Happy Birthday, Ms. Kirkland.
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Part 3: at the theater
The hours before the show!
Following our onstage warm-up barre, my class and I returned back to our section of the green room.
Literally within 5 minutes - we didn't even have time to grab food (graciously provided by parent volunteers) - we were called onstage again for a pointe warm up. The other dancers (who had been waiting through our warm-up barre onstage) had already started by the time my class and I were able to put on pointe shoes and run and join them. Warm-ups on stage are fun (for me, anyway) and I believe they help to familiarize one with the stage as well as become comfortably acquainted with the space that will soon be performed in. I feel that these warm ups helped exactly to do this for me, and I was very happy to have the feeling of that control of making a place your own. The experiences you have in a performing space greatly affect your overall feelings/emotions and inevitably your performance later on. You have to keep a positive mindset, accepting that mistakes WILL happen during rehearsals onstage and even that that is a good thing. Perfect dress rehearsal = bad show! Bad dress rehearsals = good show. It's really true, and I've seen it proven so many times.
I left the pointe warm up a few minutes early to prepare for dress rehearsal which was starting shortly. My class and I were starting off in the 2nd number, hence a possible sense of rush! I fixed hair, put on all makeup, got costumes stuff together, and prepared to get ready to go on. I definitely had a concerned focus for my first number as it is a difficult Bournonville style ballet which requires great control and strength. From the beginning to the end, the excerpts we performed from Le Conservatoire require extreme control, precision, and self-containment while still expressing love, happiness, joy and energy. The first part of the piece starts with a slow adagio - flowing arms, slow grande plies, legs held, extended a la seconde (to the side), and generally slow movements can easily throw anybody, especially if you're nervous. It's hard enough in daily class for most dancers as it is, but onstage, with no mirror and and audience...! (I probably don't even need to say that most of us were seriously intimidated by it all.) The second part picks up in tempo though still keeping a sense of the movement in the opening adagio section, but adds bouncy movement and grande battments, which as the ballet dictionary states is: "An exercise
in
which the working leg is raised
from the hip into the air
and brought down again, the
accent being on the downward
movement, both knees straight.
This must be done with apparent
ease, the rest of the body
remaining quiet." The heightened excitement of being onstage and in front of people, while also worrying about getting everything just right in the exact order can lead to nerves and shaky muscles, and you might end up feeling like you just can't do it. You fall off your supporting leg or otherwise mess up, etc. It unfortunately just happens with those annoying feelings of stage fright/jitters!
During our rehearsal for tech I had just that problem, and I wasn't the only one. The adagio section is so difficult and set up in a way that it is very controlled. It has such major weight shifts and transfers that pose as a challenge and make it so that it's almost all you can do to not fall off of your leg. In fact, our Bournonville specialist and instructor Ms. Elver had warned us of how we would feel onstage. "I know", she said, from her previous experience of dancing 32 years with the Royal Danish Ballet of Denmark. When nervous, you get light and "above your body", losing the weight of the movement. To counteract this, you want to feel like a tree rooting into the ground and the stage. You need to focus on feeling that grounded connection to the ground and through the floor to help stay strong and steady.
Like I've said before, bad rehearsals mean good shows. For me, it's very important to make every possible mistake my second-guessing pre-performance-stressed-out brain can think of before the actual show! It's a relief to know "okay, I did that here this time, but now I know that this goes this way" or "this can happen this way but I know that I can correct it this way" etc, etc, ad infinitum! For tech, it was one of those. My legs were really shaky first time onstage for Le Conservatoire - our first day at the theater. Once we got to the grande battements, I just couldn't do them! They physically wouldn't happen. It's personally disappointing when something goes wrong and you obviously know that you can do it! But, tech day is tech day, and you move on and do the best you can. Don't make yourself crazy (lol, what am I saying?! It's dancers we're talking about here. They obsess and dwell and then obsess some more! But that how things can be perfected.). Everyone was slightly low coming off of that piece, because we all felt that it was junk for that run through. But our teacher was actually happy with all of the run throughs which included the following rehearsals, and tried to banish any negative thoughts of "we don't look good".
The day of the show as we got through our pieces and others went through theirs, I'd say the day went by tolerably well. I wasn't in the 2nd act, which was actually nice because I was able to watch pieces from the audience, and even surreptitiously record video to help friends analyze their performance and see what they might need to correct if needed. See below some videos of dress rehearsal - "Girlfriends" and "Little Red Riding Hood" from Sleeping Beauty. You'll notice in the 2nd video the technical problems that can happen as they figure out lighting, sound, etc! Enjoy...
"Girlfriends" part 1:
"Girlfriends" part 2:
"Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf":
Following our onstage warm-up barre, my class and I returned back to our section of the green room.
 |
| Our teeny weeny dressing room section (for about 6 or 7 of us!) |
Literally within 5 minutes - we didn't even have time to grab food (graciously provided by parent volunteers) - we were called onstage again for a pointe warm up. The other dancers (who had been waiting through our warm-up barre onstage) had already started by the time my class and I were able to put on pointe shoes and run and join them. Warm-ups on stage are fun (for me, anyway) and I believe they help to familiarize one with the stage as well as become comfortably acquainted with the space that will soon be performed in. I feel that these warm ups helped exactly to do this for me, and I was very happy to have the feeling of that control of making a place your own. The experiences you have in a performing space greatly affect your overall feelings/emotions and inevitably your performance later on. You have to keep a positive mindset, accepting that mistakes WILL happen during rehearsals onstage and even that that is a good thing. Perfect dress rehearsal = bad show! Bad dress rehearsals = good show. It's really true, and I've seen it proven so many times.
