I had an interview with Anita Bloom Ornoff who is the author of the book, BEYOND DANCING. While this may not seem like a big deal there are several things that you might want to consider. Anita is 85 years old and she wrote her book a year ago. Anita is also a paraplegic, paralyzed from the waist down. She was the first woman to get a drivers license by using only her hands and she was the first handicapped female to enter and receive her degree from NYU.

Anita lost the use of her lower limbs at the start of World War II. She enrolled in the WAAC which later became the WAC. A cut on her finger got infected and malpractice ended up with an infection requiring that her spinal chord be severed. She has had three husbands and four marriages and two children. You will have to read her book to figure the math

Keep in mind that this is a female who became handicapped long before the American Disabilities Act. Her struggle was constant and up hill. She had to fight the VA for benefits and she had to fight a society that was not yet ready to accord all equal access to the benefits and rights that most of us take for granted. When asked about how things were for the handicapped now, as compared to after World War II, Anita said that by comparison, today is like heaven.

This brings to mind the issue of whether or not we can control our lives and partake of happiness, regardless of circumstances. Many are brought up in situations that seem insurmountable. But the fact that there are those who rise above those situations should be proof that we each have more control over our happiness than we are led to believe. Anita said that above all; do not let others keep you down. Do not let people say that what you desire is not possible. Do not accept the norm since the norm and conventional wisdom is often wrong.

Despite all of the forces that seemed to be arrayed against her, Anita Bloom Ornoff refused to accept a “no can do” attitude. She fought for what she desired and has led a happy and joyful life. History is replete with those who, against all apparent odds, rose above the “trials and tribulations” of life and created a reality that was of their own liking, and not that dictated by others. Books like the recently released, “The Secret” say that with the power of the mind, all things are possible. Anita is an example of an everyday person who brings that refrain into perspective and reality. Perhaps there should be a little less whining in our society and perhaps we should listen to those, like Anita, who have paved the way in proving that what we think is what we create.

The novel is published by Bartleby Press, ISBN 091015550X, 311 pages, hardcover.

I had an interview with Anita Bloom Ornoff who is the author of the book, BEYOND DANCING. While this may not seem like a big deal there are several things that you might want to consider. Anita is 85 years old and she wrote her book a year ago. Anita is also a paraplegic, paralyzed from the waist down. She was the first woman to get a drivers license by using only her hands and she was the first handicapped female to enter and receive her degree from NYU.

Anita lost the use of her lower limbs at the start of World War II. She enrolled in the WAAC which later became the WAC. A cut on her finger got infected and malpractice ended up with an infection requiring that her spinal chord be severed. She has had three husbands and four marriages and two children. You will have to read her book to figure the math

Keep in mind that this is a female who became handicapped long before the American Disabilities Act. Her struggle was constant and up hill. She had to fight the VA for benefits and she had to fight a society that was not yet ready to accord all equal access to the benefits and rights that most of us take for granted. When asked about how things were for the handicapped now, as compared to after World War II, Anita said that by comparison, today is like heaven.

This brings to mind the issue of whether or not we can control our lives and partake of happiness, regardless of circumstances. Many are brought up in situations that seem insurmountable. But the fact that there are those who rise above those situations should be proof that we each have more control over our happiness than we are led to believe. Anita said that above all; do not let others keep you down. Do not let people say that what you desire is not possible. Do not accept the norm since the norm and conventional wisdom is often wrong.

Despite all of the forces that seemed to be arrayed against her, Anita Bloom Ornoff refused to accept a “no can do” attitude. She fought for what she desired and has led a happy and joyful life. History is replete with those who, against all apparent odds, rose above the “trials and tribulations” of life and created a reality that was of their own liking, and not that dictated by others. Books like the recently released, “The Secret” say that with the power of the mind, all things are possible. Anita is an example of an everyday person who brings that refrain into perspective and reality. Perhaps there should be a little less whining in our society and perhaps we should listen to those, like Anita, who have paved the way in proving that what we think is what we create.

The novel is published by Bartleby Press, ISBN 091015550X, 311 pages, hardcover.

We’ve all had ballet corrections that do not seem to ever go away. We may understand perfectly how ballet positions and ballet movements should be. We understand how the body should mechanically do something, yet it can be frustrating when the body we’re in just does not get it right after much trying.

