Tonya Plank's Blog, page 7

Excited for ABT’s Nutcracker at Segerstrom!

I was so excited when it was announced months ago that my favorite ballet company, American Ballet Theater, will be performing its entire Nutcracker season at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts, in Orange County. I’ve so missed ABT since moving out of NY, and now I’ll get them for a whole two weeks! Alexei Ratmansky’s version of the classic is one of the best. And of course ABT has the greatest dancers around, in my admittedly very biased opinion

My faves, Marcelo Gomes and Veronika Part, will be opening the season. I’m also excited to see Misty Copeland in the lead, and Hee Seo.

If you’re in O.C., I hope to see you there!

Below is the just-announced casting:

Thursday, December 10, 7:30 p.m.

Veronika Part

Marcelo Gomes

Friday, December 11, 7:30 p.m.

Gillian Murphy

James Whiteside

Saturday, December 12, 2 p.m.

Isabella Boylston

Alban Lendorf

Saturday, December 12, 7:30 p.m.

Veronika Part

Marcelo Gomes

Sunday, December 13, 1 p.m.

Stella Abrera

Alexandre Hammoudi

Sunday, December 13, 6:30 p.m.

Gillian Murphy

James Whiteside

Tuesday, December 15, 7:30 p.m.

Hee Seo

Cory Stearns

Wednesday, December 16, 7:30 p.m.

Misty Copeland

Herman Cornejo

Thursday, December 17, 7:30 p.m.

Isabella Boylston

Alban Lendorf

Friday, December 18, 7:30 p.m.

Sarah Lane

Joseph Gorak

Saturday, December 19, 2 p.m.

Stella Abrera

Alexandre Hammoudi

Saturday, December 19, 7:30 p.m.

Misty Copeland

Herman Cornejo

Sunday, December 20, 1 p.m.

Hee Seo

Cory Stearns

Sunday, December 20, 6:30 p.m.

Sarah Lane

Joseph Gorak

Photo of Hee Seo and Cory Stearns by Gene Schiavone, courtesy of Segerstrom Center for the Arts.

My Favorite Dance-Based Workouts

I’m just not a gym-goer. I never have been. Even when I lived in an apartment complex with a small free gym for its tenants, I just didn’t go. Working out needs to be fun, and for that, I need to be in a class with other people and an entertaining teacher. And I love dance!

So was so happy when I moved to L.A. to find an absolute abundance of dance-based workout classes. There are a bazillion, and I tried practically all of them. My favorite quickly became Cardio Barre (pictured left).

It’s very ballet-based. One of my teachers actually calls it “ballet on crack!” It’s basic ballet – with tendus and grand battemants and deep plies and arabesque holds and kicks and releves for calf strengthening. They teach you what everything is when you take a class; you don’t have to know the terminology! But unlike a regular ballet class, this one adds, as the name implies, cardio. So you’re doing everything very fast to spiked-up pop music. In addition to burning off calories by working up a good sweat, the instructors teach you how to extend your lines and stretch and strengthen so that you’re toning your muscles as well as elongating them. So you build long, lean muscles – like a ballerina – instead of just bulk. I love it.

When I first moved to California I gained a lot of weight – about forty pounds! Basically all the sitting in cars and eating Mexican food. I was used to walking all around New York, and NY did not have very good Mexican food. I credit Cardio Barre with losing all of it. I’m serious. I dieted a little bit but I still ate what I wanted. It was the workout that made the difference. Plus, it just makes you feel pretty while you’re doing it – like a ballet dancer

Today, I had a teacher who had actually competed on the very first season of So You Think You Can Dance. She was really encouraging everyone, and handing out these words of wisdom about moving better and improving your body, and just about life in general. It reminded me of the yoga teacher in Maria Murnane’s delightful novel, Katwalk, about a young woman gaining courage to make big changes in her life – my favorite type of story. Part of her acquiring that courage came from a yoga teacher’s simple little words of advice before and during class. Like the classic hairdresser / therapist but teacher / therapist instead!

I’m also a big fan of LaBlast. This was founded by Louis van Amstel of Dancing with the Stars and is a Latin-dance-based workout. I love it for obvious reasons It’s kind of like Zumba but more Latin than Hip Hop. Not that I don’t find Hip Hop fun; it just doesn’t look as good on my body, or I just seem rhythmically challenged or something. I just like Latin better. So LaBlast is a lot of the Latin ballroom-based steps but with more cardio, kind of bouncier and done in sneakers rather than heels.

