Day Forty-One

I apologize for not getting an entry in yesterday. There was simply not enough time after the performance. Speaking of which, it went well. Some pieces of it were better than opening night while some were worse, but that is only to be expected .
I found myself accidentally in tears after bows. I even gave Tim a big hug, despite the fact that he deliberately cracked me down on stage again. I admit that I was dying to be done with this summer at the beginning of the week, but now I miss the rush of the performance and the friends that I made. I feel like the cast became a family. Also, I find it satisfying to know that I was there to absorb the details of this Bossov experience and the drama that went with it . I feel like, even though I never saw the show from the audience's point of view, that I did see a show-- an entirely different show.
Now I am off to Acadia with my whole family and prepared to have a great time!! I look forward to relaxing at the coast. I'm glad to finally escape Pittsfield. So, this is the end of my Summer at Bossov Ballet. Much thanks to everyone who followed the blog. I sincerely appreciate it. Goodbye for while!! I hope to write in the future. Who knows?? Maybe I'll be in Pittsfield again!!

Day Forty

Today is actually day forty-one, as it is 12:31 am. This entry will be short. The show went well. I think everyone was in a high-energy state, which always makes a performance good.

I goofed a few times and expected Ms. Natalya to scream at me after, but instead she confessed that she was almost in tears because of how good the show looked. I hope she will be as sweet for the next one.

I must sleep now. Good night... or good morning. It doesn't seem right to say that I have a show today. At 9:10 I have a meeting with Mr. Bossov and Ms. Natalya. I can't wait to hear what they have to say; I just hope that some of it will be good.

Day Thirty-Nine

Today was as long as yesterday, but not nearly as hard. We rushed to board the bus in time to be back on campus for dinner, which the chef held off for thirty minutes by Col. Wylie's request. As expected, Mr. Bossov took some parts away. I find it a little hard to understand, but I trust his decision. Overall, I am confident that the show will be great!!

I have begun to like the theatre even better as I have spent more time in it. It's small, but I kind of like having everything so close. It's much harder to get lost in this theatre than in others I have been in... which has happened to me before. One thing that is different than I am used to, as I noticed early yesterday, is that the dressing rooms are not organized by position (corps, soloist, principle). Actually, I think they were filled at random. I share a room with four star dancers, including Johanna (Aurora), Caroline (Lilac Fairy), and Kristen (Bluebird). May I remind you that I am simply a corps dancer. I like the arrangement because everyone around me knows exactly what to do and where to be all of the time.

Aah!! Tomorrow is opening night!! I'm not nervous yet, but I will be. I hope more than ever that it goes well for me. Merde, Abby!!

Day Thirty-Eight

I didn't sleep very well last night, and I woke up on my own at 5:58 am. I think I was wide awake after falling during our game. To my surprise, I was wide awake during today's rehearsals too.

The theatre is beautiful!! It has the old look-- everything is well-crafted and the woodwork is intricate. I liked the feel of it. There are only a few downsides. First, the area backstage is tiny. It is literally only wide enough for about two people to stand next to each other. Second, the steps are literally about two feet across, and almost vertical. And last, the biggest dressing room is literally about six by six feet. Not to mention, the stage can only compare to the smallest studio on the MCI campus.

After an hour of class, we prepared for the Prologue. I think we actually began rehearsing at about 11:50. Lunch is supposed to be at 12:00, but obviously we weren't that fortunate. Lunch was at 1:10 instead. In fact, the whole day was very slow. By 5:30 we had just finished Act II, leaving Act III to go, and had to be on campus by 6:00 for dinner. So, to Mr. Bossov's dismay, we had to leave the ballet at Act II. Tomorrow we will begin with Act III to make up for lost time. I like the idea. Act III is, by far, the best of them all.

There were a few discouraging moments of the day. This morning a stage hand, who had a role in the show, quit. He was pretty good for having taken only a few classes. He really knew how to be graceful.

Kirril has the role now. Mr. Bossov just threw him into it without giving him the slightest idea of what to do. I'll have to get used to this method. He did the same for me as a lady in the Prologue, and for a few others throughout the ballet. Even those who have been here for only a week have some nice parts. To me, this fact just proves that their judgement of a dancer depends entirely on skill, not on connections. I don't yet know if I consider it good or bad. I'll have to think about it some more.

One more big day at the theatre and then a performance!! I'm so excited!! I just hope that I make them happy. Wish me luck!!

Day Thirty-Seven

Today marks the end of being in the studios here at the school. I'm so excited to see the opera house for the first time. I've heard that it's small, but that it has a lot of character. I think tomorrow will be good. We are happy just to have a change of scenery.

Tonight was majorly fun!! At 8:15, a group of us met at Park's Gym to organize a game of "Man Hunt." The rules are simple: Stay away from the "its." If one of them tags you, then you join them to find everyone else. The concept reminds me a little of a pack of vampires or werewolves... or zombies. No, I have not seen the new Twilight movie. Unfortunately, I fell down a few times. The grass happened to be slippery. I'm ok, just a little scraped up. Some bandaids and a shower will make me as good as new.

I must leave my entry as it is, because I have to sleep. However, I will have some great news tomorrow of my experience at the theatre. Thanks to everyone who is reading!!

Day Thirty-Six

I expected to have to be on pointe all day, but Mr. Bossov used the second cast. My roles for second cast are character, so today was a pleasant surprise. I cannot wait to be at the theatre!! I just absolutely cannot wait!! These two days will be the slowest yet.

Abby and I made our last trip to Rite Aid this afternoon-- our last awkward conversation with the Irish clerk and our last opportunity to observe downtown Pittsfield at its quietest. It was bittersweet to both of us, but I know that we'll be glad to be in North Carolina again.

In conclusion, today was really uneventful, and I apologize for not having much to say. Oh!! There was one thing. Gentry did a flip in class by accident. I think he was going for an assemble and missed the ground. I just turned around and he was into a forward roll. That was the best class ever.

