In memory of 9/11

That September I was supposed to be in NYC. I had a new contract, but it allowed for 2 months leave ( aug/sept ). I flew to Europe, went home. As I few back just at the start of September, I decided to take care of a few last things in UT. 

I remember not being able to believe what I saw on the news. Remember crowds of students around every classroom with TV.  People on the phones with their loved ones. 

Years later my sister visited us in NYC. We went to 9/11 memorial. We couldn't hold the tears back. There are no words. May God bless those that were affected by it immediately. And protect all from ever re-living anything similar anywhere in the world.  

 

Live your dream: Most memorable dance partnerships.

We are on a number two partnership, and that step is proudly taken by 

 Mikhail Baryshnikov and Gelsey Kirkland

 Two of the greatest ballet dancers in New York at the time of their partnership, Baryshnikov was an exemplary partner for Gelsey Kirkland. Kirkland, one of the 'Balanchine ballerinas' needed an extremely strong partner for her pas de deux numbers because of her virtuoso talent. Baryshnikov proved able to match her onstage as his own talents in ballet were extraordinary.Some of their most famous pas de deux are the ones from Coppelia, Don Quixote, and The Nutcracker.

MIKHAIL BARYSHNIKOV, a native of Riga, Latvia, was born in 1948 and began studying ballet at the age of nine. As a teenager, he entered the Vaganova Academy in Leningrad, graduating from student to principal dancer of the Kirov Ballet in 1969. In 1974, he left the Soviet Union to dance with major ballet companies around the world including the New York City Ballet where he worked with George Balanchine and Jerome Robbins. In 1980 he began a 10-year tenure as Artistic Director of American Ballet Theatre, nurturing a new generation of dancers and choreographers. I have a very special spot in my heart for Michail and his dedication to help dancers and for his sincere open mind when searching for and choreographing for/with new professionals. I'll tell more some other time. He is an amazing man and if you can - seek out ANY opportunity to work with him. I promise , it will be worth every blister and every second. {here is an interview about his arts center. highly recommend!}

"From 1990 to 2002, Mr. Baryshnikov was director and dancer with the White Oak Dance Project, which he co-founded with choreographer Mark Morris. White Oak was born of Baryshnikov’s desire “to be a driving force in the production of art,” and, indeed, it expanded the repertoire and visibility of American modern dance". {more here}

"bravura, poise, and power- Byron Belt, speaking of GELSEY KIRKLAND

Gelsey Kirkland was born to father Jack, a playwright, and Nancy, an actress, in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.  She also had an older sister, Johnna, the favourite.This favouritism, in addition to her demanding and alcoholic father, in addition to her own perfectionism would lead to problems in the future.
Johnna started attending the School of American Ballet and Gelsey started soon after, starting an intense rivalry between the sisters.As a student Miss Kirkland was incredibly dedicated - a workaholic some say. When she first started attending the school Miss Kirkland was not very flexible at all and worked on her stretching like crazy to achieve the flexibility required of a ballet dancer( i think this is amazing, as she never gives the idea of non-flexible dancer, and flexibility is one of the most difficult things to achieve if it is not given to one by nature)  She also took extra ballet classes and worked as a model, something she hated, to pay for the classes, and later on quit high school so she could dance more.

 When she was fifteen years old George Balanchine asked Gelsey Kirkland to join the New York City Ballet, and two years later she was promoted to Soloist. At this time Balanchine created his new Firebird with her as the lead. Although Firebird was not a success there was much praise for Miss Kirkland. Later on she danced with her sister in John Cliffords Reveries and created the lead in Jerome Robbins Goldberg Variations.
In 1972 the New York City Ballet toured to Russia where Mikhail Baryshnikov first saw her dance. Two years later, after he defected in Toronto Mr. Baryshnikov asked her to be his partner, so in September of 1974 Gelsey Kirkland left the New York City Ballet and joined the American Ballet Theatre as a principal dancer opposite Mikhail Baryshnikov.
The partnership between Miss Kirkland and Mr. Baryshnikov was incredibly successful - they were the same size and had the same way of disguising difficulties on stage - they were in perfect harmony in performance.
The area of ballet where Miss Kirkland excelled was in the romantic ballets.With her delicate body and technique of sewing machine precision she blew away audiences and critics alike. Edward Villella described her as having steel-like legs that are doing the most fantastic technical feats while the upper body is soft and lovely as though nothing were going on underneath in Time magazine.{read more}

A full version of a Nutcracker clip above ( upcoming season appropriate) is here:

Saturday Morning: What's cookin'?

 

{img and recipe sourse}

My sincerest apologies to my dear readers for such long disappearance. 

I seem to always underestimate the power of a new school year start combined with new season ( more holiday, really ) auditions, rehearsals and work, and completely overestimate how much I can actually do. 

