Stories from Budapest: Time out

Two days ago...

While I am writing this post I am sitting in the plane on my way from Helsinki to Budapest. I had the most wonderful weekend in Helsinki and right now I am feeling myself well rested and ready to continue my things in Budapest. With new energy and attitude.

One week ago I booked flight to Helsinki because I got worried about my health. I was continously wary, unsure, depressed and ready to cry for everything. Of course I have had better moments and days also but I couldn’t enjoy my life anymore. And week ago the solution was to book flight to Finland and take my own time out.

What happend in Helsinki? Nothing special but superspecial for me. I went to my sister’s apartment and we had the best sister-quality-time together. Lot of rest and deep conversations. Cooking yummy pasta and baking delicious applepie. Visiting cathedral and walking along cosy streets of Helsinki. 

And of course having the best cinnamon latte in Robert’s coffee.

It’s funny notice that after only five weeks moving from Finland to Budapest I can appreciate Finland and finnish things so much more. Now I see that I am a very finnish girl who loves fresh air and nature, cleannes, finnish honesty and behaviour, organised education system etc…

Dear beautiful autumn Finland, I will miss you again. But now, drinking my blueberry juice (thanks for Finnair) in the plane I think I am so ready again. I don’t care am I strong or weak, depressed or happy. I do this because I love to dance and right now the Hungarian Dance Academy is my place to be.

If we are brave enough to explore the darkness, we are certain to discover the infinite power of our light. 

//brené brown

- Jutta

Stories from Budapest: Weekdays in Hungarian Dance Academy

Last week I started my official Erasmus + program in Hungarian Dance Academy. Earlier weeks I have been with other programs. I will do my exchange studies with program of modern dancers but I only take a part in practice training (because of hungarian language). During last week I have met very different kind of dancers and take a part in different dance lessons. Unfortunately communication between me and my class  mates is limited because they mostly speak hungarian. But I am happy that dance is also kind of way to communicate and see the other people.

My school week runs from Monday to Friday. I wake up at 6:40, be in studio at 7:45 and start the ballet class at 8:30. I have more or less classes during the day and usually I come back to home at 6.30 pm. In addition of ballet classes I also have jazz dance from Monday to Thursday. My first jazz class last Monday little shock because it was very hard with complicated exercises… Twice a week I have ”rehearsal coaching and choreography” where students create choreographies and teach them to other students. I also have to create my own choregraphy and I am quite exited about that. Then I have also limón technique, tap dance and hip hop once a week.

I’ve been in Budapest now for four weeks and I still try adapt to culture and school. I think next three months will go very fast and I just hope that I could soon adapt to this environment. This semester will be huge learning process for me and I am sure I will be mental and physical stronger after this semester.  

- Jutta

Stories from Budapest: Hey dancer, how are you?

New things, new culture, new friends, new school.. During this week I’ve felt that everything is too much. I’ve been under too much stress and on Friday I realized I need to rest. To do whatever I want, eat candys, buy something just for fun, talk with my family and friends, consume time by doing nothing useful (well, that’s the most useful thing to do). I am person who doesn’t stop until has to. And I think I am not only one with this problem. When I found myself crying and being depressed it’s time to take a break.

It’s a hard world. I mean dance world. Did you know that Black Swan is a normal story? To be every day in front of mirror doesn’t make good for your self-confidence. There are jealousy, eating disorders, competing, criticism, physical and mental exhaustion among the dancers. It’s everyday fight to come better and better. But it’s worth it isn’t it?

Okay that’s truth but not only way to become a professional dancer. Sometimes I feel being lost in the danceworld because I don’t want to go through above mentioned negative things. I want to be physical and mental healthy dancer. Work hard and become the best I can. I think the key is to search who I am as a dancer and how my body can move.  

Dance is way of expressing. It is beautiful way to tell who I am. I need to dance because it’s part of my identity. Dance is learning process such as life. Dance is life. At least big part of it.

Take care,

Jutta

Stories from Budapest: Brain and ballet work in progress

Sunday is my new favorite day of the week. Earlier it was Friday but I’ve started to love peaceful Sunday mood. Slow breakfast (especially huge cup of coffee), Sunday church service, no school work, time for relaxing and spontaneous things... I have realised that ”rest day” is  e s s e n t i a l  for  human. I can’t work properly and dance at full if I don’t have one rest day in the week. It’s my right and responsibility to take time to rest and relax.

Well, the rest day is obviously good for the processing new learnt things and skills. During the last week I had morning ballet classes and lectures and practical classes of ”preparatory gymnastics – aesthetic body building”. Summarizing lot of brain and ballet work. Here are some insigihts from the last week.

Spine and ballet

Some of my teachers have spoken about this also earlier but I had kind of aha moment last week about this issue. Working with healthy spine will prevent lot of injuries and helps basically everything in ballet. It’s very important to find natural curves of spine and strength the supporting muscles of spine. Easy to say but hard to do. Among the ballet dancers there are lot of problems and injuries with the back. I think that focusing on healthy spine alignment at classes would help with these problems.

Strong abdominals and hamstrings

These muscles are now on my ”muscle strengthen list”. Last week I just realized that I have too weak deep abominals (for example to stabilize my natural curves of spine) and hamstrings (for example keep on my active turn out).I also have learnt about how important is the muscle symmetry (as much strength and flexibility in the muscles).

Body awareness

This is absolutely what I want to learn more. I started ballet when I was teenager and I wanted to learn quickly everything. I had not time to feel movements or process things because I learnt ballet technique mostly by visual perception. I tried to follow suit and just do the exercises with full of energy. Well, I have improved my body awareness but it’s still my weakness. For me it’s difficult to use and active only necessary muscles (not everything together). Developing body awareness will make the dance easier and more energy saving.

Warm up

Usually I come to the studio 45 minutes before class starts. I open up myself by stretching my cold and sleepy muscles and cracking ligaments. Then I do little workout for abdominals and back muscles, some tendus and swings for my hip joints. And finally I am physical and mental ready for the class. During the last week I tried to do my warm up differently: first step by step warming up the muscles (starting from the hip joints and core) and then stretching but no cracking! I think that’s the more logical and healthier way to prepare yourself to the ballet classes.

Now it's time to set alarm clock on and enjoy the last hours of the rest day :) 

- Jutta