Another trip to London

Hello!

So it's already been about a week since I came back from another trip to London. This journey was easier and more pleasant than the last one, since I was able to travel by Eurostar instead of by bus.

You may wonder why I would want to go to London again after only three months since my last visit. Well, actually February 21st was Tamara Rojo's last performance at the Royal Opera House, with the Royal Ballet (the company she left in order to become English National Ballet's new artistic director). And you know that I really, really love her as a dancer, so I couldn't miss it. Plus, she was going to dance along with Sergei Polunin, one of the most amazing dancers of his generation, who shocked the dance world when he left the Royal Ballet last year.

So yeah. I had to ask for a free day at school, because I always work on Fridays and the performance was on Thursday. I also work on Thursdays, but I managed to find a train at 15:15, so I rushed from work to the train station all dressed up for the gala at the ROH. I met my friend Rosa next to the ROH shop. We had been talking for ages via Facebook, but we had never seen each other in real life. She's also a big Tamara fan, so we had decided we would go together to her last performance with the RB. It was amazing to share this experience with her!

Photo © Bill Cooper/Royal Opera House

The performance itself was amazing. It was a Frederick Ashton mixed bill, which included La Valse (which I had already seen in October during the ROH Gala, and for some reason I liked it better back then), Meditation from Thaïs (which was beautifully performed by Leanne Benjamin and Valeri Hristov), Voices of Spring (by the lovely Yuhui Choe and Alexander Campbell, who were perfect and a joy to watch), Monotones I & II (not my favourite pieces, but still they are perfect to show the beautiful lines and technique of the Royal Ballet dancers) and Marguerite and Armand (the piece Tamara and Sergei were going to dance, which was created on the legendary ballet couple Margot Fonteyn and Rudolf Nureyev). The audience was waiting for the last part to arrive, and when it did, it was breathtaking. Literally. Since Armand met Marguerite until she died in his arms I couldn't even hear the audience breathe. An absolute silence. And... oh, Sergei and Tamara. Oh. That was beautiful. Perfect. You got me. I feel so privileged for having seen you both dancing live. Thank you.

And it is clear that London loves Tamara. They love her so much. That endless flower cascade, that thunderous applause, those meaningful tears. She can never have too many. She will be sorely missed at the Royal Opera House... and no wonder, because she is one of the greatest ballerinas of her generation. The only thing that makes me sad is that in her country -in my country- people don't appreciate her. It is so sad that she had to leave Spain in order to become the star she deserves to be.

Tamara and Sergei taking their bows. She's holding some of the thousands of flowers they threw for her farewell.

Anyway! I can't wait to buy the DVD of that final performance! Opus Arte has already confirmed that they will release it at the end of the year or in 2014. I am so happy! It truly was a night to remember.

Also, after the show we waited for the dancers at the stage door. I got Yuhui Choe's autograph and I also was in the presence of Kevin O'Hare, Dame Monica Mason, Carlos Acosta, Lauren Cuthbertson, Bennet Gartside (who signed a beautiful photograph for me) and others... And of course, we met Sergei Polunin and Tamara Rojo, who signed programmes and took pictures with people.

With Tamara Rojo and Sergei Polunin. ROH stage door after Marguerite and Armand.

I spent the next days in London with Rosa, visiting museums (we went to the Tate Modern, to the Victoria & Albert and we visited the British Museum twice). We went to The Globe, Shakespeare's theatre, which was so great. We were assigned a very funny old lady as our guide and we were able to attend a little demonstration of how people used to get dressed during the Elizabethan era, as well as some sword fighting theatre rehearsals. Lots of fun! We also wandered around Covent Garden (we bought Royal Ballet's Onegin posters and a pair of new Bloch pointe shoes for me) and we had a walk at Portobello Road, where she bought a red scarf (Little Lotte!) and I purchased an old vinyl record of the Original London Cast of The Phantom of the Opera. Finally, we went to the Royal Albert Hall and to the English National Ballet's headquarters (but we didn't go in, we just walked around - we're not stalkers!). Oh, and last but not least... we met James McAvoy at the stage door of Macbeth, where he is performing now! He really is the sweetest! We got his autograph and a picture with him.

I also had some time to spend with Chris, whom I hadn't seen since his last visit to Paris in December. We had a coffee at Prêt (well, I had a hot chocolate) and then we went for dinner at Pizza Express, next to the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden. He really is some good company! We'll see each other again in March. We have tickets for the Paris Opera Ballet, to see a Roland Petit programme at the Palais Garnier. I can't wait!

