Summer

It's summer and for a lot of us, it's the season to shape up. Folks bring out a Pilates or yoga dvd to try to get into the fad. In our case, it's the time of year to work up little kids to be future ballerinas. With the Acts Manila Recital coming up on May 30,31, our team works hard to finish choreography and clean up dances. All these as we deal with a new batch of kids trying ballet for the first time. While the hustle and bustle may be overwhelming at times, it remains a joy to expect that one day our little cygnets will emerge as Swan Queens someday.

Check out: www.actsmanila.com

or text me at 09083020319/09228108396 for a free trial class in the Sta. Rosa/Binan/San Pedro Laguna area.

Ballet Floors

Rean here...

Ballet requires special flooring for its studios. Unlike hip-hop, where you can dance almost anywhere if you have the got latest supra shoes at Flymode.com, ballet requires bounce and friction in order for the dancer to execute technical steps. The ideal ballet floor has a weave of planks underneath the surface that act as a spring for the leaps and jumps the dancer makes. The surface is either of smooth planks or vinyl matting to ensure enough friction is present to enable pirouettes. My ballet studio, has hard foam underneath plywood flooring to cushion jumps. Surface has linoleum for friction.

In a recent show, Acts Manila dancers faced a challenge dancing at SM Muntinlupa because of a very slippery stage. Thankfully, the dance was executed well with no mishaps.

Ballet lessons at Laguna Belair 2, Sta. Rosa, Laguna Mondays/Wednesdays 430 onwards. Call 09083020319/09228108396 for trial class.

Check-out www.actsmanila.com

Music to my ears

We attended a piano recital last Sunday and it was such a treat. The son of a family friend of ours played and I was really quite proud of him. He's the reason why my own son got into piano too. Although it was hosted by the Piano Teachers Guild, there were other recitalists who played other instruments.

The venue looked like it was really meant for events like this. I was wondering about the acoustics - whether they needed any special mics like Sennheiser Mics for specific instruments. Overall, it was a relaxing and entertaining experience - being immersed in the music of the Masters. Definitely, worth attending.

RIP Epson T10

Sad but true. Our printer croaked its last and we hardly got to use it at all. The thing about is that we converted it to CISS and we didn't know that it had to reset every so often. Fail. The nozzles got clogged and since we didn't have it fixed right away, the repair guy couldn't do much about it anymore. Sigh

I guess it's time to get a new one. I was suggesting to the husband if we could get one of those heavy duty printers used in digital printing shops. They are a bit expensive though. There is a nearby used equipments shop we frequent. I sure hope they have a small business equipment leasing option. That would really be helpful.

Little Things

Thanks for the guest post by Jo Levy Tonight I peeled myself from my desk chair at 8PM after the longest. Day. Ever. It’s a terrible feeling, though, driving home way past happy hour with tired feet and realize there is nothing to look forward to at home. I haven’t been to the grocery store in weeks, the air is stuff from trying to save money on the power bill, and I think the sink is leaking. I think the only thing I’m excited about is my bed. It’s the little things in life, right? But, when I pulled in the driveway and got out to grab the mail, I noticed a rather large package in the midst of all the bills, Capital One credit card offers and deals for directv. A crisp (well, really sort of wrinkled), white package from Anthropologie! I completely forgot what I had ordered last week on my lunch break. Beautiful, perfect, antique-y, bird-covered tea towels. Oh, how the day turned around. Like I said, it’s the little things. Now, who would like to come over at 10PM for tea?!

Gone Haywire

Some girls collect bags. Some collect shoes. Some splurge on clothes. I collect gadgets. :) I can be quite happy with a P50 overrun in exchange for a fast, ultra wide camera lens or the latest handheld device that can store all my mega files. That's why my work area is filled with so many wires and extension cables that octopus all around my desk. I seriously need an effective wire management sytem. Oh yeah. I don't have a closet full of girl stuff but I surround myself with my tech-y, geek stuff. I like my toys close to me. hahaha Anyway, I know I'll figure something out. I need to. Like right now! :)

Earthquake!

A 6.7 magnitude earthquake rocked the Visayas region earlier today according to http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/shakemap/global/shake/b0007wgq/. It's quite disconcerting because Iligan, recently hit by tragic flooding, has been hit again.


Numerous fund raising efforts have been mobilized and many more are still ongoing to date. Iligan still has to rise from the aftermath of Sendong and yet another display of mother nature's wrath is sweeping it's path. Hopefully, no tsunami occurs.  Rebuilding takes a lot of effort. Businesses need a hand up. Makes one think what investments are not affected by unexpected acts of God. Perhaps one can buy gold online from Golden Eagle. Nevertheless, it is the resilient spirit of the Filipinos that takes center stage in times of calamity. At the end of the day, this too shall pass.

Healthy Options

After the one week fasting at the beginning of this year, I took advantage of the weight loss momentum and have been trying to inch my way back to my pre-wedding weight. It's a long hard road but I can't stop now. Not only because of the weight but because I need to live a healthier lifestyle. Sure it would be nice to fit into very sexy lingerie instead of old baggy pajamas but there's more to life than just appearances. My kids are growing and they need me more than ever. I can't be much use to them if I'm bedridden and sickly. That's why I'm slowly changing my eating habits. A lot of healthy options are out there that don't necessarily deprive you from eating the food you enjoy. It's just a matter of choosing which one is better for you.

Music and Dance

Rean here...

The world of dance is intimately intertwined with the world of music. From the dawn of time, man created his dances in response to beat of percussion instruments. In the renaissance, it was not a surprise if composers created works specifically for theater or recreational dancing. It is not surprising to find dancers capable of playing musical instruments. Neither is it unusual to find a dancer playing a fender hot rod deluxe in his/her spare time. Musical skills provide the dancer with the ability to interpret a choreography marrying eloquence in musical and movement vocabularies. This is like being able to speak two languages at the same time. Music adds another dimension to the art of dance.

Mobile Music

Rean here...

As a ballet teacher, I constantly have to deal with unreliable music players and the like. At times, I encounter venues where the sound system was borrowed then not returned in time for my class. These are very stressful times for me. I am considering to have a mobile device that has all my music and can play it at a volume audible enough for a ballet class. I guess I have to check out the next ipod touch sale.