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Part 1 of Winning the War Against Fat-The Emergent Sylph

December 18, 2014 AFB Leave a comment

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Lean-muscled bodies in dance-that is what we have come to expect to see-in the media, at a performance, at competitions, on Instagram, on the Internet, in the movies, on So You Think You Can Dance, in the classroom AND in front of the full-length mirror, at home. Riiip! Stop right there! Not perfect, not seeing what you want to see? Not what others see? You are what you eat, and if you do not see that desired image in the mirror, you might feel somewhat of a failure. You might think that no matter what you do you are not ever going to succeed, improve or be the image you have in your mind that is perfect-usually. Your body may get in the way of your seeing yourself as the best dancer you can be, and feeling good about yourself inspire confidence. Aside from that, it may have nothing much to do with your ability to dance. Getting the body you want is not the same as not being able to rock a hairstyle, bodies are usually obtainable, believe it or not. But, you might be guilty of projecting someone else’s body onto your own. If anyone tells you you cannot achieve what you want to, prove them wrong!

You are unique. You have to believe that, but you are also capable of being the best that you can be, and the most healthy and strong dancer you can be. To me, and to a growing number of companies who invest large amounts of money in training, and lose dancers due to injury, this is also very important to succeeding in a professional career in ballet. Posers who do photo shoots might just be that, and it is possible that they are not as good a dancer as you are! A career lasts at least 20 years. What you do now will definitely impact the longevity of your dancing career as well as a competition in 4 months. So, you must make a commitment to eat right for the rest of your life and not just to lose weight, only to gain it back again, up and down and so forth.

Therefore if you are gearing up for the winter and you are a dancer you might want to try this plan:

NOT! Let me say again NOT!

It speaks of holidays and comfort foods and lots of starch and fat and sugar. But what is wrong with it? You say. “I am a dancer and I burn off calories-that is what I do. Well, for every calorie you burn off, another ten of these above turn into fat while you sleep. It isn’t just the sugar, it’s that all the right foods are there, hidden in gravy, butter, marmalade, cheese, sauces, and taters and other foods which you will have to eye cautiously over the holidays and during the winter, because this is what people eat. Regular people, not dancers!

In front of the mirror at the first self-assessment, any women or teenager might say,”I need to lose weight, maybe 5-10 pounds.” In the real life of any woman, every 10 years that need to “go backwards” goes up by 5 or 10 pounds, after you stop wearing the little tiny black dress, your brother’s jeans (with no butt), after babies, surgery, loss of work, a change of regimen, a more sedentary lifestyle, drastic change of lifestyle, health conditions, anything-you develop a bosom and may be lugging around more “desirable” fat, but it’s still fat and weight and adds numbers to the bathroom scale you can’t fathom. Also, we cook, and when we cook, we taste, we nurture and feed others, and have to shop and you know never to go shopping on an empty stomach. Everything looks good, but one benefit of having Madonna’s personal trainer is the likely aspect that she shops for you, puts it in your fridge and guards you from eating outside of your diet. She also works your butt off. Renee Winhoffer is her name. She is a dancer, too. In her words, “I plan and pack all my foods – and if I’m on tour I work with the hotels and cater ahead for specific foods. I often travel with my box of steamed vegetables and lean protein so I don’t get caught out. If I eat out, I make a special request for a green salad with some grilled fish or chicken and a little olive oil. And any time I have a hunger urge I drink 10 gulps of water and then wait 10 minutes.” She also states that if you want to see results in a week try not eating before your midday snack to attack the fat stores immediately in the AM. You can read more advice by her and other fitness gurus, here, http://fashion.telegraph.co.uk/article/TMG9785991/Workout-and-diet-secrets-of-top-fitness-coaches.html .

However, I find that in doing research including that article one has to look at whether they tell the whole truth, do the same number of exercise hours per day as any given dancer, the same type of dance and dancing as you, and realize that one article and a few tips does not a meal plan make. There are plenty of questions I would want to ask, more on the technical side. Men differ from women, so I try to look at a diet that is good for women, too.

In reality, it might be fat you need to lose, or weight, most people have some, but it might be that more muscle needs to be developed (and are being) or exposed to best display our body’s assets and we have to give this process TIME and the right nutrients to help it along. We may be long of limb and tall, frail and tiny, or somewhere in between, but we can all be the best we can be. All women can relate to this, not just dancers. We all experience this self-doubt and analyze, and it is especially difficult for anyone, for any reason, in any case, and even those who have heretofore had perfect bodies, so no ones difficulties are less important than anyone else’s, whatever they are.

It is sometimes much later in a women’s life that she just asserts herself and accepts this body as her own, or decides to make it the best she can, when she is finally tired of ignoring it or trying to make it something else, feeling guilt or shame. I blame the media, Instagram, men, and sometimes families for making women feel they are less than perfect, and women for listening to them and not being strong and believing in ourselves. To be honest, ballet dancers must make a decision, and that is whether they have the discipline to eat only enough to maintain their exercise level, turn fat into lean muscle, and strive for the weight level required in partnering. It is not fair to maim your partner because you have to eat a cake. Just have to. For this reason, and for the body-beautiful a ballet dancer must be slim, as slim as is reasonably possible-maybe a bit slimmer than is reasonably possible, and she also has to eat right. Luceat lux vestra! But let your own light shine!

Ballet Chicanery, Ballet Parables, General Dance Discussion, Poetry, Psyche, The Long and the Short of It

Birds in Ballet

December 1, 2014 AFB Leave a comment

Right now, it’s drizzling freezing rain outside. You think, “How am I going to survive this?” But, like muscle memory, it all comes back to you, and the cold is refreshing, revitalizing even. Yes, it’s cold, but it’s stimulating. Each day, there is a miracle or a tiny bit of improvement, one way or the other. Life. I watched the birds the other day, some still high in the trees, singing to each other loudly, and I wonder, “Why are you still here?” Why haven’t they all flown South yet? We are staying warm inside, but one must venture out into the cold, bundled up, breathing through your nose, though it it not that cold yet, it has hit some pretty low temps these past couple of weeks. I am still waiting for the snow to dump on us. I like layering up my clothes and wearing fuzzy mittens. Sometimes these things remind me more than ever of my childhood and my mother’s concern for me freezing my ear and other cartilage. I wonder how the birds do it. Fly South and know exactly where to come back to. If you are starting something new, something difficult, take it very slowly and practice it correctly, until you can do it correctly faster-that is one way to make improvement. Correctly.You should still do eight and work up to 16. Another thing I was thinking about is a la seconde. Pointing your foot or anything else should be like the owl pictured above spreading his wings. I mean why do it if you are not reaching, trying to fly, to get free? When you jump, you should sustain it, like a bird riding on an air current. Practice. There are so many comparisons to birds in ballet.

I remember when my son was very young and I was having a conversation with my mother. She said, “You may have to work very hard to support your son, you know-to get by.” I got by, and that was 28 years ago. I worked a lot of jobs. ” You might have to work two jobs, maybe waitress. I lot of mothers pay the bills by getting two jobs. You are a single mother.” I remember thinking about all of the jobs I had, working in the cafeteria at age 14, a bakery, other menial positions, but I wasn’t even a single mother then-I was supporting my mother who was sick then, and myself, paying for everything this way. Especially ballet. Ballet was the inspiration, what kept me behind the counter, so to speak. Dancing and thoughts of it, while I worked. Why was she telling me this? As if she had to remind me of my duty? Had anyone ever had to remind me of my duty? Ever? I was born dutiful. I still am. All the years she hadn’t even tried once to work came tumbling down from the shelf where I keep them, battering me. Oddly, now that she is gone, I hardly think of them. She had always said she wanted to be there for me, be a good mother. The books and little pamphlet with drawings in them that she had made to teach me French and Spanish, dancing umbrellas, birthday cats, ballet shoes and ribbons trailing, all passed by.

There was one Summer, after the cafeteria, the one in which I began ballet at Sinclair Community College, where I painted walls in the Alternative School by University of Dayton. Not painted them white or beige, but with colorful and sage advice about the optimism which comes from learning, and choices, about the values of education, to inspire passers by. The then secretary, a middle-aged woman, with one son in parochial school, whom she supported on her own, watched me in the office, tried to teach me things, like the correct ergonomics for typing, and sitting for long periods in a chair, filing, and errand running, and underfoot (probably), she pulled me from this job, and asked me if I could paint a picture for her on the entrance wall outside her office. I painted a field of poppies. Red poppies. Grass shooting up in shades of olive and army and lime. She liked it. She said it made her happy when she came to work. Dancing and reading made me happy.

The proper way to prepare lettuce is to break it between the fingers, and not cut it-cutting bruises the lettuce. At our library, downtown, was a poem written on the wall in aluminum scroll by Langston Hughes.

“Hold fast to dreams,
For if dreams die
Life is a broken-winged bird,
That cannot fly.”

