Little Red-The Remix

I forget how cold Chicago can be in the winter. I remember the salt. I remember digging out my car. I definitely remember snow - but for some weird wacky ass reason - I forget that it can be BUTT BITING COLD AS HELL OUTSIDE.

At a whopping 17 degrees at 6:10pm, I'm layered in a footless tights, bellydance pants, tank, little hoodie, wool peacoat, 20 foot long scarf that wraps around my neck at least 10 times, knee high socks, furry boots, earmuffs, gloves and the holy spirit! 

I walk into Joel Hall and sigh a soft but exaggerated sigh of relief for the heat. Bless you Peoples Gas!! I slowly beginning to unwrap myself like a kid would unwrap a lump of coal as a christmas present. 

Lil Red is in class and she apologized for last week - MDB didn't mention it was a Beginner/Ballet 1 class (I bet she didn't! Probably wanted to see what I was going to write!)-and that she would go much slower this time. 

I line up to the barre and I don't want to be in the front today. Although I know Lil Red means well - she's kinda jittery like a kid hopped up on candy - aka I still think shit is going to go WAY TOO FAST. I need not have worried. Quite a few newbies come to class today which makes me smile - oh WTF face on someone else for a change - PERFECT!

Side Bar: Looks like we are going to catch a break tonight! Newbies!!

Menty: Someone of these people look like they have experience.

Side Bar: Anyone can wear the uniform....

There is seven people in class tonight - 6 women and 1 man - the other Olsen Twin (Mary Kate) has made it tonight (Ashley was taking a breather), the Swan and myself are the only regulars in class. 

Lil Red did take it easier on us in class tonight. She started with normal plies (at a NORMAL SPEED TOO), and added a forced arch in there. We did two different sets of tendus, degages, coupes, straight legged frappes with coupe, rond de jambes and rond de jambes en l'air.  Lil Red did make the combinations slower and when we got to the rond de jambes en l'air, she said that we would feel it tomorrow. I said I will feel it tonight! 

When we move to the center floor work, we skip the adagio and start with something that's not quite slow and not quite fast. The newbies and the Swan wanted to do turns so we skip the adagio and do pirouettes with and without plies to start - UGH! My left knee wasn't feeling stable and I left my knee pad at home so I just had to coupe instead on the left side. Then they did jumps at the center - I went to the barre. 

Then Lil Red went back to my two of my frienemies - Glissade and Assemblage. And I actually was able to do them without hating them so intensely that my ass did not lock and my legs could actually move!!

So when it was all said and done, I definitely liked Lil Red off the candy. She had moments where she looked like she couldn't handle the slowness, but she managed. 

And she reminded us twice that her birthday is coming up - MDB - she wants more ballet music....just in case you were wondering :)

And PS - from the time that I started to now - somehow I've managed to lose 11 lbs without trying. Take that super huge thighs!