Boys Only Open Ballet Class 23rd April 2014

If you live out Kapiti way, I am teaching a boy's only ballet class out in Waikanae for the Waikanae Dance School this Wednesday from 9 am til 10 am.

If you know of any boys, any age, who would be interested in giving ballet a try, get them to get in touch.
No experience necessary!!!

It will be lots of fun!!!!!!!

www.waikanaedance.org.nz

PNDA Comps Results

Palmerston North Dance Association

Competition Results

28^th - 30^th March 2014

Salem won the Lauren McMillian Cup for the Highest mark in Restricted National Character Dance 12 years and over.

And the Palmerston North Dance Association Throphy for the Most Promising

Senior Dancer.

Krakowiak

Salem did extremely well at the PNDA Restricted and Impromptu Competitions over the weekend. It was his first lot of competitions this year so it was a nice way to get back into it.

It was a long weekend and Salem was very tired by the end as he had seven dances on Sunday, the final day.

Robin Hood

He had entered the impromptu dances along with many of his own dances, all of which he had choreographed himself.

He also debuted his new demi-character dance “Robin Hood” which was well received and got a first placing.

This dance is absolutely hilarious and I think it took everyone by surprise.

Ballet Impromptu

Salem also was awarded first place for his Krakowiak national character dance and the trophy also for highest marks for national character.

He was thrilled as he had spent a lot of time researching and then choreographing this dance.

Getting ready for the Jazz Impromptu.

The results from the weekend are:

1st Place – National Character

                 Demi-character

2nd Place – Barefoot

                  Modern Jazz

3rd Place – Variation

                  Lyrical

                  Impromptu Modern Jazz

                  Impromptu Ballet

VHC – Impromptu Barefoot

HC – Impromptu Contemporary

C – Impromptu Lyrical

Salem and Della - Waikanae Dance School

Salem really enjoyed having other dancers from his dance school there and being able to watch them perform, some for the first time on a big stage.

He has more competitions coming up, Rosewood next weekend and then DanceArt the weekend after that. Then he has a short break with lots more planned.

It's busy, busy, busy!!!!!!!!!!

Last Class of the Year for the Grade One's

Salem and the Grade One Class

It was the last class for the Grade One Ballet Class for the year, so everyone was allowed to get dressed up for class.  Two of the class weren't there today but it looks like everyone had a good class.
Salem was Ballet Santa and at the end of the class Salem gave everyone a couple of little chocolates.

He has loved being teacher's assistant to this class this term and is looking forward to continuing next year.
Doing this class is also helping him learn what the BTDA syllabus is like for the younger grades and will be a big help for him when it comes to exam time when he does his BTDA Intermediate exam.

"Merry Christmas Grade One's!!!"

Acro, Intermediate, Grade 1, Swimming and on the Leader Board

Salem has been busy as usual with his dancing.  He has been having his lessons with Jacqui and Jonty as usual and his Acro class and Lyrical & Jazz class as well.

On Monday he started doing his BTDA Intermediate class with Michelle at Waikanae Dance School.  He was very excited about that and found it very different to the RAD syllabus.  He is enjoying this a lot more.
So he has been practicing his new exercises up at the gym before he gets into his own dances etc.

What was even more exciting for him, was being the teachers helper for the Grade 1 class afterwards.
He really enjoyed being with the younger kids and is looking forward to next week.
It's a good sized class with six girls and one boy.

He is enjoying the challenge of his acro class and is so pleased at being able to stand back up after doing a bridge and is working hard at doing a tidy walkover.  Luckily we have a large flat lawn, which we just had mowed, for him to practice on.

It's a bit scary watching him sometimes!!!!!!!

Salem has been having swimming lessons once a week with the Kapiti Homeschoolers at the Aquatic Centre and after two lessons, can swim a length of the pool, back stroke, without stopping and can swim freestyle a bit.  He gets in to the big pool and practices for over half an hour before his class starts.

Not bad for a kid who hadn't been in a pool for over five years.

It's great exercise for him, really gets those leg muscles working.

Every Wednesday at City Fitness, they have a 1 Minute Challenge which Salem has a go at.
Last week it was how many push-ups can you do in one minute.  Salem did 35 proper push-ups, which isn't too bad for a thirteen year old.  He made it up on to the leader board.

Then today, the challenge was how many sit-ups in one minute.  Salem did 50 which put him up on the leader board and was still there when we left two hours later.

Well done Salem!!!!!!

Exam Day and a Fun Dance Class

Having a bit of a practice at
Waikanae Dance School

Yesterday was exam day and what a mission it was.
Salem was still not very well but he was feeling a bit better.
We traveled into Wellington on a horrible cold windy and rainy day.  It was a real polar blast from the south.
It really didn't help Salem with his cold.

At the NZ School of dance we waited around in the dressing room with Josephine, who was going in to the exam with Salem, and the Mum's who were waiting.
Salem's ballet teacher, Miss Pond gave Salem a lovely little gift of blue "Foot Fizz" for tired feet, gift wrapped with some blue Hersheys kisses.  Salem was very pleased.
The dressing room was quite hot, had to go out many times to cool down.
Then when it was exam time, the two of them were taken up to the studio with two other girls from another dance school.

Salem was a bit upset when he came back down after the exam.
He had felt very unwell during the exam and the heat in the studio was unbearable for him.
He said he made silly little mistakes but on talking to him today, he did a lot of things very well.
He did look very ill.
So it was out to brave the weather and get back home, then it was straight into bed for Salem and a lot of TLC.

I haven't put any exam day photos up as I had forgotten to put my SD card back into my camera, silly me, but I did have my video camera with me so I could take photos with that.  I just have to fill the rest of the DVD before I can use the photos.

Outside Waikanae Dance School's lovely studio.

I made Salem stay in bed today and there was no dance practice.
He felt a lot better by the afternoon so I thought it was okay for him to go to his lesson up at Waikanae Dance School.  It is only just over a week to go before their concert, so Salem didn't want to miss a class.
He really enjoyed the class.  They finished their concert dance and Salem gets to finish doing the splits which he is very happy about.

The Tui's favourite Kowhai Tree.

While Salem dances in the lovely little studio, I sit outside listening to the birds in the trees getting ready for bed.  There are some very noisy tui's who love to bicker and play chasing.  They are a joy to watch and listen to.
And then all of a sudden when it gets totally dark, all the birds are silent.
Bed time!!!!