Feeling fall

Well, i have been quite busy. Ever since ballet/teaching has picked up i haven't had much time to myself. My days are really long on the nights i am teaching and i go into automatic mode sometimes just to keep up my energy! It's very draining dancing all day then teaching all night. ( I end up demonstarting basicly everything to my students) I like being busy, but it's also nice to have some 'breathing' time. Today i have just that! We worked about 10 days in a row because of our outside free shows the past two weekends. It's nice to now have a day to catch up on cleaning, laundry, and just resting.

Dracula rehearsals are about 3 weeks in and i feel like we are in good shape. I remember last year we were struggling to finish up the third act a couple of days before opening night. I have mixed emotions about the show. I'm excied to be performing the role of 'bride of dracula', but i'm also a little bummed that i didn't get to do Lucy again this year. I had so much fun with that role last year and felt that i really gave it my all. My director was perfectly nice in explaning that although i did a really good job with the role, we don't have strong enough boys for my height. She pulled me aside to have a meeting with me personally to make sure that i wasn't upset and to let me know that it had nothing to do with how i danced. Im still a little bummed, but i understand where she is coming from. It just leaves me a little nervous for Nutcracker. I am worried that she will take roles away from me that i have worked really hard to achieve. I hate the feeling of being casted down. Why work so hard if i'm just going to be ignored and easily replaced? Anyway, these are my conflicting throughts. I pray that this won't be the case with upcoming productions. Im just going to be

working hard and pushing myself until then.
I hope everyone is well!!
~Sara~

Electrotherapy.

I'm on the last two days of the company lay off and i finally have a silver lining to my annyoning shoulder/neck pain. I contacted our physical therapist and told her i wanted to come in and see if she could check it out. She had me twist and turn and do strength tests and told me it was a pull/strain of the Trapezius muscle. It explained why the pain was in my neck and sprayed out to my shoulder. I was relieved it wasn't anything more serious. She put me on a electrotherapy machien for 15min. I've never done that before and it so strange. It was almost as if someone was lightly pinching your skin. I have to go back for a few more sessions to see results. I'm so glad that we have her helping the company out for free.

For the record, googling injuries is a mistake. It always leads you to think you are dying or have some sort of illness.

Maybe i will step outside the box with the time off and take a modern/jazz class tonight..hmmm ....
Be well!
~Sara~

Not Laboring today day...

Not me, but i do love this photo!


It's Labor day weekend and i actually have OFF ! The previous years we usually worked on Labor Day because of upcoming shows. Our schedule is a bit different and we actually are laid off for the week.

We were suppose to have a set of shows last weekend, but as many of you im sure have heard, this little lady named Irene blew through and caused us to cancel two rep. shows down the shore. We were only able to re-schedule one of the shows for the end of the month. It's going to be strange to switch gears from starting Dracula rehearsals to going to back to our rep. work in between both productions. When i'm in Dracula mode....i'm in DRACULA mode. It's tricky going form a flapping hissing bride of Dracula to a unitard sun dancer. Should be interesting...

I keep having "casting" dreams lately and it's bugging me. A lot of the new girls that have come in are really good and pushing ahead of me. I keep dreaming that i am getting pushed away to smaller roles. It's not a HUGE deal to me because as long as i am dancing i should be happy with whatever piece i am given , but it's really hard not to feel that i am getting pushed down instead of up. I don't like this feeling of moving backwards. There's not enough time in a career!!

Anyway, this weekend i plan on decompressing and not letting things bother me. Except, i still have a bad neck :/ It's been three weeks, i think it's dreaded 'doctor' time . I really hope it's nothing serious!

Be well and safe!
~Sara~

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Tis the season...the beginning of one.

