I love getting e-mails from people in the dance community, asking questions, looking for me to help them promote a product or service, or just looking to chat about dance! I got an e-mail this morning from Ryan Beck, a dancer and choreographer, who has performed around the world and with some of today's biggest names. He has co-started a project with Jason Ray Brown called Every BODY Can Dance, a project which I think many of us can relate to.
If you've ever thought "I'd love to dance but I don't have the right body for it" and given up on your dream of dancing, then you need to check this project out. For those of you who've read this blog and know my story, you know that I was told I could never dance because I was too tall- no shoes would fit me, no leotards either (although now thinking back, I would have made a great Balanchine ballerina [Balanchine was known for loving very tall ballerinas]). At the age of 16 I threw caution to the wind and followed my heart.
Ryan and Jason are firm believers that every one can truly dance, no matter what body type or anatomy they have. They are looking to study the body's anatomy first, and then develop a technique that will fit you personally. It's a stand out idea. Ryan likens those who try one style and find that their body won't work in it like putting a square peg into a circular hole.
Research will begin in October and culminate with a free community workshop at the Manhattan Jewish Community Center in March 2012.
They are looking for pledges to get their project started. Donations fit every pocket, with pledges starting at $1. I hope they are able to make their goal, because this is a project I would love to see come to fruition.
Dancingly, Jenn
jenn@centralctfootcare.com
Dr Tina Boucher, Dance Podiatrist
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Improving Your Arch: Gone Bad
In an April 2011 I received an e-mail about improving your arch, but I think it's an important topic that needs to be reemphasized. Safe products like the AFX will help you maximize what you already have, but if your foot is not designed that way, you will be disappointed. Dancers who become obsessed with how beautiful their feet are are only setting themselves up for disaster, and more importantly, injury. When you put your feet under the couch, have a friend sit on your toes, or hang from the barre putting all your weight on that arch you are likely overstretching the tendons and ligaments in your feet. After doing this for several weeks or months you will lose the stability you need in your feet and ankles. Bad news is ligaments don't heal on their own and take forever to heal.
If you're looking for ways to get a better arch, work harder on using all the muscles in your feet, from ankle, to midfoot, to toes. You can also use the AFX to work your foot safely and properly.
Dancingly, Jenn
Dr Tina Boucher, Dance Podiatrist
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
After Ballet Class...
So for those of you who are curious, here is a follow-up to my last blog post on my triumphant (haa!) return to ballet.
Class was as expected, difficult and hard to keep up, especially the allegro and travelling exercises. It wasn't so much that the moves were unknown, it was how fast it went! I can do a pique turn for sure but not at the speed my fellow classmates were going at. They would have run me over! I forget how unflexible I am as well. Compared to the bodies of 15-17 year olds, my 25 year old body might as well be that of a 65 year old! My classmates continue to surprise me with how high they can get their legs, beautiful back bends, and glorious ponches. Ahh, to be young.
With regards to my injured foot, it held up better than I thought it would. We were in soft soled shoes however, and this week we will take class in pointe shoes. I anticipate there will be a difference from soft to pointe in how my foot feels.
It was, besides the feeling completely out of shape, a refreshing and delightful experience. For those of you who dance, you know that feeling- the simple act of moving is what makes it beautiful and honestly, addicting. My new philosophy about working at this level (advanced, pre-professional) is to go full-throttle! I'm going to look ridiculous anyway, so I might as well go all-in.
Dancingly, Jenn
jenn@centralctfootcare.com
Dr Tina Boucher, Dance Podiatrist
Class was as expected, difficult and hard to keep up, especially the allegro and travelling exercises. It wasn't so much that the moves were unknown, it was how fast it went! I can do a pique turn for sure but not at the speed my fellow classmates were going at. They would have run me over! I forget how unflexible I am as well. Compared to the bodies of 15-17 year olds, my 25 year old body might as well be that of a 65 year old! My classmates continue to surprise me with how high they can get their legs, beautiful back bends, and glorious ponches. Ahh, to be young.
With regards to my injured foot, it held up better than I thought it would. We were in soft soled shoes however, and this week we will take class in pointe shoes. I anticipate there will be a difference from soft to pointe in how my foot feels.
