I haven't posted in a few months although I wish I had. Life has been rather hectic lately, but it's nice; I enjoy the fast paced lifestyle.

I'm not quite sure what I'm going to do with this blog- I feel there isn't much use for it anymore. Perhaps I'll keep it as some type of online journal.

x

something i learned today - day 1

While watching one of my new favorite shows, Dr.Oz, I learned that watermelon is not only a great source of vitamin C, but it also improves your immune system. There are a few other benefits of eating watermelon such as the fact that it lowers your chance of developing Colon cancer. After learning all of this, it felt pretty good eating a slice or two of watermelon (but hey, I would have eaten it anyway, watermelon is one of my favorite summer treats)!

 Something else that I learned  today from personal experience is that you sound INCREDIBLY funny when you talk when you first get a retainer. You sound all nasally and...just odd. Note that I said from personal experience... :|

everything will work out in the end

I was so worried about my dance recital. It ended up going really well. I was worried for nothing. However, my piano recital didn't go as well as I thought it would. When I got up to the piano for my duet & solo, my hands were shaking uncontrollably. My piano playing was horrendous due to this. Which was really frustrating because I had practiced my songs so much & had both of them memorized. I was incredibly embarrassed.


Everything happens for a reason.


While that is one of my motto's, I honestly can't figure out a reason for why I played so badly. I'm putting my piano recital in the past though because it's finals week. Woo-hoo.
 I just have my French reading, writing & listening, math and English. Then I'm officially done. Now that is something to woo-hoo about.

costumes, costumes! //recital\\

/ Image credit here This of course is not my costume. \

Ah, the long-awaited dance recital costumes are here! I'm so happy.
If you don't know already, I take ballet, jazz, and modern.

I have memorized all of my recital dances except for my jazz one. Lets just say that I don't have the best memory in the world...but, I'm really nervous. I just haven't memorized my jazz dance in it's entirety! I don't really think it's my fault though, because my jazz teacher hasn't even finished choreographing our dance. My modern and ballet dances were finished weeks ago. But no, of course we haven't even finished jazz yet.

We had to show our jazz dance to the advanced jazz class because our classes run at the same time. Their dance was amazing. Ours was incomplete. 5 minutes before we had to preform it in front of them, our jazz teacher told us to just do some combination from a previous dance. Previous as in a dance we did in September.

Yeah, well, preforming in front of the advanced jazz class was a disaster.
Not very fun. At all.
I was embarrassed.

Our jazz teacher says we'll finish up our recital piece with some fouetté turns and leaps. Kinda yay-ish? 
Click here if you want to watch some 7 year old girl do 32 fouetté turns!


I'm excited for the leaps. Leaps are my strong point. Fouetté turns...not so much.

/ Image credit here This is a pretty irrelevant picture. But it's just so beautiful.

I love my ballet costume. It's just so pretty. In the catalog cut-out, the model wore a little crown on her head. I kinda wish we got to wear a crown, because then we would all really feel like princesses. Oh well.


While I was wearing my ballet costume, Ms.Pear complimented me. She said "Oh look how beautiful." Hearing that from her, well, my smile rose to my ears. Ms.Pear is a strict ballet teacher, but she is kind hearted. 


My modern costume actually looks better in person than it did it photograph. Yippee. 
It reminds me of the ocean with it's different shades of blues and hints of white. 


Just a few more weeks until recital.


This will be my first recital at this new dance school! 


This year went by super fast.

what i love about pointe

I love pointe.

I love feeling greater than myself.
I love feeling beautiful, like a real ballerina.
I love feeling taller!
I love the sense of being "advanced" compared to the younger students.
I love the challenge.
I love how even the simplest of steps look delicate.
I love performing on pointe (I haven't yet, but I will in June).
I love when Ms.Pear says that we're doing so well on pointe.
I love pointe.

Image from www.artelista.com

P.s. I love how Spell Check says that "pointe" is spelled incorrectly when it's not. (I'm kidding. I don't really love that).

end of the year recital

Let me tell you a story (or rather, copy and paste this from my old blog)...

I'm Caity and dance is one of the biggest parts of my life. I hope to continue my appreciation of dance throughout my entire life, no matter what career I pursue. I started dancing around age 4 in a ballet/jazz/tap workshop class. As time went on I stated to take the styles in separate classes and experimented with hip hop. At age 10 I started ballet after a substitute dance instructor suggested seeing I had some sort of potential. That class I had some strange, random sense to point my toes a lot and to dance with poise. I truly believe that is the reason for the teacher suggesting I being ballet. I took ballet for the next three years. At the end of the 3rd year, my mother and I came up to a decision: this dance studio was not right for me. They were more recreational and did not stress technique or anything much at all. It seemed like most of the girls in my ballet class (which was very few) were only there because of their parent, or because they needed to be in that class to be able to have a solo. No one wanted to admit that they loved (or even liked) ballet. And most importantly, their one and only ballet teacher was practically paralyzed and could barely move. Not very suited to teach beginners ballet.

