Really amazing advertisement - British, of course!
So how did they do it?
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Sick day
So yesterday, mid-afternoon, I started to feel really tired and like I was getting a sore throat. It really came up out of the blue. Things were okay until I got home and felt exhausted on a deep-down core level, and it was clear that I was coming down with a cold. I had absolutely no energy to get anything ready for the next day, and decided that it probably wouldn't be the wisest thing to try to do a long commute potentially sneezing (and sore throat) etc. I felt a lot of "guilt" to play hooky... but called in sick this morning. It took me about two hours to get home last night - 30 minutes of that time was spent waiting for a bus. If I was closer to the classes, I would have gone today, but being this far away and dependent on feeling well to go in and then come home is just too much, unfortunately - because I can't get this day back and I'm definitely missing important classes and instruction there. Ugg.
But anyway, feeling a bit better now. Coldeeze has been working its magic. I took 2 doses of it last night before bed (and was definitely sicker last night, sneezing) and another this morning, and am now feeling the symptoms dying down quickly. My sore throat seems to have gone dormant, and I'm not have any sinus problems - just sort of an achy head. So I guess even though sick days can sometimes be a sacrifice, they are worth it, because hopefully I will be completely healthy for tomorrow and don't have to worry about being set back. If I had forced things today I could have pushed myself over the edge and gotten run down even more. A lot of people are sick right now, and dragging down the healthy people with them, so, Sickies: take a sick day! Wash your hands, have some tea, put up your feet, keep your sneezes to yourself!
Ha, there's a reason why when people sneeze on the Path or subway and others turn away in disgust. Two weeks ago, (when it was still summer) you could sneeze and have a stranger say "bless you!", (I never sneeze in public, however, I can assure you - I only use the personal term by way of example) but now that it is Autumn, everyone's mind has subconsciously switched to the fact that sneezes are indeed no longer innocent. One can almost imagine the radius of people-loving germs spilling out everywhere, even if that disgusting human is across the street. So to that large umbrella term of "sick people", have a selfish day and sneeze on your cat (or dog). And to those who have narrowly escaped (for the moment), stick to yourself, get fresh air every day, lots of vegetables, fruit, antioxidants... wash your hands, or better, just carry a can of Lysol and spray everyone and/or everything you meet. People love shaking hands with "fresh scent"!
So that's my PSA for the day... Hopefully my aching head and throat... yes, that was me just sneezing... will cooperate for tomorrow!
Stay well,
Bunhead
But anyway, feeling a bit better now. Coldeeze has been working its magic. I took 2 doses of it last night before bed (and was definitely sicker last night, sneezing) and another this morning, and am now feeling the symptoms dying down quickly. My sore throat seems to have gone dormant, and I'm not have any sinus problems - just sort of an achy head. So I guess even though sick days can sometimes be a sacrifice, they are worth it, because hopefully I will be completely healthy for tomorrow and don't have to worry about being set back. If I had forced things today I could have pushed myself over the edge and gotten run down even more. A lot of people are sick right now, and dragging down the healthy people with them, so, Sickies: take a sick day! Wash your hands, have some tea, put up your feet, keep your sneezes to yourself!
Ha, there's a reason why when people sneeze on the Path or subway and others turn away in disgust. Two weeks ago, (when it was still summer) you could sneeze and have a stranger say "bless you!", (I never sneeze in public, however, I can assure you - I only use the personal term by way of example) but now that it is Autumn, everyone's mind has subconsciously switched to the fact that sneezes are indeed no longer innocent. One can almost imagine the radius of people-loving germs spilling out everywhere, even if that disgusting human is across the street. So to that large umbrella term of "sick people", have a selfish day and sneeze on your cat (or dog). And to those who have narrowly escaped (for the moment), stick to yourself, get fresh air every day, lots of vegetables, fruit, antioxidants... wash your hands, or better, just carry a can of Lysol and spray everyone and/or everything you meet. People love shaking hands with "fresh scent"!
So that's my PSA for the day... Hopefully my aching head and throat... yes, that was me just sneezing... will cooperate for tomorrow!
Stay well,
Bunhead
Paquita
I found video of what I've been working on in the Rep workshop class! We've been learning corps parts as well as that of the soloists and principle for the ballet Paquita. It's deceptively difficult but a lot of fun! So here's video of what we've learned:
Corps section starting at 0:20:
The continuing corps, soloists, and principle section of the ballet:
It's a challenge to master, but very enjoyable!
Corps section starting at 0:20:
The continuing corps, soloists, and principle section of the ballet:
It's a challenge to master, but very enjoyable!
