Well, it was just brought to my attention that I have not been posting here. No, actually it hasn't, I've just really had nothing to post. What do I say? Nutcracker rehearsals have started? There really isn't much to say at the moment other than we rehearse every single week on the weekends. It isn't very often, I know.
Unless I hadn't told you about my getting a solo part. So I take contemporary, also, and in that class, I am in the company, which is a group of the best dancers. One of the dances has a maybe ten second solo part? Anyway, the person who did that last year isn't in the company this year, so who gets the part? Me, of course!
And another thing: We do another dance for company, and the beginning ins sort of like a cannon. We are in a pyramid, and the tip starts the choreography first, then the next line, then the last line. And who gets to be the tip? Me, of course!
Wow, that was a bit repetitive. The last sentence of both paragraphs I mean.
Anyway, I decided to post not just because I haven't, but because I have some minor things to say! Well Nut rehearsals are going really really well. And you know how I've said I have to do a double pirouette in my Christmas Light dance? Well, we ran Act 1 two times today and I nailed it each time!
Oh, sorry I'm getting ahead of myself here. Well starting this weekend, we began putting all the scenes together. Like running the entire acts through without stopping, if you get what I mean. Well there are two acts, and I am in both of them. Actually, I have three parts in each one. SO yeah, I have six parts. Wait...I said that in my last post, didn't I?
Anyway, yesterday we ran Act 2 two times, and I did pretty good in those but they weren't too hard. Today's, Christmas Light's dance, now that's the hardest one you can if you're not en pointe. In it, you need to do a double pirouette, which I have only succeeded in a few times. So today, we ran Act 1 twice, in which i was a Party Girl, Christmas Light, and Sleigh Reindeer. CL really is the only dancing part in this act.
So we ran it, and we wore our head wreaths and held our wands. When I got to the double pirouette the first time, I NAILED IT! Okay, that's simple. The second time though, my wreath was like really loose. I did the turn perfectly again, only, when I landed, the wreath was hanging on the side of my head. Yeah, not so great of a finish.
But thankfully all I had to do was run off. Yay! I got my turns down.
So that's about it.
Expect for the show. Well let's see. Now I have a week off, for Thanksgiving, and then next weekend we're going to do more run throughs of the acts. Then, throughout the week after that, we'll be visiting the theatre after school and practicing specific parts on stage. Then on Thursday and Friday we'll be doing dress rehearsals. Yeah, dress rehearsals. Which means that Saturday and Sunday are the shows!
Four shows in all, two on each day. Awesome, isn't it? So basically, the performances are in two week. TWO WEEK. Yes, that's what I said. TWO WEEKS.
Hehe, I love repeating things. It's quite fun, actually.
Anyway, I'm out. See ya!
~nat~
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Saturday, September 24, 2011
The Nutcracker Results
Okay, so I haven't posted in a while. I know, I know, we found out our parts on September 9th, but I've been oh, just too lazy to sign out of my story account and well post on here. And yes, I write stories. All the time.
So.
September 9th. Friday, September 9th. 2 weeks after the auditions. We were all dying to know what we got.
Well, let's rewind a little. Like a few days ago.
On Monday and Tuesday, I was incredibly happy and excited. Why? Because it was the week in which I would find out. Wednesday, even more so. Thursday, the most excited someone would see me, ever. But the tiniest hints of an unwanted feeling began to slowly creep into mind. Friday, not too well. I was too anxious. I knew I got my hopes up too high. I was afraid, and almost not wanting to go to the meeting.
I had a jazz class from 6 to 7. The meeting was at 7:30. I got to skip my music class for this. Me and the others in my class who were also doing Nutcracker all stayed back.
The parents started coming in. We also went in. The meeting was boring. Only after it, did we get the paper which listed our parts.
At home, my friend was waiting for me. They were staying for dinner. When I went upstairs to change out of my dance clothes, I couldn't help letting a few tears quietly slip out. Oh well. I mean sure, I got six parts, but none of which the ones I wanted so badly.
