ballet companies must have at least two paid performances per year in order to keep their tax exempt status.

So, every January begins the preparations for a Spring Performance at the beginning of April.

Auditions and new dances to learn.

Costumes and props to make.

However, unlike Nutcracker where there are over a hundred participants on stage from age seven to seasoned adults, there are just company members from age eleven to adults.

My favorite part about Spring Performance is that our company has Fairy Tale based ballets.

It's so much fun to sit in the audience dressed like a princess, including a tiara, with all of the little princesses and princes in awe of the ballet dancers.

Seasons of Ballet Details- Fall

As the last post was done in about five minutes before a Nutcracker Evaluation Meeting, and my children think that more details about my feelings are needed for the last blog, here goes...

"Fall
New Classes"

While fall is great when the temperatures finally start dropping, calling August part of the fall season is not fun in my book.

August should remain as part of the summer!

Unfortunately, in my state, the schools have decided that the school year starts at the beginning of August.

This means that activities start in August, though most will start at least a week or so after the schools reopen.

What this means to me:

1) No recovery time from summer activities.

2) It is way too hot (100 degree weather)
to be thinking- Fall.

3) Trying to adjust to a new schedule.

4) Updating the calendar of activities
(which never really gets completely done).

"Fall
Nutcracker Season"

While this is one of my favorite times of the year, thinking about Nutcracker and the list of things associated with it is not always fun.

The list includes:

a) The contemplation of what parts my children would like this year verses what parts they will actually get.

b) Thinking of crafty gifts to make based on the parts of my children.

Don't get me wrong, crafts are one of my favorite things to do.

It's the planning and getting the supplies early, knowing that, in the end, one will be staying up for several late nights during the last few weeks of rehearsal making gifts.

c) Costumes-

Alterations and more alterations

Helping to make new ones

Revamping old ones

Trying to teach someone to take over a group of costumes that one is tired of seeing and dealing with year after year-
"MICE"

My favorite part doesn't come until almost the end- details on the costumes.

[Pictures will be posted at a later date of some of my Nutcracker costume details.]

d) Props-

Repairing

Building new ones

[Pictures to be posted at a later date of some of the props our family has made]

Discussions with my husband on improvements and the cheapest way to make something that will last for years and need little repair.
(FUN!)

A list of ways to keep hands and other body parts off of props when not in use on stage.

Hm, I wonder if mouse traps would work...

Buzzers are too loud.

A small jolt of electricity?

Seriously, props are made for a specific purpose.

Please don't handle props unless it's during the rehearsal for the prop or one is on stage performing with the prop.

By the way, exceptions will be made for handling props for pictures, if prior permission has been obtained from one of the following "proper authorities"-

Artistic Director
School Director
Props Coordinator
Backstage Manager

d) Are we actually ready for another Nutcracker Season of weekly weekend rehearsals for four (4) months, last minute performing opportunities, and all of the backstage projects?

After saying all this, it may be difficult to believe that Nutcracker Season is one of my favorite times of the year!

Seasons of Ballet

Fall
New Classes
Nutcracker Season

Winter
Summer Intensive Auditions
Spring Performance Season

Spring
Spring Performances
School Performances

Summer
Summer Intensives


Where did my vacation time go?

Ms Meg

Ms Meg is my hero.

She has the patience of a saint when it comes to toddlers and very young children.

Her talents include gymnastics, ballet, choreography, wonderful stage make-up, props, and friendship.

Both my children started gymnastics as toddlers with Ms Meg and then took Creative Ballet (pre-pre ballet) with her for about three to four years each.

Ms Meg's daughter, her daughter's best friend, and my son were all the same age and took ballet class together with Ms Meg.

After class, the three of them and my daughter would color, play games, or figure out some way to stick around the ballet studio for an extra hour or so.

When my daughter tagged along to ballet class, Ms Meg would allow her to sit quietly in the studio and then participate for some of the exercises.

Due to the strict rule about being four years old to begin ballet, my daughter's January birthday prohibited her from beginning her own ballet class in the fall.

After many tears, I reluctantly agreed to let my daughter take dance at another dance studio where she took a combination class of ballet, tap, gymnastics, and singing.

Between the class being at my daughter's natural evening slow down time, my daughter only liking the ballet and gymnastics (which she was also taking somewhere else), and the studio wanting recital money in December for an "unknown" costume for May, I begged Ms Meg to please let my daughter take ballet classes with her the day after she turned four in January.
Ms Meg, thankfully, agreed!

When my son had his first Cavalier role during Nutcracker 2010, I cried on Ms Meg's shoulder and she recalled my son's attempt to quit rehearsing for his first ballet performance.

Apparently, he thought because he knew the dance, that practice was over; Ms Meg said that he could refuse to participate, but he would not be going on stage- my son promptly got up and joined the class.

While practicing on stage before their first performance, Ms Meg explained that they would not be able to see their parents during the performance due to the bright lights.

When asked after the performance if he could see the audience, my son's matter-of-fact reply, "Mom, you know Ms Meg said we wouldn't be able to see the audience because of the bright lights."

Ms Meg had also told the parents to get a base make-up that was a shade darker than their children's skin tone so that they would not be washed out by the stage lights.
And, yes, boys had to wear it too.

My son decided that he was not wearing make-up; Ms Meg suggested putting it on him at the last minute.

So, at the last minute before leaving the green room, my son allowed me to apply some base; and, as he was standing in line to go on stage, some blush was sneakily applied.

And, Ms Meg had a wipe to remove the make-up afterward.

Of course, the number of flower head pieces made for her budding ballerinas, extra details put on costumes and special costumes created for my son, and her handmade props- including a fire-breathing Chinese dragon that my son used for one of Ms Meg's beautiful choreographed "Chinese" pieces for Nutcracker- makes Ms Meg an artist extraordinaire.

About Behind the Ballet Barre

The intention of this blog is to share my memories and things learned through and about ballet since my son began taking ballet at the age of 4 1/2 in 1999 and my 2 1/2 year old daughter tagged along and begged to be included in the class too.

A few years later, I began taking beginning adult ballet classes.


As the children became more involved in more ballet and dance classes, our time at the dance studio increases and other activities slowly decrease.

After the first several Nutcrackers, I finally convinced my husband that watching from backstage was so much more enjoyable, especially if one is helping; and, now, being at the ballet studio is a family affair- including building props and helping with costumes.

While my son and daughter love performing and helping behind the scenes, my husband and I have no desire to be on stage when the curtain is up.

As my son pursues a career in classical ballet and my daughter applies what she learns in dance to other aspects of her life, my goal is to make sure that we have more than a few memorable "Behind the Ballet Barre" memories.