Get yourself ready

Are you ready .....


... to carry your smile first thing everyday when you wake up?
... to make a difference to make this world a better one?
... to get a start for what you haven't put into action?
... to accomplish what you haven't finished?
... to get rid of old bad habits and start new good ones?
... to become a better you than you were last year?
It's 2011! And it is all yours! So get yourself ready!


Happy new year!


~ Kate, Ally, Eve and Mia

We wish you have a fantastic Christmas!

A Christmas wish from the Ballet Girls

The Night of Oz

"After one full day of adventure, dusk finally arrived the land of Oz.

Cowardly Lion went to sleep at once, as if only in his dream he has nothing to fear of. Well, let's hope he won't have a nightmare. (^_^')

Scarecrow was leaning his back on an old oak tree, trying to clear up his no-brain head. It seems like one day's adventure already puzzled him too much. It's better not to disturb him or he will flood you all the questions in his mind. (O_o?)

So I was teaching Tin Woodman some ballet moves. He followed clumsily and I quite enjoyed it because watching him was really funny. However, I think he did need to add some lubricant oil to his joints. The sound from his joints were really awful!  (*_*')

Indeed, the journey was a tough one and the quests were not easy. But this night shall be the last night. Tomorrow we will finish the last part of the yellow brick road and enter the Emerald City to have our dreams fulfilled!"

Everytime I watched the movie "The Wizard of Oz". I always fancied myself travel with Tin Woodman, Scarecrow and Cowardly Lion in the land of Oz, to their journey of discovering wisdom, courage and love. We followed the yellow brick road, heading to the Emerald City to meet the Great Wizard to pursue our dream.

I always love to ask my friends, "In real life, where is your yellow brick road and what is your Emerald City?"

- Eve

P.S. Happy Halloween!

Flamingoes

Look at these big birds in flaming color.

Resting at the waterside quietly.

So relax and carefree.

Elegant their postures are.

Like a group of ballet dancers.

Mayhap, I should invite them to dance with me.

~Mia

September, 2010

Watched a TV documentary about wild flamingoes last night. They are so beautiful. When I was watching the show there was only one thing in my mind: "They really look like ballet dancers dressing in flaming dancing costumes!"

However the condition of their natural habitat is severely under threat. Air and water pollutions and global warming are putting their home in jeopardy. If we don't do something to stop the pollution and protect our environment, someday all these beautiful animals will disappear forever.

Can you feel the breeze?

This is a hot summer day and I am on my way to the dance school. The air is hot and humid and I am running on the street. When I reached the bus stop, I have just missed the bus.

"What a bad luck!" I think. 

Sweat keeps running down from my forehead and the sun keeps on baking me, you can imagine how it feels like.  If I can only run faster and get on that bus, I should be now enjoying the air-con, pulling out my ipod and listen to the music. The only thing I can do now is waiting for another 20 minutes or so until the next bus come. I keep blaming my stupid self and the disturbing weather. 

I am waiting impatiently at the but stop and feel more and more uneasy. I wish that there is something which can cool me down. I sit down on the bench and noticed an old lady sitting next to me, smiling.

"You have just missed the bus, right?" she said. "Don't worry, the next one is coming. It won't be long."

"This hot weather is driving me crazy." I told her. "And I am going to be late for my dance class."

"I see," she nodded knowingly. "I have missed that bus too. I need to pick up my grandson from the kindergarten and I am pretty sure I will be late."

"There is nothing we can do but sitting here stupidly under this cursed weather to wait for the next bus." I can't help complaining.

"Of course not," her voice sound peaceful, doesn't seem to worry about anything. "We can enjoy the breeze."

What? Breeze? I can feel nothing but the heat only. I look at the old lady, puzzling.

"Now close you eyes," she said. "And try to feel it."

I close my eyes, my heart still wondering but it seems to calm down a little, not as agitated as before. I try to concentrate to feel something. After a while, I can really feel some tiny flow of air around me. It does comfort me and I can feel it more and more clearly. Now I have totally cooled down and my anxiety is gone. I eyes still keep closing, enjoying the light breeze softly caressing my body. I have never had this experience before, it is so wonderful.

I slowly opening my eyes. I body can still feel the breeze. The old lady is still sitting next to me, smiling.

"Feeling better now, isn't it?" she asked.

"Thanks." I nodded.

"It always work for me. Whenever I am getting mad on something I will use this method to calm down myself." she said. "The way you feel can actually control by your mind."

I thanks her again. And we start chatting happily. I tell her about my ballet practice and she tells me about her grandson. The heat doesn't bother me anymore.

And then the bus arrives.

~Ally

August, 2010

Dancing with the magical bubbles

I love blowing bubbles very much since I was small. 

I remembered Mom always get me a bottle of "Magic Water" whenever we went to park or beach or some countryside. By the time I really believe there was some "magic" added to the "water", before I actually find out the "formula" was no magic at all (water + washing powder + soda powder).

Well, maybe the "water" was not that magical, but the bubbles were, and they still are.
I enjoy the fun when blowing out the bubbles, watching them floating in the air up and down. I always try to chase them and catch them and then watching them vanish in the air. I can see the rainbow-like color of the bubbles, as the sun shining on them. That makes me happy.

Yes, there is so much fun watching the bubbles. And I will make wishes. I can imagine that every bubble carrying a tiny little wish of mine, floating high up in the sky. 

May all my little wishes come true, my little magical bubbles.

~Eve

Summer Serenity

On the little pond where water lilies grows,

the water and the sky are indistinguishable.

Lilies floating on water,

and ripples echoes together.

The sun is shining,

and the clouds show their linings.

The breeze gently caresses my body,

and I simply dancing quietly.

Silence is the greatest music to hear,

with this calm and peace my dear.

