Primary

Today I went to my FDI ballet class for the first time since failing my exam,  i felt quite deflated being there. It was almost embarrassing until I discovered that all the other girls who took exams in that session failed too (except my lovely friend Jo who is Royal Ballet trained) - it made it better some how... It will be fine in the long run, I know I am a good teacher and I know what I need to work on so it'll be ok.

So now I am going to combine my study and my blog - an easily accessible record for me!!! I promise it won't just be ballet!

So today we discussed Primary in depth, all the exercises - and the imagery. 

plies - natural first with equality of movement , bend on 1, straighten on 2, bend on 3, straighten on 4, point the right foot along the natural turnout line on 1, close to natural 1st on 2, repeat with the left on 3 & 4.

Rises need to have sustain - not popping up and down. Imagine an invisible string pulling you up through your head!

Hands and Wrists - make sure you show a difference in quality - staccato and sharp - maybe making magic spells? then calm of body and just the wrist movements being very smooth and equal.

Arm quality - exercises you can try - smoothing their pet cat/dog/hamster/goldfish/dinosaur...

      Catching butterflys - four counts to a crescendo then 4 counts of gentle twinkly music to let                 your butterfly go..

      Waves on the Ocean - waves with the hands - maybe add fishes?

Ok that'll do for now! the next installment tomorrow - aren't y'all lucky!

Plie - To bend

More ballet I am afraid! Today I had my second classes and they were lovely - we all had a marvellous time - all I need now is to find a cheap and cheerful pianist - the emphasis on cheerful I think!

They are learning everything slowly and we are getting to the ordering ballet shoes point which is very exciting - They are loving the little purple leotards too! 

I have been working hard now we are back to school and work, the week shoots by and leave me gasping for breath - there never seems to be quite enough time to do all the jobs I want to. So I shall finish up in a minute and go do laundry and kitchen cleaning.

But before I go.

Plies - To bend -

For use later as shock absorber motion for jumps, to use in preps for chasse, pirouette and jumps.

Baby ballet - natural first - gentle bends

Primary - knee bends in first and points to natural seconde

Grade 1 - face barre - demi in first, grande in second, rises

Grade 2 - face barre - demi and full plies in first, second and third with rise

Grade 3 - side on - demi and full in 1st,2nd,3rd and 4th open. (heels on in 4th open) and rises.

Grade 4 - side on demi and full as above with 4th crossed

Grade 5 - side on - 2 demi, rise, full plie and ports de bras forward or sideways in 1st,2nd,3rd, 4th open or crossed, or 5th.

Music

Counting, singing, singing while counting, counting while singing,

counting to megadeth, girlsaloud, robbie williams and classic fm.

singing counts to g's demo cd in the car, counting under my breath to the music played in supermarkets.

123456,123456,123456,

1&a,2&a,3&a,4&a

&1,&2,&3,&4

you get the idea, and when I am not counting I am dancing round the kitchen in my p.j.'s, or tapping tempos with my feet while I bath the babies, or marking in my head in the queue in the shop. 

I will not settle for 44% for this result, I will not settle for 65% -  I will never surrender (sorry got carried away) I intend to show the evil Drusilla what I can do when I have had a decent night of sleep and feel good about my self.

It was the music section and working with a pianist that really let me down, so I am going to rectify this and find a pianist who I shall persuade to come and play for my ballet classes.

 

My theory

My music and theory really let me down in this exam - that and my communication with the pianist - I an setting out to remedy this. It will all be ok next time round - but I need to get to class 4 times a week if i can, and to breath ballet. I am so much more miffed today about my result. I needed 65% to pass and averaged at 57.3% - it is so lame.

right I am off to work on my counting singing and theory - I know the syllabus - the quality of dance let me down and how i worked with the pianist.

FDI

So today I got my ballet exam result - I wasn't awarded - which is a nice way to say I failed. 

I am not surprised but also cross and disappointed. The examiner - Drusilla Duffield - has a reputation for being seriously hard - she is looking for full time dance college girls and not women who have just started back after having babies.

So now I am planning to work incredibly hard between now and July and to get it second time round - just like my driving test! I think it's going to involve living, eating, breathing and sleeping ballet!

I am going to try and find a pianist to come and play at my classes to give me practise working with a piano and asking for music... I hope it works!

toddler ballet

Today I am starting my toddler ballet classes - I am so excited as I haven't taught my own classes for a while now yet scared as I have been out of the game sometime! We shall see how it goes!!

