Releasing Facial Toxins

Facial Steaming

Make-up, eating chocolate, dirty fingers or even just regular sweat are all major factors to dirty blocked pores. We all try our best to wash off most of the thick make up with wipes or chemicals but yet we are not properly cleaning out the bacteria from our skin. 

Facial steaming is a simple and effective way of opening the sensitive pores and flushing out the dead cells. Steaming is also an easy at home DIY procedure just in a matter of 5-10 minutes. If you are one that is prone to break outs or acne, this weekly maintenance will prevent any build up of dirt or bacteria. 

There are other benefits from using heat on the face such as stimulating blood circulation and releasing sweat allowing to wash away any more toxins from the system. 

SIMPLE PROCEDURE:

• Prepare your skin by washing off the make up or moisturiser from the pores and tie all the hair back from the face. 
• Boil the water and pour into a medium bowl. You will require a towel to cover your head and bowl, keeping in the steam. 
• Lean over the bowl with the towel over your head for 5 - 7 minutes.
• Lightly wash off the sweat and softly pat dry your face. 
• Moisturising after steaming will keep the skin hydrated. 

*Keeping in mind, 5-7 minutes is enough time exposed to heat before the skin will dry out. Another handy tip is to hold your face approximately 12cm away from the water. Being too close can harm sensitive skin and can scald the surface of the skin. 

You may want spice it up with some fragrance. By adding in essential oils such as lavender, sandalwood or eucalyptus. The additional oils don't add any benefits for the skin but allows for better relaxation as you inhale the steam. 

This simple beauty tip helps the skin during competition season with wearing the heavy stage make-up after a few days or weeks. Try it at home after a big day of rehearsals. Happy Dancing Xx 

Competition season

Competition Season

The fun and exciting season of dance is just around the corner. This is the time to show off the talent you and your dance team have been working hard for. There is a lot of preparation to go into eisteddfods, hours of practicing and hours behind the scenes getting costumes spic and spam for the spot light. 

One thing that is commonly left to the last minute is make-up preparation. Ordinary daily make-up is not going to cut it for the hours wearing it on stage. A dancer's make-up wants to be longer lasting and noticeable. It is well worth it for the competition season to invest in the right quality make-up to eliminate time touching up. When building your make-up kit, you'll want to look for 
           BOLD & BRIGHT  

colours. Also double up on mascara, eyeliners or even lipstick. You'll be surprised how much mascara you go through. 

Dancing for hours all day, all weekend at these competitions can be tiring and exhausting for little bodies. The costumes and dance routines are important but not nearly as important as your health and nutrition. A big breakfast full of protein and fruit will help fuel your muscles for the day ahead. Remembering to keep up the hydration with water through out day. Snacks can be tricky, as you don't want to be feeling heavy for the next dance. Bananas & apples or carrot sticks can help keep you full as well as nuts and popcorn. Your body has worked all day and what better way to finish off the day with one of mums delicious dinner recipes. 

Hope to see you all ready and full of energy for the competition season. 

Happy Dancing Xx

How to relax over Christmas

Relaxing over Christmas, without losing form.

Keeping up with your fitness over summer is very important but so is RELAXING! You've worked hard all year, busting your gut over eisteddfods and exams and concerts; you deserve a little break!
It can be very hard changing your mindset as we come into Christmas where chocolate, cake and biscuits seems to be the only food in the house. All year you've maintained a healthy balanced diet and now it

seems to be going to shreds, BUT this is okay. Christmas happens once a year, take the opportunity to reward yourself for all your hard work and know that one (or two) days of eating like Queens and Kings will NOT have any long term repercussions. Remember that Christmas cake is essentially dried fruit with a tiny bit of egg and flour to stick it together. A roast dinner is a good source of protein with a lot of vegetables available.

The flip side is exercise. Flexibility and strength work are important to keep up with over summer, but there is no need to be excessive. Do exercise to your hearts content, Do what makes you happy but Don't let it become the focus.
Pick up a summer hobby that is fitness but a lot of fun, maybe something you wouldn't normally have time to do in the rest of year due to dancing. Take some skating lessons, or ice skating lessons if your area offers it. On the Sunshine Coast, we have a trampoline facility (a very large room with floors and walls entirely covered with trampolines. Or maybe pick up a fun dance class over summer - if you've never done Hip hop, consider that class, etc. or even a gymnastics class, a silks acro class or a Pilates class. Keeping up your fitness is important, but not at the expense of enjoying your summer. Another idea is to do this fun exercise with friends/family who aren't from dancing, for a change.

