glo GIRL

By Julie Young

Valparaiso resident Kaci King is raising the “barre” on teenagers ever y where At 13, this homeschooled seventh grader is not only a professional ballerina but she is also a humanitarian, an ac tivist and a champion for self-confidence

“I’ve been studying ballet since I was four, ” she said. “In my toddler stages, I was obsessed with Angelina Ballerina. I t inspired me to be a ballerina myself (so) my mom put me in my first dance classes.”

Those classes led to K aci appearing as a Snow Tree Angel in the Joffrey Ballet Chicago’s produc tion of The Nutcracker in 2014, going ‘en pointe’ at the age of 11 and landing a lead role in the Indiana Youth Ballet ’s holiday produc tion last month. Between classes and rehearsals, K aci says she spends about 18 hours a week in the studio

“I really would love to dance professionally (full-time). I t is a dream of mine to make it into the Royal Ballet and become its prima ballerina, ” she said

After appearing on the television series “Abby ’s Studio Rescue, ” K aci made a connec tion with singer/songwriter Rachael Sage whose music was featured on the dance-based reality show “Dance Moms ” In 2011, K aci’s mom Julie King sent Sage a video of K aci dancing and Sage was so impressed, she invited the youngster to appear in the music video for her anti-bullying song “I don’t believe it ”

“ That song affec ted me a lot My mom contac ted Rachael one day and before we k new it, she wanted me for her music video I t was ver y exciting to be par t of it ”

When she isn’t dancing or concentrating on her schoolwork, K aci is involved with the Special Olympics Her sister Nicole, who is afflic ted with temporal lobe epilepsy, became involved in the program, which led to K aci attending events and cheering her sister on

“I grew up with the Special Olympics, the young athletes and in an environment of acceptance, ” K aci said “As I got older and became more serious about my dance career I star ted dancing for them as well ”

K aci credits her mother and instruc tors for helping her maintain a positive body image in a field k nown for its issues with weight She maintains a healthy, balanced diet that includes plenty of water, carbohydrates and other foods that help give her the energy she needs One day she hopes to appear in Swan Lake as Odile (the black swan) who has to complete a series of 32 fouette turns en pointe the hardest move in the ballet world

“I love Swan Lake I absolutely love ever ything about the ballet The choreography is beautiful as is the concept Right now, though, I just plan to continue my training Once a dancer has the correc t training, they can do anything!” a

By Lauren Caggiano

What to Wear

I t ’s the most wonder ful time of the year to get married, that is From the per fec t gown to the cake and ever ything in between, we’re here to show how to plan the stor ybook winter wedding.

First thing’s first: what ’s a winter wedding without the gown that looks like it was made for you?

Tasia Lapp, a manager at Wendy ’s Bridal in For t Wayne, said winter 2018 is all about straps and sleeves, i.e. warmth. Winter calls for think ing about both form and func tion In other words, leave the cold shoulder look for the spring or summer

As far as the details, it ’s time to get spark ly. Lapp said spark les are in so the bride can “shine like snow or snowflakes ” Gold and blush are still go-to colors, she said Deep jewel tones are trending for both bridal and bridesmaids’ gowns

As far as the finishing touches, Lapp said it ’s all about delicate accents Jeweled headbands and finger tip veils are sure to complete the look O verall, she said nothing is really out of style, but some things are mak ing their way back ‘in.’ Fashion rec ycles itself, so don’t be afraid to look to your mother or grandmother ’s wedding photos for inspiration After all, ever ything old is new again!

A Sweet Affair

When it comes to food, the wedding cake tends to be the star of the show Today ’s brides are think ing in terms of quality versus quantity, according to Cour tney Hamm with Cour tney ’s Baker y “ Wedding cakes tend to be a bit smaller than they used to be The average cake is 3 tiers with cupcakes or sheet cakes for additional ser vings Sheet cakes are $1 per ser ving so that cuts cost rather than having 5 or 6 tiers ”

Cupcakes are another way to sweeten the deal, so to speak They are also cost-effec tive and less formal (and messy) than traditional cakes Hamm said flavors run the gamut and var y according to the couple Time of year is another fac tor “ The season plays a big par t in the choices, ” she said “Spring and summer flavors may be lemonblueberr y or strawberr y-lemonade, while fall and winter flavors may be pumpk in spice or caramel apple.” Don’t be afraid to go with standbys, like chocolate and vanilla, too.

And the frosting on the cake? Tex tured frosting rather than per fec tly smooth is still popular, she added Popular colors are gold and blush, which complement the season’s color schemes

Color Me in Love

Speak ing of color, Christine Leto of The Charles said rose gold is having a moment in 2018

“A quick glance through the 2018 colors shows rose gold is by far the most popular color choice for bridesmaids’ dresses, as well as décor, ” she said “Gray continues to be the color of choice for tuxedos and suits for the men, as opposed to the traditional black ”

Rose gold not your thing? Don’t sweat it According to Leto, “second to rose gold is a jewel-toned teal I t is showing up in all the inspiration boards in florals, decor and wardrobe choices ”

Rose gold may be all the rage, but other trends and concepts are passé For example, Leto said navy and coral, the most popular colors used by her couples in 2017, do not appear on any inspiration board for nex t year Too, there are ver y few rustic themed weddings and receptions for 2018 That means ditch the burlap, ladies When in doubt, go for something timeless “I believe classic and elegant is more the theme for our clients (in 2018), ” she said