I left the pointe warm up a few minutes early to prepare for dress rehearsal which was starting shortly. My class and I were starting off in the 2nd number, hence a possible sense of rush! I fixed hair, put on all makeup, got costumes stuff together, and prepared to get ready to go on. I definitely had a concerned focus for my first number as it is a difficult Bournonville style ballet which requires great control and strength. From the beginning to the end, the excerpts we performed from Le Conservatoire require extreme control, precision, and self-containment while still expressing love, happiness, joy and energy. The first part of the piece starts with a slow adagio - flowing arms, slow grande plies, legs held, extended a la seconde (to the side), and generally slow movements can easily throw anybody, especially if you're nervous. It's hard enough in daily class for most dancers as it is, but onstage, with no mirror and and audience...! (I probably don't even need to say that most of us were seriously intimidated by it all.) The second part picks up in tempo though still keeping a sense of the movement in the opening adagio section, but adds bouncy movement and grande battments, which as the ballet dictionary states is: "An exercise
in
which the working leg is raised
from the hip into the air
and brought down again, the
accent being on the downward
movement, both knees straight.
This must be done with apparent
ease, the rest of the body
remaining quiet." The heightened excitement of being onstage and in front of people, while also worrying about getting everything just right in the exact order can lead to nerves and shaky muscles, and you might end up feeling like you just can't do it. You fall off your supporting leg or otherwise mess up, etc. It unfortunately just happens with those annoying feelings of stage fright/jitters! During our rehearsal for tech I had just that problem, and I wasn't the only one. The adagio section is so difficult and set up in a way that it is very controlled. It has such major weight shifts and transfers that pose as a challenge and make it so that it's almost all you can do to not fall off of your leg. In fact, our Bournonville specialist and instructor Ms. Elver had warned us of how we would feel onstage. "I know", she said, from her previous experience of dancing 32 years with the Royal Danish Ballet of Denmark. When nervous, you get light and "above your body", losing the weight of the movement. To counteract this, you want to feel like a tree rooting into the ground and the stage. You need to focus on feeling that grounded connection to the ground and through the floor to help stay strong and steady.
Like I've said before, bad rehearsals mean good shows. For me, it's very important to make every possible mistake my second-guessing pre-performance-stressed-out brain can think of before the actual show! It's a relief to know "okay, I did that here this time, but now I know that this goes this way" or "this can happen this way but I know that I can correct it this way" etc, etc, ad infinitum! For tech, it was one of those. My legs were really shaky first time onstage for Le Conservatoire - our first day at the theater. Once we got to the grande battements, I just couldn't do them! They physically wouldn't happen. It's personally disappointing when something goes wrong and you obviously know that you can do it! But, tech day is tech day, and you move on and do the best you can. Don't make yourself crazy (lol, what am I saying?! It's dancers we're talking about here. They obsess and dwell and then obsess some more! But that how things can be perfected.). Everyone was slightly low coming off of that piece, because we all felt that it was junk for that run through. But our teacher was actually happy with all of the run throughs which included the following rehearsals, and tried to banish any negative thoughts of "we don't look good".
The day of the show as we got through our pieces and others went through theirs, I'd say the day went by tolerably well. I wasn't in the 2nd act, which was actually nice because I was able to watch pieces from the audience, and even surreptitiously record video to help friends analyze their performance and see what they might need to correct if needed. See below some videos of dress rehearsal - "Girlfriends" and "Little Red Riding Hood" from Sleeping Beauty. You'll notice in the 2nd video the technical problems that can happen as they figure out lighting, sound, etc! Enjoy...
"Girlfriends" part 1:
"Girlfriends" part 2:
"Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf":
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Part 2: at the theater
Day 2 of being at the theater was scheduled to bring dress rehearsal and then the performance in the evening. We actually were starting morning classes later in the morning than usual, which was nice. I got up a little after 7 and was at the studio by 8:30. Core was supposed to start at 9:30, so I began to warm up accordingly, chatting with classmates as they came in. The morning was going smoothly, and around 9 I left the studio to fill my water bottle. A classmate stopped me as I was going back and said they wanted me for costuming. I literally put my water bottle inside the door and went to studio 2, full of costumes and sewing supplies! Our Hungarian costumes for our character piece had arrived after much delay from Texas. They were gorgeous - lovely bodices, full pale green skirts, and attractive puffy white sleeves - quite "noble". The only drawback was that they really were not finished. And unfortunately too, many costumes had been made to the wrong size despite our being fitted meticulously a few weeks previously.
After I tried my costume on and had needed alterations marked by pins (while watching my warm-up time slip away - a good half hour of it!), I was able to hurriedly slip away and go back to my classroom. Core had already started, of course. I told another classmate that she was needed for her fitting and then guiltily joined in with the others. Not even 5 minutes went by before the directors came in and announced due to the costume fitting/alterations they would have to cancel our warm up we were presently doing. We all filed into studio 2 and began working on our very much unfinished costumes. Commence the feverish pinning and switching of costumes to see what would better fit who! We were very blessed to have an amazing seamstress, Judy Kahn from NJ, who directed the alterations and had been up the entire night sewing the costumes that had been received by mail. She was the result of an all-out search for a seamstress the day before when the pieces had finally arrived, and from the time she had received the costumes in the afternoon the day before until when she got the costumes to the studio she had been sewing them. She told us she had had a team sewing at her house until midnight, and afterward she had taken over from there.
We began to help as we could, even missing our technique class to do so. I helped to finish headpieces, and then began to work on sewing hooks and snaps on the skirts. By the time most of us were finished, nearly everyone had left for the theater, where we needed to be by 1. In my fuzzy memory, the time was probably around 11:30 and noon or so. I gathered my stuff quickly and took the train uptown to the theater with 2 of my classmates. Upon arriving, we dumped stuff quickly in our green room and hurried onstage to take the warm up class we were unable to have back at the studios with our scheduled teacher. It was a nice small barre and helped me to feel not so stiff after a morning of really doing nothing except stressing and sewing!
More to come about dress rehearsal and the show!
For now, check out the photos below...
After I tried my costume on and had needed alterations marked by pins (while watching my warm-up time slip away - a good half hour of it!), I was able to hurriedly slip away and go back to my classroom. Core had already started, of course. I told another classmate that she was needed for her fitting and then guiltily joined in with the others. Not even 5 minutes went by before the directors came in and announced due to the costume fitting/alterations they would have to cancel our warm up we were presently doing. We all filed into studio 2 and began working on our very much unfinished costumes. Commence the feverish pinning and switching of costumes to see what would better fit who! We were very blessed to have an amazing seamstress, Judy Kahn from NJ, who directed the alterations and had been up the entire night sewing the costumes that had been received by mail. She was the result of an all-out search for a seamstress the day before when the pieces had finally arrived, and from the time she had received the costumes in the afternoon the day before until when she got the costumes to the studio she had been sewing them. She told us she had had a team sewing at her house until midnight, and afterward she had taken over from there.
