Why talk when you have dance?

The curtain has come down on Giselle and about to rise on Don Quixote and The Nutcracker. Giselle has been such a wonderful and surprisingly great process. I am leaving the production with more experience and knowledge of my craft that I could only have gotten with this company of amazing artists.

By closing night, we were all pretty tired and warn out. We have been rehearsing for other ballets during the day which has been stealing most of our energy. Also, when you are doing a run of a show, you get comfortable in the role and end up just relying on muscle memory to get you through. The thrill of a new show, new costumes and a new set have been replaced by a feeling of routine. However, on the night of the last show, dancers run amuck. The dancers all put their responsibilities and professionalism aside for that one show and pulled pranks onstage that included fondling, winking, different spacing... and laughing of course. The last show is always filled with mixed emotions. Happy and sad that we don’t get/have to perform it again. Im happy we’re moving onto a new production but sad to be leaving this one to my memory. 

The theater is a really funny place. As I was getting my makeup done, I looked around the counter and noticed spirit glue. Thats nothing out of the ordinary for a performer but it made me think how crazy this world is. So much is put into just one show. I was sitting there in the makeup chair and thinking about how the audience has no idea what is going on backstage or who the real performers are. However, if they knew, it would ruin the whole experience. Dance should look effortless and transport the audience to a place that only dreams can take you. During the intermission, I searched for an empty seat in one of the balconies of the sold out theater.  The balcony curves around the house and on the two opposite ends, I saw two little girls so excited to be at the ballet. Their excitement of being there gave them the courage to look at each other and wave their little hearts out to each other. It was a precious moment that supplied me with a beautiful memory. I can picture when I was young and went to go see a high school talent show. I remember the night very well. I was inspired that night. I watched dancers of all styles dance to music and wearing fun costumes. I went home that night KNOWING that I wanted to start dancing. Maybe thats what happened to those girls. I’ll never know but I will always be able to imagine. 

Back in Vila Dalmacija, my fellow housemates and I have been throwing dance parties in the late hours of the night. Its such a wonderful way to let down your hair and get closer to the people you live with. We are dancing other peoples choreography all day. This is our time to just dance for ourselves. The best part is that when I look around the room, I see people from all over the world. The music playing in the background might be in clear English but our communication is not always as clear. When you’re dancing though, there is no need for words. We were all just making fools of ourselves and enjoying our night with no need to verbalize to each other. I always just assumed that colors and music were the two universal things in this world that will spark the same emotions no matter what language you speak. However, I learned that dance is just as powerful. Giselle is a perfect example. I performed Giselle in America and Croatia. I’m sure the audience had the same feelings after watching it. So as we were dancing our little hearts out, we were able to communicate through our dancing. Its a beautiful thing really. 

Monday is a religious holiday so that means WE HAVE A TWO DAY WEEKEND! I don’t think you understand the excitement of a two day weekend for us. It makes it very difficult to rest your body AND run all your errands when you only have one day off. Today however (the day after our last show), we rehearsed and had one of the longer rehearsal days that we have had so far. We were all busted and tired. Our brains were fried but we all pulled it together long enough to get through the day. It helped thinking about a full two days off. So I will be enjoying my weekend and staying completely dance free for two days.  

So to sum everything up, when you’re stumbling on some words and can’t figure out what to say,  JUST DANCE!!! 

Kristina and I walking into town

Alan and I pre dance party

Caity and I post dance party

Midweek Meditation.

At this point, we are midway through our run of Giselle. I find myself loving the ballet and ballet dancers more and more with every performance that passes. Our schedule is hard but we get through it together. 


The life of a ballet dancer has never seemed glamorous to me before. I have always been so wrapped up in the drama that I have never been able to just stand back and enjoy it. Well, being in this new environment has allowed me to just step back and watch this world I work in. 


Our days have become routine. We wake up at 8am and catch the 9:05 bus to take the 10am class. After class, we'll have a rehearsal for the show we are currently performing and then rehearsals for upcoming shows. One thing I have learned, is that Europeans LOVE their lunch break. We'll have a substantially long four hour lunch break so that the dancers can go home, cook a large meal, sit down and enjoy it and then rest before going back to work. In America, we call it dinner! After "lunch," we head to the theater for the evening performance. I have been pleasantly surprised by the audiences here. We have been performing to a sold out houses ever since opening. 


Im not in the second act of Giselle so I get to sneak into the theater and become an audience member. Every night, I am in awe of what I see onstage. Such beauty and art. It amazes me every time to think that I am apart of this extremely talented group of dancers. I not only get to enjoy the behind the scenes now, but also the final product of all our hard work. At the end of the performance, the audience gives an uproarious applause that sends chills up my spine. Their applause is their recognition for all the HARD work that we put into the production. Its their way of saying thank you for sharing your passion. 


