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exhibitions & performances

Santa arrives in a Boogie-Woogie Choo-Choo Train!

I am so excited to see this video!  Last Thursday we danced at the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame’s “Holidays at the Hall” event alongside our friends David Leathers and Mitzi Matthews.  The ending pose of their swing routine is the coolest!  Daniel and I have both been so busy with work this fall that we have not had many chances to dance.  This event was really lovely and we had a great time.  Joey Stuckey, a great jazz musician, played live (we were just the intermission act, and happy to have the honor) so we also got to meet him. And I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that we met Em Fergusson, Joey’s publicist, whom I just missed knowing when she was a student at Macon State College.  Plus it turns out she is French-Canadian.  Such a small world.  Okay, here comes the video.  Our part starts at around 1:20 with Mitzi and David, then we come in at 3:20.  But you should definitely watch the whole thing.

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Ballerina Corner behind the curtain exhibitions & performances Uncategorized

Madison Studio recital day!

MSDE’s annual recital, “Ballet, Boogie, & Broadway,” kicks off in just under 5 hours. We had an excellent dress rehearsal last night, I got to leave my costumes on the premises so I don’t have to carry them over there again today, I have all the correct shoes in my bag, and (hopefully) the things I wore and then washed last night are dry now. Daniel’s stuff is packed and ready to go and the video camera is charging.  Here is what I learned at dress rehearsal:

  • It’s great to NOT be in 12 different numbers (as one of my young fellow dancers is) because that’s exhausting and you sweat a lot.  But being in only 3, widely spaced apart, as I am, is slightly too few.  You get all cold and stiff in between.  I’m going to feel silly carrying in legwarmers and a shrug when it’s 90 degrees out, but I’ll be doing it and wearing them anyway!
  • If you have my haircut (razor-cut pixie, no 2 strands the same length) and have to slick it back to look like a ballerina, the secret is to wet it and then slather on gel like there’s no tomorrow.  When your ballet number is over and you have to unslick to look like a modern or ballroom dancer, re-wet it from another dancer’s spray bottle (bless you, E. J.) and rearrange with a comb.  Be prepared for Horror Hair when you brush it all out later.  Shampoo twice the next morning (buy one of these in advance to use when it’s all over).
  • Draw your eyeliner wings on carefully lest your husband/dance partner point out to you–after it’s too late, of course–that they are incongruent.
  • Something’s wrong when you regret things that haven’t happened yet.
  • If you are planning to wear a wig, bring it with you!
  • There’s no crying at recital.  Mostly.
  • He may not agree, but it was worth it for our Widow Simone to shave his goatee.
  • The big kids are so talented, the little kids are so adorable, and we’re just lucky to be up there with ’em.

Recap/photos/video coming soon!

Categories
exhibitions & performances

And the beat goes on

We had to go over to the Alzheimer’s Association office this afternoon to return some stuff.  Once we finished walking right into the middle of a committee meeting because someone (DANIEL J. BOUDREAULT) did not heed the “Please use front door” sign, we had a nice chat with the staff.  Karen K. asked “Are you still reeling from the event or have you recovered?”  I told her we’d had to jump right in to rehearsing for the Madison Studio annual recital, which will be Thursday, May 31, 6:30 p.m. at Porter Auditorium on the Wesleyan College campus (details here).  Our Stars were supposed to dance with us in the recital but both of them are out of commission–Jack is off being a movie star and Ashley tore 3 ligaments in her ankle playing tennis!  We had to scratch Jack’s and my number but Ashley has provided us with a stand-in, her friend Kathryn, who is a former dancer and a very quick study.  She and Daniel practiced for the first time today and she learned almost the whole routine in under an hour.  Not bad, huh?  Plus Daniel and I have been freshening up the rumba routine we’ll be performing and adding a couple of new tricks.  We are dancing to Enrique Iglesias’s “Ring My Bells.”  Woo!  I think it’s gonna be HOT.