Again, oh well. I got over it. Now I am happily rehearsing 6 parts and its awesome because I get to be onstage six times!!!!! So yeah.
~nat!
So.
September 9th. Friday, September 9th. 2 weeks after the auditions. We were all dying to know what we got.
Well, let's rewind a little. Like a few days ago.
On Monday and Tuesday, I was incredibly happy and excited. Why? Because it was the week in which I would find out. Wednesday, even more so. Thursday, the most excited someone would see me, ever. But the tiniest hints of an unwanted feeling began to slowly creep into mind. Friday, not too well. I was too anxious. I knew I got my hopes up too high. I was afraid, and almost not wanting to go to the meeting.
I had a jazz class from 6 to 7. The meeting was at 7:30. I got to skip my music class for this. Me and the others in my class who were also doing Nutcracker all stayed back.
The parents started coming in. We also went in. The meeting was boring. Only after it, did we get the paper which listed our parts.
At home, my friend was waiting for me. They were staying for dinner. When I went upstairs to change out of my dance clothes, I couldn't help letting a few tears quietly slip out. Oh well. I mean sure, I got six parts, but none of which the ones I wanted so badly.
Again, oh well. I got over it. Now I am happily rehearsing 6 parts and its awesome because I get to be onstage six times!!!!! So yeah.
~nat!
Sunday, August 28, 2011
The Nutcracker Auditions
So our school performs the Nutcracker every year in December. Our auditions are in August. Which, happened to be today.
DTI is like my second home now. I spend about half my life hanging out there, waiting for some class or another. It's pretty funny, actually. So today, August 28th, I went to the studio at 9:30, half an hour before class as they had instructed me to do so. So the audtion was one and a half hours long but we started late so I ended at 12. At the end of that class, the teachers told us who they wanted to stay for the acting callback. I was part of it, just like last year.
During the acting callback, we learned the Candlelight scene from the beginning, which requires acting, of course. In the beginning you act all frightened and then joyful once you see the doll. Of course, that wasn't how anyone was feeling while doing it. We had to do it one by one in front of three teachers and all of the students. Nervousness. All throughout it, I'm sure each single one of us was thinking "Oh my gosh everyone is staring at me. I need to get past this level. Oh shoot I made a mistake. But I need to keep smiling right now or else I'll never make it."
Well last year, I apparently did not do well because I did not continue any further than here. I'm sure you're expecting me to say now that I passed this year.
Well, you're wrong.
Naw, you're right.
I was one of the maybe ten or so chosen for the next acting callback. We still did Clara stuff, except we were being her in the Winter Wonderland scene. It was short. All we had to do were shenays (how's it spelled???) in and a sutenu (again, how?) and then a grande jete (I know how to spell that one! I think?). But the first step was hard since we had to spot looking up, and hold our arms out to the sides.
I learned this over the intensive, only this was simpler. Honestly I liked the other version better, but this was fine, too.
I don;t think I did very well in this. I didn't feel that same confidence as I had during the Intensive when I did it on my own, and my grande jete was sloppy. But I was the oldest in my group, and all of the older girls moved on so I don't really know how I did.
But anyway, I moved on even more, plus two really good ten year olds. The next thing was a pointe class. I'm not en pointe, but we still did it. It was a hard class since it was with the older girls, but I got it. Mostly.
After that, all of us passed to the next thing. We just did a small sample of the Russian dance. Two pique turns, ambuates (wow, I need to improve my French miserably), two more piques, and then shout "Hey!" Well it wasn't as easy as it sounds. It was fast and it was all turns. Pretty hard. But I almost got it.
And that was all the girls my level had to do. I passed everything.
Mostly, I think I did well. I have a feeling that I might get a lead role, such as lead lamb. It's the role I want desperately, and I have a really good chance.
~nat~
DTI is like my second home now. I spend about half my life hanging out there, waiting for some class or another. It's pretty funny, actually. So today, August 28th, I went to the studio at 9:30, half an hour before class as they had instructed me to do so. So the audtion was one and a half hours long but we started late so I ended at 12. At the end of that class, the teachers told us who they wanted to stay for the acting callback. I was part of it, just like last year.
