and the winner is... DANNY!

The So You Think You Can Dance finale was this past Wednesday and Thursday on Fox, and it was a great one! The show resurrected some past favorite numbers chosen by the choreographers as well as brought back some of the top ten, and top 14 since Anya, Jesus and two other dancers not from the top ten will be traveling on tour to approximately 50 cities. And luckily for me my best friend Margaret from high school attends Boston University and got us pre-sale tickets to the Boston show at Agannis Arena on September 22.

I cannot wait.

Danny and Anya performing "Apologize"

SYTYCD

It has been an extremely long time since I have posted, due to a trip to Europe, countless weddings, a week-long vacation in Lake George, NY, not to mention working full time at my part time job and taking a summer class.

But as this season of SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE begins to wrap up, I have to put in my two-sense.

I can't help but support Danny and Sabra, hands down the most talented dancers left in the final six. It just seems to me they are both on a whole other level than some of the other dancers. Lacey dances with a "fluff" feel: just skimming the surface of technical training. But Danny turns so effortlessly it's extremely hard to take your eyes off of him. And Sabra's energy and personality always shine through when she's performing.

I haven't been following the show closely, being out of the country for 15 days and working full-time hasn't helped me catch up on my SYTYCD episodes, but after watching One Republic perform their song "Apologize" and found out Danny and Anya had performed it during an earlier episode ... I went straight to YOUTUBE.

Why might you ask? Not only do I love the song, but I have finished choreographing a piece for the Northeastern University Dance Company's Fifth Annual Winter Concert coming up this December to the Timbaland produced version of "Apologize."

The contemporary piece performed in a partnering setting was powerful and beautiful. I LOVED IT! Almost as much as I enjoy performing my own choreography to the moving music. Although Anya has been voted off the show since that episode ... the beauty of the piece resonates even in the shoddy-quality YOUTUBE video.

So You Think You Can Dance Season 3 begins TONIGHT

Season 3 Premiere of SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE kicks off with two audition episodes: a 90-minute show on Thursday, May 24 8/7c and a two-hour special next Wednesday May 30th at 8pm. Look out for me in the New York Audition line outside!

Majestic Theatre brings "Light" right by the Common

THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA
Presented by Broadway Across America – Boston
The Colonial Theatre, 100 Boylston Street, downtown Boston
May 29 – June 9, 2007

I just received a Majestic Theatre e-mail informing me about the Tony-award winning Broadway show's visit to Boston. I will call soon to find out about student rush tickets!

Have a great Memorial Day Weekend and don't forget to dance!

"Tears of Joy" at BU

Tonight, the jazz ballet piece "Tears of Joy" will be performed at the Boston Youth Moves Dance Company Concert at Boston University Dance Theater at 915 Commonwealth Avenue.

The piece is set to music by Count Basie and Duke Ellington and is choreographed by the late Richard Jones. The piece tells the story of a reunion of World War II friends. Other pieces being performed tonight include work by Hope Boykin from Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, dancer Kristina Berger and "Fosse" creator Chet Walker.

Tonight's show begins at 8pm and tickets are a little on the steeper side: $25 general admission and $20 for seniors and children under 12 years old.

For more info check out the Boston Youth Moves Web site.

Catching up

Last Friday I saw Alvin Ailey's performance at the Citi Wang Theatre with a large group of friends from dance. The show was great and I saw some pieces that I had never seen before including "Portrait of Billie," "Pas de Duke" and "Reminiscin'". The show was phenomenal and catching glimpses of choreographers and former Ailey dancers in the audience was a great experience.

Tonight I am going to see Classic Balanchine put on by the Boston Ballet. After meeting Brooke Reynolds, one of the corps de ballet dancers, it will make the Balanchine pieces come more alive.

Also ... I am going to blog about Jose Mateo's full length ballet premiering this weekend.

Irish Step dancing at Northeastern

Whether you are of Irish descent or not, numerous dancers have been drawn to this style since Erin Gormley, a freshman, choreographed last semester. It has given a lot of the dancers an opportunity to learn a new style of dance that is fun, upbeat and a GREAT workout.

This piece to the music "Siasma" expressed "Tradition." For all of you who missed out on last weekend's show, make sure to keep updated about events at www.nudanco.neu.edu.

You'd have to be "Colorblind" not to be moved by this choreography

My good friend Vanessa Castro, a middler at Northeastern University, and I danced in three pieces together this semester.

The piece she choreographed was a beautiful modern/lyrical number to the Counting Crows' "Colorblind". It was heartfelt and emotional and the style of dance is truly unique to Vanessa. I feel like watching the difference between the "Show Me The Money" hip hop piece and this performance shows the wide range of dance styles that are out there, that can be performed by some of the same dancers.

"Show Me The Money" clip from "Expressions"

Ahhh the power of technology. Some of my friends have already posted a few clips from some pieces from the Northeastern University Dance Company's spring show "Expressions."

This first one is choreographed by freshman Alex Sanchez to the popular Petey Pablo song featured in last summer's dance movie hit "Step Up."

Enjoy!

Ailey's annual visit to Boston is coming up

Alvin Ailey Dance Company has taken modern dance to a whole new level. The inspirational, colorful, intricate and technically challenging choreography has evolved the art form of modern dance. The annual Celebrity Series performances in Boston always welcome Ailey with open arms.

This year is no different as the performances begin next week running from Thursday April 26 through April 29. The Celebrity Series Web site describes the company as "Rooted in the history of the African-American diaspora, and born of the dreams and vision of its founder, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater has shaped itself into an ambassador for American culture. Through epic stories of American struggle, jazz inspired narratives and hip-hop infused portraits, the Ailey company continues to connect generations of audiences."

Each performance features different pieces including Revelations, The River, Sweet Bitter Love, Grace, Portrait of Billie and Pas de Duke. With student rush tickets always available for these shows, I plan on taking a page out of my good friend Ty's book and going to as many shows as my schedule and budget allows.

For specific show information go here.

It isn't the end ...

I guess this will be my last "official" blog for class, but I intend to keep up with my dance blog to keep everyone up to date on Boston dance news.

I am planning to attend Alvin Ailey's shows coming next weekend, Classic Balanchine and Giselle put on by the Boston Ballet in May and to see Emerson's spring musical production of On The Town. I am also planning a trip soon to New York City to see Legally Blonde, the Musical and could not be more excited.

I have learned a ton about how to blog and be more competent computer-wise and how to at least be vaguely Internet savvy. Blogging about dance let me utilize a hobby and find out more about it to teach myself and inform all who read my blog.

So keep an eye out because I am hoping to at least blog once a week after the semester ends and to definitely add posts to preview performances, review performances and talk about auditions and what's new in the dance world.

Also ... coming in the end of May I will be recapping "So You Think You Can Dance" just as I did with "Dancelife." I wish I could've gotten into "Dancing with the Stars" but have only had time to just catch pieces of episodes when they air and on You Tube.

