Muscle Memory

So I'm crap at keeping up nowadays, I know. But my schedule is as ridiculous and mind bending as they come, so maintaining a blog or two is, unfortunately, not on my list of priorities.

I'm struggling with my dance classes. Remembering choreography and maintaining it is a muscle memory sort of thing, and my choreography muscle is feeble and atrophied from never having had to truly use it, so the speed of learning in these classes is really really challenging me. Contemporary, ballet and Broadway styles - three classes, three workouts (two boot camps!), three combinations, one confused fancer brain. I try to practice when I have time, but I can't remember the choreography to practice, so I tried writing it down, but I also don't remember it enough to write it. I tried filming it, but my camera is broken. I'm starting to stress out. Some days I wonder why I got into this school.

What do you do when trying your best isn't quite enough?

Starting Fresh

My sincerest apologies - this summer turned into working, sleeping, working, sleeping, working, sleeping, school things, and working some more. I got little to no working out done, but all of that is about to change.

New Studio on Broadway Dance Classes!

I've been thrown headlong into ballet, Broadway and contemporary dance style classes, plus a yoga class. Ballet is going to be a test of ankle strength, focus and willpower. Broadway is going to be a test of overall strength and stamina, and I'm guessing contemporary will be similar, since it's taught by the same man. I have my brand new ballet slippers all sewn up and ready to go, my jazz shoes slightly broken in, and now I just have to break my body into shape.

Hopefully I can track my progress a little better this time around - I already feel different from the lifestyle in New York. Walking, walking, walking, constantly walking; it really does change the way a person functions and how their body reacts. I'm more tired than I have been in a long while, even if I've just been out grocery shopping.

And a 5, 6, a 5, 6, 7, 8!

Adennoying.

Sick again. Allergies have transformed into swollen adenoids and tonsils, causing a disturbing lack of swallowing ability and vocal usage. I have medication from the clinic from the same doc who kind of screwed me over a bit a few months back with a misdiagnosis. I should have said something this time, but I was incredibly stupid and didn't. BUT, if this happens again, to any degree, I am requesting those useless blobs of tissue at the back of my throat be removed once and for all for the sake of my career and well-being. I don't care how non-kosher that may be, in the world of medicine, demanding I get cut up a bit for the benefit of a career I'm hoping to establish, but they'll either find a way to fix it for good, or they're getting rid of my tonsils and adenoids. End of story. I have to sing and speak on stage - that instrument cannot be compromised by the threat of sudden stupid illness.

I can has ROPE OF JUMPING

I finally got a jump rope! I'm so stoked - now I can get crazy cardio WITHOUT running around the block like an OCD fool.

I'm so pumped I might just change and go jump for as long as I can. Hopefully my headphones can stand the abuse, or jumping will get awful boring sans music.

I was really good about my food intake today, I rewarded my healthiness with a small side of ice cream with my dinner of fruit and sushi. Now I might just have to go burn it off with my NEW JUMP ROPE.

Tony Night

Technically it was last night, now, but this evening was the celebration of the 62nd Annual American Theatre Wing's Tony Awards. Insert cheering and happy buzzing. It really was as inspiring as ever, I'm just supremely tired right now.

Bravo to the winners, and a huge bravo to the Eugene O'Neill Theatre Center of Waterford, Connecticut, for getting the Regional Theatre Tony Award - that little theatre down the road got a freakin Tony! Neat stuff, man.

I can't find a picture that effectively describes what I'm thinking of right now, since the sheer phenomenal ability of those Broadway dancers absolutely overwhelms and stuns me no matter how many shows or clips of shows I see. It's incredible to watch, but terrifying as well, because that, above all, is my true Achilles heel. I have to learn to dance.

Please note exhibit A:

This is from Come Fly With Me, a dance musical set to the crooning sounds of Frank Sinatra.

Beautiful choreography, blah blah blah...

Please observe Karin Plaintadit, the lovely woman being dipped by Keith Roberts.



Now please observe Karin Plaintadit's legs.

That's all.



I might abuse my body this summer, but it's only to help me. I have to remember that. I need this. I have to fight for this.

Frustration

Got pretty frustrated yesterday. I ran, so that was good, and though I walked for about 100 yards towards the end, I kept it to a near jog and did some arm movements designed to keep burning. Read it in a magazine. But I tried to halve my portions of food and not eat after 6, so that I wouldn't just hold on to any carbs I ate and that would go straight to my butt or something, but I was just so hungry because I'm not used to it.

It's hard to not have the money or the resources to hit a gym all the time or be able to afford the really healthy organic food. There are limited health options in my house, and I'm trying to make do.

Found this on Yahoo this morning, the workout that Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Hudson and Shakira use to tone their legs. Looks tough. I'm having difficulty maintaining a routine.

Here's the woman's website, Tracy Anderson Method - I took a peek at it, wanted to see some of the stuff she does, and it is majorly intense and requires time and money and motivation that I don't currently have. I'm motivated, I just don't have the ability to do all this stuff yet.

Frustration abounds. But it's time to get my ass out of bed and go work out. The Tony's are tonight. :)

Workout!

The Pro Ana Nation website, though incredibly saddening, does have a workout routine that seems simple and effective. I'm not looking to go ana, obviously, I just want to tone and get in shape. No starvation for the girl who loves food.

Boot Camp Workout.