Even though work technically started last Tuesday, work really started for me today. Due to Swan Lake relying so heavy on the ladies, some of us men have either had very little rehearsal, or none at all; I fall into the later category. So, finally getting to rehearse something today felt wonderful! It so great to finally be back in the studio learning and working on choreography after almost 3 months of only taking class.
It’s such a different mentality and focus between taking class and learning a ballet. In class we have to memorize combinations quickly, but we’re also allowed to forget them fairly soon after. In rehearsal you have to try and learn quickly, but also retain the choreography, spacing, and the corrections you get for at least 7 weeks. Granted, there are lots of rehearsals for the ballet, but no one wants to go back over material that has already been taught more than 2 or 3 times. It’s our responsibility to go home and go over what we’ve learned that day, and try to get it cemented in our memory (I once heard that you’ll have the greatest chance of retaining something if you go over it within 24 hours of learning it).
As rehearsals progress I’ll probably post more blogs, hopefully with some pictures of the rehearsal process, and maybe a video or two. Adrian and I have been talking about trying to put together some behind-the-scenes videos for all of you, but I’m not sure what that will look like yet, or when it will happen. Soon hopefully!
~Steven
Monday, September 8, 2008
Coming Full Circle.
This summer I had a wonderful opportunity that I thought would be fun to share with all of you.
In June I was contacted by my old pre-school/kindergarten and was asked if I would like to come and teach for their arts camp in August. I was very apprehensive at first, I had never taught anyone that young before, and I find trying to keep the attention of middle-schoolers to be a challenge, I could only imagine what it’s like with kids of that age!
After some thinking, I decided to agree, both because it’s something new and challenging, and because that school is where I took my very first dance class. It was taught by Kasandra Gruener (OBT’s current director of Education and Outreach, and a fantastic teacher) and was a part of the various programs we could choose to do through the school. It was the class that began me on my long road to where I am today and I felt that, even if no one from that class would ever want to become a professional dancer, at least I would open their eyes to a new possibility.
After agreeing, I talked with Kasandra about various exercises to do, what music to use, and how to keep the kids attention. I wanted to give the class more of a “ballet” focus as opposed to simply “creative movement”, so that figured into my planning as well. In the end I created two half-hour long classes that seemed like fun and would have some continuity from the first class to the second.
I was SO nervous the first day. Like I said, I’ve never taught pre-schoolers, and it’s been years since I’ve even babysat anyone around that age. In the end, I think it was probably the highlight of my summer! The kids were all so wonderful and attentive. I even had a few of them (both boys and girls) tell me that when they grew up they wanted to be a ballet teacher just like me and they wanted to give the exact same class that I had given them. I know they are young, but still, it kind of melts your heart to hear that. :-).
I had one of the class aids take some pictures on the second day for me to post here. The last picture is of a banner that the kids made me as a thank you. I put it up in my apartment firs thing when I got home, and it still makes me smile whenever I look at it.
~Steven
Getting everyone lined up to go across the floor.
Telling the story we are going to dance, "The Pixies in the Garden." It sounds silly, but it's pre-school gold.
Flowers growing out of the ground.
The banner. :-).
In June I was contacted by my old pre-school/kindergarten and was asked if I would like to come and teach for their arts camp in August. I was very apprehensive at first, I had never taught anyone that young before, and I find trying to keep the attention of middle-schoolers to be a challenge, I could only imagine what it’s like with kids of that age!
After some thinking, I decided to agree, both because it’s something new and challenging, and because that school is where I took my very first dance class. It was taught by Kasandra Gruener (OBT’s current director of Education and Outreach, and a fantastic teacher) and was a part of the various programs we could choose to do through the school. It was the class that began me on my long road to where I am today and I felt that, even if no one from that class would ever want to become a professional dancer, at least I would open their eyes to a new possibility.
After agreeing, I talked with Kasandra about various exercises to do, what music to use, and how to keep the kids attention. I wanted to give the class more of a “ballet” focus as opposed to simply “creative movement”, so that figured into my planning as well. In the end I created two half-hour long classes that seemed like fun and would have some continuity from the first class to the second.
I was SO nervous the first day. Like I said, I’ve never taught pre-schoolers, and it’s been years since I’ve even babysat anyone around that age. In the end, I think it was probably the highlight of my summer! The kids were all so wonderful and attentive. I even had a few of them (both boys and girls) tell me that when they grew up they wanted to be a ballet teacher just like me and they wanted to give the exact same class that I had given them. I know they are young, but still, it kind of melts your heart to hear that. :-).
I had one of the class aids take some pictures on the second day for me to post here. The last picture is of a banner that the kids made me as a thank you. I put it up in my apartment firs thing when I got home, and it still makes me smile whenever I look at it.
~Steven
Getting everyone lined up to go across the floor.
Telling the story we are going to dance, "The Pixies in the Garden." It sounds silly, but it's pre-school gold.
Flowers growing out of the ground.
The banner. :-).
First Thursday
Here's a photo of Alison and Steven taken during last week's First Thursday festivities. It comes to us courtesy of our good friends lululemon athletica who sponsored OBT's mobile performance throughout the Pearl District. Alison, Anne, Candace, Ronnie, Adrian and Steven danced on street corners and sidewalks all over the neighborhood (with an audience in tow) before finishing the evening at the kick-off event for the OBT Associates, our new group for young professionals.
If you'd like to learn more about the Associates, send an email to associates@obt.org!
