Here is another one of my favorites from So You Think You Can Dance (Season 9). Again, a few choice dancers partnered together, Alex Wong and Eliana Girard. In fact, Eliana is what I’d consider perfection in dance. I greatly admire her skill and persona. Performing a contemporary piece luminously choreographed by Stacey Tookey to Nancy Sinatra’s “Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down).” Today, I’m simply in the mood for something intense and lovely.
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When a televised reality show/docudrama, Breaking Pointe, aired a six week behind-the-scenes glimpse into the company, Ballet West, depicting the inside world of a dancer (and believe me - it is such an inside world), I was motivated to watch. When I found that the show didn’t candy coat anything, instead displayed the “blood, sweat, and tutus” as another writer described it, I was tongue-in-cheek proud. Breaking Pointe is really, truly a blunt and honest portrayal of what it’s like to dance professionally; the dedication, commitment, passion, precision, pain, drama, obsessiveness, difficulty to maintain relationships due to the shifting nature of the work, demands, the need to excel, perfectionism, distinct lifestyle—even touching on the actual caloric consumption of a dancer (huge!)—all of it exposed and defined extremely well. Took me back, made me laugh, experience anxiety, feel anger, and cry. I’m crossing my fingers and hoping that a Season 2 is in the works. If not, at the very least, I keep up on the news from Ballet West. They’re definitely a company worth watching.
Blisters on my feet . . . it’s been years since I’ve had blisters on my feet. Following retirement from dance my calluses have gradually softened . . . way softened. But I’ve decided to dance again – not for performance but personal sake. Gallant musician friends have whipped me into shape. Sure, my technique isn’t as sharp and my body is not nearly as flexible—but I’m not a complete loss. What I’ve learned is that “the dancer” never really leaves a dancer. It’s a passion and I’ve missed nurturing it. It simply is something that brings joy. And I’ve always delighted in the process of choreography, even—and sometimes especially—improvised. My feet are getting ugly again and that brings a certain satisfaction.
For a gal in her 40’s starting over, this round of blister pain is bliss. Better than the first time. SYTYCD has declared tomorrow, July 28, National Dance Day. It seemed only fitting to post one my favorite routines from that program, executed by my favorite pair of dancers from Season 3 to boot. “Hummingbird and the Flower.” This choreography by Wade Robson is genius. Okay, the music is not bad either. : ) |
Tessais a storyteller, and a transcript editor. She's also a Romans 8:28 kind of Jewish girl ... For Tessa's new
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