THE JEWELRY SHINE

Archive for January, 2010

So the holidays season is coming up, and with countless people on your shopping list, what could you possibly buy that will cover everybody on your list? Many people dole out monotonous gifts or tired traditions, like fruitcakes, to the people on their shopping list, generating more groans than exclamations of joy. This holiday season, why not try a new favorite: chocolate covered strawberries.

Many people these days consider chocolate a wonderful treat and strawberries as a nutritious and healthy fruit. Combining these two wonderful ingredients helps create a tremendous dessert that will amaze your friends and entrance your loved ones. Not only are these treats absolutely delectable, they are pretty healthy as well!

So why choose chocolate covered strawberries to give as gifts? Well, for one, they are easy to transport. For instance, a bunch of these snacks can be put inside a nice looking wine basket with a bunch of cute decorations. This will completely spruce up any table and make for instant snacks for your loved ones to enjoy.

Your loved ones will instantly remember this gift forever. These treats are known for their romantic background, making an ordinary Tuesday night into an extraordinary romantic night filled with many delectable treats. As hard as you may try, it is hard to resist the temptations brought on by sharing these treats with your sweetie.

Not only will adults love this treat, but kids as well! What better way for them to enjoy their daily nutrients than a strawberry drizzled in delicious chocolate? Many studies have emerged showing that dark chocolate has healthy antioxidants beneficial to the body, and strawberries have been known for a long time to be a delicious and healthy part of a good diet.

Strawberries and chocolate are great for parties, as they make for easy finger food and memorable snacks. Amaze your guests at your hosting skills and give them reason to keep coming back for more. Any party will instantly benefit from these exotic treats, and you will quickly be known as the best host in the neighborhood.

Finally, chocolate covered strawberries are great treats for you too! It is a guilt-free way of satisfying your sweet tooth and an easy way to reward yourself after a hard week at work. Snack on these strawberries and all your troubles will melt away. Can you imagine just sitting at your bathtub, candles all around you, with just a plate full of strawberries covered in chocolate next to you? This is a great incentive for you to take time out of your busy schedule and make yourself enjoy life!

I hope this article will help you realize that a unique gifts for yourself and your family is not hard to find. Strawberries and chocolate are a great combination and will make for a memorable treat that you will never forget. Hopefully, you won’t get too carried away and eat all the strawberries too quickly. But then again, with such a delectable treat, I can’t blame you! Visit TheBasketSpot.com or GiftBasketSearch.com for
more information.

Bulgari jewellery is all about grandeur. Their well known and uniquely designed exquisite items do no need any introduction. Their truly admirable work of creative art is catering the demands of all types of women. Bulgari are known for their daring combinations, precious materials, and the supreme attention to detailed work. A variety of techniques used to make bulgari jewels include; raising, forging, soldering and chasing.

Gorgeous and splendid Bulgari jewels have become inspiration for many designers and jewelers as it has set high standards of quality, design and style. Bulgari bridal collection is awesome and every bride dreams of having Bulgari articles to adorn herself on her special day. Their wedding bands with diamond and zircon setting are incredible. Bulgari pendants in white or yellow gold or of both tones are truly fascinating. Simple strands of beaded necklaces and wrapped beads and stones in wire make excellent neck pieces. Crosses, Jewish stars, flowers, and assorted animals are some of their popular designs.

Colorful stones and unusual patterns are the main attraction of Bulgari jewellery. Traditional and creative motifs tempt women to buy their sophisticated jewellery articles. They offer modern as well as religious items including charms, pendants, bangles, earrings and necklaces. The Bulgari jewels have a feminine look and elegance which make them ideal gift for your sweetheart.

Bulgari engagement and wedding rings are simply adorable and are quite famous as well. These are sleek modern pieces with octagonal shapes and curves. Their belts and leather bracelets are also very appealing. Women love Bulgari stylish handbags that are light weight and easy to carry.