Day Thirty-Five (Five Weeks)

Today was pretty much the usual lazy Sunday. We went to church, then brunch, then mozied our way downtown to Reny's. Today was actually a little hotter than it has been because it never rained, which was my purpose for going to Reny's in the first place. Reny's has a wonderful selection of rain boots and umbrellas.

Col. Wylie opened the game room to us this afternoon, so we had some fun playing air hockey and pool. I don't think I should ever play pool again. I STINK!! I tried to break and only tapped the balls hard enough to send one rolling. Speaking of "break," last night at the Egg Festival, a sign advertising a game of "balloon dart" read: "One Brake= One Point, Two Brakes= Two Points," etc ("brake," not "break"). Cheyenne, a year-round student here, whispered, "Welcome to Pittsfield. Abby added, "It's almost like someone cut the real world into two pieces and put one in a snow globe." I laughed, but I have come to like Pittsfield a lot. It reminds me a little of my town: every house is old, and every house is unique.

Apparently rehearsals for tomorrow and Tuesday will be here on campus. We'll be in the theatre for our first tech rehearsal on Wednesday. It doesn't bother me, I just don't see how we can manage. The crew took the marley floor out of Park's Gym, which was the biggest area that we had to dance in. Now we'll have to be squished into one of the smaller studios. I guess this week will be somewhat of an interesting experience. I'm all up for adventures!!

Day Thirty-Four

Abby and I slept later than we have yet. It felt good. Poor Abby had a rehearsal at 11:30, so the morning was still a little stressful for her; however, it she told me that it went well. I was glad not to have had anything today, but I felt a little lazy to be in my room while she danced.

Our meeting with Col. Wylie was good. He pretty much let us know that he absolutely wanted us to attend year round. Also, he added that we are on Mr. Bossov's list of hopefuls. That made me feel good. I learned that, in addition to teaching ballet and character, Mr. Bossov teaches a contemporary/freestyle class. I would not have guessed, but I should have. He really is talented. I heard a story from another dancer today about last summer. She said that a few girls presented Mr. Bossov with a giant stuffed puppy dog, which they named Baryshnikov. Apparently he hated the dog because, while he danced with Kirov alongside Baryshnikov, it was Baryshnikov who danced most of the better roles. I'm sure that the story is almost entirely fictional, but I like it nonetheless.

Tonight we did watch fireworks. A group of us sat in the cemetery, which is where Col. Wylie directed us to go. It was slightly creepy, but definitely fun!! The show was good. The little boy beside us made it even better. He said, "Wow!! That one went out of Earth!!" and, "The smoke is cool, I just love the smell of danger." I think he was the best part.

Day Thirty-Three

Wow!! Today was the last normal day of classes (if I can say normal). On Monday we'll be at the Waterville Opera House for a tech rehearsal. I'm a little nervous, but extremely excited!!

Unfortunately, today's rehearsal was worse than yesterday's. Everything was just not very clean. I guess the second cast has some work to do. We heard Mr. Bossov really yell for the first time this summer. He even took some parts away and threatened to take others. Abby and I weren't on his list. Whew.

I'm almost a hundred percent positive that I won't be able to finish my piece before the end of this program, but I'll work on it. I haven't been able to get into the studios alone. I think everyone has been really pushing hard this week to master choreography, so every studio has been in use.

Hmm. Some funny moments... There was one. After the Ogre chased his tasty little children off stage, the whole studio became quiet for a moment. Then he laughed aloud and everyone heard him. All of us just cracked down!! By the way, I like the phrase, so I'll use it from now on.

Our game of "capture the flag" never worked out because no one was motivated enough to get everyone's attention. I'm not worried though, tomorrow night are fireworks!! Also scheduled for tomorrow, is a meeting with Col. Wylie about staying year round. He caught us on our way out of the cafeteria tonight. So, at 4:30 in Parks Gymnasium, Abby and I will talk with him. I am interested in what the school has to offer, even though I don't plan on coming next year.

Day Thirty-Two

Rehearsals lasted for three and a half hours today and almost killed me, but for some reason I left happy. Abby and I were just in a good mood. I guess it feels good to be pushed to the limit every once in a while. Something funny happened during rehearsal as well. Natalya told me that I day dream, but I disagreed until today. I and a few others were standing in the way of a group of characters coming on stage, one of which was Mr. Bossov as the King, and everyone moved except me. I didn't see his face, but my friend told me that he laughed as he told me: "Katie, I kill you." Oops.

This rehearsal was the Friday cast, but tomorrow will be the Saturday cast. Saturday's performance will be my easy one because I'll be in character shoes. Also, I love to act with Tim during the Prologue, when Carabose puts her spell on Aurora. The only problem is that he has not yet failed to crack me up. (or, as Mr. Bossov would say, "crack me down.")

A group of us has requested another hour or two for curfew tomorrow night so we can play "capture the flag." Our weekend doesn't involve any rehearsals!! I'm so glad!! I hope this weekend will be slightly more eventful than last. I apologize for not having anything good to speak of.

Day Thirty-One

It's raining. It has been since about 7:00 and it's 8:30 now. On the bright side, tomorrow morning will be nice and cool.

I think the teachers have set tomorrow up to kill us. After technique, we have an hour of acting. Usually acting is an hour and a half after lunch. I love acting, so finding this out was a bummer. After lunch we only have rehearsals!! I don't really know how I will cope. I guess I'll just have to take it one hour at a time and hope that we don't dance until 5:15, like we did today.

The finale of the third act is a mazurka and my part is character-- two things that I have had little experience with. I found it extremely difficult. In fact, I think most of us did. Near the end of rehearsal, Mr. Bossov was frustrated enough to say, "I will never set Sleeping Beauty over the summer again!!" He has a way of being very intimidating and then very mellow and approachable. I think that he is so good an actor that he can change according to the given situation like the flip of a switch. His methods work, but sometimes I wonder what he really thinks.

I can't believe that the week is almost over!! This summer has flown by!! Only ten more days until the end of my Summer at Bossov Ballet.