Sunday is the last studio recital before rehearsal and is also group photo day for each recital number.  We’ll have time for 1-2 run-throughs in costume for each routine, then into the small studio where Mr. Haley will be taking pictures.  I have to go over there with 3 outfits including the one I’m taking for Kathryn to try, plus I’m picking up a dress I’m borrowing from a fellow dancer once I get there.  Multiply that times all the dancers in the studio and it could become a major troop movement but I know Ms. Madison will make it work.  Then we have dress rehearsal on the 30th and the recital on the 31st.  Exciting!

If you couldn’t make it to Dancing Stars, you can attend the recital and see us in action. Tickets are $10 in advance (let us know if you want ’em) or $12 at the door on the day of the show.  It would be great to have a cheering section on hand.

Hey, it’s time to get ready and go dancing!  What am I doing sitting here?

Categories
dance events dancing in the media Dancing Stars of Central Georgia exhibitions & performances MSDC Uncategorized

Instrument Petting Zoo!

Daniel and I had to stay busy between meeting our Dancing Stars partners and finding out the dances we’d been assigned, so last Sunday we spent the afternoon at the Macon Museum of Arts and Sciences’ “Instrument Petting Zoo” event.  The event is an annual collaboration between the Museum and the Mercer/Macon Youth Orchestra and it’s designed to introduce young children (preschool/early elementary) to classical music and musical instruments.  This year, small ensembles from the orchestra played some dance selections (a pair of “Renaissance dances,” a waltz, a sarabande, a tango, and a samba) and the manager wanted to showcase some dancing along with the music.  She contacted Ms. Madison who put Daniel and me on the case as well as choreographing a number herself.  We rallied the troops from our group class and from Got Dance? Move It! so there was plenty of participation.

The Madison Studio’s junior performance ensemble performed beautifully to the “Renaissance Dances.”  Daniel and I danced the waltz; then Daniel partnered our student Megan and two of the GDMI dancers joined them for the tango.  Another GDMI member choreographed a gorgeous contemporary piece for the sarabande, and all of us closed out the program with some audience participation to the samba.  We did 3 performances over the course of the afternoon with an almost-full house for every one.  Got effusive compliments from the orchestra manager (Hi Connie!  Thanks!), a few museum higher-ups, and some audience members.  Most of all we were incredibly proud of the GDMI dancers.  They are so game and energetic and up for anything.  We salute them!

Categories
competitions dance events Dancing Stars of Central Georgia exhibitions & performances

Dueling Dancing Stars

Big news from DLDancers HQ: Daniel and I found out on Friday that we have been chosen as “pros” for the Alzheimer’s Association “Dancing Stars of Central Georgia” event.  Just like on Dancing with the Stars we will each be paired with a local “star” to prepare a dance routine that will be performed at the event on May 12 at the Macon City Auditorium.  Since we will each have our own star, we will be competing against each other.  Let the games begin!  According to the information we got from the Alzheimer’s Association, there will be 2 winning couples: the Judges’ Choice (decided on the night of the event, of course) and the People’s Choice (which is the pair that raises the most money).  Can DLDancers take home ALL the trophies?

We are so excited and honored to have been chosen and now are waiting impatiently to find out the identities of our stars.  I have an idea of who mine might be but it’s a long shot.  No matter what, we can’t wait to dive in and get involved with this excellent event.  The Alzheimer’s Association has put on these events in other parts of the state (and nationally, I think) and they are the real pros.  They have already organized a web site (http://dancingstarsofcentralgeorgia2012.kintera.org), a cast party for March 1, plans to video our rehearsals, local TV appearances, and some other good stuff that we’re not even allowed to talk about yet.  And all of this for an excellent cause.  The statistics on Alzheimer’s disease are alarming; it is such a difficult and heartbreaking disease for sufferers and caregivers.  In every possible way we are thrilled to be involved with such a prominent and well-run humanitarian event.

Stay tuned for lots of updates including: Who are our stars? What are we dancing? What music have we chosen? How can you donate? How can you get tickets to the event? WHO WILL WIN???