The best and most reliable source to buy Bulgari jewellery is the internet. Before buying them you should have a look at their website and check out their artistic collection and pick your type and choice of jewellery.

Many dancers are trained each year in a specific ballet “method”. These methods of training have a vast history leading to their survival of the ages. These methods were preserved through remaining choreographic works and schools of training. Ballet training methods build dancers to reflect a certain technique of ballet. A ballet “method” isn’t to be confused with a ballet “style”.

A method reflects training curriculum and technique whereas the “style” reflects an era’s trends, concepts and images. The oldest and most famous schools of ballet on the planet uphold one of the eight ballet methods religiously so their dancers all reflect the same finesse and divergent technique. A dance company relies on the chosen method to assure that the dancers all dance alike (so the choreographic works will look as clean and precise as possible). Here is a list of ballet methods or techniques:

Bournonville Ballet Method

The Bournonville method of ballet dancing is not only a method of training and technique, but a choreographic school developed by August Bournonville (1805 – 1879). August was the choreographer for the Royal Danish Ballet, a ballet company who continues to use his choreography and teaching methods till this day. This method focuses specifically on the romantic style since it was born in the romantic era of ballet. August Bournonville not only preferred a more romantic tone to his choreography, but he preferred his ballets tell a vivid love story. Bournonville knew a great deal about musical theatre, so he incorporated a rich array of expression into his works.

Bournonville said himself that “dance should be an expression of joy”. This method displays the movement as effortless though it is very technically challenging. The Bournonville method dancer exudes fluidity, seamlessness, and musicality. The technique is refined with delicate detail. It is not only expressive and romantic, but it touches the heart with dramatic pantomime.

The Bournonville technique begins in the shape and softness of the arms. This method has distinctive and specific lifted torso framework. The legs must define musical rhythm while the arms define the melody; this combination exudes musicality. The Bournonville technique also relies heavily on epaulements, and many movements begin and end in fifth position. Bournonville pirouettes are executed with a low develope into seconde and outside pirouettes use a low develope into fourth. Many poses are recognizable as Bournonville, including tendu derriere having one arm in fifth with the other down at the side (with a touch of epaulement of course).

Bournonville ballets display technically challenging roles, but usually in reversal of what we’re used to…Bournonville establishes the importance of the male character whereas other methods focused more on the female. This ballet method is such an honest and revealing style using pure and precise movement. The choreography forms a harmony while telling a story. Some of Bournonville’s ballets were La Sylphide, Napoli and Flower Festival in Genzano.

Russian Ballet Method

The Russian method of ballet came straight from the Imperial School of Ballet in St. Petersburg, Russia back in the nineteenth century. Imperial at that time, meant it was the property of the dictator in charge. Imperial ballets were originally “commissioned” works. The works at this time were commissioned by Sergey Diaghilev who later founded the Ballet Russes as well as developed protégés such as Vaslav Nijinksky, Anna Pavlova and George Balanchine among many others.

The Imperial Russian technique reflects a classical style of ballet. This method is technically challenging, flamboyant and larger than life. The balances are longer and more daring; the jumps are higher, the turns last for days… Each Russian trained dancer was pushed to their limits. According to this method of ballet, pantomime was childsplay. Ballet dancers were now here to show the world how difficult and impressive ballet was. It was a mere show of brute strength and talent. Ballets no longer told a story; it now only showcased brilliance of technique. Needless to say, it made the Bournonville technique seem a bit pedestrian in comparison…

A particular distinction of the Russian trained dancer includes a very confident, somewhat proud demeanor. Russian technique distinctions include putting the hands on the hips, and tossing the hand up at the end of a difficult sequence or during one. The Russian dancer has an extreme focus on line. Russian technique training is very intense; the arabesques are expected to be higher and the jumps more powerful…

Russian ballet dancers are chosen at a very young age and literally molded with the Russian ballet method. These children that are chosen usually have long limbs and neck, a short torso, a pretty face and talent. Many of our greatest ballet dancers to date came from the Russian school of ballet. Many defected from Russia though due to the lack of creative freedom and the strenuous training.