And so that following summer, right after the yearly recital ended and classes were over and done with, my mother and I started our search for a new dance school. A close friend of mine suggested a certain dance school relatively close by. I signed up and took their summer classes. It was refreshing. I started fall classes taking ballet (FINALLY GETTING ON POINTE!!!!! Exclamation necessary), jazz, and modern. At this new school we DANCE, take advantage of Opportunities and perform. But most importantly, in these few months that I've been here, I've learned more than I had all 3 years at the old dance studio. I'm continually developing better technique, more grace, flexibility, and oh so much more.

Now that that has been sorted out, I'd like to inform you that the end of the year recital is coming up. It's at the beginning of June...2 MONTHS!

I'm terribly nervous.
I don't want to let down...(what shall I call her, I need some sort of code name for the owner of the dance studio I go to, the lady who is also my ballet teacher...ah, I'll call her Ms.Pear).

So, I don't want to let down Ms.Pear. How could I let down Ms.Pear?
Well, since I'm still sorta new to the dance school, I feel like I'm not fully one of them yet, like I need to prove that I am. I'm afraid I'll mess up on stage or worse not even make it to the recital for whatever reason?

I need more confidence before June.
Gaah.

i don't know if i'm cut out for blogging

I feel like my blogs (yes, this isn't my first blog. I've had a few before this, none of which you have probably heard of as they were not very popular) are never real. My writing is never personal. I was always too scared to be me. All I ever wrote about is this show and that trend and this and that and...
Fluff.
That's what it is.

I never wrote for myself.
I've always written just to have a blog.
Which doesn't make sense at all.
But no more.
I will blog what I think from now on.
Which probably means my posts will be short.
And not as well written as most blogger's posts.
And that is because you're all older than me.
I'm very small (not literally).

I'm going through an odd-phase right now, I guess.
But I will blog on for now.

dance academy

FRIDAY, APRIL 6, 2012

Dance Academy! 

The show follows 15 year old Tara Webster and her life at the National Ballet Academy of Australia. It's filled with teen drama and lot and lots of dancing. Finally a TV show mainly dedicated to teenage dancers! I feel like I can connect to the show and it's characters in so many ways. At times I kinda wish I went to the National Ballet Academy of Australia with Tara, Kat, Abigal, and Sammy. When I first saw a preview for Dance Academy months ago, I thought it looked cheesy. It's only a little cheesy, but it's mainly a-m-a-z-i-n-g.

I started watching Dance Academy a few days ago on Netflix and have finished the first season already. The song played during the opening credits is really catchy too... I want to see season 2 so badly! Just from the promo video it looks drama and dance packed. 

Have you watched any new TV shows or movies lately?

looking out at the water

Looking out at the water I feel relaxed. I feel a sense of calmness. I feel natural.

Trips to the ocean always result in a fun time. 

There's something about the ocean that holds me captivated. It's a big huge mystery, the ocean. I love it.

i could use a haircut

THURSDAY, APRIL 5, 2012

(I originally posted this on another blog, but then deleted it).

I've been wanting a haircut for a few months now. The only reason I haven't yet is because I want to donate it for a wig for cancer patients (such an amazing cause). The hair donating requirements are 8 inches, I'm guessing I currently have 6 1/2 inches. Hopefully my hair will grow a bit more & I can donate it soon! Once my hair is cut, it will probably be around shoulder length. There are actually some really cute shoulder-length hair styles:

Emma looking dazzling with her wavy due!

Middle Part

I'm leaning towards getting my hair layered after the cut (which might make it kinda shorter) but I'm not sure yet. A shorter cut will be nice and easy to keep up with during the warm weather.

Have you gotten a haircut recently?

(photos 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5)

get back to the basics

Life can be overwhelming. With various duties and commitments to with-hold, sometimes we just need to take a minute to relax and admire what a work of art life really is.

Wear my heart, where my head should be
And light up the rest of me
'Cause in dreams they wont fall apart
Through the start, it starts
When your life is a work of art

(Work of Art - Rachel Platten)

It's nice to just get back to the basics. Like, going on a retreat, or camping, or by simply sipping some tea by the fire. It gives you time to really think and relax. It refreshes you. It's good for your soul.

Take some time to just smell the roses

and have some alone time.

You deserve it.

happy Saint Patrick's Day!

hello spring!

Winter finally seems to have ended - it was in the mid-70s today!
I love the spring-time for so many reasons. The cool breezes just make me want to dance around in a sundress.

And the flowers & trees are so pretty! Seeing them bloom inspires me. 

Flowers are pretty anytime of the year.

But of course I can't forget about the fresh, brightly colored wardrobe!

And besides, it means summer is coming in a little bit.

All images are from weheartit & are hyper-linked

What do you ♥ about spring?

Royal Ballet’s Alice in Wonderland

Doesn't her facial expression make you laugh? :)

FEBRUARY D.O.T.M. - Juliet Frishette

Honestly, I usually don't like Acro dances all that much after seeing the same tricks used over and over again. But Juliet Frishette is different.