So this isn't goodbye ... it's simply be back soon.

Kelley Donovan & Dancers (KD & D) present "It's All Forgotten Now"

This evening-length modern piece ran April 13-15 at The Julie Ince Thompson Theatre at The Dance Complex in Cambridge. Located at 536 Massachusetts Avenue, The Dance Complex is a buzzing hub of dance classes, networking, performances and information.

In the program, the piece is described as "An evening length dance exploring transformation, decay and memory." The 45 minute long show featured 12 dancers, all with clear modern backgrounds and amazing talent. However, this style was not exactly my cup of tea.

I am going to go ahead and say that the style of dance was intensely modern. Abrupt motion and repetition enhanced the theme of exploring "memory" but as focused as I tried to become, I was not captivated, moved or inspired by the movement.

I think music plays an important role in dance, and in the case of this show the music consisted of repetitious noises and at one brief point, singing in a foreign language which sounded like either Hungarian, Russian or Portuguese.

I don't want to diminish for one second the talent of the dancers. Blair Bodie, Tara Burns, Kelley Donovan, Audrey Ellis, Gina Hesse, Lisa Kazmer, Kelly Long, Laura McComb, Jessamy Murray, Jaime Shanon, Nell Timreck and Allison Vinal all displayed great technique and talent.

The company KD & D describes their company in the program as a collaborative operation creating contemporary dance performances centered around transformation and spirituality. Kelley Donovan herself studied choreography with Mark Morris during his stint in Boston and she teaches modern dance as well.

She has created an incredibly valuable dance source which I just learned about at the show, the Dance Action Network which is a great one-stop information destination for the Boston dance community and has approximately 1000 New England dance artists. I think it is a great way of promoting events, collaborating with other dancers and just keeping up to date with all that's going on in the dance world.

The piece was a great eye-opener for me. It introduced me to modern that is release-based rather than contraction then release (Martha Graham's style) and it helped me learn about the Dance Action Network which I can't wait to join.

For more information about KD & D head here.

All dance, all weekend

This past weekend has been an non-stop dance fest for me. From performing in the NUDANCO spring show "Expressions" to have a casual dance party with friends to seeing "It's All Forgotten Now" at the Thompson Theatre at Dance Complex in Cambridge, I have done nothing but think about dance.

Well I did go to work Sunday, but only for five hours.

I have lots more dance news, but for now I'm doing some homework. I'll be blogging tonight about the Kelly Donovan show I saw at Dance Complex, more about my show with pictures and about some Latin dance events around the Boston area.

June "Riverdance" tickets are now on sale

The Shubert Theatre will be a temporary home to the internationally-acclaimed and world-renowned Riverdance show, featuring traditional Irish step dancing and music. The show will run from June 20 until July 8 and tickets are on sale now through Ticketmaster.com.

For more information about the upcoming show check here.

Tickets run $29.50 - $69.50. I am planning to do a little research about Irish Step dancing because just last semester a freshman dancer who joined NUDANCO brought Irish Step to our community to great enthusiasm from the dance members and the audiences of our shows.

Irish Step dance is a disciplined and very technical cultural dance art form and I have attempted it myself, to my own embarrassment. However, practice will eventually make perfect, and dancing while learning about another culture is the greatest combination for me.

Boston Dance Theatre Group show next week!

Amanda Rey is fast becoming a reliable Boston dance resource for me. She invited me to the Boston University Dance Theatre Group performance on Friday April 20 (that's next Friday folks!)

This dance group over at BU, the Dance Theatre Group (DTG) was created in 1973.

On their Facebook student group page they explain their mission statement and how the group got its start.

"DTG was started to give student dancers at Boston University the opportunity to learn different styles of dance and the chance to perform in works choreographed by students, faculty and alumni. "

The show is described on the Facebook event as a showcase of works by students and faculty.
the shows are on Friday April 20, at 8 p.m., Saturday April 21 at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Tickets are $5 for students with an ID and $10 for the general public. Call 617-358-2500 until 3pm on Friday April 20 to reserve your tickets.

It hardly seems fair ...

"Dancing with the Stars" is a ballroom dance competition that is supposed to pit celebrities without a dance background against each other, while being paired up with professional and coincidentally gorgeous ballroom dancers.

However, what strikes me as odd is that this season, Joey Fatone is a true standout, as a liability to the show.

For anyone who pays attention to pop culture, you know that Joey Fatone is a former member of the boy band, 'N Sync, and that the group performed complicated dance numbers for music videos, concerts and other performances.

Not to mention that I happen to know that Joey Fatone was a musical star in his high school productions, known for his triple-threat range of talents, singing, acting and dancing.

Also, as if I need to add something else, I had the privilege of seeing Fatone on stage in NYC as Mark in Rent many, many moons ago when I was about 16 years old. Guess what, he danced.

It seems to me that he may have been carefully chosen because of his background to bring the celebrity side a bit of previous dance talent, or maybe to ensure that he stays on through the show. Or maybe they want to make sure some die-hard 'N Sync fans will tune in just to watch the charmingly funny fellow boogie.

Either way, once this semester ends in two weeks, I'll be able to actually watch the show instead of glimpsing snippets from YouTube and reading recaps on the official Web site.

A taste of this season's dancing with the stars

Learn ballet from a Boston Ballet Corps de Ballet dancer!!!!

Katherine Hartsell, a member of the Boston Ballet corps de ballet, will teach a ballet class at Healthworks in Cambridge on Monday, April 23, 7:30-8:30 pm. A reception will follow and the class is free for members, aka ME!!

For non-Boston Ballet members, the fee is a mere $20, a trifle for the chance to have a dance class with a professional ballerina from a world-renowned company.

I just sent out the RSVP to the Healthworks correspondent and could not be more excited for this ballet class. But what should I wear?

Honoring Dance Leadership

Boston Ballet Artistic Director Mikko Nissinen will receive a Leadership Award from the United Nations Association of Greater Boston at its annual Consuls Ball on April 27. According to the Boston Ballet Web site every year the board of directors of the UNA-GB honors international citizens who are outstanding in their field and who have made a valuable contribution to the Boston community.

The Consuls Ball helps raise funds for UN/Global Classrooms, a program in local inner-city schools.

I'm not going to "Sleep" during the first week of April 2008

The National Russian Ballet Renaissance will continue performing at the Maj on April 6 directly after their rendition of Romeo and Juliet when they perform a one-night only performance on Sleeping Beauty.

This beautiful story is a sad one, especially the Brothers Grimm version, but a Disney miracle turned it into an enchanting and entrancing sweep of music and colors.

The Maj site describes this version of the ballet as "Tchaikovsky’s first successful ballet score, Sleeping Beauty has been enchanting audiences of all ages since 1890. This tale of a princess, a spell, a 100-year sleep, and a kiss is a tour de force of classical dancing, with brilliant solo choreography and ensemble pageantry."