One night, I sat next to a rowdy group of teenage girls. They were laughing and talking through the entire second act. The story of Giselle is nothing but beautiful and serious... not funny! After quieting them several times, they left mid performance. They are lucky they did because if they stayed till the end, I was going to tell them how terrible disrespectful it is for the paying audience members and the artists that are performing. I wanted to add that this theater has become our home and that they are welcomed guests in it. We are proud and happy to have anyone wanting to come but when that is taken advantage of, it disrespects the sweat that has been put into it. To us, its not just the month long rehearsal process. For us, its the training when we were young, the stresses of auditioning for jobs, the weight and body image issues, and the psychological toll this profession takes on us. We do it because we love it. We just hope that you enjoy it, too!

This photo was taken of me in the lobby of the theater during the opening night premiere.

Opening Night

Last night marked the first official performance for me in Europe. It was an amazing day that will be in my memories forever. Here is how it went:

I woke up to the waves right outside my window. Its a beautiful thing to wake up to crashing waves and not to the buzzing of an alarm clock. After a relaxing afternoon at home, I bussed to the theater. I entered backstage and when I walked the halls to my dressing room, you could feel the excitement. The dressing room had my freshly washed costume hanging, a perfectly folded towel and undergarments waiting to be worn. I rushed to the stage so I could get some stretching in before the show. As I was laying on the stage, the tech crew were doing their lighting check. They went through each lighting que. After that, I went into the makeup room and got to see some of the other dancers. We were able to share our excitement and talk about the night... while getting our makeup done of course. A quick change into my costume and then I headed down to the stage. 

The spotlight followed the dancers every moves. The orchestra played so beautifully. We had been rehearsing in the theater so much for this one night and it definitely paid off. During intermission, I quickly changed into my clothes so that I could rush into the audience and watch second act. I scurried through the theater in my black dress pants, black tux shirt and burgundy cravat trying to find an empty seat. The show was sold out!!! I managed to sneak in between two strangers and watch the second act anyhow. As I was sitting there watching, I was thinking about how amazing this is. Performing is very different in America. Even the programs were of a higher quality than what I am use to. I couldn’t stop thinking about how this was such an honor and that I am so lucky to have been given this opportunity. The show ended with Almira, the director, giving a bow to her dancers. It was a beautiful thing to see. 

After the show, there was a reception in the lavish lobby of the theater. Champagne, toasting, food, pictures and interviews seemed to be on everyones focus. There was such a wonderful energy in the air. It was truly an exciting and memorable night. Thank you to everyone who was apart of it. 

First Act Giselle (Try and find me!!)

Second Act Giselle

This picture is of Davor, Daniel and me watching the girls and awaiting our turn.

Here are some pictures from todays tech rehearsal. Tonight was a different cast but equally as beautiful. 

Giselle making her entrance

Albrecht romancing Giselle

Myrta opening Act 2

The Willies

Giselle Act 2

Giselle saving Albrecht

Giselle

Dancers waiting around for notes

More views of the theater

Theater. 

The orchestra rehearsing

The Artist in Me

The artist in me has been truly honored this week. I have experienced what theater should really be like. A day at the National Opera House is one of art and pleasure. 

You start off by walking through the stage door and up to the third floor where my dressing room is. Before arriving, a dresser has already laid out my costume, shoes, undergarments and hand towel on my dressing table. Ballet class is first. Dancers will need class before rehearsals or shows to warm their muscles and build energy for dancing. After class, I walked back upstairs and into the makeup room where I got my makeup done. It is definitely an honor to have a makeup artist! Then, back into the dressing room to put on the costume and then scurry down to the stage for some last minute stretches. 

Ballet is such a beautiful art form and being here has really made me appreciate my profession even more. Its a privilege to be in this temple of art and to be entertaining audiences with the classics. 

Here are some more pictures from a technical rehearsal. We’re getting close to opening night!!!

Alan, my twin!

Albrecht romancing Giselle

The corps girls from Giselle

The girls en pointe

Matea onstage watching variation

More of the girls

Watching from backstage

Picture with the houselights up

Jovana stretching onstage

Inspiration.

I had a wonderful weekend that included a beautiful city, beautiful friends and a beautiful SPA! Dancers, Kristina and Andre, drove me an hour up the coast of Croatia to this wonderful spa. There, I tried all the different pools and saunas. I relaxed in the resting room and walked around the foot pool. For the price of 90 kunas (or $18), you get a full day rest and relaxation. It was worth every lipa! 


I must say that I have enjoyed writing in this blog very much! I have decided to use some inspiration that I got from living in Split and start to write. Who knows, maybe after a year here, I will have a book for you to read! In the meantime, I will share some pictures of the trip with you.

I must run to the theater now. Tonights rehearsal marks our first one with costumes and the orchestra. We're all very excited!

