Category Archives: Dance
Ballet Summer Intensive Checklist
You did it! You were accepted into the summer ballet intensive that you worked so hard to get in to. Now onto what to pack! Here is a list of a few items that you want to be sure not to forget.
1.) You’re probably super excited to take your new leotards, skirts, and warm-ups but don’t forget about your regular “street” clothes too! What will the weather be like in the city where you will be dancing? Places like Pittsburgh, New York or Austin are typically very hot in the Summer so you’ll want to pack lots of shorts and tank tops for example. P.S. Don’t forget your swimsuit!
2.) How many pairs of pointe shoes will you need? One pair of technique shoes will work but you need to be prepared when it comes to pointe shoes. For a six week program I would recommend bringing four to five pairs of pointe shoes. (be sure to save one pair for the workshop performance!)
3.) Are the studios air conditioned? This is something that will also determine how many pairs of pointe shoes you will go through. If you are going to be dancing in a warmer climate where there is no AC, you can anticipate that your pointe shoes will break down or “die” faster. Check into this before you leave just in case you need to pack an extra few pairs of shoes.
4.) Bring things to do. If you are staying in a dorm or with a host family you will more than likely have a curfew. This curfew could be early so you want to make sure to pack lots to do. I recommend bringing lots of books, dvds, games, magazines or a laptop if you have one.
5.) Don’t forget your camera. With all of the fun activities that your chaperones will have planned for you in your new city you don’t want to miss a Kodak moment! The photos you take and the memories that come with them will last you a lifetime.
6.) The last thing you want to be sure to take with you is a positive attitude. Embrace the new styles, techniques and teaching staff that you will be introduced to. Even if you get frustrated, stay open minded and your teachers will recognize how well you can overcome adversity. Remember: summer study is all about getting new perspective and walking away from the experience a new and improved dancer.
I hope that these tips help you with your ballet summer intensive program packing. As always feel free to send your questions in by emailing me at nikol@balletaudition.com. I am looking forward to hearing from you 
Black Swan – Take a Bow
Photo from perezhilton.com
I have waited quite some time to give my take as a professional ballet dancer on the movie Black Swan. Recent press regarding the controversy involving Sarah Lane (a beautiful American Ballet Theatre Dancer) as Natalie Portman’s “stunt double” has prompted me to break my silence. Having both experience on film and as a professional dancer I’m going to offer my perspective on the whole thing and how the dance world is so different from Hollywood.
After reading an Entertainment Weekly article written by Adam Markovitz, (you can read it here) it is clear that Ms. Lane is a bit upset over her role in the movie Black Swan. It seems that the producers didn’t properly define her role as a stunt double in the film. Unfortunately, being a stunt double is a very thankless job when it comes to academy awards.
Just as Lane is quoted as saying that Portman’s portrayal of a dancer is “demeaning to the profession (ballet),” I feel that Lane’s primadonna attitude in these articles doesn’t make the profession look much better. This primadonna attitude is exactly the reason why dancers have such a (excuse my language) bitchy reputation.
Could legal issues follow these accusations? Lane claims that though she was “told not to talk about her work to the press” there was no non-disclosure clause in her contract. So who advised Ms. Lane to speak up? Surely she has an agent. Surely someone went over the contract with her. I understand the work that Lane put into the few dance scenes that were in Black Swan, but I do not think it is right for her to slam Portman and the movie. This is something that should have been advised against, and if this is merely a business issue, why is it being aired out publicly?
On to the Oscar Controversy:
Whomever did the dancing in the movie is not the reason why it won an Oscar. I understand that some in the dance community feel that Natalie Portman won the Oscar for her “upper body” portrayal of a dancer, but if you truly watch the film you will see that it is far more than that. Natalie Portman received a much deserved Oscar for her work as an actress, not as a dancer. In fact, if you watch the movie again you will see that there really isn’t much dancing in the movie at all. Has Lane seen the movie?
So why the controversy? One thing that us dancers have is pride. Our profession feeds off of acknowledgment (think bows at the end of a performance) and acceptance. I think that Lane feels the need for a bit of closure since she didn’t get to take a “bow” after her performance as Ms. Portman’s stunt double. Slamming the movie you worked on and the actress who’s “acting” awarded her an Oscar is hardly applause worthy.
I have yet to read a response to this controversy by the ever poised Natalie Portman’s who’s dancer fiance Benjamin Millepied has spoken up saying that “85 percent of that movie is Natalie.” Will we hear a reply from her? Also, please do not see this as an attack on Ms. Lane or her dancing, rather a look into the business side of things. I am looking forward to seeing how this one unfolds.