And finally, on Monday, the day I had to come back to Paris, I met Alejandro, a Spanish Twitter friend who lives in London. He invited me for lunch and then we went to the Casino at Leicester Square, where we had free drinks because he's a friend of the place. It was very nice to meet him and her friend Esther in real life!

So that was pretty much my second trip to London of the season. I honestly hope I can go to live there very soon. It really is a magical city!

Nerea.

PS.: I think the hostel we stayed in deserves a little comment. Horrible place (there was no space!), but lots of fun, I have to admit!

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.

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.

Dear Tamara,

You might remember me, or maybe not. I am the crazy Spanish fan girl who met you the other day after your brilliant performance of Aurora at the Royal Opera House. Yes, that girl who said nothing but a shy enhorabuena and then gave you a rose. That girl who asked you to sign her tiny pointe shoe. 

I am that girl who simply melted in your presence and who was not able to tell you what she desperately wanted you to know. This is why I write this letter: because at that point I could not think properly. I was overwhelmed and honoured. And it is not a matter of adulation; it is a matter of inspiration.

I started taking ballet classes when I was six, but due to different reasons I had to give up at thirteen after a recent promotion to pointe. When I was nineteen I got an Erasmus grant and I was lucky enough to get London as my destination. In May that year I went to the ballet at the Royal Opera House and this is when magic happened. You were dancing Asphodel Meadows with the rest of the company. I had never seen you dance before, but you got through to me, and I had not seen the best part just yet. Later that day you danced Carmen and you simply changed my life. I bought your DVDs and watched them all. I searched for other performances of yours on YouTube and I loved every single second of them. Through your dancing you gave me the strength I needed to go to a ballet studio and enrol myself again after more than six years, even though I knew it was a bit late for me. I do not consider myself a good dancer; I have so much to learn…! But you are my inspiration and if I know I will never give up it is because of you. Because you granted me the privilege of seeing your dancing. That is why I will never be able to thank you enough. 

Tamara, when I met you last Monday I did not tell you this, but the pointe shoe that you signed for me was not any pointe shoe. It was actually my first pointe shoe ever, which I had been keeping like a golden treasure since I was eleven. You just made it even more special, so thank you once again. 

I will continue following your career and watching you live as many times as I can, because you never deceive me. You always have something new to give and I will be there to catch it every single time. Thank you, Tamara Rojo, because you make me happy and without you, my life would not be the same.

Your ever supporting fan,
Nerea.

Big Ballet Dilemma

I have been faced with this dilemma for more than two weeks, I still don’t know what to do and I have to find a solution like NOW. I know that the decision should be mine, but I’m in desperate need of advice.

As you know, I’m studying in Salamanca. This is my last year of university, and therefore it is also my last year of ballet in this studio with this Amazingly Awesome Ballet Teacher. I had a ballet class for beginners today. I felt so much ahead the rest of the class. I’m not swaggering; it is a fact. We did a new barre and I could remember all the steps and I performed them pretty well. I didn’t get any corrections from the teacher. Only things like “very well, Nerea! You’re doing fine!”

Well, it seems that I have a pretty much pretty and amazingly cool life. What is the problem, then? The Problem is this:

Class finished and Amazingly Awesome Ballet Teacher told me that she didn’t know why I still was in that class with the beginners. She had spoken with intermediate ballet teacher (with whom I have had an intermediate class and two hours of pointe. That equals three hours), and this second person had told her that I could totally get enrolled in intermediate class. She said I was doing well; I just needed to have a little more agility at the centre.

So I told Amazingly Awesome Ballet Teacher that I didn’t feel really confident in intermediate level. She answered that she was sure I was ready and intermediate ballet teacher thought the very same. I hesitated for a second and Amazingly Awesome Ballet Teacher shouted: “come on!!! It’s always me! I always have to push you guys to do new things! Come on, Nerea! Go to intermediate level!!! You can do it!!! I know you can!!”

So, these are my options:

• Stay in ballet class with the beginners, with Amazingly Awesome Ballet Teacher, 2 hours a week + 1 hour of flamenco, also with Amazingly Awesome and Adorable Ballet Teacher.

• Go to intermediate level with Not-So-Awesome-Ballet-Teacher. This means 2 hours a week + 1 hour of pointe shoes with her… And not flamenco at all, because, you know, my budget has its limits.

The first option means that I will focus on the basics again; on very easy things that I can already do, which can be nice… or not so nice, and of course, staying with lovely teacher. Second option means, of course, something like: “bye, bye, Amazingly Awesome and Adorable Ballet Teacher, forever and ever, and hello, stressful ballet classes in which I learn so much and I can actually dance like a ballerina, but where I don't really know if I'm performing correctly!”

