Although the appropriate time to start playing holiday music may still be questionable, it is undeniable that now is the time to plan holiday gifts. Guide your inner Etsy artist and give your dancers some do-it-yourself gifts this year. You will save some money, and your teachers and friends will love this personal style.

Painted photo frames with pictures Put the snapshots into the photo frames you draw yourself, turning them into a lasting memory. Buy cheap wood frames, acrylic paints, brushes and Mod Podge from local craft stores. Draw the frame in a color that complements the color of the photo or your dance team, or matches the style of the recipient. Use Mod Podge to seal your work, and then print out your favorite photos taken with your good friends in a size that fits the frame, so you can give away your personal artwork. Dance Bag Scent Sachet Let's face it: everyone's dance bag can smell better. Give away some DIY pouches filled with potpourri to make the whole studio look new. Buy a small drawstring bag made of fine cloth-or, if you know how to use a sewing machine, you can make it yourself. Then, in a bowl, mix the uncooked rice with dried plants, vanilla and spices (such as cloves, cinnamon sticks, and anise), all of which have anti-fungal and antiseptic properties to keep your dance bag clean. If you want, you can add a few drops of essential oil to get a stronger fragrance. Add a few teaspoons of baking soda to absorb moisture and neutralize any unpleasant odors. Stir these ingredients together and distribute them evenly in your muslin bag. Close the pouch with a few stitches or a tight knot. DIY bath with Epsom salts and essential oils Use a homemade bath to help your teacher or classmate relax after a long day. In a mixing bowl, mix two cups of Epsom salt with one cup of baking soda. Add 15 to 20 drops of essential oils, they provide a soothing fragrance and have potential health benefits. Try lavender to relax your body and mind, or try eucalyptus to relieve stress, or mix and match to create a unique scent for each gift recipient. Scoop the mixture into a transparent glass jar with a sealed lid and tie a festive ribbon. Homemade Granola Bars* Bring a homemade granola bar to share with your companions and beat the Nutcracker to rehearse snacks. Place 3 1/2 cups of old-fashioned oats on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes. In a mixing bowl, mix the toasted oats with a cup of nut butter and half a cup of honey, agave, or maple syrup. Add half a teaspoon of coarse salt and cinnamon. Then add any extra items you like, such as pumpkin seeds, chopped nuts, raisins or mini chocolate chips. Press the mixture into a pan lined with parchment paper, chill in the refrigerator for 10 minutes, and then cut into cubes. *Before proceeding with this gift idea, please make sure that no one in your class is allergic to nuts. Personalized water bottle Buy a simple plastic or metal reusable water bottle and decorate it to suit anyone on your mysterious Santa list. Acrylic paint gives you unlimited creative freedom, but make sure to coat the water bottle with the dishwasher safe Mod Podge after the paint has dried overnight. Or use the perfect sticker for planning to show how well you know the recipient’s personality. Either way, every time they take a sip of alcohol in class, they will think of you and smile.

Put the snapshot into a frame you draw yourself and turn it into a lasting memory. Buy cheap wood frames, acrylic paints, brushes and Mod Podge from local craft stores. Draw the frame in a color that complements the color of the photo or your dance team, or matches the style of the recipient. Seal your work with Mod Podge, and then print out your favorite photos taken with your good friends in a size that fits the frame, so that you have a personal work of art to give away.

Let's face it: everyone's dance bag can smell better. Give away some DIY pouches filled with potpourri to make the whole studio look new. Buy a small drawstring bag made of fine cloth-or, if you know how to use a sewing machine, you can make it yourself. Then, in a bowl, mix the uncooked rice with dried plants, vanilla and spices (such as cloves, cinnamon sticks, and anise), all of which have anti-fungal and antiseptic properties to keep your dance bag clean. If you want, you can add a few drops of essential oil to get a stronger fragrance. Add a few teaspoons of baking soda to absorb moisture and neutralize any unpleasant odors. Stir these ingredients together and distribute them evenly in your muslin bag. Close the pouch with a few stitches or a tight knot.