Some of the finest ballet classics emerged from the Russian Imperial Method. These ballets display virtuoso movement and were a grand spectacle. Such ballets are still very well known and ballet companies today still bring in a huge audience for them: La Bayadere, Coppelia, Sleeping Beauty, Nutcracker, Romeo and Juliet and Swan Lake.

Vaganova Ballet Method

The Vaganova technique was developed by Russian student Agrippina Vaganova. This method spawned from the Russian technique as many others did. Vaganova danced at the Imperial Ballet School then she later taught there when it re-established as the Leningrad Choreographic School, The Soviet Ballet, and now The Mariinsky Ballet. The Vaganova ballet technique is not only Russian, but it has elements of the French and Italian schools of ballet as well.

The Vaganova method concentrates on lower back strength and the “boneless” look of the arms. Vaganova trained dancers execute ballet movement with an especial effortlessness by using supple arms to contrast the robust movement of the legs. The arms would give the dancer an ethereal look as if she defied gravity. Many movements of the Vaganova technique require the dancer to remain in the air for as long as possible to give the dancer an illusion of floating. This requires extreme flexibility and extension. The arms and legs appear longer and leaner by the stretch and line of the pose. A Vaganova trained dancer executes movements with clean precise lines and movement with special attention to placement (forming the ethereal illusion).

Today the Vaganova method is used by the Vaganova Ballet Academy in Russia as well as many ballet schools around the world. Vaganova trained students have found success in the world’s leading ballet companies. The world-renowned Bolshoi and Kirov Ballet in Russia both use the Vaganova technique.

Cecchetti Ballet Method

Enrico Cecchetti developed his own ballet training method in London (1918). Coming from Italy, Enrico and his wife opened a dance school and influenced British ballet throughout the ages. Many new methods spawned from the Cecchetti training method. After dancing in Milan as a young man, Enrico Cecchetti migrated to Russia and ended up working for Diaghilev by training his school of dancers. He taught at the Imperial School in St. Petersburg. When the Ballet Russes began to tour the world, students did not want to leave the daily Cecchetti classes that afforded them such exquisite training.

The Cecchetti technique is very involved; the student is trained then tested in stages and graded. Each Cecchetti instructor is to be registered by qualifying with the Imperial Society of Teachers Dancing. Each student endures rigid testing before they graduate to the next level of which there are six. Each student is only allowed one examination per year.

The Cecchetti technique has a strict training regimen; the barré is memorized and done without breaking. There is a specific barré for each day of the week. Each side of the body is worked altering from week to week. The Cecchetti technique has eight particular port de bras, and about forty adages that develop the students balance, poise and grace. The end of class would include a new combination of movement for the student to grasp quickly and perform. This method condenses ballet training to an exact science.

The Cecchetti dancer moves as an instrument; the arms and legs are all one working entity. The energy is focused through the feet and up through the head so the line goes on infinitely. This method teaches quality over quantity; it was better to execute the movement right once rather than being able to do it sloppy several times. Each student is taught the essence of the technique, so this method is something exuded rather than a specific flair as in the Bournonville and Russian techniques. It teaches a dancer to be self reliant rather than mimicking the instructor. This technique uses a classical style most often and develops a dancers balance, poise, elevation, vigor and suppleness.

Enrico re-staged certain ballets such as Coppelia and developed the roles of Bluebird and Carabosse in The Sleeping Beauty.

Balanchine Ballet Method

George Balanchine was a protégé of Diaghilev’s Imperial School of Ballet. He defected to Paris from Russia then later met back up with Diaghilev’s touring Ballet Russes. Balanchine joined the Ballet Russes as a choreographer. After developing and working with a variety of ballet companies, Balanchine was encouraged to come to America to open his own training facility: the School of American Ballet (1934). After forming and disbanding several companies, Balanchine founded the New York City Ballet Company in 1948.

