Amelia has been placed in Level V at PBA. She’s scheduled to take 7 1/2 hours per week for starters. The Director invited her to attend the Level VI Pointe class but she can’t get to PBA in time for the class @ 4:00 – she can barely arrive at her one 4:30 class because of the commute from Oakland
Among other roles, she’s eligible to audition for the Nutcracker as one of the Pointe Angels. She’s back with her old school and teachers. She will also volunteer in Miss Karen’s class to help teach the younger students (like she was assisted when she was a little dancer). She will also take private training with Anton Pankevich after her class once a week. [This will also help me prepare for the auditions in January].
Saturday: Level 6 A/B, 10:00 AM – 11:30 PM (Brianne)
On Sept 7, 2013, the auditions will be held for The Nutcracker Ballet. Amelia wants to audition for Pointe Angels, Small Snow, Rosebuds or Demi-Solos role. She’s also eligible for the Party Scene, Angels, Soldiers and Russian/Chinese corps.
“I’m so tired, I feel like someone ran over me”. It looks like there was a fortuitous foul-up with the class assignments. Amelia was originally enrolled in the afternoon Intermediate/Advanced class, but because she went early (assuming she had been enrolled in the morning session). So there’s an additional tuition for this.
This is a really important summer intensive because this is where we get evaluated for placement in the upcoming school year. I hope I can get in at Level 4!
http://youtu.be/O01DsRafurI
WEEK 1
July 8, 2013 (Monday) – Day 1
So happy, we actually get 1 1/2 hours for lunch. Afternoon is pointe work – finally en pointe! I haven’t been on pointe for almost a year. My pointe was good. All the time at OSA really strengthened my feet and ankles. I wobbled only a little and I never fell off pointe. We have jazz from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM (First class of the day, as the intensive starts at 10:00). After that we have Technique (Ballet class) from 11:00 to 12:30. After that we have lunch from 12:30 to 2:00. I haven’t had a lunch break that long since at least kindergarten. After our lunch break we have Pointe & Variations from 2:00 to 3:30. We have Pointe for only 30 minutes or so, and Variations for an hour. The Level 3 class has Variations with us, which the teacher explained as we are all learning steps that in the last week of the intensive, we will split up into Level 4 and Level 3 and use those steps to make something we will perform at the end of the last week.
the blues in studio c
July 9, 2013 (Tuesday) – Day 2
Today I only had a little time to stretch, so I didn’t have such a great class. The ribbons and elastics on my pointe shoes came off by the end of pointe class so I have to sew those back on. Stretch class was pretty fun
July 10, 2013 (Wednesday) – Day 3
Caught the 8:05 train this morning…it’s the bullet train and it arrived in Millbrae in 19 minutes. So fast…had a few minutes extra time before the BART train departed for Civic Center. The laces on my pointe shoes separated and I need to sew them back on. I could do it on the train or wait until lunch break today.
July 11, 2013 (Thursday) – Day 4
Today in Jazz we found out that the combination we’ve been working on all week is actually the one we will perform on the last day on the intensive! We are learning new steps and keeping track of it all is a little hard, but I’m staying on top of it. In Technique we learned a new pliè combination, along with doing our fondues on relevè and different rond de jambe combinations. We went for an entire hour on pointe. We did the jumps on pointe and piquè combination we learned on the first day en pointe and the soutenu combination both jumping an en pointe.
My pointe shoes are hurting…they’re a little tight around the toes because I bought them last year and my feet have changed. They’re also starting to get soft. So I need to buy some new pointe shoes after another week of this.
warm-up
July 12, 2013 (Friday) – Day 5
Today in Jazz we spent class working on the routine we will perform at the end of the 3 weeks of this intensive. In Technique we kept on at the combinations we’ve learned so far, and during center we went in groups for each combination versus the entire class going together. During lunch I had to spend extra time wrapping my toes and prepping my feet for Pointe due to my toes having little bruises on the. Pointe class wasn’t as fun as it usually is, because of my left pinky toenail. When I looked at it after class, I realized I had bruised it. Putting any weight on it en pointe was extremely painful, but I kept on dancing. It was especially hard when we learned the end of the variation we have been practicing, as it had many piquès (a step where you “jump” onto pointe/demi pointe) and passès. When we did take off our pointe shoes, I didn’t even want to look at my toe to see the damage. In stretch class we did our usual routine.
