Accept or not ...

Are you a member of the status quo? The back row or the 'forever core.'

What is keeping you there? Look yourself square in the eye and ask yourself.

Your 'secret' is seen in your attitude that is reflected in your performance. (None of us can hide) If someone gives you negative feedback, do you even try to dance with an attitude against the feedback? I hope not. Take what you need from what you heard, dump it and GO DO IT. Sometimes other people see what we do not see or even know.

Of course if the correction is way off base for 'some reason.' For example, when Mr. F. told me in High School that I would never amount to anything. "Mr. F, your guidance was not so accurate." (I 'm sorry you did not take the time to know me and what was really going on). Straight A's in Grad school, writer, speaker, healer ...

If you want to stand above the status quo, you know what you need to do, just like I did.

Courage to stand apart, even taller.

Sanna Carapellotti, MS CHt

Performance Coach (I can help you get there)

While Janie's Away ...

While Janie's away --

Here is my latest interview in Dancer Magazine. The focus is auditioning, perspective and suggestions.

When Your Feet Aren't The Only Things Hurting!

I would love to hear your comments. What do you have to say?

Sanna Carapellotti, MS CHT

Performance Coach and Therapist

If You Want it you can have it -

I have had many requests ffrom those of you interested in purchasing the Performance Package but cannot afford it. Well, being the chief-in-charge here, I make the decisions I want to make. This is for you ~

I am placing the Performance Package for sale on a donation basis for ONE DAY.
(It is a 60.00 Value)

Sunday -- July 19 ... from 12 midnight to 11:59 p.m.

Here is how it works:

Read about the Performance Package. There are testimonials and lots of info on the page.

ON JULY 19th, I will link to PAYPAL and you send your donation (What you can honestly afford.) and contact information. You must include 7.00 for shipping and packaging.

I want you to have this Performance Package. You will use this regularly because you will - Get stronger, more passionate and more focused. (I have several dancers who used them and used them for 3 years and purchased a second set. I encouraged ipod usage because they listen to them every day.)

Here is what is included:

• 4 CD's
• 48 page booklet,
  
• A pot of Lavender Silk.
  
• Tele-seminar, Performance Jitters for FREE.
  

You asked. I listened.

Here it is For You.

Tell Your Friends and they will love you even more!

If you have any questions - email me now.

Love to you all!

Sanna

MS CHt

PS. Sunday, July 19th, 12 :00 - 12:00

Here is an article that speaks about the importance of sleep and performance. Although geared toward athletes, the way in which dancers work their bodies classifies them as "artistic athletes?"

Read and Get your ZZZ's. If you need help, Stepping to Sleep is a available and empowering.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2009-07-13-sleep-athletes_N.htm?csp=34

Comment back here what you think?

Sanna Carapellotti, MS CHt

Performance Coach and Therapist

counter on blog

Does anyone know how to reset the counter on the profile page? It has been stuck on 670 for months! let  me know techno wizards!

Sanna

What Miranda said ...

Miranda is 19 yrs old and a ballet trainee. She purchased the Stepping to Sleep program mainly because she did not want to be tired for performances. When I talked with her (when she placed the order), she said all the rehearsals revved her up so much that she would be awake until 3 or 4 in the morning.

Since she purchased Stepping to Sleep, she is sleeping all night and feeling stronger for the actual performance. She was surprised that she has not 'heard' the program because she is always falls asleep. The imagery  has helped her to feel calm and strengthened from the inside. She said she has noticed a boost in creativity as well. (She doesn't know how that happened. Guided programs do that - That's my job! :) )

She purchased the program in March, 2009. She listens to it about 5 nights a week. It has become a part of her training program.

I am happy that Miranda gets it - Sleep and performance can be improved in the simplest of ways.

Sanna

PS - It is still on sale for 19.00. (reg.35.00) It is a good night with Stepping to Sleep.

DanceMind: Dear Janie, Tomorrow DOES Come!

As the year winds down it is bittersweet. Yet is time for you to rest and strengthen for the upcoming season.  

There are several things you can do that may not SEEM like you are training. I do hope that with all we have talked about here on DanceMind you realize that training for something as rigorous as dance extends beyond the studio.

Here's how --  Get Mental This Summer!

Back at you!

Sanna Carapellotti, MS CHt

Performance Coach

Therapist

Dear Sanna - July already!

Wow the time is really flying by. I was pleasantly surprised by all the work there is to be done now. I mentioned the new ballet we are working on in an earlier post. I was really excited to be doing the piece at all, and now learning the choreography I am loving it more and more! Also, we learned the demi-soloist parts as a group, which is really fun, and I was paired up with my favorite partner, who is very likely to dance the role. I don't like to get ahead of myself or expect things, but I think that means I have a possibility of doing the demi-soloist too! That thought is really exciting... but I won't let myself indulge too much in such uncertainties. Anyway it's really fun for now to rehearse, and whatever happens next year will be fine.