There are other options, but certainly less advisable, like giving up flamenco, staying with the beginners in ballet class and going to intermediate pointe class. Or going to intermediate ballet classes, giving up pointe and going to flamenco with Amazingly Awesome Ballet Teacher.

Should I repeat that Amazingly Awesome Ballet Teacher absolutely wants me to go to intermediate level, because she thinks I have some kind of potential?

My head is a total mess. Any experienced advice?

Oh, and if I choose option 2, I will dance like Tamara in a few years. Yeah, sure... ;)
Look at that super AWESOME winged foot!!!

Nerea.

Just like Tamara Rojo

So the other day my mum was with her friends, showing this picture of myself dancing at the dance school recital in June:

I was also there, listening to their conversation, and you know how it is when mums start talking about how amazing their children are… yeah, so not fun times.

And then, suddenly, one of my mum’s friends said: wow, look at her! We have a Tamara Rojo in here!

And I was like WTF!, because you can obviously tell that the woman doesn’t know anything about dance, since Tamara is not a flamenco dancer, and even if she was, I could never be as good as her…

But if she wanted to make a compliment (which, I am sure, was her purpose), she couldn’t have chosen a better one, because for me, Tamara is the bestest ballerina ever.

So I couldn’t help but think:

Awwww! Take that, I am like Tamara Rojo! Do you hear that, evil single pirouettes? I have now pwned you! You are now pwned, because I can do 32 freaking fouettés in a row!!!

And then I went home and tried to pirouette… and failed miserably as always.

[…]

Maybe in a few months… (?)

Nerea Rojo.

Romeo and Juliet at the O2 Arena

It's exactly 20:30 in Spain when I'm starting to write this, which means that it is 19:30 in London.

This is the time when my favourite ballet company in the world, the Royal Ballet, is starting its performance of Romeo and Juliet not at the Royal Opera House, as usual, but at the O2 Arena of London. I had the chance to be in there last year for a concert, and I can't imagine how amazing it can be to watch R&J there. As if that wasn't enough, today the stars are my favourite ballet couple ever, Tamara Rojo and Carlos Acosta.

Bennet Gartside, first soloist with the Royal Ballet, made two awesome videos to promote the event. You can see them both right here:

 

I wish them the best of the lucks from here.

You guys are going to rock the whole city!

Nerea.

Interpreting en Pointe

Eh… what?

Yes, “Interpreting en Pointe”. Why not? Oh wait. You are asking me what all this is about. Ok, fine, let me explain it from the beginning.

So… you know, I am studying Translation and Interpreting and I am in the middle of my training to become a conference interpreter… or something like that. Why do I say it this way? Well, simply because I have not decided yet if I will become an interpreter or a translator… or both. I will have to make that decision in September. The fact is that I truly WANT to become an interpreter, but I am WAY better at translating documents. This means that during summer I will have to follow a very strict schedule to make my foreign languages (French and English) a lot stronger. I have thought that a blog written in both these languages would really help me; or at least, my writing skills and vocabulary will improve considerably. In addition to this, I will have to spend some hours a week practising with real speeches in both languages, so that I will not feel lost when the next academic year begins.

But wait, what does the “en pointe” thing mean? It is French for “on the tip of the toes”, and yes, I am talking about ballet shoes. But what has ballet to do with all that? Well, they say that interpreters always have an unusual hobby that helps them relax and forget about their job. Some of them sing operas, some others play piano or different kinds of flutes, and I even met one that went scuba diving. Some of them say that these hobbies even help them feel more comfortable while interpreting. Why? Well, let’s see this from the musical point of view: people who study music are able to multitask, their heads are better organised, and many of them are more used to listening to foreign languages, aren’t they?

So for me, this random hobby is ballet: my passion and my love. Because I am in LOVE with ballet and I cannot help feeling free and amazingly happy when I dance. Because it helps me forget everything and get rid of the stress that the interpreting booths cause. Because it is wonderful. And because at some point I have found myself interpreting with my headphones on and my ballet slippers on my feet at the very same time.

On Tuesday 31^st May (today, or yesterday, because it’s 3:50) I did my simultaneous interpreting exam. I will receive the results on the 2^nd June. These are probably among the most important results of my life, because depending on my mark, I will decide whether or not to become an interpreter and whether or not to make this summer adventure. I hope the results are satisfactory and if so, I will see you here, talking about headphones, booths, speeches, tutus and ballet shoes... and Tamara Rojo.

[…]

Yes, I love her.

And you should too.

Nerea