listens to Saint-Saens and organ symphonies to get through two straight spin classes and morning lifting, all before 8am.
6am spin tomorrow. Burning off all the confusion and strangeness and lack of control.
A little epic organ to champion your daily battles: click here!
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Cymbeline
is stunning. Seriously. Everyone must go see it asap at the Barrow Street Theatre near the Christopher Street stop off the 1 train in Manhattan.
The vigor of my recommendation comes fresh on the heels of my return from the performance, which I saw with my friend from Africa. This new production of Cymbeline demonstrates a perfect combination of humor and hope to jettison anyone away from the gloomy attitudes that muggy weather and gray skies bring.
I have to say I agree whole-heartedly with this New York Magazine review:
If this is the future of theater, sign me up (and help me dust off my violin).
I have to say I agree whole-heartedly with this New York Magazine review:
"The Fiasco Company brings joyful music, playful inventiveness and just an air-kiss of irony to Shakespeare's mock-epic. They remind us what theater, at its simplest and most powerful, is really for: the alchemical thrill of watching an entire world conjured into being out of sheer wit and will. A masterpiece."
- Scott Brown, New York MagazineThe most enjoyable aspect for me was that each of the actors not only sang (beautifully) the songs they composed together, but they also each played multiple instruments, and with genuine technical virtuosity!
If this is the future of theater, sign me up (and help me dust off my violin).
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Progress?!
Went back in to sing for How To Succeed today. Got a "We'll be in touch" ... could be dismissive, could be good, who knows! Any feedback is better than no feedback at all... at least it wasn't the dreaded, generic "Thank you!"
It was a gray, perfect day for me to sing my new favorite Sondheim go-to song, which literally has the line "What thought I could be duller, more depressing, less gay... now my favorite color is graaay."
Don Giovanni rehearsal was a bit full of the dramz... Don Giovanni himself even had a moment where he insisted, and this is a verbatim quote "I am the sun, you see, so everything in this production must revolve around me." True as that may be.... it was a bit absurd that he actually said that out loud! Leperello, as always, was full of timely comedic relief, and we finally met the Commendatore! What a deep voice, what a fantastic capacity to stoke fear in the hearts of all us lowly servants and party people on DG's final evening on earth!
Mr. Grandage is stunningly calm with all of the demanding personalities in his cast; I am continually impressed by his ability to coral the emotions and creativity of his team.
Anyway, another long day tomororow... now I think I may actually go to sleep super early, so lame, but soo necessary. Spin class at 6am tomorrow!
It was a gray, perfect day for me to sing my new favorite Sondheim go-to song, which literally has the line "What thought I could be duller, more depressing, less gay... now my favorite color is graaay."
Don Giovanni rehearsal was a bit full of the dramz... Don Giovanni himself even had a moment where he insisted, and this is a verbatim quote "I am the sun, you see, so everything in this production must revolve around me." True as that may be.... it was a bit absurd that he actually said that out loud! Leperello, as always, was full of timely comedic relief, and we finally met the Commendatore! What a deep voice, what a fantastic capacity to stoke fear in the hearts of all us lowly servants and party people on DG's final evening on earth!
Mr. Grandage is stunningly calm with all of the demanding personalities in his cast; I am continually impressed by his ability to coral the emotions and creativity of his team.
Anyway, another long day tomororow... now I think I may actually go to sleep super early, so lame, but soo necessary. Spin class at 6am tomorrow!
Monday, September 19, 2011
Living a lifetime in a day!
Today I was up at 5am to get home and work out and clean my house before the How to Succeed In Business Without Really Trying dance call today (I know, it's an absurdly long name)
Got to the call in record time, and went in with the first non-equity (aka non-union) group of dancers. The choreographer read through my resume and got to the Met Opera engagement, and asked me about my schedule and availability. Eek! I was the only person in my room that he talked to.... it certainly doesn't mean a job, but in my world of endless optimism it means I'm one step closer to Brooooaaadwaaayy.
Met a long lost friend for a break in between parts of the audition.
According to Chris (the How To Succeed choreographer), there will be a glee replacement (Darren Criss) for Daniel Radcliff, and then, God help us, one of the Jonas Brothers (Nick, to be precise. The very same who played around on Les Miserables for about three months on tour... oh to be a Disney child). I'd love love love to dance for this show. So aerobic. So awesome!