[For lunch today she gets the usual wrap as an “entree”. This consists of a low-carb wrap (flat-bread) with sliced Black Forest ham, grated Cheddar cheese, lemon humus spread and fresh spinach and arugula. Also included is a bag of edamame and a bag of raw almonds. As usual, a container of low-fat milk and a container of coconut water. There are also two sports granola bars and cantaloupe. Finally, she gets a small can of lemon-pepper seasoned tuna fish to give her more protein with a fork and napkin. Absolutely no junk food, like potato chips or candy or soda. – Dad]
Lunch Today
WEEK 2
July 15, 2013 (Monday) – Day 6
Today I got to City Ballet a little bit late, but I still had just enough time to stretch before class. In Jazz we spent about half the class stretching, getting warmed up after the weekend before spending the rest of class working on the routine we are learning to perform. We also began adding to the end of the routine.
In Technique we learned mostly new combinations, and worked on new center combinations as well. During lunch I put Jet Glue in my pointe shoes to harden them, but since the glue wears off fast (in a few days) I’m going to have to get new ones. Pointe class went well, with my shoes holding up and we did most of the pointe exercises that we usually do in the center at barre, most likely so we would have more time to work on our variation.
warming up to a jazz number
In stretch class we did our usual back, abs, and center split workout, before changing what we did for over-splits. First we did or usual put one leg up on a chair then sliding into the splits, before half the class stretching splits at the barre by putting their leg up on the wall the barre was attached to and the other half putting both legs up on chairs and sliding into splits from there, then alternating. We ended class there as we were running out of time.
Tomorrow, I’ll need to buy some new pointe shoes but we don’t really have any money – so I’ll have to use some of my Tall Ships Camp money and some money from my Mom to buy them – ballet is more important.
Relaxing After Class
July 16, 2013 (Tuesday) – Day 7
During my lunch break, I took the MUNI to SF Dancewear in downtown SF and bought a new pair of Gaynor Minden pointe shoes. They’re so beautiful!
Gaynor Minden Pointe Shoes
Tonight I had to sew the ribbons and the elastic straps by hand. It’s tedious and meticulous work. It has to be done correctly. They’re really nice to wear and very beautiful to see on pointe. They’re for professional dance on stage but the teachers don’t mind I wear them in class. They wouldn’t like for me to wear them during a performance as I still a student.
I’ve made friends with the new administrator at City Ballet. She also takes the BART and I walked with her to the BART Station today. It’s nice to have someone to walk with. I hope she and I can walk to the BART station together more often.
July 17, 2013 (Wednesday) – Day 8
Today I wore my pointe shoes for the first time!
July 18, 2013 (Thursday) – Day 9
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July 19, 2013 (Friday) – Day 10
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WEEK 3
July 22, 2013 (Monday) – Day 11
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July 23, 2013 (Tuesday) – Day 12
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July 24, 2013 (Wednesday) – Day 13
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July 25, 2013 (Thursday) – Day 14
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July 26, 2013 (Friday) – Day 15
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WEEK 4
July 29, 2013 (Monday) – Day 16
Today in Jazz we finished our number “You Make Me Feel So Young”. We learned both the end of our Level 4 section and the finale. This number we are doing with the Level 3 kids. The other jazz number we have, “Blurred Lines” is just us Level 4 kids. In Technique we didn’t learn any new combinations and instead focused on speed and how quickly we could get through all of our combinations. This was because on Friday we only have about 50 minutes to get through barre and do a little bit of pointe. We spent some time organizing what formation we will stand in for Friday and where the Level 3 girls joining us for pointe will stand. We had a short pointe class, only warming up a little bit before diving straight into Variations. We worked on the final spacing for the first and second variation before rehearsing both dances in the new formations. In Stretch class we did our normal stretches, but ran out of time and were not able to do acrobatics, where we line up by the edge of the mats we use for Stretch and do things like cartwheels, walkovers, split jumps and attitude jumps.
July 30, 2013 (Tuesday) – Day 17
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July 31, 2013 (Wednesday) – Day 18
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August 1, 2013 (Thursday) – Day 19
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August 2, 2013 (Friday) – Day 20
This morning I arrived at City Ballet 2 hours early so I would have time to stretch and rehearse. We wouldn’t have time to do either once the showcase started, as the Jazz class that was first up would have no rehearsing and the only stretches were only showy ones that showed off our flexibility. We ran a very minor rehearsal of “You Make Me Feel So Young”, our piece with the Level 3 kids, because we had never rehearsed it with them before. The program for today’s Student Showcase is:
City Ballet Summer Intensive 2013 Student Showcase
Artistic Director Galina Alexandrova
This is the culmination of 4 weeks of hard work by students from Level II to Pre-professional. Their daily schedule goes from 10:00 AM to 4:30 PM and includes jazz, technique, pointe and variations work and stretch. That’s why it’s called intensive.
