MDB said something while I was out with her and LBC for her birthday:
"You are always safe in class. You don't like to take risks."
She also went on to name several regulars that were also 'safe' in class. She meant that we always want to be right.
I thought about Rachel Brice (Tribal Fusionist Extraordinaire) saying: You learn from make mistakes. Fail faster.
These statements was on my mind as I went to Joel Hall Studio tonight.
Tonight I actually registered myself for class. Not David 1 was rolling his eyes and looking at the computer. Not David 2 was trying to figure out how to register three ladies for ballet class.
Seeing that Not David 1 planned to be of NO assistance, I reached behind the desk, punched my own card, grabbed the Ballet Fundamentals sign up sheet, signed myself in, and put the sheet back to which Not David 1 said: "Umm, Not David 2 this is my last night of working the desk with you. You better get it together."
To which I said, "Not David 2, I can help you on Mondays and Thursdays, but you are on your own after that." Not David 1 gave me a slow blink and went back to the computer.
Miss M had a sub tonight. And after the three girls got registered and we lined up to the barre, I thought I'm going to be 'not' so safe tonight. It's fundamentals. And that was pretty much my downfall.
So Cece isn't a familiar teacher to me. I've had her once or twice, but she's not regular...and then she had a wonderful idea of ballet to christmas music. For me, it was a like a fart in church - everyone knows it happened and we're not really sure if we should say Amen, Bless you or make the sign of the cross.
We were rhythmically challenged, mentally challenged and physically challenged - cue the short yellow bus!!! BEEP! BEEP!
This was also the fastest moving fundamentals class I'd ever taken. We were done with barre in 30 minutes! So much for not being safe....I pretty much gave up on being correct too!!
Menty: Turn out
Side Bar: check
Menty: Posture -
Side Bar: check
Menty: Technique? Hey!! Where'd technique go?
Side Bar: Left with Santa???
Oh well...I will try 'not' so safe when Miss M comes back for Thursday Ballet Fundamentals class next week. I can't do unfamiliar and not safe on the same night apparently....
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
The Adventures Continues: Ballet 1 - On A Ballet Streak
Don't you hate when you're almost done with something and then something in your computer 'unexpectedly quit'?
Forty minutes of uninterrupted typing - POOF!
And of course, NOW I realize there's a SAVE NOW button on the bottom of this damnable page!!
UGH!!!
So here's the short and sweet version of the 40 minute song:
Class on Sunday morning: Missy taught - smiles a lot, long combinations, lots of confusion. Convinced me to go to her Tuesday morning class.
Class on Monday evening: MDB taught - smiles a lot, slight southern accent, a little confusion, very demanding, never satisfied, but my favorite teacher nonetheless. She refrained from screaming TOUCH IT when we were practicing port de bras, but made us do it again and again. She also wanted us to do our arms properly during our echappes. I'm behind on this because for the first 6 months of class I couldn't do jumps at the center, I could only do them at the barre - while HOLDING the barre.
Menty: Did our feet move?
Physie: Check
Menty: Did our arms move?
Physie: Check
Side Bar: I think we are ahead of the game then
Menty: Me too
Class this morning: Missy omitted that a sub would be teaching today. I was slightly perturbed but David was at the desk, SCORE! I love David - not just because he's a high school friend - but he KNOWS how to run the desk! You walk up, he smiles, asks the necessary questions, takes payment, registers you, sends you on your way - takes next person. When it's a 'Not David' - it runs a little more like - you walk up, he or she looks at you and does a slow blink, YOU ASK the NECESSARY questions, she/he figures out how to take payment, registers you and you ask where you should go to take class.
By the way, if I get published and go on Oprah, David is going. He's on the list. Oh yes, there is a list!
The sub is my height, half the weight of my whole right side, wearing a velvety black leotard and black dance pants. Insert deep sigh. She doesn't know I have issues with my left knee, or buritis in my left hip so I must endure another new teacher explaining how I need to get ON TOP of my left supporting leg so I don't bend my right on, etc, etc. And while I need to constant reminding so that I pay attention to it, I can't focus on my hip, the combination and the arm moves at the same time. I don't bitch or even do a mental eye roll, I nod, take my correction and focus.
When she gives us a long, complicated frappe combination, I ask a question for clarification. She answers my question and says: So you got it?
And I say yes, but that doesn't mean I'm going to get it right. Everyone laughs because we all KNOW it's true.
I make it through this class without feeling like a complete moron and I don't beat myself up about messing up.
And then I noticed something, I don't need war paint and belly dance pants for ballet class anymore. I haven't been doing the evening touch ups or the morning smear campaigns. I'm enough without those things. :)
Forty minutes of uninterrupted typing - POOF!
And of course, NOW I realize there's a SAVE NOW button on the bottom of this damnable page!!
UGH!!!
So here's the short and sweet version of the 40 minute song:
Class on Sunday morning: Missy taught - smiles a lot, long combinations, lots of confusion. Convinced me to go to her Tuesday morning class.
Class on Monday evening: MDB taught - smiles a lot, slight southern accent, a little confusion, very demanding, never satisfied, but my favorite teacher nonetheless. She refrained from screaming TOUCH IT when we were practicing port de bras, but made us do it again and again. She also wanted us to do our arms properly during our echappes. I'm behind on this because for the first 6 months of class I couldn't do jumps at the center, I could only do them at the barre - while HOLDING the barre.
Menty: Did our feet move?
Physie: Check
Menty: Did our arms move?
Physie: Check
Side Bar: I think we are ahead of the game then
Menty: Me too
Class this morning: Missy omitted that a sub would be teaching today. I was slightly perturbed but David was at the desk, SCORE! I love David - not just because he's a high school friend - but he KNOWS how to run the desk! You walk up, he smiles, asks the necessary questions, takes payment, registers you, sends you on your way - takes next person. When it's a 'Not David' - it runs a little more like - you walk up, he or she looks at you and does a slow blink, YOU ASK the NECESSARY questions, she/he figures out how to take payment, registers you and you ask where you should go to take class.
By the way, if I get published and go on Oprah, David is going. He's on the list. Oh yes, there is a list!
The sub is my height, half the weight of my whole right side, wearing a velvety black leotard and black dance pants. Insert deep sigh. She doesn't know I have issues with my left knee, or buritis in my left hip so I must endure another new teacher explaining how I need to get ON TOP of my left supporting leg so I don't bend my right on, etc, etc. And while I need to constant reminding so that I pay attention to it, I can't focus on my hip, the combination and the arm moves at the same time. I don't bitch or even do a mental eye roll, I nod, take my correction and focus.
When she gives us a long, complicated frappe combination, I ask a question for clarification. She answers my question and says: So you got it?
And I say yes, but that doesn't mean I'm going to get it right. Everyone laughs because we all KNOW it's true.
I make it through this class without feeling like a complete moron and I don't beat myself up about messing up.
And then I noticed something, I don't need war paint and belly dance pants for ballet class anymore. I haven't been doing the evening touch ups or the morning smear campaigns. I'm enough without those things. :)
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