We began to help as we could, even missing our technique class to do so. I helped to finish headpieces, and then began to work on sewing hooks and snaps on the skirts. By the time most of us were finished, nearly everyone had left for the theater, where we needed to be by 1. In my fuzzy memory, the time was probably around 11:30 and noon or so. I gathered my stuff quickly and took the train uptown to the theater with 2 of my classmates. Upon arriving, we dumped stuff quickly in our green room and hurried onstage to take the warm up class we were unable to have back at the studios with our scheduled teacher. It was a nice small barre and helped me to feel not so stiff after a morning of really doing nothing except stressing and sewing!
More to come about dress rehearsal and the show!
For now, check out the photos below...
 |
| Backstage in the crowded green room! |
 |
| "Girlfriends" from Sleeping Beauty |
 |
| My friend Eve and I, during 2nd act of dress rehearsal |
 |
| Foreground: sewing operations at the theater; background: dancers eating, chatting, & warming up |
 |
| The Hungarian costume!! |
 |
| Yours truly... |
Sugar Plum Fairy
A unique and impressive take on the Sugar Plum Fairy variation!
Glass Duo (Poland) - Chamber Music Festival in Bologna, Italy - June 2010
Music: P. Tchaikovsky - Sugar Plum Fairy (The Nutcracker)
Glass Duo (Poland) - Chamber Music Festival in Bologna, Italy - June 2010
Music: P. Tchaikovsky - Sugar Plum Fairy (The Nutcracker)
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Merry Christmas!
Wishing all my readers and followers a very Merry Christmas!
(More to come this week of what I've been up to so far during the break...)
Christmas cheer,
Bunhead
(More to come this week of what I've been up to so far during the break...)
Christmas cheer,
Bunhead
Saturday, December 17, 2011
At the theater
It's my favorite thing - being at a theater. Rehearsing, spending time together backstage, doing hair and makeup, (getting nervous) and finally getting that precious time onstage - becoming familiar with the new space and making it my own - it's a special couple of days that fly by before you know it! So on Thursday we were up bright and early for classes starting at
8:30am. Surprisingly, I felt really awake even with getting up shortly
after 6, which was nice. After classes and part of a run-through we went to the theater for an afternoon for tech and boring stuff like that. (No, it is all really important, but sometimes it can be tedious.)
Actually, it ended up not being that boring at all! I ran around for quite awhile helping our temporary stage manager and others with costumes and odd jobs. We got to run our pieces and everything was good.
It was nice to see our poster up in the front at the theater as well as our school name and performance date running up on the marquee!
We got out right on time as well on tech day, so that was really nice. I got home around 8:30 and soon realized that I had maybe sat down for a combined 20 minutes max the entire day!! (Crazy, isn't it?!)
Next morning, (Friday) I got to wake up a little later as classes started at 9:30. I got to the studio around 8:30 or so and started warming up. It was rather unexpected what happened next, however! (Hint: costume drama!)
To be continued...
Actually, it ended up not being that boring at all! I ran around for quite awhile helping our temporary stage manager and others with costumes and odd jobs. We got to run our pieces and everything was good.
It was nice to see our poster up in the front at the theater as well as our school name and performance date running up on the marquee!
 |
| Our poster advertizing for the show - on Broadway & 95th! |
 |
| View of subway & uptown |
 |
| The theater |
 |
| stage |
 |
| part of house and balcony portion |
 |
| Backstage & sewing area |
 |
| Backstage in the green room (only a "bit" cramped!) |
We got out right on time as well on tech day, so that was really nice. I got home around 8:30 and soon realized that I had maybe sat down for a combined 20 minutes max the entire day!! (Crazy, isn't it?!)
Next morning, (Friday) I got to wake up a little later as classes started at 9:30. I got to the studio around 8:30 or so and started warming up. It was rather unexpected what happened next, however! (Hint: costume drama!)
To be continued...
Behind the scenes (run throughs and rehearsals)
Earlier this week of our first semester performance, every afternoon was devoted to run throughs and rehearsals for the pieces for the show. Photos!
 |
| Hanging out in studio 4 for our numbers |
 |
| Temporary costume rack |
 |
| Bags!! |
 |
| My dear friend Eve & I |
 |
| "Organized mess" |
Christmas break (and Christmas gifts)
The show is over and I'm now enjoying my Christmas break! Everything went amazingly well, and we were all happy with the outcome of the performance, as were our teachers and the directors. I am so grateful to so many people for so many things, but first, to backtrack to the time shortly before the show with some photos! I'll admit, things were very busy as the performance loomed closer (!) and I would come home really tired at night - hence the absence from the blog. One night I had fun wrapping up all my Christmas gifts for my teachers and pianists at GKA - it took about 2 hours but was so much fun! I just love giving, and that's what this season is all about. I noticed the Trader Joes holiday bags had all sorts of cool designs and name tags on them for the express purpose of decorating and gifting, which was really thrilling and made the gifts look fantastic! Take a look and see for yourself:
I just loved how they turned out, and it was even better to see the joy they brought when they were given to their recipient!
 |
| My room (part of it!) |
 |
| TJ's Gummy tummies!! So yummy and one of my favorites... |
 |
| Work in progress (note: cutting paper bags is cathartic!) |
 |
| The end result! |
I just loved how they turned out, and it was even better to see the joy they brought when they were given to their recipient!
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Tomorrow is the show!
I can't believe it's already here! I am so excited for tomorrow's performance - which is going to be FANTASTIC! Come see the Gelsey Kirkland Academy perform at Symphony Space in NYC on Friday, December 16th at 7:30. Hope to see you there...
Things at the theater were great today. Every time I find myself in the wings, life is complete. I am fulfilled. It's a magical feeling...
Tomorrow is class, then to the theater for dress rehearsal and then the performance. Time to calm my excitement and go to bed!
