Encouraging Gift Ideas for a Dancer

The thick of the holiday season is upon us! For our teen daughter that continues to mean Nutcracker performances. For the rest of our family it means the excitement of seeing her perform after many hours, days and weeks of hard work in classes and rehearsals as a dancer. It also means providing  encouragement along the way; with reminders to eat well, rest and generally take care of herself. For me it also means continuing to be available for the conversations that include listening, communicating loving support and positive feedback. This year for the first time it means offering that in whatever ways I can from a distance because she is now pursuing this dream hundreds of miles away from us.

We will be traveling to see the Nashville Ballet's Nutcracker and bringing her home for our Christmas and New Year's celebrations, in the meantime, I've been researching, reading and acquiring resources to share with her over the holidays. Posting the beginnings of that exploration here, for any other dance moms, looking to enjoy the season, calm themselves and support their dancers.

Dancers spend an enormous amount of time moving and being physically active. Along with the physical stamina needed there is a significant amount of mental activity involved. The heightened awareness of the brain and body connection that dancers and other athletes have is usually keen however with the demands of performing in a competitive environment they are often likely to ignore the need to take some time to rest and relax.

Some down time that requires another approach to the kinesthetic mental and physical activity seems like a good idea to this mom of a ballerina.

Reading and instilling the love of reading has been one of the ideas I've worked to implement to counteract the tendency for the competitive young athlete to keep pushing through without taking the necessary break for recovery time. I've put together some favorites and some newly discovered reading resources that will hopefully lead to some relaxed, informative and inspirational reading time for all the dancers in your life.

First for the littles:
These are filled with delightful inspiration for the littlest ballerina. We read our Angelina Ballerina books over and over when our daughter was young.

This little Angelina board book is so cute!

Books for for older teen and young adult dancer:
(Keep scrolling, there's more).

 

Also, an excellent online resource regarding nutrition, that I recently discovered is; To the Pointe Nutrition. Created by Rachel Fine, a nutritionist and dancer she has written nutritionally sound and well researched ebooks for dancers. Look for more about her here on the blog; I'll be posting a longer review of her work in January. All of her work is available at: https://pointenutrition.com/

Here's to a vibrant and happy holiday dance season for all the families attending the wonderfully joyous performances associated with the season! Hang in there. Some rest is soon to follow!

Coppelia

Traditional ballets have some commonality with traditional fairy tales. Old stories of good and evil with a healthy dose of romance. Beautiful princess', handsome princes and strange characters offering temptations, fulfilling their own desires with magic or granting wishes for a price by way of poison apples, witches spells, dolls coming to life to dance or by some other wizardry. Maybe the common aspects come from the time and place originated. It is my understanding that the Grimm brothers weren't the actual authors of the many tales they recorded but the collectors of the tales. Many of both fairy tales and ballets have a dark aspect, a kind of creepiness included.

The story of Coppelia is one of the early ballet stories. The music was written by Clement Philibert Leo Delibes, a french composer of the Romatic era (1815-1910). The ballet is based on a short story written by the German writer E.T.A. Hoffmann, (the same writer of the original novel the more commonly familiar Nutcracker ballet was based on). The ballet includes a comedic twist within it's theme of the potential havoc that results from a man attempting to create a live human replica based on his own desire.

As for traditional classical ballets, the stories are old and probably also based on stories from the oral traditions where they first appeared. Usually they include a romance, good and evil or at least some mischief and the everyone dances around happy ending. Or as a favorite stand up comedian, Brian Regan, shares about his efforts to understand ballet performances, "he loves her, she doesn't love him, she loves someone else and they all dance around for a couple of hours" his description could be a condensed version of Coppelia with the addition of  the wedding finale. In the story of Coppelia, one of the someones is a mechanical doll created by the toy maker Coppelias. The addition of the characterization of mechanical dolls adds to the variety of  physical dance movement, delightfully performed by the ballerinas.

Why am I writing about a specific ballet? (besides to share and brag a little) about the accomplishment of our last graduating home school student. Mostly, I want to share and give an example of learning by following a students interests, how so many subjects including academics can be covered by, or at least touched upon, by interest led learning. I want to share our experience so that it can serve as an illustration of the value of doing and learning in the bigger world. Participating in the world by following interests can lead to intense and relevant learning for any student.

 

My daughter's participation in this production is just one of the examples from our homeschooling experience of how it really can work. That most, if not all, subjects can be learned through actual participation in events, projects and work. Sometimes homeschool families need encouragement to follow the lead of their students. Sometimes, it is the students themselves, who need reassurance of the value of what they are doing. For some students, confirmation of that value may not come to them often enough before they venture into the real world as young adults.

My daughter, the aspiring ballerina/dancer was cast in the role of Swanhilde for this classic ballet. As a homeschool student, completing high school, we considered her acceptance of the role as a part of her completion of her homeschool high school journey. The many hours of learning and practice fulfilled more than one requirement for her transcripts. This was an interest led unit study. An extreme interest led unit study.