Which makes me wonder ...

If life were actually fairytale-like would we all be Cinderella's, damsels-in-distress or would we be Ariel's, rebellious, inquisitive beauties?

Something to ponder ...

"Romeo and Juliet" and "Romeo and Juliet"

I am shocked to say Boston Ballet's (that's it from now on I'm calling it "BB") Romeo and Juliet will not be the only ballet performance of this tragic romance to grace the theatre district's Tremont Street in the 2007-2008 ballet season.

The National Russian Ballet Renaissance will be performing none other than Romeo and Juliet April 4 -5 , 2008 at Emerson's Cutler Majestic Theatre.

The information on the Maj Web site states there will be 50 dancers and a 40 piece live orchestra.

Mikhail Schulgin is the artistic director and choreographer for the National Russian Ballet Renaissance and he also happens to be the Ballet Master at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Moscow, Russia.

With music by Sergei Prokofiev, detailed and elaborate costumes and the traditions of the most stern, professional and exquisite ballet countries in the world, this promises to be a good show. It will be interesting to compare and contrast the varied styles between the BB's version and this other performance.

"So You Think You Can Dance" Auditions wind down southern style

The final of four open casting call auditions for the hit dance competition television program "So You Think You Can Dance" will hold its final auditions on April 5, that's this Thursday, in Atlanta, Georgia.

If you're in that area head on down and take a shot at a chance of a lifetime, if not, keep waiting until mid-May for the Season 3 premiere!

Leaping ahead to Boston Ballet's 2007-2008 Season ... and it looks good!

I just read an article about the upcoming season of the Boston Ballet from the Boston Globe on Boston.com (see here).

As I still am getting pumped for the rest of this season which includes a Classic Balanchine show and the infamous and tragic story of Giselle, I am excited to learn that during the fall after the Boston Ballet's planned Spain tour, other than the obvious productions of The Nutcracker, other shows will be enticing ballet fans throughout Boston.

The season opener (coincidentally today happens to be one for another sport; baseball) will be a program featuring Sorella Englund's "La Sylphide" along with two (short) pieces choreographed by Balanchine.

Later on in the season, Romeo and Juliet, will be one of the full-length ballets to grace the Citi Wang Centre and in May, Marius Petipa's "La Bayadère."

Next Generation, a world premiere from Jorma Elo (your favorite resident choreographer of the Boston Ballet and mine), will arrive in March 2008.

The 2007-2008 season will finish up with Dark Elegies ,a company premiere of Anthony Tudor's production.

For detailed information on the productions, pieces, special performances and choreographers for the Boston Ballet 2007-2008 season, check out their official press release.

"The Seagull" brings together theatrics, classical ballet and eccentricities

The Boris Eifman Ballet of St. Petersburg's "The Seagull" was a roller coaster ride of emotions, lighting, sound and dancing.

The four soloists were incredibly talented, flexible and the enthusiasm and effort behind the movement was performed flawlessly. And just on a side note, the female and male dancers from Russia seem to be much more slimmer than the ballerinas I am used to from the Boston Ballet and such. I lucked out with a fantastic row G Orchestra Center seat that brought the dancing right onto my lap, and I had the opportunity to see all the facials and emotion, as well as realizing some of these ladies were almost skeletal but with ridiculously muscular forms.

It was crazy.

The level is clearly different than American ballet, and the motives and traditions are clearly very varied as well.

I want to get into more detail but need to find my program. The show plays through the rest of the weekend and I recommend ballet fans to check out student rush for only $10 an hour before each performance at Emerson's Cutler Majestic Theatre.

OK, I will get into more details tomorrow morning before work.

Student rush for "The Seagull"

I have just learned student rush tickets for the Boris Eifman Ballet of St. Petersburg (Russia a.k.a. the world ballet capital) "The Seagull" will be on sale an hour before each performance for only $10! Each student id gets you two tickets.

I can't wait to see it tomorrow night.

My all time favorite musical comes to BOSTON!!!

My giddy nature is about to reach new heights as I have recently learned that my beloved MAJ (oh Emerson how well you book performance shows) will be playing "On The Town" literally my favorite musical of all time. No lie. I own the DVD and one of my best friends from high school, Hayley Skousen, bought me a framed poster from the Broadway show for my 17th birthday.

Saying it is my favorite is no small trifle because I love musicals. Unlike most of my generation.

The 1949 movie stars Frank Sinatra, Gene Kelly and Vera Ellen (the fantastic and incredibly talented dancer also in "White Christmas.") That all-star cast made for a wildly entertaining story about three World War II sailors docked in NYC for 24 hours only wanting to find good times and beautiful girls.

It's a simple and fluffy love story, nothing too deep, except the best theme to apply to life which is to live every minute as if you were about to leave.

This show will be Emerson's 54th Annual Musical and I can't wait to see what these talented students have got. I know I saw I look forward to everything, but this really has got me hooked. "On The Town" is Directed and choreographed by Stephen Terrell and Marlena Yannetti with Musical Direction by Scott Wheeler.

Not to mention the tickets are EXTREMELY reasonable. Tickets are $21, $14 for Students and Seniors, and a mere $9 for EC Students, Faculty, Staff, Alums $9.

The show is playing:

April 19-21, 2007
Thursday-Saturday at 8pm
Saturday at 2pm

"The Seagull" transforms a written play into a dramatic dance show

The Eifman Ballet will be performing "The Seagull" March 28- April 1 next week and I couldn't be more excited.

I took Intro to Theatre last semester to fulfill a requirement, and have retained a significant amount of theatre knowledge and trivia to know that "The Seagull" is a massively important play written by the great Anton Chekov. Chekov is loosely considered a huge father of realism and definitely an important role in the development of that play genre. Boris Eifman choreographed the ballet version of the play drawing inspiration from the plays central theme of seeking unrequited love and shunning love that is given freely and profusely. I can't even begin to imagine how well this premise makes for a ballet.

Eifman's "The Seagull" will be the Boston premiere of this ballet and I couldn't be more excited. I plan to call the as I have come to lovingly refer to Emerson's Cutler Majestic Theatre to find out if they have student rush tickets, because we all know how well that worked out when I went to see Cirque Eloize.

This will also be the company's 8th United States tour and 5th Boston appearance, and this year marks the Eifman Ballet's 30th anniversary.

I can't wait to experience this company which has been described as "extremely theatrical" all over the Web and all around news articles.

The show runs March 28-April 1, 2007 Wednesday-Saturday at 8pm Sunday at 2pm and tickets range from $40-$80.

But if you have a student id, call to check if they have student rush the day before the show! It always pays off!

The Rainbow Tribe heads to Roxbury Community College

In the Boston Globe's "Sidekick" section yesterday, the front page featured a fantastic picture of dancers in mid jump and full enthusiasm.

The blurb explained that The Rainbow Tribe will be performing "Evolution: Celebrating 15 years of Diversity, Dedication, and Dance" with pieces that represent an "evolutionary path or milestone." The show began last night at 8 pm and will run through this Sunday, March 25.