Thursday, December 8, 2011
David Hallberg on the Colbert Report!
I just love this!! Your light moment for the week:
The Colbert Report
Get More: Colbert Report Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,Video Archive
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Thankful...
...for so many things, especially:
Being a student of GKA
Being a part of the wonderful program this school offers!
Having the privilege of being taught by teachers and instructors who give so much of themselves to us students in daily classes
The amazing pianists of GKA who also give so much of their time and energy to provide us with inspiring music
My fellow classmates, for the inspiration they provide - their energy, focus, grace, beauty, support, and hard work
My family and friends for their support to me
My so far successful selling of 22 tickets for our December show - which has put me on the leaderboard for the most tickets sold!
And... the beautiful day spent today with friends and family, a delicious Thanksgiving meal, and quality time relaxing and spending time with my family here at home!
There is so much to be thankful for! Please share your thoughts and comments below.
Happy Thanksgiving,
Bunhead
Being a student of GKA
Being a part of the wonderful program this school offers!
Having the privilege of being taught by teachers and instructors who give so much of themselves to us students in daily classes
The amazing pianists of GKA who also give so much of their time and energy to provide us with inspiring music
My fellow classmates, for the inspiration they provide - their energy, focus, grace, beauty, support, and hard work
My family and friends for their support to me
My so far successful selling of 22 tickets for our December show - which has put me on the leaderboard for the most tickets sold!
And... the beautiful day spent today with friends and family, a delicious Thanksgiving meal, and quality time relaxing and spending time with my family here at home!
There is so much to be thankful for! Please share your thoughts and comments below.
Happy Thanksgiving,
Bunhead
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
One month until the GKA winter performance!
It's November 16th - which means in exactly one month, on Friday, December 16th, the Gelsey Kirkland Academy will be performing at Symphony Space! So far, the ticket selling competition of only a couple of weeks has us to almost 200 tickets sold out of 780. Please help us keep this going! Spread the word, and get your ticket at http://www.symphonyspace.org/event/7222-gelsey-kirkland-academy-presents
Be sure to then forward your email ticket receipt to me so I can recieve credit for what tickets I sell. (Students with the highest number of tickets sold are eligible for receiving the prize of up to 2 privates with Ms. Gelsey Kirkland!) We're all very excited and working hard - hope to see you there!
More to come,
Bunhead
Be sure to then forward your email ticket receipt to me so I can recieve credit for what tickets I sell. (Students with the highest number of tickets sold are eligible for receiving the prize of up to 2 privates with Ms. Gelsey Kirkland!) We're all very excited and working hard - hope to see you there!
More to come,
Bunhead
Thursday, November 10, 2011
David Hallberg as Bolshoi Principal, plus Giselle video!
It’s Official: American Is Now a Bolshoi Dancer
By ELLEN BARRY
"Last Friday night, David Hallberg made his debut as a principal dancer at the Bolshoi Ballet, becoming the first American in history to do so.
A leading Russian newspaper critic praised his “surgically measured pirouettes” in the role of Prince Albrecht in “Giselle.” Another wrote that “the way he simply walked on stage differentiated him from a mere mortal,” and noted that the company has not had a “Nordic beauty” of his type since 1979, when Aleksandr Godunov defected while on tour with the Bolshoi in New York. What fault they found was with his acting; transports of emotion conveyed by his co-star, Natalia Osipova, were met with no more than “ideally harmonized and measured gestures and loyal glances,” one of the critics said.
For Mr. Hallberg himself, the debut meant he was allotted 12 hours of relaxation – and two beers – before launching into intensive preparations for “Sleeping Beauty,” which opens Nov. 18 on the Bolshoi’s historic stage and will be telecast globally on the 20th. He called it “one of the biggest performances of my career,” made more daunting by new choreography which he compared, in its opening sequence, to being blasted out of a cannon.
Mr. Hallberg is reflecting on his adjustment from the American Ballet Theater to the Bolshoi, and from New York to Moscow, in a series of conversations with the Moscow bureau chief of The New York Times, Ellen Barry. Here edited and condensed, is their latest chat.
- - -
There's a lot of wonderful video popping up on YouTube now, straight from the Russian fans! I wanted to share a clip from a performance at the Bolshoi this month: Hallberg's first Bolshoi Giselle, with the stunning Natalia Osipova.
A leading Russian newspaper critic praised his “surgically measured pirouettes” in the role of Prince Albrecht in “Giselle.” Another wrote that “the way he simply walked on stage differentiated him from a mere mortal,” and noted that the company has not had a “Nordic beauty” of his type since 1979, when Aleksandr Godunov defected while on tour with the Bolshoi in New York. What fault they found was with his acting; transports of emotion conveyed by his co-star, Natalia Osipova, were met with no more than “ideally harmonized and measured gestures and loyal glances,” one of the critics said.
For Mr. Hallberg himself, the debut meant he was allotted 12 hours of relaxation – and two beers – before launching into intensive preparations for “Sleeping Beauty,” which opens Nov. 18 on the Bolshoi’s historic stage and will be telecast globally on the 20th. He called it “one of the biggest performances of my career,” made more daunting by new choreography which he compared, in its opening sequence, to being blasted out of a cannon.
Mr. Hallberg is reflecting on his adjustment from the American Ballet Theater to the Bolshoi, and from New York to Moscow, in a series of conversations with the Moscow bureau chief of The New York Times, Ellen Barry. Here edited and condensed, is their latest chat.
Q.
What was the moment of highest tension for you in this performance of “Giselle”?
A.
I was going on for Act II and I lost my pirouette. I just kind of
lost the feeling of being up on the leg and turning. We usually dance on
a linoleum-type floor and this was a canvas floor, so it’s very
slippery. So anyway I lost the feeling. And the director, Sergei Fillin,
had seen it happen during the intermission. So he came up after two or
three tries. He came up and said, before the preparation: “Just relax.
No more emotion” — you know, in his broken English – “You don’t have to
give emotion. You don’t have to emote. Just calm down, relax and just go
for the pirouette calmly.” And it totally fixed it.
Q.
Did he hypnotize you?
A.
