The things I have learned about ballet

Hey Guys!
So I asked you on Instagram what you would like to read about here, so someone mentioned this topic and I thought it could be fun.
First off, I've been doing ballet for almost 5 years now (which is really not a very long time, especially for something like ballet) and most of the time I feel like I still don't know anything but I guess that's one part of ballet, you just never stop learning.
I guess the most important thing ballet teaches you is that you will never be perfect, which is tough to know, because dancers are perfectionist.
We are always striving for that perfection, yet will never achieve it, which is probably what keeps us going because there wouldn't be much motivation left if you did everything perfectly.
Another thing I had to learn the hard way is that there is no certainty in ballet. You might pour all your energy into it but there is no guarantee you will make it. One moment could end it all, all it takes is a fall, sometimes just an awkward landing and there is nothing you can do about. Which makes it all the more improtant to have a life outside of ballet because it could all end in an instance. Yes, you might have your heart set on becoming a professional but nobody can guarantee you that will happen. You might take a bad step in practice tomorrow, break you ankle and miss out on months of practice.  The ballet world is incredibly competitive and every injury can make or break your career.
Also, if you really want to become a professional or are looking to get into a pre-professional school, check out the competition, don't just stick to your studio. Try new things, new teachers, that's how you will really know your level.
Every teacher has their own unique style of teaching and as a student, you adept to that. You will probably reach a point where you can predict the next step in the combination because you know your teacher that well. But if you go to an audition, you won't have your teacher there with you, you might have to do completely different combinations and pick up fast, cause that's what they want to see. Nobody wants to see you mess up and do different steps because you can't pick up the combination. So practice picking up on combinations. You don't even have to go take class somewhere else. Just look for some videos on Youtube, watch some audition tapes  or do Kathryn Morgan's Barre videos. You can even practice by watching variations and simply writing down the steps.
The most important thing I always have to remind myself of though is to just get out of my head and stop overthinking everything! Some people don't have that problem, they just go in and do what their teacher tells them to do and I seriously envy them for it.  I sometimes can't help but overthink every single step I'm taking, which is extremely restricting because it keeps me from getting things faster, especially with jumps.
I don't have a lot of experience with petit allegro, I really only started doing more complex allegros a year ago and I have to keep reminding myself to just go for it and try to get the steps. The ultimate goal for me is to just get through the combination first and maintain correct allignment, the rest will be cleaned later.
I hope you enjoyed this little rant, definitely let me know if you want to read more of those cause I could probably go on forever.
Yours,
Laulie

Amazing Vegan Chocolate Banana Bread!

Hey Guys!
So Banana Bread is probably one of my favorite things ever and I haven't had any in ages, so I made some last weekend. This Recipe is vegan and has no added sugar.

Ingredients:
-1 cup (150g) whole grain flour (I used spelt flour but you can use whatever flour you want)
-1 cup (150g) applesauce
-1/3 cup (50g) oats
-1/6 cup (25g) raw cocoa
-2 tbsp baking powder
-3-4 Bananas ( use 2 bananas in the batter and one on top for dryer banana bread and 3 in the batter for some extra moisture)


Mash up the bananas and mix with the rest of the ingredients. The more liquid the batter is, the moister the banana bread is going to be.
Cut up one banana in the middle and put it on top of the batter once you have put in your cake pan.

Bake at 380F (200 Celsius) for 45-50 minutes.

I hope you enjoy the recipe! See you soon!

Laulie

Tips for improving faster! The most valuable corrections I ever got!

Hi Guys!

I know as dancers we're always thriving for perfection and inprovement and often get frustrated if we don't get something right away. I'm an incredibly impatient person and always want everything immediately. I often beat myself up about not getting the combination right or messing up my pirouettes or whatever is going wrong that day because let's face it, there is rarely a day you get all your combinations right, turn beautifully AND nail those allegros AND adagios. 

We're our own's worst critic so while those little mess-ups might not go noticed by others or even your teacher, we're rarely ever happy with ourselves.

So here are some tips that really helped with my self-esteem for ballet. None of these are incredibly technical, those are some tips for the right mindset, because ballet really does start in our heads!

1. Think, but don't overthink!

Okay, it's obvious you have to use your brain to memorize all those combination and you might even be learning a full class of new combinations every day, so it's really easy to get caught up in all the steps. You obviously need to know what comes next but ballet is often build on the same patterns. Learn your vocabulary and ballet will get a whole lot easier. You probably won't end up doing different things in one combinations front, side and back, you will probably do the same thing to all sides and than reverse it or do a variation of what you did front and back to the side.

If you know all the port de bras you won't have to remember all the single parts, you can just think 1st port de bras at the end of thd combination or after this and that step.

The point is: recognize the patterns how combinations are built and you won't have to think about every single thing you have to do, which gives you time to work on your technique. Learn the rules and work by them and everything gets a lot easier on the brain.