The Boston-based non -profit dance company performs all different types of dance, including jazz, hip-hop, African, swing and Jazz just to name a few. The company formed in 1992 and "fosters a universal appreciation of all forms of dance" according to their Web site. They also advocate bridging cultural differences, unity and basically a great attitude toward humanity and dance.

Tickets for the show are $15, $10 for students, seniors and children under 13.

Coincidentally, RCC's Mainstage Theater is where the NUDANCO spring concert "Expressions" will be held on April 14.

Roxbury Community College, Mainstage Theater, 1234 Columbus Avenue, Roxbury Crossing, MA 02120

I definitely advise everyone to check out this unique dance event.

Up close and personal: BU's Amanda Rey is a driven dancer

To hear my audio podcast about Amanda's dance experience, goals and passion head to this site.

http://www.journalism.neu.edu/student_work/online_journalism2/documents/finaledit.mp3

It takes more than technique and great feet to be a dancer, and Amanda Rey has all the elements to propel her to dance euphoria. In essence, doing exactly what you want to do in the dance world.

2-minute tutorial on Ballroom Dance Styles

The ABC Web site for "Dancing with the Stars" has a great little page I just found.

The "ABOUT THE DANCES" page is filled with descriptions of the different types of ballroom dances that are featured in the show, and I believe they covered almost every single style, if not all of them.

There are "Fast Facts" and "Distinctive Moves" explained for each of the 10 styles of dance including Paso Doble, Quickstep and Jive (no, don't think of that "Born to handjive" sequence in "Grease").

With this trusty little guide, anyone can become a ballroom expert.

"Dancing with the Stars" Season 4 starts tonight!

Now, during the first half of the first season, i.e. Kelly Monaco and that awesome guy from Seinfeld whose name I can't remember right now battle of the television actors, I was hooked.

I watched those first three or four episodes religiously with my mother, and then completely lost interested.

I figured I'd give it another try this season, mainly because I can have another show to write about in my blog as I anxiously await the return of "So You Think You Can Dance" (sans me as a contestant).

The contestants on "Dancing with the Stars" which airs tonight at 8 pm on ABC are
Laila Ali, Billy Ray Cyrus, Clyde Drexler, Joey Fatone, Shandi Finnessey, Leeza Gibbons, Heather Mills, Apolo Anton Ohno, Paulina Porizkova, John Ratzenberger and Ian Ziering. You may recognize a former "90210" star, an 'NSYNC member and a beautiful model among others.

This show's premise is as comical as it is endearing to the American reality television-addicted public. B-list stars (who are usually very well known and very wealthy) get paired with professional ballroom dancers and learn all these intricate and dazzling steps from the Fox Trot to the Samba to Tango.

The costumes are flashy, the women are thing, and the hosts are perfectly tanned. It's just what America wants.

What I love about it is the exposure that the stylish, sophisticated and almost antiquated art of ballroom dancing gets. It's almost as if ABC is making America more cultured.

The awesome "Dancing with the Stars" site provides tons of facts about dancing, bios and photos of the contestants and the professional ballroom dancers, and an episode guide that will be updated after each show.

Tonight's two-hour premiere is sure to please audience members. Unfortunately, I will be at Loews Boston Common enjoying a free premiere showing of "Reign Over Me" hopefully seated next to Adam Sandler and Don Cheadle who are both said to be appearing for the premiere. Meanwhile, I won't be saying much as I nurse a sore throat and massively swollen gland back to the health.

To learn more about the show's history and this upcoming season read this.

I can't wait to get home after the movie to watch the dancing begin on-line.

Stress in my dance world

As the NUDANCO spring concert "Expressions" approaches at a rapid pace, faster than you can say "Boston has bipolar weather" I am getting nervous, anxious, stressed and out-and-out scared.

Although I finished teaching my choreography for my piece "This is the place," I feel like a month is just not enough time to clean up all the mistakes, perfect timing and formations and to fix the details. Of course I have learned in my years of dancing that in the end, everything comes together and for the most part, dances work out perfectly, because when you are on that stage something comes out, a personality almost, different for each dancer that explores a personal and beautiful form of the dance.

Because whenever you do a dance, or a dance move, it's never the same every time. Which can be a good thing.

The show is Saturday April 14 at 3pm and 8pm and everyone in the company is excited. The show itself should be great because of all the great pieces chosen this semester.

All I know is that I have a lot of work to do in a short amount of time, and with trying to order costumes, collect money for said costumes, choreograph a segment for the finale, write a bio and description for the program and organize all things involving the show with the e-board, it's going to be a long three and half weeks.

At least I'll be dancing through it all.

A quote to live by

My favorite line from the show was about rain and happiness, told by one of the female cast members in a pair of white angel wings, while looking up at the sky.

"Happiness is like rain; it comes instantaneously ... and leaves when it wants."

This show brought me happiness I can't even explain.

For information on this show playing at the Cutler Majestic Theatre go here.

"Rain=Happiness"

I can’t say I’ve loved every dance show or every theatre production I’ve ever gone to see. But Cirque Eloize’s Rain was wistful, whimsical, incredibly amazing and full to the brim with talent and tricks that made me and the audience members audibly “wow!”

The costumes were reminiscent of Paris and the beautiful French-Canadian accents of the cast were put to use singing in Italian, Spanish, French and English.

The premise of the show is a circus in rehearsal, making mistakes, having fun and little flirtations and intimate relationships that develop in the theatre. But this is a new brand of circus, the cast themselves even referred to their company as “new circus.”

One thing was certain, this show was definitely theatrical. In the sense of Theatricalism, which I learned about in Theatre Arts during the Fall 2006. Theatricalism is when the play tries to show that it is a play, addresses the audience directly and is “aware” essentially of its non-reality.

Stephane Gentilini is one of the most beautiful and funny men I have ever seen in my life. He is a native of France and studied at the National Circus School in Montreal from 1999 to 2002. He “narrated” the show in a way, describing moments from childhood, of remembering the first rainfall of the season and of some somber moments.

In the second act, the piece called “Tissue” was an incredible display of Spanish Web. Basically, there are two massive ribbons or “tissue” attached to the ceiling or on a bar high above and acrobats can climb and twist and wrap their way to beautiful positions and dangerous drops from top to bottom that are incredible to see.

There are moments that made me sad, and plenty of whimsy and fun and silliness and flirting to lift anyone’s spirits, especially in the awful weather we’ve had the past 24 hours in Boston.

From teeterboards, to tumbling and juggling, from a strong women act to a duo trapeze act that was physics-defying, all the pieces of the show intrigued. I was never bored, not for one minute.

Other numbers that stand out to me are the Aerial Hoop number which one of the female acrobats performed as if it were routine, as if she were just brushing her teeth. She spiraled and flipped in, out, above and below the Aerial Hoop and I was truly awed. It ended with her dipping her feet onto the stage where a pool of water had enveloped the entire floor of the stage and creating patterns in the air with the water.