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Riverfest
Major kudos are in order to the intrepid dancers who performed yesterday at Riverfest's South Waterfront Day. The apprentices and advanced students danced the ballet David Justin completed a couple of weeks ago during OBT Exposed, and then Alison and Artur performed a pas de deux from Swan Lake. They all looked very impressive despite contending with a tiny stage and the blazing sun directly in their eyes. Afterwards, Damara taught a little class to any kids in the audience who were brave enough to come up on stage. That must have been thrilling to them--- I can imagine myself being unrestrainable if I had had that opportunity when I was seven or eight!
I don't have any photos, but maybe someone else who was there and took some can send them my way so we can share with everyone else??
In other news, Swan Lake is starting to slowly take shape. There are skeletal bits of sections coming together so far, such as the swan corps in Acts 2 and 4, and the Act 1 dances for the peasants and the pas de trois. There's an amazing amount of choreography to teach, learn, and clean up. Throw into that the fact that it's pretty much all extremely demanding material for literally every role in the ballet, and you're looking at a bunch of people getting whipped into shape, fast!
I don't have any photos, but maybe someone else who was there and took some can send them my way so we can share with everyone else??
In other news, Swan Lake is starting to slowly take shape. There are skeletal bits of sections coming together so far, such as the swan corps in Acts 2 and 4, and the Act 1 dances for the peasants and the pas de trois. There's an amazing amount of choreography to teach, learn, and clean up. Throw into that the fact that it's pretty much all extremely demanding material for literally every role in the ballet, and you're looking at a bunch of people getting whipped into shape, fast!
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Nutcracker FAQ's
Thanks to everyone who's participated in our Nutcracker survey. We received over 1000 responses in the first 12 hours alone! Look for the results next month.
A lot of people have used the comment section of the survey to give us very valuable feedback and ask some really great questions. Keep 'em coming - either in the survey responses or here on the blog! We'll do our best to answer the ones that are asked most frequently. Here's the first batch:
Is OBT thinking about doing away with the Nutcracker altogether?
Absolutely not! We're only considering whether or not to replace the Balanchine version that we've performed since 2003 with a brand new production created especially for our dancers and our audience. If you've seen Christopher's Swan Lake or A Midsummer Night's Dream, you already know how exciting it is for all of us to have a full-length work that we can truly call our own.
We assure you that we're not doing away with the Nutcracker. Even if you're not the world's biggest fan - and we know that there are a few of you out there! - you should be aware that the Nutcracker accounts for well over half of our ticket sales each year. So even if it's not your favorite, you can still take comfort in the fact that it goes a long way toward helping support the other works we perform throughout the season. And who knows: a new production might be just the thing to make you fall in love with the Nutcracker too!
What exactly do you mean by a "new Nutcracker?" Would you change the story drastically or turn it into a modern, abstract work?
You can expect some twists and turns along the way, but any new production we create would still be very traditional in nature. We can't share any details yet about what Christopher's considering, but the story would still take place in a magical, Old World setting. The Rat King, the Snowflakes and (most importantly) the fantastic dancing aren't going anywhere.
So if you're worried about the Land of Sweets being transported to the food court at the mall, or the Prince and Marie making their exits on skateboards or rocket ships, don't be!
And how about those "enhanced special effects?" What does that mean?
Sorry, we didn't mean to scare you with that one either. We're definitely talking about the sort of stuff that would fit within a traditional theatrical environment. There won't be any laser light shows or car chases.
Why don't you just make changes to the Balanchine version?
With very good reason, the George Balanchine Trust is very particular about preserving Mr. B's works and ensuring that they're performed exactly the way he choreographed them. We're not allowed to change anything about them at all - nor should we be.
How about bringing back James Canfield's Nutcracker?
For starters, we no longer own the sets and costumes to that production.
Also, we'd like to build on the precedent that James established. He set the bar high! His Nutcracker was fantastic and was a cherished holiday tradition in Portland for ten years. That's exactly the sort of magic we'd be aiming to capture with a new production.
Will you give us advance notice if you do switch to a new Nutcracker?
Definitely. You'd know at least a year in advance. And if you're a season ticket holder or subscribe to our e-newsletter, you'll always be among the first to find out about everything we've got planned!
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Decision 2008: The Nutcracker
Since 2003, OBT has performed George Balanchine's 1954 version of the Nutcracker. Is it time to create our own all-new production of the ballet, with new choreography, sets and costumes? You can help us decide! Please follow the link on our home page to a quick, 15-question survey. Every vote counts!
Monday, September 1, 2008
Tomorrow
Amazingly, it's here. I am offically "back", as we say (dancers are "out" when they're injured and "back" when they're, well, back) and tomorrow is the first day I will be rehearsing, almost six months after ankle surgery. Now that I'm sitting here at this vantage point, six months doesn't seem like a very long time. In fact, I almost can't believe the journey of these recent months even happened--- really? My big daily expedition was crutching down the block to the coffee shop, and even that was exhausting? Going up and down the stairs to get the mail was a daunting task? I relied on doing the James Brown shuffle to get a cup of tea from the stove to the table on one leg without hopping? And then, finally, released from that crazy cast, my leg quivered like a leaf when I merely stood on it? During those times I don't think I truly thought about the future. I dealt with each day, each hour in fact, as they happened. It was just too difficult to imagine the future without fear.
I may be dancing again, but I am far from normal (or from where I started). My ankle is not the same as it was, and may not be for a long time yet. But I'll start out into this new phase of things and just keep taking it one step at a time. I can't wait to get back in there and do my thing.
I may be dancing again, but I am far from normal (or from where I started). My ankle is not the same as it was, and may not be for a long time yet. But I'll start out into this new phase of things and just keep taking it one step at a time. I can't wait to get back in there and do my thing.
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