Stacey Tookey's New LA Based Dance Company

So a little over a week ago, I got the opportunity to cover the red carpet and premier performance of Stacey Tookey's new contemporary company Still Motion for DIY Dancer.  The whole evening was a lot of fun and a completely new experience for me...I've never "covered" a red carpet and really had no idea what I was doing.  But it turned out to be really interesting.  I got a chance to talk to a few of the dancers and Tookey herself before enjoying the hour and a half performance they had prepared.  

Stacey Tookey is a well-regarded contemporary choreographer from Canada who has become a household name thanks to her consistent work on So You Think You Can Dance.  Check out my full review over on DIY Dancer and let me know what you think! 

photo by
Michael J Moore

Santa Ana Winds!

I know they reap havoc on the town, tree branches and fire safety, but I really love the Santa Ana Winds.  It makes it feel more like fall when the air is whipping all around you and leaves are flying everywhere!  Last night they were particularly strong and as I came home after a late rehearsal it really did feel spooky outside - It felt like Halloween!  

This week has been what feels like a lot of catch up and a little bit of drama.  Maybe I should blame that on the winds too.  But now that it's Thursday I feel like I can see the light of the weekend and I'm already feeling more relaxed.  

So here's a quick run down of what's been blowing around here....

Sonia Rodriguez in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
Photo by Bruce Zinger

My review of The National Ballet of Canada's production of Alice in Wonderland posted on DIY Dancer. Go check it out for the complete inside scoop!

I've been taking a lot (for me) of ballet classes to try to prepare for a fundraising gig I'm participating in...Where I yet again will be performing my spotlight variation in this costume. 

They're already putting up Christmas decorations in my town, which I think is just swell!  Too early?  Not if you ask me!  Bring on the Christmasing! 

What have you been up to lately? 

National Ballet of Canada's Alice in Wonderland

I simply cannot wait for this Friday, as I am attending the US premiere of Christopher Wheeldon's Alice in Wonderland ballet with the National Ballet of Canada.  A couple weeks ago, I had the privilege of interviewing one of the soloists at the National Ballet of Canada, Chelsy Meiss, and we talked about her own impression of the production.  

After speaking with her and viewing a few of the video clips online, I feel truly excited to see this brand new story ballet.  I've always been a fan of Wheeldon's choreography and composer Joby Talbot's work as well.   It seems like it's sure to be an enjoyable and impressive performance.

You can read the full interview here on DIY Dancer, and be on the lookout for my follow up review next week too!  Until then, check out this video clip about the production when it premiered on the Royal Ballet.  Enjoy! 

Dance Academy Season 2 on Netflix!

The other night, when I went to put on an old episode of Dance Academy on Netflix, I was ecstatic by what I found...

Season 2 is now available on Netflix!  Hooray!  

Well, almost hooray.  Only the first 13 episodes of the season seem to be available for streaming!  I hope that they will release the second half of season 2 soon, otherwise I am going to need to find the DVD's.   Because even though I know it's intended for teenagers, I simply adore this show!  Check it out if you can!  

UPDATE! More episodes have now been added!  Ask and you shall receive!  ;)


Images from here

Ideology Giveaway Winner....

Here you can see I'm sporting a super soft and ultra comfy short sleeve v-neck ruched tee from Ideology in chartreuse.  It's so light-weight and breathable, honestly I can't wait to wear it to my next ballet class (over a leo of course!)  But that reminds me, one of you lucky readers can snag a piece from the Ideology collection for yourself.

Drumroll....

The Winner is Hannah!

Congrats lady!  I will email you with the next steps on how to pick your item shortly.  And thank you to all for entering, tweeting and spreading the word about this giveaway!

Giveaway: Win Ideology for Macy's Activewear

HI friends!  I am so excited to announce that the good people at Macy's are having a super cool contest in honor of the launch of their new dance line, Ideology.  

