My friend, who doesn't want to be named, and is a ballet dancer, is going to guest post today! :) Which is good because I really have nothing else to blog about.
There's something about the stage that gets me. Captivates me. Mesmerizes me. But it's not just the actual performance that's exciting. There's more to it than that. It's when I'm in the dance studio in March one afternoon and my ballet instructor finally starts to choreograph our summer showcase. It's when I'm backstage before the final dress rehearsal, putting on my stage makeup, unwrinkling my costumes, and setting up my costume changes in the wings.
Some people hate performing in front of others, and some people just get really nervous, but I love performing. (I do get nervous, though). Of course, there's that glorious moment when you're doing the bows and your cheeks hurt from smiling like a ninny (mm, yes, I do smile like a ninny onstage so the audience can see), and the audience is just cheering and clapping on and on and on and on... I also happen to adore quick-changes. For those of you that don't know, it's when a performer has to change costumes really quickly to go from one scene/dance to the next. Quick-changes aren't supposed to be fun, they're supposed to be stressful and a bit panicky. But I love the quick flurry of movement, transforming from a party girl to a Christmas Light to a reindeer in less than a minute. (anyone get my Nutcracker reference?)
And the dressing rooms have to be the best place in the world. There's nothing like nervous-silly teenagers all cramped into one little room with fifty costumes bursting with ruffles, sequins, and layers upon layers colorful tulle to raise my spirits. I especially love opening night--panicked girls trying to curl their hair in five minutes, first-time pas de deux performers freaking out, girls with new pointe shoes nervously trying to pirouette... Nervousness, panic, and worry are all there, but beneath it is a sense of overwhelming excitement.
Yup, performing ballet is what I live for right now. I highly doubt I could be a professional, but as of today, I can't get enough of the stage. Whether I'm a snowflake in the Nutcracker (which, btw, I was in the 2012 production...totally. Awesome.) or a mermaid in a magical themed show, or simply in leggings and a tunic performing a contemporary ballet piece, I love the stage, backstage, the dressing rooms...all of it. It's too wonderful.
--Audrey
You never know, you could be a professional dancer or an instructor... It's all up to you. Follow your dreams and heart. Don't give up. :)
ReplyDeleteOmg that came directly out of my own mind. Whoever you are...wow. Like literally, out of my own mind.
ReplyDeleteIn my class we just started out showcase dance, we are dolls from Coppelia <3 and I LOVE quickchnages and exact same thoughts about backstage and being nervous and loving it and smiling so much and and and being a snowflake in 2012. For me that was the first time. And being a christmas light, which I was two years, and I was a reindeer this year and well yeah. Reading your post was almost creepy.
I will never be a professional. It's pretty much final for me, I have no chance. But, reinforcing what Hilda said above, not many people are as hopeless as me! Most people I know aren't as hopeless as me and well, I'm sure you're really good so go for it!
You seem really cool, a lot like me, whoever you are, and I wish you the best. <3
Aw you are not hopeless. As they say, practice makes perfect. If you really love it, go for it! ;)
DeleteOMG NAT I TOTALLY THOUGHT IT WAS YOU POSTING
Deleteyou're right, this is directly from your mind o.O
Haha, that's what I have been doing. No, it's too late for me. If at my skill I were still ten, then I would have a chance.
DeleteIKR? I was reading this and I was just like "THIS IS SO CREEPY!" I even read a few parts out to my dad and he was laughing so much because of how similar it was.
I'm so thrilled you loved my post! Thanks so much, Audrey!! :)
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry that I didn't get to reply to these comments earlier...so, let me get started.
ReplyDelete@Hilda (first comment): very inspiring message <3
@Nat: Hmmm, that's very interesting...you even had the same parts as my friend? :O And I watched a Coppelia ballet once, it was awesome!! I did take a few ballet classes before, but I like gymnastics better :)
Well, I don't want to be totally mean and tell you that practically no one can be a professional dancer (even though I did see that on a documentary once) nor do I want to be unrealisticly optimistic about everyone having an awesome future because life doesn't work that way. (now that was definitely a run-on sentence) But I have never seen you dance (is there any chance you could post a video of your performance? I would love to see that)
@Jessica: I did see some resemblance to that post on Nat's blog, about a fictional girl performing in the Nutcracker, now that I think about it...
@Hilda (third comment): Aw, well, I always enjoy reading your blog :)
Yes! I had a quickchange from party girl to christmas light to reindeer in the 2011 production. And 2012, I was a snowflake. I haven't seen Coppelia, but I want too! Haha, I fail at gymnastics. Well, it's true. Practically no one can be a professional dancer. It's a sad life. Mm...I don't have any good videos, but I might be able to get hold of the one where I was the lead. It was contemporary, and like my favorite dance!
DeleteAnd whenever you see dance fiction on my blog, it is an attempt and me writing about my experience, but it never works.
So are you playing the dolls that Swanhilde discovers in Dr. Coppelius's workshop? I've never really had a "quickchange" but it sounds hard, to switch costumes so fast! I enjoy reading your dance fiction, because I've never experienced being part of a ballet show and it's nice to read about it :)
DeleteI don't even know the story of Coppelia...sorry! All I know is that I am a doll. And yeah on one of my last shows for Nutcracker I nearly didn't make it back onstage on time. Because I had change from a totally balletic outfit with pointe shoes to a purple dress and character shoes and then back in a row. The pointe shoes were impossible haha. Thank you! I always found it stupid...I can never write it well it just comes out so annoying in my head. But I love the feedback. (:
ReplyDelete