Festival Ballet Providence Audition 1/13/13

This was my very first audition for a summer intensive this year and ever.

I was number 1 and that was pretty nerve racking since I had to stand at the front of the barre and in the front row of the first group. 

I had two embarrassing moments during this audition: 

1 - I started the plie combination on the wrong side

2 - I ran off after the pirroutte combination because I thought the next group would come on after us

I don't think I'll get into this one -- that's okay since it's my first ever audition

I'll update my blog in a few weeks when we find out if we got in or not!

Summer Intensive Update 1/5/13

I have finally decided which summer intensives I will be auditioning for! Here they are below:

• Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet's 5-Week Summer Ballet Program (no audition, I took the photos for the application today)
• Walnut Hill School for the Arts's Summer Youth Dance (audition Jan. 12 or 16)
• Festival Ballet Providence's Senior Summer Dance Intensive (audition Jan. 13)
• Boston Ballet's Summer Dance Program Newton (audition Feb. 3)

I can't wait to audition and see which ones I am accepted to.

How-To Do a Braid Bun

Here's how to do a braid bun. This bun stays up very well for class and performances.

Materials:

1. Your Hair
2. Hair Brush
3. Hair Elastics
4. Bobby Pins (for wispies)
5. Hair Pins (for actual bun -- I use bunheads dance products)
6. Hair Nets (also bunheads dance products) 
7. Cloth Ribbon or Scrunchie (optional)       

Make sure the hair elastics, bobby pins, hair pins, and hair nets are the same color as your hair so they are seemingly invisible.

Steps:

1. Make sure all your materials are in front of you at easy access. 
2. Brush your hair thoroughly.
3. Put your hair up into a  tight ponytail in the middle of  the back of your head. Make sure it's not to low or to high  because this may bother you during class.
4. Braid your hair till the end. 
5. Fasten another hair elastic at the end of the braid.
6. Wrap the braid around the root of the ponytail until it forms a bun shape.
7. Push pins into the sides of the bun. About 8 - 10 pins should do the trick.
8. Wrap a hairnet around the top of the bun. Wrap it around more than once if need be.
9. Attach the Scrunchie or wrap the Cloth Ribbon around the bun.
10. Shake your head or do a few jumps to ensure the bun is tight to your head and won't distract you during class.       

Peace, love, ballet

- Ballerina Bunhead

Nutcracker(s) 2012

So, this year I went to see 2 Nutcrackers. I know you might be thinking, how did she survive that along with being in her school's own Nutcracker. Well, the thing is my school only does the Nutcracker every year so we can rent out a nice place for it to be held and focus solely on our technique at the beginning of every other year. So, 2 Nutcracker performances was just fine for me. I went to the Festival Ballet Providence (Providence, RI) production and the Boston Ballet (Boston, MA) production, they were both very well performed. Here's what I thought:

Festival Ballet Providence
Festival Ballet's was great (it made it even better that my best friend was in it). The costumes, dancing, and sets were amazing as usual. I especially love the party scene set because it is the back wall of the living room right on the stage, complete with stairway and balcony, amazing! The only thing that bothers me about the party scene and the overall casting is that Clara and her friends are Junior Company Trainee members and I feel that Clara should be a student since she is supposed to be a child in the story. The battle scene is good as well. The mice and toy soldiers are students, while the head mouse and nutcracker are taken by company members. I have always admired this battle scene for how well the mice and toy soldiers work together in the battle while "stage fighting". It takes some serious talent to look like they are actually battling. On to Act II. To be honest Act II has never been my favorite in any production. It's really just combinations with themes from different countries. This being said, their Act II is average. The dances are traditional and don't take many risks (accept for a few daring lifts in Arabian Mocha). As usual, the sugar plum fairy dance with her caviler drags on for way to long. Overall, this production is pretty good and the tickets weren't as expensive as Boston Ballet's which is a plus,

I give this production:       * * *

Boston Ballet
Let me start by say in this was a "new production" and I never saw the old one so I can't really compare the two. But anyway, this production was excellent. Only a little bit better than Festival Ballet Providence. The party scene was wonderful, but, traditional. I liked how Clara was played by a student that was about 11 or 12. The battle scene was wonderful to, but, traditional. Very well executed, but, nevertheless, traditional. Act II was the best I have seen so far though. That's a high statement since I very much dislike Act II. All the pieces has choreography that I didn't think I scene before. The Arabian mocha dance was amazing with daredevil lifts as usual, but it wasn't at all boring. Even, though the sugar plum fairy dance still drowned on to long, I couldn't take my eyes of this amazing ballerina! (I want to be her someday!) The costumes were fabulous, especially since they were brand new. The ticket were really expensive though, and we were in the 7th row on the balcony!

I give this production:       * * * *

Peace, Love, Ballet
~ Ballerina Bunhead
  

Summer Intensives Anyone?

This will be my first year attending a summer intensive (if I get into one). I am really nervous about the audition process and the actual summer intensive program. I will be auditioning for Boston Ballet's SDP Newton, Walnut Hill School for the Art's Summer Dance, and possibly, American Academy of Ballet's Summer School of Excellence. I have also signed up for Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet's 5-week Summer Ballet Program and am awaiting by acceptance (or denial) letter. Hopefully next year I will have posted more tips for everything summer dance intensive. Right now I have two tips for summer dance Intensives -

- Start thinking about which programs you want to audition/sign up for early (like October) so you will have plenty of time to take photos (required for CPYB, Walnut Hill, & American Academy), pre-register or fill out an application, prepare technically, and change your mind (this happened to me a lot).

- Audition/sign-up for lots of programs (at least 3) to ensure you will be accepted into one and avoid disappointment and a balletless summer.

Most programs audition in January and February so the schools have time to chose who they want to accept. My first audition is January 26 fir Walnut Hill and I'm super excited and nervous for my first audition ever!

Good luck at your auditions!

Peace, Love, Ballet
- Ballerina Bunhead

Welcome!

Welcome to my brand new blog! I am so excited to have this blog because I love ballet and I want to share my love of the art! So, keep dancing and I'll try to post frequently (when I'm not dancing!)