What is the most frequent correction you got last year? Why isn’t it fixed? There is a reason, relating to one of the following.

** Posture

** Flexibility

** Alignment

** Strength and reflexes

** Turnout

** Tension

For example, if you stand sideways to a mirror, legs parallel and straight, core area held a little, do your ankles/knees/hips/shoulders/ears stack up, with natural spinal curves kept? If not, is an area not stacked because it is too tight or too lose? Can the core muscles hold without strain showing in the neck or shoulders? Posture has a lot to do with tension, flexibility, strength, and understanding. Correct posture leads to correct alignment in many ballet positions. Fix if needed! Study, search for information.

Turnout involves strength, flexibility and tension. And understanding what true turnout is. Incorrect turnout affects posture, increases tension, reduces flexibility and distorts alignment. There is a book called Tune Up Your Turnout by Deborah Vogel that is a good myth-buster, and something every dancer can use. You can figure out a lot by yourself, with the right information. The trick is that you need to get your body to do something, from an ideal concept.

All of the above factors affect the rest, but which one underlies your never-ending correction?

Do you understand the mechanics behind the ballet position/movement/step you are trying to improve? If not, find out the details you need to know!

I believe that if you understand all the aspects of one basic thing in ballet (anatomy, mechanics, technique, style, physical requirements), something super-simple, (I didn’t say easy) like standing in fifth position, you will understand a great deal about many other things in ballet.

Another example of getting more anatomical, mechanical and technical details of one factor in ballet technique is, strengthening the sole of the foot. Understanding the foot, and how to strengthen exclusively the foot muscles, not only leads to superior strength in dancing in pointe shoes, but will refine allegro, balance, landing from jumps and releves on pointe, and lots more. All this is covered in The Perfect Pointe Book, just to name one of many professionally written dance manuals.

Try selecting one recurring correction, and make a new resolution to search understanding all possible aspects of it. I believe that will affect several technical roadblocks that you may have. I think you’ll gain an extra advantage and progress faster in the New Year.

We’ve all had ballet corrections that do not seem to ever go away. We may understand perfectly how ballet positions and ballet movements should be. We understand how the body should mechanically do something, yet it can be frustrating when the body we’re in just does not get it right after much trying.

What is the most frequent correction you got last year? Why isn’t it fixed? There is a reason, relating to one of the following.

** Posture

** Flexibility

** Alignment

** Strength and reflexes

** Turnout

** Tension

For example, if you stand sideways to a mirror, legs parallel and straight, core area held a little, do your ankles/knees/hips/shoulders/ears stack up, with natural spinal curves kept? If not, is an area not stacked because it is too tight or too lose? Can the core muscles hold without strain showing in the neck or shoulders? Posture has a lot to do with tension, flexibility, strength, and understanding. Correct posture leads to correct alignment in many ballet positions. Fix if needed! Study, search for information.

Turnout involves strength, flexibility and tension. And understanding what true turnout is. Incorrect turnout affects posture, increases tension, reduces flexibility and distorts alignment. There is a book called Tune Up Your Turnout by Deborah Vogel that is a good myth-buster, and something every dancer can use. You can figure out a lot by yourself, with the right information. The trick is that you need to get your body to do something, from an ideal concept.

All of the above factors affect the rest, but which one underlies your never-ending correction?

Do you understand the mechanics behind the ballet position/movement/step you are trying to improve? If not, find out the details you need to know!

I believe that if you understand all the aspects of one basic thing in ballet (anatomy, mechanics, technique, style, physical requirements), something super-simple, (I didn’t say easy) like standing in fifth position, you will understand a great deal about many other things in ballet.

Another example of getting more anatomical, mechanical and technical details of one factor in ballet technique is, strengthening the sole of the foot. Understanding the foot, and how to strengthen exclusively the foot muscles, not only leads to superior strength in dancing in pointe shoes, but will refine allegro, balance, landing from jumps and releves on pointe, and lots more. All this is covered in The Perfect Pointe Book, just to name one of many professionally written dance manuals.

Try selecting one recurring correction, and make a new resolution to search understanding all possible aspects of it. I believe that will affect several technical roadblocks that you may have. I think you’ll gain an extra advantage and progress faster in the New Year.

We’ve all had ballet corrections that do not seem to ever go away. We may understand perfectly how ballet positions and ballet movements should be. We understand how the body should mechanically do something, yet it can be frustrating when the body we’re in just does not get it right after much trying.