After a long day, use a homemade bath to help your teacher or classmate relax. In a mixing bowl, mix two cups of Epsom salt with one cup of baking soda. Add 15 to 20 drops of essential oils, they provide a soothing fragrance and have potential health benefits. Try lavender to relax your body and mind, or try eucalyptus to relieve stress, or mix and match to create a unique scent for each gift recipient. Scoop the mixture into a transparent glass jar with a sealed lid and tie a festive ribbon.

Bring a homemade granola bar to share with your companions and beat the Nutcracker rehearsal snack. Place 3 1/2 cups of old-fashioned oats on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes. In a mixing bowl, mix the toasted oats with a cup of nut butter and half a cup of honey, agave, or maple syrup. Add half a teaspoon of coarse salt and cinnamon. Then add any extra items you like, such as pumpkin seeds, chopped nuts, raisins or mini chocolate chips. Press the mixture into a pan lined with parchment paper, chill in the refrigerator for 10 minutes, and then cut into cubes.

*Before proceeding with this gift idea, please make sure that no one in your class is allergic to nuts.

Buy a simple plastic or metal reusable water bottle and decorate it to suit anyone on your secret Santa list. Acrylic paint gives you unlimited creative freedom, but make sure to coat the water bottle with the dishwasher safe Mod Podge after the paint has dried overnight. Or use the perfect sticker for planning to show how well you know the recipient’s personality. Either way, every time they take a sip of alcohol in class, they will think of you and smile.

On a rainy day in November 2018, Paloma García Lee received a call from her agent and she knelt down outside her New York City apartment: She will be in Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story Played Graziella.

The call was made after Spielberg had a long audition process in the room. The role was played by Wilma Curley on Broadway in 1957 and later played by Gina Trikonis in the 1961 film. , Is her biggest dream. In fact, Garcia-Lee said that she showed this on the day she announced the film plan in January 2018. "I wrote in my diary:'I am playing Graziella in Steven Spielberg's West Side Story.'"

Garcia-Lee grew up in her mother's dance studio at the Pennsylvania Academy of Performing Arts in Bucks County, Pennsylvania (her mother sold the school earlier this year). In addition to regular training, she spends a few hours a day in New York City and New Jersey to attend classes at Steps and Princeton Ballet School on Broadway, respectively. The walls of her bedroom are covered with paper-cuts from "Dance Spirit", which is the source of inspiration for her to achieve her goals. Her mother Terri Garcia was a professional dancer in the 1980s (she even danced Francisca on the West Side Story tour in 1985), and Garcia-Lee is eager to follow in her footsteps. "I would lie in bed until 3 am, staring at the ceiling and thinking,'Well, I'm ready,'" she said.

Garcia-Lee attended high school at the University of North Carolina School of Art, where she first studied ballet and then drama. In her sophomore year, she played Graziella in the "West Side Story" produced by the school. The magic of performing Jerome Robbins' iconic choreography has never left her. "The last time I stepped into Graziella's shoes, it changed my life," she said. "She got those important features in "Gym Dancing" and "Cool." [She] is so strong, strong, and a badass."

Since then, she has been knocking on the door of West Side Story. After graduating from high school, Garcia-Lee set off for New York City and made his Broadway debut in "The Phantom of the Opera" at the age of 17. She will continue to perform in five other shows on Broadway: if you can get it, then good work, in town, Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and the recent Red The mill! She has always hoped that the West Side Story will come true one day.

In 2009, Garcia-Lee was considered to play Graziella in the Broadway revival, but did not get the role after numerous callbacks. She said: "I was sobbing at my mother on the phone. It was a mess." "For whatever reason, it doesn't suit me."

After that, two more works did not select her as Graziella. In 2016, when "West Side Story" was staged at the Paper Mill Theater in Milburn, New Jersey, Garcia-Lee was invited to play Mugsy. For the revival of Broadway in 2020, she only got the opportunity to audition for the role of Anybodys. She rejected these two opportunities and turned to support other projects-she would wait for Graziella.

Despite being rejected, she was not deterred. Therefore, when Deadline published an article announcing the film's remake, Garcia-Lee felt that playing Graziella was destined.