Sunday, September 26, 2010
City lights
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| Pier A, Hoboken NJ with NYC skyline in background |
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| Panoramic view of Manhattan skyline from Pier A |
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| A captivating Autumn moon rising above the city's skyscrapers |
As you can see from the photos, I got the chance to see the amazingly beautiful NYC skyline on Friday evening. I was on my way home, and actually wouldn't have seen it if I had caught an earlier train. I could have taken a train around 6:30 and one at 7, but didn't want to miss the last class of the day - music. Classes on Friday were quite long, actually - we had seven of them! (Core dynamics, classical technique, variations/coaching, rep workshop, mime, remedial and music.) I just missed the train at 7 - (connection to get there was too slow!) and ended up waiting until about 45 minutes later. I was able to get out to the pier and see the lovely sights. It was very peaceful and quiet - really quiet - even though there were other people out and about along the pier. The water was quite active as well, and it was a lovely night. Later I had a bit of a train ride home, but it flew by like nothing because I had engaging reading material. I had a nice, albeit, short weekend home...took a class at my home studio, and enjoyed the nice weather. I probably won't be able to come home every weekend - for now Saturday classes are optional, but we'll see what happens.
It was funny on Friday, because our class ended up waiting a while for the mime teacher to come. There was a schedule mix-up on her end, and she ended up being rather late. So here we all are, sitting and chatting and otherwise amusing ourselves. I didn't even realize how time was passing because I was talking to someone. I guess somebody from our class went out and mentioned that we all were waiting. Then Ms. Kirkland comes in with a bit of a furrowed brow and says, "We don't know where ___ (the mime instructor) is. So, do you wanna learn the opening of Giselle?" Of course we were all like "sure!" haha. She got the music together and we pulled off our warm-ups and got skirts on. And then the mime teacher walked in, so of course we would have our mime class instead. The mime teacher was all the while profusely apologizing and mourning coming late because there was a lot she had wanted to do in the class. She thought it had started at 3:30, when really it was around 2:45 or so. She was so at a loss and sweet that we all couldn't help laughing at it - even Ms. Kirkland!
"Oh well, next class!" Ms. Kirkland said, of learning Giselle choreography.
"But do you want to do that instead?" asked the mime teacher.
"Oh, no," said Ms. Kirkland, "I'm Exhausted!"
Needless to say, we had our mime class! And it was a lot of fun.
So that's just a tiny piece of my week - I had really wanted to write more mid-week, but ran out of time in the evenings - and sometimes I selfishly need down time to myself! Tomorrow I start another week, and I'm looking forward to it. I'm especially looking forward to pushing myself a bit more, hopefully. And I'd better keep my umbrella handy, because showers & T-storms have been forecasted.
More photos to come, and hopefully my next post (maybe tomorrow) will give a more in-depth look into my daily schedule, with explanations for what each class is. Is there anything that I haven't yet mentioned you'd specifically like to hear about? Let me know in the comments below!
Time to start organizing for tomorrow...
~Bunhead
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
End of the day
Sore. Very sore. It's from all of the intense stuff I've been doing. Surprisingly most of it is in my arms and upper back. And lower back. And hip flexors. And lowest part of the hamstring. Haha. Yeah, I'm sore. And tired - getting up 2 mornings in a row at 5 and 5:30AM, respectively, isn't the greatest for keeping clarity of mind. Mine felt like mush most of the day. However, I am willing to wake up to be driven early into the Path if I can, because taking the bus and everything else into the city could take a long time - I'm not exactly sure how long, but probably about an hour and a half or slightly more. Either way, I have to get up early!
Anyway, other than battling brain turning to mush (ugg!), my day was good. Ms. Kirkland gave us a class this morning - it's called Core Dynamics and we have it every morning. It focuses on alignment, correct positioning, strength, control, flexibility - all of the required components. It's definitely tough but good. Later we had a Rep class reviewing what we had learned for Paquita - both corps and soloist roles. The instructor had just finished teaching us the Mazurka portion when GK and Misha (her husband) came in. We all had to laugh as the teacher explained that we JUST all learned the very difficult choreography - basically, don't expect too much! They said that it was okay and that they'd be doing the observing thing a lot. GK couldn't resist tweaking some things and soon we found ourselves relearning the correct way of timing the steps to the music. (She's so light on her feet!) It is wonderful that she gives her time to stop by and demonstrate and generally correct something - both she and Misha are involved in everything - and the resulting atmosphere is a cohesive and comfortable (and productive) one.