During the acting callback, we learned the Candlelight scene from the beginning, which requires acting, of course. In the beginning you act all frightened and then joyful once you see the doll. Of course, that wasn't how anyone was feeling while doing it. We had to do it one by one in front of three teachers and all of the students. Nervousness. All throughout it, I'm sure each single one of us was thinking "Oh my gosh everyone is staring at me. I need to get past this level. Oh shoot I made a mistake. But I need to keep smiling right now or else I'll never make it."
Well last year, I apparently did not do well because I did not continue any further than here. I'm sure you're expecting me to say now that I passed this year.
Well, you're wrong.
Naw, you're right.
I was one of the maybe ten or so chosen for the next acting callback. We still did Clara stuff, except we were being her in the Winter Wonderland scene. It was short. All we had to do were shenays (how's it spelled???) in and a sutenu (again, how?) and then a grande jete (I know how to spell that one! I think?). But the first step was hard since we had to spot looking up, and hold our arms out to the sides.
I learned this over the intensive, only this was simpler. Honestly I liked the other version better, but this was fine, too.
I don;t think I did very well in this. I didn't feel that same confidence as I had during the Intensive when I did it on my own, and my grande jete was sloppy. But I was the oldest in my group, and all of the older girls moved on so I don't really know how I did.
But anyway, I moved on even more, plus two really good ten year olds. The next thing was a pointe class. I'm not en pointe, but we still did it. It was a hard class since it was with the older girls, but I got it. Mostly.
After that, all of us passed to the next thing. We just did a small sample of the Russian dance. Two pique turns, ambuates (wow, I need to improve my French miserably), two more piques, and then shout "Hey!" Well it wasn't as easy as it sounds. It was fast and it was all turns. Pretty hard. But I almost got it.
And that was all the girls my level had to do. I passed everything.
Mostly, I think I did well. I have a feeling that I might get a lead role, such as lead lamb. It's the role I want desperately, and I have a really good chance.
~nat~
Sunday, August 14, 2011
An exciting post
Hi! Nat here!~
So on the last day of my Intensive, our teacher told us we wouldn't have to audition to find out what level we'll be placed in, because they already evaluated us over the summer. They already figured out what level, and they would email it to us sometime over the next week.
I've been going crazy all week waiting for that email. Which some of you, like Starr, or Connie, might know already. I was in level four last year, and level three before that and level two before that. But I was never below that in this school! Anyway, different topic, here. So I've only been doing ballet in this school for three years, right? Everyone passed level two. Me, and four other friends made it to level four. Which meant, in two years, I completed two levels, in which one of them you had to pass.
And then level four. I, personally, always thought I was doing really well in level four. The only reason I thought I might not make it to level four was because this girl, Kristen, is and was much better than I became, I think. And she only got to level five in one and a half years. So since I only did one year, I wasn't so sure. But at the same time, I was practically at the top of the class, with one of my other friends, and someone had to go to the next level.
We got the email yesterday evening before going to a party. I was just getting my clothes out, and my dad called me from his computer. He sounded kind of angry the first time, as if I forgot to clean up something he wanted to. But when I saw his face, I realized that wasn't the case at all. He showed me the computer, and I scanned the list of dancers. Once I found my name, I checked to the side, and I saw I made it to level five!
My other who friends who had done the Intensive. Everyone who was in level five before had made it to six. And level four and five kind of grouped together a lot, and six and seven would be together. So I was kind of disappointed, because we wouldn't really be a team anymore. But it's okay, they deserve to be in level six, they are really good. So I'm happy for them.
But I am so excited right now, that I made it. And now I'll finally be able to bully my dad into getting me a new black leotard, since level five is black. :D
~nat~
So on the last day of my Intensive, our teacher told us we wouldn't have to audition to find out what level we'll be placed in, because they already evaluated us over the summer. They already figured out what level, and they would email it to us sometime over the next week.
