ballet – Page 3 – Dancing Angel

09/17/2015

How Penguins Run

There used to be a relevant story as far as the title goes, but now I can’t remember the details.

I’ve never been a fan of change (who is, really?), so it’s been a challenging week. It wasn’t always nice, especially when I got my expanders yanked out yesterday, and I cried all over the dentist (They were happy tears to begin with, but then I realized just how much my mouth hurt….). More importantly, I’m adapting. I get up and finish my schoolwork as fast as I can, and one of these days, I’ll be finished with mathematics… forever! And once I reminded myself that 50+ little ballerinas aren’t as intimidating as they seem, I was able to settle into my new intern position. And, of course, it’s always nice to leave life’s various stresses behind and just dance for a few hours. This paragraph is dedicated to Moriah, who so kindly shared her good day with me last Wednesday. 🙂

Our first leaps/turns warm-up of fall semester was done outside in the sunshine. That was a first and, hopefully, not last. Some change is good… especially if you’re getting your vitamin D! I’ve never had 50+ students before, but I’m loving that experience, too. I’m so blessed, lovelies, to be spending my days with these kiddos. I was even able to sub for a 6-9-year-old tap class today, which was difficult, being that I’m not an expert in tap, but really satisfying.

Training and modern are awesome. We’ve welcomed a bunch of new sisters (and brothers too!) and teachers. It’s shaping up to be a wonderful year.

Intermediate Pointe 2 with Ms. Mia started on Monday, and I’ve already learned so much. Thank God for new shoes next month!

After three weeks of rehearsals, Advanced Modern and Training 2, along with a variety of other classes, performed at an annual carnival last weekend. It was an honor to learn and perform Symphony No 8. Looking forward to DDD!

So, it wasn’t the most comfortable week. I guess, a lot of times, uncomfortable is the way to go. That’s how we learn. And today was more comfortable; basic science can explain that. Humans adapt. We’re cool that way.

Love,

Aquinnah

08/17/2015

Photo Shoot ’15

Tomorrow, I turn 16. It’s kind of strange to think about. I always thought that when I turned 16, I would feel instantaneously different, but today, I’ve been thinking about all the great stuff that happened while I was 15. It wasn’t such a bad year itself– crazy, yes, but not bad.

I’ve been meaning to post these pictures for awhile, having finished this year’s photo shoot at last, and I’m glad to be doing it now. Though I’ve since gotten braces and performed in the summer showcase, these costumes represent some of my favorite moments from my 15th year, and these pictures are dear to my heart. I do hope you enjoy.

I loved the costume – Garden of the Gods scenery combination.

Brody: Quinnah, why don’t you look at the camera?!

Just hoping that the mountain bikers wouldn’t run me over…

Catching fire

“Be multiplied”

Brody: Seriously, Quinnah!– LOOK AT THE CAMERA!

Please, don’t rain.

Desert breeze…

… blow me away

This one was Brody’s idea. 😉

Colorado clouds on point

Little brothers are the special little boys in your life who pick you flowers and take pictures of you with the flowers.

Road trip to Rangeley– this is right after I fell in the swamp. The Blochs live on, and Dad and I had a good laugh.

Dad: Stay right there! Don’t move! I have an idea.

Can you see the fairies?

What dancers actually look like when they’re tying pointe shoes in the freezing cold after falling into a swamp.

What dancers wish they looked like when they’re tying pointe shoes in the freezing cold after falling into a swamp.

Possibly the greatest picture of me ever taken. It wasn’t planned. It just happened. I guess falling in a swamp does that to you (obviously, it was a terribly traumatic experience).

xoxo

07/31/2015

Something about Summer

There’s something about summer that makes me look forward to it every year. Maybe it’s the sunshine or the way the grass smells in the morning. Maybe it’s the birds that insist on waking me up so that I can fall back to sleep. Maybe it’s having the time to sit in bed and disappear into a good book. Maybe it’s the present possibility to do anything, everything and nothing as I see fit.

My thought process this morning, around 5am: I have a lot of stuff to do today. I wonder what everyone posted on Instagram last night. I should probably write today. What if that update messed with iTunes? Or Rosetta Stone? Can I reopen Rosetta Stone? How’ll I ever get back into Rosetta Stone?! And I was getting pretty good at French, too. If I go on Pinterest right now, I’ll never get off. Oooh, but Big Hero 6— that’s where my Big Hero 6 board is. Does the dog whine this loudly EVERY MORNING? I’m gonna read Harry– nope. Everyone died. Why do all the good characters die? Next week is going to be crazy. Stop trying to get me to read, Harry Potter; I only have two chapters left in Deathly Hallows. I’m so hungry. But it’s only 5am. There’s so much laundry to be done. Why did I wake up in the first place? My calves are so tight. Oooh, Pinterest.

And therein, folks, is why I’m awake at this ungodly hour, watching the innumerable rabbits hop around in the backyard. I’m not quite up to Lorelai Gilmore’s random string of thoughts standard, but I think I’m getting better…. Summer was meant for sleeping late!

I’ve been denying it for awhile, but July is coming to a close. I could do without the giant cardboard pencils hanging from the ceiling in every shopping center around the city, but yes, July is ending. I can hardly believe that summer semester is over; I’ve learned so much. On Wednesday, in pointe, we taught ourselves the first Odalisque variation. Yesterday, in choreography/improv, we analyzed the cinematography, choreography and costume in the above video, PAINTED. While we each had a different perspective on the piece, we all agreed that our analysis was far more objective than it would have been seven weeks ago. It’s bittersweet– seeing choreography in parts rather than as a whole. “It takes ten times as long to put yourself back together as it does to fall apart,” said Finnick Odair. I think the same goes for dance: It takes ten times as long to put a piece back together as it does to mentally take it apart. Once I could see the little details and quirks in this video, it was impossible to un-see them. Visualizing the over-all meaning of the dance became difficult until we watched it a second time, and the puzzle rebuilt itself. My one empty brain cell–bam!–fried. Leaps and Turns was a phenomenal experience, too, teaching me how to get out of my head and just dance. I can’t wait for it to start up again in the fall.

With fall comes Training 3 with Miss Mia, Miss Sara and Miss Bethanny; intermediate pointe 2 with Miss Mia; leaps/turns with Miss Bethanny; and advanced modern with Miss Sara. I’m also SUPER excited to be interning with Miss Beth in Pre-Training and Bethanny in ballet/tap and ballet 1A.

For now, I’m hanging on to summer and the wonderful people in it. To my dear Caroline: As the original Training 1s break up yet again, I pray every blessing over you and your family. God has such wonderful plans for this next adventure, and although I am going to miss you terribly, I’m so excited to see where those plans take you. Love you and miss you already, girl.

Aquinnah