The season has officially begun!
We are two weeks in and it hasn't been easy. My neck/shoulder decided to go wonky when i woke up on my birthday morning last week. I'm not sure what it could be because the pain is a sharp constant throb from my neck into the top part of my shoulders. I have a hunch that it might be a pinched nerve. The pain really peaked yesterday during rehearsals. I did some move with my arms over my head and i had instant burning pain. I felt light headed and nauseous. Then i couldn't move my left arm. It was such a scary moment and everyone came rushing over to me to ask what was wrong. Working with such a great group of people really made me feel cared for. They all worked together to help me get upstairs and put these pain relief patches on. (those ladies from Japan have these awesome patches that look like giant bandaids that release medicine into where ever you put them) After some advil and laying on my back i felt ok. I'm a tough cookie when it comes to pain, but that was unbearable!
Anyway, besides that little drama things have been ok. LOTS of new people. LOTS of new and GOOD people this season. Looking around the room at the new talent really makes me realize i need to push myself this year. Not that i don't do that usually, but i feel an extra push to keep up with these crazy turners and jumpers. I need to take what i'm good at and excel.
Our first show is this coming Saturday. Much rest and relaxation this weekend to get better for then.

My best to you all.
Ps where is August going??
~Sara~

Hi!

RIP...laptop.
So, i haven't posted in a bit because my HP laptop decided to stop turning the screen on for no reason. I'm really upset because it is only about 2yrs old and i have done nothing to prompt this malfunction. So fustrating...

ANYway, things have been wonderful. My booba took me on a suprise vacation to the fingerlake ny. He said we needed to celebrate 7yrs properly and wanted to get away somewhere special. It really was amazing and i could go into details, but i will spare you. Instead, i will sum it up: slept in a real old train caboose as a hotel, swam in a huge lake, drank a lot...a LOT.. of great wines, ate amazing food, and had a wonderful time with my best friend ever :)

We are now a week away from the beginning of the season...yikkkkkkkeeeees. Im ready to get back into the routine but this also leaves me about a week to get semi in shape. We have company headshots/bodyshots the day before we start so i have to look in shape and not like i just went on vacation. Should be interesting.

The new apprentices have been slowly arriving to the studio and i can't help but feel the pressure of pushing myself. Dancers tend to judge themselves and everyone else. It's sad, but we have this drive to stay on top of our game. I think i feel the pressure the most because i have been there so long and i am a company memeber. Some of these newbies are younger and better than me. I have this feeling sometimes that they will look at me and say ' how did SHE make it into the compamy '. It's hard for me to get that thought out of my head and I wish that i could just accept me and my dancing for what it is. Time for some positive energry. Maybe i need some yoga because we start? :)

Anyway, i'll leave you with some photos from the trip. My booba and i are thinking about starting a blog called "Ballet Everywhere" . Everytime we go somewhere or on vacation i always have to take my 'ballet shot'. I thought it might be cool to post a blog of me doing ballet ballet poses in different locations. What do you think? Lame, kinda cool, or it's been done. Anyway, hope you all are enjoying your summer and aren't melting too much! <3

summer time!

I can't believe it's summer already! It HAS felt like summer for a bit now because of the temperature, but it is OFFICIALLY here now. Summer camp is in full swing and i am enjoying the students. I teach arts and crafts with the mini campers and workshop to the older ones. Workshop is basicly 1 1/2hrs of me teaching them choreography. I am in love with Florence (band) and am doing a contemporary/ballet piece to her 'Rabbit Heart' song. I've alway had an image of Alice in Wonderland when i listened to the song so i decided to do a cliff note version of choreography to tell the story.

The students are having fun with the piece and that is what is most important to me. If the people you choreograph for aren't enjoying what they are giving them then they won't perform it the way you want them too. I love seeing them laugh and add their imput and ideas. As a choreographer i am always feeding off the the energy from the group and will always listen to their ideas/thoughts. I hate people who get so stubborn about how they want things to go. Keeping an open flow of energy and creativity between the dancers and choreographer gives the piece more excitement and energy. It's a rewarding experience and i just love the process.

In other news, i celebrated 7yr with my booba yesterday. I couldn't be happier. :) He's such a great support system for me and my career. Even in my crazy moments he sticks by me. Love you booba, you're the best.

I REALLY need to get my butt to class. Taking

barre once a week is not going to get my butt back into shape! Next week, i'll work on getting better at that.

Hope you are well and cool!
~Sara~