No, it just put me back into reality kind of. Sometimes when things
aren’t working you get yourself into a stupor. You start to panic a
little bit and then it just gets worse and worse. And he said, calm
down, let it happen. In essence — he didn’t say this, but in essence —
he’s saying you don’t have to conquer the world, just do a pirouette.
You know, just go around three times.
Q.
So what did Sergei say to you afterwards?
A.
He said, ”Congratulations.” He said, ”Welcome to Bolshoi.” He said
that even before the curtain went up. I’ll never forget at the gala on
the 28th, he came into the reception, he said: “This is your theater
now. This is your theater. Welcome to your theater.” And I said, “This
isn’t my theater.”
Q.
That’s got to be a crazy feeling.
A.
It’s a crazy feeling.
Q.
You must be lonely sometimes.
A.
That’s a good question, but the answer is no. It’s been such an
unbelievable juxtaposition between my life in New York and my life here
now. In New York I have so many friends. I know the city so well. I’m
the type of person that just packs in my schedule. I’m seeing things,
seeing people, I’m going to things, going to performances, etc. But
here, I have an apartment close to the Bolshoi. I go to rehearsal, I
come back, the day winds down. I’m reading a great book on de Kooning.
Q.
You’re surrounded by people who came up through the Bolshoi. You have to notice a lot of little differences in training.
A.
I do. Honestly, I think the company does as well. I think my
performance in “Giselle” was my proving ground. I needed to mark my
territory. I felt dancers in the company curious and watching: How will
he perform and how will he dance? They see me in class every day, but
they were curious to see, you know, like how I dance. At least to my
face I got a very positive response. Ballet dancers are very harsh
critics of ballet dancers.
Q.
To their faces?
A.
No, but –
Q.
If you get something wrong they’re not going to miss it.
A.
No not at all.
Q.
Well how do you know what they’re saying to each other?
A.
You don’t.
Q.
Your first role on the historical stage is the prince in “Sleeping Beauty.” How do you feel about the role?
A.
Everyone says that I’m the princely character, or the princely type.
You kind of are who you are. I try to push beyond that. You know, you
can’t eat the same thing every day, even though you love it.
Q.
Is there a part of the performance that really gives you the opportunity to show off?
A.
Yes, and that’s when you’re not really dancing. Just standing there, being a prince.
Q.
Have you reviewed tapes of your first performance?
A.
That’s the beauty of YouTube. People take them with their phones and then post them on YouTube an hour later. I was on Twitter and then I saw that someone added a link, “Osipova Giselle.” And then I clicked on it."- - -
There's a lot of wonderful video popping up on YouTube now, straight from the Russian fans! I wanted to share a clip from a performance at the Bolshoi this month: Hallberg's first Bolshoi Giselle, with the stunning Natalia Osipova.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Quick update
I'm officially a New Yorker!! (Yay!) I'm living in Midtown as of the last day of October. I really love it and am so grateful to finally be living in Manhattan. I've been really busy and not blogging, I know, but this weekend I promise a full update of all that we've been doing. BTW, tickets are on sale, so please head over to Symphony Space's website and check it out! (Send me your reciept via email, as we students are competing among ourselves for who can sell the most tickets, and we're keeping track of it by reciepts from the tickets of our family and friends!) More to come...
Bunhead
Bunhead
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Time flies...
...When you're:
having fun?
working hard?
Yet another week has quickly passed by! I'm sorry to have to admit that October will soon be over. I really, really, love this month, and wish that it could last just a little longer. However, I suppose that time passing is better than it dragging along. We're enjoying our 1st semester and having fun, working hard, and loving what we're doing every day, and I guess that sneakily enables one to lose track of time. I always get a bit more tired as the week goes one, but this week was good. I: got up at 6:00 every morning, (sometimes having to mumble what day it was to get it into my head) took the bus at around 7, got in at about 7:30, got to school around or between 7:45 and 8:00AM, and then warmed up until we started at 9. I like to have time to stretch, roll out my muscles with a foam roller, and get grounded and prepared for the day ahead. (It never does anyone any good to rush in 10 or 5 minutes before and try to start our core dynamics conditioning warm-up.)
So this week was good, nothing extra-ordinary to tell... on Friday we had a large rehearsal for an excerpt from La Bayadere - it was sort of a pre-rehearsal - getting to know the choreography, organizing people, etc. But as to who will be performing that selection, I do not know. I'm looking forward to hearing what we are going to be working on and performing - more on that to come soon! Overall, it was a nice week, and I feel that I'm improving and progressing all the time. Exciting! But now, to enjoy the rest of the weekend - before I know it, I'll be back in class...
having fun?
working hard?
Yet another week has quickly passed by! I'm sorry to have to admit that October will soon be over. I really, really, love this month, and wish that it could last just a little longer. However, I suppose that time passing is better than it dragging along. We're enjoying our 1st semester and having fun, working hard, and loving what we're doing every day, and I guess that sneakily enables one to lose track of time. I always get a bit more tired as the week goes one, but this week was good. I: got up at 6:00 every morning, (sometimes having to mumble what day it was to get it into my head) took the bus at around 7, got in at about 7:30, got to school around or between 7:45 and 8:00AM, and then warmed up until we started at 9. I like to have time to stretch, roll out my muscles with a foam roller, and get grounded and prepared for the day ahead. (It never does anyone any good to rush in 10 or 5 minutes before and try to start our core dynamics conditioning warm-up.)
So this week was good, nothing extra-ordinary to tell... on Friday we had a large rehearsal for an excerpt from La Bayadere - it was sort of a pre-rehearsal - getting to know the choreography, organizing people, etc. But as to who will be performing that selection, I do not know. I'm looking forward to hearing what we are going to be working on and performing - more on that to come soon! Overall, it was a nice week, and I feel that I'm improving and progressing all the time. Exciting! But now, to enjoy the rest of the weekend - before I know it, I'll be back in class...
Theme & Variations
The (dance world) web is buzzing over this recently uploaded video to YouTube - Theme and Variations at American Ballet Theatre, with renowned principal dancers Mikhail Baryshnikov and Gelsey Kirkland, from 1978! Ms. Kirkland's performance is absolutely stunning - the performance is a must see! I really love the special end to the video (but won't you please watch all of it).
