Entertaining and Helpful Youtube Channels, Blogs, and Websites for Dancers

Hey y'all! It's Julia here with a blog post for all you dancers! Here are some YouTube channels, blogs, and websites for dancers that I enjoy looking at from time to time.

• KBM Talent

Autumn Miller and her mom Krista Miller giving lots of helpful hints and tips on their YouTube channel. It has lots of tutorials and a few online classes so check it out!

• Fit For a Feast

They have hundreds of videos and tutorials on dance, fitness, cheerleading, gymnastics, and more!

• Live on Pointe
• Live on Pointe YouTube channel

A YouTube channel and blog that has lots of tutorials as well as fun dancery stuff so it appeals to all sorts of dancers!

• Seven Epic Dancers

An SAK collab YouTube channel with tutorials, dances, and fun dance related stuff!

• Your Daily Dance

An amazing blog that has everything dance related under the sun from tips to quizzes to competition packing lists. You can also e-mail the creators to get specific advice and recommendations.

• NY Dancewear
• Discount Dance

Both very cheap dancwear and dance accessories online shops. you can also get a lot of their products off of Amazon.com but usually these prices are cheaper.

These are a few of many, many YouTube channels, blogs, and websites that may interest you.

So that's it for this post!

Comment if any of these helped you or if you have any recommendations!

My Frozen Alternate Universe Theory

Hey guys! It's Julia. I've decided to share an idea inspired by the Disney film Frozen that I came up with some time ago.
Wait for it . . .

What if Hans was just a figment of Anna's imagination!

It would make sense. As a result of feeling abandoned and lonely for years, Anna involuntarily imagined a friend. He was quirky and cute, he knew what it was like to feel invisible, and he was always there when Anna was feeling blue. He was perfect. But maybe too perfect.

She started getting confused between her imagination and reality. He proposed to her! And she accepted.

When Anna approaches Elsa about the marriage, Elsa realizes that Anna will not believe that Hans is, in fact, not real. she decides to take a different approach; just telling her she can't marry a man she just met. As a result, Elsa reveals her powers, starting off this whole adventure.

As she is on her journey, Anna meets Kristoff and inevitably falls in love with him. Only one problem, Hans!

Although they both know they love the other, Kristoff believes that Hans is real so to save Anna, he brings her back to Hans.

In order to be with Kristoff, Anna, or Anna's mind, has to get rid of Hans. So she comes up with this whole thing where he doesn't love her, but was, indeed, using her.

To add to everything, Anna thinks that Hans is going to kill Elsa. So she "sacrifices" herself for Elsa. Even though Hans was just her imagination so Elsa technically wasn't in real danger, Anna thought she was so the act of true love still sort of counts.

In the end she made up his punishment. She punched him and sent him home to his twelve brothers and let them take care of him.

And Anna & Kristoff (and Elsa) lived happily ever after

The End

Now before you go judging me, I know I can't explain everything, I just thought that in an alternate Frozen universe, that would be really cool.

See ya real soon!

 

Posting Change!

Hi everyone, Kate here!

These past few weeks have been full of crazy times. We visited the Cassadys last week, and in the process nearly everyone got sick! Monday night, the day before we left, Violet caught the day flu, and by today nearly everyone had caught it. Thankfully Emma and I were spared, but Julia and Bailey were not so lucky. Almost everyone is better now, and we're crossing our fingers that no one else catches it.

On a separate note, while visiting together we had a bit of a "discussion". The bad news is, Bailey's posts will be fewer and less often. The good news is, our rigid schedule of who is posting when has been offed! We can post when ever we feel like it- and hopefully that means more often!

Personally, I'm aiming to post at least every week- probably more! That way your guys can keep up with my life and I can try my hand at writing more stuff :)

So this is a short post, but I have something in mind to post tomorrow, so don't worry!

Lots of love,

Kate (or Katie G)

Christmas time is here!