It was, besides the feeling completely out of shape, a refreshing and delightful experience. For those of you who dance, you know that feeling- the simple act of moving is what makes it beautiful and honestly, addicting. My new philosophy about working at this level (advanced, pre-professional) is to go full-throttle! I'm going to look ridiculous anyway, so I might as well go all-in.
Dancingly, Jenn
jenn@centralctfootcare.com
Dr Tina Boucher, Dance Podiatrist
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Ballet After An Injury
Tonight is back to ballet!
I ended up in the advanced class, since that was the only class that fit my work schedule. I'm always apprehensive about joining the advanced class, since well, I'm far from advanced. The barre is never bad, or the port a bras and adagio, but when it comes to the allegro, boy, I know when I'm beat (sometimes literally! My beats have always been on the poor side.)
It's been since May when I last donned a pair of pointe shoes, and it was a rough summer. Early June I dropped a heavy glass reed diffuser on my right sandaled foot. The result was a soft tissue injury that still has not healed properly. I was in a soft cast for five days, wore a walking boot (very sexy, I know), and currently wear an ankle compression sleeve. Some days are good, some are not (like when Hurricane Irene blew through CT, I woke up in the night with awful pain.) I will follow up next week with a post on soft tissue injuries.
I spent almost an hour on Monday night sewing my ribbons and elastics on my new pointe shoes, which I'd had since Easter. Since I'm so tall (5'10") and have a rather large foot for a ballet dancer (9-9 1/2), getting a new pair of pointe shoes was hard. The combination I needed for my Gaynor Mindens does not exists (Gaynor sizing runs large, so I needed an 11 combination) so I had to settle for the closest thing. And no way was I going to get a traditional pointe shoe.
After my ribbons and elastics were sewn and I had put on my padding, I went to our kitchen to try them out. And there was pain. Pain, which I'm hoping is coming from the fact that they are new pointe shoes and not pain from my injury. I also forgot that while Gaynor Mindens don't need the "breaking in" that a traditional pointe shoe does, they still need to form to your foot.
Tonight will be a test in several ways: see how much strength my feet and ankles have lost over the summer, see if that injury will cause a problem, and see if I can keep up!
Dancingly, Jenn
jenn@centralctfootcare.com
Dr Tina Boucher, Dance Podiatrist
I ended up in the advanced class, since that was the only class that fit my work schedule. I'm always apprehensive about joining the advanced class, since well, I'm far from advanced. The barre is never bad, or the port a bras and adagio, but when it comes to the allegro, boy, I know when I'm beat (sometimes literally! My beats have always been on the poor side.)
It's been since May when I last donned a pair of pointe shoes, and it was a rough summer. Early June I dropped a heavy glass reed diffuser on my right sandaled foot. The result was a soft tissue injury that still has not healed properly. I was in a soft cast for five days, wore a walking boot (very sexy, I know), and currently wear an ankle compression sleeve. Some days are good, some are not (like when Hurricane Irene blew through CT, I woke up in the night with awful pain.) I will follow up next week with a post on soft tissue injuries.
I spent almost an hour on Monday night sewing my ribbons and elastics on my new pointe shoes, which I'd had since Easter. Since I'm so tall (5'10") and have a rather large foot for a ballet dancer (9-9 1/2), getting a new pair of pointe shoes was hard. The combination I needed for my Gaynor Mindens does not exists (Gaynor sizing runs large, so I needed an 11 combination) so I had to settle for the closest thing. And no way was I going to get a traditional pointe shoe.
After my ribbons and elastics were sewn and I had put on my padding, I went to our kitchen to try them out. And there was pain. Pain, which I'm hoping is coming from the fact that they are new pointe shoes and not pain from my injury. I also forgot that while Gaynor Mindens don't need the "breaking in" that a traditional pointe shoe does, they still need to form to your foot.
Tonight will be a test in several ways: see how much strength my feet and ankles have lost over the summer, see if that injury will cause a problem, and see if I can keep up!
Dancingly, Jenn
jenn@centralctfootcare.com
Dr Tina Boucher, Dance Podiatrist
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