Tuesday, May 24, 2011

An Evening with Anne Polajenko: "Pointe Shoe FAQ"


What's in a Pointe shoe?

Contrary to popular belief, a Pointe shoe has no wood nor steel in it!
The front portion of the shoe ( box) is made of fabric, canvas, glue and more glue.
The  sole of the shoe is made of leather and some type of cardboard. Different manufacturers use fibreboard or redboard.
Then the shoe is lined in cotton. The outer part of the shoe is always satin.
The hardness of the shoe comes from the amount of glue used. When the shoe is worn, the glue will soften or break down with the heat of the foot. It will harden again when the shoe is off. This is why it is so important to let shoes dry after use. A shoe that is used repeatedly without any drying time will have a much shorter life span. For this reason, many dancers buy shoes two pair at a time and alternate wearing them so that each pair may dry properly.
So'Dança uses only natural, biodegradable glue which is not harmful to the human body.
            --- Anne Polajenko


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      Hello everyone ^_^ we hope you all had a fantastic weekend and will have a glorious week ahead of you. Thank you for all the feedback on last weeks blogs, I will be posting more commentary blogs like I did last week, here is how you can help:
        Leave a comment bellow with a subject for an article you wish to see published and we'll try to make it happen :)


             Have a fantastic day,


   Love from your humble blogger,

Friday, May 20, 2011

Long Distance Love


     There has always been a big debate about the pros and cons of long distance relationships. Many films have been written on the subject, some bring us to the point of a tearful depression and some bring us up to the clouds and give us hope while filling us up with love.
      I tend to be an optimist when it comes to long distance relationships, I can't help myself, the romantic in me won't allow me to not believe in it. This on the other hand does not mean that I partake in the activity, not at all, I've done it once and failed miserably, thus do not partake of something so dangerous.
      I like to compare long distance love to surfing, yeah it can be fun, there will be big waves that will keep you enjoying the activity and small waves that will make you dread it, but once you've been attacked by a shark it takes a special kind of person to be able to get back on the board and go out to try again. I'm just not that kind of person, one shark attack is enough.
      In the world of dance and in the entertainment industry all together really, we are constantly traveling, constantly going around the world doing shows, seeing shows, trying to be in shows, trying really really hard to be in a show and so on. In between these times we spend a lot of time away from our loved ones and it can be really hard at times. So we at So Danca wanted to wish all of those that are trying to keep a long distance relationship going while battling the entertainment industry and remaining sane a big salute, it takes a special kind of person to do this and succeed and you deserve the recognition.
       So much much love from us to you ^_^


 We hope you all have a fantastic weekend,

  Love from your humble blogger,

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Blogger Unplugged: "Pet Peeves"

Disclaimer: The video bellow contains some curse words, so if you are offended by cursing do not watch the video. Scene taken from the movie "Shoot 'Em Up", an amazing ridiculous action movie satire, fantastically obnoxious movie. So you've been warned. The article in the other hand is PG thus you may skip ahead if so you choose.


    I find myself on the highway almost everyday, speed limit being about 65 mph and everyone going in between 70 mph and 80 mph, which is the norm. I live in Florida which does not have a good fame about it's driving, and for good reason, we have a lot of older drivers in the road, and also people that should never have gotten their licenses make things fun as well.
    In order to survive within the Florida highways one must always watch not only what the person in front of you is doing, but also the people around you and around them, and also accept that impossible catastrophic maneuvers will be attempted by the people around you and it is your job to get out of the way or pay the consequences of their actions, which are never good.
    With all that said there is one thing that gets to me above it all, I hate, hate with a capital H, people that drive like maniacs and don't have the courtesy of the blinker, even those that just don't use their blinker normally annoy me. It's a simple science, if you are going over 50 mph you should automatically assume that using the blinkers in the highway might be a good idea, that is, if you are sane.
    Now if you are one of the people that don't use your blinker while on the highway please don't take this post to heavily, I only dislike your driving, not you, thus don't take this post to heart.
    I think more people should use their blinkers and thus avoid needless accidents. Though I have never gotten in an accident due to people's lack of courtesy of the blinker, probably due to the fact that I've played to many video games in my life and have awesome reflexes (I humbly joke here), I feel as though I've had a few heart attacks caused by the non-blinker drivers going 90 mph and just coming in your lane thinking that it's your job to see and avoid them at all times.
    It all erks me, and yes, this is one of my biggest pet peeves.

