As soon as my Hazelnut floor arrives, class will begin...

/     As I sit here waiting for my beautiful hazelnut marley from Harlequin to arrive, I have decided to explain what I will be using this blog for. During this emotionally draining pandemic many exceptional dancers and companies have provided a wealth of amazing classes on many social media platforms i.e. YouTube, Zoom,Instagram etc. It has been very beneficial for keeping in shape(mentally and physically!) as I pursue my Master's in Ballet Pedagogy. Each week I will highlight classes from companies and dancers that really stood out to me and reshaped the way I approach and execute certain steps and combinations. Beginning next week(or whenever my floor arrives lol) I will be taking the classes and  reviewing them. I will give a brief history of the dancer or company and explain how their classes inspire and influence my ideas about teaching.
     Another aspect I will be focusing on will be my struggles with Body Dysmorphic Disorder and how it has affected my career both as a dancer and teacher. By being transparent about my mental illness I hope to inspire other artists who deal with balancing their artistic growth and mental health. 
     And the final focal point of this blog will be  my perspective on being a Black ballet dancer during this turbulent time of racial injustice. I will spotlight many Black ballet dancers that have inspired me and who are truly accomplishing revolutionary feats and destroying myths/stereotypes  that have haunted so many of us around the world.  I hope my blog is informative and entertaining, so as soon as my floor arrives I will be reviewing these classes:             
Week 1: Mariinksy Ballet
Week 2: English National Ballet
Week 3: Paris Opera Ballet
Week 4: Dutch National Ballet
Week 5: Pacific Northwest Ballet
Week 6: Dance Theatre of Harlem
Week 7: American Ballet Theatre
Week 8: Alonzo King's Lines Ballet
Week 9: Andrey Klemm's classes
Week 10:Various Pointe/Men's classes
Week 11:Alicia Graf's class at Julliard
     This schedule is not set in stone and is subject to change(due to my scholarly demands lol) but I will try to challenge myself and stick it out! As I have said before I have BDD so you may not see  pictures or videos of me, but I will try to pop in a clip or two of myself taking the classes depending on where I am mentally. I promise to provide plenty of engaging content and aesthetics!
      This is a new experience for me because I am a very private and semi-shy person. I would like to change that and encourage others like me to do the same. I hope by starting this blog, people will understand me better. It is my intention that this blog will aid in my ballet research and evolve me into a better teacher and dancer.🤎
#exploreplease