First Dance

My poor baby toes hurt. I think the seams on my tights were in the wrong place or something. So anyway, today we started dancing! I wore my leotard and tights under normal clothes so I wouldn't have to wrestle into my tights in front of the other girls. Everyone else did the same thing, and for the same reason, which I thought was funny. Basically squeezing into tights we bought that were already a size too big was pretty traumatic for all of us. Maybe since it happened to all of us, it's normal? We'll say yes.

I was a little nervous about my tattoo being out in the open-I don't much like it anymore, so I usually hide it with my clothes or my hair, but nobody mentioned it. I was right up front, too, so I know they saw it. I'm just glad nobody commented.

First, we did some posture exercises on the floor. It seemed like that went on for a long time. Then we did some Pilates (also to help with posture--Rene doesn't want any slumpy dancers).

After that, we started barre work! Our instructor got all mixed up a few times, so it was confusing figuring out the order in which we were supposed to do the exercises. I just slyly watched the girls on either side of me...if I was wrong, at least I wouldn't be wrong alone!

Then, we got in front of the mirrors for some "court dance". Only after we did court dance did we learn the basic ballet positions (feet only, though she says there are arm ones too). We learned to bow, which was quite elaborate and ridiculous, and thankfully ran out of time before she could make us do it to music! Now my poor baby toes hurt, just in case you forgot.

Ballerina!

I bought my ballet clothes today, and when I sewed my shoes and tried everything on, I felt like a ballerina!  That might sound obvious, but I was a little dubious about it.  I just want to wear my ballet clothes all day long!  That would probably be frowned upon though.  

History of Ballet

Today was my second ballet class, and our teacher was there.  She seems really nice, I think I'm going to like her.  She did tell us not to buy our tights from Walmart unless we shave "down there" because they're too transparent and dance tights are thicker.  So that's nice.  She did make the boy in the class cover his ears for it, but she gestured rather detailedly down there, so I'm pretty sure he got it.  She told him he could wear sweatpants and a t-shirt, but he asked if he could wear a leotard, because he's really excited about it.

Then we took notes on the history of ballet and my professor doesn't know how to pronounce Circe.  She butchered it.  That's all for today!  Monday should be much more exciting.  We're starting off with "court dance" so we can learn where the ballet moves come from.  Hope there's waltz, I can do that!

Dancer

Ever since I was a little girl, I've always wanted to dance.  I danced around my house so much as a child that my mother called me, "Dancer" more often than she called me by my name.  We were too poor to afford lessons for me, but now I'm in college.  This wonderful university offers dance classes, and I'm taking a beginner ballet class.  

My first class, which was today, was pretty disappointing.  My instructor is in New York with a show she's been working on, so she just sent a guy to take role and tell us to bring our syllabus on Wednesday.  We'll go over it then and learn about the history of dance, which he promised would be our only lecture this semester.  

One of the requirements of the course is to attend two dance performances.  Ordinarily, I would be pretty excited about that, but the lineup this semester isn't too grand.  At least, there's not much I've heard of before, but it's true that the performances could be wonderful anyway.  One of the options is at the Orpheum in Memphis, Tennessee (which is the most beautiful building I've ever seen), so maybe I'll try to convince my fiance that it's necessary for my grade that we go together!  I doubt he'll go with me, but maybe I can talk him into going with me to one here in our town.  

Thursday, we get to buy our dance clothes, and I'm so excited about that!  I wish I could get the gorgeous satin pointe shoes, but I won't be ready for those for quite some time.  I asked my fiance's sister, who has taken dance since she was tiny, what kind of shoes I should get, and she recommended canvas split-sole shoes.  Since they wear out pretty easily, I'll probably pick up two pair for the semester and order more if it looks like I'll need them.  We are required to wear black leotards, pink tights, and pink ballet shoes.  I hope I can get a leotard with 3/4 length sleeves, I think those are the prettiest.  The instructor didn't specify what style, but she may do so in class on Wednesday.  We can also wear a sheer black skirt, but I've heard that those sort of get in the way, so I think I'll skip that...unless they're really cute.  We'll see!  

The title of this blog comes from William Butler Yeats:  "O body swayed to music, O brightening glance, How can we know the dancer from the dance?"  I thought it was a neat quote.  Basically here I'll be documenting my experiences as an adult trying to learn the most beautiful art form there is.