And we had a dance history class - different from the ones that I've had. We started with Baroque (period) court dancing from a teacher who is an instructor of the style at the Julliard school's dance division. Everything he teachers he told us comes from original sources that he has researched - he doesn't make it up. He told us some interesting factoids of the 18th century and dance. Dance was extremely important - dances were published every year and your dancemaster would teach it to you. Classes were private and had an accompanying musician. Unlike a Hollywood movie portrayal, for example, when there were public dances there would be only one couple at a time - and everyone would watch. Therefore, it was really important to know your dancing in the day of court dance! (He told a story of a man who unsuccessfully danced at a court dance - it was recorded that he wasn't physically together, off the music, etc. He apologized and said he would come back the next day better, but nothing changed the next day, and he wasn't seen again at the event.) So it was very interesting to broaden horizons today in this class and try something similar to, and yet very different from ballet.
Not much else, I suppose... oh yes, the ballet teacher's purse was indeed stolen, and she has to spend two hours of her day tomorrow getting her drivers' license - when she should be teaching. Isn't it terrible?! "The wages of sin, Watson - the wages of sin!" - Sherlock Holmes
Well, time to go make sure my bag is ready for tomorrow, that I have my lunch, and that I can be fairly early to bed for the long day ahead. I find it amazing how my days go so fast. I am awakened by an alarm clock at somewhat ungodly early morning hours (though I admit, totally voluntarily!), do hair, makeup and breakfast in a semi-zombie fashion, get to public transportation and then dance. All of a sudden I'm walking home, have dinner shower, read emails/blog, and too soon, go to bed. Then it happens all over again. Strange, when you think about it all. Better than counting the hours and minutes, I guess! But anyway, more soon - especially on my daily schedule and interesting things like that!
5:30AM, here I come! (Well, dragging my feet...!)
Bunhead
Anyway, other than battling brain turning to mush (ugg!), my day was good. Ms. Kirkland gave us a class this morning - it's called Core Dynamics and we have it every morning. It focuses on alignment, correct positioning, strength, control, flexibility - all of the required components. It's definitely tough but good. Later we had a Rep class reviewing what we had learned for Paquita - both corps and soloist roles. The instructor had just finished teaching us the Mazurka portion when GK and Misha (her husband) came in. We all had to laugh as the teacher explained that we JUST all learned the very difficult choreography - basically, don't expect too much! They said that it was okay and that they'd be doing the observing thing a lot. GK couldn't resist tweaking some things and soon we found ourselves relearning the correct way of timing the steps to the music. (She's so light on her feet!) It is wonderful that she gives her time to stop by and demonstrate and generally correct something - both she and Misha are involved in everything - and the resulting atmosphere is a cohesive and comfortable (and productive) one.
And we had a dance history class - different from the ones that I've had. We started with Baroque (period) court dancing from a teacher who is an instructor of the style at the Julliard school's dance division. Everything he teachers he told us comes from original sources that he has researched - he doesn't make it up. He told us some interesting factoids of the 18th century and dance. Dance was extremely important - dances were published every year and your dancemaster would teach it to you. Classes were private and had an accompanying musician. Unlike a Hollywood movie portrayal, for example, when there were public dances there would be only one couple at a time - and everyone would watch. Therefore, it was really important to know your dancing in the day of court dance! (He told a story of a man who unsuccessfully danced at a court dance - it was recorded that he wasn't physically together, off the music, etc. He apologized and said he would come back the next day better, but nothing changed the next day, and he wasn't seen again at the event.) So it was very interesting to broaden horizons today in this class and try something similar to, and yet very different from ballet.
Not much else, I suppose... oh yes, the ballet teacher's purse was indeed stolen, and she has to spend two hours of her day tomorrow getting her drivers' license - when she should be teaching. Isn't it terrible?! "The wages of sin, Watson - the wages of sin!" - Sherlock Holmes
Well, time to go make sure my bag is ready for tomorrow, that I have my lunch, and that I can be fairly early to bed for the long day ahead. I find it amazing how my days go so fast. I am awakened by an alarm clock at somewhat ungodly early morning hours (though I admit, totally voluntarily!), do hair, makeup and breakfast in a semi-zombie fashion, get to public transportation and then dance. All of a sudden I'm walking home, have dinner shower, read emails/blog, and too soon, go to bed. Then it happens all over again. Strange, when you think about it all. Better than counting the hours and minutes, I guess! But anyway, more soon - especially on my daily schedule and interesting things like that!
5:30AM, here I come! (Well, dragging my feet...!)
Bunhead
Monday, September 20, 2010
Introducing...
The cats! Or at least one of them.
Nutmeg is a Siamese. I know we're all a bit scarred by the evil duo of Lady and the Tramp (try, if you can, to suppress the accompanying song!) but he's a really nice cat.