I just can't wait for Christmas day! Let's get in the spirit of things, and listen to what I have to say;
What I love about this jolly holiday and what I anticipate each and every day:

Our Christmas tree, 2013

Snowy weather, crisp air. Sweaters and boots everywhere!
Christmas crafts and Christmas cards. lights and decorations, illuminating the yards!
Wish list building, Christmas trees, shopping and candles and trying not to freeze!

Our backyard in Illinois, 2013

Jingle bells! Let it snow!
Peppermint and pinecones!

The Osborn Spectacle of Dancing Lights, 2013
 (Hollywood Studios, Disney world)

Wrapping presents! Tacky sweaters!
Writing Santa lots of letters!

Fort Wilderness, 2013

Setting up the Christmas tree, decorating it with glee!
Christmas eve service, sing a Christmas song!
It feels great to hear everyone sing along.

The Christmas bow I made, 2014

Eating Christmas eve dinner of sweet potato soufflé and ham,
Or maybe even rolls with jam!

Snuggling up in blankets warm,
we watch Nativity Story, telling us the story of when Jesus was born

My favorite Christmas cookies

Christmas morning we wake up one by one, and down the stairs we happily run!
No cookies or milk to be found, but presents are left all around!
We open gifts in our shifts and let out lots of happy sounds!

We eat mom's famous egg dish for our breakfast,
and thank whoever gave us these presents!

And remember that Christmas is about receiving AND giving
And that it's all about Jesus living!

God bless us, everyone!

10 reasons why Fall is my favorite!

Hey guys, Julia here! This past month has been awesome! Our family friends from Illinois (as well as the Cassady’s) came for my birthday party and the balloon fiesta.

My birthday party theme was Murder under the Big Top. It’s a mystery party we bought off of http://nightofmystery.com/ . The packs are a little expensive but they make very fun parties; I was tied between Murder under the Big top (a circus), a pirate one, and an eighties class reunion one. Ultimately I picked the circus because I got to be and acrobat!
 
The balloon fiesta was pretty cool. The balloons never went up but we saw some pretty cool balloons. My favorites were a rainbow one, Spider Pig, and the dead cat.



From left to right:
Bailey the Lion Tamer
Julia the Acrobat
Avery the Tightrope walker

Avery, Bailey, and I made this awesome
ticket booth by taking a really big box,
painting it white, and duct taping it
for the stripes.

Balloon fiesta!

 

 

 

10 reasons why Fall is my favorite!

My Anna costume turned out awesome!

1. My birthday!

Obviously.

2. Crisp air and colorful leaves!

Especially when I lived in Illinois, it was cold, and colorful! A little less here in New Mexico, so that's something I'm going to miss.

3. Fall clothes!

Oversized sweaters, jeans, boots, and scarves! I love it!

4. Apple orchards and pumpkin patches!

In Illinois there was an apple orchard we went to every Fall. Now here in New Mexico, they have a few cool pumpkin patches.

5. Pumpkin carving!

This year I carved a pumpkin all by myself for the first time (It was Olaf)

6. Making costumes!

We always make our costumes.

Thrift shopping, fabric shopping, sewing, and painting. Always fun!

7. Trick-or-treating!

Yes, I know. I’m 13; most people my age think they’re too old for trick-or-treating. I actually had someone say to me (when I was reaching for candy) “No, not you, you’re like 24!”

8. Trading candy!

A Halloween tradition. Trade candy you don’t like (tootsie rolls, dots, etc.) for candy you do like (Reese's, jolly rancher suckers, etc.)

 9. Balloon Fiesta!

Something fun to look forward to every fall

10. Thanksgiving!

Getting to eat raspberry jello, sweet potato soufflé, ham, and turkey! What could be better?

What do you love about fall? Let us know in the comments!!

See you next month!

5 Reasons to Stretch

Hey guys, it's Julia! This past month has been crazy but great! I got fitted for pointe shoes at dance, I saw the musical Wicked for the first time (I LOVED it, of course), and I almost mastered a front limber (handstand into a bridge)!

So let’s start with my blog post!