Last two weeks I had another mental image of myself as a surfer that's clinging for dear life on that surfboard in the swirl of a powerful wave, happy to have the head above the water.

I'm all back on the board, though!

Fall in season, and we stumbled on a completely little random apple booth at the farmer's market yesterday with ridiculously delicious apples ( kid you not - best I've had in a long while. I wonder how much a mega hot summer had to do with it, but I'm not complaining) , so those beauties are the main item of the table for us this week.

*Side note: Did you know there is such thing as APPLE TASTING?! I never new until Emerson introduced me to it. Now I'm completely hooked on it.*( can't link to her blog only, but you can dig through archives there if you like)

 CHOCOLATE APPLE PASTRIES

1 package of dough ( i used filo dough package from Whole Foods)

3-4 large apples

1/2 a bar of dark chocolate * as dark as you can get, i went mighty 90%*

3 Tbsp lemon juice

butter

sugar 

powdered sugar for decoration

wash and prep the apples. 

cut in thin slices.

sprinkle with lemon juice - it will prevent apples from browning. 

 roll the dough and cut circles.  i used a large glass from ikea - but sky is the limit here.

 place cut dough circles on a baking sheet * well buttered*  and poke with fork

 melt your chocolate * use double boiler and just leave it in the pot untouched* and spread it on the dough

 arrange apples in spirals to your liking. sprinkle about 1 tsp of sugar on the on the top and place a small peace of butter * butter and sugar together will create somewhat caramel-like finish when baked*

bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes

  when cooled down, dust with powdered sugar and enjoy!  

Wishing you a happy weekend!

Beauty secrets

I don't know if it is related to the "magic" over 30, but simple beauty tricks is something that has been of my interest last year, and I want to share a few that I learned. 

1.  Moisturize in the morning not at night. 

Sounds weird but true. I learned that from Dr Hauschka's lecture , but your skin will actually rejuvenate better without extra help - it's too much. I liked it and noticed a difference. 

2. Use moisturizer with SPF and put it on your EYEBROWS!

I may be the only one who never done that before, but this was definitely the first summer I tried it, and let me tell you - this is the first summer my eyebrows are the same color they were in winter.  Plus it's the little extra nutrition that takes boosts the growth. 

3. Let your eyebrows alone for 1/2 a year at the very least.

I listened to a lecture from one of the beauty specialist where he mentioned that MOST WOMEN have their brows waaaaay overplucked. He showed the difference on what a woman think she needs and what ACTUALLY works best for her face proportions. 90% of the time natural eyebrows were JUST what she needed and was looking for ( isn't it ironic? we look for something , beautify ourselves, but it's already "pre-installed" by nature for us. definitely gave me food for thought) . He also suggested leaving your eyebrows to grow on their own for a year. Add a little "fixing" on the ridge of the nose, and to some VERY obvious rebels that grow a foot away from where they are supposed to , but in general - just leave it. He said ( and it's true, I tried) that over time the eyebrows will resume their shape, and fill in naturally. Best advice I ever adhered to. 

Now a little about the beauty helpers I discovered last year:

1. I discovered this moisturizer from a random mention on one of the blogs I stumbled upon ( or pinterest?...) . The price was right, and when I saw it in Target I decided to give it a try. 

So glad I did.  WET YOUR FINGERTIPS before you use moisturizer on a DAMP face - it'll make you miles far and your face won't feel heavy or greasy.  The SPF factor actually WORKS! My face is 20 shades lighter then my arms ( and I do have very light skin too )

2. Natural deodorant. Try it. That's all I'm going to say. I found my in Whole Foods. 

3. BEST face wipes for when you are tired. And cost a fraction of MAC ones. They live on my counter and in my purse.

4 & 5. That taupe creamy shadow disappears on your eyelids, but makes your eyes pop. I'm yet to see a person it did not look good enough on. The whole pallet is a natural beauty must. I love it. 

6. Red lips is my must : instant pick up to entire face especially after a sleepless night ( like 10 years worth. but so happy I have someone to be sleepless for). And it will make a nude face look very modern and fashionable - something that I really need at 7am when I'm off to take kids to school or after sweating all day long in the rehearsal studio, but want to look presentable on the way home. I love this particular red : it's very different and very flattering. 

7. I wash my face with natural soap. I found it to be better for my skin then all the fancy face washes. My skin is actually clean. And it's nicer on my wallet too. 

8. One more 5 minute face trick : eyelashes. This is the only mascara that is NOT waterproof ( i don't like those)  but will stay through rain, snow and tears ( of happiness ) and makes your lashes be 10 miles long! 

DO YOU HAVE BEAUTY SECRETS TOO? 

PLEASE,  SHARE!