Spring Break

Hello, hello... 
I'm enjoying an early afternoon "off" (well, sort of... minus work study!).  I've had primarily a good week, not including Monday, however.  It can sometimes be very difficult to get back on track after a weekend off, and I felt like my body had been hijacked, literally.  It was no fun to feel like I couldn't do anything - out of control, discombobulated.  Note that dancers are extreme perfectionists and critique everything almost every second, and it's mostly about feeling - and "feeling bad" doesn't necessarily mean that it was bad.  It's hard to accept a "bad" or "down" day - every moment is precious to perfect one's technique - the way they move and accomplish steps and combinations.  But there are definitely some days when everything goes out the window and it is bad.  We're on a different level here - it's not okay just to do something to just to do it.  It's serious - we're all students striving to become professionals.  Most people wouldn't understand the pressure that comes with this mentality.  And some students don't even realize how they need to take it seriously and work - but they are very far and few between. 

But Tuesday was so much better!  What a difference a day makes...  It's phenomenal!  Tuesday is a light day, with only 5 classes - 3 in the morning, 2 in the afternoon.  For mime class in the afternoon we had mostly some very interesting French history stuff.  It was great to have a mental break and be transported mentally to another place.  It's good to break things up and think about different things other than "this muscle" and "that muscle" and "turnout" and lines, arms, feet, etc! 

Yesterday was good as well, but it was the luckiest thing EVER that the character class was canceled (last class of that afternoon) because I was so exhausted and tired and my feet were killing me...  I have a problem with the big toe of my right foot - most likely tendinitis that originated several years ago - not a dance injury.  It often feels worse when I am NOT dancing.  And the past few days - in the afternoon and when I'm in pointe shoes the entire joint has sometimes seized up and I haven't even been able to roll through my foot/shoe.  Not good!  But often the bad spells don't last long.  I am grateful to not have a more serious injury as many do, even if it is rather chronic.  Just a little annoying problem, hasn't kept me out of class or anything!  Absence of pain makes one forget that they ever suffered it - a funny thing. 

Today wasn't too bad at all, definitely worked very hard and made quite a bit of progress.  I see some things that make me really happy, and others that make me impatient to break down walls of stagnation or break the current plateau... And I've never wanted a week to be over so eagerly - but not in the way one might think.  I'm not eager for classes to be over and done with before I leave for the week of Spring break- in fact I am not in a hurry for this year to end and am scared with the speed in which it has already passed!  This second semester has flown by, but not without a tremendous amount of personal and class progression - good to see.  We're getting busy now on rehearsals for the spring show, exact date TBD.  But I'm ready for the week to be over with.  Hasn't exactly gone to my liking and has been a bit frustrating.  Really, it hasn't been that bad, but I wanted so much more out of it.  Ugg.  Anyway, I have a week of Spring break ahead of me after tomorrow (Happy Friday!) and Saturday (more work study!) and then home! 

It sure doesn't feel like Spring with the current temperatures and conditions - definitely a rainy Manhattan week plus snow/ice/sleet, and wind of the past few days... Before I know it, though, I'll be in short sleeves like last Friday - looking forward to it! 
That's really all for now - please comment and share your requests for what you would like to hear about in my next post! 
Till next time...
Bunhead