 

Third is hot yoga. I don’t know if yoga is officially dance-based but it always feels balletic to me with the stretching and strengthening, and even acrobatic in the more crazy poses. It’s just classic. Yoga always relaxes me – especially in a nice, darkly-lit studio, like the one I go to (Aura Yoga). I can really clear my mind when I’m cocooned in that little room, in those deep stretches. And the poses build a lot of core strength, which is so important to prevent injury when you dance or do other kinds of workouts, or just in everyday life, lifting things and whatnot. The more strength you have in your center – your abdominal muscles – the less stress you put on your back or hips. I always love stretching and the feeling of lengthening my muscles. And if the room is heated to 85 degrees or above, you can go really deep in to those stretches. Plus, being from AZ, I love heat

Did I miss anything? Do you have any favorite workout?

Who Took the Dance Out of Stripping?

I recently saw Magic Mike XXL and, though I generally loved it – the endearing actors, the engaging characters, the setting – it’s just a generally fun movie – I have to say, compared to the first Magic Mike, I just thought something was missing. And it wasn’t the plot. Who really cares about such things in a movie like this! You see it for the aforesaid. No, it was the dancing that was missing for me. The first movie was filled with fun, interesting, well-choreographed routines, many of which kept you on the edge of your seat wondering what was going to happen next. And Channing Tatum’s hip hop acrobatics were both mouth-watering and thrilling. It seemed like the  performances in XXL consisted mainly of the guys shaking their booties, and crotches, in the women’s faces, and not a whole lot more.

Yet it mirrored what I’ve recently seen in Vegas. NOT that I’m any expert on male strip shows, but I’ve been going to this romance novel convention there for the past couple of years and the man who founded it has a friend who choreographs for male revues. The choreographer, who’s also a dancer, creates a little show for the convention’s attendees, and also invites us to his formal revues off the strip. Last year’s performance, which he made for the cover model “casanovas” at the convention had a lot of the Magic Mike-esque routines performed on a raised stage by the men. Then, he performed his own routine and he did all these amazing gymnastic stunts, flipping over and atop the female romance novelist brave enough to participate. It was jaw-dropping; it completely wowed all of us  – you could tell by the noise the audience made. But then, he invited us to his show this year, and it was mostly just the men working the audience, giving individual lap dances and gyrating in women’s faces. I figured they might have taken the gymnastic feats out for liability purposes. But most of the fun group numbers were gone too.

So, I was excited to see XXL. And then disappointed. It was the same as the show I’d just seen. So is this how strip shows are these days? Is this what women are wanting?

I remember going to Chippendales when I was younger, and that was full of actual choreographed dancing – cleverly arranged numbers, amazing movement, and, yes, stunning bodies. But the hot bodies without the artistry of the dance are just somehow not as hot.

During an interview for the original Magic Mike, Channing Tatum reflected on differences he saw between male and female strip club goers. He said men tend to take it more seriously, actually thinking or hoping they may get a date with the stripper, whereas women know it’s all just for fun. I think another difference is that women want artistry. During the Vegas show I kept thinking how I wanted the guys to stop shaking their crotches in my face and go up on stage and dance – a thought I’m sure no man in a strip club has ever had! I dunno. That’s what I think anyway. Maybe other women are different and really enjoy the lap dances and that’s what these shows and movies now are catering to…

FEVER Blog Tour Begins Today!

 

Hey Everyone!

My FEVER blog tour begins today! Please feel free to visit any of the stops (listed under the “Follow the Tour” tab via the link). There will be excerpts posted of my favorite scene in Book 2 of the series – the one where things really begin to heat up between Sasha and Rory! And you’ll have several chances to win a paperback copy of Book 2 (The eBook version of Book 1 is currently free in most online book stores, so you can easily read the first one if you want to get caught up for Book 2). There will also be some interviews, and some reviews of Book 1. The tour is on until August 21st.

I hope to see you along the way

More About READING ALLEY

Hey everyone,

I wrote earlier about this new website called Reading Alley, where avid readers can get free digital copies of books in exchange for an honest review. I now have some more information, and did a little interview with them, below.

