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My Triplet Ballerinas: Triplet Teenagers! Part 1

Guest Blogger: Megan J.

My triplet ballerinas are my triplet daughters, Makenna Anne, Jaeli Jo and Maysie Jailyn. These triplets will be turning 13 in just a couple months! Teenagers can be tough, especially three girls at once. Their unique bond can’t be denied, but, when they are around each other for too long, they tend to fight more than usual. Their personalities are all quite different so sometimes they clash. The drama between them can be unbearable at times but it is fascinating to see how much they are changing as time goes on, becoming three beautiful young ladies. They won’t admit it, but they are sometimes lost without the other.

Makenna is the most mature by far but with that comes the attitude! It is her way or no way. She wants what she wants, when she wants it, or she gets upset. I have been trying to teach her that if she wants me to go out of my way to do something for her, then she needs to respect my wishes and do things for me when I ask. Makenna used to be so good at helping and keeping her room clean. Now, as a teenager, she has the messy room, and I don’t see her very often. But she has always been very independent and does the best of the three girls at making friends.

Jaeli is my worrier and the most sensitive. This girl worries more than anyone I have ever met. She cares so deeply about what people think and puts herself down too much. Getting her to understand that the world is not against her and she needs to not worry so much has been a struggle, but I think we are slowly getting there. Jaeli has been put into some tough situations that she was afraid of entering, then once she pushed herself and did it, she realized it wasn’t as bad as she thought. Hopefully, as time goes on, she will realize it doesn’t matter what people think about her so long as she stays true to herself.

Maysie is, and probably always will be, my drama queen. Of the three girls, she is also my pleaser. She goes out of her way to make me happy. She usually does what I ask… although sometimes with hesitation. She prefers to be alone and do her own thing. Maysie tries to be carefree most of the time, which I love about her, but she tends to hold in her feelings and then they all come out at once and it is the end of the world! We are working on it though, trying to push her to treat others how she wants to be treated and to show she cares by going out of her way to make others feel special…not just her mom!  

Look for Triplet Teenagers! Part 2 by Megan J. on May 14, 2021

A Ballerina Book: Angelina Ballerina – “Angelina’s Best Friend Dance”

“Angelina’s Best Friend Dance” is another book in the “Angelina Ballerina” series of children’s books. This book was inspired by “Angelina Ballerina” author Katharine Holabird and illustrator Helen Craig. It was published in 2015 by Grosset & Dunlap, Penguin Young Readers Group.

“Angelina’s Best Friend Dance” is a cute story about best friends who love to dance together. I was excited to find so many similarities in this book to my children’s book, “The Triplet Ballerinas”. In this book, Angelina Ballerina is excited Spring has arrived and is twirling and leaping outside in the sunshine. She is looking forward to the upcoming “Spring Dance Recital” (in “The Triplet Ballerinas”, triplet sisters, Annie, Julie and Macie, are excited for the “Spring Ballet Show”). Angelina ends up getting the lead role in the recital and her friend, Alice, is her understudy. They decide to just have fun with their shared role and practice every day for the recital. ““Look how high I can leap!” cries Angelina”. “”And watch how fast I can twirl,” says Alice.” I love how these familiar words are sprinkled throughout this book just like in “The Triplet Ballerinas”. Beverly

Ballerinas: Pas de bourrée

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Pas de bourrée is a classical ballet term meaning “beating steps”. It takes its name from a 17th century French dance called bourrée. It is a transitional movement in ballet in which the dancer transfers body weight quickly from foot to foot. It is usually executed on the points of the toes and has three quick little steps in the middle of the move that have to be fitted into one count of music.

There are many different pas de bourrée. The name of each one tells the dancer how to move her feet. For example, in pas de bourrée derriére, the dancer closes the same foot behind her every time and in pas de bourrée piqué, the dancer picks up or lifts her legs. The pas de bourrée is also a very common step in jazz dance and is used for transitions or traveling. Beverly

Ballerinas: Port de bras

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Port de bras (pawr duh –bra) or ports de bras (French for “carriage of the arms”) is a classical ballet term describing the movement of the arms. It is the way a dancer holds and uses her arms from one position to another. A beginning ballerina may first practice her port de bras at the barre before she moves to the center of the room.

In a proper port de bras, a dancer will move her arms from her back and shoulders while trying to move as smoothly as possible. In classical ballet, the arms are never fully straight. In contemporary ballet, port de bras generally always look coordinated with the lower half of the body and still look balletic in nature (no excess tension in the arms). The term “port de bras” also includes the position and movement of the head in relation with the arms. A “grand port de bras” is when a dancer bends while moving their arms. Beverly

A Ballerina Book: Angelina Ballerina – “Angelina’s Baby Sister”

“Angelina’s Baby Sister” is another book in the “Angelina Ballerina” series of children’s books. The story is by Katharine Holabird and the illustrations are by Helen Craig.

In this “Angelina Ballerina” story, Angelina is excited there will soon be a new baby in the family. When Miss Lilly gives Angelina a beautiful china statue as a prize at ballet school, she suggests Angelina makes up a dance to welcome the new baby. Angelina is happy to come home to a new baby sister, Polly. Her happiness turns to sadness though when no one gives her the attention she needs to show them her statue and dance. This is a classic story told with incredibly detailed illustrations. Beverly

Look for more Angelina Ballerina books in the months ahead.

