Dance Campout reminder!!

Dance Campout tonight guys! Get ready for some epic stories!! I'm sure there will be a dancers camping part 2.

A Different Perspective

I know many of you girls like reality dance shows, it's entertaining and the dancers are good, I'll give you that. Here is a different perspective. Ally and Melissa have both posted it on there wall.  http://www.backstage.com/bso/content_display/news-and-features/e3ied8519e098ecf0008963a07cd3fb2e64

HAIR

I'm too lazy to write a full description of these photos... but I think most people will completely understand them :D

*Here are just a few mandatory facts to be included for this blog post...:*

1. Avery has VERY long hair
2. According to Stacey, this hair is magical if you eat it
3. Destiny plans for Avery and Ron to be together. Forever.
4. Avery will soon star in the Broadway production of HAIR
5. The dance company is still in the process of choreographing a "Scissor Dance" (again, no explanation needed)
6. These photographs are pure perfection.

FIREBALL

In the fall and spring I participate in a weekend retreat called Operation Snowball. A couple of other girls participate/ are planning to participate in the weekend also. It is a fun, drug/alcohol free weekend where you can meet other people who are drug and alcohol free.

 It is notorious for what we call warm fuzzies. When you give a warm fuzzy you give someone a well thought out compliment and then tie a string of yarn around that persons yarn necklace type thing. It makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside, hence the name. We also like to give hugs.

Welcome to Appalachia!!

The History of Appalachia:

Once upon a time there was a group of dancers who were in rehearsal for a performance with the Dupage Symphony Orchestra. They were trying on beautiful (but not really...) dresses for the costumes. But alas, there was not enough dresses for everyone!!! (*gasp*) So, plan B was taken into action... This plan consisted of costumes that had a shirt and long pants with brightly colored ribbon embellishments. The dancers were thrilled to discover that these magnificent (just kidding :D) costumes were made in... (*drum roll*) APPALACHIA!! A short time after trying on the costumes the saying, "Welcome to Appalachia!" was born... (*epic music begins to play*)

The "Welcome to Appalachia" Chant:

I must say that I am extremely sad to not be a creator of the saying, but I can explain it nonetheless. To say "Welcome to Appalachia" like a true élan dancer, some things must be taken into consideration:

1. You must raise your arms above your head (as if reaching to the sky)
2. Your hands must be in a jazz hands/ spirit fingers type of thing
3. You need to shout the words "WELCOME TO APPALACHIA" very loudly.
4. When you shout the words, you must speak in an Indian accent (at least that is what I think it was)
5. Don't try to shout the phrase by yourself (you need to be with a group of people). Otherwise, you'll look like a freak (I know this because I tried it while sitting alone at my computer).
6. I think that's it...

*Over vacation I was fortunate enough to visit the real Appalachia and learn about real Appalachians (and their love for quilting..). I also got a bunch of amusing pictures of Appalachian merchandise :)

Dancers Camping

The 2^nd annual dance campout is coming up, so I thought I’d write a little bit about last year. All of us love the idea of being outside and spending time together! What could be better than a campout, right? Okay, it’s not real camping it’s in a backyard, with a pool, but still we’re outside in a tent, right? Well, we tend to forget about what actually ends up happening when dancers campout.  This is how it usually goes.

Sit-Ups

When a normal person hears the word "sit-up" they might think of a normal -put your knees in a bent position and struggle to pull the rest of your body up to them - sit-up. However, when we hear the word sit-up we know better than to hope for a set of 30 or so normal sit-ups. In our minds, sit-ups mean an entire Shakira song's (and yes it HAS to be Shakira) worth of ballet sit-ups and various crunches.

Def. Ballet Sit-Up (n.)/ an exercise in which a dancer must begin by lying flat on her back in a tucked under position. Next she must simultaneously pull her upper body up to almost a 90 degree position and open their legs into a straddle position while raising her arms into fifth above her head. After holding this position for roughly 2 seconds she must lower her body back down to the ground without letting her feet or shoulder blades touch the ground. If you think this sounds impossible, then you're almost right.

Our wonderful teacher whom we adore claims that all of this torture will make us stronger turners and pretty much all-around better dancers... but during the painful routine we have trouble believing her! We always say that if a normal person (not a dancer) had to do as many ballet sit-up as we have to do on a daily basis, they would probably die.