So it eventually occurs to me that I'm not going to stay with MDB throughout my ballet adventures. Eventually, the title will have to change to Adventures in Ballet I, II, III...where the hell is the infinity sign??
MDB teaches Ballet Fundamentals and Beginner/Ballet I - and while I am in NO danger of moving into Ballet I without some serious pep talking and another 5 months worth of Beginner, part of me knows that I will stay in one place longer than necessary because I'm too chicken to move. (Prime example of a 30 something just signing up for beginner ballet.)
So in order to prep myself, I've decided that I should probably step outside of my MDB circle and experience other teachers. You all know about Mr. Heinz and Ms. Mexican Food eater. Ms. Mexican Food teaches Sunday beginner/ballet I class. So I pack up my 5 months of beginner ballet experience, toss it into my civic and head over to Joel Hall.
Looks like class is going to be small - I roll in 5 minutes late - not on purpose. Hell - you can't pick the time a really genius or really stupid idea will strike - and there's only 3 of us....AND then second company dancers arrive.
Second company is the second level of dancers for Joel Hall performances. They are only second because they aren't first. I think First company is full. Second company dancers have been taking classes in all the dance formats in Joel Hall's studio for months now - i.e. that hellish intensive with 7 classes a week for 2 or 3 months, etc, etc. I think one day I may drink the second company KOOL AID, but for now water is FINE!!
Class is up to 8 people and MMF instructor starts with tendus.
Side Bar: Umm...can she do that? Start with tendus instead of plies?
Menty: Her class...her world...we are just visiting.
Physie: PAY ATTENTION!
Side Bar: It's just tendus' - calm down.
It seems to be going ok, until I realize MMF is the type of instructor that corrects you as you are going. I've never been good at doing and listening at the same time...which just makes this class THAT much more interesting.
I don't know if MMF thought we were all second company or not, but those combinations got harder quickly - and then she started messing with timing as well. And next thing I know I'm trying to do a frappe, pique, petit battement in first, second and fifth arabesque position at 5 times the normal speed. NOW mind you - I'm not use to this combination to begin with and it's really fast - so I'm concentrating really hard - THEN she calls my name to give me some correction - which 1) makes me stop moving, 2) makes me blind rapidly, and 3) give her WTF face!!! I can't listen to you correct me and keep moving super fast and get all the moves in. Something has got to give!
Again, mind you, I know each teacher is different, but there are just some things I can appreciate. Humor is definitely one of them. MMF has got a great sense of humor, but I don't think talking to me while you have this ridiculously FAST combo with all these damn moves in them is funny..,..AT ALL...EVER.
We step away from the barre and instead of going into slow part, we move into a fast moving center floor combo involving tombes and turning madness, which I do ok with...the tombe, pas de bouree part - the turning madness...whole OTHER story. Then we do traveling combos with MORE turns - pique turns with right leg leading are difficult - but left leg leading - no problem. Then she threw in three pique turns, something called a LAME DUCK, back into pique turns - at which point Side Bar, Menty and Physie took 10 - and I stood there with OH SHIT FACE!
Then she moved to glissades and assemblages - but Side Bar, Menty and Physie were still checked out - so I placated myself with just trying to do glissades without assemblages - and then assemblages without glissades.
Seeing as I'm going to see MDB tonight and Mr Heinz on Wednesday - any little bit of self confidence I had built up over the last few months of ballet should be in tatters on the ground by Wednesday night. Thanks goodness Midwest Tribal Mafia is this weekend - I kick ass at tribal belly dancing :) and I'm going to party like it's my birthday :) - because it will be!
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