Well, a little bit on my day: Got up at 5... though it didn't "hurt" I would have much rather had gone back to sleep, but oh well. My day otherwise was really good, really productive. I had a teacher (Russian!) for a class today - he taught during the first 4 weeks of the summer intensive. Good to know that he's still around as a teacher though we are at different studios and he wasn't mentioned on their faculty list. His wife is an amazing teacher and has been on the school's faculty for some time - she was a principle with the NJ Ballet but retired because she loves teaching - and that's just what she wanted to do! Unfortunately, I believe someone stole her purse today in the faculty lounge - a surprisingly common occurrence, sad as it is...
But classes were good today though I was a bit tired - lots of pirouette exercises... Character wore me out more than pointe class. I have a love/hate relationship with Character - more love than hate though - and not hate, just maybe a bit of laziness/dislike for really physically challenging - the natural human tendency. But though today's Character class was only my 4th, I do like it when I'm not overwhelmed. (I really do love the challenge of my studies - once you can get past the up-down of emotions - self doubt, "am I good enough", "am I mediocre", etc - it's very rewarding and emotionally rich - occupation, I guess you could call it. Hard to explain, but these little flashes, glimpses of the big picture - it's what really keeps you going with a passion - not just keeping you going to avoid burnout, but really shows you why.) Our thoroughly Russian teacher is very funny but also demanding and matter of fact - no room for mediocrity/not remembering exercises (or open 5th position) - "you've only got one chance" i.e., going out and auditioning - you only have a few seconds for someone to look at you and move on with a good or bad impression. But anyway, Character was hard - or should I say challenging - today. (Time to toughen up.) But truly, the curriculum/program is amazing and so positively productive.
Gelsey Kirkland taught a "coaching" class today. She laughed when everyone got out their notebooks. Instead it was very hands on with her - all upper body movements and exercises. (There's a real element of starting from scratch - it is, after all, "classical ballet", a very purist technique that has been muddled up - it's not neo-classical as most everyone thinks ballet is.) It was very good - and wow, to have a class right there with her. I never imagined the opportunity of learning from her. She's very powerful in her person, I will say that.
I could write more but need to shower and make sure all is ready for tomorrow. I'll probably be getting up at 5:30 or so in the morning...
Goodnight,
Bunhead
Nutmeg is a Siamese. I know we're all a bit scarred by the evil duo of Lady and the Tramp (try, if you can, to suppress the accompanying song!) but he's a really nice cat.
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| Here he is trying to take a nap |
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| "Curling into tight ball maybe humans and camera will go away..." |
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| Well, what do you know! Look who found my pillow... |
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| The Pillow - after two cats found it |
Well, a little bit on my day: Got up at 5... though it didn't "hurt" I would have much rather had gone back to sleep, but oh well. My day otherwise was really good, really productive. I had a teacher (Russian!) for a class today - he taught during the first 4 weeks of the summer intensive. Good to know that he's still around as a teacher though we are at different studios and he wasn't mentioned on their faculty list. His wife is an amazing teacher and has been on the school's faculty for some time - she was a principle with the NJ Ballet but retired because she loves teaching - and that's just what she wanted to do! Unfortunately, I believe someone stole her purse today in the faculty lounge - a surprisingly common occurrence, sad as it is...
But classes were good today though I was a bit tired - lots of pirouette exercises... Character wore me out more than pointe class. I have a love/hate relationship with Character - more love than hate though - and not hate, just maybe a bit of laziness/dislike for really physically challenging - the natural human tendency. But though today's Character class was only my 4th, I do like it when I'm not overwhelmed. (I really do love the challenge of my studies - once you can get past the up-down of emotions - self doubt, "am I good enough", "am I mediocre", etc - it's very rewarding and emotionally rich - occupation, I guess you could call it. Hard to explain, but these little flashes, glimpses of the big picture - it's what really keeps you going with a passion - not just keeping you going to avoid burnout, but really shows you why.) Our thoroughly Russian teacher is very funny but also demanding and matter of fact - no room for mediocrity/not remembering exercises (or open 5th position) - "you've only got one chance" i.e., going out and auditioning - you only have a few seconds for someone to look at you and move on with a good or bad impression. But anyway, Character was hard - or should I say challenging - today. (Time to toughen up.) But truly, the curriculum/program is amazing and so positively productive.
Gelsey Kirkland taught a "coaching" class today. She laughed when everyone got out their notebooks. Instead it was very hands on with her - all upper body movements and exercises. (There's a real element of starting from scratch - it is, after all, "classical ballet", a very purist technique that has been muddled up - it's not neo-classical as most everyone thinks ballet is.) It was very good - and wow, to have a class right there with her. I never imagined the opportunity of learning from her. She's very powerful in her person, I will say that.