 

I’m a dancer and I also practice acrobatics and gymnastics tricks at home. Stretching and flexibility are a big part of dance, acrobatics, and gymnastics so I try to stretch every day. Here are 5 great reasons why you should stretch too!

1. Stretching helps dancers, acrobats, contortionists, gymnasts, runners, football players, and many other athletes.

2. Stretching improves posture and gracefulness which, by extent, improves confidence.

3. Certain poses improve strength (as in yoga).

4. Stretching gives you plenty of tricks to show off.

5. And what flexibility is all about; it increases your range of movement.

What do I wear?

This is pretty easy. Something comfy! Whether it’s sweatpants and a t-shirt or yoga pants and a tank top, just anything comfy!  It's a good idea to wear socks when stretching unless you are doing something like a bridge where you need to grip with your feet. Also make sure our hair is pulled up and clipped back out of your face and that you keep a water bottle nearby.

 



Some good stretches

Here are some tips for not injuring yourself when stretching:

1.  Make sure to get your muscles warmed up and blood flowing by doing jumping jacks or something beforehand.

2. Be sure to keep proper posture when stretching.

3. Start slow and stretch gently. Never push to the point of pain (there should be discomfort but not pain) and don’t bounce.

4. Make sure to alternate between pointed and flexed feet. Some dancers just perform stretches with the toes pointed and don't alternate between flex and point. This can create an imbalance in the body, if the feet do not get stretched the other way as well.

5. Hold each stretch for at least 20 seconds. I hold my splits and stuff for 2 minutes, but I'm pretty advanced

6. The mind controls the body.

That’s it for this month’s blog post! Here are a few websites to check out if you are interested in becoming more flexible:

http://balletshoesandbobbypins.com/flexibility

http://passionfordance.hubpages.com/hub/Stretching-Tips-for-Dancers

Also check out my Pinterest, I have a stretching board, dance board, and acro/gymnastics board:

http://www.pinterest.com/jrose2082/

About Julia

Julia, 2014

 

How about we start with the basics! My name is Julia, I am twelve and turning thirteen in October, I’m homeschooled, and in 8th grade. I’m second born of five kids and I have (what I consider to be) dirty-blonde hair and big, dark brown eyes.

 

Me with my best friend Avery, Disney World, 2007

I was a very stubborn and determined child and I still am. I would never open Christmas presents when I was told it was my turn; ONLY when I wanted to. I also ate dirt one time. The bigger boy cousins were playing in it and I thought they were eating it so I joined in. I looked like I raided a box of Oreos

2010

I am really afraid of fish, I am obsessed with my upcoming Disney trip and birthday party, I play the ukulele and dabble with piano, I enjoy morning, and my favorite season is fall.

I like wearing comfy clothes, which means I only put on jeans if I have to. Pasta is amazing in my opinion and I also like mozzarella sticks and cheesy garlic bread. My family and I travel and go camping all the time and everyone is always telling me that my hair is so soft and that my eyelashes are so long.

I don’t like math but science is a different story. I love big houses with lots and lots of grass around it and I am a professional multi-tasker.  I also love roller-coasters and thrill rides.

This is me playing Scuttle in The Little Mermaid, 2013

 

I love dance and musical theatre. I’ve been doing theatre since 2005 and musical theatre since 2012. I’ve been taking dance only since fall 2013. I’m currently taking just ballet and pointe but I’ve done lyrical, contemporary, stretches and turns, and fabrics. In non-musical theatre I’ve played an angel in several Christmas pageants and Avery Arable in Charlotte’s Web. As for musical theatre I’ve played a Lost Boy in Peter Pan, a Servant and Rockette Dancer in Annie Jr, Shanti in The Jungle Book, and Scuttle in The Little Mermaid. As well as many other ensemble roles in other musicals.

I hope you enjoyed my second blog post about me! I am currently working on a Mickey Mouse-inspired mini purse for the shop so keep a look out!

If you have any questions about me ask in the comments and I will gladly answer!!