Anjuli_Bai

Most of the heat is going to come from inside - perspiration. That is why the use of an exfoliant and then an astringent to close the pours. A tissue or pad in the wings to dab off any moisture is always a good idea. As far as I know that is how it is dealt with.

There are times - though each seems to be speaking the same language - communication is not taking place...... We stopped at a roadside ice cream shop. This is the actual conversation, while a lengthy line of customers stretched out behind us: She - What would you like? Me: I would like some vanilla and some chocolate in a small bowl. She: We don't have bowls. Me: What do you have? She: Cones or cups. Me: OK - some vanilla and chocolate in a cup. She: You want both dips? Me: Yes She: We can't do that - the chocolate won't cover both. Me: The chocolate doesn't have to cover both - just chocolate and vanilla side by side. She: You don't want the dips? Me: Dips? She: we dip it in melted chocolate. Me: No - I don't want melted chocolate. Me: Let's try this again. Do you have vanilla? She: Yes Me: Do you have chocolate? She: Yes. Me: Can I have one of each flavor ice cream in a cup? She: Well, we have the flavors but not ice cream. Me: You don't have ice cream?? (looking around at all the people sitting at tables eating ice cream) She: No - we don't. Me: Well, what are all these people eating? She: Soft serve ice cream. Me: Ok - Can I have some vanilla and some chocolate soft serve ice cream in a cup? She: Next time you should ask for "half 'n half undipped in a cup." Me: I'll be careful to remember that. (I let my husband deal with paying the bill)

I long ago told myself that if I think the emperor is naked - then naked he is. If anything can parade as "art" then my opinion of it (and yours) is as valid as anyone else's. And, I long ago concluded that if it seems to me that the music is unmusical meaningless junk - then that's what it is. And, if modern/contemperorary choreography is one continuous display of angst - I could save myself some money and just get angstsy all by myself. And, if obscurity of purpose is a sign of "sophistication" - then I feel no shame in declaring that the cupboard is empty. And, if the "choreography" is "how many ways does she bend and splay" then perhaps the "choreographer" should invest in an anatomically correct doll. Shine the lights in my eyes - and I leave. Blast the "music" - I'm gone. I have seen some marvelous dance and dancers at Netherlands Dans Theatre - but I've also walked out before losing my eyesight and hearing. Likewise -- before drowning in "this is art - but you (I) are incapable of realizing it." It's not easy being unsophisticated.

Ever the perfect lady, my beloved cat (RIP), Dame Margot, would stand beside me when I went outside to greet arriving guests. She would also stand beside me as I said goodbye as they got into the car to leave. She joined the group (especially if it was all women) as we sat around with tea cups and cookies (biscuits). She, however, knowing she was forbidden to have cookies would innocently walk by the low coffee table and without breaking stride, delicately "liberate" a cookie from the tray, continue walking until she was behind a drape and there consume her ill gotten treat.

This is more than pain - the toe and nail are injured. One doesn't dance through the pain of injury.

Yes, a sore rib now and again is part of the job. When doing pas de deux the female should be careful to wear a non-slippery leotard - something in cotton rather than the more shiny slippery fabrics. This gives the partner's hand better traction and he won't feel the need to hold on so tightly. Sometimes his hand will reflexively close rather than (depending upon the lift) balancing on a more open hand. Have the teacher check it.

Natalia Makarova's big picture book is superb. I also have a truly marvelous one on Anna Pavlova. The anniversary book of San Francisco Ballet. I have several on Fonteyn and Nureyev and another really good one on Kariska. All of these are big picture books. If any of these sound interesting - let me know and i will supply exact titles and other info.

The trials and tribulations of going back to work 30 yrs later.....watch carefully - it's only 6 seconds long.... https://www.youtube.com/embed/qteu4ld_SCE?rel=0

No -I want a clean dry smooth surface. Once I had no time to remove the makeup before hurrying home. On the way i stopped in to the food store for some milk and bread and in the checkout line a mother made it very obvious to her teen daughter that I was one of "those" women who had gone astray. Shame I didn't have on any red net tights and red high heeled shoes - I could have displayed them, too.

