We’re nearing the end, folks! We just finished a crazy week which included four shows of student choreography, Shavuot, final feedback meetings, extra rehearsals and one last trip to Tel Aviv. It was quite a whirlwind and I’m sure that that pace will not slow until the end of the program. There’s less than 3 weeks to go!
The shows went really well! Tech went quickly and while there wasn’t enough time – in my humble opinion – to really find the right lighting and experiment with certain technical elements, I think every piece really rose to its full potential. With the help of my pilates teacher and friend, Renana, I think I was able to bring my solo to fruition and was quite happy with the theatricality that I managed to showcase. I am hoping to expand it and bring it to NYC. My group piece went extremely well! My dancers got progressively funnier and funnier and by the end of the shows, they really brought the piece to another level. I was extremely pleased!
Here are the links to the two pieces:
Poor Boy (group piece): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwMBmmRZaUk
Foreword (solo): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-40UVIEeog&feature=related
I had one close call in the evening between the first and second day of shows. Due to lack of sleep and a technical mishap, I was very disappointed after one performance and went stomping from my house to the café to grab a beer and cool off before I went to bed. I decided to walk on slightly uncharted territory and rolled my foot rather violently on a pinecone. It hurt a lot at the moment, but I was able to walk from the rest of the way to the café and then back to my house. The real trouble came at about 1:30 in the morning when I awoke due to a throbbing pain in my foot. It wasn’t swollen, but I was unable to put any weight on it at all. I ended up hopping around my room and building trying to find out of anyone was awake. Unfortunately I was alone and quite scared. I ended up icing it, massaging it and elevating it and then went to bed. In the morning I went to the PT who told me that I would be able to dance; I had sprained the outer part of my foot and it wasn’t that bad. He did a little electrotherapy and gave it a good massage and I was 70% back to normal. By the evening I was a little frightened, but still ready to dance and then by the time that I went on for my solo, I was so concentrated, warmed and ready that I completely forgot about my foot and performed better than I think I ever have! Amazing! Sadly I didn’t get that time on video, but you have to trust me it was pretty fabity fab!
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| My dancers performing my piece "Poor Boy" during the Shavuot festivities |
I was lucky enough to have my piece selected to be performed at the Kibbutz Shavuot festival/celebration. There is an annual performance on the main lawn in the kibbutz every year for Shavuot that includes lots of white flowers and dances by the women and children. The kibbutznicks take the opportunity to showcase all of the agricultural activity that happens in and around the kibbutz. There were heaps of avocados and bananas and baby chicks among other things. They also celebrate all the new members of the kibbutz by inviting all the babies born in the last year to be brought in front of the community. Very cute!
I also took a final trip to Tel Aviv this past weekend. I didn’t do anything too eventful beyond hanging out with friends and visiting the café I’ve been meaning to visit for months. It was so excruciatingly hot and oppressive that I ended up leaving earlier than planned and collapsed on the ride home. I slept a record 12 hours (something I haven’t done since I got here). It was much needed!
Today we got casting for our final show! I am in everything except for one small part, which means that I will be dancing for about an hour and a half straight! Wish me luck. We are performing the shows twice a day! There is one small section which we rehearsed today in which I literally feel like I’m having an asthma attack post execution. I decided it’s time to try to improve my cardio, so after rehearsal I went on a short run. Let’s see if I can make any improvements before we go up in 2 weeks! Dunno about that one…
