After a couple weeks off, mostly due to snow but also work, I made it back to class. With my off-and-on attendance I opted for Sunday's Beginner 2 class. I got a late start and walked in the door a few minutes after scheduled class start. Of course class didn't actually start for several minutes more, but I really didn't have any time to warm up, and since it was only +12F (-11C) out, "not warmed up" was literal.
The cold seemed to have penetrated my head too, because I made a number of silly mistakes during barre. Mostly it was a matter of forgetting what came next or just skipping ahead. I got a couple of corrections for not keeping my knees straight, especially when extending to the rear. These were less a matter of not paying attention than feeling all sorts of stretch behind my knees when I attempted it.
Rust.
Yet all was not bad. At one point we were in coupé en demi-point and I found I could hold that fairly well without touching the barre. In center my balance wasn't spectacular but neither was it horrible. When we got to turns (a combination of waltz turns and pirouettes I ended up in the first group to go and did pretty well when turning turning to the right en dehors. To the left the first turn didn't really want to go but got better on subsequent turns. I even remembered to spot on occasion. En dedans, though, eeechh! Has it really been that long?
The more rewarding bit was in the petite allegro where we where challenged with a cross-timing combination of 3-3-2 (glissade, jeté, sauté; glissade, jeté, sauté; glissade, assemblé). I usually get stuck in such a combination at the end of a phrase but this time I was able to keep the movement going and stay with the music. It wasn't pretty, but it was an accomplishment.
Due to medical stuff the chances of me going to class tomorrow night are nil. I expect I'll be able to get to class this weekend, though. I'm looking forward to getting outside then, as we're supposed to go from the frigidly cold +12F this weekend and snow today to +60F (+15.5C) on Saturday!
Monday, February 15, 2016
Friday, February 5, 2016
Big Changes at The Washington Ballet
Septime Webre, the Artistic Director of The Washington Ballet for the last 17 years, is stepping down effective June 30th, 2016.
The announcement did not name a replacement. Instead it indicates that a search for a new Artistic Director "is proceeding immediately."
It'll be interesting to see how this plays out.
The announcement did not name a replacement. Instead it indicates that a search for a new Artistic Director "is proceeding immediately."
It'll be interesting to see how this plays out.
Sunday, January 31, 2016
Four! I made it to Four!
After a good start to the month things went to hell. Two weeks sick, two kidney stone attacks (and a half day in the ER), and over 30 inches of snow has kept me out of class until this weekend.
I thought I'd ease my way back in with a Beginner 2 class, but the regular instructor is out and this class was more like 2.5. I started off strong but by the end of barre my energy was fading. I did some center exercises and skipped others, going from feeling hot to chilled by the end even with my sweatshirt on. Then during Reverence, of all times, I overstretched a muscle in my side and it went into full spasm. Damn that hurt! Now, an hour later and with lunch in my belly, I think it's finally calmed down enough for me to drive home.
That was TWO classes in December and FOUR in January. Not exactly a major achievement, given that not long ago I was taking four classes a WEEK. But at least I'm back in class.
Oh! I almost forgot. There was a seriously funny moment in class today. The instructor was giving feedback on petit battement, saying the foot should just touch the front of the standing leg and then the back. The woman she was talking to innocently asked, "So we should touch ourselves?" Silently I covered my ears with my hands and the class broke up into gales of laughter.
I thought I'd ease my way back in with a Beginner 2 class, but the regular instructor is out and this class was more like 2.5. I started off strong but by the end of barre my energy was fading. I did some center exercises and skipped others, going from feeling hot to chilled by the end even with my sweatshirt on. Then during Reverence, of all times, I overstretched a muscle in my side and it went into full spasm. Damn that hurt! Now, an hour later and with lunch in my belly, I think it's finally calmed down enough for me to drive home.
That was TWO classes in December and FOUR in January. Not exactly a major achievement, given that not long ago I was taking four classes a WEEK. But at least I'm back in class.
Oh! I almost forgot. There was a seriously funny moment in class today. The instructor was giving feedback on petit battement, saying the foot should just touch the front of the standing leg and then the back. The woman she was talking to innocently asked, "So we should touch ourselves?" Silently I covered my ears with my hands and the class broke up into gales of laughter.
Sunday, January 24, 2016
Don't want to Adult today
The 2.5 feet (78cm) of snow that fell on this area over the last couple of days has put a damper on things. I really want to just pull the blankets over my head and go back to sleep, but I need to go dig my car out. I have appointments scheduled for Monday afternoon.
On average we only get a storm like this once every few years while some years we barely get any snow. And when it does snow heavily it usually disappears within a few weeks. But that doesn't mean I haven't started wishing I lived somewhere with warm winters.
On average we only get a storm like this once every few years while some years we barely get any snow. And when it does snow heavily it usually disappears within a few weeks. But that doesn't mean I haven't started wishing I lived somewhere with warm winters.
Wednesday, January 13, 2016
Another word: sick
Seems like staying home from class last night was a good idea for another reason: I woke up this morning coughing and feeling congested. Rather than bring whatever bug I caught into work and sharing it with my co-workers I decided to stay home. I gave proper notifications, then climbed back into bed and slept until early afternoon.
Right now I'm running a temperature of 99.3F (37.4C), so I suspect I'm going to be home tomorrow as well. I had been trying to figure out how to juggle various obligations this weekend, but I think class just dropped off the schedule until I'm back to 100%.
Right now I'm running a temperature of 99.3F (37.4C), so I suspect I'm going to be home tomorrow as well. I had been trying to figure out how to juggle various obligations this weekend, but I think class just dropped off the schedule until I'm back to 100%.
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