Everything I need to know about life, I learned in dance class

Everything I need to know about life, I learned in dance class

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Nutcracker shenanigans

Saturday's rehearsal was a little different.
We've gotten to the part of the rehearsal season where we know the dance and mainly just need to work out all the kinks. Ms. Munro wasn't there, so we had Ms Alex running it with us, as well as some of the company members (I'm assuming?) Helping out, one of whom I didn't know.

We ran it through the first time, and Ms. Alex comes over to us and tells us individual critiques, "You need to make sure your knee is straight when you pique on to it. You need to make sure that your feet are pointed. Oh, they're flexed during that part? Okay, then that's good. Everyone flex your feet on that ending jump. And you," she looked at me, "You were the only one who smiled the entire time. You all need to do that, too, make sure you don't forget your face!" Building up to the moment where she's going around and looking and different girls and giving corrections, I found myself nervous. Then to get a praise instead of a correction, I was taken back. I found myself thinking that surely there was a time I wasn't smiling, especially since I don't remember thinking about it the whole time. Sure, there are times I remember, but not all the time. I guess this is when my awkward smiling-all-the-time-no-matter-what thing comes in handy. (Times it doesn't come in handy: when you're getting a ticket and they take a picture of you that you know nothing about and when you try to fight it the prosecutor is confused as to why you look so happy to be pulled over.) Stupid defense mechanism... Maybe all my theater training is finally coming in handy.

We ran it a few more times and Ms. Alex pointed out the different things that needed cleaning up, which made me really happy, because that is what really bothers me most as an audience member. As we went on, she complimented me and my partner Summer quite often, which made us feel really good. She even used us as an example of how it was supposed to be done. Yep, we were freaking out internally and to each other.

Overall, I'm really proud of the girls. They've done amazing and have really grown in their skill and musicality. It's a good season.

While they rehearsed the lead Chinese, I took a couple pictures. (Since I had a photo shoot before and had my camera.)








One of our Clara's :)





Another Clara in the Lead Chinese role

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