The Balanchine technique is very distinctive; the use of the arms and hands is very eccentric to ballet. Balanchine had a special liking for jazz and modern movement, as well as being a huge fan of Fred Astaire. Many of his ballets reflect this. A distinctive Balanchine flair is the unconventional hand and arm placement. The elbows would often break the arm line (as the wrists did), as the hands remain curled. This technique requires a great deal from the dancer. Balanchine enjoyed watching dancers break laws of motion; he would play with the choreography. His dancers developed such speed of motion that they would fit a lot of movement into a small block of music. Balanchine would not allow an orchestra to slow down for his dancers. He wanted to create a look of longer limbs so he would distort arabesques and extensions in order to do so. A dancer could give the look of a longer arabesque line by opening her hip to the audience as well as opening it upstage away from the audience. This type of placement goes against general ballet form.

Many of Balanchine’s ballets reflect a contemporary or classical style of dancing. He defined modern ballet as we know it today. His works are vast and famous pieces performed by New York City Ballet currently: Serenade, Jewels, Don Quixote, Firebird, Stars and Stripes, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and countless others.

French Method (École Française)

The French method or École Française (meaning “French School of Ballet”) was started in 1661 France. Louis XIV was the first to open a ballet school in France, and at that time ballet was restricted to men only. This technique was more currently developed by Nijinsky protégé Rudolf Nureyev at the Paris Opera Ballet. The French technique is used in ballet schools all over the world and most notably at the Nureyev Ballet of Paris.

The French method of ballet is charecterized by emphasis on elegance, grace and precision. A distinctive charecteristic of French ballet choreography is barely squeezing the dance phrase into the accompanying musical phrase. This oftentimes causes the orchestra to slow down in order to accomodate the dancing. Dance was no longer an accompanyment to the music but rather, the main spectacle. Nureyev had a great influence on the development of the French school of ballet technique. He liked to cross borders between modern and classical dancing. Nureyev re-staged many ballets in the French technique including Romeo and Juliet, Swan Lake, La Bayadere and Cinderella .

Royal Academy (RAD) Method

The Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) was established in London (1920) by a group of dance professionals: Phillip Richardson (brought the group together), Phyllis Bedells, Tamara Karsavina, Eduard Espinosa, Adeline Genée and Lucia Cormani. This association of people came together to produce a better standard of teaching ballet in Britain. This method began to expand under King George V in the 1930s and continued growing into what we know today as the RAD method of ballet. This particular school of dance not only developed a school of training, but they sought to preserve and copyright many choreographic works.

The RAD method includes a very precise training regimen. Students train until they reach the next official RAD level. They must pass a test in order to be accepted into this next level. Each level of students must don a specific color leotard. Each level must demonstrate classical dancing, character (folk) dancing and free (modern) movement. RAD students also receive classical jazz training.

The RAD classical style ballet method is a merge of Italian, French, Russian and Danish ballet technique. Those who learn ballet through this particular method find they are taught the basics of ballet with great detail, progression is very slow. The degree of difficulty to each movement is only slight from grade to grade. The value is placed on the quality of technique rather than knowing an assortment of movements early on. Turn-out, body placement, tendu, and plié are focused on in the earlier grades almost entirely. There are eight grades as well as a pre-primary then a primary class prior to starting the levels. A typical student starts at age five and finishes the grades by age eleven so they can train in the “Vocational Graded Syllabus” level which introduces pointe work and more dance vocabulary.

Royal Ballet (English) Method

The English ballet method is most prominently used by The Royal Ballet which is a distinguished ballet company based at the Royal Opera House in England. This company was founded in 1931 by Ninette de Valois. Margot Fonteyn came from this school and Rudolf Nureyev danced here until he left to start his own school (this is where the famous partnership began).

