Black Friday

Thanksgiving was too good and I slept too long.  Then I went outside and everyone was shopping.  Finally I am headed to the gym.  Since I slept so late, I don't know if I will dance today.  So I must rush to the gym before they close and dance underwater.... 


There is a class tonight at Joffrey Academy!


...well, despite all the holiday cheer, class was pretty depressing.  My body and mind just didn't work and everything fell apart.  Still, when you have a bad class, you learn a lot, which was the salvaging grace here.  It was a pretty usual barre, tendus in all directions, ronde jambs a terre and en l'air; extensions, port de bras; passe attitude balances, grand battements, frappes -- which I am really bad at.  My feet did look better today, though, for some reason.  I think it must be the theraband stretches.


Another thing, I have developed a bad rash on my right shoulder and don't know what's wrong with me.  A nurse who attended class thinks it is a food allergy and that doesn't surprise me, because of all the rich food yesterday at Thanksgiving dinner, which is quite a departure from my spartan diet.  Later I told the teacher and she said, you don't have to live like that.  I guess I'll always be a party pooper, but all those sauces are not for me, unfortunately.


Since I stood at the head of the barre and could not follow, I messed up a lot of combinations.  At barre it is my habit now to think about how I am moving instead of thinking of the choreography of the steps.  But, that doesn't cut the mustard -- you still have to do the steps.  Ah, revelations!  So, now center is consistently better for me, however:  


Adagio
From 5th position, developpe croise devant, plie, carry leg to second, passe, quarter turn to attitude, straighten leg to arabesque, step to 5th, fondu other leg ronde jambe around to second, fouette to arabesque, penche.  No problems here except straightening my leg into arabesque.


Balance, balance, pique developpe devant, pirouettes; balance, balance, soutenu, pirouettes en dedans.  Glide into the balances, the teacher said.


Pirouettes
Tendu croise 2x front, 2x back, 4x side, then tendu seconde with promenade.  Turn from 5th, double turn from 5th to 4th, double turn into fouettes.  Not bad now that I am pushing off the floor with my whole foot; however, I still can't engage my supporting leg hamstring.


Batterie
Quatre, quatre, royale on each side; jete temps leve, jete forward, gargouiliade. Jetes with echappe battus.


Grand Allegro
Chasse pas de bourre glissade grande jete, contretemps chasse pas de bourre jete, developpe ecarte, contretemps chasse pas de bourre assemble, pirouettes.


Reverence...then I talked to a visiting male student about being on your leg and he said he has the same problem.  He watched me turn and said, you are not going into the turn -- you hold back.  So I tried again, this time with more momentum.  He said you only have that split second to find it and then engage your buttocks.  Then we talked about balance and told him about an exercise another teacher has us do where we stand on one leg, close our eyes and count to 100.  We both laughed.  I saw the teacher leave and apologized for my lame dancing and she said, why?


So, I want to go back tomorrow.  At least I am persistent.