First - let me say that this is my personal method - others will have a different routine. Second - in the "You will need" section in the first post I forgot to add: lip liner brush, eye brow pencil and disposable cosmetic pads. (Since I can't edit that post - I have to put it here. ) I always did my hair first as that took a bit of wrestling (very long thick hair). Wash face thoroughly with gentle soap, pat dry. Apply the exfoliant. It should be almost like a fine cereal - don't scrub - pat it on. Let dry. Then wash off thoroughly but don't scrub. With a tissue dab on astringent - which will thoroughly dry the face and close the pores. You want a dry, clean, smooth canvas upon which to paint. The general rule is: apply with a pad, blend with a brush, allow to dry before proceeding to the next part of the face. Never re-use a makeup pad - always go for a clean new one. Use good quality fresh makeup. Old makeup changes color and tends to clomp as it dries. Apply the mascara on the eyelashes with the roller brush that usually comes with it. I did this before putting any other makeup on my face in case the mascara on the lashes smeared onto the skin below or above the eyes. That way I could just clean it off the skin without worrying about re-applying makeup base. The mascara was applied with a upward sweep motion. Some people who have very straight eyelashes like to curl them first - but mine have a natural curve so I never needed to do that. Let mascara thoroughly dry. Now you don't have to worry about any smearing or smudges on the skin around the eyes as you work on the face. I never wore false eyelashes so I have no information to share about that. Apply the cake base makeup with a pad. Work from the center line of the face outward. So, apply the lighter shade above the eyebrows, between the highpoint of the cheekbone and the eyes and down the center of the nose. As you work outward - with a clean pad start using the darker gradient of color. Emphasize your strong points, de-emphasize the lesser. Always work outward. Direction is important (as when you work on a canvas.) Take the base past the chin-jaw line and into the neck. Use one of the big soft brushes and with a very light touch, blend, blend, blend the two gradients of color so there are no obvious lines or intersections of color differences. Make sure the base goes past the chin-jaw line and blends into the neck - you don't want to see a line where it ends. Apply the rouge with the lightest color at the height of the cheekbone in a sweeping motion outward and upward toward the (but not to) the ears. Do the same with the second and third gradient of color. Using the second of the large soft brushes, blend, blend, blend the three gradients so there are no obvious divisions or lines between them and no obvious divisions or lines between the rouge and the makeup base. With your eye brow pencil (use a really good quality one which will not change color with perspiration) draw in the eyebrows, sweeping them outward with a gentle curve upward. Make sure the space between the left and right side is adequate. If the brows are too close that will make your face look smaller. You can - if it looks good on you and your natural brow is not too dark or thick, use the top of your natural brow as the bottom of the brow you are creating. Apply eye shadow with the lighter shade at the front, the darker shade deeper into the eye socket. I never used any kind of pinkish shade or that pink dot at the inner corner of the eye. I think it makes the eye look sick - like it has an infection. I used a pale bluish eye shadow - NOT a heavy dark shade that makes the lid look like a garage door opening and closing. Using the small precise eyeliner brush paint the liner at the base of the lashes of your upper eyelid. Then change to an eyeliner pencil as you come off the lid and continue on the skin of the face to elongate the eye. Same with the bottom - under the lashes with the brush and then the pencil on the face. The space between the two lines - one from the top and one from the bottom should gradually narrow - the bottom one coming up - but never meet. Some people like to outline the lips in a dark color - I never liked that. I stick to coral reds as a blue stage light will make a blue based red lipstick look brown/black. Outline the lips fully with a lip brush, well into the corners, but not on the skin. Apply the lighter color toward the center where the lips are fullest. A bit of powder will set the color. Using a clean pad, VERY lightly dab on the caked powder. This will "set" all the makeup and take off any shine. It must be done lightly and carefully. Depending upon your costume and the character of the dance you are doing bare shoulders, chest and back should be powdered too - very lightly. Put some vaseline on your teeth so that when you smile during dancing your lips won't stick to your teeth as they dry out with your breath. When all is done - thoroughly but gently remove all makeup, pat dry with your second (clean) towel and apply a really good moisturizer. Don't be afraid to experiment. I'm sure I've forgotten something! Hope this is of use to someone.

I always used my own skin tone as the base - the "central" color, then using a lighter color to highlight the "good" areas such as top of cheek bones, and the darker tone toward the edges of the face. It's like painting an apple. An apple is red - but a painter knows that the apple is red only in one spot - the rest of the apple is a gradient of red. White clouds are not white but many shades of white. I also avoided the blue spectrum of red and kept to the orange spectrum - favoring coral colors. And - a lot of it depends upon the stage lighting and the character. A swan in Swan Lake doesn't want a bright face - but not gaunt either. So, I would use a paler version of red to orange spectrum and a lighter touch. It's not just the tone but the depth of the tone. If you were painting a gold vase you would paint it on in several layers. When I painted a gold urn (it's on my FB page of my paintings which is open to the public) I used four layers of color beginning with red - that gave the final gold depth.

It depends how closely those 500 people are sitting to the stage and what the lighting will be. For instance some theaters have an orchestra pit and some do not. That would alter the distance between stage and audience.