Her latest acro solo, Unravel (above) is breathtaking. Not just are the tricks spot on, but her movements are so graceful and precise. And boy, would you look at the muscles on her legs? I can't believe she's only 12 years old. 

David Hofmann photography

As side from being a dancer, Juliet is also an actress. Just recently she was filmed in an episode of Modern Family. She has also been in a Capri Sun commercial, a Sharkies Fruit Snacks commercial, and in a Palm Springs Int Film Fest Commercial.

Juliet resides in Living in Los Angeles, California. She holds numerous titles as a competitive dance and gymnast. I really admire Juliet's fierce stage presence and strength. 

Find Juliet Frishette on Youtube and ExploreTalent!

inside out (pointe shoe tip)

If you are a newbie on pointe (like me!) than chances are you probably wear some sort of padding (if not you are one tough cookie :)

In the past lambswool was one of the main forms of pointe shoe padding but now-a-days products like Ouch Pouches by Bunheads seem to be increasingly popular. I myself wear ouch pouches. Practically every dancer en pointe at my dance school wears them. They are durable, small enough to fit inside a pointe shoe bag and easy to find in stores. However I have noticed that over time Ouch Pouches don't seem to serve there purpose as well as they did when they were brand new. They provide less comfort for your toes. One solution to this problem that I have found is to turn your Ouch Pouches inside out. It really does work! A fellow dancer of mine also does this and it has worked for her as well. I turn my Ouch Pouches inside out ever other week and they feel new again.

Bunheads' Ouch Pouch

Another thing: don't leave your padding in your pointe shoe when you're not dancing. I have been told this various times by pointe shoe fitters, dance store owners and my very own teacher. Sweat collects in your padding and leaving them inside pointe shoes can damage them which you don't want to happen. Instead, after dancing take off your pointe shoes, take out your padding and leave it inside of your pointe shoe supplies bag (if you have one) next to your pointe shoes. Then leave the entire bag hanging on your bedroom door handle for awhile to give it time to air out.

BLOCH pointe shoe bag

Have  a dance-tastic weekend,

Caitie

what . . . thinks i do (ballet style!)

I love pictures like these:

read from left to right (top row): what my friends think i do, what my mom thinks i do, what society thinks i do
(bottom row): what my dance teacher thinks i do, what i think i do, what i really do

they are just so funny and cute! 

Some more . . .

valentines day ♥

Some sweet . . .

brownies (top left), pancakes, bear cake-pops, hearty hot-coco, red velvet whoopie pies, and brownies (bottom right) (via pinterest)

and ideas for . . .

hair, book, baby, and tea 

and this 

source

is too cute!

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!

happy weekend #5

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Hello. Happy Weekend!
I'm in the mood to post something happy and positive. Or in other words, inspirational.  (Features:  bright picture of a sunflower and a poem by Edgar Guest from whitedovebooks).

It Couldn't be Done

By Edgar Guest

 Somebody said that it couldn't be done,

But, he with a chuckle replied

That "maybe it couldn't" but he would be one

Who wouldn't say so till he'd tried.

So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin

On his face. If he worried he hid it.

He started to sing as he tackled the thing

That couldn't be done, as he did it.

Somebody scoffed: "Oh, you'll never do that;

At least no one we know has done it";

But he took off his coat and he took off his hat,

And the first thing we knew he'd begun it.

With a lift of his chin and a bit of a grin,

Without any doubting or quiddit,

He started to sing as he tackled the thing

That couldn't be done, and he did it.

There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done,

There are thousands to prophesy failure;

There are thousands to point out to you, one by one,

The dangers that wait to assail you.

But just buckle right in with a bit of a grin,

Just take off your coat and go to it;

Just start to sing as you tackle the thing

That cannot be done, and you'll do it

This poem is so motivational and I like the rhythm it has. It all just flows together perfectly. 

Has someone ever told you that you couldn't do something? Did you end up being successful in whatever it was? I'd love to hear your story! 

:)

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pins of the week #2

Pins of the Week is a weekly feature where I showcase my favorite pins from each of the main pin boards I have created. 

See previous Pins of the Week + Join me on Pinterest! 

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Source: awelltraveledwoman.tumblr.com via Caitie on Pinterest

Inspiration - Bedroom

These pillows just really stand out to me especially the red one. Even though this is such a small glimpse of a room, it seems very bright and airy.

Source: lily.fi via Caitie on Pinterest

Inspiration - Homes

Liking the crisp white walls, the pillows/blanket and look at how cute that doggy is!

COLOR                                                                                                              Cuteness
Pretty little tree.                                                                                  Right in time for Valentines day. :)

Source: Uploaded by user via Caitie on Pinterest

Source: katiekattt.tumblr.com via Caitie on Pinterest

                                                                                                                


                                                                                         

Inspiration - Life 

                                                                          Source: irocksowhat.com via Caitie on Pinterest

I hope you've enjoyed our second ever PINS OF THE WEEK! 

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