Get your hand-silkscreened canvas ballet bag now–before supplies run out! I have made 7 of these unique tote bags and will be selling them for only $8 each! Get one for yourself, or as a gift for someone you know–they make a great bag to cart your dance shoes and miscellaneous gear back and forth to the studio, or even to show your love for dance and “go green” at the grocery store.

I got into silkscreening a while back and have been working on developing dance designs for the past couple of years. It’s a long process from photograph to finished product, but I now have several screens and I’ll be sharing the designs with the dance community over the summer months. The nice part about these bags is that you will never see them anywhere else–these are all my own designs.

Soon I’ll add t-shirts to the mix as well, so keep checking back. I’d love to hear what people think about the design–and I’d love for you to help me spread the word!

Here are the specs:

Canvas (cotton woven)

Navy Blue

10.5 x 12.5 inches

$8.00 (plus $2 shipping and handling – continental US prices – inquire about overseas…)

If you’d like to purchase one of these bags, drop me an e-mail at info(at)catherineltully(dot)com and we’ll work out the details.

Thanks!

Jennifer Carlynn Kronenberg, courtesy of The George Balanchine Trust, photo by Bob Mooney

1. How did you get started in ballet and what are you doing now?

I always loved to dance, since a was a little girl, and I was always entranced by ballet in particular. I used to watch PBS “Dance in America” specials on TV and try to copy what I saw. My parents finally took me for lessons when I turned 8 years old. I knew I wanted to dance professionally, and I was fortunate enough to be contracted as an apprentice with the Miami City Ballet at the age of 17. I am still dancing with MCB now, and have been a principal dancer since 2001. I also teach annually for the CB School Summer Intensive and I have been a guest artist and teacher with several other schools around the country.

2. You have written a book – “So, You Want To Be A Ballet Dancer”. Can you tell readers what this is about?

My book is essentially a “how to” guide for young aspiring dancers who are considering a professional career. It is also, in part, a memoir in which I share stories of my own pre-professional struggles and mishaps. It is meant to be informational and inspirational at the same time.

I found that on my own way to becoming a professional, as I find now in students of my own, that there are so many essentials that go untaught; such as: the in’s and out’s of the stage and backstage, studio etiquette, auditioning skills, injury prevention, healthy diet and nutrition, stage makeup and hair, pointe shoe preparation and maintenance, handling criticism and stress, etc.

My goal is to provide some insight into these areas so that young dancers are ready to cope with these challenges before they are contracted into a company. All of the information I provide will prove useful in their continued years of study as well.

3. Who can benefit from reading this book—and why?

There is something in my book for pre-professional dancers and students of all levels and age groups. I provide standard information that every young dancer will find that they need to know later on, as well as advice and tips that they can use during their student years. I think it is so important to be well prepared to enter a company, and that being well prepared will ensure a start “on the right foot”. A career in ballet, as wonderful as it is, is full of challenge, dedication, frustration, and sacrifice. My goal is to ease young dancers’ transition from student to professional – even if it is just a little bit.

4. Can you share a piece of advice for young dancers?

The best advice I can give is to never ever forget what you love about dancing, and why you wanted to dance in the first place. Remind yourself each and every day. This will keep you motivated, dedicated and working hard, even on the toughest days, and can help you super-cede the toughest of challenges.

5. One of the areas you talk about is the transition from student to professional. How was this a difficult one for you?

It was difficult in many ways. First of all, I wasn’t accustomed to such a long and rigorous schedule; and though I had some performing experience, I didn’t know how to be part of the corps de ballet. I had so much to learn about the inner working of the theater, stage layout, basic backstage rules, etc.

Once you are in a company, everything happens so quickly, and nobody takes you by the hand to teach you necessary skills. You have to be extremely alert and pick things up along the way. I kept expecting someone to stop and explain everything to me and that never happened. If you want to get ahead, you need to be as prepared as possible from the start and be prepared to adjust to new working environment very quickly. For me, though very exciting, it was also intimidating and stressful.

