First, this blog started off as notes on my facebook page. But my facebook page is on lock down because I like to speak my mind there -freely without edit and without reprimand. So for those of you just joining me in this adventure - here are the highlights:
I started taking beginner ballet lessons as Joel Hall Dance Center about three months ago. I have no prior ballet experience, but dance experience in one other form. The formats aren't even remotely related - other than the word DANCE - can be used to describe them. I have been tripping my way through this learning experience - literally sometimes - and dealing with my internal mental framework in the process. Because WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND WOULD SIGN UP FOR BALLET AT 31 YEARS OLD?? But I did armed with the Technical Manual and Dictionary of Classical Ballet third revised edition by Gail Grant, which makes even me question my sanity. So why not write about it? And I have for the last three months. So welcome to the inner dialogue in my mind during classes.
We start class in Studio B with 7 people in class (6 women and 1 man) plus Mini Dominatrix Ballet Instructor (henceforth referred to as MDB). In a class that has been averaging at least 2 per class per week, I was kinda wondering where they went - but frankly, I'm ok with ZERO in class.
I'm at the front of class closest to MDB because I'm working this reverse pyschology trick. Typically people overlook the people closest to them because they 'assume' they see you quite well. What happens most times is the teacher will walk around and come back to the person in front last. It appears to work periodically. I haven't had MDB fingers or thumbs pinning my chubby hips and thighs to my side causing inner thigh rubbage for at least two classes now :).
We start with our usual French pastry assortments of vocabulary which make me sad that I skipped dinner before coming, but what can I do? We start with demi to full tendus, into degages (aka cockroach flickers, which is MDB's helpful hint on PROPER ankle and foot positioning), into frappes, into rond de jambs, into battements with serres and serres les reins (which means tightening of the loins - don't ask me I didn't make this shit up). MDB goes off on a tangent about arms positions that ends with us going to a gym pool so we can get our arms right. I was with her until she mentioned 'coming up OUT OF THE WATER' to which Side Bar (my sarcastic mental self that provides random comic relief) blurts out (of my own mouth): I'm NOT getting my hair wet! Have you ever noticed there aren't any black female Olympic divers or swimmers? That is NOT a stereotype - it's the truth! Everyone laughs at this...because we are all going through our memories thinking - DAMN, she's right :)
The Joel Hall performance group was out of town last night, so we got to go to the Fish Bowl (big room in the front used for really large classes but anyone in a car or walking on foot can see right into the studio) for our floor combinations and traveling combinations. First, we did Soubresaut - which looks seriously like little bunny hops (both feet), but you are using your TING (butt) muscles to activate the movement (or so I think- don't quote me I'm not an expert - I'm totally, truly, moronically a beginner). Then we move onto chasse, pas de bourree. We do go into little jumps as well and this is the first time I've been able to do them all with kneepads or the barre for support. She adds other movements as well, but I don't take notes of which ones I learn per class. I just open my dictionary and check off the words - so I get on youtube and get further instruction - aka watch about a thousand times and screw it up in the privacy of my own home. I'm pretty sure my cat is highly entertained by this.
What I am just realizing is all the little pauses that make this particular dance form so hard. MDB and all classically trained ballet dancers have the ability to STOP TIME while in the air. It's not just a jump - it looks like someone hit the pause button for a second before they land. So now, I need to work on my PAUSE button - I wonder what the word is for that????
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