   What is your biggest pet peeve? What do you think about "non-blinker" drivers?
       Leave a comment bellow and tell me what you think,

   Love from your humble blogger,



  

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Putting out Life's 'Fires'


       There are times where we look upon our lives and find ourselves surrounded by problems. These problems take hold of us and manipulate us into thinking that there is no way out, that there are no answers that would put out this proverbial fire, but this is not the case.
       When faced with 'fires' in life, always remember to look at the problem from different angles and perspectives, "think outside the box" as they say, this really works. A huge problem within today's culture is our inability to think beyond the social norm, beyond what is expected or required of us, and this issue continually keeps us bogged down in a state of perpetual doom. So step 1 of dealing with 'fires' within your life that seem never-ending, "think outside the box".
       So now your question is "but Mario, how does one think outside the box? It's easy to say but impossible to do!", false, here is how it can be done. First, look into your own life and examine the 'fire' throughly, find the hidden details you might have overlooked and others that you made into a larger deal then they truly are and try to form a 'pure' understanding of the 'fire' before you.
       After doing this you will be ready for the second step, which is to go and ask for people's opinion on how to put out your 'fire'. Don't just ask one person, ask five to ten people and get different perspectives on the situation, this will help expand your way of thinking about the problem significantly. Then take all the advice and write them down, do a clean up of bad advice versus good advice and compile a list of ways to deal with this 'fire'.
       With this list in hand, now go online and research what other people that have gone though this 'fire' had to say about the experience, see their pain, their struggle, and their victory or defeat stories and learn from them. Never make the mistake of thinking that you are the only person that has ever gone through a 'fire', this is self-pity thought, and is dangerous.
       Soon you'll realize that the 'fire' you once though was enormous is not so big after all, and that you can not only put it out but restore any damage that it did with relative ease. So here is a potential list of dealing  with the 'fires' of life:
        1. Think outside the box
        2. Learn as much as you can about your 'fire'
        3. Remember you are not alone, so ask your friends and family for advice
        4. Never make the mistake of thinking that you are the first person to go through this 'fire'
        5. Go online and look for cases of people that have gone through your 'fire' and came out victorious
        6. Take the good advice and ignore the bad, remember that not everything you hear or read is good advice. 
        7. Follow your conclusion.

     Step 7 might seem silly, but this is one of the steps we fail the most in life at following through with. I cannot begin to count the amount of times where I've conversed with someone about a battle they were facing and had them look at me and say something like "I know that's how to solve this, but it's so hard, so I'm not even going to try".
     Here is another trusty saying to remember. Some of the people that have faced the 'fires' you are facing were weaker then you and they were able to end the battle. You don't have to be a super strong and powerful person to deal with the 'fires' of life, all you need is to be open minded and ready to do all you need to do in order to accomplish the task of putting out the 'fire' in front of you.
      So when you face difficulties this week, or this month, or in life in general, remember that you are not alone, that other people care enough to offer advice, and that you are stronger then you think you are. So go forth and put out those 'fires'.

          Love from your humble blogger,

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

An Evening With Anne Polajenko: Pro Dance Career Length

How long is a professional career in dance?