And if the day wasn't awesome enough, I ran into Idina Menzel on the way out of Pearl Studios, and she said Hi and Thank You for holding the door open. And then my jaw proceeded to drop to the floor.... I'm about 40% sure that she saw.... embarrassment!
Anyway, spent the rest of the day at Broadway Dance Center in Theatre and Voice classes, and rounded up my day teaching for Kaplan at the JCC on the Upper West Side, and then interlude two with long lost friend. Phew!
Keep pounding the pavement ya'll!!
All my love,
Laura
Got to the call in record time, and went in with the first non-equity (aka non-union) group of dancers. The choreographer read through my resume and got to the Met Opera engagement, and asked me about my schedule and availability. Eek! I was the only person in my room that he talked to.... it certainly doesn't mean a job, but in my world of endless optimism it means I'm one step closer to Brooooaaadwaaayy.
Met a long lost friend for a break in between parts of the audition.
According to Chris (the How To Succeed choreographer), there will be a glee replacement (Darren Criss) for Daniel Radcliff, and then, God help us, one of the Jonas Brothers (Nick, to be precise. The very same who played around on Les Miserables for about three months on tour... oh to be a Disney child). I'd love love love to dance for this show. So aerobic. So awesome!
And if the day wasn't awesome enough, I ran into Idina Menzel on the way out of Pearl Studios, and she said Hi and Thank You for holding the door open. And then my jaw proceeded to drop to the floor.... I'm about 40% sure that she saw.... embarrassment!
Anyway, spent the rest of the day at Broadway Dance Center in Theatre and Voice classes, and rounded up my day teaching for Kaplan at the JCC on the Upper West Side, and then interlude two with long lost friend. Phew!
Keep pounding the pavement ya'll!!
All my love,
Laura
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Work Out Central
If ever you find yourself debating between hitting snooze one more time, or waking up early enough to get to a dance class/work out class, do everything in your power to choose the second alternative.
This morning, I woke up from a decent six and a half hours of sleep to the sound of my BALLET alarm. I reallllly wanted to keep snoozing until I actually had to be up so that I could prep for my Kaplan lesson later in the afternoon. Instead, some well trained internal switch kicked into a high enough gear to get me out of bed, and I am SO grateful.
After a week of total body workout classes tempered with the occasional morning spin class (I'm really making use of my unacceptably expensive New York gym membership), I've realized that I can FINALLY do difficult ballet again!
It was such a rare pleasure to find my body really clicking into the proper position... sans cheating... for the first time in years. I can't remember the last time I actually felt slightly beautiful while doing ballet combinations adagio and across the floor. Hopefully this morning wasn't just a fluke!
Off to prep tomorrow's lesson plan and go to bed early so I have plenty of time to rest before Sunday spin day!
This morning, I woke up from a decent six and a half hours of sleep to the sound of my BALLET alarm. I reallllly wanted to keep snoozing until I actually had to be up so that I could prep for my Kaplan lesson later in the afternoon. Instead, some well trained internal switch kicked into a high enough gear to get me out of bed, and I am SO grateful.
After a week of total body workout classes tempered with the occasional morning spin class (I'm really making use of my unacceptably expensive New York gym membership), I've realized that I can FINALLY do difficult ballet again!
It was such a rare pleasure to find my body really clicking into the proper position... sans cheating... for the first time in years. I can't remember the last time I actually felt slightly beautiful while doing ballet combinations adagio and across the floor. Hopefully this morning wasn't just a fluke!
Off to prep tomorrow's lesson plan and go to bed early so I have plenty of time to rest before Sunday spin day!
Friday, September 16, 2011
Happy Fall Everyone!
And suddenly it's COLD. This is crazy! The other day the temperature literally dropped twenty degrees in a few hours. Silly me thinking I could wear jean shorts and a strapless top to rehearsal when the day started out at 86 degrees Fahrenheit.
Cuteness be damned, I actually think I caught a cold from being unexpectedly stuck in post-rehearsal rainy evening with barely anything on! Oh well, the weather today was gorgeous, sunny, with the perfect crisp fall breeze that begs for jeans but still gives a reprieve from cumbersome winter jackets.
