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Saturday, December 31, 2011

Happy New Year!

As you can see, I haven't posted that much during December, mostly because I am on holidays, which means that there's no translation or ballet classes until January and therefore, not much to say.

I guess I could have written a "Merry Christmas" blogpost thingy, but I'm not a very Christmas-y person. I prefer to wish happy holidays to the people; I hope you've had fun with your beloved ones... and now it's time to say goodbye to 2011!

This has been a very nice year. I learnt lots of things at the university; I had my first interpreting exams and simultaneous interpreting lessons, which were lots of fun; I started this blog, I went to Belgium and Holland, I danced in front of a crowd after eight years, I was (re)promoted to pointe, I went to London and to the Royal Opera House and I met my favourite ballerina ever, Tamara Rojo. What else can I ask for? Well, an even better 2012!

Some of you might not know a pretty nice tradition we have in Spain for the last 12 seconds of the year. We eat a grape each time the clock at the Puerta del Sol in Madrid strucks (it's also live on TV). It is a very funny moment! Grapes are not very easy to eat in a second, as you may know, so most of us finish the 12 seconds with our mouths full of grapes and normally laughing, coughing and crying. Fun times!

So I wish you all a very happy 2012!!!
May your translations stay accurate, your interpretations lack of filled pauses and your pirouette fairy is always around!

The Snowflakes wish you a Happy New Year too! =D
Artists of New York City Ballet
Nerea.

Sunday, December 11, 2011

Ballet is hard and stuff

So this girl went to her first rehearsal for Les Sylphides on Friday and the day after she found this super nice thing:

These are my knees, yeah. Nice bruises, huh? And they hurt, in case you're wondering.

Lovely, innit?!
Nice to know that pink tights cover everything up, because if I get three bruises after each rehearsal, I won't have acceptable legs to dance with in January.

Keep dancing, anyway!
Nerea.

Friday, December 9, 2011

I am such a Sylphide!

I know I haven’t written anything here for long, but I actually did it on purpose because I wanted to be able to tell you the full story!

You know what? Two weeks ago, we had a ballet class with another teacher. We didn’t really understand why we had this change, because our regular teacher was also at the studio. So not that she was ill or anything! And class was hard. So, so hard. Our new teacher kept taking notes while looking at us doing some terrible attempts to dance gracefully. You know, it was one of those days when you leave class thinking you’re the worst dancer in the whole world. Fun times, yay!
Ok, no.

So during our next class (pointe) my regular ballet teacher (Mrs. M) told us she needed to have a talk with us. She was very serious, so we thought that whatever she was going to say was going to be very bad. Something like: “the other day you sucked so much that we don’t want you here. Leave this place and never come back!” Nervousness everywhere!

But instead she said: “This studio is participating in an important performance in January; we’re representing an association of dance. Mrs. A was here the other day to take notes about you, and we believe that some of you are ready to dance with us. But there are some important things that you need to take into consideration. First of all, it is not compulsory. Second of all, since the moment you say yes, you have to accept anything we say. This means that you may be dancing something you don’t like with people you don’t know or with a teacher you can’t stand. You might not be dancing with your regular classmates! Oh, and you have to be able to come on Saturdays and Sundays if we call you. Understood?”.

So I was among the ones who were picked, and of course I said yes. I want to dance in January and I am really happy to be a part of this! These past two weeks must have been for the teachers to prepare everything; to create the choreographies and all the stuff. Actually I’m having a week off from university and I’m in Salamanca instead of home with my family because I wanted to be here in case we had our first rehearsals. And guess what?! I had them today! Almost two hours of class which were AMAZING! “What are you dancing?” –you may ask. I’m dancing “Les Sylphides” with a neo-classical choreography, with soft slippers (most of the time), with Mrs. A and with some girls from the advanced and intermediary levels. It’s hard to work with a choreographer, because it’s not like a regular class. Mrs. A marked loads of steps and I just couldn’t remember anything at the beginning, but I got used! Oh, and we’re doing something extremely cool that was so MUCH FUN. We are partnering!!! Yes, like when there are boys on the stage and they do these really cool pas de deux with the ballerinas. Only we’re all girls. But it’s super awesome anyway! Oh, and HARD. It looks easy, but it is not! Anyways… really, dudes, come on! Come to class, please. I want to do a partnering class like… everyday. Thank you.

So that’s all! I’m such a sylphide, nice reader!
I’ll keep you up to date!

I look nice, huh...? Ok, ok, that's Tamara, not me! And he is Rupert Pennefather!
Nerea.