Heart Throb

I'm still here, just very busy! I'll post some new stuff soon. But until then, take a look at Erik, my new dancer heart throb.

Cari

Early Bloomer

Here's an interview by with a young dancer from Club Pointe. What an inspiration she is for all dancers!

After taking class at Houston Ballet while visiting relatives in Texas this spring, 15-year-old Leighton Jordan of Duluth, Georgia, was invited to join Houston Ballet II. She's only the second 15-year-old in HB II's history to be offered a contract. She's headed to Houston this week, but first she made time to speak with Club Pointe.

How do you think starting so young will affect your career?

Starting early is giving me the opportunity to prepare for the future. This way I will be ready and have the discipline.Did you find yourself taking a different approach to your training now that you have a company position?Mostly I just work on pushing myself. At Metropolitan Ballet Theatre, my school at home, everything was very hands-on. Our teacher paid really close attention to you and made you work harder. This summer at San Francisco Ballet's summer intensive I had to learn to push myself. That was good preparation for me.

What are your concerns in terms of joining HBII?

My real concerns are just having questions, like even when I'm supposed to be there. We just found out we have to arrive a week earlier than we thought, so that was a surprise. I also have a lot of other questions--am I going to be understudying, dancing, etc.What are you most looking forward to?The training. Houston is definitely the next step up, I can't wait to have the company atmosphere and also to get pas de deux experience.

What is your dance dream?

Definitely American Ballet Theatre or the Royal Ballet.

If you could choose another career, what would it be?

I've always known I want to be a mom and I want to dance as long as possible. Eventually I also want to adopt a disabled child. What is your dance dream?Definitely American Ballet Theatre or the Royal Ballet.

Cari

Good Tips

Here's a good tip we all need to remember:

Cool Down

Protect your body from injury by cooling down after class or a strenuous rehearsal. "It reduces the stress on your heart and helps remove some of the fluid that builds up in muscle tissue during times of intense activity," says Michael Leslie, SF Ballet's physical therapist. "You'll get rid of the byproducts that can build up and cause soreness, and be better prepared for your next rehearsal." Here's how:

Walk it off. Low-grade aerobic activity lowers your heart rate naturally and gradually, Leslie says. At the end of a strenuous rehearsal, walk around the studio for a few minutes at a slow-to-moderate pace.

Put your feet up. Leslie recommends lying on the floor with your legs up against a wall for about 10 minutes after class. "That lets gravity do the work for you, getting the fluid out of the lower extremities," he says.

S-t-r-e-t-c-h. "Ideally, dancers would take 30 minutes to strech all the major muscle groups in the legs, arms, and back after working," says Leslie. Particularly important are longer muscles in the legs- quads and hamstrings. Only have a few minutes? Focus on your calves, he says. "They're the most over-worked muscle group among dancers."

Until next time,
Cari