It all comes down to your attitude, are you avoiding Christmas cookies because you genuinely don't like them? Are you hammering yourself everyday because the energy makes you feel alive? Or are you looking over the next few weeks with dread?

Holidays are coming...

It's ok, holidays are coming...

Ok so term 2 is nearly over and I bet all you dancers are getting pretty sore, tired and ready for a break. Your bodies might be under a bit of pressure from intensive dancing in preparation for upcoming exams and eisteddfods, so you need to make sure you looking after body in every possible way.

As your feet are doing a lot of work, when you come home from dancing of a night massage your feet and give them a good rest. Here is a link for tips and trick about foot care. http://showtimedancewear.blogspot.com.au/2013/09/dancers-feet.html

Now all those back bend and walk over can make your back cramp a little, So to release some tension in your back do a few of these stretches found in the following link. http://showtimedancewear.blogspot.com.au/2014/06/sore-back-after-class-you-need-to-make.html

Fueling your body is very important so in this link you will find how to make a Super Smoothie, which is great for a ‘pick me up’ when you’re on the go. http://showtimedancewear.blogspot.com.au/2014/05/super-smoothies.html

Last of all make sure you are getting a good night sleep! Studies show that a good night's sleep improves learning, helps you pay attention, make decisions, be creative and that when your body does most of its recovery and repair. 

Sore Back Relief

Sore back?

After class you need to make sure you stretch out your back especially from all the back bends and walkovers you do. Below you will find a few stretches that you can do at the end of your lesson. 

Hug Your Knees - Lie on your back. Grab your knees, pull them toward your chest and breathe. Slowly push your lower back into the floor. Repeat this a several times.

Side Knee Drop - Lie on your back. Grab your knees, pull them toward your chest and breathe, Hold onto your knees with one hand/arm and extend the other arm onto the floor. Gently drop your knees to the opposite side. Breathe and switch sides. Repeat several times.

Traditional Toe Touch - Keeping your knees straight roll down and touch your toes. If touching your toes is now too easy wrap your arms around your legs and bring your chest to your knees. Then release and roll back up through your spin. Repeat several times.

A little trick to relax your body, lay on your back, bend your knees and feet flat on the ground. Make sure feet are apart so you can rest your knees against each other. Wrap your arms around your neck until your hands are resting on the ground. Lay in this position for as long as you want maybe even put on some relaxing music as you do this. 

Dancer's Tips and Tricks: The Perfect Bun

The Perfect  Bun

The Bun Enhancer is a great tool to use to quickly and easily throw your hair up into a bun. It only takes 6 steps and is very similar to the Bun Doughnut. Instead of wasting time fiddling with pins and bun covers, the Bun Enhancer does the job and is extremely versatile (Look for the steps down below!) Want a clean smooth bun for your ballet classes, simply twist the Enhancer tighter. Need a loose stylish bun for that Jazz routine or night out with the girl? Leave the twisting looser.

Step 1: Pull your hair back securely into a pony tail, at the height you want your bun to sit

Step 2: Open the gap in the Bun Enhancer and pull your hair through and close the gap tightly.

Step 3: Lift both ends of the enhancer and slide it through your hair until it reaches the end (but don’t pull to far or you’ll pull it off!)

Step 4: When it’s at the end of your hair, hold both ends, and twist it downwards until you reach your scalp

Step 5: Twist the ends of the Bun Enhancer into a round shape, adjusting as you need.

Step 6: Even the distribution of your hair around the Enhancer until you can’t see the Enhancer and you are happy with how it looks. Bobby pin if there are loose strands.

You now have a fabulous bun that can be modified for all different occasions! Try braiding part of your hair and pulling it into a side bun for a shabby chic look or pull up high on the head for a more sleek appearance. Most importantly, chuck it in your dance bag for those days when there doesn’t seem to be enough time to do your hair before class!

(The Bun Enhancers are available from Showtime in Blonde and Brown)

Here an awesome video to help if you’re having any troubles!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-1H6vYzgqs