The other week the guys and I took a long bike ride around the Presidio to Ocean Beach, stopped at the Beach Chalet for lunch, and continued through the Golden Gate Park. I even brought my Maltese Holly Dolly with me in the front basket! She loved it :) We rode 16 miles alogether!

My vocabulary has improved so much in the past few months. I finally feel confident that I would be fine if left alone in Japan to fend for myself! In December I finished my latest woodcarving venture which was a box I made for Diego Cruz, who is from Zaragoza, Spain. On the front of the box is his soccer team’s logo and on the inside, I replicated the shrine of Our Lady of El Pilar in Zaragoza. I carved the box out of one piece of wood and placed over 2,000 Swarovski crystals by hand–with tweezers and a syringe full of glue. I am absolutely thrilled with how it turned out. I gave it to Diego for a Christmas present since I didn’t finish it time for his birthday.

I’ve now taken a little breather from woodcarving and learning Japanese, in order to design and storyboard a children’s book series. I’ve been drawing for the past three and a half years and decided that I want to actually try to do something with it. I have a meeting with a literary agent soon and I’m going to be showing my work. I am so excited! Two of the main characters, Holly Dolly and Nellie Bellie, are inspired by my dog and her best friend who lives below me. The pictures are for a book geared for girls ages 3-7 called PINK!

I wish everyone the best and I’ll see you in another blog in the near future!

This summer I also began reading the greatest sci-fi masterpiece ever (Dune) and discovered my favorite hobby to date: woodcarving. I’m working on three projects – a picture frame for my wife’s wedding photo, a Real Zaragoza plaque, and a jewelry box. I really want to take classes so I can actually learn what I’m doing. (What you see below is my best attempt with the little I know about woodcarving.)

Looking ahead, I’m excited to be starting my fifth season with the Company and I look forward to heading to Denmark! Oh, and one more important thing that’s happened since I last blogged with you… SPAIN won the World Cup! Viva Espana!

My wife and I at Cliff Lede Vinyards in Napa for our 3rd Anniversary!

The wood frame I carved for my wife...

...and here's the finished, stained version!

The wooden Real Zaragoza plaque I carved.

Me, Diego Cruz, and Rubén Martín Cintas celebrating Spain's World Cup win at City Hall!

On the lighter side of things, the other day a lot of the guys in company class decided to show our wilder side by all wearing crazy colored tights made by Myles Thatcher‘s mother. The dancewear line is called Saut de Basque. Here’s a picture for your enjoyment. We like to keep a sense of humor even while we’re working hard. It dissipates any stress that might be building up. :)

Hangin' out after class

The Dancing Nutcracker in the party scene (© Erik Tomasson)

I think the role of Dancing Nutcracker is probably the most difficult and nerve-racking part in Nutcracker. Ask any dancer who has to put on the five-pound head which you can barely see out of and try to do a double-tour and turns in second. The task is difficult and I remember almost having a panic attack every show before performing the role my first season!

On top of wearing the enormous head which is hard to see out of, there are a lot of difficult maneuvers you have to perform inside of the very small box so that the magic takes place. I remember my first year having the box close down on the toe of my boot and pin it there and I almost couldn’t get my foot unstuck before the box opened and I had to march out! Imagine how nervous I was in the dark small box not able to move my foot thinking “this box is going to open and I’m going to be stuck here like a tack to the ground!” Luckily the last hard tug I gave pulled my boot free just in the nick of time and I marched out with a panicked look on my face. Good thing no one could see my face.

The Dancing Nutcracker backstage (© Erik Tomasson)

Now that it is my fourth year, I don’t have panic attacks anymore. I calmly put on the costume and take comfort in the fact that I haven’t fallen on my rear yet, so it’s most likely I’ll do just fine, lol. I might not always land my double tour perfectly, but I still try to nail it as best I can. Some nights are better than others. It is always an on-the-edge-of-your-seat moment for everyone on stage and backstage to see how the Dancing Nutcracker does. Will he make his double tour and turns? One of my tricks used to be clenching every muscle in my body for the entire time I was on stage. It worked for the most part, but it became a little strenuous. I have figured out how to perform the role a little more calmly now and figured out little tricks over the years on how to actually turn in the large head, because the problem is you can’t spot while you turn.

Hopefully next time you see SFB’s Nutcracker you will have a whole new appreciation of what the Dancing Nutcracker has to go through! : ) I wish you all a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and a Happy New Year!

Also, this summer my brother is getting married to a fellow SFB dancer, Courtney Elizabeth, and I’m so excited and happy for the two of them! I’m the best man of course! The wedding will be in North Carolina and it will be a nice vacation for us.

My wife, Erin Stewart, is one of the faces of the new Smuin Ballet ad campaign. You will be seeing posters of her on BART and on buses around the city very soon.

I think that about wraps it up. Life is good!