The Finale was especially beautiful and fun with the cast swimming, joking and playing in the water, and eventually in the rain itself, because they did really make it rain on stage.

I recommend everyone to rush out and check out this show before it leaves town. There are two shows today and one show tomorrow, Sunday March 18. Student rush tickets are only $20, and I got there more than an hour and half before the show started (that’s when student rush tickets go on sale) and got second row orchestra seats and could see the expressions on all of the cast members faces.

I cried in the end. I told myself not to but tears were streaming down my face as I smiled and reminisced about what it was like to be carefree, to play in the rain, to not have the drudgery of adult life, complications, relationships and work.

The show is beautiful and I may be traveling to Montreal with my family for a week this summer. I can only hope Cirque Eloize is there, performing either Rain or some other new and incredible show.

However, after the show my mom and I were stuck at South Station for several hours and we didn’t get home until 1:30 am, even though the train we were scheduled to take was 10:35 pm. South Station had lost power, meaning no heat, no signals, ergo no trains. It was bad, but the show was worth it.

Spring Break Pictures (this sounds like a Facebook Photo Album title)

My friend Jenna and I driving to my house from Boston.

An intense and brief snow shower in Westford, MA.

Dinner at Mantra Dinner at Betty's Wok and Noodle

My spring break!

Spring Break '07 was filled with working at my part-time job at Coach in the Copley mall and getting the stomach virus and feeling absolutely wretched.

But I did enjoy myself in between working and being completely dehydrated for 24 hours straight.

It all started when I launched my spring break early to head to NYC and audition for So You Think You Can Dance? as I wrote all about in a previous post.

While in NY I had dinner at PF Chang's in the Westchester Mall in White Plains, NY with one of my oldest and very good friends from high school, Helayna. The next day an old friend Charli also came over and the two of us just chatted and caught each other up on what's going on in our lives.

My dad and I headed back to Boston Saturday morning and I went into the city and spend some time with my friend, Kerry and we went out to Thornton's restaurant and then to Suite, some crazy club in The Alley on Boylston. Not exactly my scene (think Euro-trash meets a ton of money and snobby people), so I headed down Boylston to meet up with Ricky and a group of his roommates and high school friends who were in Boston for the night.

The following day I went to a party in Lexington with my mom or my niece Rayya (my cousin's daughter, I'm an only child and will never "actually" be an aunt sadly) who was born in January and saw old family friends and such.

After that I jetted down to the city to see the closing night of Boston Ballet's "New Visions" and was immediately picked up by Ricky so we could rush to Canton for his ice hockey game.

By some miracle, I didn't have to work Monday, and spend the day relaxing and then went out to Mantra with Ricky and his dad for dinner during Restaurant Week.

And from 10:30 pm Monday night until 10:30 am Tuesday morning (half an hour before I had to be at work) I was very very sick, about every half hour.

I still went to work and stuck it out for a few hours since we were short-staffed but headed home as soon a replacement to cover me was found, five hours later.

I stayed in bed the next few days and worked again on Thursday.

On Friday one of my best friends from high school, Jenna came into the city late that night and we just relaxed, order pizza from Il Mondo (greatest pizzeria every in Boston!) and watched some television.

The next morning we headed to my house to grab Ricky's hockey stuff, have a quick breakfast at Rosie's Bakery on Route 9 and then I had to rush back to get to work, again.

That night I went out with my friend Lauren from dance and a large group of her friends for her roommate Christina's 21st birthday and it was a lot of fun, especially because I got a chance to meet some great new people.

The next day I again had to work, but headed back to Ricky's apartment to get ready to go to his hockey game at Matthews Arena at Northeastern with his mom and dad.

The game was a lot of fun and we went to Betty's Wok and Noodle for dinner, a place I adore, and that happens to take Husky Card.

So that was my week in a nutshell. Despite being sick I ended up doing a ton and seeing a lot of old friends, meeting new people and relaxing.

Also, I plan on adding pictures but the computer has let me down so I will add an extra post with my spring break pictures as soon as possible.

More "RAIN" news, and I'm not talking about today's forecast

The Boston.com calendar listing has a great description of the show that I plan on saying tomorrow night at 7:30 pm. Right now I am about to call the Majestic to find out if they have rush or student rush tickets. Here is the site.

The short article makes it sound like a dancer's dream, and a theatre-goers dream. I'm still excited.

So You Think You Can Dance Audition- you asked for it, now here it is!~

Margaret (a talented dancer who had three bananas all attached, as did I)and SYTYCD host Cat Deely sport the same vintage sweater coat. Margaret's belonged to her grandmother and Cat's is from a vintage store.



This picture is of Linda signing her release contract on my back.



Linda, Rachel and Me.



Rachel and me.



Rachel and Linda have been dancing together at the same studio for a few years.





SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE (SYTYCD)

On March 1 I boldly went where no Dinah has gone before, haha, well at least not this Dinah.

I headed to the Manhattan Centre Theatre at 6:30 am to audition for the third season of the hit reality dance show "So You Think You Can Dance."

The experience was one of a kind, and I've always been a very confident dancer. However, while waiting outside in line, in the freezing cold on the streets of NYC (my birthplace) for five hours, I met people with tons of audition experience.

I have never auditioned for a show in terms of the "real world." I've auditioned for school musical and plays, dance teams and dance companies, but not in this professional way. And everyone around me already had the benefits of experiencing similar auditions, and rejections it seems.

Outside I met Cat Deely, the host of the show, as well as some very sweet dancers from Staten Island, Rachel and Linda, and Tabitha who had just flown in from dancing in Korea.

Around noon, my section of the line made our way into the auditorium to warm up, sit down and get even more nervous as we watched the producers cut down the competition in groups of 10. Basically, the audition process was not outlined clearly on the Web site, at all.

I expected to dance in a room in front of the producers to my own music, to my own set choreography and just wow them. Alas that did not happen as we were herded in front of them in groups of 10, asked to improvise to a song of their choosing. The songs in question that blasted in the theatre until my departure at 4 pm: Justin Timberlake's "My Love" and "Sexyback," Christina Aguilera's "Hurt", the Black Eyed Peas "Hey Mama" and "Pump it."


If I never hear those songs again it would be too soon. It was hard to determine what the judges wanted to see, until you realized a pattern. Only the absolute best and the absolute worst made it past round one. After all the show needs footage of bad dancers being told they can't dance by the judges.


So I did not make it past that first round, despite waking up at the crack of dawn, perfecting my hair (which actually turned out how I wanted it to despite weeks of disappointment because of the cold weather in Boston), putting on make-up, and rehearsing a craftily choreographed piece to Jem's "Come on Closer."


What I got was a new understanding of show business, my first REAL audition, and the chance to meet a ton of talented and wonderfully sweet people and to be a part of a much-loved television show.