And we are still performing this season's pieces, as well, so really there is a lot to work on. Even so, a lot of dancers in the company go home almost every day after only half a day of work. The rest of us stay for the choreography workshop. It is really interesting, especially in the piece I am dancing, because the choreography really makes movements based on her own style. It is sometimes very difficult to imitate her way of moving, but I think it is good experience to figure out how to communicate what I am thinking and feeling and try to understand from the choreographer exactly what she wants.

Anyway it's all a lot of fun, and before I know it I'll be off on my summer travels! I am excited, but also not that eager to leave. I like where I am now! It's a really nice feeling to be equally happy at work, where I live, as on vacation and in my home town. It will be really interesting to see how things have changed and stayed the same in the states.

Janie

Dear Sanna - tomorrow comes....

..and the next day and the next day and the next day! I can't believe how quickly this year is winding down. There is suddenly so much to do in so little time - but it's all fun stuff, so I'm more than happy to be busy. I am noticing more and more lately how powerful my mind is in affecting my mood, dancing, and overall happiness. I am really in control of things. When I begin to worry about wrapping things up here, or how I will handle the inevitable getting out of shape (at least a little, which I think is healthy) over the holidays, I keep trying to mentally prepare. I know this can make the difference between a painful struggle and a methodical way of getting back in shape when the new season starts.

Promise to post more later but now I have to go dance!!

Janie

DanceMind : Language, Janie

As stated by Janie ...

Hopefully in 6 months or a year I will appear less stiff when I dance, since I am always working on it and trying to improve as a dancer. I imagine I will not be completely rid of this flaw in my technique, but at least it will be better than it is now."

I bolded the words that are influencing your performance. Notice the words that PUSH success into the future, or are uncertain, or speak of certain permanency.

Again, I ask, "How much will you truly be able to shift?" Not much.

Do you understand that you will continue to move forward JUST AS YOU HAVE IN THE PAST come to this day making minimal strides. Tomorrow comes.

Back to you ...

Sanna Carapellotti, MS CHT
www.mentalperformances.com

PS - Need more sleep? Go here ...

Dear Sanna - stiffness in the future

Hopefully in 6 months or a year I will appear less stiff when I dance, since I am always working on it and trying to improve as a dancer. I imagine I will not be completely rid of this flaw in my technique, but at least it will be better than it is now.

Stiff Arm Language

Great.

Now here is the next very important question... Read very carefully.

Now since this stiff arm problem has been going on for years (and you have achieved profressional status.) and you have a inner dialogue that supports the stiff arm problem. (read previous posts)

What would it be like for you in 6 months or a year WITH THIS STIFF ARM experience.
One Year? Will it be the same or change?

Sanna Carapellotti, MS CHT

P.S. Stepping to Sleep is on Sale! It is a dynamic problem guaranteed to strengthen your performance. Dance rested,

Dear Sanna - Stiff (everything! not just arms)

Yes that is correct. Definitely a miscommunication there. At least understanding this is a little helpful, but it's hard to deliberately not do what I think they are saying. I have been talking about this problem for years now. I think maybe it is a general characteristic of my dancing that I have always had.

Stiff Arm Language

Janie,

How long has this been a problem? Also, how long have you been referencing 'stiff arms' in the way you mentioned below.

Sanna

DanceMind:Janie - Stiff Arm Problem

Let's work through "Stiff arms."

Here is what probaly happens. The stiff arms become stiffer or way too relaxed because your attention is on them trying to make them big and fluid. You might even lose another part of your movement when the focus is on 'arms.' You become fragmented?

What YOU FEEL (and believe) you are doing and what THEY OBSERVE is obviously different.

So something is off a bit.

Part of the annoyance could be frustration with yourself because you are doing the best you can and think you have made a change and TO THEM they do not SEE a change.

Is this correct?

Language (better late than never I hope!)

My problem: I look very stiff when I dance.

Even when I try to bend and make my motions big and fluid, I am constantly told to do more. Teachers often tell me to relax or bend more, but if I do what I think they are saying, it doesn't help. Often times I need to hold myself more to appear relaxed or just bend differently, not necessarily more. I get really annoyed sometimes when I hear these corrections and I can feel myself closing to the corrections. Instead of using the criticism to become a better dancer, I feel resentful and hopeless.




In other news....

As the end of the season is in sight, a few dancers have announced they will not be returning next season, including one of our main principle dancers. In the past few weeks, the ballet masters have been telling people to really learn the places that will be empty next season, and I was specifically told to learn the principle's space in the ballet choreographed by the guest earlier this year (the one I was not cast in even as an understudy but learned anyway). She already had an understudy, but she did not learn the part very well or even go to half the rehearsals I was in, so as of now I will go in next season! It just goes to show how much can change - from not even being cast as an understudy to performing on of the main parts. I am really excited for this opportunity.