Day Thirty

Today was fun, but tiring. Mr. Bossov for technique is always stressful (in a healthy way), as I have come to know. There are some little things about him that keep my spirits up in class. First, he laughs at random moments during a routine, usually because of someone's mistake. It's very relieving to see him laugh though. Also, instead of saying, "other leg" to tell us to dance a routine to the left, he says, "another leg," as if we have several legs to choose from.

A group of us walked downtown to investigate Pittsfield's annual "Egg Festival." Tonight there was a street dance. A few of us danced, but unfortunately not many people were motivated. I think most people there went for the social aspect. Pretty much everyone knows everyone in Pittsfield, so the occasion was essentially a big party of friends. There were not many pictures to be taken because there wasn't really anything exceptionally interesting to do.

I can't wait until the end of this week!! On Monday we will begin having rehearsals at the theatre. The theatre is always so exciting, and it will be a nice change of scenery.

Day Twenty-Nine

Today was a strange day. First, Mr. Karpov led fifteen minutes of floor barre then told us to go to sleep. We did, and for about forty-five minutes. It felt good, but rehearsal was extremely easy for me today. In fact, I got out at 3:00-- a record. I was expecting to be able to make up for sleeping with two long hours of Act Three.

Abby, on the other hand, got out at 5:15 after learning the entirety of the Jewels section for Act Three. It will be my favorite act by far!! There are some wonderfully dramatic characters!! Since Princess Aurora wakes up, everyone comes to the castle to celebrate. The royal family invites Puss in Boots and the White Cat, Mr. and Mrs. Ogre, Little Red Riding Hood and The Wolf, and the Bluebirds.

Tomorrow is the first day of Pittsfield's "Egg Festival." There is actually a website for it that explains the whole thing. Abby read it and reported that there will be a street dance tomorrow night from 8:00 to 10:00. We will most certainly attend. I don't really know what to expect, so this will be an exciting experience for me!! We'll take lots of pictures!!

Day Twenty-Eight (Four Weeks)

Pastor Johnson's sermon was as long as it has been for two or three weeks. That is, he spoke until about 10:45 instead of 10:30. However, the cafeteria was quite full when we walked in at 10:50 (ten minutes before it closes). After brunch, Abby and I went back to the dorms to work an some school. Fun.

We did end up walking to Reny's again. Abby bought a giant rubber band ball kit!! Since then, she has been working on putting it together. Actually, it has been a little bit of a joint effort. I can't wait until we finish it!!

Another guy arrived today, named Kirill. He is one of Mr. Karpov and Ms. Karpova's students. After dinner, he, Abby, and I began a sad game of frisbee on the football field. Soon it turned into five of us, then six or seven. We plan on organizing a game of "capture the flag" for Friday night.

Right now I'm off to the studio to rehearse, and maybe work on some choreography!! I hope tomorrow is good. A have a feeling that the stress of rehearsals will only continue to grow as we get closer to performing. I admit to being a little worried.

Day Twenty-Seven (Continued)

In response to a complaint on the length of my previous blog, I have decided to add a few details. First, during rehearsal I partnered Tim.-- Aways an amusing experience, as I have come to know. He kept making me crack up on purpose. No one really noticed, however, because we stand to the side and react to the dancers around us. When Carabose's bats fly in, he said to me: "My God!! Someone really should take care of this infestation!!" Then he said, "The bat in the pink leotard appears to be particularly ferocious."

When Abby and I were in the studio tonight, we debated whether to turn the piece into a collection of Mr. Karpov's animal impersonations. These are: the moose, the lobster, the fish, and the bird. I must admit that it would be a hilarious project.

Day Twenty-Seven

Today passed extremely quickly. First, Abby and I had a three-hour rehearsal beginning at 12:00. The rehearsal went well and I think this performance will be an amazing accomplishment, considering the amount of time that we've had to pull it together. Sleeping Beauty is over two hours long-- one of the longest classical ballets!!

After rehearsal we spent some time in the studio to work on my piece. We made some progress, but it still has a long way to go. There is no way that I'll be able to finish it in two weeks. I'll have to set a goal.

Day Twenty-Six

I am happy with today because I feel as though I have taken a little step toward becoming a better dancer. After this morning's technique class, with Ms. Natalya, I determined that no way is the right way in terms of ballet technique. She made a point of contradicting Ms. Karpova and Mr. Karpov. She said, "I am not saying that they are wrong, only that their way doesn't make sense to me." Of course, I've had experience with contradictions in terms of ballet, but today the concept just seemed to click inside my head.

I also learned a few new things in character class with Ms. Natalya. In fact, today's character class was the most helpful and intriguing character class that I've ever experienced. She began with a little about the history of dance. Apparently King Louis XVI introduced organized dance to English nobility, which contributed in part to today's ballet. Also, at that time and for a while after, there were two types of dance: the dance of the nobility and the dance of the peasants. These steps were essentially identical; however, the dance differed in manner and costume. In class we danced a portion of a Hungarian dance of the nobles. I felt like I enjoyed it more after learning about it.

Rehearsal went fairly well, but my feet took a beating. I have a new blister. I don't know what it is with me and having blisters. I guess I just don't have good luck.

Day Twenty-Five

As I expected, today was great!! Classes were productive and we left rehearsals before 5:00. Also, a little bit of casting has been done for the third act of Sleeping Beauty. Abby is one the jewels!! Congratulations Abby!! I can't wait to find out what my part is, I just hope it's good.

Acting went well. Our homework is extremely difficult this time, however. We have to split into groups and choreograph or act to a song that he let us listen to. Our group has yet to decide whether to act or dance.

Col. Wylie held a meeting today about Bossov Ballet's goals during the summer programs. He made sure that we understood that the performance is part of our education here.-- that we are here to learn how to deal with hours of rehearsal and to dance on stage like a professional. He pointed out that Mr. Bossov has tried to make the dancers' experiences here as much like what he had in Russia as possible.