The audition for Steven Spielberg's "West Side Story" was held in the fall of 2018-at the same time Garcia-Lee was filming for the award-winning FX series "Fosse/Verdon". She had to negotiate with the production team to ask her to leave. During the audition, the casting room was packed with many of her friends and Broadway darlings, such as Eloise Kropp (cat) and Jonalyn Saxer (mean girl). "Paloma has a way to remove all the tension in the audition room," said Saxer, who played Jet in the film. "You can feel her love for dancing emanating from her and spreading to other people."

According to film choreographer Justin Parker, Garcia-Lee quickly attracted the attention of the creative team. "She is one of those artists who poses a true triple threat to her talents and abilities," he said. "She was really committed to the peculiarities of sports, and she was determined to do it well. I felt this from the first audition." He recalled that during the entire rehearsal process, Garcia-Lee took any free time to solicit Feedback on his style. "This is indeed reflected in the final result of the movie."

Garcia-Lee discovered that she had booked West Side Story in November 2018. At the same time, she is committed to the Moulin Rouge on Broadway! , And found that both works were scheduled to start rehearsals at the same time. For most of the winter and early spring of 2019, she was trying to figure out how to do it all. Fortunately, both are in New York, and Garcia-Lee is already familiar with the Moulin Rouge! Choreographer and stage performance, as she has been part of the show since the lab in 2017. She asked if she could miss some rehearsals and most of the rehearsals (including the most important first rehearsal) so that she could shoot her scenes in the movie. "It was not a simple negotiation," Garcia-Lee explained. "I am the biggest proponent of'If you don't ask, that's no'. You will be amazed at how people unite around you to help you realize your dreams, but this requires adventure," Garcia-Lee said.

The work of West Side Story Film is very different from any experience Garcia-Lee has on Broadway. "It's not just a learning step," she said. "This is not a front desk performance-it is really a 360-degree experience. I will never forget that Steven is on the ladder, Steven is halfway through the ladder, and then Steven is on the rolling chair, and Steven is lying Looking up on the floor [choreographer]] In this way, Justin adjusts and adjusts."

The rehearsal of the iconic "gym dancing" scene lasted two weeks. Every day starts with a ballet class led by Peck, his wife, Patricia Delgado, a former Miami City Ballet dancer, or Craig Salstein, a former American Ballet Theater dancer. Garcia-Lee said that before starting her work, she was familiar with Peck's work as much as possible to understand his style. "It is based on Jerome Robbins and integrated into it, but it is also driven by Justin," Garcia-Lee said. "His action is not natural to me. But, I like its challenge."

After the rehearsal, the shooting of "Gym Dancing" lasted for six days. According to Garcia-Lee, her foot had never suffered such serious injury in her life. But this did not prevent her from absorbing magic. Especially on the day she and her partner Mike Fest (Riff) filmed the duet. "We are so tired, we do our best," she said. "I only remember that we did the impossible. We lost ourselves in art. We finally ended [shooting] Mike and I fell to the ground. Steven ran to us and jumped to the floor with us. Love suffocates us. This is amazing."

After "West Side Story" ended in September 2019, Garcia Lee continued his journey with the Moulin Rouge! But when the pandemic hit in March 2020, all these celebratory canning campaigns came to an abrupt end, just when she felt that she was "stepping into the peak of her career." Garcia-Lee is one of many patients infected with COVID-19 in the company. Although she is lucky to recover, she still wants to know what the future holds. A few months later, it was announced that the release of the West Side Story would be postponed for one year.

Garcia-Lee volunteers in a stable in Brooklyn. This was the first time in decades that she found time to return to the saddle, just like she grew up near a Bucks County farm when she was a child. "In addition to being a performer, there is a lot of work to do," she said. She found comfort and comfort around the horse. "I believe riding a horse is like dancing with a partner," she said. "It really provides a place for me to feel that I am growing and achieving achievements."

Then, with the help of her father, she drove across the country to Los Angeles to start again. She wants to focus on acting and find something new to achieve her goal. But this does not mean that she gave up dancing. As the studio resumed face-to-face classes, Garcia-Lee returned to the dance floor. "Going back to the room will only have a lot of anxiety-many of us are really unhealthy," she said. "It's a journey back. The learning curve now helps me a lot."

In Los Angeles, she has been out of the comfort zone of musicals and entered the jazz lessons of teachers such as Will B. Bell. "She may be one of the most dedicated dancers I have known during the pandemic in the past year," Bell said of Garcia-Lee. "When she came to class, she came there with mission and goals."