Most important: never think you're going to look ridiculous doing something, if your teacher tells you to do something, trust them and don't overthink. They are taking time to correct you, so value that by applying corrections.

2. Don't complain

I would never do that but I have seen people complain to their teachers for not getting new corrections or not getting noticed enough and it really makes me cringe. If you're not getting new corrections, there is probably a reason for it. Make sure you're applying your corrections and show your teacher you want to get corrected. Mark the combinations and not just stand around not really paying attention. Make the most out of every class.

3. One step at a time

All the feet and arms and allignment can get very overwhelming sometimes, so instead of trying to perfect everything at once, concentrate on one thing at a time for a short period of time and when tou got it, move on to that next.

4. Know the arms

I often get so caught up thinking about what my feet are doing that I often completely forget about the arms, especially in those in-between moments. They're often clear in bigger movement and poses but get unclear in the in between steps like glissades or just simple steps. This happens to a lot of people so make sure tou really know where the arms are going before your starting the combinations. This can really make or break a combination cause when you don't know what your arms are doing, it becomes very obvious for everyone watching you and make you look uncoordinated. Also always make sure to have your shoulders down and engage your back, that's also the key to turning!

5. Practice and crosstraining

This is pretty obvious but practice at home, practice turning with all the right muscles engaged and really apply all your corrections. Also crosstraining can help your stamina and muscle strenght. So consider getting active outside of ballet class to get through the combinations easier.

6. Write down combinations and corrections

When you write down the combinations you are forced to remember them for longer and think about the combination again. If you repeating the combinations, you'll be on top of your game and can work on your technique more! Same goes for corrections, you are far more likely to remember them if you write them down and think about them again after class. You might see them in a different light and aometimes start to really understand them or they'll start to make even more sense. Because let's face it, sometimes we get corrections and have no idea how to really apply them... 

Also if you write down your corrections, you will be able to figure out your biggest problems and can find something concrete to work on next class.

7. Just do it

Don't ask millions of quesions, just try to do whatever step your doing first. If it doesn't work, you'll probably k ow what's not working or your teacher will see the problem. Don't think "I can't do this" before even trying it. Try it, if you can't do ir, practice until you can.

8. Don't hate steps

Okay, this might be hard cause there are always things we enjoy doing more than others but don't start a combinations thinking "I hate frappes" or "I hate turning left". The reason you don't like doing it is probably that you are not good at it or don't feel comfortable doing it. The only way to change that is to do anyway. Instead of thinking "god, I hate this" think "yay, I can improve this". The positive mindset will help you get it faster, promise. Negativity ia a distraction you don't need.

9. Don't be afraid

This is a hard one, too, because fear is ofter hard to control. I used to be terrified of pirouettes en pointe and I'm still not good at them but I've gotten to a point where I'm not too scared to even do it anymore. Try to determine what is scaring you and then try to take a step back and practice the basic movement. For pirouettes for instance, practice the balance without the turn first, really making sure to keep your knees straight and engage your core and back and then gradually add turn once you feel more comfortable. You'll get there, you just have to want it enough.

10. Don't look at others

Especially if you struggle remembering combinations, don't look at others and copy them. Know what you're doing and do it! Others might make mistakes too, so don't copy them. It's okay to take a little peak at someone you look up to for motivation but don't stare at them for the entire combination because you don't know it yourself.

I hope you enjoyed those tips, mindset really is the key to most things in ballet, so make sure to stay positive!

See you soon!

Laulie

Vegan Apple Cinnamon Pancakes Recipe

Hi Guys!
I'm probably the only person who can't stand fall, so we're going to skip right into a winter recipe today. I can't stand the cold but I do love everything with cinnamon, so that's about the only perk the cold season has for me.
These pancakes are vegan and free of refined sugars and oil. I also made them with whole grain flour, but you can use whatever flour you want!
This recipe is for a single serving because my family doesn't like to eat pancakes for breakfast.

Ingrediants:
-1/3 cup (50gr.) (whole grain) flour
-1tbsp rolled oats
-1/2 cup (75ml) almond milk
-1tsp maple syrup
-1/2 apple, pealed and sliced
-1/3 tsp cinnamon
-1 tbsp soy yoghurt
-1 tsp baking powder
-a pinch of salt

Just mix everything together and make sure the apple is sliced into small pieces and evenly distributed in the batter. Put pan on medium heat and bake till they are ready.
Top with loads of fruit to get a good boost of energy and vitamins in the morning and make this recipe extra tasty!
My current obsession are yellow kiwis, they're my absolute favorite fruit at the moment, as strawberry season is sadly over.
Enjoy your breakfast!

If you make these, feel free to tag me if you post a picture! I would love to see your creations!




Have a wonderful day!

Yours,
Laulie

How do you afford traveling so much? Cheap travel tips!

Hey Guys!
I can't tell you how many times I've been asked how I'm able to afford to travel as much as I do because I honestly lost count...
In 2017 I've been to Miami, a few places in the UK, Croatia and now Madrid, whilst studying in University and dancing 6 times a week, so I must be rich, right? WRONG! I'm neither rich, nor do my parents pay for my travels. So how am I able to afford it? Here we go...