6. What would you say is the most difficult part of being a ballet dancer at your level?

I think the most difficult part about being at this level is finding that it is still such hard work and I’m still never satisfied! Sometimes it is exhausting to know that so much is expected of me, all of the time, as an experienced principal dancer. I am still trying to progress and be better everyday.

I am still anxious before I go out on stage; though at this level no one expects me to be. I still struggle with some self doubt and insecurity, and that is hard to try and hide when you know people are looking up to you. There is always somebody watching – whether it be a student, and apprentice or young corps member, and it is my duty to always try to set a good example. That is a huge responsibility that I take very seriously.

Jennifer Carlynn Kronenberg

7. How has the ballet world changed over the years?

Oh, the ballet world has changed in so many ways. Like everything else, it has advanced – the technical capabilities of today’s dancers are incredible, and there is always new and innovative choreography being created. Now, thanks to DVD and Internet connections, we are all exposed to different styles, choreographies and dancers and that is so inspiring! Sadly though, I don’t think it is as widely appreciated as an art form as it used to be, and there are some dancers who are still struggling just to survive. Many companies are suffering from economic difficulties and are lacking in public support.

8. What made you decide to write this book?

Actually, my husband Carlos (also a principal dancer) convinced me to do it. I love to write and had toyed with the idea of one day writing a book, yet I wasn’t sure what to write about. I’d come home from teaching and tell him how many questions the students were asking me, and how amazed I was that at that advanced level they were lacking certain basic skills. Finally he suggested that I write a book for them! I wasn’t sure about it, but once I started, I realized how much I had to say and how much I wanted to share, and it just took off from there.

9. What was the process of writing it like?

Actually, it was very long and tedious, but a lot of fun at the same time. I’m rarely satisfied with my own work (dancing included), so I wrote and rewrote things over and over. Part of the challenge was time. We have such a rigorous work schedule that it was hard to find adequate time to really sit down and concentrate on writing. Also, unbeknown-st to me, Carlos was announcing to everyone that I was writing the book before I had actually begun! I was a little bit hesitant about getting started, but once I found out that he was telling everyone, I had no choice but to get going!!!

10. What’s next for you?

I would love to keep teaching and even be a ballet mistress or coach. I also really want to keep writing. No matter what though, I need to keep a connection to the ballet world. It is what I love most and it helps define who I am.

Jennifer Carlynn Kronenberg

BIO: Jennifer Carlynn Kronenberg was born in Queens, New York where she trained with Teresa Aubel, Nicholas Orloff, Norman Walker, and Barbara Walczack.  She continued her studies on scholarship at the School of American Ballet before joining Miami City Ballet as an apprentice in 1994 at the age of 17. She moved steadily through the ranks and was named Principal dancer in 2001. Ms. Kronenberg has danced many leading roles; some of her favorites include Balanchine’s “Rubies”, Who Cares?, Allegro Brillante, Duo Concertante, Sonatine, Swan Lake, and Stravinsky Violin Concerto, as well as the classics – Grand Pas Classique, Coppélia, Don Quixote, Giselle, and John Cranko’s Romeo and Juliet. Ms. Kronenberg has been a regular teacher for the Miami City Ballet Summer Intensive Program for the last several years, and has also been a guest teacher with Ballet Arts of Jackson Tennessee, El Ballet de Monterrey Curso de Verano, New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, and Ballet Chicago, among many others.

TwinkleTies

TwinkleTies are designed to add a little sparkle to tap shoes, while being practical. The product is hand-made, and can also be used for gym shoes or even as a ponytail holder.

I thought these would be especially fun for a young dance student. The ties really are cute, and my 7-year-old niece was most definitely eyeballing them when I took them out of the package. You can choose from blue, green, pink and crystal.

I think these make a great alternative to the typical ties used for tap shoes, which often come undone at all the wrong times. A really super-cute idea, and easy to use!

Pass the word–comment below and enter yourself into a drawing for a giveaway! I’ll send a pair of red TwinkleTies to the lucky winner!

Lara Friesen

My name is Lara and I recently began a website and blog all about the best ballet shoes.  Having a low arch and a longer second toe, finding ballet shoes that fit was a bit of a challenge for me.  But, it was worth the hunt – a great fitting shoe makes all the difference in your confidence and ultimately, your performance.

