We really did have a great time at the ball yesterday — it was grand, lovely and truly, quite an experience. Although, I was kind of feeling down about my dress. I didn’t love it, and I’m a little exasperated that it didn’t even fit properly. Also, I forgot to put my glitter on. I have some (a lot) from my dancing days, and brought it with us expressly for use at a ball. I found it, got it out, and put it right next to my hairbrush in the bathroom . . . and then completely forgot to use it. (Bummer!) But, I’m done with feeling bad about my dress or feeling sad about our experience yesterday at all.
Archive for the ‘Dance’ Category
Feeling more like Cinderella
Sunday, February 5th, 2012To the ball
Saturday, February 4th, 2012After a lot of deliberation (and a lot of shopping for accessories for both dresses) I ended up deciding to wear the first dress. Even though it still didn’t quite fit properly (after 3 fittings — seriously?) it just seemed like the more appropriate one. Besides, I liked the jewelry that went with that one better. So, this evening, Dan & I got all fancied up and went to the ball . . . me in my blue dress. We got the boys through an early dinner and bath, and our downstairs neighbors came up to watch them, while we went out.
Dirndl
Monday, January 30th, 2012I thought about it over the weekend, and decided that my best bet (for my sanity, if not for my bank balance) in dealing with all of my current dress drama was just to go out and buy another dress. That way, if the first shop surprises me and makes the dress like I wanted it, I’ll end up with the good problem of having two nice things to choose between, rather than having to scramble at the true last minute if it doesn’t work out well. It took me a while to make up my mind about what to get — I didn’t want to go out and get something similar to what I’m having made: then I could, potentially, end up with two dresses, neither of which I like very much. This would pretty much defeat the purpose of having a “plan B dress”.
Adventures, and failures, in dress making
Wednesday, January 25th, 2012Earlier this evening, I had my first (of two) fittings for the dress I’m having made for the ball. It’s a pretty color. The skirt is quite full, so I shouldn’t have any trouble dancing comfortably. My arms will be covered. I’m sure it will fit me quite well. I am confident that it is of a style appropriate to attending a ball.
Those are the only nice things I have to say about it.
Shoe shopping
Sunday, January 22nd, 2012For reasons I may never understand, our movers decided that nearly every pair of shoes I own should go to storage, rather than coming here to Vienna. Only about 6 pairs of my shoes made it to Vienna — and that includes a pair of snow boots. Although this would have been an emergency for a lot of women, I managed to get through my first 9 months here with only one shoe purchase, but with the ball coming up next week, I need a pair of shoes that isn’t snow boots or sandals.
Nothing to wear to the ball
Monday, January 16th, 2012I know, it’s awful, these problems I have. I’ve got to go to a ball at the palace in a few weeks, and I have nothing to wear. It’s a rough life.
Dance Party Osterreich
Tuesday, August 2nd, 2011On a whim this afternoon, my mom and I packed the boys into the double stroller and set out for a walk with no particular destination in mind. We got a couple of eiskaffees and started walking down the Ringstrasse to look at some of Vienna’s sights: the Rathaus, Parliament, the Volksgarten, the Hofburg. We came upon a place I’d seen before but not visited: the Burggarten behind the Hofburg. Dan joined us there when he got off of work.
It was lovely, as most of the gardens in Vienna are, if a little less . . . orderly. I have not yet seen a place where so many people disregard the “keep off the grass” signs. But, it was beautiful, verdant and very popular. Benjamin made friends with a little girl his own age by a fountain — they played chase and flirted until she ran off for an older, badder boy. (He seems to have gotten over it.) We really enjoyed it, and it was fun to make another discovery of a nice place to walk and enjoy Vienna.
Then, on our way out, we joined into an impromptu swing dance party. Right behind the Hofburg, at the base of the stone steps, on the wide marble walkway, people were dancing enthusiastic, American style triple swing and Lindy Hop. Dan and I joined in, and Benjamin quickly added himself to the mix. We all took turns — Liam and my mom danced, too. It was great to dance again — it’s been a while. We danced ourselves to exhaustion — even Benjamin just wanted to watch by the end. And then, when we were done, Dan got up the courage to talk to the assembled dancers and ask whether they get together often (they apparently do, and we got their information).