The English method has a structured rank of dancer: artist is a corps dancer, first artist is a senior member of the corps who gets the more prominent corps roles, Soloist get to dance minor solo roles, First Soloistdances the highest and best soloist roles under the principle, Principle Character Artist is one who dances the main character roles (such as Drosselmeyer in the Nutcracker), Principal is the highest rank of dancer who performs all the leading roles, and Prima Ballerina performs the best roles to only the best audiences under the best conditions of time, location and cast. Lastly, there is the Prima Ballerina Assoluta, a title which has only been given out three times in history, first to Alicia Markova, then to Margot Fonteyn, and then to Alessandra Ferri. This is the highest rank possible and given to dancers who deserve a high mention in history books.

This method takes eight years of full-time schooling prior to professional status. The emphasis is put on fluidity, musicality, artistry and vibrancy. This method stresses purity of line over expressiveness and clean technique.

If we were to trace ballet methods back to the start, it originated in the 1400s, during the time of the Roman Empire (which includes our current regions of Italy and France). It is obviously French since the terminology of ballet is in the French language…and it is obviously Italian being that the word “ballet” comes from the Italian word “balleto” meaning “to dance”. In the 1500s and 1600s it took shape in Renaissance Italy (after the fall of the Roman Empire).

Ballet technique varies in concept and flair; the methods reflect the curriculum of gaining that technique. The dialect of technique varies from country to country and classroom to classroom…but one thing that stands out is that it all comes from the same language of ballet which is one of many voices of dance. The world continues to embrace ballet holding it in high esteem. The future of ballet will indeed bring many new methods to the table as well as preserve those who left a mark in history. One thing is certain; ballet remains a beloved art of mankind. We dancers all contribute to keeping it alive through our study and our will to give back a gift that was given to us from our mentors and the heavens above.

Ward off tendonitis.

Dancers today are under a lot of stress; there are more technically advanced dancers than ever before, and one has to go above and beyond to stand out from the crowd. One important aspect of any dancing routine is choreographic depth. One way to showcase depth, is to develop dancing “levels”; these levels usually include at least a section of floor-work, which is dance movement done on the ground.

Every modern, jazz and lyrical dancer finds a time when floor-work starts to take a toll. Many dancers come home with bumps, bruises and fatigued bodies that come from working on floor-work routines. Let’s face it; floor-work takes a lot of finesse, strength and development. When a dancer continuously faces floor-work challenges in their dance routines, they have to take extra measures to keep up with the choreography. There are many exercises a dancer can do, to improve many aspects of their floor-work.

Upper Body Strength
Upper body strength is a major part of fluid floor-work movement. The first thing a dancer should strive to do is to increase upper body strength. Usually this comes easier to the gents, so all you girls out there need to take time a few days a week, to develop this area of the body!

• Push-ups: A great way to increase push-up capacity is to hold the body in a plank position, and slowly lower the body all the way to the ground. If this is too hard try resting the body on the knees. The key to this exercise is to lower the body as slow as possible. After completing this exercise five times, try to do as many push-ups as possible. Do them until fatigue. Make sure the body is a solid plank, and use those stomach muscles! At the end of every month a dancer should have increased capacity for number of push-ups by at least ten.
• Pull-ups: Now this one is more challenging for the ladies as well. A good push up really works the shoulders. Try finding an outdoor jungle gym, or acquire a pull-up bar. If a dancer cannot complete a single push-up then try to hold the body up by jumping up to the bar, and holding onto the bar with the arms bent. Hold this position and lower the body as slow as possible. Then try as hard as possible to pull the body back up. Continuing this exercise a few times a week will lead to an eventual pull-up, which will multiply with hard work.
• Hand Stands: Try doing a hand-stand against a wall, and hold it for as long as possible. Eventually graduate to balancing a hand stand in mid air, then try walking on the hands! This balance will increase strength all over the body and will certainly strengthen floor-work capacity!

