Port De Bras and All That Jazz

As you may or may not have noticed, I have been writing my blogs in order from head to toe, therefore the title, "Bun to Ballet Shoes". That is only related to the blogs on physical attributes of a ballerina, not necessarily the super personal ones. Today, my blog is a mix of the two. Since I last did the "ballet bun", today I will be talking about port de bras (again, refer to my dictionary), the often unnoticed aspect when watching a ballet. Port de bras refers to the movement of your upper back and arms. When you see professional ballerinas perform, they are mesmerizing, and it's hard not to focus on the big, grand movements because, well, they're big and amazing. But what is often less noticed, is their arms and the control and energy that goes through them. Ballet wouldn't be nearly as graceful without them, they are just doing the more subtle movements.

In class, you are constantly thinking, "What do I need to fix, now?" and do your best, with the teachers help, to fix it. It sounds a lot easier than it is. There are sooooooo many things to focus on in just one simple combination...sometimes, it is a little overwhelming. That's what makes this art so exciting, though! You always have something to work on, and for me at the moment, it's my port de bras. This has been an issue for me for a while, and now it is REALLY becoming an issue.

My brain sends requests for my leg to go there, my foot to point, engage this muscle, relax that one...and so on. For some reason, my arms aren't getting their messages all the time. Yes, Houston, as in my brain, we do have a problem. If I don't focus on just my port de bras, and port de bras only, I don't use them in the right way. Instead of using my arms to continue each movement and hold them stable, they start to droop. The thing that I have to focus on when trying to fix this, is to engage my upper back to relieve some of the stress from my skinny little arm muscles. If I just lock my shoulder blades in the right position, I still have that range of motion, but I am using my muscles, rather than just placing them. I like to think of it like I'm moving through peanut butter... it adds much more artistry to my dancing. In the video of Polina Semionova, try to just watch her upper body movements to notice how much they add to her dancing.

While I am still trying to figure that out, it will be the bane of my dancing. But because I see the beauty in it when watching other ballet dancers, I am really aware of its importance. I just need to really "feel the peanut butter", and maybe, some arm strengthening as well. In fact, we can both check out this video on upper body strengthening and posture.

Hayden

Head (and body) Back in The Game

With any sport, as you may know, you are constantly working up an invisible "mountain" and working towards that goal often. Your body and muscles gain a type momentum in dance, where you keep building on the previous class. Of course it isn't a steady climb to your goal, but you get into a mode that strengthens and I like to think, gives your body a "callas" like you do on your feet. Once you take a break, you lose that momentum. Trust me, I could always use a nice break like UEA, most recently, but I may not have taken care of my body the best way possible in that time.

In ballet, you are constantly pulling up your muscles and squeezing them in order to be able to hold your leg in front of your face. Not only do just tense your muscles, but you have to place them and continue to extend them throughout your whole body in Every. Single. Move. Just before break, I was feeling myself reaching a good level of capability, maintaing higher increments in positions. Then came the sweet relief of Meema (my grandma) and Grandad's house for fall break. After driving 5 hours to Boise, Idaho directly after dance, I finally got to fall into a cozy bed in their cozy house. Completely dreamy. Morning came around, and let's just say, Hayden was not going to be doing any grande jetés anytime soon (refer to my definition page, for those who don't quite understand ballet language). I was stiff as a board, and it was because I sat in a not-so-comfy position for multiple hours directly after working my butt off in ballet. My muscles weren't so pleased with me. I attempted stretching, but soon found myself sucked into a book on their equally cozy couch. 

I had the option of taking drop in classes at Ballet Idaho while in Boise, which I have always enjoyed in past visits, but came up with stomach aches and the need to get my homework done. My slacking came back and slapped me in face that following week. Needless to say, I had officially lost my momentum, my muscles refusing to cooperate, only after making another not-so-great decision. Monday, I was feeling slightly tight and "off my leg", but it was mutual for the whole class... I wasn't too surprised, yet. Tuesday came around like a hurricane. I started off the day tired, had a long day of all my core classes, and then went straight to dance from school for five and a half hours... that's a longer time of dancing than the drive to Boise! What was my little brain thinking? Although it wasn't all ballet, the majority of it was and boy, oh, boy, was it difficult. The picture below is a pretty accurate description of the motivation I was feeling.

Credits to www.danceclass.com

With Nutcracker season fast approaching, I now know to take MUCH better care of my body. I need to attempt to maintain as much momentum as possible, even over breaks, so that my body and I stay friends. Lesson learned...now it's time to get myself back in the game.

Hayden

The Ballerina Bun

One very important part of the ballerina "look" is found the top of their head...otherwise known as a bun.  This bun is different from the stylish up-do that you see on the red carpet or the messy bun that is perfect for when you are running late for school.  A ballet bun is tight like the clothes they used to wear in the 70's, and let me just say, they are just as uncomfortable as the disco pants.  But, this post isn't about how a bun compares to older styles, but the mechanics, tips, and the effect a bun has on a dancer.

The three critical points in having the best bun possible are:  1. It is just about impossible to have a smooth ponytail with clean, dry hair. 2. Bobby pins and hairspray are vital. 3. Flat and big is ideal; you don't want to have a baseball sitting on your head.  A bun may not seem like a big deal, but trust me, it is.  When you are having a bad hair day, it throws you off and distracts you throughout class.  To avoid this, I do my hair when it's wet or when it's not freshly washed and then spray it with water.  This helps to get all my hair going in one direction and to have more of a grip.  

To start, I slick my hair back in a ponytail at the crown of my head and secure with an elastic.  Now this is where you can have some fun.  Doing the same style bun over and over isn't too exciting, so I enjoy finding new ways to do my bun.  You can look through these videos on YouTube to see different bun techniques.  Once you have secured your bun with your never-ending supply of bobby pins, you are ready for the glue.  Glue, a.k.a. hairspray, holds down all those baby hairs that like to stick straight up off your head.  When I have a important rehearsal, audition, or performance, I can never use too much hairspray.  At the end of the day, I've got a hemet made of hairspray.  You can always add little flowers, bows, headbands, etc., but a "slicked back bun"is the most classic and simple way to style your hair.

Less classical bun, but cool! (credits to ladylifehacks.com)

Like the quote "what separates the men from the boys," you can get a slight idea of the kind of ballet dancer someone is by their hair.  Someone who has a bun that you can tell obviously took time and practice may be a more dedicated dancer.  While someone who shows up with a frizzy and loose bun, may not be as determined to be "like the pros."  There are those too, who show up with a "doorknob" on top of their head, which may mean they are a beginner or less experienced dancer. Of course, this doesn't apply to every situation, it just shows that bun can say a lot about a ballerina and really is an important part of this art.

Hayden