Catch-up.

I'm sorry I've neglected this blog for such a long time, and I will recount; I limited my own computer time to nothing in the leading up to and following festival days.

Truthfully, I should begin with Wednesday and blog each entry up to today, but festival is one of the biggest events in my dance years and shines brighter, so I'll skim over other details that may or may not be important to such a star. On Wednesday, I spent much of the day considering the time leading up to festival and completing work ahead of time to lessen stress. I had pit practice afterwards and then a general ballet class. Andrew, as always, did not attend. On Thursday, I was giddy with excitement. Although the leotards I ordered for festival hadn't come in, I knew in 24 hours I would be riding in a car to Charleston in leotard in tights. After school, I came straight home and packed, applying stage makeup and digging out costumes then racing to dress rehearsal. We ran through the dance twice, watching each other and smiling, knowing we were sharing a moment together that would stay with us, imagining bright lights, a dark stage, and an educated audience. Even recounting the feeling a dancer feels as she takes the stage lets you know how wonderful a thing dance creates. Class after rehearsal was canceled and I felt my mind go dizzy at the thought of leaving the studio before dark. I came home and wembled over leotards and tights, shorts, dance pants, and warm shirts. Because I worried so about appearing collected and comfortable in my new studio against my studio roots, I did not sleep until midnight. I woke five or six hours later, showered, and dressed in my dance uniform layering warm-ups on top. After a quick but thorough warm up, I got in the car and headed for the studio. Here I switched cars and rode with my dance instructor and several other dancers from the studio who would be taking class but not preforming. After arriving in the great hall, we collected our other dancers and prepared for class. Our first class was ballet, lime level. The barre was simple yet effective and brows plastered with sweat as we moved the barres and headed for center. While we crossed the floor, Loraine asked me to pirouette across the floor singularly and corrected my spotting. Such was extremely helpful as Laureen, my other dance instructor, had mentioned this same thing to me throughout the year. Our next class was modern, a class I lack justified dancing in. The warm up was geared to connect us to the floor during our dancing, however, as I hurt my hip badly at adjudication, the warm up was painful and difficult. Although I did not enjoy the class, I feel I did moderately. Throughout the weekend, I traveled from place to place with Katie, a very, very good friend of mine who dances very well. Next we walked to a small area called the green room for a lecture and stretch and warm up class. The lecture was about the career of one of our jazz teachers, who always teaches a fantastic class. It gave me hope as he described the ups and downs, twist and turns of a dance career. He noted that kids don't want it like they used  to, that they don't live and breathe dance, but there's no possible way I could live without dancing. It's a part of me. The stretch and warm up class also turned out to be a modern warm up. However, while the other focused on the hips, this one was open and about the body as a general on the floor. I felt I did well, and I very much enjoyed the class. After this, the studio collected in the green room and prepared for our rehearsal on the stage. In full dress and make up, the day seemed even more real. They cut us short on our time to keep on schedule once we were on the stage, but i felt that we accomplished a lot. Everyone was confident in the dance tonight, but I could feel habit sneaking up on me. Tonight I was representing two studios and I couldn't let either one down. When we finished the run through of our dance, we reapplied our warm up and waited in the green room. Elizabeth's mom brought us food and we waited for three hours, talking about dance things, for the performance to begin. I was directed to a dance intensive to research by Laureen. Laureen is shaped much like me, and helps me tremendously with advice from first hand experience. As the performance began, I felt pleased, calm and confident. We watched all the dances from a television downstairs and commented on the choreography and dancing. It was beautiful, no question. During intermission. I created my own stress relievers, being with likening the dance to the hokey pokey. Soon it was our time to shine. As the curtains parted, I heard my heart release it's nervous energy and settle into the unearthly calm that is dance; I turned my head to my duet partner, Katie and smiled and we begun. I could feel the energy of the dance studio and settled my rhythm inside it. Every step was a smile and memory, having genuine fun. As we bowed, I knew the performance had been breathtaking and we had preformed to our absolute best ability. Leaving the stage, I felt the sleep settle in my nerves and the fight leave my body. We packed up, and watched the rest of the performance. By the time we had eaten and reached the hotel it was one in the morning, we showered, prepared for the next day, and slept. We woke early in the morning and drove back to the festival location. Katie, myself, and a small group from our studio walked to the women's center. The first class worked every part of your body to the maximum and then laughed at your inability to perfect, but it was a wonderful class, leaving you to take a nap for hours afterward, however, just two or three minutes after the first class ended, we took another ballet class seemingly designated for a lower level to cool down. We were very mislead, the teacher geared the class to our level in a way that left us afterward gasping for breath. Our muscles warmly criticized us, feeling superior but overworked. After such, we walked to the great hall disregarding the opportunity to take another ballet class and went to jazz. Our teacher, as always, taught an amazing class to relieve our muscles and put us in a mood to dance for eternity. Yet as Katie left, and I walked into the Great hall for another ballet class, my heels protested so loudly I suspected to fall from my feet and never walk again. In the past I have discovered that taking extensive ballet and other dance classes pronounces a pain my heels I cannot ignore. It delivers shooting pains throughout my spine in the moments between combinations. It is an extensive and real pain, I leave to ignore although it hurts me incredibly. Heading mind to the limitations of my body, I sat out the next ballet class. I collected several students from our studio afterward and walked to take another jazz class to keep from breaking and tearing my warm muscles.Throughout the day, I received no corrections. After class, we all went to the hotel, showered and went out to eat Mexican. We rushed quickly to the auditorium afterward (me particularly, as I literally ran) to watch my previous company open the show. It was superior, although the amount of tricks shocked me. All the performances were lovely, and no eyes could resist the dance of the beautiful guest artists. I was able to confront my old studio, but icily the old dancers, which pained me. During the party after the performance, I danced with my new studio in the balcony overhanging the great hall. It was amazing. We reached the hotel later than the previous night, and fell into a deep sleep. Sunday, we woke just as early and prepared for the master classes to come. The open ballet class was amazing. I received innumerate kind corrections and helpful tips. The next class was pilates, and it taught me a lot about my body. I have decided to personally pursue pilates as an opportunity to help my ballet career. After such, I took the warm up for the pointe class before sitting and watching the guest artist's repertoire and Lorain's repertoire following it. Both classes were beautiful and en pointe. Next year, I hope to take both classes. Sunday evening we headed back to our house aware the following week was spring break for both school and dance. All week I rested, overworked, and spent as much time as possible in the morning sun as possible. I did not allow myself computer or homework time, not trusting my ability to justify either. On Saturday, it was my birthday. I calmed my facebook posts; ate cake and spent the rest of my weekend distributing myself in different places with different people I love. This morning, I did much the same. Tomorrow I return to school, and my heaven in the studio.