Cheryl Burke, of Dancing With the Stars fame, is the face of the brand but this gorgeous line of active wear is perfect for dancers and non-dancers alike.  Chalk-full of supportive camis, soft tops, slouchy sweaters and stylish leggings, there are so many cute combinations to choose from - all stylish for the dance studio and beyond!  

In honor of the new line, Macy's is offering one Lilac and Lace reader an item from the collection!  Only available to participants in the US (sorry!) And you get to pick your item.*  How fabulous is that?  *ideology item must be less than $30

To enter simply leave a comment on this post stating how you like to stay fit.  Do you dance, yoga, jazzercise or just shop sales with fervor?  ;) 

You must be a follower of this blog too, either through gfc, bloglovin, or  as a subscriber to email or in a reader.  But you can also gain extra entries by tweeting, facebooking or blogging about this giveaway --- just be sure to leave a separate comment for each additional entry!  Giveaway will close on March 11th, so be sure to enter before then.

But wait..there's more!  You can also gain an extra entry if you enter Macy's Ideology Dance contest too!  The grand prize is a VIP trip to LA (you can visit me!) for two and a $1000 Ideology shopping spree!  All you have to do is GO HERE and upload a video of your own sick dance moves (no judgement.)  So what are you waiting for?  Head over to the facebook page and start choreographing a dance for your chance to win.  The top 5 videos, as voted for by the public, will also receive $250 each in Ideology gift cards. 

Ideology offers an energizing color palette of hot pink, lime green, and rich magenta across clothes designed for the woman who wants to sweat, stretch, or just relax.  Some of my favorite items are below but for a full view of the the Ideology collection, visit macys.com/ideology. 

Good luck!  

Dance Academy

It's true that I have an affinity for teen TV shows.  The boy teases me that my taste in television shows hasn't changed much since I was about 14.  And basically he's right.   I enjoy watching shows like Gossip Girl, Switched at Birth, Glee and the Secret Life of the American Teenager.  I know, I'm a total nerd.  But I'm really fine with it...No, really!

Anyway, always on the lookout for a good teen drama, I recently discovered a new show on Netflix from Australia called Dance Academy.  It follows the daily trials and challenges in the life of Tara Webster, a typical 15 year old girl...But here's where it gets good:

Tara is a ballerina who just got accepted to the National Ballet Academy of Australia!  It is a full on teen drama show about dancers - ballerinas - and it's surprisingly good!  I watched the whole 1st season in a matter of days.

I was expecting it to be a full-on television version of Center Stage, and it certainly has it's moments of stereotypical bunhead issues (ie: one extremely competitive student starves herself the week of finals till she faints.)  But the majority of the time, I find the show paints a very realistic portrait of a young dancer's life.  All the students have personalities and interests outside of ballet...They all seem to be playing their age, their actual dancing level, and I found it refreshingly old fashioned.  Each episode has a sort of theme and moral that addresses some common issue we all face growing up.  And I love that! 

The characters act stupid at time -- like teenagers.  In fact, Tara's crush on an older dancer boy is so pathetic it hurts at times.  But the show also really addresses what young ballet dancers give up in order to train the way they do, and how they don't always enjoy it.  And how they sometimes do.  

It's a sweet and simple show, but suffice to say it reminded me quite a bit of my summers dancing at ballet company intensives, and those first few years of being in a company.  As silly as it can be at times, I think it's a wonderful show for bunheads and cool kids alike.  If you have Netflix, check it out!    

Let's Put on a Show!

I blame Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney.  I'm convinced those "Barn Musicals" of theirs are the true catalyst behind my recent desire to create a dance company of my own.  My parents gave me the box set of Mickey and Judy films for my birthday and I have been singing along ever since!  But, as cheesy as it sounds, I was also inspired to get out there and do some show bizz'n of my own.

And so I figured I'd just dive right in to the goal of starting my own dance company.  Well, not exactly a company....A Dance Production Collective of sorts....Maybe I should explain.

