Our Savior has come!!

Merry Christmas from JumpwithJoy!!!  May you dance with joy because our savior is born and we are set free!

Today we celebrate the birth of Christ the King - our SAVIOR!!!  If that's not a reason to dance, I don't know what is. :)

Merry CHRISTMAS!!

"Look to God that you may be radiant with joy" Psalm 34:6

Love,
Mandy

Barre Stretch!

I don't know about you, but my ballet class has a set barre stretch that we do at every class every week.  It's a nice rest after a difficult barre, and since it's the same each week, I don't have to think a whole ton about it, just sort of count and breath.  It's great after a difficult barre--or an easy one for that matter--it just feels great.

 Here is where I found another blessing: I can pray during barre stretch!  It's the perfect time to re-give your dancing to the Lord and to refocus while you dance.  It's calming and grace-filled - a present from God!

Pray during your barre stretch - it's a gift from God!!!

The joy of the Lord is my strength!

Mandy

P.S.  Another thing about a barre stretch: I personally think that you should always purposefully life your foot onto the barre during barre stretch.  Even just a 2 count develope, or a releve lent or anything rather than the lift-and-flop method.  Even after a hard barre, you owe it to yourself to make you dancing that much more polished.  Just my opinion there for y'all. P

Pics found on pinterest and tumblr :)

Who are you dancing for???

The countdown to the Nutcracker has started.  Only a few weeks away!!  Everyone is feverishly practicing and preparing for the show.  You can't let the choreographer down, or your family who is coming to watch, not to mention your entire audience who actually paid to watch you dance.  No pressure, right?

Oh-- and then there's dance class and school and Christmas shopping and homework and you actually need to sleep at some point too.....

This season is so great and so stressful.  I'm really excited to be in the Nutcracker, but I'm nervous too.  I want to do my absolute best, but I also have to do all of the stuff mentioned above.  Stress and excitement levels are really high.

So here's something to think about while you're running around during this season of preparation: dance for Jesus alone.  In your dance of life (homework, school stuff, sports, sleep, eating, etc), do it for Jesus.  He's the One who cares the most and matters the most, and He will give you a reason to keep dancing your life when you feel ready to drop.

And in your dance life, try this: dance for Him alone.  In class, during rehearsal, dance for the King of Kings.  Don't worry about the others; do your best for the One who matters!

I'm going to try this, and I think it's going to be difficult to remember and do at first, but I want to find true peace and joy during Nutcracker, class, and everything.

Jesus, I want to dance for You alone today.  Be with me and give me strength, Jesus, as I live for You!

The joy of the Lord is my strength!

Mandy

Beautiful for Me

This amazing song by Nichole Nordeman was the credits song of VeggieTales' Sweat Pea Beauty.  Don't be put off because it's VeggieTales, this song is meant for you.  I think that we dancers need to remember this over and over, because we are aiming for beauty and perfection and as human beings, perfection is really, really hard to achieve.  We are beautiful because we were created by God.  He is working in us to glorify Him with the beauty we make by dancing, even when it's not perfect in our eyes.

This song says the truth.  I pray that you can receive it as you dance the Divine Dance!

The joy of the Lord is my strength!

-Mandy

Don't Limit Yourself!

Have you ever heard someone tell you not to limit yourself to a double? Or a triple, or whatever you're used to doing?  My teacher told us to stay in releve the entire time we're turning so that we can see where we are falling, because dancers often automatically drop out of a pirouette just because they are used to stopping, not because they are done with the turn.

Today I read from two different sources about the power of expectations.  The Word Among Us said, "Don't limit what God can do for you, in you, and through you.  Life with him is full of surprises!"  So it's the same with God?  In One Thousand Gifts Ann Voskamp, went as so far to say, "Expectations kill relationships--especially with God" (169).

Wow.  Today I don't want to limit myself to what I expect from God, or to a double pirouette.  It won't be easy, and I won't do it perfectly, but I think it's what God wants of me today.  Are you with me?

"He must increase but I must decrease." -John 3:30

-Mandy

P.S.  The dancer in above video does a great job of pulling up during her whole turn.  This is key for multiple pirouettes!!

Cupcake Day

This isn't a ballet post... balletic stuff will come soon :) but here's what I have for ya'll today:

Today is National Pro-Life Cupcake Day.

The point is to hand out cupcakes in remembrance of all of the kids in the world never had a birthday, who never got to eat a cupcake in celebration for their life.

Life is a precious gift that is being denied to many children.  Today we remember their would-have-been birthdays with a cupcake and a prayer.

Lord, thank you for the life that you have given us.  Please bring the souls of the babies that haven't had birthdays swiftly to you.  Lord, please bring an end to abortion.  We ask this in Your holy name, Amen.

Happy Dancer?

Hey look!  See it? a pretty dancer :)  Not surprised, are you?  What can I say?  I really like inspiring photos of beautiful dancers.

Oh look... there's another one. ;)

Ok - just one more:

Notice anything in particular about these dancers?  They're all smiling.

So? Here's a little story:

You just finished a difficult combination.  Panting hard, you follow your teacher's instructions and head to the center.  Guess what you get to do?  Jumps.  Hard, slow, jumps.

How do you get through it?  Well, here's one thing that helps me (with hard combo's and dances, unless, of course your teacher tells you not to): SMILE.

It helps!  Smiling helps relax your face and with your body relaxed it can be easier to work.  It won't solve all of your technique issues, but it will help you relax and make a difficult combo much more enjoyable.  It also looks polished and professional.

Try it - God loves a happy dancer. :)

The joy of the Lord is my strength!

-Mandy