Destino

I don't really have words for this piece, other than the standard, basic ones.  Beautiful. Inspiring. Surreal. Tragic. Tender.  Oh, I don't know I'm not a wordsmith people.  But this is wonderful so you should watch it.

"Destino," by Walt Disney and Slavador Dali

The Music & The Mirror

For those of you who don't know, the title of the post comes from a beautiful song of the same name from the musical A Chorus Line.  In this number the lead character declares "God I'm a dancer - a dancer dances!" and explains how the only things in life she ever needs are "the music, and the mirror, and the chance to dance for you."

In that moment, I feel for Cassie.  I understand exactly what she means - because I feel the same need, the same urge to move that has my feet tapping and my heart racing and my very bones aching if I sit still too long.  If I go overlong without singing enough notes, I can feel my throat tighten and I get grouchy, listless, bored.  Without a character to painstakingly create and build and loose myself in, I become so antsy I irritate even myself.  I was nervous at the thought of a summer spent this way - with no "home dance studio" anymore, no money for voice lessons, and not much access to theatre where I live, it didn't seem likely I'd be performing or creating very much.

But my fears were proved wrong by a wonderful chance to perform!  I'm part of a community theatre's production of "Aida."  It's a beautiful show and a talented cast and a well respected theatre, so that alone is a great opportunity.  I'm part of the Trio of Dancers in our production, who like the Trio in the Broadway production narrate and enhance the story through dances to instrumental music through out the score. The Trio often take the lead during the ensemble dances, and portray various ensemble roles.  Additionally we're part of the Prologue and Epilogue sequences, set in a modern day museum with all of the key characters intermingling and forming connections.  During the Prologue, the audience doesn't realize the crowd is composed of the lead characters - but when the Epilogue comes, they've met everyone and are aware of their roles/connections/etc.  It's one of my favorite bits of stage magic and I'm quite excited to be a part of it!

And perhaps even more excitingly, I have been given a wonderful opportunity to perform a solo in this production!  The way our director has decided to stage one of the dance sequences, it will be danced by a soloist in an exotic costume, en pointe.  I almost cried I was so excited when he informed us at the Read Through that soloist would  be me!  Me, my pointe shoes, and a live band alone on the stage. . . what more could I want? Because stereotypical as it is to say, performing is my life. The practice studios and rehearsal halls are my home, with their cool barres and familiar smells of rosin, tea with lemon, tiger balm, and honey, the ancient creaking of floors a thousand feet have danced on, the solemn black music stands waiting to be burdened with librettos.  The dark curtained wings are my horizon, a strange mix of heavy red velvets and blinding yellow lights - and beyond them lies my entire world.  The stage.  Without songs to sing and steps to dance and characters to breathe life into, I am certain I'd have gone mad.  Now, I am going home instead.

Today I Am

. . . anxious.

Excited.

Nervous.

Antsy.

I'm checking my email obsessively, because the casts lists for our spring shows come out.  We're doing Hairspray and Boys Next Door.  I had a really strong audition and I know I work well with the director for Hairspray, so I'm hopeful.  On the other hand, it was a huge audition and lots of people did well.  Plus Craig likes to do unusual, even strange things with his cast lists (and his shows are always bomb because of it) so I'm kind of on pins and needles.

I'm also waiting for a second email, or possibly a phone call.  I may have landed a job dancing over break and am waiting to hear from the choreographer.  Trying to be nice and having very talented friends may just have paid off for me!  Yay for word-of-mouth-jobs.


And I'm going over my ipod and sifting through my itunes, trying to compile good music for the various dance classes at various levels that I'm teaching over break, starting tomorrow.  I feel like a kindergartner all over again every time I go to teach.  Will they like me?  Will they play nice?  Will anyone show up?  Will the parents think I'm too young to know what I'm doing?  Will I have the right music?

I'm deeply feeling my career choice today. . . cast lists and music, waiting and praying.  On one hand I think "the stress related to this career is going to give me a heart attack young and send me to an early grave."  On the other hand, part of me is relishing this.  Right now I'm still in the student-cocoon, safely shielded by family, faculty, and like-minded friends. . . but this is still a taste of the real world.  Sitting in my yoga pants, cutting my music and waiting to find out if I got the gig.  I'm a lucky, lucky, lucky little girl.

So I guess thats what I am today.  A performer.  A working artist.

Camelot Academy

Some of you guys have heard a lot about Camelot Academy.  Some of you may have heard nothing about it.  In a nutshell, it's one of my biggest dreams. . . and this whole post is going to be devoted to it!

I'm a dancer.  It's what I do, it's who I am.  I also have taught  - dance, martial arts, Vacation Bible School - for years and years.  I have a love of performance in all it's forms: theater, singing, gymnastics, etc.  And I've always liked the idea of healing people, which lead me to want to pursue a Doctorate of Physical Therapy.  I want to combine these things somehow, and Camelot is how I'm going to do it.

Camelot Academy (this is sort of like the project codename.  I'm not sure if I'll actually be calling it that or not) is my dream program, incorporating dance, gymnastics, theater, voice lessons, martial arts, and fitness together.  Here is how it will work:

The main center will be a high-caliber dance facility.  True classical ballet will be offered, as well as Jazz, Modern, Hip Hop, Tap, Contemporary, Pointe, Partnering, and Ballroom courses.  Supplemental programs will include seminars in Bellydancing, Indian Classical Dance, African Dance, Mime, Irish Step Dancing, etc.  And all of the teachers will be exceptionally qualified: professional and former professional dancers, well versed in their fields, with a call to teaching and knack for choreography.  The emphasis will not be on competition - it will be on refinement and performance.  An end of the year performance will be held every spring.

So far, all I've described is a Dance Studio.  But Camelot is something much more: it's a center for well rounded performing artists.  Also available at the main center, the dance studio, will be voice lessons - private and group - from qualified teachers.  Acting, Theater, Improv, Shakespeare courses will all be available as well, in this same facility.

Camelot Academy will be housed in more than one location.  The second branch will be a Gymnastics Academy: not just someplace where kids learn tumbling and gymnastic basics.  Someplace where true competitive gymnasts can train, under experienced coaches.

Also available - although I'm not yet sure at which location or if it will be it's own facility - will be a Martial Arts dojo.  High quality, safe instruction.

Each program will have set syllabuses, cross-referenced with each other an with courses designed specifically for Camelot Academy.  Tumbling and Acrobatics for Dancers: Intro to Movement for Gymnasts.  Movement II for Gymnasts. Fosse Jazz, Tap for Musical Theater, Self-Defense classes for performing artists.

Other classes will be offered by term (there will be three term a year, fall/winter, winter/spring, and summer) such as day long workshops about stage makeup, eating disorders, hair styling, weight training, etc.  The syllabuses and various programs will all be over seen by a physical therapist (thats me!) and physician.  This will reduce stress fractures, tendonitis, and incidents of other training-related injuries.

The final piece of the puzzle  is the gym.  Whether it is housed in one of the Camelot facilities or will be a partnership, there will be a full sized gym - offering all of the basic equipment, pool, and classes such as Pilates, Zumba, and Yoga.  Camelot students will have access to the gym and it's classes at discount rates, just as they have access to dance, theater, voice, gymnastics, and martial arts through cross training.

Can't you just imagine the artists and athletes this environment would produce?

This is my dream. . . this is my Camelot.