They’re having their grand opening this summer, so if you register now, there are lots of games and challenges where you can win prizes. And if you’re a writer you can sign up for an account and submit digital copies of your book for review. It’s basically a fun community of readers and writers! I received one of my most enthusiastic reviews yet for Fever

What Are Your Favorite Dance / Romance Movies?

I wrote an earlier post on dance books you should read. Now that this absolutely wonderful Goodreads review – which totally made my day! – suggested that Fever should be made into a movie (thank you so much, reviewer Lillian – my dream!) and mentioned the film, Save the Last Dance, I felt like I should do a post on dance movies I’ve loved over the years. I have to admit, I haven’t seen Save the Last Dance (though I will), and I’m sure I missed other good ones back when I was studying for the bar exam or something crazy, and therefore living in a hole.

Anyway, here are some of my favorites:

Strictly Ballroom by Baz Lurhmann.

I found this a wickedly funny comedy ridiculing the stringent rules of ballroom dancing and how dancers can be punished by the powers that be at these championships for thinking – or stepping – outside of the box. But it also has some of the best paso doble I’ve ever seen, and a sweet little romance to boot. When I started dancing I went out and rented it. I remember trying to see if I could name all the samba steps they were doing in the opening scene. And I remember being madly in love with the male lead – Paul Mercurio

 

Shall We Dance

I actually saw the first, Japanese version before I ever began dancing and found it so charming and sweet. I thought the storyline actually had more resonance in that version than the American one because of the more ascetic nature of Japanese society – i.e.: it’s a lot more shocking and scandalous for a Japanese business and family man to be discovered taking ballroom dancing lessons at night than it is for an American. But I liked the American version anyway, mainly because of all the actors: Richard Gere, JLo, and Susan Sarandon. And I found it funny when, on re-watching it, I realized the actor who won the Golden Globe for playing that horrid gangster on Boardwalk Empire – Bobby Cannavale – also played the fun gay guy in this movie! And of course it’s fun to see Tony Dovolani of Dancing With the Stars rip Stanley Tucci’s toupee off. Imagine that, Tony Dovolani as the meany Even though there are no steamy love scenes in this one, I love how dancing rekindles the main character’s relationship with his wife.

Dance with Me

This is another one I rented through Netflix after starting ballroom. Vanessa Williams is a really amazing dancer. I was jealous of her crazy fast cha-chas around that pole in the beginning. And Chayanne’s character was really hot! Also, I have to say, part of why I love this one so is that I recognized so many dancers I’ve seen – and some of whom I now know – in the competition scenes toward the end. Always fun to see people you know in a movie, even if they’re basically extras!

 

 

Silver Linings Playbook

Ditto for this one. Yes, I know it’s not really a dance film per se, but a large part of the denouement takes place at a dance competition. Both of those couples that JLaw and Bradley Cooper competed with in the end are high-ranking competitors in national and international championships. I was so excited to recognize them. The standard ballroom couple  – Zhan Paulovich and Svetlana Roosiparg – I once sat next to on the train from Manchester to Blackpool on my first trip to that festival. They’re Russian so I couldn’t understand any of what they said, but I was excited to find them on the dance floor later in the week and discover how magical they were. And the male partner in the Latin couple – Tal Livshitz – used to train with his former partner in my old studio. I always thought he was so driven and very talented. He later changed partners to the one he danced with in the movie – Vlada Semenova- and went on to become amateur champions with her. I was so excited the filmmakers actually gave her a speaking role. So she was more than an extra! I was giddy the whole way home from the theater!

Sorry, just have to post a little pic of them

 

 

 

The Step Up films

I’ve only seen a couple of these. I must see all of them, especially the first one with Channing Tatum and his wife, Jenna Dewar. No, I can’t believe I haven’t seen it. Of the ones I have seen, I most like Step Up: Revolution. I watched So You Think You Can Dance the season Kathryn McCormick placed in second and I really loved her. I thought she danced beautifully in the movie and did a pretty good acting job as well. And I always love Peter Gallagher. Both the romance and the overall socio-political aspect of the story I thought were very compelling. FYI: I interviewed tWitch Boss for the Huffington Post about his role in Step Up 3D!