I could write more but need to shower and make sure all is ready for tomorrow. I'll probably be getting up at 5:30 or so in the morning...
Goodnight,
Bunhead
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Ballet Stars Now Tweet as Well as Flutter
" In the rarefied world of ballet, where dancers are expected to speak with their bodies, sometimes it seems that aloofness is something to aspire to. Lately, though, the ribbons are loosening. Courtesy of Twitter, dancers are starting to make themselves heard. It isn’t always dainty. "
And FYI, I'm back online! Yay. Complicated problem fixed. So now I have no excuse for going silent.
Oh yes, think of me tomorrow morning when you are all in your warm beds at 5:00AM... which is when I'll be getting up to get myself into the city! (My chauffeur is leaving between 6-6:15 or so, and I can't turn down hitching a ride at least to the light rail. I know, I know - sad, pathetically sad, isn't it. And the worst part is I'm going to sorely regret ever making the decision when that alarm goes off tomorrow - even though I'm not the type to sleep in anyway. Oh, the sacrifices we dancers make!)
Time to make tomorrow's sandwich...double check that I have everything I need in my bag, including light rail/bus tickets, cell phone, notebook, "all my dance stuff", etc, etc, etc. And I do need to try to shoot for going to sleep very shortly. My semi broken alarm only seems to offer me two pathetic rousing beeps, so let's pray I'm not too zonked to not hear them. No fear of that, however, I literally wake wide-eyed at the drop of a hat, and especially when the cats jump on my door and rattle the shades in an effort to get IN at 2:30 or whatever ungodly hour they decide to prowl... Oh yes, "cats?" you say! More on them to come for sure - but in the very best way. I love cats and these two are a lot of fun.
.... Can't. Stop. Writing. !! Must go now and get ready! More to come very soon...
Bunhead
Read more here
Oh yes, think of me tomorrow morning when you are all in your warm beds at 5:00AM... which is when I'll be getting up to get myself into the city! (My chauffeur is leaving between 6-6:15 or so, and I can't turn down hitching a ride at least to the light rail. I know, I know - sad, pathetically sad, isn't it. And the worst part is I'm going to sorely regret ever making the decision when that alarm goes off tomorrow - even though I'm not the type to sleep in anyway. Oh, the sacrifices we dancers make!)
Time to make tomorrow's sandwich...double check that I have everything I need in my bag, including light rail/bus tickets, cell phone, notebook, "all my dance stuff", etc, etc, etc. And I do need to try to shoot for going to sleep very shortly. My semi broken alarm only seems to offer me two pathetic rousing beeps, so let's pray I'm not too zonked to not hear them. No fear of that, however, I literally wake wide-eyed at the drop of a hat, and especially when the cats jump on my door and rattle the shades in an effort to get IN at 2:30 or whatever ungodly hour they decide to prowl... Oh yes, "cats?" you say! More on them to come for sure - but in the very best way. I love cats and these two are a lot of fun.
.... Can't. Stop. Writing. !! Must go now and get ready! More to come very soon...
Bunhead
Saturday, September 18, 2010
First dancing week
I've just finished my first week! Sorry for the bit of hiatus... where I am staying has WiFi and internet, but my computer won't connect - and so I am currently borrowing some time on another computer. Hopefully the problem will be figured out soon. But anyway, that's why before now I have been unable to blog. I didn't forget about you, and it was irksome to be deprived of the blog. But, now I'm back, so I can tell you about my first week dancing in NYC!
So on Monday I did a dry run with my commute to see how it would go - coming from NJ - bus to light rail to PATH. At Penn Station we tried to figure out tickets and passes and what ever else you need to travel by way of mass transit. It was all very confusing, and I'm unsure how anyone could ever sanely keep track of it all. It took awhile, but everything was worked out (though I can't take credit for it!). Most of my day Monday was just trying to understand the whole commute - where I was going, how I would get to the proper train, track, and where to go from there. I took a lot of notes, all the while wondering how I was every going to memorize the route the next day all by myself!!