This Blog post was inspired by the Entertainment Weekly Article “Black Swan double claims Natalie Portman only did 5 percent of full body dance shots in the movie” Written by Adam Markovitz. http://insidemovies.ew.com/2011/03/25/portman-black-swan-double/
Ballet Strength Pointe Magazine debut
It has taken me a while to share this article with you and I finally got a chance to scan it to my computer today. I reformatted the look of the article a bit to make it easier to read. (there was a dreadful photo right in the middle of the page that I got rid of 
and added one of myself, of course) Although I was inaccurately quoted on several occasions, I still feel that it is a huge accomplishment for myself and Ballet Strength to be part of the elite few who have had the opportunity to share their wisdom in Pointe and am extremely thankful for the opportunity.
If you are interested in having your questions answered by me on my blog or by video blog, send your questions to nikol@balletaudition.com. I look forward to helping you!
Nutrition for Dancers
This weeks question comes from a professional dancer on the verge of being promoted to a principal dancer.
Question: What foods can I eat to give me energy throughout the dancing day that will fill me up without making me feel lethargic?
Answer: Nutrition for dancers is a touchy subject on the online message boards and forums, but I am not afraid to tackle this one head on. If you are a professional dancer dancing sometimes up to 8 hours a day, you want to make sure that you are eating to stay fueled up for rehearsals. I always drank an electrolyte beverage such as Gatorade during class and rehearsals to replace all of the carbohydrates lost while sweating. In case you haven’t noticed already, water alone will not satisfy your need for hydration during class and rehearsals. If you are a pre-professional dancer, hydration is just as important so these tips go for you as well.
As far as fueling your body with foods, you want to make sure that you are eating a healthy, carbohydrate rich snack every 2 hours during the dancing day. This is the nutrition schedule that I give to my ballet strength nutrition clients. Finding time to include the snacks in your day can sometimes be a struggle, but is imperative to your dancing when it comes to making improvements and progress in your technique. Not only will your body suffer if it is lacking essential nutrients, but your mind will also have a hard time remembering choreography.
So what should you eat? Here is a list of some great healthy snacks that you can add into your day to stay energized and eager to dance;
- Granola Bars (not protein bars!)
- Yogurt
- Trail Mix
- Fruit
- Whole Wheat Crackers
- Cereal
These snacks will replenish the stored carbohydrates that you lost during class, rehearsal, or both. Remember, don’t go hungry, eat for energy and your dancing will improve tremendously!
Committed to Your Dancing,
Nikol Klein
www.balletstrength.com
Nutcracker Ballet Partnerning Advice
Question: Hi Nikol! Love your facebook page and hoping to purchase your ebooks soon. I had a question regarding some acting difficulties in Nutcracker. I am Clara and my directors really want a strong “connection” between her and the nephew/nutcracker prince. There are times where I have to really look at him with “affection” and mean it! Its hard! Do you have any advice for connecting with your partner? Thanks! ~ Colleen
Partnering isn't one sided. It takes two!
Answer: Hello Colleen. First off, I would like to say congratulations to you on landing the part of Clara in The Nutcracker. As a young dancer, performing the role of Clara was one of those times that I remember the most vividly and had the most fun dancing on stage. Now we all know the story of The Nutcracker, but I want you to find the book (if you don’t already have it) and really read the story. While you are reading the story, I want you to take careful note of the emotions that Clara is feeling. She is delighted by the gift that Drosselmeyer gives her, overwhelmed at this magical land that she didn’t know existed, enchanted by the prince who so bravely battled the Mouse King, etc. Write down a list of these different emotions. Now, think of the different instances in the ballet where you have to convey these emotions through choreography.
If you can immerse yourself completely in the role of Clara and focus on the story you are trying to convey, you shouldn’t have any awkward moments with the Prince. What I used to do is imagine the Prince to be a boy that I had a crush on. I know it sounds silly, but it works. So whether it’s Justin Bieber or Taylor Lautner, pretend like the “Prince” standing in front of you is him and feel what an honor it is to be led through the Kingdom of the Sweets by such a “superstar.” (Just don’t tell the prince that you are doing this! lol)
The other thing that can make you feel more comfortable around your partner is getting to know him a little better. If you two can become friends and have an awesome open communication that will also transfer well on stage.
Most of all, don’t be shy. Just as you should feel honored to be dancing with the Nutcracker Prince, you should feel even more honored to have been chosen to dance the role of Clara! Cherish the next two months in your “reign” as Clara and most importantly, have fun! Oh, and don’t forget to email me (nikol@balletaudition.com) to let me know how it goes!