Make sure to check out the audition specials of "So You Think You Can Dance" on Thursday May 24 and Wednesday May 30 at 8pm on FOX. You just might catch a glimpse of me in line, dancing, chatting, or who knows doing what other embarrassing stunt.

A little tid bit

Here is a great entry from the Celebrity Series blog about Cirque Eloize's RAIN.

Enjoy!

Looking forward to "RAIN"

The Boston Celebrity Series which brought us Complexions among other performing arts shows, has brought Cirque Eloize to the Cutler Majestic Theatre this week.

The run began yesterday and will run through this Sunday, March 18. I'm pretty excited to see the acrobatic troupe from Montreal because I've been dying to see a "Cirque du Soleil" or other group. And to be honest I didn't even know other companies similar to "Cirque du Soleil" existed. Much to my delight, they do.

The show is described as fun and reminiscent of childhood views of rain, the summer showers, getting soaking wet and playing outside.

In fact, during the finale, the cast performs onstage in a real downpour. I can't wait to see this! And I think I'm bringing my mom with me!

Through Friday the show will be at 7:30 pm, and there will be Saturday shows at 2 pm and 8 pm and a Sunday matinee at 3 pm. Tickets run $35-$60, and I just am hoping that they will have student rush tickets.

To find out all about Cirque Eloize RAIN, head to the site on the Cutler Majestic Theatre's Web site.

"New Visions" is an eye-opener

It was really a great experience to see a rehearsal of "Brake the Eyes" for free a week before the piece's world premiere and then see it on stage, with full costume, make-up and lighting.

The great thing about the piece was the incorporation of the lighting devices and their movement to the piece. They moved in an eerie, almost airplane-like way throughout the piece.

Larissa Ponomarenko, quickly becoming my favorite principal ballerina in the Boston Ballet, was phenomenal. The broken, dynamic and and sharp choreography of Jorma Elo was perfectly portrayed by Ponomarenko.

The pas de deux sections were crisp and perfect and were thought-provoking. At first, during certain duets, I thought that the two dancers were not in time with each other, when it turns out that Elo's choreography was specifically doing that to create a round, much like in "row row row your boat" when one person starts and the next joins in.

The costumes were reminiscent of Mozart's time, and the medley of music had a Gothic feel to it.

I hope that "Brake the Eyes" become a staple in the contemporary ballet community and throughout contemporary performances, as it should.

"Polyphonia" and the "Sonata" were also great pieces, colorful and full of unexpected movement.

The great thing about contemporary ballet is that it is beautiful while trying not to be. As hard as they try to make the movements fragmented and much more sharper than classical ballet, it is still beautiful dancing.

I can't wait until May when the Boston Ballet will perform Classic Balanchine and Giselle.

Until then I am trying to get tickets to Cirque Eloize, a Montreal acrobatic group started in 1993, Alvin Ailey which comes to the Citi Wang Center in April and "The Seagull", a ballet formed from the Russian play which comes to the Cutlet Majestic Theatre soon.

Stomach virus= not a good blog enabler

So I haven't been feeling too well at ALL, and I realize I am very very behind on my blogging.

A lot has happened in my own dance life as well as shows I've been to.

So here's a little preview of what's to come in blogs this week:

Dancelife Episode 8: the series (or season) finale. Even the Dancelife site didn't specify which it was.

My very own dance life took me to New York to audition for "So You Think You Can Dance" (plus pictures and some of the great people I met there).

Closing night at "New Visions", a great contemporary show from the Boston Ballet this season featuring a world premiere by Jorma Elo as well as two seminal contemporary pieces including "Polyphonia."

An encounter at Boston Dancewear, the only full-fledged dance outfitting and shoe store in Boston proper, leads me to realize I still want to do pointe despite having never done it as a child. Amy, a sweet, friendly and extremely helpful sales associate at the store, as well as a Boston Conservatory graduate helped me try on shoes and inspired me by telling me she didn't start pointe until she was 17 years old.


Plus there is much much more. Clearly I am extremely behind. So just try to be patient as I nurse myself back to health.

Dance Magazine's healthy eating tips for all dancers

According to an article in the newsletter I received from Dance Magazine, end-of-winter snacking and raw, cold days can leave you feeling extremely tired. Some of their healthy eating tips are things we are already know, and some might even surprise. I'm just glad I love green tea and Hershey's kisses.

"Try a hot cup of green tea. It has antioxidants that may boost your immune system and lower cholesterol."

Plus the article explains how substituting one thing for another can help you find a better way to eat. For example, swapping that regular latte with skim latter cuts the calories by more than half. Oil and vinegar make a much more healthy, and not to mention delicious and light, replacement for creamy dressings such as Caesar and Ranch which pile on way more calories than the salads themselves.

Another trick, which I have recently read about in Women's Health Magazine also is to curb a sweets craving by popping a few (no more than five) Hershey's kisses rather than a candy bar. It will give you lots of energy, fulfill that craving and not pack on fat and unnecessary extras.

Soup is not only a winter staple, but a great way to fill up when you are hungry with fewer calories. Plus it helps your body generate energy, especially when you are dancing and need every ounce of energy you have to give it your all.

I love these tips and have really opened my mind up to healthy eating in the past year. My mom raised me on purely homemade food that was delicious, nutritious and sans artificial anything.

But when I got my own money, had less and less time and more responsibilities, I reverted to the soda-chugging, fast food-buying, junk food eating in general habits I had been deprived of.

I blame my mother for feeding me so incredibly well and healthy that I fell off the bandwagon.

But with the help of her, Ricky, and Women's Health (whose subscription was a generous birthday gift that I am still benefiting from and enjoying) I have been eating a lot healthier, and feeling lighter and better about dancing and eating.

Plus here's my own tip, courtesy of all the nursing majors I dance with: Eat a banana to stave of foot cramping. IT WORKS! I eat a banana before every intense dance rehearsal and class and it really does work thanks to the ridiculously high amount of potassium.

I forgot to blog about dancelife

Being too busy with my own dance life I forgot to blog about "Dancelife" that new television show that is a big hit with dancers and reality TV buffs alike.

So on Monday's episode, Jersey was dead on at all of her auditions and got a national commercial for Skechers as well as a gig doing Omarion's new music video.

Unfortunately, the call times for both gigs were at the same exact time, and Jersey decided to go with the national commercial which would give her a ton of exposure. However, Omarion and his producers thought it was completely unprofessional of her to cancel on them when she already said she would dance for them.

Those kinds of things happen all the time, and "will continue you to happen the more successful you get" Blake told Jersey as they shopped for a new car for her, one that wouldn't keep breaking down all the time.

There was a ton of dancing in the show, which made me tres tres happy, YEAH!

And one little clip that was raw and real, at the car dealership really touched me.

Blake spun around and did a back batemont (it's hard to explain in words I just realized this instance, but you basically kick your leg up, and in this case, toward the back) to a full split. It was perfect and real, because he was excited.