The length of a career varies from one individual to another. Physically, dancers are at their peak between 18 and 25. After that, everything gets a little harder. It takes longer to warm up. Injuries occur. But these things are dealt with as a small annoyance at first. Later, issues become bigger and eventually a bad back or injured hip will take their toll. But, a dancer in really good physical shape, can continue dancing into the 40s. Exceptionally, some have been known to dance in their 50s.
Men often stop before women do because it is harder for a man to hide his diminishing physical ability. When the height of the jump or the pirouettes start declining, it is impossible to conceal. One of the hardest things to witness was Rudolph Noureyev, one of the greatest dancers the world has ever seen - lose his catlike softness of landing. One day his dancing was stiff and labored and nothing was the same to his legions of fans. Women, on the other hand, can cheat it longer. What they lose in technique, they make up for in charm and personality until that too fades.

The reason for retirement before its physical time is sometimes due to a disappointing career. Dancers are ambitious and perfectionists. They aspire to be like their role model and work toward it day in and day out. But, at some point, comes the realization they will never be that good. Often, the signs come from management who, despite all the dancer's hard work, always overlook this dancer and do not promote her to better roles. That takes its toll on the dancer's psyche and soon she or he will find reasons to quit and build another life.  Those who have not neglected their education in the meantime are now a step ahead in finding a new career.

Does this new career automatically include dance? Not at all. If every dancer who retired became a teacher, a director or choreographer we'd have as many dance professionals as students. Taking the knowledge in dance to a higher level, such as teaching or directing, requires a different kind of talent and commitment. Many dancers leave the stage entirely and pursue completely different interests.

A third reason for a dancer's retirement can be family. Although it is easier to manage a performing career and family today, it is no picnic as many soon discover. Some dancers - mostly women - retire early to begin a family. Schedules are simply not compatible and exhaustion often takes over.Hence their careers are shorter than they could have been.

Considering the years of training required, the actual career is short. But the art form is a calling and few are able to resist it.

         ---- Anne Polajenko
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    Hello everyone, hope you all had a fantastic weekend and are ready to brave through this one as well. We are excited about the Picture Contest and so far we are thinking about keeping the deadline for next monday intact, but I'll keep you all posted on that. Hope you liked the banners, I had fun making them.
     What do you think of the article? Do you agree disagree? How come?

    Love from your humble blogger,

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

So Danca Picture Contest!

Welcome to the first ever So Danca picture contest! Here is an opportunity for you to show how much you love So Danca and by doing so get some rewards! ^_^

    Rules and Regulations (subject to change at any time):
       1. Picture must have the message "I love So Danca" somewhere within the picture. This could be you wearing a So Danca product, holding a sign, and anything else you can think of, be as creative as you like!
       2. Pictures must be rated PG, all pictures rating PG-13 and above will be deleted.
      3. you are allowed to submit more then one pic ^_^
      4. you may submit pictures to: news@sodanca.com include an email or phone number you may be reached in case of you winning.
       5. Winners will be judged by the following criteria: creativity, humor, and quality.
      6. Prizes are a surprise! But I assure you the winners will be very happy! They will also be featured in this blog and on our facebook page! All contestants will be displayed, but only one will be the winner ^^

      As of right now the competition will go till May 22nd. This is subject to change.

     
Love from your humble blogger,

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

An Evening With Anne Polajenko "The right time to Pointe"

When is the right time to begin Pointe?

        This is a somewhat controversial subject with two distinct schools of thought.
        One camp holds that Pointe work should not be started before the age of 11 when the growth spaces between bones of the feet are almost closed. They maintain that going up on the toes prematurely can and will distort the feet since the foot is so flexible at that point.
        The other side believes this very flexibility is an asset which should be exploited. These teachers will put children on Pointe at age nine or ten when the foot is still flexible enough to be shaped to the Pointe work. It should be noted though that these teachers are very careful and only do a limited amount of strengthening exercises at the barre and do so for a long time.
         Whatever the method, clearly the feet are only part of the issue. The student's overall technique must be sufficient to allow Pointe work. An average of three, 1 1/2 hour classes per week for three years should be required as a minimum. Then comes the individual's physique. Are the child's knees and back strong enough to withstand the effort? Does she have any anatomical problems such as severely swayed back or hyper-extended knees which can impact on her ability to perform exercises on Pointe? These, and may other physical factors, will weigh heavily in the decision. As always, common sense should be the guide.
So'Dança Pointe shoes are available only from size 1 ( Adult 4 in normal street size)
 
