Saturday...

Went to the vet with Yasir and he didn't want to leave, with all the attention.  They trimmed his nails and told me to start putting dog toothpaste on my fingers to work his gums, since he is teething and it would be irritating to brush.  He gained 3 lbs.! Then I left him to play and went to ballet school to Miss Dolores.

Miss Dolores is on my case.  You're too old to stop between movements, like if you were learning things for the first time, she said.  Dance is about movement, in my class you move.  Stretch your legs.  Don't stand with your hip up and leaning into the bar.  Stand on your leg.  Your body doesn't plie, only your legs. Stand up straight.  Better, Dorothy, now you have it, girl.  I really do appreciate all this, you know, because I want to do it right.  It was intermediate class with adults and children and towards the end the advanced teacher was watching me trying to feel what it's like to dance ballet.  Am I dancing ballet?  Yesterday I commented to a girl in class that though I may be in shape, I don't know how to dance.  So am I dancing? I would like to think so, whatever ballet may be.

Afterwards I wolfed down my roast beef sandwich with spinach and headed for the pool.  I am feeling comfortable in the water, as Michael Phelps would say.  It feels like home to me, even though I still have to warm up by walking around, forwards, backwards and sideways, until I feel warm.  A lot like dancing, lol!  Now to feel comfortable on the dance floor!

Workout done, I can spend the rest of the day playing with my puppy and maybe doing some more spring cleaning.  I want to be ready for the nice weather and just roll...

Dance Class
Barre:
1. Stretches into the barre and away for the back.
2. Plies with stretches forward and back.
3. Tendu front, fondu flex foot, point, plie, en croix. Tendus in seconde, 1st 5th, 5th 5th.
4. Do same with degages.
5. Ronde jambes with passe extend.
6. Fondus with developpes.
7. Frappes en croix, seconde with point fondu, balance in cou de pied.
8. Battements en croix with balancoire.
Center:
1. Tendus croise devant and derriere, releve passe, tombe pas de bourre, pirouettes.
2. Balance front, back, pique arabesque, step developpe ecarte, turn developpe efface, chasse pas de bourre, pirouettes lunge.
3. Jumps changements with echappes pas de bourre, glissade assemble.
4. Jete, jete, assemble, assemble, temps de cuisse sissonne, glissade assemble.
5. Sissonne arabesque pas de bourre, temps de cuisse sissonne, assemble, assemble.
6. Arabesque temps leve, faille, glissade grand jete, glissade assemble.
Important Class corrections:  pick up leg using inner thigh.  Bring the thigh up.  Keep arms in front of body.  Don't stick out. Push the floor, don't hop in jumps (to me specifically), put a smile on your face, if the music feels good, show it; dancing is about movement; point the feet, stretch them out, like you are pushing the air; don't be late in the music; think!!