My Triplet Ballerinas: A Triplet Inspiration

My triplet ballerinas are my triplet grand-daughters, Makenna, Jaeli and Maysie. It was very easy to dedicate “The Triplet Ballerinas” to them. The dedication says, “For my triplet granddaughters, Makenna, Jaeli and Maysie, who inspire me each and every day“. This is so true.

When I started writing a children’s book almost 6 years ago, I had no idea what to write about. After a dog came to our house one Fall day, lost from a hunter, I thought maybe this would be a good story for a picture book. I couldn’t make that story work, but then I was inspired with writing about the triplets. Write what you know. The earliest versions of “The Triplet Ballerinas” though involved horse poop(!) and only one triplet as a main character. Thanks to a terrific author critique I received, my one triplet main character became three triplet main characters and it evolved from there.

Back then, the triplets were of an age (around 6 years old) that they would have really enjoyed reading and sharing this picture book. Even though, by the time the book was published, they had left picture books behind and entered chapter books, they still love that I wrote a picture book inspired by them and dedicated to them. Beverly

Ballerinas: Battements

Battement (“beating”) in ballet is a movement in which the foot is extended in any direction usually followed by a beat against the supporting foot. One leg is moved outward from the body and then in again, alternating side to side of the working leg. Battements are typically performed in multiples, quickly and in rapid succession, so that the working foot appears to be fluttering. They are usually executed in front to the side or back.

Battement exercises help to train the dancer’s legs and feet to hold positions and jump high. Some of these exercises are: The slow battement tendu (“stretched”) where the toes point but stay on the ground. The quicker battement glisse’ (“slide”) where the foot quickly slides out to a pointed position just off the ground. The grand battement (“big”) where the dancer’s leg swishes through tendu and glisse‘ to a high position. Also, pushing both feet against the floor as the dancer opens and closes her leg will give her strong insteps and toes and help her get ready for pointe work. Beverly

A Ballerina Book: Angelina Ballerina – “Angelina Has the Hiccups!”

“Angelina Has the Hiccups!” is part of the “Angelina Ballerina” series of children’s books. It is written by Katharine Holabird and based on illustrations by Helen Craig. This book is a Level 2 reader from Penguin Young Readers.

This is a cute ballerina story and has some similarities to my own children’s book, “The Triplet Ballerinas”. Just like triplet sisters, Annie, Julie and Macie, love to go to the “Dance Studio” for their ballet class every Thursday, Angelina and her best friend, Alice, love to go to ballet school every week (at “Miss Lilly’s” in this story). One day, Miss Lilly announces the class will give a performance of a dance called “The Flower Princesses and the Dragon”. Angelina and the other “mouselings” are the flower princesses. Again, just like Macie and Annie in “The Triplet Ballerinas”, they twirl and leap across the room (but no one “floats” in this story like Julie does). On the day of the show, Angelina is so excited, she gets the hiccups. Will everyone be able to stop them in time or will Angelina be a “hiccuping ballerina”? Beverly

Look for a review of another “Angelina Ballerina” book next month.

The Triplet Ballerinas: Dance Talent Show, Part 1

Written by Beverly Witwer, Illustration below by Sandie Sonke

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One Spring day, triplet ballerinas, Julie, Macie and Annie, rushed into the Dance Studio for Miss Carol’s ballet class.

“Miss Carol is crying,” said Julie. “No, I don’t think she is,” said Macie. “I think it’s allergies.”

“Yes, she is definitely crying,” said Annie.

“Take a seat on the floor everyone,” said Miss Carol. “I have some bad news.”

“The Studio needs some minor repairs to keep everyone safe,” she told them. “We have to close the doors for a little bit since I don’t have all the money for them right now.”

“No!” said the triplet ballerinas.

“What are we going to do without the Dance Studio?” asked Annie. “Yeah,” said Macie. “What are we going to do?”

“The only thing I can think of to do is to somehow raise money for the repairs,” said Miss Carol.

Julie waved her arms. “I know what we can do,” she said. “We can have a dance talent show!”

“That might work,” said Miss Carol. “We could charge admission and take donations.”

“Yay!” said the triplet ballerinas.

“We will help you with it,” said Annie. “I know it will work,” said Julie. “Yea, I think it can work,” said Macie.

“Okay.” said Miss Carol. “Let’s put on a Dance Talent Show.”

Look for Part 2 of “The Triplet Ballerinas: Dance Talent Show” on April 30, 2021.

A Ballerina Book: “I’m A Ballerina!”

“I’m a Ballerina!” is a “Little Golden Book” written by Sue Fliess and illustrated by Joey Chou. It is told in First Person and rhyme with detailed illustrations.

This was a cute book about an unnamed little girl and her journey through her ballet class to a recital where she declares, “I’m a ballerina now!” Along the way, I was reunited with all the familiar ballet terms that I love, such as barre, pirouette and jete’. I am not a big fan of rhyme, but even that won me over. Beverly