The bus stop was right across the street and so I stared at this, upon leaving the library, which is kind of the last stop leaving downtown Dayton traveling up Third Street. It’s broken down. Michelin Tire signs, brick factories, greasy spoon the size of a closet, public pay phone. And the library with a garden behind a fence. A pretty garden, a listening area, archive, microfiche machines, bathrooms. Puppet shows. Books. I went right in there and got the poetry book by Langston Hughes and read his poems and drew in my sketchbook I carried around with my dance gear, and other things. On the way out I stopped and took out cassette tapes of Lifeboat, and jazz. Dayton always had so much potential. Behind the library was Sears. Then over another block or two was Memorial Hall. The Victory Theatre, and the bus. You could transfer from the bus to anywhere. There was this old arcade, which was a several leveled building of shops, like an indoor mall and it had been shut down many years before, and they had renovated it, reopening as a reminder of a bygone era, replete with original railed, an atrium, and stores, Mostly food and little clothes shops for secretaries on their lunch hours. But there was a lot of space for rent. While I was studying Chines with Mrs. Lee (who ran the Chinese restaurant for he daughter), I went next door to the bakery and applied. It was a kosher-Italian bakery which had been in the Jewish neighborhood in North Dayton for many many years and was expanding.I was hired and worked there off an on for a couple of years during high school and once on a break during college. The owner had asked me to stay and manage it, but I had declined, wanting to go back to school. I remember thinking, “Seriously?” I was sophisticated and living in New York, wearing expensive and chic leather boots, lipstick jeans, hair long and very trendy. Long, confident strides. One day, I was walking aimlessly around the shops in the atrium, and I saw an elderly-looking man with a cane. He was graying at the temples, and talking to a friend, sitting there. As I approached, he tried to get my attention. He looked up at me and half-smiled. That gold tooth! Mr. Booker???? Yes!!! My seventh grade social studies teacher a la militant black man. Playing Earth Wind and Fire, writing legal definitions on the chalkboard, allowing me to be a leader on a project about the Space Shuttle. A rebel, a hippie, a man I had looked up to, and one who inspired his students with his passion about equality and freedom. A man who got fired for his “radical” teaching methods. At least we never saw him again. He was friends with Ms. Atkins. A very skinny teacher of English. Very elegant and precise. I wrote a poem in her class about the night, something about envelopes and darkness and light, and riders. She sent it to a competition, and unbeknownst to me, I won. She was taking roll one day and she just dropped the certificate on my desk as she passed, and kept on walking up the aisle. And Mr. Amos. 7 feet tall, huge afro, long white coat, playing jazz in the ceramic room with the kiln. He did weird art projects, like clay with your eyes closed in 5 minutes, reading about art in magazines and books, using found materials to create sculptures, painting old fired pieces or objects that people had left in classroom from many years before. Forgotten. Make everything in your life about art, about creating, about beauty, about love. And listen to music while doing it. Our detention for talking was to clean out the kiln-room and take home whatever we wanted because he was going to throw it out if we didn’t. This always worked with me, cats, books, whatever I was afraid would be thrown out, or left behind, simply had to come with me. I stayed after school willingly every day, and following some exercise in art, drawing or painting or listening, or reading, came the forage. And Mr. Booker now looked up at me, with my apron and superior 17 year-old smirk, half aware, and he smiled, and said, “Hello, Ava.” Suddenly, I was me again. The smirk faded and I just stood there, 12, again. Teachers can do that to you. I remember that I about fell over from shock-how could someone age that much in such a short time? Hardship. I did not recognize his former self at first, so aged he seemed from the swaggering, 70’s rock star that had taught us about human rights, but he remembered me. We chatted briefly, he kept looking around, maybe he had had an injury, hence the cane, hence the change. I told him I was going to college, to NYU. He was proud, you could tell, and he congratulated me. We parted. Forever.

Many times there is a phoenix, rising from the ashes. The Firebird, although we never equate the two. But, there has to be ambition and a desire to see oneself as one can be, not necessarily as one is now.

I had gone back to high school, where I took that information, about what I could do, and why dreams were important, and that there was a point to an education, and toughness might be required in order to avoid getting one’s ass kicked and surviving it, if you let it happen, where eventually I graduated. I was driving in the car, with the man from the Dayton Board of Education, who headed a program for at-risk youth, and poor kids from the west side, which though black, did not discriminate against whites. He was the President. he was an older black man and he had hired me in this program so I could continue my Summer employment. It was to paint houses on the west side of town. I must have grimaced, or made a face. She then went into the anti-snob lecture, you know about my grandpa. He was a working-class contractor. He built half of the country with a firm called Arthur Rabkin (from Cincinnati) during the war, and after. You know the type-black gangster hat (Fedora), Irish mug, piercing blue eyes, leather jacket. He was very handsome and work was his life. I am an optimistic person. He said he never treated anyone any different, the banker or the bum. He said good morning and raised his hat to both. He said they were the same. One was not any better than the other. One might give himself airs, but he was actually no better.

And then there is Rothbart, half man, half bird of prey. The dark side of ballet, an evil sorcerer, who turns his harem of swans back into princesses at night-how convenient. He is always there, the villain, all-seeing and watching like the raven, looking for an opportunity. I think the villains in ballet are so much more interesting than the noble princes, possibly with the exception of Albrecht, who is a rascal of a man. All of the birds in ballet. So many real characters to play. So many references in ballet to bird-like qualities. Wings, even when there are no birds, there are fairies. Man’s desire to ascend, a dancer’s desire is to ascend, to transcend. That is theater and art. But art is for everyone, too, not just the wealthy. If companies and schools do not sell all of their ballet tickets, they should reduce the prices for the rest and even give away a good number to the poor and children in school who might not otherwise be able to afford to come! That is good publicity. One never knows where the next birds will come from….

Keep on dancing!

Medical Advice, Nutrition, The Long and the Short of It

DIY: Anti-Inflammatory Turmeric-Almond Milk

November 28, 2014 AFB Leave a comment

I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one out there on a turmeric kick. It’s just so good for you! A super high powered anti-inflammatory that does the trick to soothe my achy joints, it’s also a great source of both iron and manganese, as well as vitamin B6, fiber, and potassium.

My current favorite way to get my dose of turmeric is this recipe!

Shopping tip: Look for fresh turmeric root at your local Asian market. They often have it freshest and cheapest, but it can also be found at many health food stores.

Ingredient

4 cups homemade almond milk (eoesn’t have to be)

1 1/4 cup freshly juiced turmeric (will be about 2 1/2 cups of the root)

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon (can use less)

1 tsp. ground cardamom (can use less)

15 drops of clear stevia/agave

3 tsp. honey

Directions

Add all ingredients to your blender.

Blend, and ta-da! Enjoy this soothing treat morning through evening.

Of course you can make it more or less sweet as you like.

Note: Turmeric stains easily, so make sure to clean up any spills quickly.

via DIY: Anti-Inflammatory Turmeric-Almond Milk.

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Pointe magazine – Ballet at its Best.

November 28, 2014 AFB Leave a comment

The Workout: Rebecca Krohn

Balanchine powerhouse

By Jenny Dalzell (reprinted by Mysylph)

Published in the February/March 2014 issue.

Krohn with Justin Peck in Balanchine’s “Four Temperaments.” Photo by Paul Kolnik.

Glancing at the long and sinewy Rebecca Krohn, one might not guess that the New York City Ballet principal eats about every two hours. But to keep up with the rigorous rehearsal schedule that comes with her job, Krohn has figured out a mix of strengthening, refueling and daily maintenance that keeps her on top.

On the menu: Before or after class, Krohn has a smoothie made with Greek yogurt, fruit, coconut water, spinach and sometimes half an avocado. “I also eat simple peanut butter and jelly sandwiches throughout the day. They’re not filling, but they’re satisfying. And I always keep a chocolate and peanut butter Luna protein bar in my bag in case hunger strikes.”

Cross-training: Private Pilates classes three times a week in the off-season, and on Mondays in-season. “I have a little bit of scoliosis and I always feel more even after the sessions.”

Rolling out: “I have a ball for each part of my body: small rubber balls from vending machines at grocery stores that I use in between my metatarsals; a slightly larger ball for my plantar fascia; and the next size up I use on my calves and back. The biggest, called KONG Balls, are for the front of my hips. I found them at the pet store—they’re for dogs.”

Recharge: A 15- to 20-minute cat nap between rehearsals and performances. “I lay down and put my legs up against a wall to decompress my back. Plus, your feet get so swollen from standing all day, sometimes you can barely get your pointe shoes back on.”

Stamina secrets: A lean-protein–filled meal, like a chicken breast, two hours before curtain. “It’s enough to keep me going through the evening without getting hungry. I make sure I have water on hand, and adrenaline helps. Once you’re in the zone, you just do it.”

via Pointe magazine – Ballet at its Best..

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Summer Dance School. Italy or Spain?

November 25, 2014 AFB Leave a comment

Summer Dance School.

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Part 2-Winning The Fight Against Fat; The Emergent Sylph

October 11, 2014 AFB Leave a comment

You have been dancing now for several weeks, after a long break, and you are not happy with yourself yet. Although you have developed better eating habits, hardly have time to eat some days, and even though you are definitely losing weight, and developing muscle, you are not exactly where you would like to be, there is still some fat around your hips and on your legs. A few pounds are gone, hopefully, if you have been sticking to your diet-which you have, and you haven’t! Do not rest for the worst of Winter is yet to come. It is most important to stay healthy. If you had listened to me and drank your lemon and honey teas, you might not have gotten sick! And how can you take your vitamins if you are out of them?? You might even look extremely thin on the upper body and face, but below there are still areas you need to address. They are improving, but you cannot quit working on them. Pretty soon, if you stick with it Be happy!!!!You are w they will be perfect and you can be proud.

I thought I would post this picture because you would look very cute in these warmups and because when you Google “Adonis thighs” some pretty weird pictures come up. 🙂

You are well on your way to not only succeeding in your dieting plans for life, you are becoming a healthier eater, better and stronger person. One thing I notice is that like smoking, after a break of being really good, and not smoking, or a trauma (like your teacher yelling at you), we run back to our carbs for comfort. Like ice cream, bread, cookies, muffins, candy, anything we have been depriving ourselves of which we think is not really bad for us in small quantities. But after we have sated ourselves, then we feel guilty, or worse, we have started smoking again! It is not the weight, we can lose that again. It is the self-confidence and the discipline, which we have believed ourselves capable of that we undermine. It is important for your psyche in ballet, to believe in yourself, to be disciplined, and that takes training, too! If you discipline yourself to do something or to not do something, you take pride, and then it is not a job, but a purer way of life. A temple for your inner sanctum, where you can go and revel in the fact that you are you, not a cave where you dart and hide, hoarding goodies for when you feel bad or want to let down. Look at those foods that provided a minute’s solace. Did they really? Were they good tasting? Were they healthy? Were they worth it? Think about it.