I've been going crazy all week waiting for that email. Which some of you, like Starr, or Connie, might know already. I was in level four last year, and level three before that and level two before that. But I was never below that in this school! Anyway, different topic, here. So I've only been doing ballet in this school for three years, right? Everyone passed level two. Me, and four other friends made it to level four. Which meant, in two years, I completed two levels, in which one of them you had to pass.
And then level four. I, personally, always thought I was doing really well in level four. The only reason I thought I might not make it to level four was because this girl, Kristen, is and was much better than I became, I think. And she only got to level five in one and a half years. So since I only did one year, I wasn't so sure. But at the same time, I was practically at the top of the class, with one of my other friends, and someone had to go to the next level.
We got the email yesterday evening before going to a party. I was just getting my clothes out, and my dad called me from his computer. He sounded kind of angry the first time, as if I forgot to clean up something he wanted to. But when I saw his face, I realized that wasn't the case at all. He showed me the computer, and I scanned the list of dancers. Once I found my name, I checked to the side, and I saw I made it to level five!
My other who friends who had done the Intensive. Everyone who was in level five before had made it to six. And level four and five kind of grouped together a lot, and six and seven would be together. So I was kind of disappointed, because we wouldn't really be a team anymore. But it's okay, they deserve to be in level six, they are really good. So I'm happy for them.
But I am so excited right now, that I made it. And now I'll finally be able to bully my dad into getting me a new black leotard, since level five is black. :D
~nat~
Friday, August 5, 2011
Our Performance
So you know how I did the intensive? Well we learned a lot of choreography that we would do a performance of on the last day. Which was today. And now I'm so sad, because I want more.
But anyway, we had our performance today. We performed two ballet dances, one contemporary/lyrical dance, and one hip hop. The ballet dances were to Vivaldi pieces, the lyrical to the song Secrets, and hip hop to On The Floor, some other song, and Super Bass. I'd put videos, but one, I'm not allowed to, and two, I look bad in them.
The showcase was really fun. We were in studio, and we didn't have costumes, and mistakes were made, but it's a performance all the same, and I love performing. I don't have pointe shoes yet, and the first dance we did was en pointe. But one of my other friends is on flat too, so that made it better. I just wish I could have pointe shoes. But I get that I'll only get it when I'm ready.
This was probably my least favorite dance. I don't know why, but I just didn't like it. But I'm glad my parents took a video of me, because even though I look bad in it, I can look at all my mistakes and fix it. During this dance, at one point, we all have to turn. We stop based on the music, there is no fixed number of turns. But we messed up on the today. Me and five other girls stopped, and two did one more. It was obvious that we made a mistake.
The other Vivaldi dance was in flat shoes. I liked this one much better, this is probably the most favorite ballet dance I've done. This went well, this was also a dance that we've been working on since the second day.
The contemporary dance, to the song Secrets was a lot of fun to rehearse. It was completely mine and my dance groups composition. We created the dance in about five days, and since we finished it, we've been making it look better by changing parts, and practicing. It wasn't a very good dance, probably a bit boring, but it was a group of 4th to 8th graders composition. I think we did good. The performance went well, no mess-ups as far as I could tell.
And then hip hop. Now I'm not much of a fan of hip hop, and I almost hated the classes. But I had a lot of fun. I mean it's mostly choreography, but there is no worrying, "I hope I don't fall during this pirouette." It's mostly just arm movements and bouncing up and down. That doesn't mean I necessarily like hip ho, but the performance was a lot of fun. At the end we're supposed to do whatever we want, but we all ended up doing the same thing. It was kind of stupid, but it was really fun. We were all just laughing and basically jumping around.
I had fun. :)
I think I twisted my ankle though, because right now I can barely stand on my right foot. So I'm kind of glad in a way that I'll get a break.
Well that's it. :)_
Oh, and in my previous post, about the turns, can you see the second animation I put? Because I can't, but I'm not sure if it's just my computer.
Thanks!
