Right after The Nutcracker is always the best time for ballet dancers to do something special. Not only are we finished with the longest and most grueling programme of the season, but it’s Christmas and New Year’s all wrapped up into one!

If you can also celebrate this moment in a southern climate to get away from Toronto’s January weather — you’ve got a real party happening. What could make it even more over the top? Natalie Quick, three-time World Champion Highland Dancer and I, decided to throw a wedding into the mix and have one unforgettable 2009!  

We celebrated our union on January 3rd with friends and family in beautiful Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. Our great friend Rebecca Wu took the pictures and we could not be happier with the event or the memories!  

[Photos: Principal Character Artist Kevin D. Bowles and Highland Dance Champion Natalie Quick with guests and fellow Dancers Jenna Savella, Christopher Stalzer, Aarik Wells, Adam Toth and Robert Stephen. Photos by Rebecca Wu.]

In my job as Consultant Physiotherapist for The National Ballet of Canada, I have come to realize how much effort it takes from the dancers to put together such beautiful performances. The physically demanding preparation that is involved and the fact that certain movements are repeated many times can cause dancers to suffer muscle strains. In order to avoid problems, the dancers do specific exercises that help them get stronger and prevent injuries.

I wanted to share these exercises with dancers of all levels, so I created a DVD entitled Stability with Mobility, an exercise program on video featuring Principal Dancer Heather Ogden. Heather guides viewers through a series of strengthening exercises, stretches and self massage for the ankles, feet, legs, hips and lower back.

Lindsay Fischer, Artistic Director of YOU dance and Ballet Master with the National Ballet says “The exercises Ginette has developed are effective solutions for a variety of basic physical problems stemming from lack of core stability. The exercises are not just physically well designed, but also require the connection between the idea and the action that is central to expressive movement. Any dancer who is serious about having a long and satisfying career should consider adding these exercises to his or her arsenal. ”

The DVD Stability with Mobility is on sale at the Ballet Boutique. Profit from the sale of the DVDs goes directly to The National Ballet of Canada.

[Photos by Bruce Zinger]

As a dancer is it often hard to find time off from rehearsals and classes but I recently had the good fortune of being asked to cook for eight lovely ladies at the Knit and Wine Retreat in Long Point, Ontario. I have had a longtime interest in  cooking and had great fun planning a menu and shopping for the items needed. The Knit and Wine Retreat is an independently organized annual event put together by a group of ladies who have been knitting together for two years.

All of the meals I cooked were from scratch and in a very rustic kitchen. There was limited counter space and sadly no dishwasher, which led to some very creative uses of space and a severe case of dish pan hands. The nice thing about this rustic kitchen was that it was open concept and I was able to feel a part of this tight knit group of ladies. (Haha. That was my one attempt at a knitting joke.) There was so much laughter and a constant sense of support between these ladies. It was an inspiring environment.

In total, I made six meals for nine women including myself to enjoy. I was up at 7:30 am and I finished cleaning the last dish at about 10:30 pm Although they were long days, it never really felt like work. The group “oohed” and “awed” over the food. They mentioned, more than once, how nice it was to not have to worry about the meals or the dishes and to be able to just enjoy their knitting, their friends and their laughter.

After three beautiful days and two starry nights, I walked away from the Knit and Wine Retreat with a sense of pride in what I had accomplished and some very good advice ringing in my ears: “Remember to keep your friends and your sense of humour.”