Think about eating half a la a partridge in a pear tree- A giant vat of spinach, 10-12 medium-sized shrimp, 2 and one-half shiny red bell peppers, 2 and one-half small potatoes, a small plate of popcorn, A large handful of chickpeas, a small handful of raisins, a two-finger wide slice of salmon (maybe one-and-a half finger wide), one-half of a blueberry muffin, and a teaspoon of peanut or other nut butter. These are snack portions of these items-as part of a meal they are roughly the same size (for a dancer), but you can eat other things with them. The potatoes are raw, by the way, and not on your diet at all, yet. Except on cheat days and if every day is a cheat day, you do not get a cheat day! Nag, nag, nag. No, really, you don’t. If you don’t want to listen to me, try this app-it’s free for 7 days-a virtual nutritionist. She can support you in your weight loss endeavors, very nicely, if you don’t cheat, and suggest better food choices, or alternatives that are healthy!

https://www.rise.us/

But if you are eating things like this, and they satisfy you, then you already know that 1) your stomach is not that big, and 2) they provide you with energy and other vitamins and minerals you need-that is why they satisfy you. Let them. Learn from them. See what that can do before you tear off a big chunk of crusty bread and chow down. Try eating snack-sized portions of these tempting tasties instead of eating a whole one, a cup or a bowl, or a big plate of food. Try smaller portions, a smaller plate. If necessary, carry your plate around with you and fill it up instead. You know you cannot go over if you use a measure. And don’t say, pile it up. You can make a bigger pile of veggies or protein, slightly. This is a cute write-up of Holiday food portion sizes. Don’t know-take a look!

http://greatist.com/health/serving-size-holiday-snacks-portion-guide

Gradually, you are building up your stamina so that instead of being exhausted on Thursday,you are exhausted on Friday. You are not only doing some things right, and you must continue your good progress, you are better able to see where your failings are occurring and you may now begin to consider what those are and how to address and change them. One, you are trying to give yourself energy to compete in a very highly demanding profession of dancing. it is a long journey. probably, you are still not giving your body adequate replacement of minerals and electrolytes lost. You may not be drinking enough water. If you are run down and getting sick then you need to work on this but continue to lose weight and build lean muscle. Maybe you have inflammation from dancing the Nutcracker, preparing for competitions or doing an entire season on your tippy toes- here are 10 foods that fight inflammation:

http://www.healthcentral.com/multiple-sclerosis/cf/slideshows/10?ap=825

Also water and Turmeric.

Soon, you will face the onset of winter, you will need to heal and get adequate rest especially and as well as Nutcracker and auditions, you will be preparing for competitions (possibly), travel (maybe), and the stress from academic if not ballet exams and the deep deep winter months which will limit your other activity (possibly). You will have to face of and confront the holiday issues. I start by watching Bridgette Jones once and then the second part and then move on to Holiday and other chick flicks, because no where else will you actually see Renee Zellweger being eaten by Alsatians and scraping the mold off of cheese to prepare you for winter and the fact that you will not actually starve or freeze to death, but you may very well catch cold. So let’s consider that while you are on this fabulous plan to have a plan, you do not actually have one yet. let’s look at nutritious Fall and Winter foods and produce and try to find sustenance in pictures and produce departments-not necessarily more meat, but complete proteins are essential. Meat free meals can be less expensive, lower in calories, etc….A complete protein refers to proteins which contain ALL of the amino acids, but nine of them cannot be produced by the body alone, so vegetarians have to go an extra mile to get them without eating meat. These nine are called (not the ring bearers) the essential amino acids, as “it is essential for you to get them.” Meat and eggs are complete, beans and nuts are not. Humans do not need every essential amino acid in every mouthful or at every meal but we do need most of them everyday. Most dieticians believe that plant-based diets can provide enough. Here are some excellent recipes and foods which provide not only vegetarians, but also dancers with tasty food choices and plenty of protein. Try eating one plant-based meal one day per week and see if you notice raised energy (or feeling better levels) if you are a staunch meat-eater and need those amino acids every day. Notice most of these meals provide adequate, though not off the charts amounts of protein and you are looking for a plan that provides roughly 10 grams per meal or 1 gram for every pound of (actual) weight of your body per day. http://greatist.com/health/complete-vegetarian-proteins

A list of healthy go-to dinners is given here-not all of these will follow your diet exactly, but you can use alternative ingredients that you have on hand and they almost all work as a lunch!

http://www.womenshealthmag.com/weight-loss/healthy-dinner-recipes?cid=NL_WHDD_1922148_11302014_30EasyDinnersforWeightLoss_ReadMore

Top foods in your diet should include:

Quinoa- (I like it mixed with lentils, a bit of tomato and chicken broth). It’s full of dancer needed vitamins and you can use it in baking, too; buckwheat. is not wheat at all, but in the rhubarb family.

Soba- (i.e noodlers) You can have it in pancakes, or like a cereal as in grits. It is very healthy, has antioxidant properties, may improve circulation and helps control blood glucose levels (helps you burn fat);

Hempseed- (contains significant amounts of all nine amino acids in question) may help to stave off the common cold and boost your immune system. It is also a rare source of essential fatty acids including omega-3s, which can help fight the winter blues. Hemp is popular in baking and cooking recipes;

Chia-add some to your diet or try making chia “gel” which can replace eggs in baking (!), and is delicious as a homemade refrigerator jam with blueberries and agave syrup-look it up. Chia doesn’t have a lot of protein per serving and you cannot or should not over indulge as it contains very high levels of phosphorus (good and bad) but it is the highest source of omega-3s and is full of trace minerals as well as antioxidants. Puddings, smoothies and a few in your favorite fruit beverage or juiced drink won’t hurt. They also look pretty on baked dishes as an accent like wheat germ and absorb liquid very quickly;

Soy- Not for everyone but is absolutely chocked full of protein no matter the type and 1/2 cup remains the typical serving. For protein choose the firmest tofu available.

I am leaving out Quorn as a lot of people are allergic to it-its a bit like a mushroom the way they grow it, and also Cricket Flour (as it is just gross); Rice and Beans, everyone knows about already, but does have a protein content on a par with meat and is very healthy and good to eat;

Ezekial 4:9 bread- and you can make your own! It contains all the amino acids and a lot of vegetarians swear by it. All bread should contain sprouted grains anyway, and trader Joe’s has plenty of those for less money than Whole Foods, though i am not dissing whole foods. They are awfully affordable on their sale goods, dairy and grass fed beef. Ezekial bread has 21 grams of protein and it is already complete so two slices is a serving (at breakfast/lunch).

Wheat gluten- gets demonized by a lot of people these days, but with the obvious exceptions of celiac-sufferers and the gluten intolerant, it’s nothing to be afraid of. In fact, I have read that it is not necessarily to avoid gluten IF YOU ARE NOT ALLERGIC TO IT-

First created more than a thousand years ago as a meat substitute for Chinese Buddhist monks, Seitan is made by mixing gluten (the protein in wheat) with herbs and spices, hydrating it with water or stock, and simmering it in broth. But this one’s not complete on it’s own—it needs to be cooked in a soy sauce-rich broth to add gluten’s missing amino acid (lysine) to the chewy, very meat-like final product.

I like stores that make shopping interactive and fun while educating me about good nutrition options (at a fair price) and that is why God made Trader Joe’s. http://www.traderjoes.com/fearless-flyer/shopping-list.asp He loves their shopping list feature as much as I do and most towns or areas now have one. If you had to, you could eat there entirely and still pay rent and afford coffee. You can send this list along with your shopper, email it, or use it for other things and it prints out, but you can also access it with your phone. Most health food stores have a newsletter and they are usually chock full of interesting information. I include 4:

Sunspot http://www.thesunspotnatural.net/forum/images/ranks/1014%20Sunspot.pdf

Fresh Thyme/Sprouts/Henrys (their website also boasts a resource health page and a shopping list!) https://www.sprouts.com/web/guest/deals-of-the-month

Whole foods (too much on their website to list) http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/about-our-products/whole-deal

Balducci’s-it’s not strictly a health food store but the food is ridiculously good and healthy! (primarily a source for recipes and general food info) http://www.balduccis.com/recipes

Chances are you are depleting some of your fat reserves if you have been eating better. You might have an injury of you do not eat properly. What is beginning to happen at this time of year (with everyone) is common and your body is using up its usual reserves of various stores (winter, and yes, we do!) of nutrients. You are not drinking enough water. You are not eating the right things but you are eating a lot of calories, leaving you feeling hungry within hours of eating a big meal again. You are eating late at night and rushing out before having a good breakfast. You take whatever is available for lunches and snacks. You take a vitamin. You are not thinking about food-who has time? Let alone think about it, who has time to prepare it all? It is very important now to reread that first article and take stock of your habits. Cutting out the bad ones now will help you through the winter to the Spring, when people typically want to see the results of dieting and good health, but Winter is not conducive to it. We are not only going to survive Winter, we are going to give our bodies plenty of nutrients all winter long, and enough food!

Follow the clean eating concepts http://atthebarre.net/9-clean-eating-principles-for-a-ballerinas-diet/ which we discussed before to remind yourself that you are not eating processed foods. Without counting calories, this is one of the best methods of learning to eat healthy. Stable and proven, but will not exactly cause weight loss or the creation of lean muscle.

Great Fall and Winter foods (by design) give us the added vitamins and minerals to fight off sickness-some are : Pumpkin seeds (full of zinc); Tuna (helps protect cells from free-radical damage and boosts your immunity); Mushrooms (packed with beta glucans, which help the body fight infection); Sweet potatoes -now that you have lost your weight!-or substitute your weekly jacket potato for one of these (rich in vitamin A, which fights free radicals that could weaken your immune system); Green tea (hot cup of green tea has amazing antioxidant benefits); Greek yogurt -just cannot beat it for probiotic properties (found in yogurt and other naturally fermented foods, help maintain a healthy and strong immune system). And these are just a few that you should include in your Fall and Winter diets regularly to help build a stronger dancer and to enlist their super power strength and immune system building properties.

