Easing back in

Last Friday I was happy to have made it to class, but ended up leaving during adagio. I did take the weekend off, with full intent of going to class Monday.

Monday I tried to go to the noon Advanced Beginner class. I really did try. I hit the road at my normal time (about 11am). As I turned onto the highway entrance ramp I saw nothing but stopped cars on both the entrance ramp and the highway. Google Maps said there was a 5 minute delay. Ten minutes into the 5 minute delay I'd managed to travel about 50 yards on the entrance ramp and hadn't even reached the highway yet.

Back from the dead

After being absent from classes for over three weeks, I made it to class today. Several people commented on how long it had been since they'd seen me, and there was some good-natured ribbing about whether I was lost and wandered in by accident.

I hadn't been in this instructor's classes for even longer, sacrificed in the hope of speeding the recovery of my ankle/foot issues. She offered several valid and helpful corrections, but I was having enough trouble with balance and muscle cramps that I wasn't able to absorb many of them. After barre I approached her and explained that I'd been sick, and although I was much better I probably wouldn't make it as far as petit allegro today.

Sick, but it's not the plague

 

Late last week I started to have seasonal allergy symptoms: itchy eyes, runny nose, sneezing, etc. This coincided with a few beautiful days with comfortable temperatures that led me to open the windows. The thing is, I don't normally have seasonal allergies.

Sunday I was getting ready to leave my house for class. I had my keys in my hand and was reaching for my dance bag when I realized I didn't feel well. Although I'd been looking forward to class with this instructor, I decided I could just as easily take a class the next day when I was feeling better.

Acupuncture and Pirouettes

Somehow it's been almost ten weeks since I updated this blog. 

After consulting some pain management specialists and researching on the 'net, I've come to the conclusion that there are at least two causes of tendinitis. One is a weakness in the tendon and/or attachment, for which strengthening exercises are an appropriate treatment. Another is excessive tightness in the muscles attaching to the tendons which causes excessive strain on the tendons when the joint flexes.

Bilateral Achilles Tendinitis

© Mayo Foundation

That's what the doctor says is causing the pain in my heels. Per the Mayo Clinic website:

Achilles tendinitis is caused by repetitive or intense strain on the Achilles tendon, the band of tissue that connects your calf muscles to your heel bone. This tendon is used when you walk, run, jump or push up on your toes.

Cuz ballet dancers don't jump or push up on their toes, right?

The soundtrack to my dance career

In the mid 1980s I was taking an adult ballet class at a local community center, and a group of us regularly went out to dinner after class. When the 1985 movie "A Chorus Line" was released, there was much discussion of the pros and cons of the movie versus the movie and the Broadway production from which it was adapted. I remember our instructor, Eva, was highly disappointed in the movie, but I've forgotten exactly why. Having not seen either version I didn't have much to contribute to the discussion. I soon acquired the soundtrack on CD, and later the movie on DVD, but still haven't seen a live production.

At various times during classes or rehearsals I've found myself hearing tracks or seeing snippets from this movie in my head. One recurrent scene where a male dancer is looking down at the stage as he dances. Zach yells, "Boy in the headband, keep your head up... Headband, head up!" The dancer responds by snapping his head up, but two seconds later he's looking down again. Yeah, I'm guilty of this too frequently, though I'm trying to break myself of the habit.  As one of my instructors likes to say, "The floor and your feet are still down there even if you're not looking at them."

What am I doing in THIS class?

Today I intended to take an Advanced Beginner ballet class with Tamás Krizsa. I've really been looking forward to seeing what his teaching style is like.

I always like to get changed and ready at least 15 minutes before class to have the time to do some solo stretching. Shortly after arriving I overheard one of the other students comment that Tamás was not teaching today; Brittany Bailey would be substituting instead. This annoyed me. I'm on the monthly plan at MYB (I can take as many classes as I want during the month for a fixed price), where as I pay per-class at TWSB. I could have taken a class this morning at MYB and saved myself $20. But I was already there and it was too late to cancel my registration. Maybe I might like Brittany's class?