Hello, good readers —
It’s the most wonderful time of the year. Apparently. Here in Iowa, there’s frost on the ground every morning, and things are… well, frosty. Things are tense when — if — you leave the house. Our COVID numbers are terrible — today there are more outbreaks in long-term care facilities than ever before — and they’re likely to get worse in the next month. There’s a dark winter ahead of us.
So if you’re feeling frosty, and not particularly in the holiday mood, I can’t say I blame you. But I will say that if there’s one thing I love about this time of year, it’s finding presents that the people I love will love. Like, throughout the year, I get a little high on the rush of finding something that screams MOLLY! or ERICA! and finding a way to get it to them. December is just that, many times over. The downside of this rush is that I want to tell the person immediately because joy is meant to be shared, even if the person’s birthday is four months away. I found the perfect Christmas present for my fiance in September, and have been hiding it in the backseat of my car, and every time I see it there, I have to steel myself to keep the secret. Only 24 more days. I can do it. Probably.
Perhaps you also enjoy finding great gifts for people? Perhaps you are in need of a ballet-themed gift for someone in your life, or for yourself? Perhaps I can help?
To wear
Cloud & Victory is a woman-owned, ethically-made dancewear line from Singapore, and they’re all in on ballet as an inclusive artform, as their Every Body Is a Ballet Body T-shirt suggests (there’s also an Every Body tote bag).
Petit Pas turns dead pointe shoes into environmentally friendly jewellery, a small step (or petit pas) but an important one, since so many pointe shoes are chucked out every year.
Keto Dancewear makes some of the most stylish leotards and tights I’ve ever seen. I have seriously considered going back to regular ballet classes simply so I can justify buying one of these things.
To watch
There are so many companies that are all but begging you to buy a digital subscription right now, for yourself or for someone you love.
New York City Ballet has a Nutcracker-only one.
Pacific Northwest Ballet is having a digital season, as is San Francisco Ballet.
You can buy single tickets for digital performances at Sarasota Ballet.
Philadelphia’s Ballet X has a virtual season, too.
To decorate
Maybe you have barely left your house in eight months and feel a deep, desperate urge to put something new on your walls? Maybe you know someone else who would like this gorgeous photo of former New York City Ballet dancer and Swan Dreams Project founder Aesha Ash?
Or Brooke Trisolini’s photo of my two favourite things, dancers and dogs? I bought this one for myself because just look at the movement in it.
Omar Robles, a dance photographer whose work I love, is having a year-end sale right now.
NYC Dance Project’s The Art of Movement coffee table book, and its sequel, The Style of Movement, are both divine.
To read
For kids, I recommend B is For Ballet and Boys Dance! The latter is inspired by the experience of real men dancers at American Ballet Theater, including David Hallberg, whose memoir A Body of Work is a good pick for adults.
As regular readers know, I really liked Ellen O’Connell Whittet’s book What You Become In Flight.
And of course, you might have heard, but there’s this other ballet book coming out in May, it’s called Turning Pointe, and I hear it’s going to be pretty good (please, god almighty, let it be good).
Because it’s not out until well after the holidays, I’ve got this offer for you: if you pre-order it for someone and still want to physically hand them something this December, send me your receipt and mailing address, and I’ll send a handwritten note for/to your loved one. Maybe you’re pre-ordering for you and you’d like a note, and that’s great as well! So far I’ve sent notes to Des Moines, Brooklyn, Florida, Quebec, and the Parisian suburbs. It’s an honour and a delight, and I’ll happily do it for you, too.
That’s it from me this week. Happy gifting, and thanks as always for reading,
Chloe.