Did I search "ballet puns," just to come up with a clever title for this blog post? Yes, yes, I did do that. And I have zero regrets because that level of corny is just how I'm living out this phase of my life! ANDDD. I love ballet. 

So, for those of you who don't know me very well or haven't read my original fic from several years ago entitled Three Acts of Grace, I used to study ballet. It was my entire life from the ages of seven to seventeen. I did do a brief stint in college performing within a multi-disciplinary dance group that was newly established but, full disclosure, I made some stupid life choices and quit soon after I started it. You live and learn and try to stomach the regrets you had.

But anyway, I have some "quick facts about me/my love of ballet," and also my video clips and commentary on some of my favorites:

Favorite Classic Ballet: Swan Lake, hands down. Tchaikovsky's music in this is haunting, poignant, and encapsulates everything you need it to be for the storyline to be just as meaningful. Did I ever dance in this one? Yes! Here are some clips from the pas de trois, variation #2 (for some reason I was always getting the "hop on Pointe" roles), and the swan duet (sadly I could not find a clip of this?). I was, of course also, a member of the corps de ballet in this one so any of the scenes in Act II and IV where you see all the swans gathered, I was definitely there! I also did participate in The Four Swans dance during a summer intensive workshop. That is probably one of the most well known pieces from the ballet. It looks incredibly easy but it's definitely not. Especially if you are not all the same height (I recall my knees knocking into other girls joined hands, which is probably why they put me on the end lol. 

Favorite Modern Ballet: Dracula. It is so cool! The music is amazing, the flying brides. It's definitely something that sticks with you! Did I ever dance in this one? Unfortunately not. But I have seen it a couple of times.

Favorite Role I Ever Played: The Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland was wicked fun! I suppose if you look up any professional company who performs Alice in Wonderland, the Mad Hatter does a great deal of tap dancing and the music is rather mild and dainty. My ballet instructor made her own choreography for our rendition and boy was it anything but tame haha. I wish I knew what music she used for it because it was so wild! It started out like a low whistle and then built into a chaotic brass section. Which was fitting because I started out underneath the table and then popped out of it like HA! SURPRISE I AM HERE! The girls who played Alice were also really good sports because I had to ease them into a back bend and play them like they were a piano  

Favorite Dancer Growing Up: Well this changed very frequently. Of course I felt a special tie to all the dancers at Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre because a lot of them were my teachers. But I absolutely LOVED Alessandra Ferri in Romeo & Juliet. Check out this clip. The 3:30 mark is where it REALLY hits! I also loved Gillian Murphy, particularly when ABT (American Ballet Theatre) released her Swan Lake performance with Angel Corella on a DVD. Seriously, check out the Black Swan variations and coda because he is amazing too (here if you're curious). It's seductive, sassy, and technically speaking girl can get those 32 fouettés. Also the 32 fouettés was like the cool thing all the ballet nerds attempted to do once they got confident enough in Pointe shoes.

Speaking of Pointe shoes...since everyone always asks...you do put a bit of padding in there, though the object is to be able to sort of feel the floor. It hurts at first, but you quickly build up a tolerance. And if it hurts once you've built up the tolerance, you need new shoes!

Anyway, I could probably go on in like a 20 page essay about all things ballet (how women have to do most of the work, even in a pas de deux and the man is essentially the prop xD), but I'll spare you all!

 Courtney