The School of American Ballet is over, and Julian has finished classes at The Professional Performing Arts School (and graduated, as far as I know). Whoo hoo! It won’t be long before he takes off for Germany–under 2 months. The end of all of this was a bit anticlimactic, to say the least. Once Workshop […]
High School Graduation and SAB Workshop Approaching
The end of the year is fast approaching. When it comes to dance, everything seems to be moving along well for Julian. His foot seems to have healed up, although I’m not there to speak to anyone. The physical therapist says after spring break he need only come back once a week, and he has […]
Summer Intensive Auditions End, REAL Auditions Start
A lot has happened since my last post…I’ve just been too busy to write. I apologize. I’ve got a non-dance related book coming out in a few months, and getting ready for that launch has been taking up all my time. Anyhoo. Since I wrote last Julian has been struggling with his tendon tear. He […]
Summer Intensive Auditions and Recurring Ankle Issues
Julian returned to the School of American Ballet (SAB) only to learn that his MRI actually had shown a small tear in a tendon in his right ankle. I’m not really sure why the physical therapists here didn’t know about it, but the doctor in NYC only received information on the left ankle…twice…and didn’t notice. […]
How We (Almost) Cured Tendonitis in a Dancin’ Boy’s Feet
Julian showed up at home for the winter holiday break with a serious enough case of tendonitis in his feet that he hadn’t danced in two weeks. (He said that was the longest break he’d had from dance in about three years, by the way.) The School of American Ballet (SAB) sent him to see […]
Three Days Until Take Off and Counting…
All performances have been completed, finals have been taken, graduation is (almost) over, and suitcases are being purchased as I write. In three and a half days we take off for New York City and Julian’s second American Ballet Theatre Summer Intensive. I am nowhere near as ready! Julian’s TDC performance was phenomenal! I am […]
Three Days and Counting Until the End of the ABT Summer Intensive
The American Ballet Theatre summer intensive is winding to a close. The kids are rehearsing their numbers and getting ready to go up to LaGuardia High School, New York’s performing high school — the one the movie “Fame” was based upon — for a run through tomorrow. That’s where their final performance will be held […]
ABT Summer Intensive Half Over: Feeling Good and Wishing for More Time
Last week went off without a hitch — yes, even without Mom around to make sure Julian remained healthy. Of course, he was with a mom who makes sure her son goes to bed early and eats well and takes all his vitamins and supplements and such, so I knew Julian was in good hands. […]
Two weeks down, four to go…
Julian is sad that the weeks are flying by. He’s completed two weeks already and has just four to go. However, they are definitely taking their toll on him. I’d recommend that everyone – girls and boys alike – really get in shape for a summer intensive like the American Ballet Theatre six-weeks in New […]
ABT Summer Intensive Takes Its Toll on My Boy
Okay, well, I guess the New York Times article I read about the boy who went to the American Ballet Theatre summer intensive and suffered from shin splints and such painted a correct picture…or we’ve just hit some bad luck and made some bad choices. Julian is a week and a half into the ABT […]
Strengthen a Boy's (or a Girl's) Feet for Summer Dance Intensives
Since I have yet to find an expert to write a post on how to prepare for a summer intensive like the one Julian will be attending at American Ballet Theatre this summer, I thought I’d share the information I gathered when researching two articles for Dance Teacher magazine on keeping dancers’ feet healthy. Some of […]
Finally Found: Ballet Tights that Fit a Teenage Boy!
As a short breather to the Duncan Cooper series (and since I don’t have time right now to post another piece to that interview), I’d like to share that Julian has finally found some ballet tights that fit and that he loves. He says he can’t even tell he’s wearing them! So, I want to […]
Does Your Son Tap? Keep His Feet Healthy!
I recently wrote an article for Dance Teacher magazine on how to keep tappers’ feet healthy. Previously, I wrote an article for them on how to keep dancers’ feet healthy, but tappers are a bit unique; they use their feet in more ways than most dancers, and their feet take a lot more pounding as […]