9:30 – 11:00 AM. Boys, Level III Choreography, Level IV Jazz and Level III Jazz
11:00 AM – 12:15 PM. Pre-professional technique and pointe class
12:00 PM – 12:40 PM. Level III technique class
12:40 PM – 1:30 PM. Level IV technique and pointe class
1:30 PM – 2:00 PM. Level II technique class
2:00 PM – 3:30 PM. Variations (Levels II, III, IV, V and Pre-professional)
3:45 PM – 4:15 PM. Level III and IV stretch class
4:15 PM – 4:45 PM. Pre-professional stretch class
http://youtu.be/_uKqnlK4bIU
http://youtu.be/9l3bDRY2vZU
With Miss Kristen
With Miss Svetlana
arriving at the studio
Galina Alexandrova
CONCLUSION
elle y est enfin arrivée, “she has at last arrived”
MISC
Transportation Costs:
Palo Alto (Caltrain) -> Millbrae (BART) -> Civic Center (walk) -> City Ballet : $4.20
Option 1. City Ballet (walk) -> Civic Center (BART) -> Millbrae (Caltrain) -> Palo Alto: $4.20
Option 2. City Ballet (walk) -> Civic Center (MUNI) -> San Francisco (Caltrain) -> Palo Alto: $4:35
[First day at OSA. We had to get up an hour earlier to catch the train to the BART station then BART to Oakland. With school starting at 8:10 AM, it’s a long haul. She will study science online (BYU Online) since OSA didn’t have room for her in their regular science classes.
The School of Dance has the highest academic ranking of all the schools at OSA – so it’s a little bit exclusive. She has to maintain a minimum 3.5 GPA to be able to perform – so the pressures on. 95% of the graduates go on to college or university!
Everybody’s really friendly and helpful. She’s already made several friends. There are only seven students (including AMS) in the dance emphasis in the 7th grade. They all wear their leotards, tights and buns to their classes everyday. Although considered one of the “normal” girls, she fits right in, .]
First Day OSA
I woke up at 5:00 AM today, with no time for coffee. It was really cold, and I was yawning a lot. Even though I hadn’t had any coffee, I was unable to sleep. When we got there, I took one look at everybody else’s clothes and thought, wow I look so un-OSA! My dad had to keep reminding me to stop smiling because everyone else could tell I was new because of that.
The other new dance girl was called Ava. She’d taken the summer intensive there, which meant the other dancers already knew her. I spent first period waiting outside the main office. After that, Avery, a very happy and excitable 7th grade dancer took me and Ava to second period, which was English with Ms. Bradburn. We had ballet/contemporary dance next, and because it was a minimum day, we did a work instead of any dancing.
There were many push-up activities, some jogging with pointed feet, and exercises designed to improve flexibility. Compared to how well everybody else was doing, I felt so out of shape! I didn’t have Mr. Savage that day. Instead I had Ms. Hurley, another dance teacher. She assigned this girl named Alana, who I met at SFB, to be my dance guide. We didn’t have lunch, and instead Ms. Bradburn, also my History teacher, allowed us to eat in class. I had math as last period. Ms. Humphrey, my math teacher, helped me get up to speed on what everybody else in the class was doing. Dismissal time was 12:50. We took the BART and Caltrain home.
January 29, 2013 (Tuesday)
[Second Day: We’re both very tired already. Today was a 14 hour day which started at 6:15 AM and ended when we got home around 8:45 PM. Tomorrow I’m going to let AMS go by herself to OSA. I’ll drive up later and meet her at the BART station in SF for her ballet class in the City.]
Today I got up about 15 minutes later then I was supposed to (5:15 AM). I managed to get some coffee, and was still sore from Monday.
Second Day
January 30, 2013 (Wednesday)
[Up early as usual – 5:00 AM – for the long commute to Oakland. It’s still dark outside but need to catch the early bullet train. City Ballet after school in SF tonight]
Waiting for the Train
[The BART from Millbrae to 19th Street Station was really late this morning but because she doesn’t have a first period class it’s OK for her to be delayed. This was OK’d by Ms. Peters. More gushing enthusiasm from Amelia. She’s loving OSA – every minute of it. She got a pretty hard workout today and was having some thoughts but she hung in there and overcame. Mr. Savage is giving them a real training in dance – a combination of detail information about which muscle groups are being used (or should be used) and practical physical training. She’s learned some Pilates stretches and more details about technique. Nothing but raves about the teaching methodology of OSA.]