 

Center Stage

I know, I know, pure unadulterated cheese. But I was a fan of Ethan Stiefel and Sascha Radetsky and Julie Kent when they all were with American Ballet Theater, and I remember loving Ilia Kulik back when he won the Olympics for figure skating, so I couldn’t help but be enamored with it anyway. There isn’t a central romance, but there are lot of relationships going on, so I’m going to say it has romantic elements

 

 

 

Dirty Dancing

My very favorite. I loved the professional dancers, and all that sultry dancing in the opening scene, the music – every single song, Patrick Swayze – duh! And I loved the scenes of him teaching Jennifer Grey how to mambo, with all that beneath-the-surface smoldering sexiness. Who doesn’t want Patrick Swayze to teach them how to mambo? And that bird lift at the end, when she finally gets to soar, is now iconic, as made clear by Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone in Crazy Stupid Love But mostly I love the larger story elements – finally getting your chance to shine after living in your supposedly prettier, supposedly more accomplished sister’s shadow, falling in love with the person your family deems beneath you and trying endlessly to get them to understand and accept, the assumptions people from one socio-economic group make about those from another, the way dancers are demeaned by the upper-classes – they still often are. And even though it doesn’t end in a happily ever after romance-wise, he gives her what she needs, changes her forever. She knows her worth and has the conviction to stand up for herself now.

That’s all I can think of for now. I have to go watch Save the Last Dance. Did I miss any other great ones?

Launch Day!

So, today marked the launch of my Fever series! I had a really nice day. I am so thankful for all my friends who made it such a success – all the wonderful people in three  different writers’ groups I belong to, one of them filled mainly with mystery writers, who all nevertheless bought and touted my romance novel on social media

And I’m really grateful to my friend, literary publicist Liz Donatelli for all of her awesome support! I’m super excited to read at her upcoming Book’d in Burbank event.

I would also like to give particular thanks to Debra Eckerling, the leader of one of the above-mentioned writers’ groups, for giving me the opportunity to do an early interview about the series for her Write On! newsletter. I had so much fun yapping on and on about ballroom dancing and writing and romance and self-publishing. I didn’t realize how much I had to say!

I’m also super appreciative of all of my friends in general, who aren’t writers and who don’t necessarily read romance, and still bought Book One

Reading Alley Has Launched!

For fans of romance, and some other genres, Reading Alley officially launched yesterday. This is a site where you can get free ebook review copies of books in exchange for an honest review. I’ll be writing in more detail about the site later, but for now check it out! For the next three months, they’ll have some fun contests and prizes in honor of their launch. And you can sign up for free. And, yes, Book One in the Fever series is listed, if you wish to review it

“Love Between the Covers” Movie Premiere!

If you’re one of the bazillions of fans of romance novels, there’s a new documentary film about to hit the circuit called “Love Between the Covers.” Director Laurie Kahn interviews over a four-year period several romance authors and their fans, as well as many industry professionals, about what makes romance the most fascinatingly vibrant, and by far the best-selling genre in fiction.

The movie’s getting awesomely rave reviews! I particularly like this one, from Marsha Lederman in “The Globe and Mail:”

“It’s easy to dismiss this H.E.A. (Happily Ever After) literature, but the film surprises with its feminist message: Romance fiction is sneered at, we’re told, because it’s written by, read by, and is about women. This is the one place where you will consistently find women’s sexuality treated fairly and positively. As one author puts it: “You can have sex without dying horribly, which I thought was a plus.”

It’s having its premiere at the Los Angeles Film Festival, and I definitely plan to be there. If you come to the LA screenings, Kahn’s is giving away gift baskets full of – what else – romance books

If you can’t be at the premiere, visit the movie’s website to check it out and see where it’ll be showing near you. There’s so much cool info on their site – I honestly spent quite a while clicking through it all!

Arunas & Katusha, Blackpool Champs Again!

I’m mainly a Latin girl, but these two have really given me an appreciation for standard ballroom as well. I really think they’re the closest thing we have to a contemporary Fred and Ginger. They’re not just technical perfection, they’re fun to watch as well. He’s so charming and she’s so elegant.

Anyway, they’ve just won the pro standard ballroom championship at Blackpool, now for the sixth time. And they’re the first American couple to have done so.

Left is a photo I took of them at the Manhattan Dancesport Championships when they first started dancing together, and below are a couple of more recent videos I love. The first is a quickstep – my favorite of the standard dances. (And I love how they’ve altered Heart of Glass by Blondie!) And the second is a beautiful, romantic waltz. With her in that gorgeous white dress, she kind of looks like a bride. How’d you like that to be your wedding dance! Enjoy