Categories
exhibitions & performances USA Dance

Come for the rumba, stay for the. . . rumba.

This video is from the “Dancing for our Heroes” charity ball back in July; I just got a copy on DVD a few weeks ago. Those of you who are Internet stalkers observant viewers will notice common elements between this routine and the one in the previous video. We took this version as a basis when we added the exhibition “tricks” in the more recent version of the routine.  Kind of necessary if, like me, you have not lost stamina or flexibility with age but have entirely lost the ability to remember choreography.  Sigh.

One more thing: the picture is funky for about the first 10 seconds of the video, but it does clear up.  More video soon; stay tuned!

Categories
competitions exhibitions & performances

MOAR VIDEOS PLZ

I’m hoping to post several recent videos over the next few days; here’s the first.  These are the exhibition performances from last Friday at the Atlanta Dance Classic.  We appear at the 12-minute mark but the whole show is worth watching.  Great dancing all over the place!

The Atlanta Classic was a lot of fun; we have to give particular props to our instructor Eddie Ares for stepping in to partner me for a few heats because Daniel wasn’t feeling well.  Tune in again soon for more video from this and other recent events!

Categories
Ballerina Corner competitions exhibitions & performances social dancing

Back to school/Back to getting schooled

Well, sports fans, it’s been a long, hot summer.  Not much to report…or is there?

At the end of July I went to Austria for an academic conference and also found out about the Vienna ball season.  The Viennese waltz is called that for a reason, y’know!  My dream is to attend the New Year’s Eve Kaiserball at Hofburg Palace, but I would also settle for a lesser ball such as the Coffeehouse Owners’ Ball.  The challenges are considerable (airfare, ball ticket prices, transcontinental ballgown transport), but wouldn’t it be an amazing experience?

A week after my return from Austria, we performed our rumba exhibition at the third annual Dancing for our Heroes charity ball at the Museum of Aviation.  It went REALLY well, probably the best we’ve ever danced it even though we had to put water on our shoes because the floor was so slick.  Somehow (absent-mindedness) we did not get any video of our routine, but I think I have video of Jim and JoyDawn’s gorgeous waltz as well as Derrek and Wendy’s très avant-garde cha-cha to Rammstein’s “Du Hast” on my phone.  It was a great night for everybody!

That was the last time Daniel and I danced before he went to Canada for two weeks to see his family.  He returns early next week and we are going to jump into preparation for Carolina Fall Classic, Atlanta Dance Classic, and maybe Christmas in Dixie if we have any money left.

We are also starting to work with a new wedding couple (Hi Tiffany & Tyler!), looking forward to seeing Stacey & JT dance at their wedding over Labor Day weekend (thanks for the invite, guys!), and getting excited about jumping back into ballroom class on Wednesday nights.  I am practically counting the HOURS until my first ballet class–either Tuesday night or Thursday night depending on exactly when Daniel rolls back into town (relevant because he went to Canada in MY car).

Meanwhile, I went to Academy Ballroom last weekend with JoyDawn and Beth for their monthly party and the next installment of the Jack & Jill competition (read up on the J&J here and here).  This month’s dance was the cha-cha.  My standard line re: the cha-cha is that I love it, but it doesn’t love me back.  I am slowly getting better at it, but doing that characteristic Latin hip motion at cha-cha tempo continues to be a challenge.  Plus, I am really out of shape right now and the cha-cha requires some stamina.  I had NO expectations whatsoever.  Well, check that: I expected to make it through the first round and into the final, which I duly did, dancing with a cool gentleman named Phil.  For the final I drew another cool gentleman, Martin, who seemed (unlike me) not to be wheezing even though the song went on for a while (it’s possible that I’ve been spoiled by 90-second competition rounds).  When Rachel announced the placements and I was not 5th, 4th, 3rd, or 2nd, I thought “Oh, I didn’t place, minor bummer.”  Then she said that the first-place couple was “possibly the oddest pairing ever in the Jack and Jill” and it turned out that Martin and I had won!  We were an “odd couple” because with dance shoes on, I am a good bit taller than he is.  So now I am tied for the top of the J&J leaderboard.  Can you believe it?

