Ernestine Pastorello

Improvisation: In Solitude Not Alone

Ok, I've officially lost track of how many improvisation videos there have been! So.... 

Here's another!

A very moody piece, the first of the October shoot, which utilized only one moving camera, which was a very bold and adventurous experiment. This one is fun to watch because Nefeli and I were playing around, figuring out what this thing was that we were doing, filming an entire piece with only a single, handheld camera. 

She's fucking nimble. 

Enjoy!<...

Ernestine explains the "up close and personal" September film shoot

Hi friends!

The next batch of improv videos dropping here soon are a little bit different than what we've been doing so far, so I wanted to explain this really nifty filming process so the videos make sense when you see them.

Thank you so much to my patrons--enjoy; 

and for the rest of you, subscribe now to see ALL my many, many videos, and in particular, this last shoot was really cool AND what's coming next--footage of my live performance--is going to be ev...

#ThankYouPatrons!!! Behind the scenes of the October shoot!

For my dear, devoted patrons, a special treat on #ThankYouPatrons day.

Please enjoy this compilation of glimpses of the charming and hilarious hijinks of Nefeli and Ernestine as they frolic through the dance studio, shedding feathers and corsets. 

Also a sweet preview into upcoming videos!

Thank you so very much for supporting my dancing. It means more to me than you can possibly know.

Fondly,

Ernestine

Improvisation: "My Day Was Fine. It Was Fine."

Video #11 in the improvisation series, and the first in a new studio.

This video was an interesting foray into "angry burlesque." I am exploring all the emotive possibilities of the form as I choreograph for my performance in December. It's quite interesting to see how something that is always thought to be sultry can take on another feeling entirely, depending on the day, the music, and the dancer's frame of mind.

Enjoy!

Fondly,

Ernestine

Burlesque: "Ne Me Quitte Pas"

My second burlesque!

The immortal Caro Emerald serenades as I dance from dapper '50s outfit down to handmade Victorian brocade corset to Dita Von Teese lingerie and then...

...all en pointe, of course.

Enjoy!

Fondly,

Ernestine

Teaser: Burlesque #2, "Ne Me Quitte Pas"

Are you ready? You can't possibly be ready.

A tantalizing taste of the upcoming Burlesque #2, "Ne Me Quitte Pas"!!!

This is Ernestine's 2nd attempt at the age-old form of elegant stripping, and she's up on her pointes in yet another handmade underbust corset. 

Become a patron of my dancing, and don't miss a thing!

Enjoy!

Fondly,

Ernestine

Improvisation: "They Built Me Like This"

Video #12 in the improvisation series!

Enjoy!

Fondly,

Ernestine

Burlesque: "Broken Open"

ERNESTINE'S VERY FIRST BURLESQUE!!!!

I am very proud of this, my first attempt at the time-honored form.

Watch me shimmy my way out of my favorite petticoat, fully-fashioned stockings, pointe shoes, and a handmade corset (I made it earlier this year to show off my new tattoo, Luna Lautrec).

This was so much damn fun. More to come.

Enjoy!

Fondly,

Ernestine

My FIRST BURLESQUE EVER releases tomorrow!!!

I am SO excited to finally, at long last, be bringing you my very first straight-up burlesque video, in the classical, time-honored format.

It involves pointe shoes, a corset, and a very saucy song. 

I CAN'T imagine why it took me so long to find burlesque. Clearly, it is my calling. :-)

Become a patron to enjoy this video and the 40+ others that you'll immediately get access to for only $5 a month!

Enjoy! (Oh, you'l...

Improvisation: "...Until They Kick Us Out"

It's video #10 in the improvisation series! 

This one was just a hell of a lot of fun. Shimmy like there's no tomorrow!

Enjoy!

Fondly,

Ernestine

Why I'm Moving to Germany and the Coveted Berlin Artist's Visa

Hello friends,

If ever there was a time to pull the trigger and hit that "subscribe" button!!!

In January 2020, I'm moving from Boston, MA to Berlin, Germany. 

I wrote and danced about this in a previous post; if you want to read my blog post with all the details, you can do so 2019-10-21 18:13:58 +0000 UTC View Post

"Poison and Wine:" A Love Letter

Hello friends,

I finally made myself dance about this. There's only one camera angle because I made my camerawoman leave the room because I was crying too much.

In March 2018, the US government passed FOSTA ("Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act," HB 1865). You may have heard of it. I go into the details in my blog post (https://thesirenernestine.nl/2019/10/12/why-im-movi...

Improvisation: "Scarletry" and the fan

Video #9 in the improv series!

Something interesting happened during this shoot. On the day we filmed this video, I was having trouble getting grounded in my body. The first filming of this piece was my definition of "crap improv." I was like, "Nef, hold the music, I'm not here yet." And there was this feeling that my Muse had not yet arrived in the studio. So, I "improvised," and tried something that sprang to mind to try to coax her out. 

I had tossed a fan into my bag of t...

Improvisation: "The Morning After"

And we're back! In improv video # 8, I dance about a specific memory of a specific spectacular experience, and I think you can all guess what sort of a memory it was...