On another thread the subject of makeup for the stage was mentioned - and I thought it might be an interesting subject for a thread. (I don't recall that we've already had one). Give yourself one hour to do this correctly = without hurry. Since dressing rooms are often crowded (as are access to a sink) come early. It's a really good way to channel any fluttery nerves and get into the "zone." Some things to consider: The character role (if any) you will be dancing, the type of dance (dramatic Swan Queen or joyous Sleeping Beauty), the lighting (white/blue for swans in Swan Lake, Snow Scene in Nutcracker or bright white/reds/etc., for Waltz of the Flowers, etc.). The same makeup looks different under different stage lighting. Also you need to consider the distance you will be from your audience - the further away the heavier and more accented the makeup. Part of stage makeup is how the hair is arranged. You should be given explicit directions. If the hair is in a bun - is it placed high on the head, directly on the back of the head or lower toward the nape of the neck? Hairpins should match the hair except when they need to match a hair ornament - i.e. - you will need white pins for a Swan Lake feathered hair ornament. It is also important to know where the hair parts - center? - or no visible parting? If the hair ornament is secured with a band that crosses over a center part, you will need to take a flesh colored pencil and draw in the "part" so it looks continuous - and thus the band will "disappear." You will need: a collapsible stand up magnifying mirror (the kind that fits into a make up bag, two smallish towels (one for "before" and one for "after,") lots of facial tissues, a gentle soap, a good exfolliant (defoliant), a gentle astringent, vaseline, cake make up base in two gradients of color, packed powder matching the base colors, powdered rouge in three gradients of color, lipstick in two gradients of color, eye liner, eye liner applicator (both pencil and brush), mascara, two large soft brushes (one for makeup base, one for cheeks), eye shadow, smaller brush for eye shadow, makeup remover, really good moisturizer. Since this posting is already lengthy.....I'll continue ....if there is interest......in a subsequent post.....let me know......

I don't think bullying will ever be stopped. I think it is nature's way of setting up a societal heirarchy. Nature is interested in one thing - procreation. In order for that to happen one must win the battle for space, resources and defense. Nature doesn't really care how we feel about it. Human society as presently constituted is an artificial construct. When I've encountered someone who tries to tell me that it's just banter and I don't have a sense of humor, etc., etc., - I tell them: "Your attempt at humor is not up to your potential - I'm sure you could do better." Fortunately, as you've probably gathered - I'm not a shy person. When I don't engage a bully it's because I just don't want to waste time and energy. However, if pushed - I will engage. The bully is usually caught by surprise and bullies don't like surprises.

I would agree - you did see it all.

Suppose it said "Our cow Fred?"

I think this kind of behavior starts very young. I recall sitting in the hall waiting for my ballet class I was teaching to begin. The hall was crowded with mothers and 5-6 yr olds also waiting for their tap class in the studio next to mine to begin. One little tap dance girl was sitting next to me at the very end of a bench. Another little tap dance girl came from the other end of the hall, and as she walked by the one sitting next to me whispered: "You are an ugly dancer and you'll never be any good." This little minx never broke stride, and it was all done so smoothly. The little victim broke into quiet tears. Her class hadn't even begun and she was already emotionally destroyed. Being the only adult to witness this, I said to the bully (it's hard to say that about a 5-6 yr old) "That wasn't very kind to say was it?" The little bully looked at me and immediately manufactured real tears, bawling at the top of her lungs. She ran to her mother all the way down the crowded hall screaming that I had abused her. Immediately her mother sprang into action - she didn't know me at all - picked up her "baby" - hugging her, yelling at me. I walked into my classroom to start the class -- she followed me in - still screaming - the little bully still bawling. I told her we could discuss what happened but as long as she was screaming, no conversation would take place. I don't talk to people who are screaming without knowing what happened. I was impressed by several things: the smoothness of the bully. How difficult it was for a witness (me) to describe it with its full impact. How quickly the plight of the little victim was forgotten in the drama the little bully created around herself - how she made herself the victim. The automatic assumption by the mother that her little angel had been "abused." I was also in awe of how quickly those tears had been manufactured (drama was her true calling). And - most of all I was impressed by how much the 5-6 yr old resembled her mother. Well, of course she did - where else would she have learned to be so destructive? The last act of this drama played out after my class was over and I was walking to my car. Several of the tap class mothers came over and thanked me - they all were having a horrid time dealing with the bullying of this girl and her mother and no one had the guts to take them on. This is an example in which the teacher (the tap teacher) might be totally unaware of the problem since it didn't occur in the classroom. The teacher may wonder why this one little girl - the victim - is so shy - so distraught. Her mother might wonder, too. And the child may very well be unable to explain it. I learned over the years that unfortunately when a youngster is exhibiting disturbing manipulative behavior - it is worthwhile to observe the parents. This is not a blanket statement of condemnation - but it's worthwhile taking their behavior into account.