I’ve now ended the majority of the paragraphs in this post with questions.  Can I keep it up?

As soon as I hit “post” I’m going over to the Local Dance Opportunities page to post some updates.  Will you please look at them?

Categories
Ballerina Corner exhibitions & performances teaching

Madison Studio Recital 2011–Videotastic!

We had an amazing time at the Madison Studio’s annual recital yesterday.  Nobody threw up or passed out, everyone remembered to throw away their gum before going onstage, and we all danced GREAT.  (Okay, I may have kicked someone in the contemporary ballet number, but we don’t need to talk about that.)

We had not really told our dancers what to expect from the recital experience.  I’m still second-guessing that choice.  Not that one can explain what it’s like to be onstage, but given another opportunity, I will be more explicit about the logistics of the whole affair: there will be parents and dancers scurrying everywhere; come already dressed unless you are willing to strip down to your skivvies in front of 10 other girls*; apply your makeup “in triplicate”**; be ready to hurry up and wait, probably multiple times; yield to exiting dancers; yield faster to dancers exiting faster; watch your sight lines when you stand backstage; and it’s true that you can’t see the audience when you’re performing.

Oh, and: after it’s over, not remembering anything about your performance is normal.  So is being exhausted and starving once the adrenaline wears off.

And: SMILE.

And: BREATHE.

And: HAVE FUN.

*This willingness develops with repeated exposure–I am obsessively modest in my professional life but practically exhibitionist around other dancers.

**A member of our group came out with this slightly cock-eyed yet very accurate description of stage makeup.

No matter what, it was a huge success and I’m sure the dancers learned much more by doing it than they ever would have from listening to us talk. Click through for rundown and videos…

Categories
Ballerina Corner dance events exhibitions & performances teaching

Dress Rehearsal

This afternoon is dress rehearsal for the Madison Studio recital.  Daniel and I are dancing 3 times: once on our own, once with our class, and once in the production finale.  I am dancing 2 additional times: in my contemporary ballet class’s number (to Seal’s “Kiss from a Rose”) and then in that class’s part of the finale.  You wouldn’t believe the amount of stuff I have to lug along with me today.  It’s making a competition look like Casual Friday.

  • Costume for “Kiss”, including hair decoration that I swore I’d lost until I discovered it was pinned to the inside of the costume.
  • Costume for our class number, i.e. sequin camisole top and ballroom practice skirt.
  • Costume for Daniel’s and my solo, which is the rumba we did as a solo exhibition at Garden City Challenge.
  • Costume for the finale, i.e., black leotard and black ballet skirt.
  • 2 pairs of tights (1x ballet pink, 1x fishnet).
  • Body liner, which is like underwear in leotard form.
  • 3 pairs of shoes.  Well, 2 pairs of shoes and one pair of “FootUndeez” (speaking of underwear).
  • Makeup, hair spray, bobby pins.

And I have it easy compared to some of the girls who are in the Performance Ensemble as well as 2-3 regular classes.  They might need to employ pack animals!  But as far as I’m concerned, it’s all worthwhile.  Given my introverted tendencies in general, the fact that I love to perform doesn’t make a whole lot of sense, but there it is.  I am especially excited for our ballroom dancers who are having their first taste of performance.  They have lots of family members coming to watch and cheer them on.  Hooray!

The recital is tomorrow (Saturday, June 4) at 2 p.m. at Zuver Auditorium on the campus of Mount De Sales here in Macon.  Tickets are available at the door for $10.

Wish us merde!*

*Being superstitious like all theatre people, dancers do not say “good luck.”  For obvious reasons, they also do not say “Break a leg.”  Instead, they–we–say “merde.” Which is a bad word in French, which is why it’s so much fun to hear 8-year-olds say it.