I have noticed that when a professional dancer is asked about her diet, she states she “eats whatever she wants.” I think this is largely hype, perpetuating the myth that she is just perfect and everyone wants to continue to be like her. Also, it cuts off the dreary conversation of weight control and refocuses on her perfectionism. But partly it’s true. Once you learn to eat right, you are likely not going to have to calorie count again. Eating right and good eating habits become habit, just like anything else. There is also always something they tell us is bad for us, then they come out with conflicting evidence that it is also good for us, hence variety is the spice of life, I think. Variety in diet also provides different sources of nutrients. Dancers who subsist on a diet of anything, are going to pay some price down the road. Also, as there should be some reward, everything in moderation, is a better motto than “I never eat_____,” unless ______is unpalatable to you, there is almost nothing you cannot eat in moderation. That should stop people who think they are going to have to cut out their favorite foods for life. I once had a NY-based voice coach who was an older Austrian man, of small stature and he said in order to watch his figure he dieted during the week, but on Sundays he ate whatever he wanted. I used this approach to maintaining a weight and found it largely successful as long as you did not overeat those things. The point is, food, and the kind you like, is always going to be readily available and believe me, after years of food experience, you do not run out of opportunities to eat. So what is good in foods for the Fall?

Some choices are obvious, but others less so, or less appetizing until you find recipes or have them prepared in ways that are appealing. A book I do like is Keri Gans, R.D., author of The Small Change Diet

Apples- apple picking season is upon us, as are other crops, hugely of value to dancers eating to work hard and stay healthy. They are good innumerable ways (perhaps the most widely reciped of all fruits) this is their season and apples picked now will last you all winter if not mixed among the bad. They are full of vitamin C. They are also full of natural pectin which helps the cardio vascular system. Apples with peanut butter are delicious though not the highest source of protein, they are a healthy snack. Baked, in yogurt, or first thing of the day, they help fight colds.

Pumpkin- is a prime source of vitamin A, which improves your vision, but it is also loaded with phytosterols, which decrease bad cholesterol, and are one of the most obvious beta-carotene (besides carrots), which help protect against free radicals which can lower your immune system. Trending now are hot and cold pumpkin drinks, smoothies and pumpkin smoothies. Stock up now and make your own pumpkin seeds, but it is also as nutritious canned. Explore the wide range of non-dessert uses of pumpkin and its seeds, it’s interesting and informative, as well as potentially delicious. No one has more knowledge of pumpkins than pumpkin growers https://www.google.com/search?q=pumpkin+growers+association&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&channel=sb

Brussel Sprouts-brussel sprouts are a very good source of iron, which helps your body form red blood cells, and vitamin K, which can improve bone health. The mini cabbages just taste healthy but this would belie the fact that they are chocked full of vitamin C, for your immune system. Moe than one source of vitamin C daily is proven to assist in building immunity in cancer patients. Here are six quick and easy ways to eat Brussels sprouts and you can usually buy the trees at trader Joe’s (et al) right now as they are in season. I have frozen them before. 🙂

Figs-you do not have to eat solely bananas for potassium as figs contain a lot of it and more compact, therefore perfect for dance bags. This is an autumn fruit and anexcellent source of fiber, which helps decrease cholesterol, promote blood sugar control (lose fat), prevents constipation (!), AND keeps you feeling full longer. A win win win win. Figs are also packed with potassium, and that, as dancers know might make you feel a little less sore and exhausted, but did you know that it also helps control your blood pressure. Amazing little purdy fruit.

Cauliflower is getting a lot of positive attention lately as its white color deceives you into thinking it is a brain, but in reality this in-season veggie is just as nutritious as those dark leafy greens! Cauliflower is probably the top source of vitamins C and K, which helps to regulate your inflammatory response.Pay close attention professional dancers with chronic tendonitis! Rich in fiber and folate, which is crucial for any women thinking of conceiving since it helps prevent neural tube defects….in other words, it is one of those vegetable women are WISE to eat. It is one of those tricky little foods that picks up the flavors of those with it, so look no further than the Internet for loads of low fat recipes by which to transcend your previous knowledge and enjoyment of cauliflower. https://www.google.com/search?q=award+winning+cauliflower+recipes&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&channel=sb

Though some people may forego BEETS, of all the root veggies, and veggies, this one alone is one dancers must find a way to eat. Why???? Weeeel, they contain a phytonutrient called betalains, which has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Beets are also a good source of folate, potassium, and manganese, which helps with calcium absorption and blood clotting. Dancers are hard pressed to find another source so rich in beetness, and dancers need betalains to HEAL. Coupled with some of the other items on this list, they are bound to assist you with possibly even recurring conditions you thought you might have to suffer through life with as a dancer. i will not provide any beet recipes here as it has to be totally your choice, but beets are best uness you can find a Nopal cactus, Beets are it. Somebody knows about this http://betalains.wordpress.com/ and look no further because it is betalains that give beets their color…..

Pear. At this time of year, it might be good to stock up on pears as you will not find them so abundant as now, and to because they contain vitamin C (another source), copper (which may help prevent against certain cancers), and boron, a nutrient that helps the body retain calcium, also good for Winter.

There are many myths about eating. I remember one girl in ballet class who decided she was going to live on popcorn. She ended up in the hospital. She was definitely slightly voluptuous, but she was not eating any nutrition and of course this did NOT help her dancing career and she gained back all the weight she lost anyway. Once she recovered, her family got her professional help. When sugar or carbohydrate intake is not enough to maintain a certain glucose level, the body must turn to its own muscle tissue and skeletal tissue to supply the needed glucose. fat cannot be converted to sugars primarily and we operate on a high level of glucose, especially our brains. No sugar, no you! The body is geared toward survival and once you begin to eat again, even a normal amount of food, the body starts repleting its fat stores, preparing for when you may possibly starve it again. Winter is nothing if not a great testament to the fact that we as humans, must survive, as we see foliage and natural things around us die off, we prevail. As dancing activity depends on glycogen stored in muscles for fuel, not many calories are burned so winter is especially tricky for dancers. Fat is not used for high-intensity workouts because it cannot be broken down fast enough. Most dancers have an abnormally low caloric intake, so they are undernourished, yet overweight and usually feel guilty. Muscle is denser than fat, so inch by inch it does weigh more, or looking at it differently, the smaller, leaner you, may not actually weigh less, so a combination of intake and exercise has to balance to lose weight and to build lean muscle, if weight is a consideration. Some dancers are thin and have no visible muscles. If you gain a few pounds over the winter don’t sweat the small stuff! Your body has tricks for survival and even though you are eating somewhat less, without dancing everyday, you may tend to gain a few pounds which by the Spring will fly away once normal activity is resumed. This might be a perfect time to polish the stationery bicycle or dust the elliptical or get on the treadmill, just to make sure your calories burned equal or are greater than ones consumed. 15-25 minutes per day to start, and building up to 45 by mid-November or December should get you through the winter, and though the temptation may be great, avoid alcohol and traditional holiday dinners, cookies and cakes, but not the preparation or festivities. Drink waters, have a coffee or tea instead of hot cocoa and remember to succomb to your cheat day allowance regularly so that you do not feel cheated.

Calories from fat, protein and carbohydrates must blend together for an optimal and well-balanced diet. Obviously for every individual these amounts of each are going to need to vary and do. There is no amount that is agreed upon by practitioners, actually. Dancers are observed to have fairly large intake of fat. Typically a normal person should consume protein 10-20%, carbs 55-65% and fat 20-30%. But depending on your dance regimen and level of activity that should vary and differ by person slightly or seemingly more than, but remember those guys have faster metabolisms anyway. You do not want to Fall backwards! Some professional dancers in major companies have had reported fat levels of up to 50%, and this is in part due to what some people consider protein-rich foods, including cheese and peanut butter, which is actually very high in fat. Dancers like sweets and they like pasta. Other starvation diets have had proven effects upon the psychology of individuals, resulting in obsessions with food, psychosis, and extra fat storage. It is very important, especially in cold weather not to deprive or starve your body-it will rebel! In all, there is a connection to eating and there are famous experiments proving that the best way to lose weight is not to starve yourself. If a body is deprived of food, it calls upon every physiological and psychological mechanism it has to cause itself to eat and gain weight. DO not feel guilty about not being smarter than your body. Listen to it, instead of fighting it or depriving it. Give it what it needs-food more often if necessary but smaller portions. Drink plenty of water. You might even want to add a glass or two during winter in addition to your 8 glasses per day, that is.

There are several published guidelines for dancers and they affect how you should approach healthy eating habits. They are:

1) Dancers must maintain olympic-like physical condition all the time so there is only one way to approach a dancing life and that is to begin to eat healthily and get used to it. Make it a way of life and engage yourself in it. Enjoy food-buying it, preparing it, and eating it. Make what you enjoy and do not depend on others to adhere to your own personal guidelines. They won’t. Letting others take control only guarantees you are not in control of what or how it is prepared. If it is a child, get them involved in the whole process. It should be a family plan and not a lone wolf plan because that will only leave them feeling deprived and left out. It may also result in other children feeling you are leaving them out or that you care about another child more. Food is fun!

2) Dancer see, dancer do. If one dancer sees a lot of other dancers eating ice cream, or living on one or two items, or eating Nutella or subsisting on peanut butter and they look okay, it is common for them to repeat this for themselves and omit variety and eat a lot of bad things, or things that simply do not provide them with all their nutrients and energy required. It is important to eat what you like, but also to eat a variety of different foods and from different food groups. No one food is going to provide you with what you need and will result in problems later. This is an act of desperation. Don’t follow, lead, or at least use your common sense: How can a diet consisting of only one thing and omitting lots of other types of foods be healthy? Dancers have to be smart!

3) In normal weight loss, the last 5-15 pounds is considered the hardest to lose. This is doubly hard for some dancers because to achieve the perfect ballet body, considerably more than pounds is at stake. It is your career, and despite dancers being underweight or at least not incredibly overweight, they need to lose the pounds and achieve the toned body look to be successful and aesthetically pleasing, whatever that may be for the day. This is very exhausting and stressful mentally and possibly physically.

