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Russian Pointe Newsletter
February 2009
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 Greetings!
February is a month with different meanings to different people. For those in the north, it may be associated with endless snow and brutal cold, four more weeks to be endured before we start hoping for spring. For many in the dance world, it's a month filled with ballet competitions and auditions for summer programs. But one thing is consistent for all of us: we will see the country turn red for one day on February 14th, to celebrate and glorify love.
Love is an endless source of inspiration for artists, musicians, dancers, singers and writers. In fact, it may be the most powerful force for creativity, and countless examples throughout history show love's influence as an eternal and universal muse.
So many ballets are centered around love stories, which can draw us in to their energy and passion. Just as in real life, these stories are multifaceted (and sometimes even controversial). Think of the romantic and dreamy love of Prokofiev's Cinderella, or the forbidden and tragic love of his Romeo and Juliet. The confused and contradictory love of Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake or the charming and idealized love of his Sleeping Beauty. The passionate and seductive love of Minkus's Don Quixote, or the dramatic and heartbreaking love of Tchaikovsky's ballet version of Tolstoy's classic Anna Karenina.
Regardless of the outcome or the closing scene, there are moments in any love story that are enlightening, enriching and elevating. The energy and excitement of being in love, or of being swept away by a love story, urge us to rise above the everyday and see the world in a different light.
Whether we are witnessing romantic love on stage or find ourselves in our own romance, let us celebrate love's magic and glory. And, even aside from romance, let us celebrate love in all its forms and dimensions.
Aleksandra Efimova,
President |
 Parents' Guide
Russian Pointe's new Parents' Guide is in print! Comprehensive and easy to understand, it answers 16 frequently-asked questions about beginning pointe work, and includes a two-page glossary, fitting diary and frameable certificate for the first fitting.
Professionally written and beautifully designed, the Guide features delightful new photographs of young dancers with Aleksandra Efimova.
This unique educational resource will be provided to parents in the Chicago area by Russian Pointe Dance Boutique, and distributed to authorized retailers for their clientele throughout the country. | |
 Coming Events
Quarterly pointe-fitting seminar
Russian Pointe Dance Boutique
February 7-8
Retailers: Enhance and refine your fitting skills in this in-depth and enjoyable seminar. New for the February seminar: a comprehensive take-home fitting manual! Click here to learn more.
Toast on the Magnificent Mile
Russian Pointe Dance Boutique
February 14
 Celebrate Valentine's Day at the Boutique with sparkling beverages and Russian chocolates, plus the exciting unveiling of the new love-inspired Russian Pointe tee and a raffle for tickets to "Movin' Out" and Riverdance!
Raffle sponsored by 
SEDRA trade show
Orlando, FL
February 15-16
Southeast Dance Retailers Association trade show. For advance appointments with Russian Pointe, contact Stephanie Unger: 312-332-7200
stephanie@russianpointe.com.
Russian Pointe fitting seminar with Aleksandra Efimova: Sunday the 15th at 11 am.
Russian Pointe on the road
February 16
Everything Dance, in Cary, NC, will host the next Russian Pointe on-the-road seminar and trunk show. All welcome, for an informative seminar and personal pointe fitting with Russian Pointe! (Retailers: learn more about on-the-road seminars here.)
DRN Exposition
Las Vegas
February 22-24
Don't miss Russian Pointe at the exciting DRN Expo, booth 418!
Personal appearance and fittings
Peter Kern, president of Werner Kern
Russian Pointe Dance Boutique
February 27
 The Boutique is thrilled to welcome Peter Kern back to the Boutique! Fittings in Werner Kern's exquisite ballroom shoes will be by appointment from 10 am to 6 pm. Refreshments for the occasion will include wine and champagne.
NEDR trade show
West Springfield, MA
March 8-9
Northeast Dance Retailers' 11th annual trade show.
Russian Pointe fitting seminar with Aleksandra Efimova: Sunday the 8th at 10 am. |
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| Russian Pointe tees
for wholesale purchase
The wait is over! Russian Pointe tees will be presented for wholesale purchase at the February trade shows. Retailers may order the chic and flattering original tees, as well as the new, whimsical love-inspired design.
View the original tees online. |
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Russian Pointe Quiz
What ballet romance made its American orchestral debut in Chicago in 1937, a year before it was ever staged as a ballet, and over 30 years before its first staging by an American ballet company?
Read other Russian Pointe Quiz questions and answers here. |
| Kryolan
Professional Make-up Seminar at Boutique
 Chicago-area make-up artists were introduced to Kryolan's amazing new High Definition
make-up at Russian Pointe Dance Boutique on January 26. Kryolan instructor Dominic Cruz demonstrated the make-up in two seminars, for participants including artists from Cirque du Soleil, and the A&E series with Patrick Swayze, "The Beast."
Kryolan created the new line of finely pigmented make-up specifically for high-definition television, although its qualities make it suitable for anyone looking for a natural yet precise finish.
Russian Pointe artist Elizaveta Efimova got first-hand experience with the High Definition make-up. "It blended and morphed beautifully with the skin, instead of sitting on top. And less is more with this make-up. It only took a small amount," to cover the skin, she said.
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Focus: pointe shoe longevity
Pointe shoe replacement can get expensive. But that's not the only reason we want them to last as long as possible. Who wants their shoes to "die" just after they reach a state of supportive comfort so ideal that we feel as if we could conquer the world on pointe?
Freelance ballerina Anne-Sophie Rodriguez expressed it this way, in the October issue of the Newsletter: "I want them to last (because) I get attached to individual pairs!"
Fortunately, most dancers find Russian Pointes noticeably long-lasting. That's partly because of their top-quality materials and brilliant construction. But it's also about the fit.
"When a pointe shoe fits precisely, it isn't as subject to wearing out," explains president Aleksandra Efimova. "With a mediocre fit, or with the wrong style or strength shank, the dancer has to stress the shoe in order to break it in. This naturally shortens the lifespan of the shoe."
The bottom line: start with high-quality shoes and get the most precise fit possible. Then follow basic shoe-care principles to make the most of each pair of pointe shoes. |
Make them last!
To get the most out of that great pair of shoes, the key word is "dry." Moisture is inevitable while you dance, but try to keep them dry at other times. Here's how:
- Buy two pairs at once, so that each can dry at least 24 hours between wearings.
- Never put damp pointe shoes into a bag full of other items.
- Use a mesh bag whenever possible.
- Always remove toe pads and store separately from the shoes.
- Don't squash the shoes, especially when they're damp.
- You don't need shapers or special drying materials or methods. Just set your shoes out in the normal air. If they get flattened while damp, simply slip them briefly onto your feet, to restore their shape as they dry.
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