Based on learning this role, there was immersion into the story as told through the dance and the classical music of this ballet. Through her participation, she covered to some degree; subjects of music, western civilization & history, themes in literature, art history, technology, internet based research, performance, and business. For some of these topics her awareness was simply increased, for others a deeper understanding was achieved. There were the many hours of the physical demands of dance needed to learn the choreography. That combined with the listening, learning about the music and the history created an intense unit study. The dedication to continue was supported by her learning about the importance of attention to her own needs for rest and good nutrition. There was learning about planning, organization and following through on a big commitment.

An added bonus to this kind of a homeschool approach to learning: If you, as a homeschool parent, continue to have any reservation about the big question of socialization or are still confronted by the question from others, is how this answers those questions. An approach that puts you and/or your children right smack in the middle of projects like this offer a very real opportunity for what the goals of socialization really are; to interact in a real, professional way with people of all ages who are working to accomplish a common goal, where the outcome is dependent on dedication, trust and the need to support everyone involved to do their very best.

I am most happy to say that this is, in fact,  the thing I am most proud of about my daughter's participation in this production. She handled herself with grace while consistently working over time to achieve the goal of knowing and performing her part to her full capability. Her character traits of a strong work ethic, support for other cast members, respect for teachers and of avoiding drama or gossip were evident throughout. These are all qualities that improve the result of any endeavor. Seeing this and practicing it in real situations provides value far beyond what I or an isolated classroom experience could hope to impart. Wherever my daughter's dance career takes her, these qualities will create the most value to herself and those she interacts with through out her life.

'Tis the Season

Like sports, and life really, the dance world has it's seasons. For dance students that cycle typically includes performances in the winter and in the spring. The annual winter holiday schedule traditionally involves productions of the Nutcracker. The celebrated Nutcracker Ballet is performed by many studios and companies in Europe and across the U.S.


Our daughter dancer is involved again this year with some changes. New studio, new roles, new rehearsal schedule and a new timeline for our family. This year's participation requires rehearsals up until the weekend immediately before Christmas is celebrated. The timeline shift hasn't deterred our daughter, the six day a week dance demands are just part of her current schedule, even with the up-until-the-day-before Christmas Eve commitment. Our family adapts because we know the joy, being on that stage, brings her. And I have to admit, there is more than a little joy for me, as well, seeing her perform in this ballet.

2018 Nutcracker with the Chicago School of Ballet

The Chicago School of Ballet
presentsThe Nutcracker

From last year's Nutcracker post on November 17, 2017:

It may not seem like it's quite time yet. Thanksgiving hasn't even arrived. Here at our house, honestly, we haven't done much preparation for Thanksgiving yet, at all. The primary reason being, Adah's participation in the Hinsdale Ballet Theater's production of The Nutcracker. Presented the weekend before Thanksgiving, the show kicks off the holiday season for us now. The benefit to the dancers and their families of an early season Nutcracker, is that it affords us all the opportunity to relish the upcoming holidays after the production without the pressure of a performance looming.

Adah in rehearsals. View her Instagram profile. 

A brother observes a rehearsal.

Right now, however, the rehearsals are packed in and the show is about to begin. The three pre-Thanksgiving performances with the young artists begin tomorrow November 18, as they dance their way into the holiday season. Dancers from the Milwaukee Ballet will be dancing with them in these performances giving the young company members an exciting opportunity to learn from the accomplishments of others as they share the stage with professionals.

2017 Adah performed "Spanish" with
Milwaukee Ballet's, Isaac Sharratt

 Hinsdale Dance Academy

Travel, Trust, Technique

Recently, I traveled to Nashville to retrieve my youngest, my daughter, the dancer. She attended Nashville Ballet's summer dance intensive. Beginning her dance training "late" in her young life, she is working hard to catch up with her peers. So being away from home for over a month to focus on dance technique was a part of her plan.

For our family, sending a teen off for so many weeks was a huge first! For myself, it was a sudden transition, a preview of what is soon to come in my own life. I see my future and I am actually excited about the possibilities. First up there will be quiet time, with the possibility of uninterrupted thoughts convening in my mind and coming to fruition (or not) based on my own inclinations, not those of others in our household. There will be more travel with my husband and on my own. We will both be able to work more on our own creative pursuits. We will also have the awesome joy of  watching as our young adult children follow their dreams and goals, taking the road to enter the big world as contributing members of a larger community.

For each of us, myself, my husband, our two sons and our daughter, the possibilities are wonderful and exciting. I am thankful that we made the decisions and sacrifices that we have to spend many hours, days, weeks, months and years together developing strong bonds with each other, growing and learning. There were days of questioning ourselves and doubting our decision to home school. We had to trust again, and again that we knew our children and what worked for our family. We did make the best choice for our family by taking advantage of the option to home school. We aren't quite done yet but it is right around the corner. I caught a glimpse of the future and it is good!