4) Dancers are in the studio all the time so what time remains, particularly for teenagers, limits the activities for cross-training available or possible. Once you have trained your muscles to dance, is it alright to train them to do anything else, used to be the question, but dancers have proved that other aerobic activity, such as swimming, walking and running, builds stamina, is cardio and sheds weight, as well as strengthening other muscles, preventing injury, not contributing to it, but of course you have to be careful not to “bulk up.” Certain activities would be off-limits for dancers struggling with this problem naturally, but others activities would be fine. The eliptical is a common and available tool to increase energy expenditure without causing any particular stress or bulking up to the body, and it can be done in increments to either lose weight or to warm-up, or to build stamina. Swimming is also a good Winter sport for dancers. I know one dancer who laps in the pool once per week in the Summer and 3 x per week in the Winter. So consider your body type and experience in absorbing this as it matters in your approach.

5) The dancer must always consider her goals and balance what is good for her professionally and what is good for her health, development and future. The two do not always coincide and it is most important in adolescents and young adults not to sacrifice too much for ballet. DO not cut corners with nutrients in Winter. Your health and future health govern the length of your dancing career. It can be shortened by not attending to your overall health. Choices, choices, choices. Stay warm.

Consider body builders for a moment. Though the connection between dancers and bodybuilders is not hugely noticeable it is in certain regards and the study of it has led many researchers in sports nutrition to divide types of desired looks in sports by types of exercise, and while it is know that ballet benefits athletes, bodybuilders set out to achieve a certain look the same way dancers do and their short spurts of exercise also develop lean muscle, though their intention is usually to bulk up a little, some are very slim and attractive. What do they do differently? Well, it starts with nutrition.

The entire article detailing these meal plans for one week can be followed below, but keep in mind this plan is based on the consumption of calories consumed per day of about 13-15 per pound of weight. S0, if you seek to lose weight and not bulk up, then you would want your food intake to be slightly different, and of course containing fewer calories, but if you activity level is very high, you might want to eat more food, so that you don’t lose weight.

They feel that the 15 best lean-muscle building foods are:

1) Beef (from grass-fed cattle)-it contains high levels of protein, cholesterol, zinc, b vitamins and iron. Also, beef from grass-fed cattle contains much higher levels of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) than conventionally raised beef, which gives you a boost in shedding body fat and building lean muscle. You are what they eat…..

2) Beets- contain a source of betaine, also known as trimethylglycine, and is a nutrient that enhances liver and joint repair, especially important for dancers, and also has been shown in research to increase strength and power. Dancers need those. They may enhance energy and aid recovery.

3) Brown rice-slowly digests and is a whole grain, giving you longer-lasting energy throughout the day and during actual workouts. It helps to increase your GH (growth hormone) levels, which are critical for encouraging lean muscle growth, fat loss and in gaining strength.

4) Oranges- eaten before a workout can boost lean muscle growth, strength and endurance.

5) Canteloupe- has a low fructose content and is one of the fruits that converts quickly meaning it is good to have in the morning and is one of the good fruits to eat after a workout.

6) Cottage Cheese (organic)-is rich in casein protein, an immediate protein source, and is especially good before bed. Casein protein is exceptionally slow digesting which means it prevents your muscles from being used as energy while you sleep.

7) Eggs- Known as the perfect protein, but their good for other reasons, including the yolks, where there is cholesterol. Egg cholesterol id proved to create lean muscle and decreases the bad cholesterol (LDL) particles associated with atherosclerosis.

8) Milk (organic)- ocntains about 70% more omega-3 fatty acids than normal milk and is rich in both casein protein and whey protein, as well as the amino acid glutamine.

9) Quinoa-besides being a complete protein and a slow digesting carb (like brown rice), it has been linked with (IGF-1), and insulin-like growth factor, associated with lean muscle and strength gain.

10) Wonka Pixy Stix- yes, contains dextrose, which requires no digestion, going straight to the bloodstream after a workout, for the fasted possible recovery, getting the carbs straight to your muscles.

11) Spinach-of course, you remember Pop-eye. Well, it is both a good source of glutamine, the amino acid responsible for lean muscle growth, and spinach can also assist muscle strength and endurance.

12) Apples-An apple contains Polyphenols which helps to increase muscle strength and prevent fatigue, allowing you to train harder and longer. They have fat-burning qualities as well and they are a good pre-workout carb source.

13) Greek Yogurt-and this is on just about everyone’s list. It comes from milk, but contains more protein (20 g per cup) and fewer carbs (9 g per cup) than regular yogurt, which contains, on the average 16g or protein and 16 g of carbs per cup. That minute difference can mean less-lean muscle over time or taking longer to get it. Also, we are talking about plain Greek yogurt (with apples) and not the preserve-ridden kind popular even in health food stores. And, it is also a good source of casein protein.

14) Ezekial 4:9 Bread-made from organic sprouted whole grains, it contains grains and legumes, is a complete protein-which means it contains all nine of the amino acids your body can’t produce on its own, and these are the needed ones for muscle growth. It is kind of like eating the whole peanut, and the little tiny nut inside, because that is where the protein is! But, it’s bread.

15) Wheat Germ-that old standby is still a top source of zinc, iron, selenium, potassium, B vitamins, is high in fiber and protein and also has a goodly amount of branched-chain amino acids (BCAA’s) arginine and glutamine. It is not only a great source of slow-digesting carbs but is also a good quality protein that is great before workouts.

A Guide to Eating for Lean Muscle for one-week. Other plans can be purchased at the link below or spliced together from accumulated sources.

It states: “The following plan is designed for a woman weighing 140 pounds. When trying to gain lean muscle during a rigorous exercise program, a good rule of thumb is to shoot for an intake of about 13-15 calories per pound of bodyweight. So for a 110-pound woman, total daily calories would be between 1,430 to 1,650; for a 150-pound woman, about 1,950 to 2,250.” It notes additional supplements suggested for workout days.

Monday

Breakfast 1:

whey protein

1 scoop
cantaloupe

1/2 small/medium

Breakfast 2: (30-60 min after B1)

Ham and Cheese Omelet

(2 large eggs, 2 slices low-fat deli ham, 1/4 cup fat-free cheddar cheese)
cooked oatmeal

1 cup

Late-Morning Snack:

reduced-fat Greek yogurt

4oz
blueberries

1/2 cup (Mixed in with yogurt)

Lunch:

lean ground beef

4 oz
whole-wheat hamburger bun

1
mixed greens (include spinach)

2 cups
olive oil and balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp / 1 tbsp

Midday Snack:

canned chicken breast

3 oz
light mayonnaise/vegenaise (Wildwood is the best)
They make several kinds-I prefer the garlic aoli

1 tbsp
whole-wheat crackers

5 (Mix mayo in chicken, eat on crackers)

Dinner:

chicken breast

6oz
chopped broccoli

1 cup
mixed greens (include spinach)

2 cups
olive oil and balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp / 1 tbsp

Nighttime Snack:

cottage cheese 1/2 cup

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1/2 cup (110g)
Servings Per Container 4

Amount Per Serving

Calories 100

Calories from Fat 20

Total Fat 2g

Saturated Fat 1.5g

Trans Fat 0g

Cholesterol 10mg

Sodium 450mg

19%

Total Carbohydrate 4g

Dietary Fiber 0g

Sugars 3g

Protein 15g

Vitamin A 4%	• Vitamin C 0%
Calcium 8%	• Iron 0%

salsa

2 tbsp (Mix salsa in cottage cheese if you want)

Nutrition Facts and totals for the Day/Amount per serving

Calories 1,675

Total Fat64 g

Total Carbs133 g

Protein178 g

Note: From our previous discussion this does not match a typical or normal dancer diet. It is highest in carbs, but higher in protein than fat. They are flip-flopped. It repeats the cottage cheese, peanut butter and whey and casein proteins for building bulk and muscle. This would lead to a leaner muscle composition, and the excessive carbs and protein would increase muscle tissue and size. This is conventional for a body builder, but slightly different than a professional dancer would want. But you can see how to vary the diet slightly and how it would be appropriate for a dancer. This are all foods a dancer can and should have, but if not extremely active, they would be slightly too much, especially the late night snack. Dancers typically stop eating around 6 (or they are advised to). They can also eat more good carbs, but fewer breads and less rice and grains. A male dancer might find this diet composition good, a female would probably want to slightly increase her fat and decrease, ever so slightly, her carbs and protein unless she is extremely active everyday, say during a performance regimen. The calorie content, or serving size is also based on the 140 pound weight of a women and not a dancer’s lighter weight. But to convert fat to muscle, this is a good lean diet for one day. It takes a large amount of protein to build muscle, more than most people want, and it can lead to muscle size increase, so most professional dancers would omit the whey protein and perhaps reduce one serving of meat or other source of protein such as the extra cottage cheese. As you can see, it is a lot of food, especially protein. See other days below.

Tuesday

Breakfast 1:

whey protein

1 scoop
orange

1 large

Breakfast 2:

large eggs

2
large egg whites

2 (Make scrambled eggs)
whole grain waffle

1
maple syrup (real)

1 tbsp

Late-Morning Snack:

whey protein (could sub Greek yogurt ta this time of day)

1 scoop
wheat germ

1/2 cup (Mix wheat germ in whey shake)

Lunch:

turkey deli meat

4oz
light mayonnaise

1 tbsp
Ezekial bread

2 slices (Make turkey sandwich)

Midday Snack:

low fat cottage cheese

1/2 cup
sliced pineapple

1/4 cup (Mix pineapple in cottage cheese)

Dinner:

tilapia

6 oz
broccoli

1 cup
mixed greens (include spinach)

2 cups
olive oil and balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp / 1 tbsp

Nighttime Snack:

casein protein or a glass of milk

1 scoop
walnut halves

7
peanut butter

1 tbsp (Dip walnuts in peanut butter)

Nutrition Facts/Totals for the day/Amount per serving

Calories 1,870

Total Fat60 g

Total Carbs145 g

Protein190 g

Wednesday

Breakfast 1:

whey protein

1 scoop
small apple

1

Breakfast 2:

Frittata Recipe
cooked oatmeal

1 cup

Late-Morning Snack:

reduced-fat Greek yogurt

1/2 cup
sliced strawberries

1/2 cup

Lunch:

Stir-fry B Recipe

Midday Snack:

low fat cottage cheese

1/2 cup
canned Mandarin oranges

1/2 cup

Dinner:

top sirloin steak

6oz
asparagus spears

20
mixed greens (include spinach)

