Well, almost everyone.  I was sent off to Walgreen’s to procure some performance necessities! When performing with the company at the Opera House or even on tour, the stations backstage have anything you could possibly need, ranging from hairspray, to band-aids, even cough drops.  Needless to say, we were not as prepared! You tend to forget how well taken care of you are (by the stage managers, crew, costume shop, etc.) until suddenly you’re the one laying the linoleum stage on the hardwood floor and you’re the one taking care of costumes! It definitely puts things into perspective.

By the time I arrived back to the theater with our loot, the spacing for the afternoon assembly had begun.  Almost all of the ballets that we dance have been set for a much larger stage, so the spacing portion before the shows is very important!

We could not have had a more perfect audience to perform for, both for the school assembly, and the evening show!  The schoolgirls ranged from grades 6-12 and were clearly very enthralled by the show.  During the Q&A session following the show, they were generous with their questions and were excited to meet the dancers (especially the boys; it is an all-girls school, after all).  For the evening show, the audience was filled with friends from the ballet, family, and several members of the SFB Company, all of whom could appreciate the hard work put into the show.

We premiered pieces by Corps de Ballet members Myles Thatcher (Sine Spinae) and Francisco Mungamba (Dunas) during the evening, both of which were well received.

The best part, ultimately, was getting to perform.  It’s crazy how even with a smaller stage, less assistance, a smaller audience, and fewer general amenities, the thrill of performing never lessens! It is the reason I dance, and it was incredible to experience it again.  I’m already counting down the days until our next show!