Sylphides update

Last week was a pretty busy week.

I had four days of dancing, including two classical ballet lessons and two long rehearsals for Les Sylphides. Oh, and also a dress fitting. I can now tell you, nice reader, that the only thing about the performance which has to do with Les Syphides is the music.

The costumes are pretty, but they are blue and completely different from the ones worn by the sylphids in the ballet. And the choreography is also very, very different. It's neo-classical, kinda contemporary and we don't wear pointe shoes. But I like the whole thing, anyway!

On Saturday we finished learning the choreography. You know I've just been "promoted" from beginners level to intermediate, so I guess you also understand that I feel a little behind the rest of the class. It's more difficult for me to get to remember and perform all the steps and I'm feeling really challenged. But I'm determined to rehearse a lot and I'll do my best!

The performance will be in February 17th, and until then I'll have classes and rehearsals from Monday to Saturday; at least eight hours a week (well that's crazy, innit!). Oh, and my choreographer told me that whenever I have free time I can go to the studio to practice. Free time? Me? You know that now I'm in Salamanca just because of ballet, right? I have no uni classes! I'd be in the studio during the whole day if possible! So maybe I'll get to add some more private lessons with her so I can work on my déboulés and soutenus, which are giving me a lot of trouble... and unfortunately there are lots of them in the choreography!

That's all for now!

I leave you with a quote by my choreographer:

"Give a hundred per cent of your dancing during rehearsals so when I ask you for 120% during the performance you won't run out of stamina! Make the most of every rehearsal!"

Nerea.

P.S.: I had to buy a knee bandage because my right knee was giving me a little trouble due to my falling on it over and over again during the beginning of the choreography.

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.

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.