Rehearsing and Sightseeing in Shanghai

Tuesday, September 22nd, 2009 | All Posts by Lily Rogers, Perpetual Motion: SFB on Tour

Sunday, September 18th – Shanghai

6:50 pm

This morning I woke at about 6am again, and feeling restless, went downstairs to work out again. Today was a work day for us and we were to take class and rehearse in the studios above the stage at the Shanghai Grand Theatre. I arrived at the backstage door a little more than an hour before class and was surprised to find our entire group waiting outside. No one from SF Ballet gained admittance until 9am on the dot… then began the half-hour-long wild goose chase. With not a single dancer from the Company having been to the theater before, everyone was in the dark on where the studios, dressing rooms, and even elevators were located.  We were walking in circles for what seemed like forever, in the labyrinth passages backstage.

Once things were a little more settled, the day finally got under way.  Warm-up class began, dressing rooms were assigned, and theater cases were found and taken to our rooms.  Okay, so the piano was a little out of tune and the floor was VERY HARD, making it virtually impossible to jump, but we did our best under the circumstances, especially since we all knew this was a one-day thing. (We were feeling very fortunate that our crew brings our sprung floor wherever we go!)

After a few hours of rehearsals I headed back to the hotel, (conveniently located across the street), to wash my face and get ready for a half-day of sightseeing. I headed out with two friends and we ventured into the city. We walked over to the French Concession district; exploring back alleys, browsing independent boutiques, and sampling Chinese candies.

The French Concession is unique because of its striking 1930’s European architecture. Walking around there feels more like Europe than anywhere in Asia.  As we continued walking we found ourselves in Jing’an, a neighborhood filled with more huge skyscrapers, hotels, and office buildings. We then finally ran into Nanjing Road, which is Shanghai’s largest shopping street. It runs from the river all the way through the city and is full of huge malls, shops, restaurants, and anything else you could possibly need. If you want it, it’s probably on Nanjing Road.

I just got back to the hotel and I feel like my legs were going to fall off after all the walking and dancing I did today. After dinner at M on the Bund tonight, I think I will take advantage of the huge soaking tub in my hotel room and relax! Bye!

Tags: China Tour

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