Dawn – Dancing Angel

04/05/2016

Pause Please

My word of the… day? week? month? year? is BLAH. Because sometimes, the English words, “happy,” “free,” “confused” and the rest of those ultimate Taylor Swift emotions don’t come to mind in time. I need a “pause” button.

Two months left of junior year of high school, praise God. Depressing Roman myths: it’s been fun, but I’m ready to move on with my life. Thank you for understanding. Oh, wait. Everybody dies in Roman mythology.

BUT (Here it comes….)! Two months of school means just six weeks until Recital. Four, actually, if you discount Picture Week and Dress Rehearsal Week. I received my last Recital costume of 2016 yesterday. It and my modern skirt are going to need some minor tailoring, but that’s no big deal. I’m far more worried about that quick change between God’s Warriors and I Will Sing of My Redeemer.

Dawn, God’s Warriors, Requiem for a Tower, Daylight and Spanish Dance have all been completed since my last post, with only I Will Sing of My Redeemer, Daddy’s Girl and Simple Gifts to join the list. How can a year seem so very long and so very short at the same time?

Yes, it’s a BTR song. As of right now, I think it sums up my life since Spring Break ended.

On Saturday, I had the privilege of participating in a promo video filming for the studio. More on that in May…!

I wish I could stay longer, but BLAH.

xoxo,

Aquinnah

02/14/2016

Recital Central 2016

It feels like spring today. I don’t usually like spring (one word: brown), but I do love sunshine, so it’s been good. Plus, three-day weekend. 🙂

This is one of those posts that I write for my own benefit. Because sometimes, dancers and writers alike just have to get themselves organized. While I have you here, though, I recommend this year’s Bible verses. They’re worth smiling about.

***

Beauty in Motion Showcase on May 13th
Dress Rehearsal on May 7th

1. Spanish Dance
Combined Training– Ms. Sara
“You turned my lament into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness.” Psalms 30:11
Hair: bun
Attire: pink tights, pink ballet shoes

6. Requiem for a Tower
Advanced Modern– Ms. Sara
“He will destroy death forever. The Lord God will wipe away the tears from every face and remove His people’s disgrace from the whole earth, for the Lord has spoken.” Isaiah 25:8
Attire: black leotard

11. God’s Warriors
Intermediate Pointe 2– Ms. Mia
“When you go to war against your enemies and see horses and chariots and an army greater than yours, do not be afraid of them, because the Lord your God, who brought you up out of Egypt, will be with you.” Deuteronomy 20:1
Hair: bun
Attire: nude pointe shoes

15. I Will Sing of My Redeemer
Leaps and Turns– Miss Bethanny
“Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story…” Psalms 107:2a
Hair: half up
Attire: tan tights, tan jazz shoes

19. Daylight
Training 3– Ms. Sara
“Teach us to number our days carefully so that we may develop wisdom in our hearts.” Psalms 90:12
Hair: bun
Attire: pink tights, pointe shoes

***

Recital 1 on May 14th
Dress Rehearsal on May 4th

1. Spanish Dance

9. Daddy’s Girl
Ballet/Tap– Miss Bethanny
“The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’” Romans 8:15
Attire: pink tights, pink ballet shoes

***

Recital 2 on May 14th
Dress Rehearsal on May 10th

14. Simple Gifts
Ballet 1A– Miss Bethanny
“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:12-13
Hair: low bun
Attire: pink tights, pink ballet shoes

***

Recital 3 on May 14th
Dress Rehearsal on May 9th

10. Spanish Dance

16. Dawn
Pre-Training– Miss Beth
“He is here: the One who forms the mountains, creates the wind, and reveals His thoughts to man, the One who makes the dawn out of darkness and strides on the heights of the earth. Yahweh, the God of Hosts, is His name.” Amos 4:13
Hair: bun
Attire: pink tights, pink ballet shoes

***

Aquinnah

02/11/2016

Life is like…

Happy [belated] New Year to all of you lovely dancers! I’ve been meaning, and meaning and seriously meaning to write this, but between school, dance classes, teaching dance classes and driving hours alone, life is like… *cue Lorelai Gilmore* Falling Pizza Box

… this pizza box.

But forget about the measly trials and tribulations (Please excuse me while my brain explodes.) of the 16-year-old girl. We’ve got happier things to talk about!

It’s February, and Recital choreography is moving into full swing. “Dawn” is the Pre-Training piece (and also the 2005 theme song for Pride and Prejudice because you absolutely wanted to know that above all else. Not that I’m an Austen fanatic or something because… eh em. Whatever.). “Darkest Before the Dawn”, lovingly called, “God’s Warriors”, is our Intermediate Pointe 2 dance, and if anyone would like to share with me the secret to pancaking pointe shoes, I’m all ears. We’ll be using bows (We would’ve been okay with lightsabers, too, but it’s no big deal. I’m sort of totally in love with the bows.), but the audience is not to fear; we’re going without the included arrows. Advanced Modern’s “Requiem for a Tower” has us crawling around in the orchestra pit (Can you say, “YAAAASSSS!”?), and “Daylight” makes the Training 3s want to cry artsy tears. Sorry for the bad description– I’ve written a lot today. Both Requiem and Daylight will be finished soon. We haven’t begun choreography in Leaps and Turns, Ballet/Tap or Ballet 1A just yet, but I know that “I Will Sing of My Redeemer”, “Daddy’s Girl” and “Simple Gifts” are bound to be spectacular. “Spanish Dance”, the combined Training piece, is challenging without all of the 1s and 2s, but we’ll get there. We always do. Until then, I’ll be over here rolling out my calves and trying to remember all of this stunningly beautiful choreography like…

Yeah.

In other news, we’ve changed the Leaps and Turns costume to an equally beautiful dress. I don’t have a picture, but April is coming, and Picture Week is soon to follow. Recital info was sent out this week, so I’ve been compiling Recital Central for the year, but I figured I should elaborate on this great stuff first. Consider my elaboration pretty much over. Except you definitely want to…

Dancing Lorelai

… see The Fall, Faith’s upcoming performance. I’ll be helping backstage, but you don’t want to miss this show.

The crazies are coming, so don’t forget…

Lorelai on Sleep

and enjoy every minute. *heart emojis*

To return very soon,

Aquinnah

GIF One (1) Credit: OMGYASKWEEN. Pizza, Nodding. Digital image. Giphy. Giphy, 11 Feb. 2016. Web. 11 Feb. 2016.

GIF Two (2) Credit: KRWELCH3. Coffee, Gilmore Girls. Digital image. Giphy. Giphy, 11 Feb. 2016. Web. 11 Feb. 2016.

GIF Three (3) Credit: OMGYASKWEEN. Dancing, Pizza, Nodding. Digital image. Giphy. Giphy, 11 Feb. 2016. Web. 11 Feb. 2016.

GIF Four (4) Credit: Tumblr. Pretty, Sleep, Gilmore Girls. Digital image. Giphy. Giphy, 11 Feb. 2016. Web. 11 Feb. 2016.