    ----- Anne Polajenko
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      We hope you all had a fantastic weekend, filled with excitement and loads of dance!
A few things to remember:
          1. So Danca Picture Contest is still up and going (for rules see last weds post)
          2. Lakers are no longer in the runner up teams in the nba, o.O I know, I was amazed as well.
          3. Thor was a pretty good movie, I recommend it. Not horrible like I had previously expected.
          4. Keep checking the blog and keep an eye on So Danca, we have a lot of new things coming out and you won't want to miss any of it :)

  love from your humble blogger,  

Friday, May 6, 2011

I want my flying car now!

        In the near future sales representatives will no longer be having to drive themselves anywhere. Our kids will look at us and say "What? You actually pressed the pedals and drove yourself?! Unreal!". (Yes, "unreal" will be a hit slang in the future).

      This is not new news to most of us, I understand, but I feel as though this particular project has finally begun to get the recognition and respect it deserves only recently.
       The concept of having a computer drive your car for you sounds appealing to most, but to some it sounds tragic. There are many skeptics out there, and thank god for them, without their constant barrage of questions and problems, we most likely would not be able to find and fix all the flaws/problems the google car might face.
       The Google guys had this quote basically stating that 'if the computer had been created before the car then we would  have done this a long time ago', and I agree. This is an incredible step forward. The dream of flying cars could only come true if this invention were to be implemented, and I want my flying car. Just imagine being able to sleep on your way home from work, or to work from home. To be able to do homework in the car, to be able to get in your car and not worry about the fact that you're too exhausted to drive. We're talking an instant reduction of car accidents, speeding fines, insurance cuts, increase in productivity, and tons more. The upsides of living in a world where cars drive themselves is paramount.
        This project has been worked on continually for a significant amount of time now, enough time to not only be taken seriously but to actually earn the right to have our attention and hope. After this is implemented, we will be one step closer to having our dreamed of flying cars. And as I stated before, I want my flying car.
        I'm going to leave you with this bit of genious comic goodness from XKCD I found a while ago:






     We at So Danca hope you have a fantastic weekend, full of awesomeness. Don't forget about the picture contest, it is underway, so send your pic entries to news@sodanca.com

          What do you think of the whole Google car thing? And how come?

         Love from your humble blogger,

Thursday, May 5, 2011

Future of Dance Films

        There have been many dance movies throughout the ages, and though I don't consider any of the movies in the top 5 list to be the best within the dance movie genre, these are the "top grossing movies" within the dance genre. All references for this post including gross $ and all other info can be found here.
       



        There shouldn't be a big surprise when it comes to the first movie "Black Swan" which had a box office total of $106,952,327. There is a lot of controversy surrounding this movie in the world of dance. I'm sure many of you have heard about all the extra dancers drama that has been going on there, follow this link dance magazine for more info on all that.
         From there, in order of placing and total life time gross next to them, we have "Saturday Night Fever" ($94,213,184), "Flashdance" ($92,921,203), "Save The Last Dance" ($91,057,006), and "Footloose" ($80,035,402).
          Here is the first point I wish to call attention to. My theory is that "Black Swan" was only as big of a hit as it was because it has been the only 'serious' dance movie, with a big budget in nine years. Nine years people, that's a long time. In nine years we've been plagued by movies like "Step up" and such that have called themselves 'serious' dance movies, when in truth these have all been low budget, cheesy, comical films. Though some of these movies are rather fun to watch, they are not "Academy Award" worthy, that's what I'm talking about. A movie like "Chicago" even did not make that much in box office at first but only later on was considered something special. But here again this is not a strictly 'dance' movie, here we're talking about a theater to movie film that incorporates dance, thus not fitting our list.
          One can only hope that Hollywood will realize the size and potential value in producing quality dance films, and that we will in the future avoid such problems as relying on a "star" to do the dancing and instead actually get a top class professional dancer to be the main character featured within the film, it makes sense. You have so much talent out there, why not use it? It's only logical. It would bring back the age of films like "Singing in the Rain", "Anchor's Away", "Kiss Me Kate", "All That Jazz", "High Society" and tons of other movies. In the past this was a standard move, I think it's about time we begin to follow that path again.
          With "Black Swan" having such a large box office gross we might be seeing the new era of Dance Film magic happen soon. I look forward to might be coming, with fingers crossed.