The concept of this troupe would be that it's totally collaborative, totally open for different styles, different ages and different performance mediums and it would be completely freelance.  Rehearsals would be on an "as needed" basis.  We have a gig, and so we practice.  Show's over, then so are the rehearsals....until the next gig. 

And by "gig" I really should say shoot.  That's right.  This company is going to be all about capturing dance on film.  So in a sense, I want to start a film troupe that specializes in filming dance.  I'm hopeful that our films can find their audience in the online world, but I am open for seeing where else we can possibly make our mark.  I want to find new ways to communicate and showcase dance, but without losing site of the content and the audience.  I want to make dance films the entertain and make viewers feel happy - films that everyone can enjoy, regardless of their predisposition to dance.   

A big reason why I want to do this is just for the sake of offering something to my fellow dancers that hopefully is more appealing than our usual fare.  Every company I have worked with has been somewhat frustrating in that it is either far too demanding of all my time or far too lax.  It's always an annoying distance for me to drive to, or it's far too modern for my taste.  I want to create something that has some balance.  Something for the working woman, the full-time mom, and the aspiring student all at once.  Something that is secondary to everything else, but doesn't lack in value.  Something that is intended to be a fun, creative outlet, but something that is also well organized, with a plan, a purpose and pizazz. 

And so I'm starting the process.  I'm still in the early stages.  Still just thinking it out and throwing ideas around.  But I'm excited to see how it develops!  If you're a dancer in the LA area that may like to take part, send me an email or a tweet and let me know!  Also I am open to any suggestions from you, my lovely readers! 

Nutcracker Recap

This past Sunday I participated in a production of The Nutcracker for a dance school at which I occasionally teach.  As I have mentioned before, I functioned as a kind of assistant director for the rehearsals, and I ended up dancing the part of the Sugar Plum Fairy (as I did last year.)  

The show went so well, and all the kids had a wonderful time, which was incredibly rewarding to see.  I am, of course, knackered after the whole thing, but I was almost surprised just how much I enjoyed performing....I felt like I danced really well and it was the most fun I've had dancing in years.  I felt totally in my element, so jubilant and totally on my balance, which helps.  But after such a high, coming back down and getting back to my real job has been a bit of a struggle this week.  I call it post-performance-depression.  I feel like Cinderella the day after the ball when the tiara is gone and it's back to house work!

But I still have the memory of the performances and in honor of that, here are a few photos from last years performance....This year's probably looked similar as I danced the same part and wore the same tutu!  

Did you see any Nutcrackers this year?  Or maybe dance in one?  I must admit, for a time I couldn't even hear the Nutcracker music without getting annoyed, but now I love it!  It brings back wonderful memories....I guess I'm just getting sentimental in my old age!

Camp Ballet: Joffrey

I am really excited to see this film.  My first summer program was with Joffrey Ballet when I was 14 and I loved it.  And I remember being fascinated with Billboards, a ballet completely set to the songs of Prince, when that came out in the early 1990's.  Now I know several company members with Joffrey, of whom I am very proud, and I am very excited to learn more about the formation and early days of the company in what looks like a thrilling documentary.  

What do you think?  Would you go see this film?

Desolation Dance No: 2

The boy and I shot this way back over the summer and we just finally got around to creating the newest edition of our Desolation Dance Project!



Dancing in the grass in my pointe shoes was actually surprisingly easy.  This was a fun one to create and hopefully it won't be too long before we have our next installation of Desolation Dance Project! 

I'm performing this weekend, wish me luck!

Dancing Days

A couple of weekends ago I danced in a show with Creations Dance Theater called Cornucopia.  It was a lot of fun, really casual and laid back and I had a great time!  And just a few days before, the boy took me to see the Ballet Nacional de Cuba at the Music Center performing Don Quixote--- That's definitely one of my favorite ballets!  I love the music, the choreography and especially the humor.  

