Oregon Ballet Theatre

The closing performance of Swan Lake was three weeks ago, and now the company has had a break to recouperate and prepare to face the familiar (but always tough) Nutcracker season. We start a two-weeek rehearsal period tomorrow, then leave for Anchorage, Alaska. Our annual week-long trek to Anchorage spans Thanksgiving, with six performances. Then it's back home to Portland for tech rehearsals here before our opening at the Keller. We have a two-week run here, finishing up on Christmas Eve. I'm always kind of stunned looking at the calendar right about now--- a lot of things are going to happen in a very short period of time!

The dancers began trickling back into the studio after the layoff last week for classes. My own layoff this time around was a fun one because it had the perfect balance of rest and work. I went to Victoria, B.C. to perform with Ballet Victoria, which is now run by Paul Destrooper (whom many of you must remember from his three years as a dancer here at OBT). That was a lovely "working vacation", in a way.

So tomorrow we hit it again. As many complaints as there are about the repetition of Nutcracker year after year, the first few strains of the music always make me feel comforted and happy. Sort of like opening up the dresser drawer full of winter clothes for the first time after a long summer--- warm and familiar. But remind me of this in a few weeks.... I may feel differently!