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FAQ About Ballet Dancers

ballet performances / Dancing

FAQ About Ballet Dancers

How long does it take to become a professional ballet dancer? Most dancers start lesson by age 7 and take 1-2 classes a week. They focus on basic techniques. Young women must wait for their feet to finish growing before they step into pointe shoes. Both young men and women will also take modern dance and partner classes. By their teen years most serious dancers are in class 2-4 hours six days a week. What are pointe shoes made from and how long does a pair last?  Pointe shoes are made from several layers of fabric. The outsides are satin...

Slow Motion – A Writer’s Trick

details in writing / writer reminders

Slow Motion – A Writer’s Trick

Clive Matson got it right! In his book Let the Crazy Child Write: Finding Your Creative Writing Voice, he suggests that writers use slow action. When an important event occurs, slow the action down to freeze frame speed. That pulls readers closer allowing them to experience the physical tension with the character. Whatever the action looks like: a fall, a gun fight, or an ah-ha moment; it works. The next time you come across an action scene, see if the author has extended that scene through slowing down the time and movement. If it is a memorable scene, I’ll wager...

Vote for Your Top 5 Most Antagonizing Characters

84 Ribbons / blog readers voting / character development / Letters to Follow / When the Music Stops

Vote for Your Top 5 Most Antagonizing Characters

Throughout the trilogy, I invited many characters to step into my books. Here is a list of story characters in no particular order. Select the top 5 you feel were the most antagonizing. Madame Cosper                   Steve Mason                           Noel Elijah                      Mrs. B.                                         ?   Lynne Meadows                   Marta Selbryth                      Damien Black                 Uncle Leo Carol                                      Dennis (carpenter)                Lily Rose                         Ida                                                 ? Suzette                                  Bartley Timmons                   Elle Selbryth                  Wallace Cheryl Menkins                   Karl                                          Lynne’s parents             Lucia                                            ? Kitsy                                      Arty                                        Madame Zelb                  Jae...

Misty Copeland Visits Seattle

ballet performances / Book Specials / famous ballet dancers / interviews / musings

Misty Copeland Visits Seattle

On a soggy Friday in Seattle, a bright ray of sunshine filled Meany Hall. Misty Copeland stepped onto the stage to a standing ovation. The delightful 30-something principal dancer of  The American Ballet Theatre spoke candidly to a packed house of dancers and families for close to 90 minutes about her life struggles and her resilience. The director of the UW School of Drama acted as interviewer keeping the evening event flowing so smoothly the time flew past. Misty eventually addressed her latest book, Ballerina Body, which many young dancers clutched to their bodies  like a golden chain connecting themselves...

Upcoming Dance Celebrations and An Invitation to Dance

Challenge / Dancing / musings

Upcoming Dance Celebrations and An Invitation to Dance

March 23-24  Arts Advocacy Day brings together 85 or more national arts organizations in Washington D.D. to meet with Congress to advocate for arts educations policies, charitable tax deductions and funding for the National Endowment for the Arts. Let’s hope they are successful. (Recently it was reported that the arts are facing deep financial cuts by the Congress.) March 31  – Dance Everywhere Day begins at noon Pacific Standard Time. It encourages everyone to join in a world-wide simultaneous pubic dancing performance. Grab your friends. Put on your dancing shoes and dance, dance, dance!!! Who??  dancers (of course), teachers, plumbers,...

My Top 6 Famous Ballet Dancers

ballet performances / Dancing / famous ballet dancers

My Top 6 Famous Ballet Dancers

Through history the ballet world has created many famous dancers who’ve shared their grace, beauty, charisma, and strength. Here’s my short list in no special order and why they’ve made my list. Anna Pavlova (Russian, 1881-1931) Not a typical small, compact dancer. Her world travels opened up the non-European world to classical ballet. She’s also credited with revising the pointe shoe. The role of the Dying Swan was created for her. Margot Fonteyn (English, 1919-1991) Beauty in motion who danced from 1935-1960s (but danced on occasion until age 60). I saw her dance in Seattle when I was a young...

5 Easy Ways to Help Authors – Part Two

book reviewing / reader suggestions

5 Easy Ways to Help Authors – Part Two

Here are 5 more ways to let authors know when you enjoy their writings: Suggest places where the book would fit into groups, organizations, etc. Pass out author information (bookmarks, brochures, reviews) to appropriate waiting rooms. Buy and send the book to a friend outside your local area. Host a book party for the author/for the book. Blog and talk about the book with your friends.

Quotes on Writing

quotes

Quotes on Writing

Readers and writers enjoy a good book. These quotes are reasons that may happen. Enjoy! A novel is a question, not an answer.                                                 Richard Peck A human being is nothing but a story with skin wrapped around it.                                            Fred Allen Setting details are multipurpose…When a reader first opens a story, setting is the doorway through which he or she ventures into the story events.                                                 Jessica Page Morrell

Letters to Follow Book Event Follow-up

Letters to Follow / musings

Letters to Follow Book Event Follow-up

Thursday, February 16th I had my first book talk for Letters to Follow- A Dancer’s Adventure. It was advertised to be a rainy evening but turned out to be cool and clear. The cozy Edmonds Bookshop is one half block from the center of downtown Edmonds. Mary Kay has supported the Art Walk each month with guest authors for several years. Michelle, her PR person made a great window display that brought in several people before the event to checkout my books. I was lucky to enjoy a steady stream of friends, acquaintances and new-to-me drop-in readers who spent a...

Ballet Chapter and Book Events

Book Specials / FREE chapter / Letters to Follow

Ballet Chapter and Book Events

February is my official publication month so read on!! FREE chapter Here’s a free, unpublished chapter from Letters to Follow—A Dancer’s Adventure, the last book in my dancer’s stories. Enjoy! Download your copy of the unpublished chapter—click here! You’re Invited!  Edmonds Bookshop on Thursday, February 16th You are cordially invited to attend my book event in Edmonds, WA on Thursday, Feb. 16th  as a drop-in guest between 5 and 8 pm. If you are too far away or unable to attend, you may call and order a book from the shop. I’ll cover the cost of mailing (inside the U.S....