Day 1: Heading to orientation where banners hung along the streets in honor of the event and the National Ballet School’s (NBS) 50th Anniversary!

Day 1: At orientation, waiting to meet with a student of NBS who showed us a tour of the incredible six-floor building where all the events would be taking place

Day 2: Myles Thatcher, Jean-Yves Esquerre, and Lola de Avila watching rehearsal for the existing repertoire performances where the Trainees performed the 2nd and 3rd movements from Helgi Tomasson’s “Haffner” Symphony, as well as Parrish Maynard’s Fractals

Day 3: Dress rehearsal time for the existing repertoire performance! Ingeniously, the school set up a projector so we could watch the rest of the performance while we warmed-up in the studios down the hall!

Day 4: The Trainees after the performance of Tomasson’s “Haffner” Symphony

Day 5: Rehearsing Words Unsaid in the afternoon and later, performing Fractals in the second existing repertoire performance that evening

One of my favorite memories of the Assemblée was working on the choreographic workshop performance, because that was when I truly was able to work and interact with other students at the event. Prior to arriving in Canada, we received a video from a student choreographer at another school and we were each assigned to learn one of the roles in the piece, from the video. The idea was that when we arrived in Canada, we could become an international cast of students dancing together in one student choreographer’s piece. I learned a beautiful work choreographed by a student at the Hamburg Ballet School: Words Unsaid. His ballet was about the lack of relationship people have when they pass each other, without saying what’s on their mind or making a point to look them in the eye, and how we could all interact more when we take the time to notice the people around us. I was extremely inspired after working with the cast of students in this piece from all over the world, including the Hague, Stuttgart, Royal Ballet School, and NBS, not to mention the choreographer himself. In order for the piece to come together, we really had to feel and dance as one during each every movement of this ballet.

Day 6: After the first performance of the choreographic workshop presentation, the cast of Words Unsaid

Day 7: A final group picture after the last choreographic workshop performance, where all the Trainees danced in different pieces by international student choreographers

On the last day of the Assemblée, a Student Forum was held to discuss topics such as what students believe artistic directors are looking for in a dancer, as well as what dancers might expect from artistic directors. I thought it was really interesting, considering that many of us will be auditioning for jobs this upcoming year. It was also nice to hear from one artistic director, David Nixon of Northern Ballet Theatre, regarding different attributes he looks for in selecting dancers. At the same time, Mavis Staines of Canada’s National Ballet School spoke and encouraged all of us to reach for our dreams, and stay true and confident with ourselves. The final person who spoke was Cuban ballet forefather Fernando Alonso, who shared his story and his thoughts on how the body should be trained for ballet. But my favorite quote from him would was when he said that he has “never worked a day in his life.” I loved hearing that because I feel that if you have a true passion for dance and a love for ballet, then it should never feel like a job. I mean how lucky are we that we get to do something we love every day?

It’s still hard for me to wrap my mind around all that happened that week and how much of the international ballet world I was able to see, meet, and work with. I’m so thankful to have been a part of this great experience and I would like to thank Canada’s National Ballet School for inviting our school to take part in such an incredible project that has greatly inspired and impacted me in so many ways.

Our first performance of the year was just last weekend, and surprisingly, it was not in San Francisco! In fact, we were invited to perform Parrish Maynard’s Fractals down in Southern California with the Festival Ballet Theater (fellow trainee Bryn’s old studio), at the Irvine Barclay!

(front to back) Bryn, Jordan, and Nicole in Parrish Maynard’s Fractals. Photo Credit: Dave Friedman

So we hopped on a plane Saturday morning, and arrived an hour later where we then headed to the theater, did a quick, on-stage rehearsal, and went on to dance in the evening performance at 7pm. On Sunday, we performed in the 2pm performance and hopped on a plane to San Francisco that night! It was a quick trip, but the performances were so much fun and it was wonderful to see so many familiar faces (I am also from Orange County). I was delighted to see former San Francisco Ballet Principal Dancer Evelyn Cisneros (she staged a piece by Val Caniparoli for Festival Ballet Theater), because she was a former teacher of mine and is someone I truly look up to. And a big thank you to Salwa Rizkalla, director of Festival Ballet Theater: without her, our trainee trip to perform in Orange Country would not have been possible!