There is one only one difference between Mr. Bossov's American students and his Vaganova Academy students, as he stated to Pointe Magazine. That is: "American students come to me as soloists, having had no experience with corps de ballet, whereas Vaganova students are always corps dancers first." After hearing this I remembered what Ms. Natalya said to me --that I am a soloist and need experience with a corps.

This weekend we will rehearse the entirety of what we have learned. So far we have finished the prologue, and acts one and two. As much work as it is, I'm actually excited. And after Saturday, only two weeks left of this summer intensive!! I can't believe how fast this had gone.

Day Twenty-Four

Today we left rehearsal at 4:20!! That is a record for the past two weeks!! I think we were all extremely happy. I expect tomorrow to be easy for me as well, because Ms. Natalya plans on switching casts to rehearse. Even though I will still dance when my double does, I won't have to handle the extreme pressure of having Ms. Natalya's eyes on me.

I had a chat with Ms. Natalya about my performance in classes and rehearsals. She explained to me that I dance by myself to an imaginary audience, even when other dancers surround me. She meant that I dance with my own accents and my own quality, which is perfect for a soloist, but terrible for a corps dancer. She said that I would be great on my own, but that any company I join would put me in the corps first; thus I must learn to make my accents and my quality identical to that of the rest of the corps. The phrase she used was: "You must become like a spy-- always aware of what is going on around you and ready to change in an instant to blend in."

Tomorrow we have another acting class with Mr. Bossov. I have found myself looking forward to this every Monday. This week's homework was to imagine a situation in which no one speaks and perform it to him as group. Our group chose a scene of mannequins and store-keeper.

Gentry, the store-keeper, begins to pick us up, one by one, and place us in a line. Then he adjusts our arms and legs, etc. I think the hard part of this will be to stay in the positions that we have chosen while he carries us. However, if all goes well, this should be a whole lot of fun!!

Day Twenty-Three

Ms. Natalya gave us another brutal rehearsal today. We danced for two and a half hours straight, now my feet ache all over. In fact, my whole body is ready to do nothing for a long time. However, tomorrow will be fairly enjoyable because our schedule includes pilates and partnering, two classes that I love.

Abby, Gentry, and I played with some lifts and turns tonight. That was fun, but I really had no clue what to have them try. Fortunately, Gentry had a whole book of interesting tricks stored in his brain. At one point he said to Abby, "Ok, so you're going to jump and tuck, then I'll flip you backwards, push you onto my shoulder, and you'll slide down my body." We both looked at him with our mouths hanging open. Actually, the lift worked out very well. I think I'll put into to piece!!

Day Twenty-Two

Today was really hard. First of all, I was accidentally late for Mr. Karpov's floor barre class for being in the bathroom. He smiled at me when I walked in (as if to scold me nicely) and he wasn't angry, but being late still gave me a bad start. After spending only about thirty minutes teaching class, he worked one-on-one with one of his guinea pigs. She is the most flexible person I have met, and she is insanely good at ballet for having taken for only four years, but he can't just work with her when he should be teaching everyone. I spent the rest of my time stretching.

After class, Mr. Bossov had a mini audition for the corps de ballet of Act Two, which me and Abby are now a part of. After today's rehearsal, I am almost ready to ask to be given a smaller part. Natalya told me to sit down because I messed up a port de bras. She sent my understudy to dance the section. I guess my only other option is to rehearse on my own and hope that she will be in a good mood tomorrow. On the bright side, Natalya told me that she saw some improvement in class. I was glad of that.

Abby and I have run out of MASH for the moment, so we plan on watching Psych. I hope I like it as much!!

Link to String Tribute Version of "Lips of an Angel"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqZI7lJEKIA&feature=related

Day Twenty-One (Three Weeks)

Today was, like yesterday, fairly uneventful. Abby and Paula (a friend here) had fun in the rain. I took pictures of them kicking puddles and rolling down the hill to the football field. That part was my fun.
I mentioned the "Fireflies" duet to Gentry (one of the better guys when it comes to partnering), and he was happy to participate. I think, however, that I will choreograph to a different song-- I know, a big change. I just finished adding the String Tribute version of "Lips of an Angel" to my musical collection, and I can just see the piece in my mind as a duet with a boy and a girl. There is a link to it on this page.
I cannot believe that I am already three weeks into this program!! I can still remember the day I came as if it was yesterday. After this week, which will fly by, we only have one week until the weeks of rehearsals at the theater. Apparently Mr. Bossov rehearses at the theater for four to five days before a performance. I think I like the idea. Being in the theater, waiting to perform, is something I enjoy tremendously!!

The link at the very top of my page will take you to a Facebook photo album of Maine. There are some new photos of tonight's gorgeous sunset!!

Link to "Fireflies"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtgKjObWID4

Day Twenty

Today was unfortunately uneventful. Abby and I went to breakfast, worked for three hours on some school work, then rehearsed a little in the gym. I also began choreographing a piece for her to a piano concerto version of Owl City's "Fireflies." A link to the song is on this page. It's absolutely beautiful!!

Abby thinks I should make it into a duet with one of the guys here (not a bad idea). The only problem lies in getting him to dance it. Actually, another problem is that, aside from this summer's pas classes, I have had virtually no experience with partnering. Then again, there are a thousand lifts, slides, turns, etc. that haven't been recorded. I guess I can make up anything.

Right now Abby and I plan on watching some MASH and going to bed. This day has gone by quickly, considering that we have done very little. Tomorrow will be here in a blink.

Day Nineteen

Everything went well for me today. I like those kind of days-- when everything is fairly positive. The day got better when Mr. Bossov announced that we would not have any weekend rehearsals. I guess he was happy with our performances. Ms. Natalya was. Her face lit up and she did a little dance.

The weather is getting nicer now. Tomorrow a thunder storm will come and hopefully cool things down some more. To enjoy the weather, Abby and I walked down town to get mocha slushies (coffee and chocolate in ice).