The company was incredibly skilled and tight, especially the men.  The precision of the lead Matador and his girlfriend Mercedes was incredible and inspiring!  However, Kitri, danced by , while having gorgeous extension and perfect technique, seemed to lack the fire, pizazz and attitude that the part needs.  It was like she was on auto-pilot.  Very strange.   But still enjoyable and fun.  

I love the Music Center so much.  It's one of my favorite places in Los Angeles and The Dorothy Chandlier Pavilion holds a special place in my heart. 

Here's a little clip from rehearsals for the last show...

Carla & Leo's World Of Dance!

 

 Last week, I was invited to attend a book launch party for the new children’s book, Carla and Leo’s World of Dance  (please excuse my crummy iphone photos!)  Penned by model and former dancer Agatha Relota,  the book tells the story of two friends learning different forms of social and ballroom dances thanks to the instruction of Miss Penelope.  The book’s forward is written by actress Jessica Alba, and as such, the launch party received plenty of media exposure.  The event was decked out with proper Hollywood glitz, PR people and EXTRA, and was held amongst some of the rarest first edition books in Los Angeles.  Dragon Books houses floor to ceiling shelves of antique and priceless books.  Just getting to browse around these literary treasures made the trip up Beverly Glen Canyon worth the effort, if the wine and balloon artist wasn’t enough.

 But of course the real star of the evening was the book itself.   Carla and Leo’s World of Dance aims to educate children about traditional partnering and ballroom dances without giving it the stuffy quality it’s usually veiled in.  The book explores different cultures, different movements, music, geography and friendship. And each of the 111 pages are beautifully illustrated by famed fashion illustrator Thierry Perez.  Using both sketched watercolors and photographs in a gorgeous melange of color, artistry and style, the look of this book is somewhat stunning and truly unique.  

the boy in the stacks

While its somewhat simplistic depictions of many of the dances aren't quite sufficient to really give kids a strong comprehension of the dances, the book does succeed of imbuing youthful enthusiasm to the foxtrot and the Viennese waltz, which I think is simply fabulous.  Soft spoken author, Relota, shared her passion for dance with me and explained that through this book she wanted to show kids how fun and exciting traditional social dances can be.  If that's her goal, then I think Carla and Leo fit the bill.  It's fun, it's visually stimulating and I think kids will enjoy it.   

me with my gift bag!

And as one final perk, a portion of the sales proceeds are going towards an organization called Dancing Classrooms.  It sounds to me like they do what Antonio Banderes does in the film about the at-risk, inner-city teenagers, but this company is, well real and they teach social dances to 5th graders rather than teens.  I spoke for a while with their west coast director and her enthusiasm for the cause was inspiring.  Dancing Classrooms' results show that the dance classes they've brought into these elementary schools catalyze a shift for the better in the students grades, behavior and physical and social well being.  It provides a fun, stimulating challenge for the kids that seems to be unique to dance.  All in all, it's definitely a cause worth dancing over!   

Desolation Dance

The boy and I are collaborating on a new film project called Desolation Dance.  Here's our first video.  Enjoy!


Desolation Dance number one from Heather Toner on Vimeo.

American Ballet Theater Review from Sarah

When Sarah of the beautiful blog, Desirous of Everything, contacted me a few weeks ago asking if I knew about the 18/29 Club with the American Ballet Theater I was intrigued, curious and envious!  This brilliant blogger is a New Yorker, ballet aficionado and my new best friend as her review of ABT's recent production of Don Q makes me feel like I was right there in the action!  Check it out:

We all know that there is NO TALKING in ballet right?  But if there was talking in Don Quixote this is what it would be: "You thought that was amazing?  You ain't seen nothing yet.  Dude, check this out!"  Because that is what this ballet is like.  And after having seen it twice now, I think I've decided that it is my favorite ballet ever.