It must have been hard for my mother to drive me to ballet classes 4 times a week and buy me new shoes all the time. My mother had always dreamed of being a ballerina, but her immigrant parents didn’t have the money to send her to classes – so the dream continued through me, her first daughter.  I felt I owed it to her to indulge in her dream for a while, and then I learned to love it.I also heard the story of how Mikhail Baryshnikov visited my uncle’s house in Washington DC and thought that was the coolest thing ever.  I was meant to dance!  What if he happened to visit the next time I visited – I could meet him and he could teach me so much!  But alas, that never came to pass – he only came around that one time.  The next time I “saw” him, he was playing opposite Sarah Jessica Parker in Sex and the City on HBO.  (Another famous Russian in the arts, Mstislav Rostropovich, was also a part of extended family life, and I never met him either. I played cello for several years and he and I shared the same birth date – I thought it was meant to be!)

I danced for several years well into college and afterwards, recreationally. I loved dancing, but the time commitment against everything else I wanted to do didn’t allow me the opportunity to become a professional dancer.  My ballet teacher once told me I would be a great corps dancer.

I began pointe when I was 17, and it felt so natural to rise to pointe – but that was about it.  Dancing and moving in them was a different story.  This is where I had my biggest challenge finding the right shoes.  My teacher taught me how to stuff lamb’s wool into the box, break the shank, put moleskin on the tip – nothing seemed to really work.  And that was the story of my first pair.

Next, I decided to try Gaynor Minden’s.  They were all the rage – you didn’t have to use lamb’s wool or wear a toe pad at all!  Alas, they were a little too “squishy” for me.  By that time, I had a very strong arch, and needed a stronger shank than they could provide.

Finally – as if this was some kind of secret information I was never meant to know – my teacher filled me in on Grishko’s.  She warned – the tip of the box is a little smaller to dance on – but the taller box and harder shank should work better for me.  I was in heaven!  The shoes held up to my foot so much better and the longer box gave more room for my weird longer second toe.  I was a Grishko girl from then on.

But the journey is different for everyone.  My mission is for every dancer to find their best possible pair.  This includes helping parents of little ones to ensure their shoes are appropriate for learning technique.  This is especially important for little girls as their feet grow to prevent injury later in life.  I suffered with knee pain in my teens, and I am convinced that better ballet shoes during my training could have made the difference.

In my blog, I not only write about the different types of ballet shoes, but I also provide tips on how to sew ballet shoes, how to clean ballet shoes, etc.  If you would like to read more, visit Best Ballet Shoes.

BIO: Lara Friesen is a newbie blogger and former recreational dancer.  She hails from Cleveland, OH, where she learned ballet at the Cleveland School of Ballet as a child and later studied at Dance by Gloria until her mid-twenties.  She now lives in San Francisco with her husband, where marketing is her full-time job.

ABT has autographed shoes for sale on their site. These would make a great gift for a dancer or balletomane. Both men’s and women’s shoes are available.

NYCB has calendars, bags, books and CDs for sale through their online store.

HD Wear is a cutting-edge t-shirt company that offers fresh new designs. Started by the creator or Ballet for Men and his girlfriend, you are sure to find something fun here.

The Joffrey has some nice items in their store, such as Nutcracker ornaments, Joffrey note cards and even a Joffrey water bottle.

My advertisers also have some products you may want to check out for dancers and dance teachers. Balletband is a great stretching aid, Up, Down & All Around is a smart choice for those who are just getting started with little ones, Dance Teacher Press has some great tools for teachers and Behind Barres offers some top-notch ballet class music.

I also have four Enesco Ballerina Statues for sale. Please send me an e-mail at info (at) catherineltully.com if you’d like to see the others not listed on the site.

If you know of a good gift for someone involved in dance–feel free to share it here!

We’ve got some wonderful new things planned for the site, including:

Video content. That’s right–4dancers will be bringing video to the site next year. Stay tuned for more details on what we’ll be doing with it.

Product. 4dancers will be introducing their own line of dance t-shirts and bags, along with notecards, posters and more. These items will all be original to 4dancers and available through the site.

