By Lily Rogers member of the corps de ballet September 22, 2009
Monday, September 19th – Shanghai
6:45 am
I woke up early again today. I wonder how long I can keep this up? I’m heading down to the fitness center again and then hopefully back to the room for a short catnap before the massage I scheduled for myself today!!! I can’t wait!
The view from my room in the mornings.
10:14 pm
Long and rainy day today. This morning I woke to a a city covered with a huge layer of fog. The clouds above my head looked ominous and I couldn’t even see the park below. The rain soon followed; the day was a wet one. I was extremely glad that I had a day of indoor activity planned. The massage was amazing, and I followed it with a long soak in the jacuzzi. It was a good prep for class and rehearsal. I felt so spoiled today! We had our first stage rehearsal of Swan Lake tonight; it was pretty stop-and-go, but that is usually commonplace for any first rehearsal on stage, especially for a large-scale ballet like Swan Lake.
I usually feel a little weird in the first stage rehearsal. It may sound strange, but it’s almost like I can’t feel my body. Though I try, I can’t seem to feel my muscles, or the floor, the way I feel it in the studio or after a couple stage runs. I realize a dancer doesn’t always have the luxury of getting more than one stage run (in the case of an emergency, you may get none at all), so I’m probably being a little ridiculous, but I’m still learning. Well, I got this frustration out tonight, and hopefully the dress rehearsal and performance on Wednesday will go better.
We officially open our China Tour tomorrow night with the mixed-rep program and I’m looking forward to performing again! I will be dancing in On a Theme ofPaganiniand Within the Golden Hour, both in roles I have performed before, but a new theatre and a new audience is always exciting.
Feeling the residual effects of jetlag, I have to get some shut eye. Bye for now!
Getting Stage Ready
member of the corps de ballet
September 22, 2009
Monday, September 19th – Shanghai
6:45 am
I woke up early again today. I wonder how long I can keep this up? I’m heading down to the fitness center again and then hopefully back to the room for a short catnap before the massage I scheduled for myself today!!! I can’t wait!
The view from my room in the mornings.
10:14 pm
Long and rainy day today. This morning I woke to a a city covered with a huge layer of fog. The clouds above my head looked ominous and I couldn’t even see the park below. The rain soon followed; the day was a wet one. I was extremely glad that I had a day of indoor activity planned. The massage was amazing, and I followed it with a long soak in the jacuzzi. It was a good prep for class and rehearsal. I felt so spoiled today! We had our first stage rehearsal of Swan Lake tonight; it was pretty stop-and-go, but that is usually commonplace for any first rehearsal on stage, especially for a large-scale ballet like Swan Lake.
I usually feel a little weird in the first stage rehearsal. It may sound strange, but it’s almost like I can’t feel my body. Though I try, I can’t seem to feel my muscles, or the floor, the way I feel it in the studio or after a couple stage runs. I realize a dancer doesn’t always have the luxury of getting more than one stage run (in the case of an emergency, you may get none at all), so I’m probably being a little ridiculous, but I’m still learning. Well, I got this frustration out tonight, and hopefully the dress rehearsal and performance on Wednesday will go better.
We officially open our China Tour tomorrow night with the mixed-rep program and I’m looking forward to performing again! I will be dancing in On a Theme of Paganini and Within the Golden Hour, both in roles I have performed before, but a new theatre and a new audience is always exciting.
Feeling the residual effects of jetlag, I have to get some shut eye. Bye for now!