1. Don't splurge on unnecessary things
My two biggest passions are ballet and traveling, so those are the only things I really spent money on.  Of course I buy clothes occasionally, when I need them, or go out for lunch or dinner with friends but I don't eat out all the time, I don't spend fortunes on expensive clothes and I don't invest in new devices a lot. You'd be surprised how much money that saves.
Also, I ask for money for christmas and my birthday, instead of things I don't actually need. My family knows about my passion to travel so I always get something travel related for major life events too. For instance, my aunt and uncle paid for my flight to the US as a graduation present.

2. Hostels and cheap flights 
When I travel, I don't stay in Hotels, that would be crazy expensive. I stay in Hostels and book cheap flights after comparing prices from various airlines. Don't book flights too far in advance or too close to your travel date and you'll be able to get great deals. Also watch out for flight sales. Follow airlines and travel sites on social media and find out about sales right away.

3. Work for your stay
Many hostels take helpers who work for them in exchange for free accommodation. I just stayed in the UK for a month without paying any rent, working at the hostel I stayed at 3 days a week. Saved me a whole lot of money and still left a lot of time to explore. I know many hostels do that, I've met helpers in America and heard of many hostels in South America who do that to. Consider signing up for sites like helpx to find jobs that give you free accommodation, it's not just hostels who do that, also private people, farm owners, etc.

4. Making money
If you have enough free time, find a job. I occasionally work as an extra for movies and tv productions and while it's not a fixed job, it does pay well and you get fed on set.

5. Do your math and be prepared to walk
Research the location of your accomodation! Are you central or will you have to spend tons of money on public transport to get downtown? There is no point in staying at a hotel/hostel 10 miles outside the city center of London for a few bucks less because you will end up spending tons of money on the subway to get to the city and back.

6. Planning and research
Research airport transfers in advance, in some places it's way cheaper to book those in advance! Is it worth investing in tourist passes? Find out! Make a list of places you want to go, find out how far they are apart, are you able to walk to many places or will you have to take public transport? Find out where to buy food in advance so you won't have to spend tons of money eating out! Also research free walking tours, I did some of those in Exeter and they were amazing! They do those in many cities, so find out if there are any at your destination. Also research free museums, there are so many in London, for example and they are really good!

7. Book in adavance
Especially when your in the UK, this is the ultimate money saver. Train tickets are seriously expensive if you don't book in advance and megabus offers amazingly cheap coach travels if you book a few weeks in advance. Same goes for National Express.

Try some of these things and you'll be amazed about how cheap traveling can actually be!

See you soon!
Laulie

Q&A, why I started Ballet, dealing with jealousy...

Hello from Frankfurt Airport everybody!
As promised on Instagram, I'm answering all your questions today! I translated the ones I got in German ;)
What inspired you to start dance?
Honestly, I watched dance academy and kind of fell in love with watching them dance, that was the first time I actually appreciated ballet again after starting at the age of 3 and quitting a year later because I hated it.

What is your favorite style of dance?
Definitely ballet, although I have been super in love with commercial after trying it at summer intensive and I'm probably going to start taking some commercial classes!

How old are you?
I'm 19, although I definitely don't look like it...

What country do you live in?
I live in Germany.

How long have you been dancing ballet?
I started when I was almost 15 in November 2012, so a little under 5 years. The first 2 years I only took class an hour a week and then changed ballet schools to a brand new school than enabled me to dance 4 times a week. They only offered Ballet twice a week so I started Modern, Jazz and Acro (for which I have absolutely no talent as it turned out) to get more hours in the studio. For the past year I've been taking Ballet 6x a week and started Floor Barre.

How do you deal with jealousy, comparison and confidence as a dancer?
Confidence is definitely one of my biggest problems, what really helped me is pushing myself to dance in different places, attending class in America and England, where I knew nobody in the classes and I just had to trust myself to remember combinations and do as good as possible.
Jealousy in dance is ever-present, although nobody likes to admit it. Your always going to compare yourself to other dancers and wish you could do things they can. The important thing is to use this jealousy to push yourself and work harder instead of letting it tear you down.

Do you prefer instagram feeds to be color-themed or a mix of everything? Should I post darker pictures for a while and them lighter-themed pictures?
I say, do whatever you want! On my dance account I always post pictures based on poses, not colors. On my travel and food account, I try to make everything fit together but that definitely needs a lot of work. Generally I like to view the pictures individually and just post the pictures I like.

Should you give people a second chance?
Definitely depends on what the person did, some things are unforgivable but decide how you feel about the situation and base your decision on wheather or not you think you can forgive the person.

Thank you for all of your question! I definitely want to write more q&a's, also regarding food, nutrition, etc, so definitely send me questions if you are interested in these topics!

See you soon!
Laulie