We told ourselves before going down town that we would find something rather exciting to do, but we weren't really motivated. I stopped by the common room as I waited for Abby and found something fun to do by accident. There was a bird flying around the hallway. That was fun!! Tim ended up scaring it so badly that it went through a hole in ceiling, probably into the insulation. Oops. I guess we'll know what to think if we hear anything. I can just imagine the poor girl who does her laundry at night and gets scared to death.

-- I know now (not that I doubted), that Co. Wylie will certainly enforce the rules of the school. He sent one of the fairies home today for an offense.

Day Eighteen

Today was a little cooler than yesterday, but every building except for the cafeteria was still stifling. Last night Abby and I did sleep in the common room. We were beside the Coke machine (that always eats everyone's money) because the floor was nice and cold. We'll probably be there again tonight.

I filled in for my first cast double in rehearsal today. The part was much harder than I expected because we have to hold baskets of flowers. I had never practiced with a basket, so I had a little trouble. However, Ms. Natalya seemed to be an exceptionally good mood today. She did not yell once.

Acting class with Mr. Bossov was good today as well. My group's mime went very well. He praised that fact that our movements were clear, and specifically that we paused after each. It felt good to have some positive feed back from him.- a rare thing. He led us through an exercise in improvisation: he picked two of us at a time to act to each other as certain characters. At one point Abby was a magic eight ball and I wished for my love to ask me to dance. This was so much fun!! I shook her, made my wish, and she said: "There is no such thing as true love." By the end of class, Mr. Bossov was laughing hard enough to have trouble communicating to us. That felt good also.

- Thanks to everyone who has been reading. I appreciate knowing that you find my summer interesting. I'll keep writing.

Link to Zumba Video

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1527838684693&ref=mf

Day Seventeen

Today was better than yesterday for two reasons: 1) the temperature was about eighty-five instead of ninety-five, and 2) everyone rehearsed Act One together, which saved the corps (me included) a lot of stressful energy. It amazes me that we have learned the entirety of Act One in three days!! I wouldn't have thought it possible.

Ms. Natalya and Ms. Karpova have switched places in my mind. Ms. Natalya is absolutely brutal as a teacher, and Ms. Karpova is merciful. I think their different approaches exist because Ms. Natalya teaches year round and Ms. Karpova doesn't. My guess is that Ms. Natalya has become familiar enough with most of the students to be comfortable yelling at them. As always, Mr. Karpov is simply hilarious.

Abby and I might sleep in the common room tonight because our room is rather hot and damp. I heard that last summer was cold and rainy, and that this summer is one unexpected heat wave for Maine. We will go to Reny's for another fan. Right now we plan on watching some Cirque Du Soleil.

- I apologize that the video didn't go up yesterday, but it's up now. This is definitely one to watch!! Click on the link above.

Day Sixteen

Eighty-five degrees isn't usually so bad, but none of these buildings have air conditioning. To dance in this weather is almost suicide. Natalya even turned off a much beloved fan for technique because it was too loud. I think everyone who took her class wanted to scream!!

On the bright side, I have finished learning the entire waltz section of Act One. Natalya taught it in two two-hour rehearsals. I think the section is about three minutes long, so we have really pushed a lot of information into our brains. Tomorrow we will rehearse all of Act One with everyone.

I have labeled Mr. Karpov the comic relief of this summer. Today he was hilarious!! He and his wife, Ms. Anna Karpova, taught a class together. She would say, "Ok, let's move on," and he would reply, "One more time, girls," with a smile to her. At some point today she walked into the studio and asked for his help with some choreography. He said (in a thick Russian accent), "No Anna, I don't like ballet, only fish.. and airplanes."

- Here is a link to a video of Mr. SLRB's Zumba class!! Please watch, but don't think this is what Abby and I came for.

Day Fifteen

Today Natalya taught some of us the waltz of Act One for Sleeping Beauty. This section is fun; I parter another girl. She has the boy part and I have the girl. After our rehearsals, which ended around 4:45, we ate dinner and then had a great time in the gym.

Mr. SLRB is now a certified Zumba teacher!! He even has a t-shirt to prove it. Don't ask me how to describe it, or what it is, because I don't know. Abby and I theorized that his parents bought him a license, but as far as I can tell, he's pretty good. At 7:00 he taught a class. This was the highlight of our day. Unfortunately, tonight we don't have time to post any video, but we definitely will. Just look for a link on my page sometime tomorrow.

Day Fourteen (Two Weeks)

A remarkable thing happened today... the temperature reached ninety degrees. Still, ninety degrees in Maine is much different than ninety degrees in North Carolina. Abby and I visited the Baptist church again. The pastor spent an hour and twenty minutes on music and communion; he spoke for about fifteen. I can tell that he loves to speak, and I like that he seems to know the history behind every story and reference in the Bible. He reminds me of a certain teacher I know.

We were last to get to the cafeteria, and it was empty of students. So, we had brunch with Col. and Ms. Wylie.- a bit of an odd arrangement. He was on the phone with a police officer when we sat down. Apparently someone walked into the gym after being told once to stay away. I think that someone is in BIG trouble.

We planned on having fun at the acclaimed festival for the fourth and watching fireworks tonight, but, as Col. Wylie stated and to our dismay, Pittsfield celebrates two weeks after the fourth. How weird and annoying is that?? We have recruited some fellow dancers to lay down on the grass of the football field and pretend to watch fireworks. I suppose we'll expand our imaginations for Mr. Bossov's acting class.

Speaking of acting class, Mr. Bossov gave us some homework. We are to split into threes and choose stories to mime. My group has chosen Snow White. I don't know how we'll deal with the seven dwarves, but I expect it will be fun.

Day Thirteen

Abby and I enjoyed sleeping in. Also, rehearsal went well. To my surprise Mr. Bossov gave me another role. He threw me into it, and I was a little shocked at first. Thankfully the role doesn't involve any dancing, however. In addition to being part of the Lilac Fairy corps, I am now a Lady of the Court.