2 cups
olive oil and balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp / 1 tbsp

Nighttime Snack:

reduced-fat Greek yogurt

1 cup
honey

1 tsp
roasted flaxseeds

2 tbsp (Mix honey and flaxseeds in yogurt)

Nutrition Facts/Totals for the day/Amount per serving

Calories 1,900

Total Fat55 g

Total Carbs160 g

Protein180 g

Thursday

Breakfast 1:

whey protein

1 scoop
cantaloupe

1/2 medium

Breakfast 2:

low-fat milk

1/2 cup
Kashi Go Lean cereal

1/2 cup
whey protein

1/2 scoop

Late-Morning Snack:

mixed greens (include spinach)

2 cups
large whole eggs

2 (hard-boiled and sliced)
dry oatmeal

1/4 cup
olive oil and balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp / 1 tbsp (Make salad by adding all ingredients together)

Lunch:

seasoned tuna fillets

5 oz packet
cooked quinoa

1/2 cup
mixed frozen veggies

1 cup

Midday Snack:

10″ whole-wheat pita

1/2
reduce-fat cheddar cheese shredded

1/4 cup (Make cheese quesadilla: add cheese to one side of tortilla, cook on medium heat in pan until cheese is melted)

Dinner:

salmon

6oz
mixed greens (include spinach)

2 cups
olive oil and balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp / 1 tbsp

Nighttime Snack:

cottage cheese

3/4 cup
salsa

2 tbsp

Nutrition Facts/Totals for the day /Amount per serving

Calories 1,850

Total Fat75 g

Total Carbs130 g

Protein165 g

Friday

Breakfast 1:

whey protein

1 scoop
apple

1

Breakfast 2:

low fat cottage cheese

1/2 cup
canned Mandarin oranges

1/2 cup
medium celery stalks

2
peanut butter

1 tbsp (Fill celery grooves with peanut butter)

Late-Morning Snack:

whey protein

1 scoop
wheat germ

1/2 cup (Mix wheat germ in whey shake)

Lunch:

turkey breast deli meat

4oz
reduced-fat American cheese

1 slice
light mayonnaise

1 tbsp
10″ whole-wheat pita

1

Midday Snack:

fat-free cheese

2 oz
whole-wheat crackers

5

Dinner:

tilapia

6 oz
mixed greens (include spinach)

2 cups
olive oil and balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp / 1 tbsp

Nighttime Snack:

casein protein

1 scoop
walnut halves

7

Nutrition Facts/Totals for the day/Amount per serving

Calories 1,915

Total Fat65 g

Total Carbs145 g

Protein195 g

Saturday

Breakfast 1:

whey protein

1 scoop
orange

1 large

Breakfast 2:

large eggs

2
large egg whites

2
reduced-fat cheddar cheese (shredded)

1/4 cup (Make cheese omelet)
whole-wheat English muffin

1
peanut butter

1 tbsp (Spread peanut butter on toasted muffin)

Late-Morning Snack:

boiled soybeans

1/2 cup
chicken noodle soup

1 cup

Lunch:

albacore tuna (in water)

3oz
mixed greens (include spinach)

2 cups
beets

1 cup
fat-free feta cheese

1 oz
olive oil and balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp / 1 tbsp
large whole-wheat pita bread (sliced into wedges)

1/2 (Add ingredients to salad and eat with pita bread)

Midday Snack:

reduced-fat Greek yogurt

1 cup
honey

1 tbsp

Dinner:

Spaghetti and Meatballs C

Nighttime Snack:

low fat cottage cheese

3/4 cup

Nutrition Facts/Totals for the day/Amount per serving

Calories 2,000

Total Fat70 g

Total Carbs170 g

Protein180 g

Sunday (High Carb “Cheat” Day)

Breakfast 1:

whey protein

1 scoop
cantaloupe

1/2 medium

Breakfast 2:

Breakfast Sandwich D

Late-Morning Snack:

reduced-fat Greek yogurt

1/2 cup
blueberries

1/2 cup

Lunch:

turkey deli meat

4 oz
Ezekial bread

2 slices
mixed greens (include spinach)

2 cups
olive oil and balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp / 1 tbsp

Midday Snack:

10″ whole-wheat pita bread

1/2
fat-free cheddar cheese

1/4 cup (Make cheese quesadilla)

Dinner: Cheat Meal

pepperoni pizza

3 slices
beer

12 oz
ice cream

1 cup

Nighttime Snack

cottage cheese

3/4 cup
salsa

2 tbsp

Nutrition Facts/Totals for the day/Amount per serving

Calories 2,500

Total Fat75 g

Total Carbs255 g

Protein160 g

Note: Cheat Day for dancers is Sunday or ONE DAY and not two and the recipes are provided below-

The Recipes

Recipe A: Frittata

Ingredients

2 large whole eggs
1 large egg white
1/4 cup low-fat cottage cheese
1/2 cup chopped broccoli
1/2 medium onion, chopped

Directions

In frying pan on medium heat, cook onions for about five minutes with fat-free cooking spray; add broccoli and cook for about five minutes.
In a large bowl, mix eggs, and cottage cheese and add to pan, lift and rotate pan so that eggs are evenly distributed; as eggs set around the edges, lift to allow uncooked portions to flow underneath.
Turn heat to low, cover the pan and cook until top is set.
Invert onto a plate.

Frittata A Recipe PDF (12 KB)

Recipe B: Stir-fry

Ingredients

4oz shrimp
1 large whole egg
1/2 cup cooked medium-grain brown rice
1 cup mixed frozen veggies

Directions

In a pan over medium heat cook shrimp in nonfat cooking spray, add boiled rice and vegetables, add scrambled egg and soy sauce if desired.
Cook for about 5-10 minutes, stirring frequently.

Stir-fry B Recipe PDF (54 KB)

Recipe C: Spaghetti and Meatballs

Ingredients

4 oz lean ground turkey
1 cup cooked spaghetti squash
1/4 cup fat-free ricotta
1/2 cup marinara sauce
1 cup raw spinach

Directions

Mix desired spices with ground turkey and roll into balls; add desired spices to sauce and cook meatballs in sauce until done.
Cook spaghetti squash in a shallow baking pan with ½ inch of water in pan at 350 degrees in oven until tender. Scrape out spaghetti squash with fork to make spaghetti strings.
Top spaghetti squash with meatballs and sauce, and spinach and top with ricotta.

Spaghetti and Meatballs C Recipe PDF (12 KB)

Recipe D: Breakfast Sandwich

Ingredients

1 large whole egg
1 slice reduced-fat American cheese
2 slices low-fat deli ham
1 whole-wheat English muffin

Directions

Make breakfast sandwich: toast muffin; fry ham in pan and place on one half of muffin.
Fry egg in pan using nonstick cooking spray and place on ham; top egg with cheese and cover with other muffin half to make breakfast sandwich.

Breakfast Sandwich D Recipe PDF (12 KB)

See the entire article here:

Nutrition 101 Main Page

My feelings about this meal plan is that it is too high in protein and calories for most dancers working from a significantly smaller frame. But it contains a lot of foods and gives examples of healthy ones which help to develop lean muscle, build strength, provide energy and reduce fatigue and aid in recovery. A lot of small meals is also ideal for dancers because of their class length and activity level, and of course they need many of the same slow-working carbs and protein, but not in necessarily such great amounts or number of servings per day. Much smaller, and somewhat servings and nothing after 6:30 would probably do the trick. But there are tremendous differences between a bodybuilder and a female dancer visually at least. She would not want to bulk up this way and as you can see by the type and number of proteins and powders, average weight speculated upon, that is what it takes to create and maintain a powerful looking frame. The minute this diet changes at all, so does the composition, these results begin to fade and muscle loss increases and bulk decreases, so you remember how people look when they deflate from bodybuilding. That’s the general idea here, too and as we stated a dancer trains everyday and needs a diet that can be flexible enough for time off, but also increased for heavy performance periods and longer workouts. And they don’t mention it here, but a lot of yogurt and cottage cheese makes you fat! These are all extremely healthy food choices for dancers, though and for the same reasons (nearly).

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The Song of the Body – a new book/thinking about Holiday giving to dancers et al, already!

October 9, 2014 AFB Leave a comment

A new book, singing the praises of dance health and education for ALL ages and stages:

by author, Dr Anne Hogan, with a preface by RAD President Darcey Bussell CBE, The Song of the Body celebrates dance.

Order here:

The Song of the Body – a new book from the RAD — RAD.

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▶ Margot Fonteyn interview 1984 – on Pavlova (mostly)

Video September 23, 2014 AFB Leave a comment

▶ Margot Fonteyn interview 1984 – YouTube.

Ballet Media, Ballet Zine, Dance Bag Doctor, Exercises, Injury, Medical Advice, The Long and the Short of It

Your IT Band is Not the Enemy But Maybe Your Foam Roller Is

September 20, 2014 AFB Leave a comment

I am not sure this applies to dancers per se, but it is food for thought.

Your IT Band is Not the Enemy But Maybe Your Foam Roller Is | Breaking Muscle.

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Please Don’t Go

September 18, 2014 AFB Leave a comment

I agree. It is a shame we do not get to see more of our well-trained ballerinas, in favor of wonky-donk newcomers who lack sensitivity and artistry. 😦 I know everyone will be sad to see her retire.

Please Don’t Go.

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Rawzen – tribute to Maurice Béjart-I Love This!!!

Video September 16, 2014 AFB Leave a comment

Rawzen – tribute to Maurice Béjart – YouTube.

Former dancer of Bejart comes rapper, but the rap is GOOD! (and so are the dancers and the message). We want more dance but we need more peace-we want more dance but we need Maurice! Keep on Dancing!