The next day, Tuesday, it worked out so that I could be driven into the PATH. I went to the studios where I spent most of my summer and registered and then waited for orientation to begin. I got to see a few people that I recognized from summer that had come back for the trainee program. There are 3 tracks - Classical Ballet, Contemporary Ballet, and Jazz & Contemporary. I'd say that most people are in Contemporary Ballet, and a probably equally smaller percentage in Jazz & Contem. and Ballet. Both Gelsey Kirkland and her husband Michael Chernov were at the orientation because they are directors of the Classical Ballet track and program. They are both wonderful people, and you can see when they are together the bond they share. They are most definitely a cohesive team. M. Chernov is really funny and charismatic, as is his wife. They evaluated the Classical track in the placement class - which was a great class technically, but we were all so nervous and many hadn't danced in up to 3 months. That doesn't mean, of course, that anyone danced badly - just comes down to the level of personal ease and comfort. There wasn't time for lunch, because we came directly from a dance history lecture class and had half an hour to warm up. Some people were eating a bit in the short amount of time there was, but a) there was no way I was ever going to be able to eat (I had told myself there was nothing to be nervous about - Ha ha ha! So much for psychology), and b) there just wasn't enough time. So physically I felt like junk, but once I got moving it got better. After the placement class (1-3PM) we all headed home. I had a seamless commute - no problems remembering where to go and what to do. It was actually a pretty stressful day though, and I was glad it was over when it was over.
The next day I commuted from the Path into Tribeca where the Gelsey Kirkland Academy of Classical Ballet studios are. Our school is in residence there, and the Classical Ballet track is training there and sharing in their program. Both Gelsey Kirkland and her husband welcomed us to the studios. M. Chernov explained the renovation (or more, creation) of the studios. They've done a ton of work and spent a lot of money, and still have a long way to go, but it's a "slowly but surely" process that requires patience. The studios are really lovely and spacious, and have a really nice, old charm about them - without being old and musty - it's more just established. I feel very comfortable and at home there. He joked that the bathroom is a bit like the wild west... two stalls divided by plywood and fabric! Mirrors are coming on Monday. There was a missing window in a studio that had to be repaired - during a ballet class that I was taking, on Thursday, I think. The one workman popped his head in the door as we were starting barre and said "Wow". I can only imagine his thoughts as he saw a full class of us all in there. But they dragged in a ladder and all of their tools, and we were able to concentrate on class very well despite the noise! That one workman of the two was definitely intrigued by our class though, and when he wasn't helping the other workman was watching us. He stood on a ladder and watched our grand allegro while waiting for the other workman to come back with something. It was funny, but great experience for him. Maybe he'll go to see the ballet! ;-)
So, just a little bit about my first week: we start off with something called core dynamics - aligning and stretching exercises that help to keep the body centered, aligned, strengthened and coordinated. It's a good class, and almost addicting. Then we have ballet class, then a pointe/variation class, lunch, then either Repertory Workshop, mime, drama, music, or Character. M. Chernov and GK explained that they consider us actors, not dancers - we're telling a story and they don't want the "bunhead mentality". They are trying to grow the entire artist with their program - and they told us that the drama and mime are very important, and that they would help us in many more ways imaginable. They also told us not to fight against opening up - to grow you must be in an uncomfortable place, and the drama classes would be uncomfortable (and they have been!). To connect with others onstage there must be a vulnerability. You can impress someone in the moment by doing a million turns - and have a physical and emotional bravado - but you won't move them to really remember you.
I'm not dancing as much as the summer, per se, but am doing so much more. I agree with them that several ballet classes a day can be detrimental to progress and correcting mistakes, and also that many teachers can also be a confusing detriment, (when one tells you to hold your arms this way, and the other another way). I'm definitely tired at the end of the day, physically and mentally, but not in the way that I was in the summer. This is a positively progressive experience, and is really building up and going somewhere.
In Rep Workshop this week we learned a main corps portion of Paquita - very challenging, but fun! You must be so particular to every incline of the head, arms, fingers, the placement of the face, eyes, shoulders - the whole presentation. In pose, for example, one hand always rests on the hip while the other extends out in a very opening and inviting way, but to properly execute this pleasant pose, the shoulders remain slanted down towards to the presented arm/hand, the head is tilted up to the opposing corner, the other arm/hand rest on the hip with the elbow forward. The sternum/chest remain lifted up, but the ribs stay down. Smile!
I remember the girls in the level below us this summer who did Paquita for the summer intensive student performance saying how the choreography was deceptively easy in appearance but was really difficult to master - I know what they mean now. But it is a lot of fun, and the instructor is so knowledgeable, sweet, and precise - she sees and corrects everything but doesn't stagnate there - we learned everything there in the allotted amount of time very well. Drama and mime are very interesting and uniquely challenging as well, but more on them later - there's too much to talk about for this post! So far the program has been amazingly wonderful and I am so grateful to have this fantastic opportunity. The directors are so conscientious, nurturing and caring, and the resulting atmosphere and program are just wonderful.
More to come!
