Today I took a break from my routine to see a Nutcracker performance. I went to the matinee and there were lots of children everywhere. All the dancers were beautiful and the children danced so well! I love the Nutcracker Ballet, the Tchaikovsky music, the divertissements, the pas de deux of the Snow King and Nutcracker Prince. The Snow King looked regal as he supported his partner, stage snow falling like confetti everywhere. The Sugarplum Princess was so sweet, and I was impressed by her dainty footwork. Also impressive in this production was the party scene, with all the social dances so beautifully recreated.
Afterwards I was able to get backstage to see some of the dancers. I met a girl I knew from class, talking with her friends, still in her stage makeup. I always love to see the backstage activity of dancers and how they prepare for their art. They all looked so calm; I was more nervous being backstage and they had just danced an entire ballet!
So, not wanting to go home because this would be the last day my favorite pool would be open, I took the bus straight to the gym. The pool will be closed for two weeks for maintenance so I had one last swim and then, hair still damp, headed for a Pilates class. The Pilates class was just what I needed today, since I missed my ballet class. But, as a dancer told me, it's good to cross train.
As I walked in a few minutes late, the teacher said to inhale and exhale...then we did the 100 with arms and then we used the magic circle to stretch our hamstrings and later drew circles in the air with our legs and did all the other customary movements, including the side series. Now I am home, thinking of the ballet and how much fun it was to go out and see the performance on a dreary winter day.
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