Core Strength
One of the most crucial aspects to dance form is core strength; this intensifies even more with floor-work. Anyone who lacks in this area needs to work on it pronto!

• Crunches: One of the best ways to increase core strength is with a good old crunch. Make sure the crunch is coming from the center of the core, and the head must be faced towards the ceiling. Meet one knee at a time, with a bent elbow and continue rocking this crunch until exhaustion.
• V-balances: Lay on your back with the arms above the head, and the legs stretched out straight, come up as far as possible while bending at the waist only, and lift the arms and legs to the sky. Keep them straight and stay balanced; the longer the balance the higher the strength.
• Leg-lifts: This exercise requires an exercise unit that can be found in the local gym. The upper body stays suspended, and hangs down, while being supported on the forearms, which are holding onto two bars. Lift the lower body with the legs straight out in front (in a 90 degree angle), and try to get the lower body as high as possible before controlling the lift back down. Do this until the muscles are tired. This can also be done while laying on the floor, keep the body straight and the arms out to both sides; now lift the lower portion of the body up, with the legs pointed up to the ceiling. Repeat.
• Back Bends: Push the body up to a back-bend, and hold for ten seconds. Now come down so the body is resting on the upper back, while the lower body is still raised. Now lower the body down to the ground one vertebrae at a time until the tail bone is one the floor, make sure to push the stomach muscle toward the ground while doing this. Repeat this three times, and try to do this exercise a few times a week.

Transitions
Every floor-work routine comes with a multitude of transitions. The key to beautiful floor-work is to keep those transitions precise and clean. If the transitions are not understood, it would be wise to get with a fellow dancer, or the choreographer, to find out exactly how the transitions are supposed to look. Transitions need clarity and fluidity, so try thinking of phrasing and musicality with each movement.

Another important aspect of floor-work, is getting to the ground and back up gracefully! Sometimes choreography requires a controlled fall, and the dancer must drop to the floor quickly, and in some awkward positions at that! It is important to retain confidence, and a mental connection with the music and message, so the body just follows. Try the following exercises to help with controlled falls, and proper ways to get back up from a floor position:

• Jump and Roll: Start in a neutral standing position and jump up, then drop to the floor, sitting on the behind, roll back in a rocking position, then pop back up in one smooth motion into another jump. Repeat this exercise until it looks like one movement. Notice how the body uses inertia to complete the movement in a fluid-like fashion. Retain this feeling and mind-set when doing a quick drop to start floor-work movement, and when getting back up to an upright dancing position.
• Another exercise to try is to get up without using the arms every single time you arise off the floor in any dance classes. Always find new ways to rise without pushing off the floor with the hands. This will improve strength, balance, and poise.

With hard work and determination, any dancer can gain the strength to develop floor-work technique. It will only take a few months to improve every aspect of floor-work, and it is sure to stand out in a dancer’s performance. One of the best things a dancer can do outside of these exercises is to just practice, even if it is at a slower pace at home. This will make each movement and transition concrete, so there are no questions when it comes time to execute the movement. Knowing exactly what comes next, without any doubt will increase confidence, and that too will show in performances.

Pearls is a classic piece of jewelry that is formed in shellfish and that could be found from the Red Sea, Gulf of Manaar and the Persian Gulf.

Pearls is referred to us as “Queen of the Gems”. From the ancient Greek, they believed that wearing pearl would promote marital bliss. Pearls could belong to the moon and the zodiac sign “Cancer”. Pearl gemstone have inspired the scientist to provide with a large number of cultured pearls. Pearl gemstone has decreased its price in the market and has acquired popularity in the society.

Pearls could be the nicest gifts one can give and help improved self worth. They often symbolizes happy marriage and in many countries are used as a wedding gift. It pacifies passion and mental inconsistency and strengthens the heart. It brings luster brightness on the human face.