Also, someone is now learning my part in another ballet, which I think means I might be promoted to a better part in the same ballet, since the same dancer will leave a hole there next year as well. Even if they end up getting a new principle who will do these parts, it is still nice to know that they would consider me, and it's a good learning experience. There is also a choreography workshop with dancers from the company, and I am in one of the dancer's pieces, which is both challenging and fun. AND we just started learning another ballet I really love for next season. Things are really going well! I am so glad it's not the boring end to the season I anticipated.

Janie

Language

I met my deadline with Dancer Magazine for an article or the August issue. It focuses on aerial arts and the 'dare devil' phenomenon that surrounds it. Fascinating experience for me as I interviewed Amy Ell of Gyrontonics Houston and Serenity Smith Forchion of Nimble Arts, LLC. How inspiring they were to speak with. I will update you when the article is available on line.

I have written 2 other articles for them --

1. "It's All In Your Head!" (The Mind - Body Connection) January, 2009.

2. "No "Butts" About It!" (Tips for Quitting Smoking) March, 2009, 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Language exercise ...  

NOW notice that what you say mirrors the experience you have.

For example, You want to improve your turns.

You tell people, "I can't turn. I really struggle. I can't even get around twice. My feet wont turn. I fall out in the most embarrassing times."

Notice how that IS your experience and HAS BEEN.

Do you believe the future will be much different?

Let's rewrite the script ... " Every day I practice my turns. I work hard at them. I practice after class and when I can. I visualize myself turning. I am improving. I feel good about learning. My teacher helps me.  I love to watch how other dancers master their turns...."

See the difference. It feeds what you want to accomplish and you move towards greater efficiency.

Comment.

Sanna Carapellotti, MS CHT

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Stepping to Sleep is on sale for 19.00! This is the lowest price since its release, even when Dance Magazine recommended it. "I feel stronger because I am sleeping. I did not realize I was 'not rested.' This program is on my bedside table."  Lori Bates, Las Vegas.

Sleep improves performance. That is a fact.

Language

Worth mentioning is how we address what occurs in our lives. Listen to how you speak of events...

Pick a problem you have had for a while, maybe a performance issue.

Write it down in a simple sentence.

Next write a few paragraphs about how you think of this problem. You may have inner dialogue, or say (speak) about it to family, friend and peers in a certain way.

This is a private exercise so be honest with yourself.

I will return in the next day or so and continue this exercise. I want you to do this now.

Janie, if you can post your response.

Thank you! Welcome to the new followers and I thank you all for your questions and comments. I appreciate it very much.

I am marking my performance CD' s down this week. It will be a nice sale for summer intensives! Stepping to Sleep is especially a good program to have as it strengthens, heals and prepares you for the rigors of intensive dance practice. Going away from home for long weeks in the summer can be difficult.

Sanna Carapellotti, MS CHT
412.344.2272

Taking Care of Yourself Pays Off

I am happy to hear that you FINALLY went to the chiropractor, and took action to check out your injury. Look at the results! Turns have improved! You are happier!

Crooked spine image: The body/mind creates and uses the language of imagery to communicate to you. When you feel creepy, you might feel tingly. When you have a head ache, you say, "My head is pounding." What your mind communicated was most likely exaggerated. Yet, there was a muscular pull in a direction that was unnatural. Your mind said, "I feel crooked."

Pay attention to that. It demands attention. Otherwise Janie, you could get another stronger message from your body. These cues speak. You experienced the results of paying attention. Taking action makes the difference.

Sanna Carapellotti, MS CHT

412.344.2272

www.mentalperformances.com

Dear Sanna - chiropractor magic... or mind power, or both!

It has been so busy! Since my back-kicking drama a lot has happened. We had a very important performance for an event, which was luckily very short, so I endured some minor pain for the sake of everyone's sanity and the show was fine. It was cool to perform at a fancy event in front of some famous people. And my back was good enough for our mini tour, even if my shoulder was sore after swimming and I still didn't feel good putting a lot of weight on it. But I could dance okay, and it was slowly improving on it's own, although I felt crooked even when the pain was nearly gone.

So the other day I FINALLY made an appointment to see a chiropractor. It felt a little silly, because it was so long ago and the pain was really minor by that point, but I was still a little scared that there was some internal damage or something, or at least that I was out of alignment. So the appointment was half for my back and half for my head. Anyway he cracked me like crazy and hooked me up to all these massage machines and said I had no real damage other than what he fixed by adjusting me.

Well I was very relieved, since the day after the kick I felt like they might be amputating my right shoulder. I also felt much looser and straighter, and the next day in class felt great. My turns were amazing! I don't know whether the physical adjustments really made that much of a difference or if the thoughts of a straight spine in my head helped me to dance that way, but it was great and I will try from now on to picture my spine this way.

Janie