I feel like myself as well as many dance friends end up dancing during random times, in various public places, and without self-consciousness.

Another great part of the show was the emotional dance solo at the end, this time Nolan's. And Nolan had plenty of reason to get out a lot of anger and frustration after blowing up at Blake, probably jealous of all of Blake's success. Nolan called him a "bitch" and basically explained he just didn't like him.

Nolan also came out to his father, dealt with finding a new apartment, and more disappointment at dance auditions.

His solo wasn't perfect or seemingly previously choreographed, because each movement was easily identifiable to different emotions he must have been going through.

Pilobolus at the Oscars

A unique and "flexible" Connecticut dance company performed at the Oscars last night in a most unusual way.

The company "reenacted" icons from last year's top movies including "Happy Feet" and "Little Miss Sunshine." The results were incredible!

They would tumble behind a scrim, a sort of stage background that can do amazing things with lights and shadows, and sort of come together and form and grow shapes, into such things as chubby, adorable and completely realistic penguins as well as the van from "Little Miss Sunshine" driving down the highway with a few cast members running in tow.

The company uses a unique choreographic style and "weight-sharing" partnering to build these amazing creations, with their bodies! It is really amazing to watch and again I am kicking myself for not having seen Pilobolus when they traveled to Boston a few months ago.

The company's name means a fungus that grows exponentially fast. For more detailed and interesting facts and information about the company head to the Pilobolus site.

Close Encounter

I know I am wicked behind on my blog (yes, the New Yorker said wicked), but I will probably end up posting four times today.

So ... my close encounter at the Boston Ballet was brief, but amazing!

This past Friday I took another long South End walk to the Boston Ballet on Clarendon Street after a fruitless visit on Thursday when the ticket office was closed for an all day training session. I needed to switch my ticket for "New Visions" from this Thursday March 1 to Sunday March 4 because of extenuating circumstances (I'm heading to New York this Wednesday for undisclosed reasons, just know it involves dancing).

There is one person in line in front of me at the ticket box, keeping me in the building lobby for an extra two minutes. Luckily, during the two minutes, none other than Jorma Elo runs into the building right past me, flashing me a smile.

Yes, that is the entire encounter, but it is not everyday that resident choreographer to the Boston Ballet Jorma Elo, runs on the street into the Boston Ballet building, before your eyes, and pauses to take notice of your presence.

I must have looked like a star-struck ballet nerd as I stood there, mere inches away from choreographing genius. It was as if Jorma and I were meant to meet, even though we didn't. I mean I saw him at the Dance Spotlight mere days before, and then we "bump" into each other.

Destiny.

Jorma, dressed in straight leg fitted jeans, a t-shirt and his eyeglasses, rushed past me in a calm, gazelle-like manner, typical of anyone in the dance world. His quite demeanor and power of presence really resonated in the seconds when he passed by me, but that is the awe of a dancer I have always loved.

All 5' and 1/2" of my height doesn't equate elegance, stature, prominence, but for some reason my parents, peers and co-workers at Coach at Copley are always catching me standing in a dance pose.

There is a walk, a fashion style, and a stance typical to dancers although the exact movement is completely different for each person. But if someone is a dancer, you'll know it whether they take care to keep perfect posture while walking or while waiting will be standing in First or Third position, ballet.

Ahhh to be a dancer. I just love it.

Regret ... and a few inspirational quotes

I am cursing myself for not bringing my digital camera because many other attendees were clicking away and getting great candid photos as well as dance shots.

So the comments I was talking about before:

"Dancers are fantastic creatures" -Jorma Elo, Resident Choreographer for the Boston Ballet

When Mikko Nissenen was asked about the differences between modern and ballet, "except that modern dancers dance barefoot," by a middle-aged audience member his answer was simple and rang true to my dancer ears:

"There are only two types of dance: good and bad."

Dance Spotlight - a night with the Boston Ballet Artistic Director and Resident Choreographer

The Howard Gotlieb Archival Research Center at Boston University brought an evening of dance, inspiration and discussion about the world of dance for free.

Last night at 6:30 p.m. I left my dance rehearsal early to the disappointment of my choreographer and headed to the Tsai Performance Arts Center on the BU East T stop (my mistake from a previous post, I incorrectly wrote BU Central T stop).

The "show" was essentially Jorma Elo (pronounced Yorma) conducting a rehearsal for sections from the world premiere "Brake the Eyes" which will be showcased in "New Visions" in two weeks. This was followed by a question and answer with the associate director for PR at the Boston Ballet Sheryl Flatow and Elo and Mikko Nissinen, the Artistic Director for the Boston Ballet.

One of the most interesting things I found out is that Nissinen and Elo met when they were 10 and 11 years old (respectively) on their way to a ballet school in Finland, and they are lifelong friends that get to work together and collaborate at one of the world's most renowned ballet companies.

The dancers were in practice clothing, relaxed and attentive, sometimes even joking with Elo.

It was a bit unnerving and I felt almost starstrck as Larissa Ponomarenko, a principal dancer for the Boston Ballet, practiced a bit of choreography that was far from what I expected from the frail-looking blonde.

She used her small body to portray powerful and "heavy" movement as Elo called it.

The pas de deux's were interesting and unique, and the dancers moved with ease, never flinching or making a mistake. It seemed to be what dance should be.

During the discussion, both Nissenen and Elo, Finland natives, made comments that stayed with me, and probably will for the rest of my life.

Elo seems to be a simple yet driven man who realized that he loved choreography more than dance, even after being a professional dancer for a long time. He expressed enthusiasm about working with dancers and feeling inspired by them.

Elo has world premiered several pieces with the Boston Ballet including "Plan to B" which he described as his struggle between choosing two remain a dancer or becoming a full-time choreographer. He choreographed the piece at a time when he still was a dancer, and it really reflected a certain point in his life.

Elo's choreography is focused and personal. He always has a clear point and all his movement goes together, and is its own style.

My night out was well-worth the $3.40 round-trip T ride from BU's campus, because being in an environment to hear professionals discussing what they do, how they do it and why they do it is fantastic.

Because dance is something very hard to explain, even to other dancers.

Aurora Borealis interview coming up ... in a few

So I stalked my favorite dancer from the "Aurora Borealis: A festival of light and dance" BU production last weekend and have made contact with her.

Her name is Amanda Rey and she is one of those dancers that you literally just can't take your eyes off. And she's just a student. She danced in the pieces "Still Life" and "Clash" and really stood out from the rest of the dancers to me.

I'm waiting for her to get back to me so I can do a full-on interview and find out her dance life story ... and then repeat it.

Costume makes the clown ... or ballerina

An exciting photo exhibit by Carin Ingalsbe is on view now at Boston Ballet.