My partner,Tim, knew the scene that we rehearsed by heart, which was another thing to be thankful for. I have come to realize that, even though Tim is only thirteen (and much taller than me), he can focus better than I can. I think he really knows how to absorb information, even details. I hope that by rehearsing with him, I can pick up some of his skills.

Abby and I walked to Reny's this afternoon. From the outside it appeared to be tiny, but it was actually huge!! We asked a clerk for directions to find a blanket (the nights get chilly), and she told us to go upstairs. The store had everything that a Target or a Walmart would, literally. I was pleasantly surprised. We stopped for ice cream at Big Bill's on our way back to the campus. It was amazing, as I expected. Maine really has great local ice cream places.

Day Twelve

Today I concluded these things: 1) Mr. SLRB is incapable of keeping any of his thoughts inside of his head. For example, I mentioned that I needed to shower and he asked, "Sticky?" and, 2) Natalya, which she much prefers to "Ms. Getman," yells to achieve results, not because she is angry. She said to a little girl in rehearsal, "Zip up your front, or I will install a zipper." The little girl's eyes became wide and Natalya began to laugh. Natalya told an student of hers, who had graduated and come back to visit, that I was exactly like her: "dreamy, but a little slow." She was ecstatic to see her student, so I assume that the comparison was a positive note for me.

Mr. Bossov scheduled a 12:00 pm, weekend rehearsal for the Sleeping Beauty Prologue. I was a little down after hearing this, but I've convinced myself that it will be short and easy. We will set our alarm for 9:30 and be happy that we don't have to dance at 9:00.

-To Ms. Susanne and Zoe Fuson, I received your letters. Thank you so much!! I'll write back as soon as possible; I just bought some stationary.

- I took my toe nail off. I'd post a picture, but I feel as though it wouldn't be appreciated.

Day Eleven

This morning was great because Mr. Karpov taught technique. He is my favorite because his excellent sense of humor and his little quirks brighten everyone's day. Personally, I love to dance in a light environment. Today he imitated a rabbit, and I noticed that he has a habit of saying, "Mamma Mia" and "Nokay!!" ("Nokay" like "Okay") As you can probably tell, the expression is a little difficult to translate.

After lunch Mr. Bossov taught another acting class. This time there were twice as many of us as last time. He gave us a series of ballet gestures including "beautiful," "handsome," "I hate you", and, "I'll marry you."

Ms. Getman led another rehearsal for the Sleeping Beauty Prologue. Since I have been focusing on paying attention and taking notes, I have noticed that I am no longer the one that she yells at constantly. This makes me think that my methods are working. She made an interesting statement today; one that I had never thought about before. She said, "The difference between ballet today and ballet one hundred years ago is that, today a choreographer begins with counts, "one, two, three, four," while a hundred years ago, a choreographer would begin with music. She made the point that musicality has become a dancer's second priority, when it should be his first. I agree. Maybe I'll download the music to Sleeping Beauty.

I have to add that today I got to know one of the most clueless people I have ever met. I'll call him Mr. SLRB.- Spoiled Little Rich Boy. First of all, he introduced himself to me like so: "The inside of my ear itches, what's your name?" I almost didn't say anything. In acting class Mr. Bossov asked him to introduce himself and give a little of his background. He explained to us that his family had three houses, right next to each other. He promptly sat down, smiling goofily. Later, at dinner, he told us that he doesn't usually stay in a hotel on his vacations to Spain because he has a yacht. He said this as ice cream trickled down his chin. Need I say more??

Today was good. I hope tomorrow will be even better, and I am looking forward to this Independence Day weekend!! Abby and I will plan something fun.. and work, don't worry Mum.

Day Ten

Today was another grueling day. This time Ms. Getman taught us a huge portion of the Sleeping Beauty Prologue. She even told us, after dancing until 4:45, to rehearse after dinner until we had it down. I did, of course, but wished to be in bed. To my surprise, it only took me about fifteen minutes of practice to get a firm handle on the choreography.

Mr. Karpov taught a pas class this afternoon. I think I was slightly taller than my partner, but he amazed me!! As I jumped he lifted me at arms length over his head, and I felt like I was flying!! I think if Mr. Karpov had given him a grade for that class, it would have been an A plus times ten.

I can say that I almost have the hang of Vaganova. At this point returning to the Balanchine/Italian/French technique of Raleigh School of Ballet will be challenging. I feel like the training that I have had at RSB was good enough to make the Bossov Ballet teachers fix everything about my technique (since I needed fixing, I must have the RSB technique down). Now I have to count on RSB to fix everything I learn here (with my best efforts also), because this training is equally as affective. I do hope to be able to lock every piece of information given to me into my memory to improve my versatility.- Only one aspect of a great dancer's ability.

Day Nine

Mr. Bossov did some casting today. I am part of the corps de ballet for the prologue. Abby is the Crystal Fountain Fairy. Abby, I told you Mr. Bossov liked you!!

Today was even tougher than yesterday. In fact, it was my toughest day yet. After rehearsal, which ended at 4:30, Ms. Getman told me to stay off of pointe for at least two days. I guess my toe was that obvious. Oops. Honestly, I am relieved.

I did learn a lesson from today, however. I learned that I must work as hard as I can to increase my ability to pick up choreography at the pace of my teachers. This decision sprung from a statement of Ms. Getman's. She walked up to me during rehearsal, knocked on my head, and asked, "Is anyone home?" From now on it's no rest during class hours or rehearsals for me. I have written down all of today's corrections, in hopes of somehow making a difference. I plan to record and study them regularly.

It rained today, but the rain cooled this place to about sixty degrees. I love the weather!! Yesterday Col. Wylie mentioned that the town of Pittsfield celebrates Independence Day with a passion!! He described an impressive array of carnival rides and lots of fireworks!! I am confident that this fourth of July will be a good one.

Day Eight

Today was tough. The placement class went better than I anticipated. Abby and I are still in level three and are starting to get the hang of the Vaganova technique. Last entry I estimated that ten new dancers came, but I was wrong. At least twenty new dancers appeared this morning, including five boys. Apparently three more boys will come this week also. I think we can look forward to having some decent pas classes.

