Saturday

Attended a special IDES meeting and then the train took me to early class at Lou Conte.  I wore my pointe shoes at barre again and when it was time for pirouettes, I just grabbed the barre and went around, like they teach us in pointe class.  I noticed how caved in my left leg was and every time I went around, I would lean toward the left.  Not so with my good right leg.  I tried to use my feet, too, like the teacher said yesterday, to push from the ball of the foot and point my toes.  It really does make a difference, especially in center.

So, after basic barre, we did the preliminary tendus with pirouettes.  I had taken off my pointe shoes, since I did not have the energy to push anymore and after sitting all morning, my hips were quite stiff.  The class was fun because there were so many people in it, all adults and trying to learn how to make ballet steps.  Now to see if I can get to the pointe shoe painting party downtown...

I arrived at the boutique just in time to decorate a shoe and now it is in my collection.  Size 39 but narrow -- I will try to see if it will fit.  I also tried on a flesh leotard that was on sale for 40% off the regular price of $49 -- yes, and I saw one leotard inspired by the Black Swan movie that was $68!  Although the flesh leotard was nice enough, I just thought to myself that I would have to lose 10 pounds and be really solid to wear it, ha, ha.  Spring is making me think of fashion, though, and I browsed through the new issue of French Vogue at the Europa bookstore after I went to church and the priest talked about St. Valentine...

Basic Dance Moves of the Day:
1. Tendus with pas de chevals and piques; degages, at barre.
2. Plies with port de bras.
3. Developpes en croix.
4. Ronde jambes with passe balance, turn from 5th.
5. Grand battements 2 slow, 3 fast.
6. Tendus croise in center with pirouettes.
7. Adagio: developpe croise devant and derrierre, a la seconde to tendu chasse pas de bourre pirouette en dedans.
8. Jumps 1st, 2nd, echappe releve with beats.
9. Glissade jete, jete, assemble, sissonne arabesque, sissonne avant and back.


No gym today and I miss my swim.  Breathing is just not the same when I don't swim.  Tonight in church there was a cantor(esse?) and when I sang the refrains, I found the breath coming from deep inside me -- it feels so good to be able to breathe like this...then I bought some strawberries, my favorite fruit, and went home.