Interviews. In 2011 we will be continuing our interviews with dance professionals, including members of the Joffrey and people from Jacob’s Pillow, Dance for Life Chicago and more.

2011 is just around the corner, so look for these features to be arriving soon! And please let us know if there is something that you would like to see that we haven’t mentioned here. After all, this site is for you.

Have a lovely weekend!

Thinking about costuming for dance, especially flamenco, isn’t so easy!  There are as many thoughts and feelings about costumes as there are patterns of materials and fabrics out of which they are made!

The flamenco look was originally born of the traditional clothing of the gypsies. For women, the long brightly colored skirts with tiers and ruffles and scarves and shawls were “borrowed” when flamenco began being performed by professionals.  It is said that the popular use of polka dots on fabric or “lunares” as they are called in Spanish, represented the “little moons” of glass that gypsies would sew onto their clothing to ward off the evil eye!   The gypsies every day wear was all they needed to express themselves.

Karen Stelling

Flamenco, as it was danced fifty or more years ago, before the current emphasis on fast heelwork, focused on the arms, hands, torso and the “spirit” or “aire” of the upper body especially for women.  Sleeves and fancy ruffles at the cuffs or shoulders were not just to cover the body but to highlight the movements that emanated from there.   The materials used for costuming were much heavier than current materials as well.  Dancers moved more slowly but did so in a very measured way. It may have been less spectacular than much of the dance we see performed today, but there was a certain drama that could be built to an intense yet calm finish.  Footwork was minimal for early female dancers and if they did lift their skirt or dress hem, or wore the “bata de cola,” the long dress with a train, to show their feet, they did so subtly and with style.  The dancer, who wore the bata, represented an artist who was committed to total artistic expression, using legs and hips to demonstrate the movement in rhythm, making the costume and the dancer appear as one.  Dancing well with a bata de cola remains a challenge for most dancers but when it is done well, it is a sight to see!

Men’s costuming has remained virtually unchanged over the years.  There remains the basic look of trousers and shirt or shirt and vest.  Early male flamenco dancers adopted the look of the bull fighter with spectacularly decorated jackets which were very ornate but may have detracted from the dance.  They also were made of heavy velvets and brocades and could not possibly have felt cool and comfortable!  The high waisted pant showed off a long, lean and elegant line.  Current male dancers have certainly dressed down to more comfortable fabrics and fewer pieces because there is so much more athleticism in the dance and the focus is on what the dancer is doing and less on what they’re wearing.

As flamenco dance technique has evolved over the years, with faster and more rhythmically intricate footwork and women totally keeping pace with men regarding their own “chops,” costuming, although still attractive, now has to serve the dance in an economical way.  With a dress made of light blends of fabric, rather than a bata, female dancers can make many turns and generally just move more quickly across the floor.  There is still use of accessories such as shawls, which may be worn as part of the costume, but are more often used as part of the choreography and usually wind up being used briefly then put to the side.

For most dancers, it is a matter of personal style but all costumes for flamenco work to represent the total body in movement, to be a companion in the dancer’s expression, not just a beautiful body cover.  Flamenco costuming is very sensual with a mystery to the lines that are created and ever changing by virtue of how the fabric clings and then moves on, again and again.

Do you prefer canvas or leather ballet slippers?

Personally, I have always used and liked leather shoes, but I know many people who swear by canvas. I always felt as if the canvas shoes were bruising my toes, whereas the leather had more “give”. Even so, I do like the look of canvas shoes on the feet…

So tell me–what is it for you–and why? Are you a canvas aficionado or a leather lover? Either way I’d love to hear from you!

I used to use hairspray to keep my ribbons tucked in for performances. Every dancer comes up with their own tricks for keeping things neat and tidy. Feel free to share if you have something to add…I love hearing how each dancer does things. It’s always a suprise to see what other people come up with!

To check them out, click on the graphic to the right and browse…

Dance t-shirts make a great gift, and Hunter will be adding to them over time, so be sure and keep checking back for more! You won’t find these shirts anywhere else. (I really love the one with the pointe shoes!)