But anyway, we had our performance today. We performed two ballet dances, one contemporary/lyrical dance, and one hip hop. The ballet dances were to Vivaldi pieces, the lyrical to the song Secrets, and hip hop to On The Floor, some other song, and Super Bass. I'd put videos, but one, I'm not allowed to, and two, I look bad in them.
The showcase was really fun. We were in studio, and we didn't have costumes, and mistakes were made, but it's a performance all the same, and I love performing. I don't have pointe shoes yet, and the first dance we did was en pointe. But one of my other friends is on flat too, so that made it better. I just wish I could have pointe shoes. But I get that I'll only get it when I'm ready.
This was probably my least favorite dance. I don't know why, but I just didn't like it. But I'm glad my parents took a video of me, because even though I look bad in it, I can look at all my mistakes and fix it. During this dance, at one point, we all have to turn. We stop based on the music, there is no fixed number of turns. But we messed up on the today. Me and five other girls stopped, and two did one more. It was obvious that we made a mistake.
The other Vivaldi dance was in flat shoes. I liked this one much better, this is probably the most favorite ballet dance I've done. This went well, this was also a dance that we've been working on since the second day.
The contemporary dance, to the song Secrets was a lot of fun to rehearse. It was completely mine and my dance groups composition. We created the dance in about five days, and since we finished it, we've been making it look better by changing parts, and practicing. It wasn't a very good dance, probably a bit boring, but it was a group of 4th to 8th graders composition. I think we did good. The performance went well, no mess-ups as far as I could tell.
And then hip hop. Now I'm not much of a fan of hip hop, and I almost hated the classes. But I had a lot of fun. I mean it's mostly choreography, but there is no worrying, "I hope I don't fall during this pirouette." It's mostly just arm movements and bouncing up and down. That doesn't mean I necessarily like hip ho, but the performance was a lot of fun. At the end we're supposed to do whatever we want, but we all ended up doing the same thing. It was kind of stupid, but it was really fun. We were all just laughing and basically jumping around.
I had fun. :)
I think I twisted my ankle though, because right now I can barely stand on my right foot. So I'm kind of glad in a way that I'll get a break.
Well that's it. :)_
Oh, and in my previous post, about the turns, can you see the second animation I put? Because I can't, but I'm not sure if it's just my computer.
Thanks!
Monday, August 1, 2011
Turns
So I'm sure pretty much everyone knows that in ballet, you kind of have to turn. Such as pirouettes, piques, and fouettes.
Like this:
~Pirouettes~
~Fouettes~
And since I can't find a pique turn animation, you'll just have to search it yourself.
So today, when one of my teachers was teaching, I couldn't even do a single pirouette. It's been like that for a few days in her class actually. Ever since one incident with my contacts that didn't let me spot my eyes in the mirror. For those who know turns in any way, you know that you cannot turn without spotting. I'll write about that incident another time.
So I couldn't do pirouette at all. Then my teacher gave us a combination where we do two pique turns, and then two fouettes. Now, piques are pretty easy for me. And they weren't even supposed to be doubles. But I'm not so great at fouettes. I CAN do them, just not well, and er, only three bad ones at the very very most.
During the entire combination, which we did three times on each side, I managed to do the pique turns, and then I didn't even manage to pull in my leg for the fouette turns! I think I only brought the leg around once, out of six times, but I couldn't even get myself to turn.
So now I'm not happy.
Although I still am.
Because no mattr how it goes, ballet always makes me SOSOSOSOSOSOSO happy and even more SOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSO hyper. :D
By the way, if you want to search the pique turns, call it pique turns, and not pique. Pique is oly part of the step I'm talking about.
Like this:
~Pirouettes~
~Fouettes~
And since I can't find a pique turn animation, you'll just have to search it yourself.
So today, when one of my teachers was teaching, I couldn't even do a single pirouette. It's been like that for a few days in her class actually. Ever since one incident with my contacts that didn't let me spot my eyes in the mirror. For those who know turns in any way, you know that you cannot turn without spotting. I'll write about that incident another time.