What is the most frequent correction you got last year? Why isn’t it fixed? There is a reason, relating to one of the following.

** Posture

** Flexibility

** Alignment

** Strength and reflexes

** Turnout

** Tension

For example, if you stand sideways to a mirror, legs parallel and straight, core area held a little, do your ankles/knees/hips/shoulders/ears stack up, with natural spinal curves kept? If not, is an area not stacked because it is too tight or too lose? Can the core muscles hold without strain showing in the neck or shoulders? Posture has a lot to do with tension, flexibility, strength, and understanding. Correct posture leads to correct alignment in many ballet positions. Fix if needed! Study, search for information.

Turnout involves strength, flexibility and tension. And understanding what true turnout is. Incorrect turnout affects posture, increases tension, reduces flexibility and distorts alignment. There is a book called Tune Up Your Turnout by Deborah Vogel that is a good myth-buster, and something every dancer can use. You can figure out a lot by yourself, with the right information. The trick is that you need to get your body to do something, from an ideal concept.

All of the above factors affect the rest, but which one underlies your never-ending correction?

Do you understand the mechanics behind the ballet position/movement/step you are trying to improve? If not, find out the details you need to know!

I believe that if you understand all the aspects of one basic thing in ballet (anatomy, mechanics, technique, style, physical requirements), something super-simple, (I didn’t say easy) like standing in fifth position, you will understand a great deal about many other things in ballet.

Another example of getting more anatomical, mechanical and technical details of one factor in ballet technique is, strengthening the sole of the foot. Understanding the foot, and how to strengthen exclusively the foot muscles, not only leads to superior strength in dancing in pointe shoes, but will refine allegro, balance, landing from jumps and releves on pointe, and lots more. All this is covered in The Perfect Pointe Book, just to name one of many professionally written dance manuals.

Try selecting one recurring correction, and make a new resolution to search understanding all possible aspects of it. I believe that will affect several technical roadblocks that you may have. I think you’ll gain an extra advantage and progress faster in the New Year.

We’ve all had ballet corrections that do not seem to ever go away. We may understand perfectly how ballet positions and ballet movements should be. We understand how the body should mechanically do something, yet it can be frustrating when the body we’re in just does not get it right after much trying.

What is the most frequent correction you got last year? Why isn’t it fixed? There is a reason, relating to one of the following.

** Posture

** Flexibility

** Alignment

** Strength and reflexes

** Turnout

** Tension

For example, if you stand sideways to a mirror, legs parallel and straight, core area held a little, do your ankles/knees/hips/shoulders/ears stack up, with natural spinal curves kept? If not, is an area not stacked because it is too tight or too lose? Can the core muscles hold without strain showing in the neck or shoulders? Posture has a lot to do with tension, flexibility, strength, and understanding. Correct posture leads to correct alignment in many ballet positions. Fix if needed! Study, search for information.

Turnout involves strength, flexibility and tension. And understanding what true turnout is. Incorrect turnout affects posture, increases tension, reduces flexibility and distorts alignment. There is a book called Tune Up Your Turnout by Deborah Vogel that is a good myth-buster, and something every dancer can use. You can figure out a lot by yourself, with the right information. The trick is that you need to get your body to do something, from an ideal concept.

All of the above factors affect the rest, but which one underlies your never-ending correction?

Do you understand the mechanics behind the ballet position/movement/step you are trying to improve? If not, find out the details you need to know!

I believe that if you understand all the aspects of one basic thing in ballet (anatomy, mechanics, technique, style, physical requirements), something super-simple, (I didn’t say easy) like standing in fifth position, you will understand a great deal about many other things in ballet.

Another example of getting more anatomical, mechanical and technical details of one factor in ballet technique is, strengthening the sole of the foot. Understanding the foot, and how to strengthen exclusively the foot muscles, not only leads to superior strength in dancing in pointe shoes, but will refine allegro, balance, landing from jumps and releves on pointe, and lots more. All this is covered in The Perfect Pointe Book, just to name one of many professionally written dance manuals.

Try selecting one recurring correction, and make a new resolution to search understanding all possible aspects of it. I believe that will affect several technical roadblocks that you may have. I think you’ll gain an extra advantage and progress faster in the New Year.