Enjoy!
Enjoy!
Monday, October 17, 2011
Mondays - the good kind
Today was a surprisingly good day! I woke up at 6:00AM like I usually do, after going to bed at about 10. I slept well and felt refreshed when I got up, which was nice. I had a really good morning class for a Monday - (shocker!) because as we all know, Mondays will always be Mondays! But luckily for me, things felt great and I actually had a really good day. It's days like this that I just love and feel fulfilled in what I do. I went and got groceries at Trader Joe's after classes, which is always an enjoyable experience. I finally figured out how to get there from the subway (it's the only place that I go that I get lost trying to find it!). I got home a bit before 7 PM, and it was an absolutely lovely evening. Not too hot, not too cold - a bit of a breeze blowing, the setting sun leaving behind a dark, clear blue sky... It reminded me of an evening at the ocean. It was very peaceful. I wish that October could last longer!
So that's a quick summary of my good day. I'm looking forward to a good night's sleep and a better day tomorrow!
So that's a quick summary of my good day. I'm looking forward to a good night's sleep and a better day tomorrow!
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Save the date - Gelsey Kirkland Academy performance!
Save the date for my upcoming performance!
Gelsey Kirkland Academy of Classical Ballet Student Performance
Friday, December 16th, 2011
7:30 PM
Peter Jay Sharp Theater
at
Symphony Space, 2537 Broadway at 95th Street, New York, NY
This performance will consist of mixed repertory including excerpts from such ballets as Sleeping Beauty and La Bayadere.
Our goal: a sold-out performance
How you can help: Save the date, spread the word to your friends and family who might be interested in seeing a fantastic evening of beautiful Classical Ballet!
Tickets: http://www.symphonyspace.org/event/7222-gelsey-kirkland-academy-presents
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Why I Dance: Candace Bouchard
When I read this article, I couldn't believe how many of the similar feelings and emotions I have experienced, like Candace, in the joys and fulfillment of dance! She so beautifully expresses the complexities of what we experience as artists...
-Bunhead
 |
| Oregon Ballet Theatre soloist Candace Bouchard as Dewdrop in Balanchine's Nutcracker Photo by Blaine Truitt Covert, Courtesy OBT ©Balanchine Trust |
"Oregon Ballet Theatre soloist Candace Bouchard is an elegant,
meticulous, and versatile dancer. She savors the challenge of highly
technical roles, such as Dewdrop in Balanchine’s Nutcracker, while also welcoming the experimentation of more contemporary works—it’s a process she calls “sacred.”
Bouchard grew up in St. Louis, MO, where she received her early ballet training with St. Louis Ballet. At 16, she continued her training at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, and eventually went on to study at Ballet Academy East in Manhattan. In 2003 she joined OBT as an apprentice, and she entered the corps in 2004. There she has danced a broad range of the repertoire, from Balanchine’s Apollo to Forsythe’s The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude. She has also founded and choreographed for OBT’s Uprising series, a collaborative effort among OBT dancers and local musicians that brings classical ballet to intimate, nontraditional venues.
"One of my first memories is running around the garage while my dad
was doing something useful—fixing a car, building shelves, organizing
his tools. I was jumping off the garbage can, yelling, “I’m a dancing
butterfly! I’m a dancing butterfly!” I don’t know where the desire to
dance originated. As long as I can remember, I’ve loved moving to music.
After much begging, my parents put me in ballet before they knew what that would eventually entail. For years, I took tap and jazz as well, mostly just to be dancing as much as possible. I don’t know why it was always ballet for me. Somehow, the long lines and lush music gave me both the structure and the space to put all my emotions. I was a quiet child, but when I danced, be it in the studio or in my bedroom, everything that mattered in my world came to the surface, floating out of and around me like a pulsing, color-rich mist.
I think my first pair of pointe shoes came at age 11. For me, they were just another tool toward building a life full of dance. I knew that to continue in ballet, I needed to dance on pointe, so I did. It wasn’t about the magic of the pretty pink shoes that the other girls were wrapped up in—sleeping with them under the pillow and such. But I wanted them badly because it meant I was one step closer to being a professional dancer. As soon as I learned that was a job you could have, it was the only option for me. I enjoyed school, I enjoyed learning, I enjoyed challenges wherever they presented themselves. Nothing, however, could compare to the emotional, intellectual, and spiritual fulfillment of ballet class or the pure elation of performance.
Today, the reasons I dance remain the same, but I understand the drive a little more. I see beauty around me all the time. In a perfect sunny day or in the expression of immense grief, I know there are incredible, universal rhythms presenting themselves to us all, binding us to each other and to all that we don’t yet understand. Often, they flit by without being observed. There is a need in me to take those moments in, let them saturate me, and then meticulously squeeze them out into the world. So many people have to spend their work weeks taking care of the necessary tasks that keep our lives running. I don’t want them to feel they have to give up on the magical for the sake of security, success, or sanity.
In performance, there is a chance to stand up in front of my community and share the most full parts of life with whoever is willing to watch. Everyone deserves to feel these extremes of emotion—these perfect, elegant dimensions and proportions that resonate in all of us. However I can bring that to people, I will. Yes, we struggle to live the life of an artist, but through that struggle, we experience something so rare, delicate, and powerful that there is no question of having it any other way.
Dancing allows me into the sacred space inhabited by the infinite, the glorious, the profound. The space that no superlatives can adequately describe. The opportunity to occupy that place both drives me and leaves me feeling that I owe a debt to the rest of the world. Performing is an attempt to repay that debt. Dance is both my blissful struggle and my elusive solution."
From Dance Magazine: http://dancemagazine.com/issues/October-2011/Why-I-Dance-Candace-Bouchard
Monday, October 10, 2011
October!
