Dear Sanna - Thanks for the article!

I love that article you posted. Of course I have worked with you before on staying in shape for the holidays and food in general, but it's such a good reminder. I specifically remember situations where I am so excited and overwhelmed when there is too much food and I forget to breathe! The more there is, the more there will be later and it's not a race. I also love the idea of visualizing situations before they actually happen. I use this in all aspects of life, and I am always happy I thought ahead.

For example, I think I mentioned that every time a new boy comes to the company, he is somehow more annoying than the last. They are all the same! Don't know how to interact with other people, talk way too much but don't really say anything (except for some rude comments), freak out about nothing, and just generally annoy EVERYBODY. When I first joined the company I was too nice, and these annoying boys did not leave me ALONE! So this year I learned my lesson and kept my distance. But it was too much and I was starting to feel really sorry for this boy who I repeatedly see in cafes alone, which breaks my heart (not that I'm ready to go out for meals with him or anything... but I can at least be nicer).

So I decided to make an effort to be nicer. I realized that a lot of times I didn't even say hi to him or would act in a way I would find really rude if reciprocated. I pictured these situations and realized how I would normally react. So the next time I ran into him, I smiled and said hi. When he kicked me at barre, I asked if he was okay instead of ignoring his apology which is what I'm afraid I would've done (or worse!) if I hadn't thought about it. So hopefully, like the others did, this boy will grow up a little and by the end of the year will have some friends of his own, and find his place here. We all know it's not fun to be the new guy.

In the holiday spirit,

Janie

Your Guide to the Holidays!

Enjoy this article I wrote last year for Dancer Magazine.

Your Guide to The Holidays. By ME!

I am continually amazed at how companies pull performances together after diseasterous rehearsals. It is magical. There are always errors that the audience doesn't see or can even conceptualize. Of course then there is compassion when there is a misstep.

I will always remember a young dancer I will refer to as Kristen who fell flat on her bottom during a performance. The magical moment was that she did not miss a beat - returned to her performance as if the fall was a part of the choreography. That is what the audience remembers. Courage.

So keep that in mind tomorrow.

Love you, Janie! You are the best!

Sanna Carapellotti, MS CHt
Performance Specialist
Pittsburgh Medical Hypnosis.com

P.S. Stepping to Sleep is created for a dancers Good Night! Recommended by Dance Magazine... If you have trouble sleeping, all you have to do is listen to Sanna's soothing voice and YOU WILL SLEEP! READ ABOUT IT HERE!

Dear Sanna - Busy Busy Busy!

I don't know where all the time has gone! I will give you a reader's digest update and hopefully details soon but I thought a quick post was better than nothing at all...

Kept working on the lead role from last post. Improved expression, especially during short shows without variation so I could focus just on really "dancing". Next full show this week (in the middle of a million other shows)! First run of variation today after a long time. Went well!

Premier of story ballet tomorrow. NOT READY! Well personally I am, but as a company nooo. Technically tomorrow is dress rehearsal but people from TV are coming and TAPING! AHHH! I saw people who totally do not know what they are doing today.

Very important principle dancer in hospital - went in for one of her parts last week. Went well! Very important show which we had to completely rearrange 2 days before but everyone worked together. She's getting better, but won't dance for at least a few weeks and we have a MILLION shows coming up.

More later!

Janie

TOP 50 Dance Blogs

Hi Janie - We have been recognized again as a TOP 50 Dance Blog!



Good Job! Thank you !

Love you all -
Sanna Carapellotti
PittsburghMedicalHypnosis.com
PittsburghSPortsHypnosis.com (website coming, services available!)

Standing by Negativity

Hi Janie, You're right. It can be hard to keep at bay someone negativity, You can feel it energetically, hear their words and Look the how the body is expressing it through posture, facial expression and gesture.

So what do you do?

You cannot control them and you certainly are not their therapist. We HEAR what we choose to tune into to. Consider that there are a lot more words being spoken on the stage that you do not hear. It is our nature to tune in and out.

What we place our attention on and what we respond to, can be a calling for us. When something engages you, it becomes a mirror, a reflection of us.


You prepare and secure yourself. REMEMBER, you can influence others with your positivity and confidence.

Here 's how you do it:

Cultivate your mind with vivid visualizations of your upcoming performance.

Set your personal tone for your performance before you go to the theater.

Literally put up a wall. You can protect yourself by imaging a protecting device. One dancer whose partner griped and complained, dropped a mental curtain between them to keep her self out of his range. She also said to him gently. "Please stop speaking so harshly before we dance together," He toned it down a bit, yet speaking up gave her voice.

Do not deny yourself the opportunity to express yourself on stage because of someone else's issues. The audience wants to be entertained. You have a responsibility to be as authentic and pure as you can.

Sanna Carapellotti

P>S> Clearing our inventory: Stepping to Sleep, A dancers Good Night recommended by Dance Magazine can now save you precious moment and money. Usually it is 35.00 for this 2 disc set, currently, I am marking it down for Nutcracker and Winter performances to $14.47. Visit my site for your good night!

Dear Sanna - almost satisfied

So the performance passed. It wasn't perfect, but when I think about it it still may have been the best I have done in this role, so at least I am always improving! I was nervous from the moment I knew I would be dancing for the variation, so even though I didn't see your post before the show, I was the more confident of the two of us for the partnering stuff. I tried my best to calm him down, but unfortunately when somebody is being so negative next to me it is hard not to be influenced a little bit. It went relatively okay though, just a few little glitches (he tripped me a few times! and a pirouette that he wanted to try over and over again before the show wasn't the smoothest thing. you know how you can think about something so much that when that part finally comes, you are so nervous about it that it can't possibly go perfectly smoothly?)

anyway then came my variation. the stage was very small and in rehearsal before the show I was having a little difficulty maneuvering the manege in such a small space. well just like with the pirouette with the partner, i psyched myself out a little and there was a little hop and moment of panic, but I finished fine. It felt like such a big deal though! I was really disappointed when I walked off stage, but I made myself forget and continue with the show, which actually seemed to get better and better. I felt like I really nailed my entrances after that, even if they were pretty minor.

Then after the show a lot of people came up to me and told me the variation was really good. I was so surprised because I felt like that moment ruined the entire thing! But a lot of people didn't even notice, and the ones that did focused on the fact that I was really "dancing" the beginning. This is actually one of my biggest challenges, so I think I should be happy that I am finally making some progress in this part of my technique. Little hiccups happen, and even though I wish they wouldn't, there's not much I can do to prevent those moments. But maybe if I work a little on my confidence they will be less likely to happen anyway. Who said an artist is ever satisfied with herself?

Janie

DRAMA!

Hello Janie,

You have to be ready for anything, eh? I remember some years ago, I worked with a teen dancer who was very frustrated at not having opportunity because of two 'higher' up dancers "always getting the parts." I told her that she must be ready at all times.

A month latr 3 weeks before Nutcracker, there was a huge change. One quit and the other dropped out due to an injury. This moved her up the ranks. She was ready to step in and was invited to do so because she had changed her work ethic to "I want this." rather than
"How come they always get the parts?"

Every day is brimming with possibility. Your presence, attitude, presentation matters and you do not know the exact moment when you will be called upon to show.

New partner. You know, Janie, you can teach him about confidence. What if he was waiting for you to be more confident? You both may stand staring at each other!

YOU be confident. You know that happy, confident people increase the confidence of others. It's catchy. Give, what you want, rather than waiting!

Sanna
Hypnotherapist

MentalPerformances.omc