A Walk to Remember

Today is Friday, October 8, 2010. Today is also a holiday in Croatia. I was told its like the Independence Day of American. Well, we all know what holidays mean- DAY OFF! So after sleeping in and eating a hearty breakfast, I decided to step outside on this beautiful Friday afternoon and go for a walk around the villa. Not to be bias or anything, but I definitely live in one of the paradisiacal locations in the world. 

As I do morning after morning, I stepped out of the front doors and walked along the stone steps that lead directly to the main driving path. I found myself at a familiar spot where my natural direction would lead me towards the front gate. Today, I decided to walk the other way and explore the grounds of Vila Dalmacija. I discovered beautiful stone buildings, fascinating foliage, and endless stairs that lead to mysterious locations. 

Everyday, I pass a vacant villa that has two chairs sitting on its balcony. Its always left me curious to why those two chairs were left there and why they were set next to each other. 

Beyond that villa, I discovered a carport with room for three cars. I would imagine that President Tito and his entourage would need more than three stalls for their motor vehicles. Nonetheless, the detached stone port lays at the corner of the property with a guards post to the left of it. 

Walking just beyond the garage, I found an even more curious building with seven stone arches and terra-cotta roof. I walked the path around the mysterious building that led me in multiple directions. Turning back, I walked inside to figure out that President Tito was a bowler! 

The long runway was a bowling alley that must have been used to entertain his guests. I enjoyed so much finding this room and picturing what it must have been like to bowl here. I would imagine that it was someones job to arrange the pins every time a ball has struck them. I wouldn’t mind getting paid to do that! Just next to the bowling alley was another detached entertainment room that laid between the main villa and the ocean. 

Then, I found myself directly across and facing the villa I live in. Let me tell you, the view is not disappointing. It seems that no matter how the weather may be, its simply a picturesque piece of land. I had seen but never been to this part of the beach before. 

This is where the boat garage is. It has two beautiful green doors with a circular top. Being the curious cat that I am, I peeked inside to find a large storage area that shelves old hardware and (what Im assuming is) old boat parts. 

Just on the right of the green doors, I noticed another door that I never noticed before. I peeked inside but the smell reeked of rotting plants and mold. 

Next to the boat garage, were windy steps. The sun was hitting them so perfectly that made them look like they were infinite stairs that points directly to the sun. 

I walked up the steps and along a road that shared gorgeous views of both the water and the backside of other properties. 

The weather was perfect and the views were so breathtaking, that I decided to sit down and take everything in. 

Being at that spot allowed me to have a spiritual and private moment by myself. Its that time that inspired me to rush home and write todays blog. So on my way back to the villas, I pass another set of stone steps that led directly to the water. 

I loved these steps because they seemed to just magically turn into rocks. I walked down them a caught the sun hitting the rocks leaving a shadow of myself. Of course, I had to capture that!

After that, I just walked along the stoney beach and directly back to the villas. 

It was a beautiful day that I had to share with you. I hope you enjoyed reading about it just as much as I enjoyed reflecting back on it. 

Better.

So as I promised, here are better pictures of the theater. Enjoy!

A view from the stage of the ceiling. 

A view from the stage of the house.

A view of the balconies. 

Hopefully the next series of photos that I post will be from dress rehearsal and opening night! For now, I must go as I am going to spend a night on the town and enjoy my day off tomorrow.

Life in the Theater

We had our first day in the theater. Well, I must say that as an American, the only time you see a theater like the one in Split is in the movies. A theater of such detail and structure just isn’t seen where I come from. This is truly a house for art. This is a theater. 

A performer is always honored when they get to perform for a full house or on a beautiful stage. Its a wonderful reward to get after all the hours you put into rehearsals. When you step onstage and look out into the house and see such beauty, history and detail, its thrilling and all the pain and nerves are replaced with chills of excitement. 

The theater here is definitely a home for many people. I walked in backstage and passed a costume room full of older women sewing up some corsets for an upcoming production. I walked along a rehearsal hall where the opera was practicing for their premier of Hamlet. I was watching the orchestra leader rehearsing the score of Giselle with his baton. I passed offices, dressings rooms and storage rooms. This is a theater with history. When I walked onstage for the first time, I looked out into the house and just gawked at all the detailed moulding around the balconies, arched and ceiling. To all the other dancers in the company, they are use to theaters like this. To me, it was a treat.

I have taken some pictures of the theater. Unfortunately, the house lights weren’t on so I was only able to capture pictures that are dark and grainy. I will try to take more during a tech rehearsal with lighting. 

These are from tech rehearsal today. No costumes or lighting. 

This is a view from a seat in the house looking just above the stage. 

A view of the box seats that overlook the stage.

A view of the balconies.

A view of the ceiling. Again, horrible quality!

This is ONE of the sewing rooms. No one spoke English in there but I was still able to make them laugh!

This is a picture of tech rehearsal from second act of Giselle.