The mother nature is playing so sublimely,

this symphony of summer serenity.

My grandpa's croft is our camping site in summer. There is a pond of water lily blooming next to the house.  I dream I can dance on lotus leaves all the time with breeze swirling around. This is the peaceful leisure I desire and the little frog stands by me.

My friends, let's calm down and sense a moment of pure serenity in summer.

~ Kate

July 2010

I love you Daddy! Happy Father's Day!

Thank you Daddy.

Thanks for having an understanding heart,

Thanks for being my source of strength and of support

Thanks for your constant readiness to help and protect me.

Thanks for all your encouragement and forgiveness.

Thanks for always have time with me no matter how busy you are.

Dad, I am so proud to have a father like you.

~ Mia

Always remember to Smile!

Smile, is a powerful gift from god.


We smile, when we are happy.
We smile, when we show our love.
We smile, when we show our sympathy.
We smile, when we show confidence.
We smile, when we need the strength.


We smile, when we dance.


Always remember to smile. 
When you smile, it will empower you and everything will looks better.


- Kate


(We say goodbye to Charlie, and one day we will meet again.)

I showed Charlie my Arabesque!

This is me and Charlie this time!

I simply can't wait to show him the arabesque I have practiced for so many times.

I am so happy that he looks so amazed to my performance. It is really encouraging.

Yes, I will practice harder to become a true ballerina.

- Mia

P.S. I think it is quite hot there because Charlie is sweating. He uses his handkerchief to wipe his forehead many times.

Come on let's dance!

Dance, as if no one is watching.

Feeling so free, the mind and soul and body.

Join the rhythm and feel the freedom.

Everybody can dance.

Whether you dance good or not it doesn't matter, and why border.

Come on, come on. Let's dance together!

~ Ally

(I would like to dance with Charlie ... haha.)

Nice to meet you, Charlie!

The silver screen of black and white

You are the brightest star I like

In your films painted no color

but filled with endless sense of humor

No your voice cannot be hear

but you played so good my dear

Though it'd been almost a century

but you stay fresh in our memory

On the silver screen of black and white

You are the brightest star I like

~ Eve

May 2010

(Salute to Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin)

I love you Mom

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Holiday!

I love holidays. Well, I guess everybody else does.

But what I like about holidays is that you can always plan on how to spend them.

A holiday without planning is simply a waste and a holiday with a plan is much more fun. Yes, it is totally up to you.

No matter what you want to do, even planning to sleep for the whole day is still a plan.

You may easily think of many things you want to do, things that you don't have the time to do it during weekdays' routine life.

But, if you don't plan for your holidays, don't be surprised that they slipped away so easily.

So, grab them in your hand. Give your holidays a purpose.

- Eve

April 2010.

The Season of Cherry Blossom

A secret garden of cherry tree

blossoms whispering with the breeze

Petals flying while I am dancing

in serenity and tranquil peace

To set my heart free I think of thee

my secret garden of cherry tree

Inspired by the beautiful scenes of Sakura in Japan and the famous cherry blossoms in Washingston.

~ Mia, 2010 Spring

More about the Chinese New Year

The lion, a symbol of power, wisdom, and good fortune, chases away evil spirits and brings hapiness, longevity, and good luck.

The lion dance is usually accompanied by a musical ensemble consisting of a large chinese drum (called a da shih gu) played with two wooden mallets, a gong (called luo), and one or more sets of cymbals (called bo). The lion's dance is not choreographed to music; instead the musicians follow the lion's movements. Each of the lion's moods and moves has its own associated rhythm.

Firecrackers are widely used during Chinese New Year because it is believed the bright lights and the noise can scare away evil spirits like Nian. It was believed that Nian is a monster that would awake only during the Lunar New Year and would devour men and animals in its path. People used to light a pile of bamboos on Chinese New Year to scare away Nian. When gun powder was invented, it was added to the bamboos, causing loud bangs. With Nian and the other evil spirits scared off, it is believed that prosperity, good health and happy relationships will fill the year.

Lion Dance in the Year of Tiger

Different nations have different celebrations for New Year. Chinese do something special and traditional in Lunar New Year. We went to the China Town on the first day of Tiger Year and found the place was decorated as an antique street of China with a lot of purpose-built features. Joy and happiness filled up everywhere. All of us felt excited in such atmosphere.

My uncle asked if we interested to join the cruise of the lion dance for fun. Of course, we desired to play around in the show as well. Followed the regular lion dance, the four of us took over the stuffs and played our show. Kate leaded the lion's head and I held the tail. Ally played the drum without losing a meter. What amazing talent she has! Eve fired the firecracker boldly and it was the largest one I'd ever seen.

Fascinating time always go fast and remind us to cherish what we have, we experience and we laughing at... Let's dance like the tiger and lion, to be lively, strong and confident in the show.

At the beginning of Tiger Year, I bless all my friends to be: Everything come true as you wish, Nothing go wrong as you work.

-- Mia

Dancing on the cloud

We took a break from our practice during the Christmas and New Year Holidays. We were back to our ballet class last thursday. Well, I never thought that I will be missing the class so much. The tutu, the dance shoes, the music, the barre are looking just like my long missing friends.

You know what, sometimes I did think that the practice is so hard and so tiring and there were times that I didn't really want to go to the class. (That's true! ) But last thursday, when I put on my tutu and dance shoes I felt energized. I went in the practice room, looking at the dance floor, the mirrors and the barre, a sense of warmth just running through me.

And so the class began and the music started, and I felt like I am dancing on the cloud with a sacred light shining upon me. All the happiness, love and blessing feelings surrounded me.

"I really love this!", so I thought.

I told myself, whenever I feel like not going to the ballet class for whatever reason, I shall close my eyes and imagine myself dancing on the cloud.