Hey Y'all! Even though I don't think anyone reads this.. But maybe someone will :D Here are some dances I've been in. I figured it would be good to put them all in one place.

Its hard to tell which one I am so I'll try to explain.

In Table for Two (Billy Joel) I am one of the girls in the blue dress. Im the taller of the two who comes on last during "She's Always A Woman". If you look closely you can see my large wolf tattoo (it was fresh here)

In "Leave the Light On" we are all wearing white dresses. But im the kind of tall skinny one. In the opening I am the on the floor on the far left. After we leave, I reenter with my blonde friend Erica and we do a slow identical duet in the background then off. After that I come in when we all run in, Im the kind of tall one in the middle. Then me and Erica do another duet when I run to the front.

In "Before Impact" Im the one who starts center. Since we never leave the stage its easy if you just follow me. There another skinny brunette, but her boobs are way bigger than mine and shes a little shorter.

In "All Gave Some, Some Gave All" I am the one on the farthest right walking forward. We also never leave the stage on this one so just try to follow me around. This was a very long dance. The second half starts when President Bush is giving his speech. I am the first one to get up from the pile and join Josh in a duet. Then we stand there for like 3 mins.

In "Shackled And Forgotten" I am the tall one with the tutu, not the short little black girl (Brittney).

I have really enjoyed being a part of the Long Beach City College Dance program, and can definitely say that they have taught me everything I know and I wouldn't be the dancer I am today without them. The teachers are great and have a lot to give. And all my dance comrades are like my second family. I've loved all the dances I've been in there but "Leave the Light On" and "All Gave Some, Some Gave All" might be my two favorites. And "Table For Two" because "Shes Always A Woman" is one of my favorite songs. So I was happy to get the chance to dance to it. And "Before Impact" because it was quite challenging.. Okay! I loved them all!

The only dance I couldn't find was "5,7,9" that was choreographed by Sheree King. It was the first dance I ever did at LBCC and was a ballet/jazz piece with live music. I loved it because it changed tempo from a 5 to a 7 to a 9. For my first dance as a young, inexperienced dancer it was extremely challenging, and I was so proud I was able to do it.

Anyways! Hope you enjoy!

Going on Pointe as an Adult

     So this post is about the troubles we may face as adult late starters in the world of ballet. Most girls go on pointe somewhere around the age of 11 or 12. For me, I am 23 and this is my first time on pointe. There are plenty of 11 and 12 year olds in my pointe class at studio, but I don't let this discourage me. Most of them are way ahead of me as well, but that is only to be expected.
      The best thing the late start adult ballet beginner can do is set goals. This summer it was my goal to be able to do pirouettes on pointe. And through hard work and dedication, I have accomplished this goal. At first, I was attempting them from fourth, but my teacher later informed me that it was actually easier from fifth. And whadya know? She was right! pirouettes on pointe are waayyyy easier from fifth. So if you are trying to learn pirouettes on pointe, try them from fifth. Remember to always push with your entire leg, really drilling it into the ground, but lifting from your abdomen. She also always yells at me "hip over ball of the foot" and i think i get what shes saying, but actually feeling it with my body is another story

Anyways.. so that was my summer goal :3 and now it is time to go for doubles.

P.S I am also working on my fouette and a la seconde turns on demi pointe. They are okay :x

The Tattooed Late Start Ballerina

My name is Jasmine, and I am a ballerina. At least, I like to believe I am a ballerina. I am 23 years old and currently I am taking classes at my local community college and  at studios. I consider myself an intermediate level ballet dancer. I'm not very flexible ( I can't do my splits on either side -.-). My balance is mediocre at best. And, I need to work on my port da bras. But, I can't say I don't try.
My ballet journey started 4 years ago at community college. It was the summer of 2011, and although I had danced for a year in high school, I had not kept up with it since I had graduated in 2010. I had a few friends who had taken the summer beginning ballet class at our school and they recommended it to me. I had only recently discovered the world of ballet and all its beauty and was captivated by it. I new a professional career was not an option, but learning ballet for the heck of it was certainly an option.

So with little experience, I enrolled in beginning ballet and started a journey that, I did not know at the time, would change my life forever. Tendu, plie, degage, glissade, jete, tour jete. These terms were all knew to me, but I caught on quick. I was falling in love at an alarming rate. I wanted to do dance everyday; I lived in leotard, and dreamt of ballet. By the end of the summer course, I was ready to tackle the Intermediate level in the fall. Or, so I thought.

My first semester of Intermediate ballet was one of the hardest things I've ever done in my entire life MY ENTIRE LIFE!!! I literally cried. Mainly, because the jump from beginning to intermediate was greatly out of proportion. At the time, there were only two levels of ballet: Beginning and Intermediate. So all the super beginners were in beginning, and then the pretty amazing dance majors were in Intermediate. I, of course, was not aware of the leap I was making.Within the first two weeks I contemplated quitting. The teacher pushed us so hard, and everyone around me seemed to keep up with her. I knew I looked like a damn fool trying to do the petite allegro in class. But, never in my life have I been a quitter. I pushed back just as hard. I gave my everything and then some; And, it was worth it in the end. That semester I fell in love with ballet all over again. I fell in love with grand jete's, and assemble battu's and double pique turns, and I fell in love with the person that ballet brought out of me.

From that semester on, I went at dance full force. I look ballet, modern, jazz, and even tap. I even became a dance minor. Now a days, I still take class at school, but I've started venturing out and discovering local studios. I even started pointe at the studio around the corner from school.

My beginning with ballet is a story I love to tell. I am not your average ballerina, and I have not been dancing since I was 3. But, that does not mean that my love for this art form is any less real than anyone elses.

Dance on my friends!

-Wulfe