Sunday class

The fight with my body and mind resumes...now that winter is approaching, it will be even harder to stay in shape.  I want to eat more to feel warm and all the heavy clothing masks everything so well...15 minutes to class and time to stretch...

Class over -- leaning against wall stretching again, I notice how if I move my torso to the left and lean into my left side, my spine feels straighter.  Same class as Friday, so I knew the steps.  I think I make too much out of class and dwell on the physical side of steps instead of just doing them, like my pointe teacher and others have said.  It's not supposed to be hard.  I should just be a good little student and do what I'm told instead of having these dramas about my aches and pain and then drawing attention to myself, I know.

Downtown is tempting, but I am going to the gym before it closes...swim over now, eating my green salad and watching the Bears on the gym TV.  It was great to hit the water again and then I took a hot shower to warm up again.

Back to class, at barre we did tendus to the side, demi-plies and plies; then tendus front, side, back, inside leg, etc., little pas de chevals the same way, then pas de chevals front front front, back, back, back, with releve passe balances.  We did ronde jambes fondu front, 4 with port de bras, developpe ecarte side, passe, attitude balance.  Then it was fondu devant, pique, pique, balancoire, degages to the side; then same starting dedans.  We did fondu developpe front, ronde jambe to side with double ronde jambes, same to back, attitude balance.  For frappes we did 4 front, 4 side, pas de cheval fondu efface, pas de cheval fondu derrierre croise back, then battus to the side.  We did attitude balancoires, then same with straight legs and for grand battements we did kicks front, side, back, side, swing leg parallel in, out, one last kick.

After a water break, we started center with two tendus front, two back, tendus alternating side, detournes, pique passe to the side, pique soutenu to the other side, pas de bourre en tournant, pirouettes dehor; then balance balance, soutenu, pirouettes dedans.  Next was adagio:  developpe croise front, fondu take leg to side, turn into attitude, extend to arabesque, fifth, fondu efface ronde jambe leg to side, turn, penche, fondu pas de bourre, chasse pirouettes en dehors, pirouettes attitude en dedans, pose.

We proceeded with jumps:  1st, 5th, 1st, 5th, 1st, 2nd, 1st, 2nd, two echappes alternating, then echappes battu.  Then we did assemble temps leve both sides, jete side, gargouillade, pas de bourre, temps de cuisse both sides.  Next was ronde jambes en l'air each side, echappe sissonne 4th, assemble both sides, chasse coupe jete en tournant, cabriole, run away.

Finally, grand allegro:  chasse pas de bourre glissade grand jete, contretemps chasse pas de bourre, jete a la seconde, developpe efface, chasse pas de bourre, chasse pas de bourre assemble devant, tendu side pirouette, finish.

Playtime over, back to reality and attending to matters of work, house, etc.  Tomorrow is Monday...