At 10:30 we had a technique class with Ms. Getman, then went to lunch. Lunch was followed by character with Ms. Karpova and two hours of Sleeping Beauty auditions. This was my first audition for a performance. Of course I thought it could have gone much better for me, but it also could have gone much worse. The audition was very nerve wracking. Apparently Abby was exceptionally good today, because Mr. Bossov took her arm afterward to tell her "Good job, very very good." Later, as I introduced myself to another girl, the girl asked, "So who's your friend?", referring to Abby. I told her and she said, "Oh!! So you're Abby." I think Abby has become the topic of conversation. Who knows?? If Mr. Bossov favors her, then she could be Aurora!!

Col. Wylie scheduled another fire drill for 10:00 tonight. I guess our plan for this evening is to relax and watch some MASH, sprint down the stairs and onto the field outside like there's no tomorrow, then get into bed and fall right asleep.

- Don't forget to read Abby's blog as well.

Link to "Thoughts on Katie's Thoughts"

http://thoughtsonkt.blogspot.com/

Day Seven (One Week)

Abby and I visited the tiny First Baptist church on campus this morning. A few other girls in the Bossov program were there also. For the most part I liked it very much. - Mum and Dad, it reminded me of St. John's in Maryland because of its size. Everyone knew everyone and the pastor called on individual people to stand and make announcements.

From there we went to Waterville for lunch and a movie. We saw "Knight and Day," with Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz. It was highly entertaining; I absolutely recommend it!! I have to add that when we entered the theater there were only three or four couples, and they were all senior citizens!! I guess it appealed to everyone.

We stopped by the local grocery store called Bud's Shop N' Save, and were back on campus by 3:30. Abby and I ran into Col. Wylie on our way to check in. He greets me and Abby very fondly now that he has met Mr. Paulson, a fellow Naval Academy graduate. Mr. Paulson has even given us some Navy vocabulary and phrases to use when we speak to him. For example: He asks, "What's up?" We say, "Fidelity is up and Obedience is down on my Naval Academy belt buckle, Sir." I have the feeling that we will become good friends with Col. Wylie by the end of these six weeks. I also agree with Mr. Paulson that, to impress Col. Wylie, we should organize a march to the cafeteria from the dorms.

More people have arrived today for the five-week program. Tomorrow is another placement class, followed by Sleeping Beauty auditions. I'm a little nervous. I heard from someone that the faculty generally places a student in the next lowest level to his after this placement class. This has to do with the fact that so many more students come for the five-week program than for the six. Thus, if Abby and I are moved to level two, it will be because of the appearance of at least ten new dancers who have had more experience than us.

May I also add that my toe nail has died. In fact, it is no longer even blue. It is entirely devoid of life at all and will fall off shortly. Lovely, right?? I'm sure Abby will have something to say about it as well. There is a link to her blog, "Thoughts on Katie's Thoughts," on this page.

Link to Pictures

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=67096&id=1496477794

Day Six

Today was great!! Acadia was every bit as spectacular as I had anticipated, and more!! I especially enjoyed the view of Maine from Cadillac Mountain. The mountain is 1,500 feet, one of the highest points on the East coast. We also walked on the beach of Seal Harbor, but didn't see any seals. Keep in mind that the weather was 65 degrees and sunny. I think I could have stayed forever!!

After this we headed to lunch at a tiny restaurant called "Corner Cafe," where I had a wonderful veggie panini. Soon we were at Bar Harbor touring the town. We walked past all kinds of interesting shops, including a clockmaker's shop, a candlemaker's shop, several candy/icecream shops, and some fresh seafood places. We stopped to get ice cream at Ben and Bills. I had Mocha Chip and it was fantastic!! This place was like Willy Wonka's factory, colors and all. It was overwhelming (in a good way). We stopped again in Bangor before heading back to Pittsfield.

- Find the link on this page to see the pictures we took!!

Day Five

Today I found it difficult to focus because of my anticipation for this weekend, but I think classes were fairly good. There was a performance makeup class scheduled for this afternoon, but instead Ms. Getman rehearsed our character piece (an additional piece) for the showcase until we were short on time. We did, however, end up wearing semi-stage makeup. All three minutes of our piece went very well during the showcase, considering we only had a week to perfect it. Mr. Bossov knows how to whip a piece into shape for a performance. Like he does with classes, he stops us at every mistake until we have it down.

He said that our character piece was a portion of Petrushka by Stravinski, a story about a puppet that comes to life. I think our ballet piece was also based on Petrushka, but he never said so. I hope to have a class on ballet history some time next week!!

Tomorrow I will be on my way to Acadia National Park with Abby, and we leave at 7:00. Thus, unfortunately, I have to cut this entry short and go to sleep. I can promise that tomorrow's entry will be exceptionally good, because I plan on having fun and taking pictures (which I will post to this blog). Thanks, everyone who follows!!

Day Four

I thought today would be terrible after reading our schedule because, even though it read differently, I saw: "pointe, then pointe, then pointe, then pointe again; we hope your feet fall off." The day was actually great!! Our first pointe class was a pas class (partnering). I had never taken a pas class before so I was a little nervous going in, but as I entered the studio I had to keep myself from falling down of laughter. Mr. Bossov had recruited his stage hands and tech crew to partner us.. they all wore tights. Need I say anything else??

The schedule had an hour and half pointe class down for 1:00, but Mr. Bossov changed it last minute to a ballet class. I think we were all relieved. Unfortunately Mrs. Ana Karpova, who taught, had just received a phone call from her mother to inform her of her grandmother's death. Also, she added, today was her mother's birthday. I almost cried when she broke down, but was able to keep it together. I think I actually connect better with her, now that I know she has a soft side (as a teacher she is extremely challenging).