Wish me luck!!

Small and Beautiful

Today I have posted a very dinky picture - so sorry if you have to squint to see it!

I am currently on the hunt for a summer dress pattern - I have looked on etsy and ebay and found nowt on either. It's slightly tricky - i don't know quite what I want but I know what I don't want!

I and after something summery, maybe a wrap dress... I have loads of lovely vintage fabric but I am lacking the patterns and I am too scared to just cut!

I have even tried the local freecycle but no one has come back to me.

Nevermind - I guess I will have to trundle to John Lewis with £15 cash in my packet leaving the debit card at home!!

Right - off to tidy up now.

Preparation

Today I am planning to go and prepare all my bits for teaching on Tuesday - I need to pick up some music - some jingle bells - some hula hoops maybe - some ribbons.

I am really excited about starting teaching again - it's probably the only thing I am really good at!

For my birthday on Saturday my hubby bought me a new stereo with an ipod dock to use for classes. And I currently have enough pupils to break even so I am excited!

Look what we did!!

This is Daisy with her Egg Phones, who knows!! I came in from helping my dad and she was wearing chocolate on her head!

Here is the sum of my and my dad's hardwork yesterday afternoon - I couldn't post till I knew my mum was on a plane else she might have seen and that would have given the game away!!

The walls that aren't papered are a serene pale blue, and the carpet is a mottled grey - it looks so lovely, she got the inspiration from 2 planters she has - when they find a suite to match it and some accessories it'll look amazing!

Yum!

This is Claire and Lisa - my two school friends - eating the cream tea - it was wonderful...

We were all together for the first time in 14 years and it was as if we had never been apart .

They are both just how I remembered them - which is why it worked I guess.

We have decided to form an afternoon tea testing club - strict rules obviously will apply!

Anyway - I am still stuffed from posh sandwiches and cake so I'm off for a snooze!!

Afternoon Tea

Today I am off to afternoon tea with two friends from my school days. I haven't seen one of them since we left school nearly 15 years ago, and I am really looking forward to seeing her again... I wonder how much she has changed!

My other friend I saw during December '07 and possibly since - we hadn't seen each other for a long time before that but just picked up like we'd never been out of touch. I love friendships like that.

Anyway, we are going to Rhinefield House in the depths of the New Forest for a little decadence. We are all ?? years old this year and a tea party seemed appropriate! 

Hooray for tea and cake!

my knitting and a boy and his dog

This is the cardi I am knitting for Daisy - it is coming along slowly - but at least it is coming along! I love the stripey-ness of it - and when Daisy is too big I can swop the fastening around and Toby can wear it. Economical!!

This picture is Storm and our dog - Crusty - they are at one of the kids favourite places - Moors Valley Country Park - it's about 30 minute drive from our house and has a woodland trail with all sorts of play equipment, a tree top walk, a huge playground that is split into under 5's and over 5's and a tiny steam train that you can ride on. We love it - it's a great day out for all!

Today the weather is dreary - The kids have cabin fever! think we might teach Daisy how to play connect4. and we shall make some cake - cake seems to make things better! Best scoot - Daisy just pulled Storm's hair and made him squeal!

Bag and Daisy

Daisy here is modeling her Thomas outfit that she adores - she has chosen to style it withe Storm's goggles, and sandals! Please also observe the sign on my frontdoor - it says it all really! 

This is a bag I made from some "junk" fabric my mum gave me from the clearing of her late Godmother's house. I think it is beautiful. I love the time and effort that went into the patchwork panel. There is so much more beautiful fabric - Daisy has a dress, and I have two bits that I need to find patterns for. Skirts or dresses I think!

Will post again soon.

Washing up.

Kitchens and I don't get on - at least my current one doesn't.

I don't have enough storage or maybe just too much stuff!!

Rant over!

Itchy Itchy!

My face today is so itchy and the dressing I have been told to on no account remove is peeling up at the edges and trying to escape! I can only assume I am scratching it madly at night.

Yuk Yuk Yuk!

I think it is because it is healing that it itches, I just hope it doesn't go keloid.

Have been making things again this week - a lovely big shopping bag, it's green needle cord on one side and a big embroidered and appliqued panel on the other. I have taken a photo but not got as far and uploading. I will make G do that tonight!

In other news, Toby is wheezy again but we have got him on inhalers and it'll be ok.

And I have just found some brackets for hanging up feeders for the birdys - Daisy insisted we feed them! I just hope they don't become lunch for next doors cats!