Enjoy.

Fondly,

Ernestine

Ballet in the Garden

This week, we will take a brief break from improvisation and I humbly offer you "Ballet in the Garden." 

It was such a beautiful day. The sun was shining, the flowers were blooming, and the bees were humming. So we brought the barre outdoors.

Exercises:

1. Foot warm-up

2. Plié in 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 5th position

3. Stretching at the barre

Enjoy!

Fondly,

Ernestine

Teaser: Upcoming videos!

Humans humans humans!!!

If you have watched this video, you know that the next videos of the Ballet Burlesque Project, improvisation phase are going to be amazing! Are you a patron? How sad it would be to imagine all you out there seeing this but not the full videos! I train my body every day just to be magnificent and bring more joy to the world. 

And don't you need more joy? We all need more joy.

And PATRONS!!! :

You rock my socks AND my ballet slippers. Your su...

Improvisation: "Pedestal"

#7 in the improv series!

I like being this far off the ground. 

Enjoy!

Fondly,

Ernestine

Improvisation: "It Was a Long Day and I'm Not Sure I Love You Anymore. But Then Again..."

#6 in the improv series!

A softer femme fatale, reminiscing...

Enjoy!

Fondly,

Ernestine

Improvisation: "I'm Not Still Angry About It, but Fuck You Anyway"

#5 in the improv series!

Um, booty. Apparently.

Enjoy!

Fondly,

Ernestine

Improvisation: "If You Want Me To"

#4 in the improv series!

She is so ladylike...except for what's underneath the skirt...

Enjoy!

Fondly,

Ernestine

...in which Ernestine is reminded Why I Do This.

I had the great good fortune to see the infamous, scrappy Vermont performance troupe Bread & Puppet today. Their manifesto on art reminds me why I do this.

So next time I'm dying on the treadmill or rubbing one of many sore muscles or dizzy from pirouetting or swearing at my dancing self on the computer "Why didn't you point your foot for christssake woman!"...

...I will remember: I do this to heal people. And to inspire and awe. But uppermost, to add beauty to the world in a ...

Improvisation: "Because I Love It"

Video #3 of the improvisation series! 

This woman gives no fucks at all.

Enjoy!

Fondly,

Ernestine

Ernestine presents: Improvisation--"Howl"

Wow, I don't think this one needs any explanation in the form of words.

Simply, enjoy.

And remember: I didn't plan ANY of this--it's just what happened...

Fondly,

Ernestine

The next phase! "Improvisation"

While ever maintaining my deep roots in ballet, I am now moving into the next phase of the Ballet Burlesque Project! 

As an artist in residence at a dance retreat center in the Berkshires, I am spending one weekend per month escaping into the forest with my intrepid camerawoman, Nefeli, rummaging through my soul and baring all. 

I am working towards a full performance in November; the first step in my process of making work to perform is improvisation. 

In thi...

Teaser! The next phase of Ballet Burlesque: Improvisation

Tantalising tidbits of 6 improvisation videos dropping over the coming weeks! Watch Ernestine let her body and soul run unchecked and wild, digging down to find the innermost raw emotion and pushes herself to the edge of her technical ability to 6 pieces of amazing music, spanning the gambit of genres.

Make sure you're subscribed to see the videos, coming soon!!!

Ballerina questions, #1: Pointe shoes

Hello!

A patron wrote:

"I would be curious to know which brand of pointe shoes have you tried and what type of padding you use (also do you do anything else to prepare your feet before putting your pointe shoes on)?"

Here's my response! 

Fondly,

Ernestine

Behind the Scenes: Marking

Hello friends!

Today I'm launching "behind the scenes" videos of fun things that happen during our film shoots in the studio and little windows into the machinations of the dancer. 

The full video will be posted soon!

Fondly,

Ernestine

The Centre: En Pointe & Révérance

Hello friends!

The final video of "Ernestine presents: The Ballet Class." This one is a bit of an homage to Anna Pavlova, with a brief recreation of her immortal piece, "The Swan," followed by a révérance, which is one of my favorite parts of class. Everyone is sweating and breathing heavily from grand allegro (big leaps), and the teacher brings us all out into the center for a quiet moment of subtle elegance and a very elaborate curtsey, in gratitude to the teacher and each other--an...

Inside the Tutu: The darker side.

We all had it.

...had?

I see no value in being opaque about this anymore--especially in the context of publishing online videos of me doing ballet in a body that might, to some, not look like it "belongs" in that movement. It's because I don't exercise 6 hours a day--and because I let myself eat now. Most of the time. It's amazing how long this particular demon follows you around, and reading about this new research--well, it explains a lot. I think it will also bring some solace ...

Épaulement--"Inside the Tutu."

Ok, a little something for you lovers of ballet.

A new addition to my page: "Inside the Tutu" posts for ballet nerds about things that you might notice or not, but are interesting to explain to the layman.

Épaulement (literally, "shouldering") refers to the tilt of the shoulders and head. 

I do it without thinking about it now, but there is an extensive protocol regarding what to do with one's shoulders and head that pertains to every exercise that exists in classical ...