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Foot and Ankle Injury Prevention Tips for Dancers

September 11, 2014 AFB Leave a comment

About now dancers in pre-professional programs, those starting back from a lazy Summer, or those simply not accustomed to the new level of pointe or technique they are experiencing will begin to feel pain in different places when dancing. It is no fun sitting out, but the wise dancer checks herself to see what is wrong and tries various remedies to heal the pain. It is human nature to do so, and those who ignore it could be in for some less than trifling troubles later. An unchecked injury, whether from overuse or a real problem, rarely gets better on its own if you dance through it. Anything to stop you is enough to verify the cause of. Who wants to wince with pain during a classical variation?

Foot/Ankle Injury Prevention Tips for Dancers

1) Proper training and teaching are essential to allow dancers of all ages to develop their skills without injury. If your school is having you overdo it then you have to watch out for yourself. That means make sure you are doing the exercises correctly, not repeating combinations twice or more a day because of duplicate classes, even if it means talking to the teachers and explaining to them this is all new for you and you need a little time to work up to full throttle. Proper training and teaching would encompass this rapport with your teachers-who else knows more about it than they? Talk to them. It is your instrument and they cannot replace it breaks and it is up to you. There is no warranty with your equipment-no customer service either!

Rest Ice Compression Elevation= PRICE (Precaution)$$$

2) Take adequate rest to allow the body to heal itself from daily wear and tear. If yours is a particularly rigorous schedule, rest often, do nothing in between, ice, soak, massage, apply cremes, take ibuprofen, use epsom salts, pamper yourself. No one else is going to. It gives your hands and fingers a workout. Try heat and ice, or hot water (as warm as you can stand it), then as cold to increase circulation and healing to the area. Obviously don’t do that which hurts you. Take it easy if you have a second portion of the day as rigorous as the first. Build up slowly and bring issues to the attention of some people who care so they can be thinking, researching and trying to find ways to help you, too. Don’t stay quiet about it. Cry if it helps. Dancing is not easy. You deserve to be pampered. The squeaky wheel gets the oil.

3) Maintain energy levels by eating and drinking adequately. No nourishment, or little nourishment, in dancers is a common cause of injury. Lack of nutrients causes the lessening of the production of Estrogen in the body and can lead to injuries. Better eat right! Take your daily vitamins (at least) and don’t forget to eat MEALS. Drink plenty of water.

4) Conditioning and strengthening of the leg muscles that support the arch are crucial. Yes, on top of dance, you need to ask your teachers for exercises that will increase the strength and flexibility of the muscles you are using everyday, so as to try to keep up with what will be expected of you. Ask your teachers for foot strengthening exercises. If they hurt, it is probably a sign that you are weak and need to strengthen. Flexibility and strength in the foot of a dancer is critical, wouldn’t you say? I mean you can’t dance without them-that would look funny. Use a tennis ball, rotate them, point and flex them, put them under the bed, sit on them-DONT’ BE LAZY.

5) Try to avoid dancing on hard or uneven surfaces, which could cause injury. What surfaces are you dancing on everyday? walking on? Where is the impact being absorbed? This is pretty hard to prevent, but perhaps classes should be held in the studios with raised flooring, but those are often not available. Wearing pointe shoes and even tightly fitting ballet shoes all day takes its toll. Shoes that are too tight, too narrow, or do not have proper arch support can also lead to increased problems, swelling and even fractures. Try to reassess all you are doing before you blame the floors. Chances are something will cause improvement, if you try. Are your straps or ribbons too tight? Are you releveing properly? Are you sickling? are you using your plie in your jumps? Landing properly? Check everything. Keep track-keep notes, dates and times, so you can look back and say, “during this class this happened and after class I felt this way.” Then you begin to see a pattern of activity, or action, which cause pain, or relieves it.

6) Take care of your shoes! Wet and worn out shoes are not supportive, and without support and on pointe for long periods of time, any dancer will experience pain. Stress moves to other soft tissues when a dancer compensates, causing injury to those areas as well. Keep them clean and dry, adding alternating pairs to your collection as needed for rotation. Always put your feet first! Skip the new leotard-better get shoes! Try different shoes for different classes. Sometime a higher vamp might be necessary for extended dancing as the foot can strain with overuse. Support, support, support!

7) Dancers should adopt new training schedules slowly. This is the number one ignored reason for overuse injuries by students because they AND teachers press forward, into maxed out training schedules, failing to accommodate for rehearsals, competitions, etc. Too much, too soon, can result in an injury and especially when taking even one day off, but especially a few, take it easy when you return, stretch as opposed to dancing hard even if you risk insults, it is better than injuring yourself just to keep up. How are you going to have a career in dance if you injure yourself permanently???? I never think returning to pointe on Monday is a good idea, but after a week off no pointe should be taken for a few days. You have to build up again. after a Summer, WELL! what do you think? Get plenty of rest at home. Even if that means going directly to bed after supper. Feet up. Soak, Massage, Eight hours. Why do you think professional dancers like to sleep late? And they DO!!!

8) Not everyone can have custom-made dance shoes. Although not always possible when dancing, but more so off stage or out of class, wear supportive footwear, and if you need to wear orthotics, wear them as often as possible. I recommend a wide variety of gel arch/foot supports, shoes and ZUMIES (AT CVS) for walking around the house. As important as the surfaces in the studio, are the street, sidewalks and concrete flooring found everywhere. A dancer lives on their feet and especially sore, they feel everything! Put your feet up. Try wrapping your feet to see if that stops or relieves the pain. But always, wear special and comfortably supportive footwear out of class. NO PAYLESS GARBAGE. Good shoes. Not always sneakers either because they do not have enough support on the sides. Finding good shoes should be a number one priority and just another example of how you should treat your feet. Would you put a baby in those shoes? Your mothers did not and how dare you treat yourself less well and carefully than they would!

Pronation and fallen arch foot pads. All dancers have impact to their feet. Fact.

9) Although I have already expounded on this in other articles, I will say it again: If dancers perform excessive pointe or demi-pointe work one day, they should focus on other types of work during the next workout. Try skipping the second technique class. Move your schedule around to try not repeating movements or overusing certain muscle groups. If you are doing variations, repertoire, privates and rehearsals-you do not need a second technique class everyday. Try jazz and modern, yoga, pilates, anything but a repeat of the same exercises you already did once in the morning. I have heard some dancers attribute their superior technique to 2 technique classes per day. On some level this might be okay, such as during Summer, or when other classes are not available, or when the opportunity arises (such as master classes), but one has to be very careful not to overdo it everyday. Repeating exercises with the hips, tendus, feet and other movements can cause overuse injuries in dancers that have not built up the stamina and strength to do this. at any rate, we are all just like the Duracell Bunny-at some point, there is a limit. Don’t let that happen when you are so young! Make an effort to work on different muscle groups and not repeat the same exercises.

Don't wait for a f.l.y. guy or your MOM-massage your OWN feet! — Don’t wait for a f.l.y. guy or your MOM-massage your OWN feet!

10) Most importantly, early recognition of symptoms is key to understanding the cause. Stop activity if pain or swelling occurs. If the pain persists after a few days rest, consult a sports-medicine physician or preferably a dance therapist or doctor. It is sometimes worth traveling to see one as opposed to getting the wrong advice. Work to break bad habits: leaning in one’s hips, poor posture, not pulling up on point, sickling. Left to chance, these might throw off all of your good training, creating areas of weakness and poor alignment which can literally stop a performance career. Fix these things now, and never look back on them, don’t keep nursing them. They are easier to correct than the one million ways they can cause you more problems in the future left unattended. Keep on Dancing!

Ballet Dancers, Ballet Media, Ballet Mumbo Jumbo, Ballet Universe, Ballet Zine, Dance Bag Doctor, Dance Education, Psyche, The Long and the Short of It

Ballet in the Boardroom-Opposites Do Attract!

September 9, 2014 AFB Leave a comment

Pointe magazine – Ballet at its Best..

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Aleksandra Enterprises inspires growth through the arts

September 9, 2014 AFB Leave a comment

Aleksandra Enterprises inspires growth through the arts – Chicago City Guide | Examiner.com.

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A Song for my Grandmother, Loretta 1920-2014

September 9, 2014 AFB Leave a comment

Someone once said, “Sometimes it’s not the quality of the voice that makes the song good, sometimes it’s the road it has traveled to get there.” Well, she almost made it to 100. Had she had a little easier life, she might have lived longer. But 94 is plenty long, unless it is someone you love. I guess its okay to be selfish. Sometimes. i saw this great movie the other day, about these old people and it was called A Song for Marion. Vanessa Redgrave, Terrance Stamp. Jemma Arterton. Just and amazing experience. Tears just poured down my face most of the time and I was ready to be cynical, but it just happened. The chief theme, for me, was this woman’s immovable and great love, which caused he, with her last breath, to help her husband find a way to be happy, give a gift, teach him how to love and live, after she was gone. She wanted to give him this great thing, happiness and a creative outlet, a path to joy. It made me think of what my grandma had done for me and for my daughter, and my mother, and how she got better at giving and helping and supporting as her life went on, and how she became totally unselfish at a time in her life when she could, and how I misunderstood her for so long. About healing old wounds and forgiveness. About love and remembrance.

It has been a long road in my family. Not the road only traveled by me, but the road the women who brought me up and influenced me, have traveled on. That’s where I am to some degree-where they have left me to continue. I think I have a clearer direction of what that is meant to be and how it is important to pass that down, somehow to my children. Now I have children, and they will travel on. That’s family and perpetuity. Crazy, but true. My grandmother was a far better person than I am in many ways. Sometimes, she seemed perfect. I remember her when I was about three or 4, visiting us in Florida. She stepped off the plane, and I saw her approach as we waited in our car, in a black knit suit dress, single strand of pearls, dark red hair swept up off to the side, arched eyebrows, simple and elegant, slim and graceful. I remember her soft tanned skin and her beautiful eyes, and I remember how she smelled. I thought, is this my grandma? A grandma? Not what you’d picture. Loretta. My mother’s mother.

