Splits and Back Bends

I have never been a flexible individual. This is a problem in the world of dancing, where splits, grand battements (ballet term), kicks etc are important components of routines. I can barely touch my toes,let alone do a split. Yet a display of flexibility can quickly impress everyone on the dance floor. Check out Franco Fromica’s splits:



As such, I have traded in my gym membership and weight training plan for yoga. The plan is to be doing splits and back bend in no time! What I really like yoga is the combination of strength conditioning, flexibility and use of core. All of these are fundamental in any form of dancing. In addition to this, the restorative yoga stretches have been especially helpful in relieving some of my muscle aches. I have now come to the conclusion that my ballet instructor just stole all of her warm up stretches from a yoga video. It's interesting to see how all of the various exercises and stretches lend to each art form.

I have been frequenting (not frequently enough perhaps) the Yoga Shala here in Calgary. I have done the warm flow and Ashtanga classes held on Saturdays. Both have been challenging (in a good way). The instructors are really good as well; they are more hands-on than those at other studios that I have been to. This has been a big positive for a yoga rookie such as myself. You can check out the class schedule on their website: www.yogashalacalgary.com.

Just remember to breathe! There’s nothing more embarrassing than passing out in the middle of the class…

A Good Laugh

Our coach showed us these videos over the weekend. These guys are the top Amateur latin ballroom dancers from Russia. The first video is of Andrey - we had a good chuckle over his lip syncing and unique jive moves. But it only gets better.

The second video is of Andrey and Alexei (current IDSF Amatuer Latin Champion) competing. This video was hilarious!!! Not only were the guys imitating each other, but the swapping of partners at a competition was just unheard of. All in good fun or was it just rude?

Tough Love

Every Sunday, I drag my ass out of bed at the ungodly hour of 8am for my weekly ballet class. At first classes were hard. You know that stereotypical ballet instructor with a thick russian accent, tight bun and a cigarrete in one hand. Well, my instructor is nothing like that - she's sweet, loving but oh so strict. When I had tears in my eyes in my second class, she just looked at me and said very simply "persevere".

So week after week I returned. I never really enjoyed it. It felt like going to the gym. You dread going but you suck it up and you always feel good (and sore) after. Along the way you learn many lessons. Listen, otherwise you get yelled at when you eff up. Posture, otherwise you get yelled at when you eff up. And my favourite - don't let your hips go, otherwise you get yelled at when you eff up. I think you get the idea. But we know better than to argue. She may be in her eighties but girlfriend can still kick higher than Britney Spears in her prime! She sure knows what she is doing.

Since then I have come a long ways (along with my fellow friends in the class). It's still far from being good. But when she said that we did the best bar exercises this weekend that she has ever seen us do - I wanted to cry tears of joy. Ten minutes later she was criticizing my posture but, hey, those were the most glorious 10 second of my dance life yet. Oh and I did a proper pirouette! That in itself made it all worthwhile.

All You Need is a Man's Dress Shirt

I always thought Carrie Bradshaw was the only person (granted she's a TV character) that could pull of wearing a man's dress shirt in public. That's until I saw the video below of Ekatrina Lapaeva. Ekatrina who.... Her and Justinas ranked 10th in Blackpool - the biggest and most prestigious dance competition.

I think anyone that can pull of wearing just that and dancing with such casual sexiness deserves praise. And a litle bit of drool.

Run-ins on the Dance Floor

Last night when I was practicing I got elbowed by a fellow dancer (let's call this violent being - X). However, no apology followed. Apparently I deserved it. Well, I didn't back down without a fight. X and I may go way back but do not elbow me! Rude!


All of this was due to the age old debate - do you get out of the way when other dancers are coming in your direction? When competing, there are often 8 to 10 other couples (so multiply that by 2) on the dance floor with you. So more often than not, you're running into each other. What better place to prepare for these potential run-ins than when practicing. I thought I was helping X and his partner but I guess X did not feel that way.


So with almost 20 people on the dance floor going at a gazillion miles an hour (at least that's what it seems like), I am truly petrified of a showdown of some sort. So much could go wrong! I could fall, lose track of where I am in my routine, etc.... I have seen tumbles and dancers not being able to perform portions of their routines.

My solution to this possibility is to prepare myself by littering the dance floor with obstacles. The hope is that if I can get through it at home, then I will be leaping, spinning and ch-cha walking around my competitors. So X, please feel free to stand in my way. Thank you in advance.

I thought I would a link of some of the world's best on the same dance floor. Check out the near run-ins and how they are handled.

A Crash Course in Ballroom

Never having any dance training, I decided to take up Latin Ballroom in February of 2009. I was 23 years old and after watching competitors at a local competition, I thought – How hard can it really be? My boyfriend thought I was crazy.

And maybe, he was right. Its now August 2010 and let me tell you – it’s hard. Like really hard. It started off with 4 months of rumba walks. Walking may seem easy, but its not when you’re teetering in heels, trying to push your unused latz (it’s a muscle in your back) and throwing hip rotation in there. Oh and let’s not forget posture and arm movement. I’m not going to lie. I looked like Bambi with flailing arms. It wasn’t pretty.

And things just got harder from that point. I got partnered with a
10-year dance veteran. That meant I had to get from walking to dancing in all of 10 seconds. So a year and some later, I am preparing for my first dance competition. The plus is that we get to go to LA to compete. “Oooh, how glamorous” everyone has been saying to me. It’s not. It’s scary. I don’t think I have actually accepted the reality that in two and a half weeks, I will be half naked, 10 shades darker than my usual brown self and rubbing shoulders with amazing dancers with exotic last names.

So at this point, I have decided that it’s been an interesting journey so far and it’s only going to get crazier. I will be blogging about my various experiences along the way. And if I see some interesting
videos, pictures or images along the way, I will be sharing those as well.

I should have my costume next week. And trust me, even getting my costume made was an “experience”. Details and pictures to follow.