We had a great day. I am worn out. Now I remember why I was in such great shape when I was dancing.
Why you should dance the Argentine Tango, and how to go about learning it.
Friday, June 5th, 2009How to turn yourself into James Bond, or his femme fatale, in two words.
What’s all the buzz about Argentine Tango and why should you care? It’s simply the best legal way to enter a world of fiery passion. Anyone can do it. Young, old, fit, round, man, woman, tall, short…anyone.
“Let’s Tango”
Those two words raise the ambient temperature, turn a man’s blazer into a tuxedo jacket, and transform a woman’s little black dress into a long satin number slit to the hip more surely than ever did, “shaken, not stirred.”
Excited yet? You should be. Read on to learn how you, yes you, can learn to undergo that metamorphosis at will.
Teaching a Group
Friday, December 7th, 2007As a dance instructor, I regularly teach in two different ways: one on one in private instruction, or one with many for a group. In a lot of ways, the one on one instruction is much easier. It’s not hard to keep your focus, you get constant feedback from your audience, and it’s very easy to adjust the material, as you go, to make it work. The timeline is also quite flexible – if you get something started, and aren’t able to finish it, there’s always next time. With sufficient disclaimers and communication with the student, you can leave off in the middle of a concept and just pick it up again later.
On the other hand, teaching in front of a group brings up certain challenges. You have to have a plan that can address a group of people with varying interests and skill levels. Your plan has to be flexible enough to adjust to the struggles and questions that arise during the process. You have to address yourself clearly enough to be understood by people with a variety of interest levels, abilities to focus, delusions of grandeur and even different native languages or hearing difficulties. You have to be able to handle problems, questions and even challenges from students without sacrificing the quality of the instruction being given. You have to keep your focus on the group without getting distracted or getting sucked in to the issues of a particular student. And you have to be able to do it all in a finite period of time.
Through Ellie’s Eyes
Thursday, September 20th, 2007
Ellie is my 9 year old Arabian mare. Arabians often enjoy a reputation for being flighty, spooky, unstable, unpredictable over-reactors. Ellie can be all of these things. However, she also shares the other reputation that Arabians have — for being kind, sweet, smart, brave, hard working, dedicated, strong, fast, loyal and kind spirited companions.
I went out to ride her today. I was actually going to ride Cricket – that was my plan. But when I got to the barn, as soon as I parked my car and opened the door, Ellie was at the gate, whinnying her welcome to me. She totally warmed my heart, and I decided I’d ride her today instead (although I’m not sure that was the outcome she was hoping for). I went to get her, and brought her up to the barn to groom her. They’re building a couple of new stalls out at the barn, so there was a good deal of commotion — nail guns, circular saws, trucks driving around — in addition to the normal commotion of an active barn — horses and riders going about their regular activities.
I can never be quite sure which Ellie I’m going to get at a given time. I was prepared for the flighty one — I get nervous around nail guns and circular saws — but I was pleasantly surprised. She was quiet and relaxed while I groomed her and tacked her up, even as an air compressor came on loudly not far away. I brought her to the arena and she stood with me while I took care of the gates and arranged some poles on the ground. Then I mounted up and started the ride. Mostly, she was very well behaved, but she was very nervous about one side of the arena. On the other side of the fence, there were some poles and jump standards arranged. They have been there for some time, but they’ve been rearranged since the last time I rode her in the arena. So this was scary. Saws, nail guns, moving vehicles – those are fine, but don’t make a pile of lumber! Certainly, I can think of some good evolutionary reasons for horses to be wary of a pile of wood that had changed since their last pass through the area (something could be hiding in or behind it, for example) but it really made me realize something about horses and people and our reaction to perceived threats.