My grandmother passed away August 21, 2014. She was 94 years old. She had a very full life and liked nothing better than music, singing and dancing, the outdoors. She was born in 1920 to a mother of Bohemian descent and a father of German and Austrian descent. They had twelve children. One died then. My grandmother has outlived nearly all the rest. I think she was like the best kitten in the litter. Everyone wanted that one and they all resented her. As a payroll master of the mines in Coal City, IL they had to scrimp and save. She was quite a woman and he was a very much loved character. I think he loved none of his children better than the resourceful and beautiful Loretta and he loved my mother. He loved me, too. Otto Meischner and Lara Eleanor Sistek, and Loretta Mae Meischner. I never knew her by that name, and there aren’t too many pictures of her from that early on. It is hard to imagine her wild and skinny, a poor child running the hills and hollows of Illinois, by the river. But that is where she grew up and where she always lived. The furthest she went was California, with me. She liked her home and she loved her mother and father.

My grandmother was an extremely beautiful woman all of her life. At 94, she still had the body of an eighteen year-old-hard to believe, but true. Hers was not a life (always) of abstinence, but she would say things like, “I haven’t eaten ALL day, so now I can have a sundae. Do you want a sundae, too?” She was not brought up with very much, so she learned to sew so well, she could look at you, size you up, and whip out a copy of the latest suit or fashion. She had long fingers and they flew! Of course this lent itself to other artistic/creative endeavors, such as playing musical instruments and hairdressing. She could turn your curls onto her fingers and make them just so long and pretty. She was very difficult to deal with at the hairdresser’s. I remember looking at pictures of my mother, when she was little, dressed up in costumes, to the nines, twirling and dancing on the roof like a dervish-a product of her mother’s designs. I thought she was so pretty and professional looking, but my mother hated being made up, sitting still, and being dressed like a doll, but my grandmother would have the prettiest doll. She bragged about my mother’s dancing, was a real stage mother, and took her to classes, as she as a little girl had been unable to afford them, so of course she wanted her own daughter to do the things she wished she could have.My mother wouldn’t cooperate, but she did love to dance and she, also, was good at it.

But that didn’t mean she didn’t learn to dance! She danced incredibly well, was naturally limber and at 89 could still kick the back of her head with her pointed toe. As a little girl, she and her friend would wait outside the dance studio and when the other little girls came out, she would sidle up to them, get them to teach her what they did and how to do many things. Not surprisingly, they were a little peeved when she could do them better! She had an aunt (her mother’s sister) that danced in the theater, and traveled as a dancer with a company. When she was little, that aunt (Mary) invited she and her mother to Chicago to see her perform and it made an impression on my grandmother, who was always active physically and athletically gifted. She taught herself everything, but she knew how to dance properly-I do not really know where she learned it, but she did. Maybe she learned a bit of it from the movies. She would sing, and play guitar and she and her brother would put on little shows with dancing. They ice skated together and swam. She was also a champion swimmer. I guess her father felt she took after him-he spoke twelve languages fluently, did calligraphy and was an unbeaten bicycle racer as well as being very intelligent he had an irascible wit. She was my grandmother. She was a big fan of the movies, so my mother saw just about all of them, and when my grandmother got it into her head that my mother would dance a Spanish variation, she sewed a dress entirely of crepe paper with layers and layers of red skirt which outshone the brightest costume of the event. My mother must have enjoyed it, and was very supportive of me in dance, in a different way. I think she felt she could not be the kind of mother her mother was, and she must have always been living in that shadow. My mother was the best mother for me. I was shocked when my grandmother mailed me, as a teenager, her harem costume, that she had sewn, from the movies, like the ones in La Bayadere and the Nutcracker. It was so authentic, probably from her imagination, but she wore it!

She used her gifts to the best advantage she could. Around her a light shone, and she was happy. Her lack of wealth never stopped her. but she did increase it by careful planning and saving. When my mother passed away in 2009, and after her husband died, my grandmother made a very big move and decided to become a part of our very different family over a thousand miles away. I admit, I had not known my grandma as well as I thought I did. I did not know she had such gumption, was such a lady or was so intelligent. I always though of her as a pretty grandma, but not being mature, did not recognize her sharp intellectual capacities. I did not see her for the person she really was, nor my mother, and my grandmother has helped me to see that. It took this long. A different kind of smart and sharp. Always ready for the new and the pretty, fiercely competitive, and a real survivor. So, for the last five years, she has lived with my family. She seemingly took the place of a much loved grandma, and for me this was helpful in what would have been a very depressing time for me, but it was not always easy for my children, though I think in the end, a good experience. I began to know, really know, and understand my mother’s mother, and my mother in a way I had not been receptive to while growing up. Together, it made getting through my mother’s passing easier for both of us, and we shared our similar grief. We forged ahead, and I learned there is much more to life each decade, and it does not have to stop at fifty or sixty. The picture above is of my grandmother in about 1979. She would have been about 60 years old. That was now almost as long ago. Not quite, but it seems like a long time. That light was never dull-not for a moment! She brought into our home, as much as she could, what she could, spread her love around and was there for us, and I hope we, too were there for her in a way that she needed. She stayed with us and filled to capacity (almost) that void, so intense was she. It was a coincidence, really. She was ornery and mischievous, and she has filled my life with her presence, making things possible that never would have been otherwise, for all of us, but especially my daughter, whom she gave money to start taking ballet lessons. She wanted her to. My mother would have loved that she did that, but she never knew. Each time my daughter had a performance, a costume, or a new step, my grandma would want to see it, share in the excitement and moment of it, and even went to her early classes, gave her corrections.

So, besides bringing my mother into this world, and all of the other things that she has done and accomplished, without her, I would not have been here and developed the appreciation for dance that I have. My mother would not have been the compendium of ballet knowledge that she was and taught me the things she did, a way of looking for things, that she did, and encouraging my own creativity. My daughter would not have probably ever started ballet because we just simply could not afford it. My sons would never have been supportive of it. It’s hard to find the thread, but when following it, it always comes back to her. I hope one day my grandmother’s creative legacy continues and we create a long continuum of dancers, and they will all be there in some small part because of my grandmother’s great gifts and legacy to each of us.

My grandmother was a perfectionist. She did nothing and finished nothing, that was wrong, always right. Every morning every hair was in place, she was always the best person she could be, inside and out. She always wanted my mother to be like her, and my daughter to do things correctly, and she always wanted me to have a better life. It seemed to be her especial gift to always look serene and graceful. She always took great pains to perfect things, to learn things every day, and to make everything around her more beautiful, and those around her, and their productions-whatever it was- paled in comparison. Her haters attributes and hearts were sometimes less, and they resented her- often they were jealous and mean-spirited, even into death, but my grandmother said, “Hooey!” and “That’s a shame!”, but never stopped for a moment to allow their negativity steal her precious moments of happiness. She was always kind and gracious and never said a bad word about anyone. She thought that a waste of time and she went right on, improving herself and making the area around her even more beautiful. She led by example. I truly learned a lot from her actions and her consistency of behavior, but I had no idea she was so tough on the inside. She had real mettle.

Knowing her better has made me understand my mother and myself just a little bit more, and I do not feel so removed from the chain as I once did, now I see how my mother was like my grandmother and how I am a little like them both, and I would not change it for the world. Once upon a time I did not feel that way. I thought myself different, removed, even above it. My grandmother told me right before she passed away that I was beautiful, as though she had always known I had thought I wasn’t. Maybe she wanted me to (finally) know she thought I was or maybe it was the nicest thing she could think of to say besides “I love you!” She said it repeatedly over and over a night or two before she passed. Right up until the end she would not relent. She really lived fully to her last breath. There is a lesson in that for me, and if I can keep up with her, even a bit, then I am going to be fine. But I had better try. She had a true lust for life and loved all of it, and everyone, not just the good. She always learned from the bad, she said, so whenever something did not go well, she changed it, made it better next time, improved it, was nicer-whatever it took. Behind what some people might have thought was an average ability and intelligence was someone who was the most composed fighter-a real champion-that I have ever seen. I hope she has gone to a place where she is free and her spirit is released from the chains of the earth, knowing no bounds. I will always remember her dancing. They say none of us is perfect, but she was living proof that you could try.

I saw a little dragonfly today, buzzing around me and I thought, perhaps her spirit inhabited it. I do not know what made me think of that, but I would like to know she was watching over us all, and doing what she loved and making us remember to do keep trying to do better at it all.

mysylph

Category Archives: Medical Advice

Part 1 of Winning the War Against Fat-The Emergent Sylph

NOT! Let me say again NOT!

Birds in Ballet

DIY: Anti-Inflammatory Turmeric-Almond Milk

Pointe magazine – Ballet at its Best.

Summer Dance School. Italy or Spain?

Part 2-Winning The Fight Against Fat; The Emergent Sylph

Monday

Nutrition Facts

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday (High Carb “Cheat” Day)

The Recipes

Recipe A: Frittata

Recipe B: Stir-fry

Recipe C: Spaghetti and Meatballs

Recipe D: Breakfast Sandwich

Recipe D: Breakfast Sandwich

See the entire article here:

Nutrition 101 Main Page

The Song of the Body – a new book/thinking about Holiday giving to dancers et al, already!

▶ Margot Fonteyn interview 1984 – on Pavlova (mostly)

Your IT Band is Not the Enemy But Maybe Your Foam Roller Is

Please Don’t Go

Rawzen – tribute to Maurice Béjart-I Love This!!!

Foot and Ankle Injury Prevention Tips for Dancers

Foot/Ankle Injury Prevention Tips for Dancers

Ballet in the Boardroom-Opposites Do Attract!

Aleksandra Enterprises inspires growth through the arts

A Song for my Grandmother, Loretta 1920-2014

dance book discussion et al

NOT! Let me say again NOT!

Share Mysylph:

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Share Mysylph:

Share Mysylph:

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Monday

Nutrition Facts

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday (High Carb “Cheat” Day)

The Recipes

Recipe A: Frittata

Recipe B: Stir-fry

Recipe C: Spaghetti and Meatballs

Recipe D: Breakfast Sandwich

Recipe D: Breakfast Sandwich

See the entire article here:

Share Mysylph:

Share Mysylph:

Share Mysylph:

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Foot/Ankle Injury Prevention Tips for Dancers

Share Mysylph:

Share Mysylph:

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dance book discussion et al