        What do you think of the past few dance films that have been coming out? Do you agree or disagree with me on this article?
   Let me know with a comment bellow,

       Love from your humble blogger,
       

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

So Danca Picture Contest!

        Welcome to the first ever So Danca picture contest! Here is an opportunity for you to show how much you love So Danca and by doing so get some rewards! ^_^


    
        Rules and Regulations (subject to change at any time):

       1. Picture must have the message "I love So Danca" somewhere within the picture. This could be you wearing a So Danca product, holding a sign, and anything else you can think of, be as creative as you like!
       2. Pictures must be rated PG, all pictures rating PG-13 and above will be deleted.
      3. you are allowed to submit more then one pic ^_^
      4. you may submit pictures to: news@sodanca.com include an email or phone number you may be reached in case of you winning.
       5. Winners will be judged by the following criteria: creativity, humor, and quality.
      6. Prizes are a surprise! But I assure you the winners will be very happy! They will also be featured in this blog and on our facebook page! All contestants will be displayed, but only one will be the winner ^^

      As of right now the competition will go till May 22nd. This is subject to change.

     
Love from your humble blogger,

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

An evening with Anne Polajenko: "The Origin of the Pointe Shoe"

The origin of the Pointe shoe

No one knows who actually invented the Pointe shoe. But, as early as the 1840s, a teacher named Filippo Taglioni developed the shoe for his daughter, the famous Italian ballerina Maria Taglioni. Why would he do that?

The 1800s corresponds to what is known as the Romantic period in the Arts. At this time, literature, music and dance were full of supernatural stories. In the ballet "Giselle" a young girl dies of a broken heart and her spirit joins the kingdom of the Willis who seek revenge on unfaithful men. In "Swan Lake" a young lady is turned into a swan and can only be freed by true love. You get the picture.

For the ballerina to look as ethereal as a floating spirit, it was necessary to use some theatrical devices. One of these was the harness she wore under her costume which, attached to a cable high above her, would literally fly her up  and away. Another was Filippo Taglioni's shoe which added to the dancer's illusion of lightness as she rose up on her toes. Maria being not only his daughter but also the most famous ballerina of her time, it was natural Filippo should test the shoe on her. It created a sensation.

Once Maria Taglioni wore the first Pointe shoes, others were quick to follow. Soon, dancing on Pointe was the rule rather than the exception. By the late 1800s, the next generation of Italian ballerinas were performing unheard of technical feats on their toes.

The shoe was naturally nothing like the ones we have today. The toe box was hardened but it would be many years before shoe makers perfected the shape and strength of the shoe. Many more years would go by before dancers actually had choices of styles to fit their individual foot constructions as well as choices of shank strengths etc.

Interestingly though, some of the most difficult steps to date were first done in the late 1800s by these Italian ballerinas (like the 32 consecutive fouettés) in shoes that were nothing more than reinforced slippers. It begs the question: have we gone soft over time or were they super human?

  --- Anne Polajenko

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Hello everyone, we hope you all had a good weekend and are having a fantastic week filled with dancing, joy and tons of love.
Now that all the hype form the royal wedding has died down a bit, what was your opinion the wedding? And on the big hurrah people made about it, was it a good thing, a bad thing, a necessary thing, or a lame tradition?
       Post your comments bellow and let us know what you think, ^_^

     Love from your humble blogger,