Bunhead
So on Monday I did a dry run with my commute to see how it would go - coming from NJ - bus to light rail to PATH. At Penn Station we tried to figure out tickets and passes and what ever else you need to travel by way of mass transit. It was all very confusing, and I'm unsure how anyone could ever sanely keep track of it all. It took awhile, but everything was worked out (though I can't take credit for it!). Most of my day Monday was just trying to understand the whole commute - where I was going, how I would get to the proper train, track, and where to go from there. I took a lot of notes, all the while wondering how I was every going to memorize the route the next day all by myself!!
The next day, Tuesday, it worked out so that I could be driven into the PATH. I went to the studios where I spent most of my summer and registered and then waited for orientation to begin. I got to see a few people that I recognized from summer that had come back for the trainee program. There are 3 tracks - Classical Ballet, Contemporary Ballet, and Jazz & Contemporary. I'd say that most people are in Contemporary Ballet, and a probably equally smaller percentage in Jazz & Contem. and Ballet. Both Gelsey Kirkland and her husband Michael Chernov were at the orientation because they are directors of the Classical Ballet track and program. They are both wonderful people, and you can see when they are together the bond they share. They are most definitely a cohesive team. M. Chernov is really funny and charismatic, as is his wife. They evaluated the Classical track in the placement class - which was a great class technically, but we were all so nervous and many hadn't danced in up to 3 months. That doesn't mean, of course, that anyone danced badly - just comes down to the level of personal ease and comfort. There wasn't time for lunch, because we came directly from a dance history lecture class and had half an hour to warm up. Some people were eating a bit in the short amount of time there was, but a) there was no way I was ever going to be able to eat (I had told myself there was nothing to be nervous about - Ha ha ha! So much for psychology), and b) there just wasn't enough time. So physically I felt like junk, but once I got moving it got better. After the placement class (1-3PM) we all headed home. I had a seamless commute - no problems remembering where to go and what to do. It was actually a pretty stressful day though, and I was glad it was over when it was over.
The next day I commuted from the Path into Tribeca where the Gelsey Kirkland Academy of Classical Ballet studios are. Our school is in residence there, and the Classical Ballet track is training there and sharing in their program. Both Gelsey Kirkland and her husband welcomed us to the studios. M. Chernov explained the renovation (or more, creation) of the studios. They've done a ton of work and spent a lot of money, and still have a long way to go, but it's a "slowly but surely" process that requires patience. The studios are really lovely and spacious, and have a really nice, old charm about them - without being old and musty - it's more just established. I feel very comfortable and at home there. He joked that the bathroom is a bit like the wild west... two stalls divided by plywood and fabric! Mirrors are coming on Monday. There was a missing window in a studio that had to be repaired - during a ballet class that I was taking, on Thursday, I think. The one workman popped his head in the door as we were starting barre and said "Wow". I can only imagine his thoughts as he saw a full class of us all in there. But they dragged in a ladder and all of their tools, and we were able to concentrate on class very well despite the noise! That one workman of the two was definitely intrigued by our class though, and when he wasn't helping the other workman was watching us. He stood on a ladder and watched our grand allegro while waiting for the other workman to come back with something. It was funny, but great experience for him. Maybe he'll go to see the ballet! ;-)
So, just a little bit about my first week: we start off with something called core dynamics - aligning and stretching exercises that help to keep the body centered, aligned, strengthened and coordinated. It's a good class, and almost addicting. Then we have ballet class, then a pointe/variation class, lunch, then either Repertory Workshop, mime, drama, music, or Character. M. Chernov and GK explained that they consider us actors, not dancers - we're telling a story and they don't want the "bunhead mentality". They are trying to grow the entire artist with their program - and they told us that the drama and mime are very important, and that they would help us in many more ways imaginable. They also told us not to fight against opening up - to grow you must be in an uncomfortable place, and the drama classes would be uncomfortable (and they have been!). To connect with others onstage there must be a vulnerability. You can impress someone in the moment by doing a million turns - and have a physical and emotional bravado - but you won't move them to really remember you.
I'm not dancing as much as the summer, per se, but am doing so much more. I agree with them that several ballet classes a day can be detrimental to progress and correcting mistakes, and also that many teachers can also be a confusing detriment, (when one tells you to hold your arms this way, and the other another way). I'm definitely tired at the end of the day, physically and mentally, but not in the way that I was in the summer. This is a positively progressive experience, and is really building up and going somewhere.
In Rep Workshop this week we learned a main corps portion of Paquita - very challenging, but fun! You must be so particular to every incline of the head, arms, fingers, the placement of the face, eyes, shoulders - the whole presentation. In pose, for example, one hand always rests on the hip while the other extends out in a very opening and inviting way, but to properly execute this pleasant pose, the shoulders remain slanted down towards to the presented arm/hand, the head is tilted up to the opposing corner, the other arm/hand rest on the hip with the elbow forward. The sternum/chest remain lifted up, but the ribs stay down. Smile!