Waiting at the airport with Francisco

After the show of Fractals

Our next performance is this Friday at Convent of the Sacred Heart, where we performed last year. We’re so happy to be invited back to perform again at such a beautiful school. We are doing a morning assembly performance for the students, with a longer performance later in the evening. The pieces we have been working on so far this year have included Helgi Tomasson’s Haffner Symphony (2^nd and 3^rd movement) and a pas de deux from 7 for Eight, the Bluebird pas de deux (from Sleeping Beauty), Fractals, fellow trainee James’ piece Down, and apprentice Myles Thatcher’s choreography Time Piece. We’ll also be performing solo variations from La Bayadere, Grand Pas Classique, and Don Quixote.

Well that’s all for now but more to come very soon because next month the Trainees will hop on another plane to… Canada!

At the entrance to the Antique Market!

One of my favorite memories in Shanghai was when we took a shopping trip to the Antique Market. The Antique Market was the exact picture of what I had imagined China to be like in my head; very rural and authentic, unlike the downtown atmosphere of Shanghai. The market was where I truly felt like I was in a completely different country.

A gorgeous painting of Yuan Yuan in the hallway of her school.

Another thing I enjoyed in Shanghai was being able to take class at the Shanghai Dance School where Yuan Yuan Tan trained when she was younger. Not only was it a nice first class to get my body moving after the long flight, but I also thought it was cool to look into the studios and see how the kids in Shanghai train in comparison to how we train at SFBS.

Apprentice Myles Thatcher and me at the welcome reception in Beijing at the St. Regis

Since we’ve been here in Beijing, my favorite memory so far has been our trip to the Silk Market. It was nothing like I had ever experienced before. Immediately when you go inside and walk down the aisle filled with booths, the people call out to you saying “Lady, would you like jeans? How about shoes for you, beautiful girl? I will give you the best price for this hat!” Sometimes they’ll even grab your hand and try to show you what they have to offer, whipping out their calculators to begin the bargaining process! It was so much fun, and all the bargaining tricks that I picked up in Shanghai definitely came in handy at this huge five-story mall filled with everything you could imagine.

Myles doing a shoulder sit with a girl selling us jeans at the Silk Market. She said she’d give us a good deal if we did ballet for her!

Well I’m off to watch the amazing mixed-repertory show tonight! The mixed-rep show in Shanghai was phenomenal. I was able to watch from backstage, which is always incredible because you can see every detail that goes into every movement. It makes me not only appreciate the work of the dancers, but the minds of the choreographers as well. So, needless to say, I’m looking forward to watching it again here in Beijing and being able to perform in Swan Lake later this week!

The four SF Ballet School girls on tour getting coffee before the mixed-rep show in Shanghai

]]> http://www.sfballetblog.org/2009/10/an-american-girl-in-beijing/feed/ 1 http://www.sfballetblog.org/2009/08/finally-summer-break/ http://www.sfballetblog.org/2009/08/finally-summer-break/#comments Thu, 27 Aug 2009 00:15:20 +0000 Jordan Hammond http://www.sfballetblog.org/?p=1026

Beautiful, sunny Southern California... I finally get to sink my toes into some sand!

I’ve been on a break since the Summer Intensive and have been experiencing what it’s like to be a normal kid during summer! I’ve been to the pool a few times, seen old friends that I went to school with, and have spent a lot of time with my family, which I love because I miss them so much throughout the year when I’m away! But approaching my last week of vacation, I can honestly say I’ve been feeling pretty antsy to get back to the city I love and the ballet school I love even more. It’s always hard during the summer to find open classes to take ballet, but I’ve been pretty lucky that there are a lot of ballet schools in Southern California that offer classes. But there is nothing like dancing in San Francisco, so needless to say I’m very anxious to get back! The School starts again on Monday, meaning the second floor will be packed once again with all of the students and faculty. I’m also looking forward to finding out all that Jean-Yves has planned for the Trainees this year and what repertoire he has chosen for us to begin rehearsing.

My cousin got married this summer and I got to be a bridesmaid!

Besides getting back to rehearsing with the Trainees, I’m also extremely excited because I have been asked to go to China this year with the Company to perform Swan Lake along with a few other girls from the School/Trainee program. Words can’t even begin to describe how much I am looking forward to everything that this trip will offer. I still can’t even believe that I’m going. I feel like it won’t hit me until I am actually sitting on the plane enduring the 14+ hour flight ahead!