In terms of professional work, Garcia-Lee has been auditioning for film and television projects, while training the next stage of her career. "This pause was a blessing in disguise," she admitted. "It really takes some time to calibrate yourself in a different way." She is eager to create new characters, as well as classic characters, such as those found in Bill Condon's upcoming movie musicals of men and dolls. She also dreamed of playing Roxie in Chicago on Broadway.

However, for now, Garcia-Lee is eagerly looking forward to the West Side Story movie to be released in December. After a year of delay, she is ready to celebrate her role as Graziella both physically and mentally. "Actually, I am ready now," she said. "I think many of us feel that way. The timing is right."

Let's face it-dancing is difficult, and in order to achieve your goals, you need to devote yourself to your training. "However, there is a fine line between promise and being consumed." Dancers can and should be interested outside the studio.

Not convinced? We interviewed Dr. Lucie Clements, a dance psychologist, and two multifaceted dancers, Kristen Harlow (musical dancers in New York and Kentucky) and Kallie Takahashi (dancers in the last year of the Tisch School of Art at New York University) , And get inside information on how hobbies other than dancing can improve your artistry, expand your reach, and help prevent burnout.

Dance spirit: If dancers have other passions, will they be less dedicated to dance?

Dr. Lucie Clements: Absolutely not. In fact, I always encourage dancers to have more than one passion. Having multiple hobbies can help you maintain balance in your life, bring new perspectives, and also bring many new skills to your life that may be transformed into dance.

DS: What is the difference between a commitment to dance and an obsession with dance?

LC: In psychology, we call the difference between commitment and preoccupied hobby as harmonious or compulsive passion. Harmonious passion means that dance is in harmony with other activities and is related to positive emotions. We know that if we are injured, we will deal with it. In essence, this is a place where a person chooses to dance in his life, and also makes time and space for other things. In contrast, obsessive passion is a passion for our life and breathing dance, at the expense of other hobbies, maybe even friendship or relationships, especially our own happiness. This commitment can lead to so-called "controlled internalization"-we dance because we feel compelled to dance, because we can't imagine life without it, not because we like it. Always remember to check and ask yourself if the dance is in harmony with the rest of you.

DS: What are the benefits of having other hobbies and interests?

LC: There are many interests that can build a broader self-concept, which is related to the way we label ourselves ("I am a dancer", "I am a swimmer", "I am a sister"), and is also related to what we have The values ​​are the strongest (for example, be creative, be kind, be strong). Self-concept is indeed the key to our happiness, it will cause our evaluation of self-worth and self-esteem. When dancers encounter setbacks in dancing, such as injuries, a series of “nos” during auditions, or long periods of non-work, if they label themselves as “dancers”, their self-concept may be erased go. If we only have to dance, it will prevent us from coping in times of loss, because this rejection or hurt is taking all of us. People with various hobbies can use their other aspects to improve self-esteem and find goals.

DS: Are there any risks in pursuing other interests that we should be alert to?

LC: Doing too much activity can lead to burnout. To avoid burnout, don't forget to rest and take care of your hobbies!

Photo courtesy of Christine Harlow

Kristen Harlow on the relationship between dance commitments and hobbies: "I believe that dance is still your favorite hobby, because you can allow yourself to explore new creative channels. This is the beauty of being an artist: we can use our expertise in art Love to try new things!"

Kristen Harlow talks about her own non-dance interests: "My passion beyond dance is to be a cake artist/baker! During the pandemic, all I want to do is spread happiness because we Not being able to dance together in New York, baking became the next best thing for me."

Kristen Harlow on the similarities between baking and dancing: "Since I started Kristen's Kreations, I have realized that there may be thousands of different similarities between the two. Dancing has always been my joy and motivation for me. The source, baking soon becomes the same."

Photo courtesy of Christine Harlow

Kallie Takahashi about her own non-dancing hobby: "I like sewing and designing my own clothes. Sometimes I only make small changes to the old clothes I already own, sometimes I buy something, knowing that I want to take it apart completely. Open, or I will even start from scratch, choose fabrics, and dream about everything I can think of."

