Tag: A Dancers Lifestyle

Theaterfest

lwjoefmy7 Comments

Today we are dancing into the weekend with our annual ‘Theaterfest’. A day where the theatre comes to life and welcomes everybody back after the summer break. There is always yummy food and drinks outside in the sun and short presentations shown on stage from the ballet, opera and drama department to entice the guests into what is to come in the new season.

I always have so much fun on this day because we have the chance to see friends in the theatre and mingle with the guests who support us throughout the year. The atmosphere in the theatre is great.

On top of that we get to show our fans a ballet class on stage and then present a rehearsal or a snippet from the premier piece we have been working on, which is a good chance for them to see what goes on backstage.

With a performance in the evening it is a great way to start the season off with positive vibes and smiles from the guests and employees of the Staatstheater.

http://www.staatstheater.karlsruhe.de/programm/info/2376/

Have a lovely weekend!

With love,

Harriet

The Beginning is the Most Important Part of the Work

lwjoefmy

First week of work…check.

I am back to my normal routine of a ballet dancer, with morning warm up followed by ballet class and a day full of rehearsals. It has been a week of meeting new colleagues and learning new steps, laughing with friends and learning more steps. My muscles have ached and my toes have hurt, but I have to admit it was not as bad as it could have been, as most days the work load was manageable. Continue reading “The Beginning is the Most Important Part of the Work” →

Every End is a New Beginning

lwjoefmy3 Comments

So today is the last day of my long summer holidays and the day before the ballet season starts again. I cannot believe that my holidays – six weeks in five countries  – are already over. A daily routine will soon be here and I find myself in a studio instead of a beach.

13707638_10209546500236105_1254487738778209114_n-1
Me & friends from the company, Marseille

However, the hardest part is not regaining the previous strength, the discipline, or the long and late hours of work. The most difficult part at the end of every summer is saying goodbye to my family. Continue reading “Every End is a New Beginning” →

Dancing into the New Season with the School of Russian Ballet

lwjoefmy

With my summer holidays coming to an end, I had a lovely opportunity to finish it off on a dancing high. In a small studio, along with some young aspiring ballerinas and a wonderful teacher, I was back to ballet training and ready to work.

During the previous summer I spent a week here with my parents and manage to find a small dance school called The School of Russian Ballet, where they were nice enough to let me join in some classes. I was there once again this summer sharing the studio with the girls and their teacher, Regina Zarhina. Continue reading “Dancing into the New Season with the School of Russian Ballet” →

Tanning, Toning, and Training

The last two weeks of summer

lwjoefmy

As you may have seen I am spending the last 2 weeks of my summer holiday in Spain with my wonderful family. Since it is such a rare occasion to have us all together for more than a weekend it is a much needed and lovely holiday for us all.

IMG_1283 (1)
The Mills family, Puerto Banus, 2016

As my summer break is ticking by quickly and the last weeks are upon me, it is now important for me to exercise every day to get my body work-ready. Like on all summer holidays it is very tempting to soak up the sun all day, but I know my body will thank me for doing some exercise before the season starts. Continue reading “Tanning, Toning, and Training” →

Surprised by the Unsurprising

#health#eating#food

lwjoefmy5 Comments
IMG_7509
The Lake District, 2012

I am often asked about my diet as a dancer, which I can understand as most people think we are all so skinny because we don’t eat enough. But actually out of the number of dancers I know, we are pretty normal when it comes to food.

To do the amount of exercise required, a dancer has to keep their body fueled with the correct food and right amount of it. Yes, I do watch what I eat but more in the way that I want to get as much out of the ingredients as I can to make me a better athlete. Dancers are like any other athletes and we need power for rehearsals and even more so for performances, and that power comes from our food. Continue reading “Surprised by the Unsurprising” →

Why it May Take a Dancer 25 Years to Learn to Drive

lwjoefmy

 

IMG_1242The day has finally come where I can officially and legally drive a car! Oh yes, it has taken me almost 25 years to get my driving licence, but of course I have a very valid reason why I left it so late in life to try.

When I was 16 I moved to London to start as a student at the Royal Ballet Upper School, where I trained and lived for 3 years in one of Europe’s most vibrant and exciting cities with 30 other eager dancers from all over the world. It was probably one of the scariest thing I have ever done. I felt scared, nervous, excited, and thrilled all at the same time. I remember driving there like it was yesterday: me, my mum, ‘Wicked the Musical’ playing on the radio, and a car full of me worldly belonging heading to my new home. Continue reading “Why it May Take a Dancer 25 Years to Learn to Drive” →