Where they lead...

As parents, no matter the plans we have for our families and specifically each of our children, their ideas, talents and interests are their own and the more they are allowed to develop them and their own thinking the more we may find ourselves in unknown territory, assisting them in accessing the resources and training they need to explore and develop their own unique gifts and talents.

It is an adventure to see where our children, in the developing of their own unique gifts, might lead us as we explore, learn and enjoy the world together.

With our boys, providing for physical activity was always a priority, allowing for exploration and the opportunity to develop the physical skills they wanted to possess meant being outdoors and active; learning to ride tricycles, bicycles, skates, skateboards. It meant sports, organized and unorganized, golf courses, driving ranges and many summers at the baseball field; community sports, travel team sports, and athletic teams in the local public school.

Our daughter, our youngest, could have followed in their footsteps, and she did in a family backyard playground, kind of way. However, when it came time to participate in an organized activity, she declined. There are many girls in our community who play baseball and many who play softball, but apparently, she had had enough of running the bases. She was interested in dance and gymnastics. Her pursuit of gymnastics and invitations to join competitive teams led us to finding and her receiving excellent training. We traveled to regional and national competitions. She found one of her passions. She accomplished so much. She developed relationships with other dedicated girls who became her best friends. And then...


Change is inevitable and when our daughter chose to focus on dance training, we were in for another learning experience. So much to learn while following another potential passion; ballet, variations, modern, contemporary, and shoes, shoes, and more shoes, pointe, flat, jazz, and character shoes.

Ballet class leads to ballet performances and stage time, individually and as a group. Those performances lead to behind the scenes parent volunteer time and more learning opportunities for family members in unexpected places.


In homeschooling families, the learning of a particular subject matter often carries over to siblings as they watch and support one another. Her older brothers have attended (and actually enjoyed) more ballet performances then any of us would have ever anticpated.

The learning, thankfully never ends and based on our youngest's participation as a dancer, we are headed into another new experience this summer. The same daughter, on the verge of  becoming a young woman, will be attending a many week summer dance intensive, away from home! As a homeschooling family, (if you are one, you'll get this) we have very rarely even spent overnights away from each other. This is a wonderful opportunity, it is an exciting adventure, that puts her, as a student on her path to independence, a little sooner than we might have predicted. We are headed, once again, into uncharted territory. For her, a summer of new and advanced training, a summer of hard work and learning away from family. For us, a summer with many days apart from our youngest, still a teen.

Wish me well as we hit the road, to take her to this exciting new adventure. I'll be coming back home to an almost "empty nest". I'll be coming back to work on some long neglected projects and passions of my own. There are so many, I won't know where to begin!

What unexpected learning, adventures and travel have your children led you to? Leave me some comments, I'm going to need the company!

A Round Up of Ideas for Summer

Dance Adah Dance

Dance has now become Adah's study pursuit of choice. 

Achieving and celebrating; together.
View the video of their group dance.

This year Adah began pursuing dance skills and techniques with a passion. All that she learned as a gymnast about consistent practice and hard work has paid off for her this year as she applied it all in the dance studio.                                                           The best part for me, as her mom, is seeing her happy. Despite her demonstrated commitment, she has a relaxed and joyful approach to her goals. Competence through daily practice does not have to be excruciatingly painful. The process of achieving excellence can be accompanied by gladness.

Adah was given the opportunity to perform in Hinsdale Dance Academy's productions of the Nutcracker, Midsummer Night's Dream and recital. 

Adah with Jennifer Grapes,
Founder and Director
Hinsdale Dance Academy

Adah with Shannon Hershman,
Choreographer, Director
Hinsdale Dance Academy's Junior Company

As a member of the Hinsdale Dance Academy's Junior Company, she participated in dance competitions in group dances and with solos, winning two 1st place awards at Showstoppers - Chicago. Additional acknowledgement secured her transition to dance: she was honored with a scholarship. Following the recital she was awarded her studio's annual scholarship. Presented by Hinsdale Dance Academy's founder and director, Jennifer Grapes, the scholarship was newly named for a beloved studio staff member and dance patron Janet Saxton-Croughan. 

Thank you, Ms Jenn!

"Each year, HDA offers a 50% tuition scholarship to one student who demonstrates strong work ethic, positive attitude, and an eagerness to learn. Beginning this year, the scholarship has been named the JANET SAXTON-CROUGHAN SCHOLARSHIP and a full scholarship to our Summer Intensive has been added in loving memory of Ms. Janet."

"We are extremely proud to announce this year's 2017-2018 recipient is ADAH RUNYAN-RANDRUUT!"

Hinsdale Dance Academy

Many thanks to all the staff at Hinsdale Dance Academy for nurturing, inspiring and teaching! Your commitment to creating and maintaining a supportive environment for learning is much appreciated!