I waddle into Joel Hall for Ballet Fundamentals tonight. What can I say - I don't like to be cold...eva! It's like the second thing on the things I HATE THE MOST list. Number one being COLD WET FEET in SHOES. UGH!!
But I digress. I check in with a different person at the front desk. David is MIA, but that's ok. I know he's got a show that he's working on. One of the guys that was coming to classes in the summer that I haven't seen in awhile rounds the corner. We speak and apparently I am emitting 'friendliness' hormones because he hugs me and says it's good to see me.
Side Bar: REALLY? I don't even know your NAME....
Menty: Just go with it.
Physie: I hugged him back - it's cool.
Side Bar: That's ok - if we were any more clothing we won't be able to bend our arms!
It looks like it's only going to be 2 of us in MDB's class tonight. A newbie that has made it into her second class this week. She has Jazz training, so I'm just going to call her Jazz for future reference. MDB rounds the corner to ring the cattle bell one more time and Lil Black Chick pops up. MDB starts to give us plies and two more people show up (one guy from second company and one young lady). As we finish our plies, two more women walk into class. The young lady that came with the guy stepped in front of me at the barre while we were doing plies. And creature of habit that I am, I really wanted to tell her to STEP OFF and get to the BACK OF THE LINE! But I don't - it's the holidays. MDB makes a reference to maybe getting a riding crop for christmas - HAHAHA! I tell her Flirty Girl Fitness is selling a pole for $1 when you buy their fitness dvd :).
THEN two new chicks come in and make a beeline in my direction (again those f***ing friendly hormones!) They are both in leotards. The one chick is in all black - leotard, tights, skirt but nude slippers. The other chick was in a blue leotard with a hawaiian print scarf tied to her waist.
I give up and move to the back with Lil Black Chick and Second Company Guy. MDB thanks me for moving.
Side Bar: BA HUMBUG!! They came in late - didn't even ASK if it was OK to come in. And then I had to MOVE to accommodate them - move yo ass to the back!
The parade starts up again with 7 of us (6 women and 1 man) starting with tendus with demi, full and then two quick crossed (first, second and back fifth - and again in second) with port de bras forward and back. We have to repeat the port de bras because MDB needs to pick with us about something. Then we do the demi to full degages, then full degages, into ACTUAL frappes without the pointed foot or beats (WEEEEEEEE!) - which was great because I needed some VIOLENCE. And MDB always says this is a VIOLENT 'strike' to the floor. I don't think I've ever frapped SO WELL! We move into rond de jambes, barre stretches and battements, which I'm doing degages without flicks.
When we move into the center floorwork - we are kinda separated - true beginners from experienced beginners. And finally I feel like I'm on the experienced beginner side!! The two leotard chicks exchange WTF faces when MDB starts rolling out the combos.
We move through the combination and do it twice through. We move to the traveling floor combinations and Lil Black Chick and I get separated between the two leotards. After we make one pass of the combination, the all black leotard turns to me and says with what I assumed to be cockiness "Can you believe this is my first class? Can you believe I'm a beginner?" Deadpan I say "Yes, I can tell." And I even smile because I'm thinking just because you DRESS THE PART DOES NOT MAKE YOU SWAN LAKE. Seriously??
We go back across the floor and I continue to engage her in conversation because I am friendly even if I still miffed about being misplaced in class. We move back to center and do a series of pirouettes. We then go back to crossing the floor and we are matched together again and we continue our conversation. At the end of class, she tells the other leotard that she felt like class was really advanced and she thought it would be beginner. She then says she felt like people would be laughing at her. I really didn't spend class watching either of them - the thing that gives everyone away is the FACE. I told her that nobody spends class looking at other people. I don't - but I don't think she believed me. But I didn't give further clarification. Wearing a leotard doesn't make you a dancer - your technique does. And when you don't have much - you don't have to be staring someone down to figure it out. I speak as one that doesn't have much either!!!! What's that saying - takes ONE to KNOW ONE? Apply freely here! (OK NOW STOP!)
I think when I first started I felt like I was under the spotlight because I felt like I LOOKED SO BAD in comparison to everyone else - but that's only when you're self-conscious. And that's the difference WITH MEbetween MDB's class and Mr. Heinz's class. In MDB's class, I don't really notice everyone else. I'm NOT comparing. In Mr. Heinz's class, I am.
Another Lesson Learned - it's ok for my ballet experience to be all about me - nobody else (other than the teacher maybe) really cares!
The black leotard did ask me why didn't wear a leotard.
Side Bar answered: Because - I don't like them.
She totally had that one coming.
No comments:
Post a Comment