Committed to Your Dancing,
Nikol Klein
www.balletaudition.com
www.balletstrength.com
Getting Hired by a Ballet Company
After putting in years of hard work and training, you have decided that you want to be a professional ballet dancer. Sounds like every little girls dream, right?
It definitely is everyone’s dream to do what they love for a living and to be able to get paid for it, but with so many companies only offering unpaid trainee and apprentice positions dancing can sometimes turn into a dreaded job. With the economy going into a recession a few years ago, funding for the arts definitely suffered more than it was already suffering…and it obviously isn’t going to bounce back as quickly as the rest of the working world.
So what can you do?
This is where the young dancer needs to be economically smart. Dancing is still a job no matter how much we love the self-fulfillment that we get from artistic expression. And when you do a job, especially on a long-term or contractual basis, you should receive payment.
A lot of these unpaid offers that you may get from companies may sound very attractive. They may give you pointe shoes and free chiropractic/ massage therapy visits, but make sure that this is the right deal for you. It may sound like an awesome idea to move away from home and go live out your dream, but please consider how you will be able to fund your passion. Will Mom and Dad help out? How much money are they willing to contribute? Will you have to get another part-time job? Will you have to get two other part-time jobs? Even more importantly- Will you have time to work a part time job?
The other thing that you need to consider is whether or not you will actually get time dancing with the company. A lot of apprentice programs these days sell you on the fact that you are joining the apprentice or trainee group of a company, however there is very little interaction with the actual company. (company class, rehearsals, etc) A lot of apprentice and trainee programs have their own seperate classes, rehearsals, and sometimes don’t even get a chance to perform with the company. You can look at it as an extra year of schooling.
I don’t want to tell you not to take an unpaid apprenticeship, as there is definitely a value to the learning experience, but be very picky as to which program you choose. Companies are able to “try it before they buy it” so to speak with these ever growing second companies and apprentice programs. I have been fortunate enough in my career to always have secure paid ballet employment, but it pains me to see young dancers who aren’t being paid struggle. When I say struggling I mean working 2 part time jobs in addition to dancing to pay the bills or put food on the table.
My advice to you is to be smart. Listen to your parents. Make wise choices or you may find yourself in a position where you’ll really find out what it is to be a “starving artist.”
Break Bad Audition Habits
What is the worst thing that you can do in an audition?
I’m sure you ask yourself this questions each time you walk in the audition room to try out for a new ballet school or company.
If you are like most dancers, you worry yourself silly about things like what the directors are looking for, what body-type they prefer, or even what color leotard you should wear. We all worry about these things that we can’t control in the audition rather than focusing on the factors that really make the huge difference. This is what causes us to form bad habits. What we should be doing is focusing on the things that we can control. And that is just the half of it.
Luckily I have written Inside the Audition to go along with my Ballet Audition Preparation Guide techniques to tell you exactly what not to do inside the audition room! With audition season already upon us, you cannot afford to make these mistakes. They may cost you a job or spot in the company or school of your dreams.
Don’t lose out to your competitors this audition season. Download these must-have dancer guides now! Best of all, you don’t have to wait for it to be shipped, the tips are available immediately following the download.
I can’t wait to hear how much it improves your audition skills.
Happy Dancing,
Nikol Klein
www.balletaudition.com
www.balletstrength.com
Ballet Strength on Alex Wong’s Injury
A photo of Alex gives me great insight as to where his injury prone areas may be.
My heart was broken last night watching So You Think You Can Dance for Alex Wong, an extremely talented dancer who captured the dance world’s attention this season. I’m not an avid So You Think You Can Dance viewer, but I do catch the show about twice per month. Being that Alex was a ballet dancer and had left his position with Miami City Ballet to be on SYTYCD, there was quite a story and a passion behind his presence on the show. It kept me watching…
As a Ballet Strength and cross training coach for dancers, I immediately started to think of ways that this injury might have been prevented. Gorgeously arched feet and super tight calves like Alex’s usually mean short Achilles Tendons in my experience working one on one designing plans injury prevention plans for professional dancers. (I could go into more details about his anatomy, but I’ll spare you.)
In my spare time this morning I did my best to find out how Alex Wong “ruptured his Achilles Tendon” to further investigate how something like this could have been prevented. Had his spring nearly sprung? Is it the result of improper technique? Or did he merely land wrong? The articles that I found were quite vague in their description of the incident so I am hoping that there will be more to come in the next few days.
My next thought: was Alex in pain prior to the Achilles rupture? Did he have chronic Achilles Tendonitis, a nagging long-term injury that some dancers suffer with their entire careers? Many dancers push through injuries in order keep their status in companies thinking that the injury will heal itself and get better. Us stubborn dancers think that we can change the reality that rest is the only thing that will truly heal an injury.
