Year End Performance

    Tomorrow we have our year end performance. We actually have three over the course of the weekend but tomorrow night is going to be the professional division's performance so hopefully it will be the best. I am going to be performing in Raymonda, Yellow River and a contemporary piece.
      I am really excited to perform but also really sad because a lot of my friends will be leaving this year and not coming back. It will be our last show together and so... final!.
     That's all I am going to write tonight. After the performances I have a week off before I start dancing again so I will try to write more <3

Demonstration Class

   Today we had a demonstration class which meant that friends and family could come watch. I was quite nervous but it went well. Afterwards we had a whole day of rehearsals and dress rehearsals. It was exhausting but good! At least we get to sleep in tomorrow. Happy Sunday!

Ashley Bouder of NYBC taken by Gene Schiavone

Nutcracker Auditions

   Nutcracker auditions in May! Last Sunday we had auditions of the Nutcracker, half a year in advance! I am sure that a lot of things will change a lot by December, we'll see.
    Everyone was super nervous for the auditions this time around. The auditions last time were extremely difficult, all on pointe starting in the centre in a studio theatre, with the most difficult combinations. I.e. pirouettes en dehors in attitude and an whole adage basically on one leg. So we were scared that the audition would be that hard again. For one thing Nutcracker wasn't all that long ago and no one really felt like they had improved very much.
    This year fortunately the audition started in flat shoes. The exercises were hard but not half as bad as last year. Then after jumps we changed into pointe shoes and did some exercises on pointe.  Suddenly when I was putting my shoes on I realised that I was missing one of my shoes and my toepads!!! I had to run into the studio that we had warmed up in because I had left them there when I had been taping my toes!!! It was lucky I didn't lose them. I am so careful about making sure I have everything before an audition, so it was really scary.
     I felt really bad during the audition. The exercises weren't that bad but I had to keep reminding myself not to tense up as much and to smile!!! After every exercise I was wishing that I could do it again, better. Especially after one exercise en pointe, I felt really confident so stood front and centre. We started off and I was like "this is going to be great", and then the fouettes came and suddenly I travelled to the right and forwards quite a bit. I was just killing myself wishing that I wasn't in the front. I don't travel much anymore when I do fouettes, but I used to and when you are nervous sometimes old habits reappear. Then I did one too many because I was distracted by my thoughts... hmm that wasn't the best combination ever!
     Finally it was over so they had us line up height wise and make us stand in various lines looking at our heights. It was strange being called a number (I always get worried that I will forget my number) by our normal teachers. We stood around for ages and my knee started hurting a little bit. Finally they let us sit down while they looked at the boys.
   Then they called some of the girls up to do pas de deux with the boys. My number included!!! We just had to do grand pas de chats across the floor with them, but we were pretty cold by that time so it wasn't great.
     Afterwards they announced the casting, I was cast in Snow and Flowers (the same as last year) as well as a Flower soloist. Which means that I get to learn the pas de deux part!!! I was sooooo happy. I am very excited to learn the part - and I really hope that I don't get kicked out right away. I hope that I can do a good job.  =) =) =) I am sooo happy, I could hardly sleep at all Sunday night.
    Yesterday we had class and rehearsals all day (from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.) It was exhausting but I had really good classes and felt very happy by then end of the day.
   Well that is my exciting news for now <3