So I couldn't do pirouette at all. Then my teacher gave us a combination where we do two pique turns, and then two fouettes. Now, piques are pretty easy for me. And they weren't even supposed to be doubles. But I'm not so great at fouettes. I CAN do them, just not well, and er, only three bad ones at the very very most.
During the entire combination, which we did three times on each side, I managed to do the pique turns, and then I didn't even manage to pull in my leg for the fouette turns! I think I only brought the leg around once, out of six times, but I couldn't even get myself to turn.
So now I'm not happy.
Although I still am.
Because no mattr how it goes, ballet always makes me SOSOSOSOSOSOSO happy and even more SOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSO hyper. :D
By the way, if you want to search the pique turns, call it pique turns, and not pique. Pique is oly part of the step I'm talking about.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Ballet Intensive
I hope you didn't think that now, because it's summer, I am not dancing anymore. No, I'm doing something extra special now. It's something I heard about back in level two and have wanted to do since. But this is the first year I am.
DTI has this special summer ballet intensive. It's for four weeks, five days a week - and eight hours a day. This is the second week so far, it started July 11th. It's going to finish on the 5th. Of August, of course. It saddens me. After this week, I only have one more week left.
We usually do Barre a Terre (floor barre), a normal technique class, yoga, and choreography. There are different classes every day, and we get 15 minute breaks in between them most of the time, so we can get ready.
It is so much fun, being able to dance so much. I hope to strengthen my legs and build stamina out of this. I also hope to get more flexible while I'm here. What I want most right now is to get pointe shoes, and this will help me get to it.
So today, we started out with yoga, in which I did surprisingly well, compared to the other days. And then after that, we had a technique class, but I thought some of my friends were being unfair because meanwhile in my group, I was the only one who got the combination right, I heard someone telling another person in my group that she was the only one who got it. And I know for sure that I was the only one. But never mind that, and I hope that they never ever see this blog. XD
After that, we worked on a dance that we started yesterday. We've gotten pretty far, but we didn't do as fast as we'd done in the other dances we've learned. When we had had enough, and the en pointe girls' toes hurt enough, we went out for lunch. Our next class was choreography. It was a dance we started yesterday.
We did our dance to the song, "Secrets." I used to be super obsessed with the song, and still love it, so you have no idea how happy I was when everyone else voted to do that song. We're almost done with it, and we choreographed it ourselves, with our teacher only guiding us.
Intensive is really fun, even more than I thought it would be. I'm glad I finally joined this year.
DTI has this special summer ballet intensive. It's for four weeks, five days a week - and eight hours a day. This is the second week so far, it started July 11th. It's going to finish on the 5th. Of August, of course. It saddens me. After this week, I only have one more week left.
We usually do Barre a Terre (floor barre), a normal technique class, yoga, and choreography. There are different classes every day, and we get 15 minute breaks in between them most of the time, so we can get ready.
It is so much fun, being able to dance so much. I hope to strengthen my legs and build stamina out of this. I also hope to get more flexible while I'm here. What I want most right now is to get pointe shoes, and this will help me get to it.
So today, we started out with yoga, in which I did surprisingly well, compared to the other days. And then after that, we had a technique class, but I thought some of my friends were being unfair because meanwhile in my group, I was the only one who got the combination right, I heard someone telling another person in my group that she was the only one who got it. And I know for sure that I was the only one. But never mind that, and I hope that they never ever see this blog. XD
After that, we worked on a dance that we started yesterday. We've gotten pretty far, but we didn't do as fast as we'd done in the other dances we've learned. When we had had enough, and the en pointe girls' toes hurt enough, we went out for lunch. Our next class was choreography. It was a dance we started yesterday.
We did our dance to the song, "Secrets." I used to be super obsessed with the song, and still love it, so you have no idea how happy I was when everyone else voted to do that song. We're almost done with it, and we choreographed it ourselves, with our teacher only guiding us.
Intensive is really fun, even more than I thought it would be. I'm glad I finally joined this year.
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