Next, we headed to another rehearsal, but this time we danced our pointe piece only twice. He turned the rest of our time into an acting session. This time Abby was an elephant and I was a squirrel. This class was almost as hilarious as the first. I'll tell you now, because I left this out last blog, what made our last class so hilarious. Mr. Bossov couldn't think of the English word for wild pig, so Abby thought, "hog." At the same time another girl said, aloud, "boar." Thus, in a hurry, Abby bursted a combo of the two that began with a "w" and ended with an "e." Thankfully I don't think he understood, but the rest of us roared. (laughed of course)

He ended our class thirty minutes early today, and we raced to be the first to shower. After dinner, me, Abby, and two others walked two miles down town to a Rite Aid. I didn't realize how ridiculously expensive things were until I spent $88.00 on a single bag of items like makeup remover, tape, bandaids, and tissues. After our two-mile hike back to the school we spent some time in the gym, which is a studio at the moment. Overall my day was absolutely outstanding!!

Day Three

Today I woke up shaky an feverish. I took some medication and ate breakfast, which helped. I felt well enough to dance, and I concluded that if class was impossible for me, I'd ask to sit down. It's always better to at least let a teacher know that you've tried than to simply ask, before a class begins, to observe. Class went surprisingly well, in fact, it was one of my best yet.

After technique we headed to a floor barre class with Mr. Bossov. This class was harder than I expected because the floor hurt my hips and knees. The upside: I wore a pair of sweat pants, socks, and a sweater (as opposed to a leotard and tights).

Abby and I ate lunch and then headed to an acting class (also with Mr. Bossov). This was wonderfully fun!! In addition to being a skilled and talented dancer and choreographer, he is an impressive stage actor. He had the nine of us act out a forest scene. I was a tree, and Abby was a wild boar. HAHA!! This was the best part of my day!! At the end of class Mr. Bossov said that, even though it may seem appropriate to honestly cry or laugh during a performance, it is imperative that a dancer has complete control over his character. Thus, he must learn how to direct his emotion. He said that if a dancer becomes emotional during a piece, he must use that energy to enhance his performance.

We went from there to another rehearsal, then showers and dinner- nothing too exciting. Abby and I plan on watching an episode of M*A*S*H tonight before bed. We love it!! It takes our mind off of the stress of the day and days to come.

Day Two

My second day in Maine was good- more painful than yesterday. I almost couldn't get out of bed this morning. Every muscle in my body is horrendously sore!! I spoke to a few of my classmates and each of them has only had a few days off. I felt like a slacker. Oh well, I have to remind myself that I'll be here for six weeks and most of them only plan on one or two.

My day began with a ballet class with Mr. Bossov. The class was two hours long, but we used every minute of it. Mr. Bossov, unlike most teachers that I've had, will stop us during a routine to make a correction. The class probably spent fifteen minutes on one routine because he paused every thirty seconds. I don't mind this because it works to get us to really master a technique and to think.

My next class was pointe with Ms. Getman. I was privileged to have spent about two minutes with her on a correction. She told me that my roommate would help me, and that if I didn't improve she would be punished. YIKES!! I told Abby that I would most certainly improve. I like Ms. Getman because, of the teachers I've had so far, she seems to best remember personal corrections and is most eager to get to know each of us.

After lunch I had a character class with Mr. Bossov, who is exceptional at this art. I noticed that as he demonstrated a correction for us he seemed to get carried away and perform the entire routine at full speed and with lots of energy, as if he was performing. Somehow I didn't think that he wanted to show off his skill with an "easy" character dance, he only wanted to dance it.

Next we had another rehearsal for the showcase, which went fairly well by my standard. Then, of course, we showered and went to dinner. To have some fun, Abby and I walked down town to find a little shopping center. We saw a one-dollar theatre, an ice cream parlor, a barber shop, and a library. We got a little lost trying to find the grocery store, but one can only be so lost in a virtually infinitesimal town.

Tomorrow a "performance makeup" class is scheduled. FUN!! I know that I'll have that down. My status: I hurt (including my desperate toes, which are in the process of bruising to no end), and I hope tomorrow will be good. I know, my thoughts seem to contradict reality.

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- Link to Facebook Photo Album

Day One

Tonight marks the end of my first day with Bossov Ballet Theatre in Pittsfield, Maine. I woke up before my alarm was scheduled to sound (6:30 am), but stayed in bed and listened. Outside I heard the train, which is only about an eighth of mile from my dorm room. The sun was already almost up. At 7:25 Abby and I walked to the cafeteria for breakfast, which consisted of fresh pineapple, watermelon, strawberries, and grapenuts.

From there we walked across campus to our first class of the day, a placement class, and a stressful one. This class was a version of an elimination round. First, Mr. Bossov watched the whole group, and from there he told those to be placed in level one (of four) to stand in a corner. He did this again for level two, and Abby and I were still center, waiting for a verdict. After a long combination Mr. Bossov directed us to a corner; I was a little down, but also a little relieved. To be placed in the highest level of anything means more pressure.

Our next class was a technique class. I can just say that I was absolutely wrong to think that I knew anything about classic Vaganova technique. Ms. Natalya Getman yelled- only proof that none of us had it down. I think it could potentially take all six weeks to dance an acceptable Vaganova, but I'm up for it.. I think.

After a lunch of salad and wonderful hummus, we headed to Mr. Vlademir Karpov's pointe class. I left with a good impression: intimidating, but funny. He speaks extremely broken English, so to communicate he uses a lot of body language. A think by the end of the class he had crossed his eyes, jumped up and down, and impersonated a moose.

The last portion of our time in the studio was a rehearsal with Mr. Bossov for a showcase on Friday. Our piece is short and sweet. I do mean sweet, because we are dolls. Imagine the scene from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.. exactly. From my experience with him, I like Mr. Bossov. He seems to know exactly what he is doing, not to mention his talent for choreography.

At 7:00 pm Col. Wylie met with us in a studio and informed us of a 10:00 pm fire drill. "AaaaaaaaaaHH!!" So, until then my day isn't over.

- I have posted a link to pictures of the gorgeous campus; take a look!!