Rehearsal today was fast, added rehearsals (already) for next week. Hopefully the director is happy with what he is seeing! Honestly, it's kind of nice to be a background element in a machine with as many cogs and facets as Don Giovanni has... I don't envy the principal opera singers all the hard hard work they must be doing with Mr. Grandage.
Started (another) job today, working part time in HR and administration for a sustainable clothing company. The boss is a bit absent minded... great opportunity to work on developing and increasing my quota for patience. OOh and I got the position I wanted with one of Mayor Bloomberg's new education initiatives. Can't wait to get started in October!!
Donated to an old friend's cause today and got an update about the 12 year old l'm sponsoring in Guatemala through Children's International... it felt good. Honestly, I've been spending more money than I should of late, but why not? Life is short, I could die any day, and I'm happy to contribute to the economy in the pursuit of making others' lives a bit brighter, as well as taking some much needed down time with my wonderful friends.
I can always make more money, I can't ever get more life than whatever I've been allotted. What is that mantra? You must do the best that you can with the time that is given to you?
Oohh girl, I'm trying. And with that, I'll leave you with a particularly enjoyable take on a scene from my old fave Disney cartoon, Beauty and the Beast, courtesy of my leggy namesake:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oxj1fw1p9Ao
Hey girl hey!
Cuteness be damned, I actually think I caught a cold from being unexpectedly stuck in post-rehearsal rainy evening with barely anything on! Oh well, the weather today was gorgeous, sunny, with the perfect crisp fall breeze that begs for jeans but still gives a reprieve from cumbersome winter jackets.
Rehearsal today was fast, added rehearsals (already) for next week. Hopefully the director is happy with what he is seeing! Honestly, it's kind of nice to be a background element in a machine with as many cogs and facets as Don Giovanni has... I don't envy the principal opera singers all the hard hard work they must be doing with Mr. Grandage.
Started (another) job today, working part time in HR and administration for a sustainable clothing company. The boss is a bit absent minded... great opportunity to work on developing and increasing my quota for patience. OOh and I got the position I wanted with one of Mayor Bloomberg's new education initiatives. Can't wait to get started in October!!
Donated to an old friend's cause today and got an update about the 12 year old l'm sponsoring in Guatemala through Children's International... it felt good. Honestly, I've been spending more money than I should of late, but why not? Life is short, I could die any day, and I'm happy to contribute to the economy in the pursuit of making others' lives a bit brighter, as well as taking some much needed down time with my wonderful friends.
I can always make more money, I can't ever get more life than whatever I've been allotted. What is that mantra? You must do the best that you can with the time that is given to you?
Oohh girl, I'm trying. And with that, I'll leave you with a particularly enjoyable take on a scene from my old fave Disney cartoon, Beauty and the Beast, courtesy of my leggy namesake:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oxj1fw1p9Ao
Hey girl hey!
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Auditions, Rehearsals, and Pointe Shoes...
How to Succeed is having a dance call next Monday. Here's hoping
[a] Don Giovanni does not request my presence at another last minute rehearsal (we're running a teensy bit behind schedule)
and
[b] That I can actually get in to be seen in the Equity dancer free-for-all chorus call. Loving the business, as always.
In other news, my new private tutoring student *Annie is an absolutely adorable, easily distracted 11 year old who loves to dance. Apparently mom's ecstatic because Annie has calmed down considerably ever since I gave her a pair of my old pointe shoes to play with.
Annie's utter joy when she saw that I remembered to bring the shoes to our session reminded me how much I actually do love to dance. Nice to see the next generation nourishing a passion as keen as my own strives to be.
Dance quote of the day:
"Dancing is like dreaming with your feet!"
[a] Don Giovanni does not request my presence at another last minute rehearsal (we're running a teensy bit behind schedule)
and
[b] That I can actually get in to be seen in the Equity dancer free-for-all chorus call. Loving the business, as always.
In other news, my new private tutoring student *Annie is an absolutely adorable, easily distracted 11 year old who loves to dance. Apparently mom's ecstatic because Annie has calmed down considerably ever since I gave her a pair of my old pointe shoes to play with.
Annie's utter joy when she saw that I remembered to bring the shoes to our session reminded me how much I actually do love to dance. Nice to see the next generation nourishing a passion as keen as my own strives to be.
Dance quote of the day:
"Dancing is like dreaming with your feet!"
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