It's really been a while here on the blog! My apologies for the lack of posts in basically what adds up to be a month of time with no Bunhead! I've been busy but good. Today is Columbus Day, and I actually have off. (Surprise!) Right now I'm sitting on my deck at home in this glorious October afternoon warm weather, enjoying doing nothing. I get rather lazy in my short time off. Actually, I spent this morning organizing clothes and doing laundry for this coming week, so it's not all leisure. So what have I been up to lately? My program started on September 12th. I had a really good first week, commuting in by bus, and staying with friends in NJ. These past 3 weeks I have been staying with wonderful friends in NJ. I am so grateful to them for helping me out! I don't mind commuting, actually - it's just expenses that can weigh you down. I am excited because I am very close to getting a place to stay in Manhattan ( I just need to interview this week) and then I will be settled for the rest of the year! So this of course is great news and I can't wait to finalize it.
I absolutely love my school, instructors, classmates and the entire environment in which I am studying! It is amazing hard work and I am humbled by so many people that have helped to get me here and those that I am surrounded by everyday. The program is fantastic, really, but it doesn't mean you won't be exhausted by the end of the day. I have improved so much just from the summer intensive, which is such a great feeling and really makes one see the truth in the curriculum they have to offer.
A rough example of daily schedule, often shifting depending on the day or how the schedule has been organized for the week will look something like this:
Core Dynamics 9:00am (minimum a half hour class, usually 45 minutes or longer)
15 minute break
Technique class - usually 10:30am or so - 11:45
15 minute break (All classes usually have a 15 minute break in between unless it's the "lunch break" which often isn't that long! Mostly, the 15 minutes will just get you enough time to re-fill your water bottle, go to the bathroom, and grab whatever you need out of your locker (i.e. tutu, character shoes, etc).)
Noon-ish Pointe/Variations, Pas de Duex, or Stretch class, depending on the day/schedule
Half hour or 45 minute break for lunch
Afternoon classes, either 2 or 3 - Repertoire, Stretch, Pointe/Variations, Drama/Mime, Bournonville Enchainment, Character, or Music, as well as optional classes such as stretch or upper bodywork. Usually the day will finish at 4:30 or by 4:45; if there are optional classes and people stay to take them, the day will finish at 5:45. It really isn't bad at all, but you definitely will have the potential to feel tired, sore and achy. Woe to you after a long day if you can't get a seat on the subway... AND the bus...
So that's what I've been doing for these past 3 weeks... I've been commuting by bus daily, which I actually don't mind. The past two weeks, where I was staying, I had a very fast commute that usually took a half hour, which was really nice. Everything was going pretty seamlessly until I got sick this past week. It was really weird - it started with a nasty allergy attack and gradually morphed over the next day and a half until I found myself with fever and chills. The next morning, after a truly horrible night, I definitely had a fever, but went in to classes anyway. What was I going to do, stay home and do nothing? I could not miss classes, really - I've seen too many people take off for just a little cold or something. People at school thought I was crazy and told me to "go home!". I took core and tech ( I felt pretty much fine, just really hot) and then sat out for two classes. My fever went down and I was okay to finish rest of the day. The next morning I felt so much better, it was amazing. That feeling kind of went away as the day went on, but I was feeling good about not having missed a day through everything. It's one thing to be really, really sick - i.e., vomiting, unable to get out of bed, pounding headache - but if you're just feeling "off" you should really make the effort. If I had had a migraine I wouldn't have gone, but a sore neck, scratchy throat and fever isn't, in my book at least, an excuse to not be there. Ironically, my class had perfect attendance the day I had the fever!
So, bad that it may be for me to justify going in "sick", I stuck it out, eventually working through what morphed into a cough/cold. What can I say, I'm hardcore. I definitely took care of myself and took a lot of medicine, and I'm pretty much fine now - just a bit of a cough and funny sounding voice (okay, I sound too much like a frog for my tastes!). But I'm pretty sure that most everything will be cleared up for going back to classes tomorrow! (At least, there's no talking in Ballet...) The interesting thing is that I never get sick, and I mean, NEVER. It was eye opening to go to Church yesterday and see how many people had serious sick coughs. Something happened this week to make a lot of people at least under the weather - maybe the high pollen/ragweed count? It seems that's what did me in.
But enough about that, I did get some time to enjoy this lovely weather we've been having - yesterday, at an amusement park in Elysburg, PA. I have a relative who's a vendor at an Autumn craft and food festival they have there, so I was able to ride some rides with my family and visit with a few relatives and friends as well. It was a picturesque day, even nicer than Saturday - not a cloud in the sky the entire day! The weather was lovely - that great October/fall warm weather feeling that is different from the heat of summer and almost nicer because you have the smell of the leaves. (Yes, I really love Autumn weather.) So that was a nice getaway. Yet I always think to myself out and about among others, how people have no idea what I do. They don't know who I am - a dancer, an artist, an athlete. I have a sort of secret and secluded part of my life! I do amazing and even painful things with my body to create and tell a story, convey an emotion, express an idea. I discipline myself all day long. I many evenings go home exhausted - tired, sore, sometimes even depressed or downtrodden after a hard day, and then get up early every morning eager and ready to do it all over again. Many days I will feel extremely fulfilled after a day of successful and satisfying work, but this isn't always how it is. There are many sacrifices to make, but these sacrifices are made freely and even happily, because they are made out of love. We love what we do, and we do it for you: the audience.
So, it feels good to take a break, to have a long weekend, but at the end of the day I always find myself yearning to go back and dance. Even if you're tired and low on energy you will still find the magic and the passion of classical Ballet. I'm looking forward to starting a new week tomorrow and getting back in the groove of things. I'm really excited that I will be soon housing in Manhattan (yes!) and can't wait to settle down after really being a nomad for the past year. Maybe I'll finally be able to explore some areas of the city that I've had suggestions to check out, (instead of hurrying back to NJ!) or stop by museums, performances, and other things the city has to offer. (Even stop by a library somewhere - I have a library card but never time to use it!) I can't believe it's already October - a busy month with some leftover summer (at least this year), birthdays (including mine... this week...) and beginnings of preparation for soon upcoming performance in December, which of course will be well-advertised in advance.
Time to enjoy the rest of the afternoon!
Au Revoir,
Bunhead
P.S. Hope you like the new blog template/color scheme - inspired by Pennsylvania's Autumn folliage!