On Monday, May 23, I saw Don Quixote at the Met performed by the American Ballet Theater.  I bought my tickets via their 18/29 Club and was in the fifth row! And paid $30 for the tickets!  I know, it's amazing.  If you live in NYC- DO THIS.  We were surrounded  by old people, because young people can not afford those tickets,  but no matter, the seats were amazing. This was my view:

And no matter how many times I've been to the Met, I always find myself pausing and looking around in awe.  The chandeliers, the height of the balcony, the smell of the place, the little cone shaped paper cups by the water fountain, it all feels so special and comforting at the same time, like it's the only place in the world that I want to be. 

But then a man comes by playing on a little xylophone, telling you to sit down now, and the lights dim and suddenly your eyes are glued to the stage.  Don Quixote gets right into it starting with a lively town square scene where everyone just wants to impress each other and the audience.  Kitri, the star ballerina played by Alini Cojocaru (who I couldn't help yelling "I love you!" to at the very end when everyone jumped out of their seats) basically leaped and turned and balanced and arabesque-ed and developpe-ed for two and a half hours non stop.  Whenever she was on stage, I had a huge grin on my face and during her and Basilio's (her love interest played by Jose Manuel Carreno) pas de deux, I literally had heart palpitations of some sort.  Seriously I was so in awe of their talent.

Also, a good ballet is never complete without a dream sequence featuring a ton of ballerinas in tutus, in a forest, all lead by a mischievous little Nymph.  So beautiful.

People could not get enough of this performance and were constantly bursting into applause and cheers during moments when you would think to yourself "wait, she is still turning?" or "wait, she is still balancing in that position with her leg up really, really high?" or "Wait he is only holding her with one hand and then no hands?!?!  It's all too much, I must burst into applause!"

I went to the ballet with my friend who grew up in Austria and said that this bursting into applause thing is a very American way of doing things.  Europeans hold it all in and only clap politely at the end.  While he was surprised by this, and thought that it interrupted the flow of the dancing a little bit, I did not care.  I mean, I couldn't have held it in if I'd wanted to.  I'm sure I would make a fool of myself in Vienna, but here in New York, under the glistening crystal chandeliers of the Met, I felt right at home when Alini and Jose came out for one last triumphant bow.

Pointe Shoe DIY

Hi Lovelies!  So first things first, I have to share my joy at the sight of reaching 100 followers on Google.  Thank you so much for your support and for clicking the follow button.  Couldn't have done it without you, quite literally...Now for 200!  ;)

So that brings me to the blog party...Anyone want to contribute?  Bueller?  Bueller?  Let me know.  Festivities take place on May 25th.  Basically I am looking for guest posts, DIY's, recipes--anything that's fun and festive!  Email me if your interested.

And finally, be sure to check out my Pointe Shoe DIY on DIY Dancer.

If you haven't perused the DIY dancer site, be sure to check it out.  Dancers of all disciplines from all over contribute and it's a fabulous blog with lots of interesting articles-- both dance and non-dance related!

Tutu's ETC...

This weekend pretty much flew by because I was so busy!  Here's the run down (image heavy!)   First the weekend kicked off with a wedding that included traditional Armenian food, music and dancing-- really amazing! 

Then Saturday had me working at the dance shop all day.  It was pretty quiet, but that actually allowed me to have some time to think and plan some upcoming crafts...definitely needed to do that.  So then when I got home I rattled off these tutus, hair accessory and new bracelets.  The tutu's and hair accessories are actually for my friend Lauren's upcoming event for her foundation, Slice of Lime--raising money and awareness for Lymphoma & Leukemia. And the bracelets are just something fun. 

I'm thinking of adding these bracelets to my etsy shop as a regular item.  But I probably won't be able to update the shop and add anything new till next month.  Definitely want to spend more time getting the shop in order, but it always seems to be low on my to-do-list.  

Then for Mother's Day, the boy and I made our special sizzling beef stirfry for my parents and finished it off with our very first attempt at baking Apple Crumble.  All in all, everything turned out pretty good.  We could use some more practice with the crumble though. ;)  

How was your weekend?