January 31, 2013 (Thursday)
[Same as yesterday.] The dance emphasis students, of which I’m a new member, have a typical “dress code”, hair up in a bun, leotards and tights on, sweater and jeans or shorts, and wearing a scarf. All the dance emphasis students wear this outfit (except the boys). Once again, City Ballet after school.
February 1, 2013 (Friday)
[We met one of AMS friends mom at the train station this morning. Hopefully they’ll be able to ride together for some portion of the trip. AMS successfully completed the entire trip to school and back by herself. I’m so proud of her. Again rave reviews of the things they’re doing at OSA and the training she’s getting. I can’t believe it’s free!]
BART was really delayed again today going through SF. No matter, I don’t have a first period this semester. Today at school it was College Day, and they changed the bell sound to a college’s fight song. Along with that in all our classes (besides our emphasis ones) we got to spend most of the period talking about colleges, universities, and careers.
Begins: Wednesday, January 2nd, 2013
Ends: Thursday, May 30th, 2013
Instructor: Anne – Sophie Rodriguez
Times: Tue, Wed and Thurs 5:00 PM to 7:30 PM
A course for students bridging Level III and Level IV. Each participating student will, by virtue of having been a member of this class during the academic year, be accepted into our Summer Intensive program. (See website for details and dates). Those students still wishing to gain acceptance into the 2013/ 2014 academic year will be evaluated at the end of the summer intensive.
January 8, 2013 (Tuesday)
Start ballet studies at City Ballet with schedule change.
The Christmas Ballet: The Bay Area’s hottest holiday ticket returns with NEW choreography from Choreographer in Residence Amy Seiwert, Smuin dancer Jane Rehm and former Smuin dancer Darren Anderson, and more. An ever-changing carousel of mischief and elegance, The Christmas Ballet is a perfect gift for audiences of all ages.
Holiday Program
Stunning classical ballet, rollicking character numbers, and that Smuin sass combine for a seasonal celebration like no other. From Bach and sacred carols to klezmer, gospel, and Elvis, The Christmas Ballet has something for everyone. Be sure to treat yourself and your loved ones to this Bay Area holiday tradition!
“New this year, a Fall performance, by Levels III, IV, V and Pre-professional. City Ballet School Artistic Director Galina Alexandrova and Guest Master Teacher Marina Alexandrova will set the Fall Classic performance. The first part of the program will be “Class Concert”, a piece that will showcase the students’ progression and virtuosity. The second part will begin with Act II of Swan Lake, followed by dances from Acts 1 and 3, the Black Swan scene and finishing with Act 4. 2pm and 7pm performances on Saturday, October 20th at the Cowell Theater, Fort Mason. An ideal show to expose someone to classical dance. Purchase tickets, $20 thru the Fort Mason Box Office website or to place an order by phone call the Cowell Theater Box Office at 415.345.7575″
Cast to include Ekaterina Kondaurova, Danila Korsuntsev, Vladimir Schklyarov, and Evgeny Ivanchenko
“One of the most influential companies in classical dance for the past 200 years, the Mariinsky Ballet (formerly the Kirov) has always showcased the world’s greatest dancers, including such legendary performers as Anna Pavlova, Vaslav Nijinksy, Rudolf Nureyev, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Natalia Makarova, and many more. Now, the historic company opens Cal Performances’ 2012/13 dance season with Konstantin Sergeyev’s bewitching production of Swan Lake, based on the immortal masterpiece by Petipa and Ivanov. Mysterious, lyrical, and dramatic, Swan Lake creates a magical world in which Prince Siegfried and the swan-princess Odette proclaim their love for each other, overcoming the forces of evil. Tchaikovsky’s glorious score combines with matchless choreography featuring the Mariinsky’s renowned corps de ballet in all its splendor. “The Mariinsky elevates [Swan Lake] to another realm” (Evening Standard, London).” — CalPerformances
Ekaterina Kondaurova
Ekaterina Kondaurova’s performance as Odette/Odille was stunning….
[The new ballet school year started at The Ballet Studio. AMS resumes her Level III/IV ballet studies. Her teachers are Miss Julie, Mr. Henry, Miss Laura and Mr. Charles. This year she attends ballet class 6 times per week]