Kallie Takahashi taught her in dance and sewing classes: "Patience is everything. You won't get it right the first time you try, but it doesn't mean you won't learn something on the road."

Kallie Takahashi on the benefits of versatility: "Expanding your horizons can make you a more comprehensive person and provide you with more channels to express yourself. Who knows, this industry is so versatile, maybe other interests will help you in the long run Look, your dancing career-special skills and more!"

Kallie Takahashi modeled for her pants. Photo courtesy of Kallie Takahashi

In the end, finding a balance between dancing and other hobbies may be difficult to control at first, but in order for your best qualities to shine, it is well worth it.

With her near limitless abilities, timely dynamics and incredible control, Christian Burse's future as a dancer is certainly bright. A student at the famous Booker T. Washington Performance and Visual Arts High School in Dallas, Texas, and the Dance Industry Performing Arts Center in Plano, Texas, has been a sensation: she won the Outstanding Young Dancer The runner-up of the New York City Dance League National Team won a scholarship in 2019, received the Julia Summer Study Grant from the Texas Young Masters Program in 2020, and was nominated as a dance finalist for the Youth Art Award in 2021.

Therefore, when Burse announced that she was only 17 years old, she would join the Complexions Contemporary Ballet as an apprentice for the company's 2021-22 season, which was not surprising.

Before Contemporary Ballet performed at the Joyce Theater in New York this month, Dance Spirit interviewed Burse to learn about her first season with Complexions.

Christian Burse: I have participated in their intensive summer classes since I was 12 years old. So I established a good relationship with the company and became familiar with their repertoire. On the other hand, the directors of the company have seen my progress and growth as an artist over the years. I don't know, but participating in their shows in those years was really an opportunity for me to audition for the company, because in August, I received an email saying that they wanted me to become an apprentice this season. I was shocked and never thought that I would be invited to join the company of my dreams, let alone early in my dancing career. But it does tell me that hard work pays off. I still feel that it is surreal to wake up every day and be in the studio with Dwight Rhoden and Desmond Richardson.

Burse: The diversity of the company. For example, I like the way we have super tall and super short dancers-everyone has their own uniqueness, and the director encourages us to be ourselves and embrace these differences.

Burse: Yes, I haven't graduated yet! Fortunately, my school is very supportive of me doing this, and I have been able to transfer all my senior year work to the Internet. This is challenging, but you have to do what you have to do to stick to your priorities and goals. This is the mentality I always come back.

Burse: We usually rehearse from 9 to 5 or 10 to 6 o'clock. We always have a ballet class to warm up for the first hour and a half. Then we went directly to the rehearsal and worked very hard to prepare for all our performances. Then the main thing is to go home, eat dinner, and then do homework directly.

Burse: Last October, we made my Complexions debut in a performance in Riga, Latvia. When we were rehearsing on the stage, I almost burst into tears, because every dancer dreamed of performing with their dream company or role, and it was so liberating to appear at that moment in the end. Every time I perform, my adrenaline soars, rekindling my enthusiasm for dancing.

Burse: It's not as scary as I thought, because many of the values ​​I learned have prepared me for where I am now. Such as various styles of training, rehearsing music for the game, preparing my solo-all these are translated here. Especially being able to adapt and get started quickly has benefited me a lot, because we rehearse very fast and learn new choreography very quickly.

Burse: Auditing for a company can be nerve-racking, but try to keep the mindset that you are just sharing your talents and remember that what you offer is valuable. Everyone is so different, the directors of the company are looking for the real you.

Burse: Dancers who have worked at Complexions for a while have very different movements. It's not "I have to be technically correct" or "I have to use the right arm", but they pay attention to the feeling that the track brings. Of course, their technology still exists, but they are not only concerned with steps, and they have taken a lot of risk with a certain level of maturity that I hope to reach someday.

Perth: Of course! Emma Branson, one of the other apprentices, and I joined at the same time, and I am glad that someone is scared of how cool this experience is and handles it together.

Burse: I will definitely see myself in the company, hoping to continue for a while. But after that, I hope I can also work in another great company. I like contemporary ballet and have seen myself doing this for a long time.

Watch Burse perform at the Complexions Contemporary Ballet Show at the Joyce Theater in New York from November 16th to 28th!