In my ballet summer studies at Chautauqua I remember hearing stories about New York City Ballet Dancer Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux rupturing his Achilles, but I don’t know for a fact if he returned to dancing after the injury. I am confident that Alex will dance again.
I guess my message in this blog post is this: Dancers, be smart. Take risks, but don’t risk your career thinking that you can triumph over pain. You cannot mask injuries. Trust me, it will bite you in the behind. Not to say that I know 100% that this is the reason for Alex Wong’s injury, but I have a sneaky suspicion that it may be the case. Hopefully more details will be available to the public soon.
Happy Dancing,
Nikol Klein Professional Ballet Dancer/ Author/ Fitness Expert
Performance Nervousness-Part 2
In the Wings
Now that you have identified the type of performance nervousness you are feeling from Part 1 of my Performance Nervousness series, it is time to come up with a solution. In the book I wrote, The Ballet Audition Preparation Guide, (www.balletaudition.com) I outline the types of techniques that can be used to get rid of Audition nerves. The same concepts can be applied to backstage nerves.
Here are some of the long-term things you can do prior to the show to ensure that you are feeling confident going into theatre week.
Set Goals- Write out your goals ahead of time, starting with your first rehearsal. If you set realistic performance goals and work on them throughout the weeks of rehearsals leading up to the show, you will feel more confident.
Mental Preparation- Mentally prepare yourself through imagery. This is something that I have gone into extensively in The Ballet Audition Preparation Guide. If you can visualize yourself performing a role perfectly, you can take that same feeling into the real performing situation.
Here are some of the short-term things that you can do to help with pre-performance butterflies.
Avoid Caffeine & Sugar- I remember sugaring up before shows when I was in school and it always turned out disastrous. Either you feel like you’re going to jump out of your skin while you’re onstage or your sugar high crashes right before the show and you are left feeling tired and lethargic.
Eat and Hydrate- No one performs at his or her best on an empty stomach. To ensure that you won’t energy bonk before the show, eat at least 1 hour prior to call. Sip on an electrolyte enhanced beverage throughout the day.
Listen to Music- Listening to your favorite tunes on your iPod before the show can have a huge calming effect on your nerves. Most Professional Dancers practice this technique pre-performance.
Warm-up- Warming-up before the show will give your body the peace of mind it needs to successfully execute choreographic demands.
Focus in the Wings- Think positive before you are about to make your stage entrance.
Breathe- Don’t forget to breathe and relax before going onstage. If you’re holding your breath, all of the movements that you have been working so hard on in rehearsal will feel lot harder and more taxing on the body.
Try some of these techniques before your Nutcracker performances this month! If you are looking for more techniques to try pre-performance, check out the eBook I wrote at www.balletaudition.com. The techniques outlined in that book aren’t just for auditioners!
Happy Dancing,
Nikol Klein, Professional Ballet Dancer / Author
How to be Nutcracker Ready
It’s our favorite time of the year…Nutcracker time! Young dancers all over the world are jumping with joy and bragging about the roles they have been cast in. Professional Dancers are sharpening their pencils in roles they have been dancing for years. What can you do to make sure you are prepared or in the pro’s cases avoid Nutcracker burnout?
Whether you are dancing a new role this year or repeating last years, you can use the same techniques to look beautiful and dance technically sound.
Music is a huge part of the equation. We all know the Nutcracker music all too well, but if you listen closely enough you may hear something new. Explore your musicality. If you are performing with an Orchestra, dance with the music. Listen to the music, don’t just dance on auto-pilot.
Nutcracker is a great time to work on your performance skills and stage presence. If you’ve performed this role before, approach this year with more confidence! Show the audience that you are comfortable in this role.
Improve your technique on these roles. Last year you did a double pirouette in Waltz of the Flowers…why not throw in a triple this year? This of course does not apply for the corp de ballet, but is a great way for a soloist to show off their stuff. Careful though…some artistic directors get angry if you do too much!
Stand out in the Corps de Ballet! As a kid, I always watched the corps member who smiled the most and looked like she was having the most fun. While you are dancing imagine that all eyes are on you! There are subtle ways that you can keep from blending in.
Enjoy yourself this Nutcracker season! Remember, Summer School and Company auditions are right around the corner and with auditions comes added stress.Learn more about how you can get rid of nerves with The Ballet Audition Preparation Guide.
Happy Dancing!
Nikol Klein, Professional Ballet Dancer / Certified Personal Trainer & Nutritionist
Ballet Audition Tips
