March 18, 2017

So, I didn’t go to sleep last night mostly because I have had a lot of things on my mind… So, like any normal human at 5:00, I decided to have more coffee and just stay awake and go to Ballet Arizona for 9:00 AM class. Because taking ballet class when you haven’t slept in two days is always smart.

Accomplishment: I made it through an entire ballet class without dying, falling over, or giving up.

Downside: Saturday Class….

Like most dancers around the world today, we all woke up, had breakfast and coffee and moved our way towards the ballet studio. Sitting at Ballet Arizona in the Lobby right now waiting for a student, I am surrounded by young bun heads aspiring to be ballerinas. All of them getting into the studios hours before class, in their custom leotards, trash bags, lululemon vests, therabands, foot stretchers and all the other gadgets and gizmos o plenty… I definitely don’t miss this world, sort of…

OKAY, anyways… god awful getting to the studios at 8:00, a slew of adults were already there… the class was packed, and the craziness began. Rolling out, foot stretching, floor exercises and more… Adults are so hard core when it comes to ballet class. (These kids around me are even more hardcore… but the winners are the parents. The ballet moms of Arizona are quite serious… too serious… way too intense.)

Class was pretty decent as I passed myself. I avoided anything on releve. In adagio I learned my lesson and didn’t put my leg up… at all. I got through everything but chose to sit out of grand allegro as that was just not going to happen. Heaving 200 plus pounds of Kung pao chicken into the air is not cute. Okay reality, I don’t know my weight as I am avoiding the scales like the plague. Pirouettes were pretty good today, not going to lie… did a triple without trying. I was mostly concerned if I was going to be able to releve. Extension is nonexistent, and my left foot is still having this horrible sickle issue. I need to theraband the heck out of it, but alas my theraband is broken.

Finally, and lastly, the most important thing that I have learned today is my inability to communicate what I want out of my body. My thighs today were trembling trying to stand in fifth, and my back was overly exhausted. Day three of getting back in shape is not cute. What is more not cute is the ferocious cliques surrounding me. What is scarier than a young tenacious ballet dancer? A young tenacious ballet dancer who has no fear and a mom that feeds an ego.

Lastly, I am more excited as I am going to see Beauty and the Beast and go to dinner for my Birthday with my Arizona kids. Yup, that’s a thing today. 25 years ago I had Beauty and the Beast Birthday Party…. and now I am going to see it again….

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Later, after Beauty and the Beast I walked into a surprise birthday party from all of my families and students I teach. That was quite wonderful!