Ballet On The Big Screen

The Bolshoi Ballet and La Scala Ballet have been all over the country this August, and they will continue to appear in September. But the companies aren't touring here--films of their performances are being shown at movie theaters in such cities as Miami, Cleveland and Providence. Check your local cinemas to see if you can catch the Bolshoi performing Marius Petipa's The Pharaoh's Daughter, Alexei Ratmansky's Bolt or La Scala Ballet performing Mauro Bigonzetti's Mediterranea. For more: www.emergingpictures.com.

Pictured: The Bolshoi Ballet in The Pharaoh's Daughter

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A Dancer's Best Asset

Put Your Feet First:

Great Dancer Footcare Tips

As dancers we use our feet all day long, so treat them with some love! Here are a few tips from Mary Cowden Snyder, artistic director of Oregon's Medford Dance Arts Center. She will give a free seminar in footcare on Oct. 11 at the center. Call 541-772-1362 for details.

Wear shoes that fit: Street shoes are just as important as dance shoes in terms of comfort. This goes for pointe shoes, too. "Don't wear the shoe that your friend wears just because she likes it," says Snyder. "Wear the shoe that fits you the best." Check out Gaynor Minden's website, www.dancer.com, for tips on pointe shoe fitting. Tape your feet: If you are wearing shoes, "you want to create a surface that can take the kind of abrasion that you're going to give the skin. Most people have 'hotspots' on their feet that need to be paid attention to because they're very sensitive." Snyder recommends using athletic tape. If you are dancing barefoot, tape the bottom of your foot. Keep your feet clean: Sweat can lead to bacteria, making blisters more susceptible to infection. Stay away from flip-flops because your feet get more dirty in them. If you do wear them, make sure that you wash your feet before going to bed

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