We’ve all had ballet corrections that do not seem to ever go away. We may understand perfectly how ballet positions and ballet movements should be. We understand how the body should mechanically do something, yet it can be frustrating when the body we’re in just does not get it right after much trying.

What is the most frequent correction you got last year? Why isn’t it fixed? There is a reason, relating to one of the following.

** Posture

** Flexibility

** Alignment

** Strength and reflexes

** Turnout

** Tension

For example, if you stand sideways to a mirror, legs parallel and straight, core area held a little, do your ankles/knees/hips/shoulders/ears stack up, with natural spinal curves kept? If not, is an area not stacked because it is too tight or too lose? Can the core muscles hold without strain showing in the neck or shoulders? Posture has a lot to do with tension, flexibility, strength, and understanding. Correct posture leads to correct alignment in many ballet positions. Fix if needed! Study, search for information.

Turnout involves strength, flexibility and tension. And understanding what true turnout is. Incorrect turnout affects posture, increases tension, reduces flexibility and distorts alignment. There is a book called Tune Up Your Turnout by Deborah Vogel that is a good myth-buster, and something every dancer can use. You can figure out a lot by yourself, with the right information. The trick is that you need to get your body to do something, from an ideal concept.

All of the above factors affect the rest, but which one underlies your never-ending correction?

Do you understand the mechanics behind the ballet position/movement/step you are trying to improve? If not, find out the details you need to know!

I believe that if you understand all the aspects of one basic thing in ballet (anatomy, mechanics, technique, style, physical requirements), something super-simple, (I didn’t say easy) like standing in fifth position, you will understand a great deal about many other things in ballet.

Another example of getting more anatomical, mechanical and technical details of one factor in ballet technique is, strengthening the sole of the foot. Understanding the foot, and how to strengthen exclusively the foot muscles, not only leads to superior strength in dancing in pointe shoes, but will refine allegro, balance, landing from jumps and releves on pointe, and lots more. All this is covered in The Perfect Pointe Book, just to name one of many professionally written dance manuals.

Try selecting one recurring correction, and make a new resolution to search understanding all possible aspects of it. I believe that will affect several technical roadblocks that you may have. I think you’ll gain an extra advantage and progress faster in the New Year.

We’ve all had ballet corrections that do not seem to ever go away. We may understand perfectly how ballet positions and ballet movements should be. We understand how the body should mechanically do something, yet it can be frustrating when the body we’re in just does not get it right after much trying.

What is the most frequent correction you got last year? Why isn’t it fixed? There is a reason, relating to one of the following.

** Posture

** Flexibility

** Alignment

** Strength and reflexes

** Turnout

** Tension

For example, if you stand sideways to a mirror, legs parallel and straight, core area held a little, do your ankles/knees/hips/shoulders/ears stack up, with natural spinal curves kept? If not, is an area not stacked because it is too tight or too lose? Can the core muscles hold without strain showing in the neck or shoulders? Posture has a lot to do with tension, flexibility, strength, and understanding. Correct posture leads to correct alignment in many ballet positions. Fix if needed! Study, search for information.

Turnout involves strength, flexibility and tension. And understanding what true turnout is. Incorrect turnout affects posture, increases tension, reduces flexibility and distorts alignment. There is a book called Tune Up Your Turnout by Deborah Vogel that is a good myth-buster, and something every dancer can use. You can figure out a lot by yourself, with the right information. The trick is that you need to get your body to do something, from an ideal concept.

All of the above factors affect the rest, but which one underlies your never-ending correction?

Do you understand the mechanics behind the ballet position/movement/step you are trying to improve? If not, find out the details you need to know!

I believe that if you understand all the aspects of one basic thing in ballet (anatomy, mechanics, technique, style, physical requirements), something super-simple, (I didn’t say easy) like standing in fifth position, you will understand a great deal about many other things in ballet.

Another example of getting more anatomical, mechanical and technical details of one factor in ballet technique is, strengthening the sole of the foot. Understanding the foot, and how to strengthen exclusively the foot muscles, not only leads to superior strength in dancing in pointe shoes, but will refine allegro, balance, landing from jumps and releves on pointe, and lots more. All this is covered in The Perfect Pointe Book, just to name one of many professionally written dance manuals.

Try selecting one recurring correction, and make a new resolution to search understanding all possible aspects of it. I believe that will affect several technical roadblocks that you may have. I think you’ll gain an extra advantage and progress faster in the New Year.