week 2?

So it doesn't seem possible that as of this Sunday I will have completed the second week of my eight week program! Ahhhhhh time is flying by! And I seriously can't believe that I've been living here for almost 3 weeks now. I love how I've been busy here but also in a relaxing way. It's been AMAZING not to have to think about anything but dancing. I've never been able to commit myself to dance so fully with everything else that goes on in life, so this has been lovely. :)

Let's see, updates, updates, updates...

This week we really got into the swing of our program. We have a set course now that we've had advising meetings with faculty and have picked our areas of concentration (mine being "jazz" which they categorize contemporary/lyrical/modern under). So each week we have to take 10 classes, whenever we want: 4 from your area of concentration, 2 ballet, 2 diversity (outside of your concentration), and 2 electives (can be anything you like including classes in your concentration). Unfortunately our weekly master classes and choir rehearsals also count as classes so that takes two out of what I can choose. It's quite overwhelming trying to figure out what classes I'm going to take! There are soooo many I want to try and so many amazing faculty members to train with! This week I took a couple ballet classes with Natalya Stavro again (I like hers), a couple lyrical with Derek Mitchell, a contemporary with Brice Mousset, a tap with Germaine Salsberg, a jazz with Shelia Barker, and a hip hop (God help me) with Bev Brown. My classes continue to be amazing and challenge me in new ways every day. I definitely feel myself getting stronger but there are still so many things I want to work on in the next 6 weeks.

In addition to classes we had an injury prevention seminar at the Harkness Center for Dance Injuries and a dance nutrition seminar a few days later. The Harkness Center is amazing because all the doctors are specially trained to treat dancers. They understand the strains dancers put on their bodies daily and they know the importance of being able to continue to dance, so they have done a lot of researach just for the dancer's body. They gave us a lot of interesting advice and pointers so that we can dance with less chance of injury. The nutrition seminar was along the same lines; the dietitian gave us specific information on how to eat right to maximize our focus and energy for dancing all day. So even in addition to my technique classes, I'm really learning a lot!

This morning was the my first Showcase rehearsal with the student who is choreographing our dance, Amanda. It's going to be a really good piece (set to "Details in the Fabric" by Jason Mraz!) so I'm excited. I'm also hoping to get in at least one other piece. Amanda and I have actually started to become good friends. We have been in a lot of the same classes and she lives near by, so that's good. Today, after rehearsal and class, the two of us went shopping around the 34th street area. She was helping me look for a birthday dress, which I am having no luck finding. Boo. Luckily I still have a month! haha. We went into Macy's which I hadn't attempted up until now because it's so daunting! haha. It's literally its own city! We spent a good amount of time in there and tried on some ridiculous dresses! Then we decided we needed to treat ourselves to some Ben&Jerry's (right there in Macy's world) since we've been working so hard. I feel like I haven't had ice cream in so long! It tasted so good and we were very content! haha. Then we went over to Bryant Park and there happened to be some live music so we sat, relaxed, and chatted while listening (side note: I've become obsessed with Bryant Park. I consider myself a regular there haha. Of course it's not as big and pretty as Central Park, but it's so close to me which makes it easy to go there often. I also like how you still seem like you are in the city at this park, but you also get the calmness. And the park is gorgeous!! I took my lunch there yesterday after class and just stayed there for a good 2 hours reading. You just feel so refreshed afterwards. Though I do miss the beach!!). It was a really fun day and as we were walking back to our apartments a storm rolled in! Downpour, thunder, lightning, wind--the works! Luckily I wasn't going anywhere important and I didn't have to stay dry so it was actually a lot of fun! It had been so hot today (finally!) that it was actually quite refreshing. I did have an umbrella, but it did no good considering it was raining sideways (I thought of Ollie-- for those of you who get that ;) hahaha)!! People were waiting in store doorways and hiding anywhere they could to stay dry but for some reason I was loving the rain and not caring that I was wet. Needless to say, I was fully soaked by the time I reached The Web.

So I think that about updates you on events from this past week. Tomorrow morning we have another master class, this time about performance. Then I'm going to be seeing Natalie since she has her cousin's apartment in the city for the weekend! We'll find something fabulous to do on a Saturday night in the city :) And I'm looking forward to Sunday--my day of rest! I planned my schedule right so that I won't have to take any classes Sunday. Ahhhhhh yes. So that'll be a chill day and Amanda and I may go to the MET.

Peace!