First week

So, I had a good but exhausting first week back.  It was definitely physically challenging to get back into things, and I'm exhausted today after it all!  It felt great to be back though, into my regular schedule of things and commuting.  It was a very productive week, even with feeling a bit "off" after the break.  After a break, you don't feel as strong or maybe coordinated.  Things that you had control over before the break might need to be reacquired, though I did feel more loose and flexible this first week back.  My calves weren't tight during break as they usually are from all the walking around on hard concrete in the city, and they still feel good now.  I just hope it lasts! 

The break was good both physically and mentally, but now I feel ready to really dive into things.  The first week over with, our directors have promised that everyone is going to pushed harder, faster, better this semester!  I was pleased personally with my progress just this week - sometimes it's just little things, but it's exciting to notice progress and push yourself.  We have also been working with some new teachers and that has been a lot of fun.  So now I have this short weekend to relax a bit before I head back...  Today I took classes with the teachers from my studio nearby.  We're preparing a performance of Carnival of the Animals by Camille Saint-Saens, and I am dancing a soloist role, mermaid, from the Aquarium.  It's definitely a difficult little piece - with the choreography/mood being a nice challenge for an artist.  I'm also understudying for another piece in the show, as well as dancing as the mermaid in minor roles in the opening and finale.  It's going to be an entertaining show and is really coming together as of rehearsals this afternoon - with wonderful dancers/artists and great costumes!  The date is Sunday, March 6th at 3pm ...stay tuned for more information to come! 

I've heard that it may snow but hope that the weather will temporarily hold.  The area where I'm staying got quite a lot this past week.  It was beautiful to see the snow fall so fast and thick in the dark, well after commuting hours, but it wasn't pleasant in the morning to have to worry about getting out when I had to go to classes.  Because NYC didn't get much snow as NJ, public schools were not closed as they were in NJ - for good reason - we got a lot of snow and the roads were terrible!  Luckily my chauffeur offered me a ride, for which I was very grateful.  I'm sure the train was much better than the buses, which were running, but probably not so well from the NJ end.   Lucky too that the car we were driving was excellent in snow and only slipped once when going through a large drift.  I wasn't too late and made it only a few minutes after the morning ballet class started.  Somehow I was in a good mood and relaxed - and had a really great class!  :)

So that pretty much sums up my past few days... I'm really tired right now, and therefore boring...  Oh yes, I did have a long train ride last night to get home... some incident on the line affected train schedules and so the train didn't run express.  I was on it for 2 hours - and it was quite a full train too.  I didn't really mind though - had lots to occupy myself and it really didn't seem that long.  People were fairly good-natured about it because seriously, what can you do about it anyway?  I did hear one gentleman as he left joke with another passenger: "Is is Saturday evening or Sunday morning?"  Another as I prepared to get off at the stop remarked to a fellow passenger how he had ridden a long train before (one that runs on a long line and makes every single stop) and promised himself he'd never do it again.  He said he could hardly wait to get off the train.  "Yeah," the female passenger agreed, "they stop at every inhouse and outhouse!"  Then we got off into the cold - it's been quite chilly here. 

Well, that's all for tonight - (you'd be surprised how long a blog post takes to write up)!  Stay warm in the frigid January temperatures...