Saturday, July 19, 2008
Ballet Bitten
Okay, so here's something different, I'm actually writing without posting a pic........can this be?
But I have to tell you all this.
Some days ago, I rented from the library the ballet, Swan Lake. Yes, the ballet......not an animation, not Barbie's Swan Lake......but an actual living, breathing ballet cast ( and "yes Julia and Beth....they are in real life" hehehe).
I truly thought the girls would be bored....but I rented it anyhow......efforts in vain???
We started it about 10pm last night, after our quick little outing to Tim's (of which I will post a picture of their awesome donut of the month.....Strawberry Blossom. So stinkin' cuuuuute!!! Of course I had to.":P )
Anyways......we began the ballet and wow, absolutely no talking just dancing with a lot of body language. So I was trying to figure out what was going on since I had little idea about what Swan Lake was all about. I was actually asking the girls, of whom are almost 8 and 6. Murray walks in and gives me a quizzical look and asks me why I was asking the girls.....needless to say......they knew more than I.
Then I opened the pamphlet it came with (a rarity for me) and read the short blurb to each act as it happened ( a much better way to enjoy a ballet...........note to self: know what's going on).
The girls were still full of questions......is that Swan Lake??? When will she be on? What are they doing now? Oh and another very, VERY, important questions (especially to young ladies......) "They don't even need to go to the bathroom?!?!?!?" Such amazing and mind baffling things one doesn't expect from such great performers (forget that the Black Swan, Odile, did 32 continuous fouettés in the coda of the "Black Swan" Pas de Deux http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9cleoX2AqI&feature=related (more towards the middle)
...........and then......when they really got into it.......real live performances began, right in my own living room! Beth actually put on a few different ballet outfits.....and the girls were, in their very own sweet imaginations......."Swan Lake herself" (well girls her name is actually just Odette, she doesn't have two names). They were, as sure as sure can be, graceful and clumsy at the same time. They were so inspired they danced and danced, twirling as fast as they could, mustering up all they had to do their grandest pirouettes and grand jete's. They haven't got down spotting yet,which would have help with the dizziness they experienced, nor the arm positions: bras bas, petite pose, grande pose.......nor the point work (en pointe). But it is told me, by some ballet bitten girls, that ballet is definitely en route for school next year.
Julia, my hypercondriac, kept saying, "It's late.......shouldn't we be getting to bed????" (of which she says when she thinks her tummy is going to start hurting at night) I said that they could stay up this one night to watch it. But with comfy pillow close to face and snuggly blanket pulled up to chin.......away she floated, off to sleep (albeit sweet and dreamy sleep).
Ah, then there was Beth........wide-eyed .....who was on seat's edge to see Odette turn into the swan and die..........(because Mommy told them that this is the REAL Swan Lake where she dies.......not the Barbie Swan Lake where little girls aren't sad and disappointed).
As the credits rolled up, she had such a puzzled look on her face.........she looked at me and said, "Doesn't Odette turn into a swan?" I said, "Oh, she did.....you had to use your imagination." Still puzzled she rewound it to the point where Odette is suppose to be the swan looking through the window when the prince dances with Odile (and proposes to her too.....)
Beth says, "Oh, I think I see some fluffy stuff on her arms........like feathers."
I said, " I don't think so......look, it is just her arms. But see, you DID use your imagination."
And so....... one of the last things spoken last night was (an almost disappointed), "Huh."
But I have to tell you all this.
Some days ago, I rented from the library the ballet, Swan Lake. Yes, the ballet......not an animation, not Barbie's Swan Lake......but an actual living, breathing ballet cast ( and "yes Julia and Beth....they are in real life" hehehe).
I truly thought the girls would be bored....but I rented it anyhow......efforts in vain???
We started it about 10pm last night, after our quick little outing to Tim's (of which I will post a picture of their awesome donut of the month.....Strawberry Blossom. So stinkin' cuuuuute!!! Of course I had to.":P )
Anyways......we began the ballet and wow, absolutely no talking just dancing with a lot of body language. So I was trying to figure out what was going on since I had little idea about what Swan Lake was all about. I was actually asking the girls, of whom are almost 8 and 6. Murray walks in and gives me a quizzical look and asks me why I was asking the girls.....needless to say......they knew more than I.
Then I opened the pamphlet it came with (a rarity for me) and read the short blurb to each act as it happened ( a much better way to enjoy a ballet...........note to self: know what's going on).
The girls were still full of questions......is that Swan Lake??? When will she be on? What are they doing now? Oh and another very, VERY, important questions (especially to young ladies......) "They don't even need to go to the bathroom?!?!?!?" Such amazing and mind baffling things one doesn't expect from such great performers (forget that the Black Swan, Odile, did 32 continuous fouettés in the coda of the "Black Swan" Pas de Deux http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9cleoX2AqI&feature=related (more towards the middle)
...........and then......when they really got into it.......real live performances began, right in my own living room! Beth actually put on a few different ballet outfits.....and the girls were, in their very own sweet imaginations......."Swan Lake herself" (well girls her name is actually just Odette, she doesn't have two names). They were, as sure as sure can be, graceful and clumsy at the same time. They were so inspired they danced and danced, twirling as fast as they could, mustering up all they had to do their grandest pirouettes and grand jete's. They haven't got down spotting yet,which would have help with the dizziness they experienced, nor the arm positions: bras bas, petite pose, grande pose.......nor the point work (en pointe). But it is told me, by some ballet bitten girls, that ballet is definitely en route for school next year.
Julia, my hypercondriac, kept saying, "It's late.......shouldn't we be getting to bed????" (of which she says when she thinks her tummy is going to start hurting at night
Ah, then there was Beth........wide-eyed .....who was on seat's edge to see Odette turn into the swan and die..........(because Mommy told them that this is the REAL Swan Lake where she dies.......not the Barbie Swan Lake where little girls aren't sad and disappointed).
As the credits rolled up, she had such a puzzled look on her face.........she looked at me and said, "Doesn't Odette turn into a swan?" I said, "Oh, she did.....you had to use your imagination." Still puzzled she rewound it to the point where Odette is suppose to be the swan looking through the window when the prince dances with Odile (and proposes to her too.....)
Beth says, "Oh, I think I see some fluffy stuff on her arms........like feathers."
I said, " I don't think so......look, it is just her arms. But see, you DID use your imagination."
And so....... one of the last things spoken last night was (an almost disappointed), "Huh."
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