This just isn't fair....sob.....since I'm not in the UK - eating ice cream at intervals (intermission) ......... But since ice cream is my favorite food and it's a feisty morning....... Dream about this: rich vanilla ice cream served on a warm lightly fried flour tortilla, sprinkled with cinnamon, nutmeg and honey. A fork and spoon comes with it - which is silly. Just use fingers to break off pieces of the crispy tortilla and use it as a scoop for the ice cream. Alternatives are mango and/or coconut ice cream. And then - there's fried ice cream. Very decadent.

Ballet class can be a very cruel place. The 'mistakes' which we make are so open - observable by everyone. Most of us are very sensitive to any kind of physical clumsiness or a misstep. One has to remember that 'mistakes' are really not errors - but endeavors at success. Success doesn't happen without those 'mistakes.' But I have found that those who spend their time ridiculing others are usually not the ones who make progress. They've put their energy in ridicule rather than using their time constructively. No matter the milieu - whether it is ballet class, a work environment, a sport, etc., - there will always be those who have little to occupy their minds but snickering at others. It speaks volumes of who they are and what their priorities are. At the same time, there is usually a set of nicer people about and it is they to whom we should direct our time and attention. Find someone else in class who is as serious minded as you - make a friend - be a friend - and ignore the other lot. Choosing our friends and deciding to whom we pay attention is part of growing up. It's not easy - life is difficult and there are always those who make it more difficult. Why? They can't think of anything else to do. That's bespeaks an empty head doesn't it? Let dance fill your heart and hear only the music.

Well, I had to look it up in google.....seems like a harmless activity.....even creative. There will always be something that captures the young, some fad, some trend. Let's be happy it's harmless. I don't think I would confiscate it. I would remind the child of the need to do homework and/or rehearse a dance. But, I'd also be willing to allow her to make the choice of how to spend her time and then let her face the consequences. Could be a good lesson in priorities when she has to explain to the teacher why her homework isn't done.

The most beautiful rose in my garden is "Peace" - a bush, huge grandiflora - huge blossom (often ten inches or more across) - hardy - resistant to most rose problems. The blossom is creamy white from a pink center with a lavender frilled edge. I also have "Queen Elisabeth" both the bush (which is a paler pink) and the climber - a bright pink perfectly shaped rose. The climber is multiflora but each blossom is a very good size - it's very hardy and prolific.. Both these roses have been in my garden over 15 yrs and still doing very well. I also have 2 "America" as climbers, it is a beautiful red rose and hardy, but a gardener pruned it incorrectly - so one of them is still a climber but the other is now a bush. "Champagne" is a long stemmed rose - not many flowers but a truly spectacular apricot color - going through gradations of color. I love Morning Glories and have several going from blue to purple. Easy to propagate, prolific and hardy. The runners need guidance. I have a huge one climbing over a redwood arbor which it shares with a pyrocanthus. The pyrocanthus has brilliant red berries and white flowers. When they intertwine with the blue/purple morning glories its really quite lovely. The "miracle twig" is doing very well which makes me very happy.. The fortnight lillies are sprinkled around here and there. We also have a huge old pepper tree, an ash, and cypress. The pepper tree is a male which is quite rare. The most stunning flower I've ever seen - and I have ten of them (used to have 80) are eppiphylum. They are huge with brilliant irridescent color. I used to adore working in the garden but no longer can. So, I get to watch the gardener prune the roses incorrectly. He also has little concept of using garden trimmings and leaves as mulch. We get so little rain that mulch is important. I never used to discard any plant trimmings. He is not alone - it seems all the hired gardeners here like to scrape the ground bare - rather than covering it and keeping in the moisture. I used to love to run out at first light, work in the garden and then go to my daily morning ballet class.

My husband says he has re-done it. So, we'll see what happens. Thanks!

For the last ten days or so, I've had to sign in almost everytime I come to this board. This is not happening on any other site I visit. And, yes, I always click "remember me." Any ideas?

The best fouettés I ever did were when I broke my foot and it was in a cast. The cast really lent speed to that whipping foot. Triple pirouettes take no more energy than a double - just use the spot for the impetus.

That wasn't a teacher you had the ill fortune to meet - that was a very unlovely person pretending to teach. Do try again. Don't let her determine what you do.