On another note, lately I’ve been finding myself watching way too many YouTube videos of dancers all over the world. There is so much you can learn from watching another dancer; especially professional dancers who, in my eyes, have reached a level of perfection some people say can’t even be reached in ballet. But out of all the videos, I always find myself watching ones from dancers in this company and that is when it hits me: I realize how lucky we are here at the San Francisco Ballet School. We don’t have to watch the videos online, but we can merely walk up two flights of stairs where we are given the privilege to watch the dancers we idolize in person. I find myself on the 4^th floor a lot because I am truly inspired after I watch the Company in rehearsals. I’m easily awed by their artistry, footwork, and strength, and they inspire me to want to work harder each day.

Sarah Van Patten is one of my favorite dancers to watch in rehearsal. Here she is rehearsing Tudor's Jardin Aux Lilas. (© Erik Tomasson)

Students in class during the 2009 Summer Session. (© Erik Tomasson)

This summer is my 3^rd summer with the San Francisco Ballet School, and needless to say this program definitely lives up to the name of a “summer intensive”. We begin the day with either a Pilates or floor-barre class beginning at 9:45 am, leading into a two-hour technique class, a small lunch break, an hour-long pointe class/repertory class, and we end the day with either pas de deux class or artistic analysis class, wrapping up at around 6 pm. Just in time to go back home, where all you want to do is eat some dinner and go to sleep!

Students in class during the 2009 Summer Session. (© Erik Tomasson)

As Summer Session comes to an end, I look back amazed at all we’ve learned. Not only have we danced variations and pas de deux excerpts from the classical ballets like Don Quixote, La Bayadere, and Sleeping Beauty, but we’ve also had the opportunity to dance very neoclassical pieces, too, like a pas de deux from Parrish Maynard’s Secret Places, as well as sections from William Forsythe’s Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude. Besides being able to dance such an array of repertoire, I’ve personally enjoyed taking technique class from a variety of unique teachers who all possess such a wide and incredible knowledge of ballet. Each teacher has their own way of helping us find and use the correct muscles in class, learn how to approach and execute a step more efficiently, and understand the importance of musicality and artistry. I only hope to use all that I’ve learned this summer and apply it to my dancing everyday as I continue training!

We began the year at the end of August, after a short break from the San Francisco Ballet School’s five-week Summer Session. Right away, Trainee Program Supervisor Jean-Yves Esquerre informed us of the repertoire that had been selected for the year, and we headed straight to the studio, learning and rehearsing our new material which included: Helgi Tomasson‘s Menuetto, Handel: A Celebration (Quartet and Pas de Deux), 7 for Eight (Pas de Deux); sections from John Neumeier’s Yondering; Edgar Zendejas’ Crumbling; Balanchine’s Tchaichovsky Pas De Deux, and an exciting new contemporary piece choreographed for the Trainees by Parrish Maynard called Fractals.

SF Ballet School Trainees in Tomasson’s 7 for Eight at Gateway High School

After weeks of concentrated rehearsal, we had our first performance at the grand opening of the California Academy of Sciences on a beautiful outdoor stage right in the middle of Golden Gate Park. It was such a unique experience because we were able to actually see the audience while we were dancing, which allowed us to connect with them on a different level. I remember feeling so exhilarated after our first performance, and immediately yearning for more!

Trainees in Tomasson’s Menuetto at Golden Gate Park.

Well needless to say, my “yearn” was quickly fulfilled because the Trainees were scheduled to perform at least three or four times per month at a variety of venues across the Bay Area and Northern California. Many of these performances were meant to introduce the art of ballet to elementary or high school students, while others were for different communities that just respected and enjoyed attending the ballet. In addition, following most of our performances, a Q&A session was held with the audience which enabled us to share more about the concept of the Trainee Program and what we do as ballet dancers everyday. Questions asked included how many hours/days a week we rehearse, why we love to dance, how old we were when we started, and a popular one from the elementary school kids was if our toes hurt when we are up on pointe!Being able to perform so much this year was such a blessing, for it taught me the importance of having to adapt to a new environment each week and still perform to the best of my ability. It also gave each of the Trainees a chance to perform roles that are typically danced by principals and soloists, and the ability to grow in those roles performance after performance.

Trainees outside of the Raven Theater before a performance for the community of Healdsburg, CA

Overall, this past year in the Trainee Program was more than I could have ever dreamed of and has been such a growing and fulfilling experience. I know on behalf of myself and the other Trainees, we cannot thank Jean-Yves Esquerre and Wendy Van Dyck enough for all the hardwork they have done for the program and how much they have influenced our lives. I can’t say again how much I am looking forward to continuing to share more about the Trainee Program with everyone through blogging! Until then, have an enjoyable summer break!!

Our last Trainee group picture taken after our Choreographic Showcase in Lew Christensen Studio