Semaine 9

Not as much to update this week, the class with Irina Wunder on Monday night (BBFNB) was similar in the centrework and cross floor exercises; pretty easy to follow! It was still pretty challenging don't get me wrong, there were unpredictable combos with frappes, battements (pronounced "baht-mahn") with interesting port de bras craziness ("go down, and then come up and then back around and toward the barre and away, and back to fifth" for instance). But the centrework was easy to digest, even after running to the bathroom to pee real fast (which takes a lot more time than you'd think, considering a sweaty mess of a leotard, tights, shorts, and tank top) during a 2 minute stretch break between barre and centre. Monday night's "intimidating" cross-floor exercise wasn't as scary as anticipated - it was the same combo that we did last week (not the pas de chat video, but the one with the balance - pronounced "ball-ahn-say," pirouette thingamajig). What a relief!

(my half-used 10-class card for BalletNova; why there are 5 classes for $90 and 10 for $180 is beyond me. Can't we strike a better deal for dancers with a higher level of financial commitment??

Thursday night is another night's class of BBFNB but this time led by the scary and non-smiling instructor Perez... dun dun dun! After being around Irina's cheery smiling adorably graceful Russian (?) instruction, I really am dreading feeling like a big dummy in Perez's class. I hope that I've learned something since my last class with her, so that I get some sort of positive feedback. I'd take Irina's tougher class any day compared with Perez's daunting glare of disappointment!

**update** Did not end up going to Thursday night's class unfortunately. I got my days mixed up (my Alzheimer's is probably going to start coming in right about now, early at age 28...) and thought tonight's class was ALSO beginning at 7:45 PM only to realize after Kelly texted me, that it was at 6:15. Fail. I would've been at least 15 minutes late and in the world of ballet, being late is a BIG NO-NO. However, today, my friend Megan and I watched Monday night's episode of Bunheads, so in a way, I got some ballet in, right? She did mention battements! :(

Next week is Monday night 7:45 PM AND THURSDAY 6:15 PM! Oh well, at least I still have my punches left on my card!



disclaimer: some of my ballet terminology may be a little off... our instructors for adults don't really harp on the names of moves, which is sort of a downside... I usually try to hold off and ask the instructor after class. However, if I miss my chance, I'll run it by a couple coworkers who know, like fellow nurse Cynthia and/or nurse practitioner Tammy who's incredible memories are still fresh with ballet terms as if they'd just taken off their pointe shoes! Please feel free to comment and correct me!