So I am trying to work on the pirouette, as I said I would. The hardest part is the mental block about how rigid you have to be to do the pirouette. It’s perverse. From watching a pirouette, you feel like you ought to be able to sweep around like a scarf, but in fact you have to be like a lathe, as above… and you want to have a guy holding your knees straight the whole time because that’s, like, crucial. I still cannot remember to do this! Knneeeez!!!
Last night Andromeda asked me what I do to make my arms and upper body so buff, and two weeks ago Swannie asked me the same thing… and I don’t freakin’ know, because I don’t do anything other than ballet.
It’s partially the strong lighting in the studio because I do look pretty sinewy in the mirror. Above are my arms in home lighting. That’s not too Madonna-y, is it?
I suspect it’s also excess testosterone, but when I say this, everyone laughs.
We’re back for the fall term as of last Tuesday.
“Two arms, gulls!” U. bellows enthusiastically as we enter.
She is enthusiastic because she knows we hate “two arms.” In U.’s classes, “two arms” means everything will be slow and long and killing. Not hard on the brain, but so grindingly hard on everything else.
And so it was on Tuesday and Saturday, and probably will be tonight. My calf muscles feel like they are clamped to chains pulling a pair of 8½-ton trucks. Ehn!
So our last class was a week ago Saturday… we’re off till September 7.
It was hot… I left puddles everywhere I went. And there were only five of us, so U. was able to give us that individual attention that kills you.
But among the five were two new girls — new to our class but obviously well known to U. from the university or her other studios — and one of them, Ginger, asked me between the barre and the centre, “So you’ve danced professionally?”… and… O_O… wow… though she may have only meant to elicit mutual interest in her own background, it was wind under my wings and in my sails and up my skirt. Thanks, Ginge!
So here is GJ, performing at her wedding reception. There were many beautiful dances. Even the groom and groomsmen got into the act.
It was a fabulous reception. Afterwards, Obiwan said, “It felt like we were at a show tonight.”
Hurrah! Summer ballet! My favourite time to dance!
I’ve missed it the last two years.
 | susanelle on Apocalypso |
 | audrey on Apocalypso |
 | La Historiadora de M… on Arma virumque cano |
| You spin me right ro… on Pirouette, gentille pirouette |