A rough example of daily schedule, often shifting depending on the day or how the schedule has been organized for the week will look something like this:
Core Dynamics 9:00am (minimum a half hour class, usually 45 minutes or longer)
15 minute break
Technique class - usually 10:30am or so - 11:45
15 minute break (All classes usually have a 15 minute break in between unless it's the "lunch break" which often isn't that long! Mostly, the 15 minutes will just get you enough time to re-fill your water bottle, go to the bathroom, and grab whatever you need out of your locker (i.e. tutu, character shoes, etc).)
Noon-ish Pointe/Variations, Pas de Duex, or Stretch class, depending on the day/schedule
Half hour or 45 minute break for lunch
Afternoon classes, either 2 or 3 - Repertoire, Stretch, Pointe/Variations, Drama/Mime, Bournonville Enchainment, Character, or Music, as well as optional classes such as stretch or upper bodywork. Usually the day will finish at 4:30 or by 4:45; if there are optional classes and people stay to take them, the day will finish at 5:45. It really isn't bad at all, but you definitely will have the potential to feel tired, sore and achy. Woe to you after a long day if you can't get a seat on the subway... AND the bus...
So that's what I've been doing for these past 3 weeks... I've been commuting by bus daily, which I actually don't mind. The past two weeks, where I was staying, I had a very fast commute that usually took a half hour, which was really nice. Everything was going pretty seamlessly until I got sick this past week. It was really weird - it started with a nasty allergy attack and gradually morphed over the next day and a half until I found myself with fever and chills. The next morning, after a truly horrible night, I definitely had a fever, but went in to classes anyway. What was I going to do, stay home and do nothing? I could not miss classes, really - I've seen too many people take off for just a little cold or something. People at school thought I was crazy and told me to "go home!". I took core and tech ( I felt pretty much fine, just really hot) and then sat out for two classes. My fever went down and I was okay to finish rest of the day. The next morning I felt so much better, it was amazing. That feeling kind of went away as the day went on, but I was feeling good about not having missed a day through everything. It's one thing to be really, really sick - i.e., vomiting, unable to get out of bed, pounding headache - but if you're just feeling "off" you should really make the effort. If I had had a migraine I wouldn't have gone, but a sore neck, scratchy throat and fever isn't, in my book at least, an excuse to not be there. Ironically, my class had perfect attendance the day I had the fever!
So, bad that it may be for me to justify going in "sick", I stuck it out, eventually working through what morphed into a cough/cold. What can I say, I'm hardcore. I definitely took care of myself and took a lot of medicine, and I'm pretty much fine now - just a bit of a cough and funny sounding voice (okay, I sound too much like a frog for my tastes!). But I'm pretty sure that most everything will be cleared up for going back to classes tomorrow! (At least, there's no talking in Ballet...) The interesting thing is that I never get sick, and I mean, NEVER. It was eye opening to go to Church yesterday and see how many people had serious sick coughs. Something happened this week to make a lot of people at least under the weather - maybe the high pollen/ragweed count? It seems that's what did me in.
But enough about that, I did get some time to enjoy this lovely weather we've been having - yesterday, at an amusement park in Elysburg, PA. I have a relative who's a vendor at an Autumn craft and food festival they have there, so I was able to ride some rides with my family and visit with a few relatives and friends as well. It was a picturesque day, even nicer than Saturday - not a cloud in the sky the entire day! The weather was lovely - that great October/fall warm weather feeling that is different from the heat of summer and almost nicer because you have the smell of the leaves. (Yes, I really love Autumn weather.) So that was a nice getaway. Yet I always think to myself out and about among others, how people have no idea what I do. They don't know who I am - a dancer, an artist, an athlete. I have a sort of secret and secluded part of my life! I do amazing and even painful things with my body to create and tell a story, convey an emotion, express an idea. I discipline myself all day long. I many evenings go home exhausted - tired, sore, sometimes even depressed or downtrodden after a hard day, and then get up early every morning eager and ready to do it all over again. Many days I will feel extremely fulfilled after a day of successful and satisfying work, but this isn't always how it is. There are many sacrifices to make, but these sacrifices are made freely and even happily, because they are made out of love. We love what we do, and we do it for you: the audience.
So, it feels good to take a break, to have a long weekend, but at the end of the day I always find myself yearning to go back and dance. Even if you're tired and low on energy you will still find the magic and the passion of classical Ballet. I'm looking forward to starting a new week tomorrow and getting back in the groove of things. I'm really excited that I will be soon housing in Manhattan (yes!) and can't wait to settle down after really being a nomad for the past year. Maybe I'll finally be able to explore some areas of the city that I've had suggestions to check out, (instead of hurrying back to NJ!) or stop by museums, performances, and other things the city has to offer. (Even stop by a library somewhere - I have a library card but never time to use it!) I can't believe it's already October - a busy month with some leftover summer (at least this year), birthdays (including mine... this week...) and beginnings of preparation for soon upcoming performance in December, which of course will be well-advertised in advance.
Time to enjoy the rest of the afternoon!
Au Revoir,
Bunhead
P.S. Hope you like the new blog template/color scheme - inspired by Pennsylvania's Autumn folliage!
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Friday, September 9, 2011
Live, breathe, dance! Dancer profiles
COMING SOON!
 |
| Live |
 |
| Breathe |
 |
| Dance! |
In a soon-to-be-coming interview series, pre-professional dancers share what it's like to do what they do. They reveal their hopes, dreams, and inspiration; share a funny moment, poignant insight, or onstage experience; tell us what moves them, makes them who they are, and most of all: why they love dance.
Stay tuned...
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Inside the studio: La Vivandiere rehearsal
Here's a great video of "La Vivandiere" featuring some of the students of this past year in the highest level. (Students are of the Joffrey Ballet School's then-Classical Ballet track; the young and extremely talented gentleman is from Ellison Ballet.) In studio rehearsal:
Gaynor Minden playing cards!
Got these at GKA's summer intensive - fun! (Of course, I've been obsessively playing with them - with not the best luck...)
 |
| A winning game of solitaire... |
 |
| Kings |
 |
| Queens |
 |
| Jacks |
 |
| Tens |
 |
| Aces |
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)