I remember the girls in the level below us this summer who did Paquita for the summer intensive student performance saying how the choreography was deceptively easy in appearance but was really difficult to master - I know what they mean now. But it is a lot of fun, and the instructor is so knowledgeable, sweet, and precise - she sees and corrects everything but doesn't stagnate there - we learned everything there in the allotted amount of time very well. Drama and mime are very interesting and uniquely challenging as well, but more on them later - there's too much to talk about for this post! So far the program has been amazingly wonderful and I am so grateful to have this fantastic opportunity. The directors are so conscientious, nurturing and caring, and the resulting atmosphere and program are just wonderful.
More to come!
Bunhead
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Packing, glorious packing...
...Or not. (I don't even enjoy sorting through this room right now.) Knee deep - in "stuff"! "Clothes" (note the whole general term!), dance clothes, leg warmers, pointe shoes, dance shoes, tights, leotards, jackets and short sleeved shirts, bags, hangers, socks, and more... all over the place and/or organized to stay or go. Where does it all come from?!
Well, at least I'm mostly packed:
Well, at least I'm mostly packed:
Only a little more to go after the big suitcase and duffel...
Friday, September 10, 2010
First White House Dance Event
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| Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy Young Dancers at the White House Dance Event on Tuesday. Hosted by the First Lady, the dance event was tribute to Judith Jamison, artistic director of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater who is stepping down from her position in 2011 after 20 years as director. |
I was able to watch the video of the first White House dance event before it was no longer available - performances by dance companies such as the New York City Ballet, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Super CR3W, (an amazingly talented acrobatic hip hop dance group) The Washington Ballet, Paul Taylor Dance Company, and an excerpt from Billy Eliot the Musical. My favorite piece? "[...] Ashley Bouder and Daniel Ullbricht of New York City Ballet showed that ballet can be equally energetic in its own way with a lively performance of George Balanchine's Tarantella."
All in all, a stunning performance by talented artists!
On YouTube I found the wonderful warm-up class that they gave to the young students from around the country. Really, really nice - a great learning experience! (I'm pretty sure I recognize one of the older girls there from my NYC summer intensive!)
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Dance-deprived musings
So yesterday we went to the beach. It was a several hour trip to Spring Lake NJ, a truly gorgeous affluent beach community, where we've day-tripped for years. It was a picturesque day and the beach was lovely (minus cold water!), but today I'm regretting missing class at my home studio (which was at 6PM last night). The desperation for the daily "meat" of class kicks in once in a while when you're off for too long... as all seasoned dancers know. The body gets "lazy" on certain days, and you say to yourself as you sit for many portions of the day, "I can't believe I was doing that! Absolutely crazy! Distasteful hard work!" But then, (at least I) get ancy and that little brain talk becomes absurd. It's an unable-to-be-suppressed craving from deep inside, it's "oh my gosh, must dance", it's what the body can both hate and love at the same time. So to YouTube I desperately turn to dig up dance/ballet videos. Some are documentaries, from a long time ago, and some are current performers and artists - or more appropriately, athletes - of today. Some are current ballet companies' channels, or on the more instructive side, Yoga, pointe shoes, stretching... the list goes on. You can find just about everything there, but it can sometimes patience, time, and a whole maze of videos to reach a certain deeply embedded treasure. And then sometimes, when I want something a bit more familiar, I bring out the old DVDs of performances and recitals. I analyze and study - you can learn so much by pure absorption - and I think, this is why I do what I do - because simply, I love it and there is a sense of wanting to be nowhere else - true happiness. And so after a few weeks' vacation after the 8 week summer intensive program I'm ready with full energy and longing to take the plunge and continue my dance training. Of course, I'm going to smack myself for ever thinking such thoughts in about a month when I'm knee deep in an intense dance program and Nutcracker rehearsals... but for now, the thought seems very nice.
There is a most beautiful quote of author Bertha Damon which sums up an artists' spirit and gives any goal or focus perspective. "Getting what you go after is success, but liking it while you are getting it is happiness."
It's what every artist strives for. Don't compromise and it can be attainable.
Until next time,
Bunhead
There is a most beautiful quote of author Bertha Damon which sums up an artists' spirit and gives any goal or focus perspective. "Getting what you go after is success, but liking it while you are getting it is happiness."
It's what every artist strives for. Don't compromise and it can be attainable.
Until next time,
Bunhead
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