The Boston Ballet Web site describes the photo gallery as:

The "ballet costume project," a photographic journey in which Ingalsbe explores the beauty of costumes past their prime. She has worked previously with New York City Ballet and Paris Opera Ballet, and now her series of Boston Ballet costumes is on view at the Company's home at 19 Clarendon Street.

Also, the photos are available for purchase with part of the proceeds benefiting the Boston Ballet.

I don't know how expensive they run, but tomorrow when I head to the Boston Ballet to exchange a Thursday March 1 "New Visions" ticket for a Sunday March 4 "New Visions" ticket I will be sure to check out this photo gallery, and maybe any reasonably priced postcard-sized prints.

Dance spotlight - this free event has me rearranging a few things

The Boston Ballet's "Dance Spotlight" is a random series of events around Boston and tonight is the first one that I am going (to try) to attend.

Tonight, Wednesday February 21 at 7 pm at the BU Tsai Performance Center (yup it's the same place I went to see Complexions), the entire cast of the Boston Ballet will be performing excerpts from resident choreographer Jorma Elo's world premiere of "Brake the Eyes."

But I have my own dance rehearsal for a 20-minute modern/ballet piece I am in with the Northeastern University Dance Company called "Passing" on the stages of death. It's pretty exciting stuff.

But my rehearsal is from 6-7 pm and I'm thinking I might have to disappoint the choreographer and leave early so I can attend this awesome, and better yet FREE, event tonight.

Tickets are free, yet required so call 617.353.3697

I already called last night and left a voice mail with my name and phone number as requested by the prompts and hopefully my ticket will be waiting for me. But maybe I should call again just to make sure.

The Tsai Performance Center is located at 685 Commonwealth Avenue on BU's campus, right off of the BU Central T stop.

See you there ... I HOPE!

Episode 6 ... Staci makes a career change that could make her or break her

Staci admits to wanting to ultimately be a professional singer, not a professional dancer despite the fact that dancing has been going so well for her and she constantly has auditions and dance opportunities.

So she turns down a week filled with non-stop dance auditions to record some music for a demo which she begins to shop around.Long story short, they ask her to make a music video to be completed in merely 5 days. Nearly impossible.

But with the help of her "dance gang" i.e. Celestina with makeup, Jersey finding a video shoot location, Kenny's video editing skills and Blake's overall guidance, she makes it happen.The arduous task of putting a music video was seen throughout this episode, and one thing that made me happy was all the dancing, despite the fact that Staci is trying to propel her career from a steady job as a dancer to a professional singer.

Luckily for her she is good-looking, fit, has a semi-decent voice and is a fantastic dancer.Sounds to me like she has the makings to be an AMAZING POP STAR, because she meets all the obvious requirements.

You just have to watch and see if any labels pick-up Staci's demo ... and if she does become the next singing sensation.

But more dancing will grace the television screen next Monday at 10:30 pm for an all new episode of "Dancelife."

Aurora Borealis: BU students take dance to a new openminded level

While perusing the Boston.com Web site for any good dance shows this weekend, I came across "Aurora Borealis: A Festival of Light and Dance" at the Calderwood Pavilion at the Boston Center for the Arts (BCA) on Tremont Street.

Tickets are still on sale for the show which is running until tomorrow for only $10, no student rush, no hassle.

The show itself was really something else. I'm not sure what I was expecting but the first piece of Act I threw me for a loop and I had the sense of being at a member-recruitment meeting for a cult. Artistic directors Judith Chaffee and Micki Taylor-Pinney have theatre and dance backgrounds and teach at Boston University. Students as well as professors and instructors choreographed various pieces using sounds and lighting to change the performance and give it a much more theatrical effect.

This weekends showcase of "Aurora Borealis" is the fifth annual festival of this show in which the pieces change each year.

One thing is for certain, the Whitney Theatre at the Pavilion was GORGEOUS. If only Northeastern University had the type of funding for a state of the art theatre that is both intimate, beautiful designed, and a great place to dance.

The show is about an hour and half long, and I would say makes the cut for costing $10.

I'm really going to need to go into more detail about each of the pieces ... but for now I'm running off to work. So I'll post a detailed, and hopefully witty blog sometime this weekend diving into all the details that I loved, or hated, about "Aurora Borealis."

And don't forget today at 2 pm at the Roslindale Yoga center there is bellydancing with snakes and the Boston Ballet's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" is still running at the Citi Wang Center until February 18.

If only I wasn't working.

Dancelife continues ... but where's the dancing?

All right I am all for Jersey having a great first date with Kenny's roommate Nick, and could not be more interested in whether or not Kenny and his Pussycat Doll-girlfriend Ashley will survive their long distance relationship, but the dance element in this week's "Dancelife" was completely lacking.

The only scenes featuring dance were at the beginning during a master class at Millennium studio and Kenny's "venting" solo, obviously pre-choreographed, but amazingly choreographed at that.


Basically these dance kids are having a slow week in LA with a Gap-commercial watching party for Blake and Staci, and a cookout/pool party at Kenny's apartment building (which by the way strikes me as odd that none of the neighbors cared about the noise or beer pong in the middle of the day).

I think that just one more scene of intense dancing would have added a lot to the show. After all it is called "Dancelife" not "Love lives of dancers."

I did get up and try to learn the routine during the master class and picked up a few steps, but learning a dance in a mirror image is not that easy. At all.

Until next week, which centers around Staci's deadline to make a video for her music (apparently singing is her ultimate goal, not dance) I can only go to the MTV "Dancelife" site to learn some choreography from Kenny to satisfy my dance addiction.

Now it's time to rest these tired bones and get ready for some dancing of my own tomorrow: teaching a jazz class, running my dance piece rehearsal and attending another dance piece rehearsal.

Flamenco dreams dashed this past Saturday

After a full day of work this past Saturday February 10, 2007, I headed to Emerson's Cutler Majestic Theatre in search for student rush tickets.

After walking a good 25 minutes from the Copley mall down Boylston street, my dreams of seeing the Flamenco Festival 2007 were strewn across the sidewalk like day-old Boston Globe's in a Mission Hill apartment.

There were no student rush tickets reserved, the least inexpensive tickets were $40 (out of my budget right now as I anxiously wait to get paid this week from my humble job as a sales associate for the Coach store) and I couldn't get two tickets together (a friend tagged along).

After talking up the art of flamenco, the severity, passion, reminiscence of tango and love and artistry, my date was more pumped to see the Compania Rafaela Carrasco performing Una Mirada al Flamenco (translation: A Look of Flamenco).

But see it we did not.

I was pretty disappointed and took my anger out on the no doubt work-study cashier at the ticket box who merely passed on the bad news that because the show was nearly sold out, no student rush tickets had been set aside.

Which is a real shame because I have taken flamenco lessons. Granted I was about 7 years old, but with castanets in hand, black theatre (character) shoes strapped tight and gypsy fringe scarf wrapped around my waist I learned and absorbed as much as I could through an after school program that run a mere month.

The Flamenco Festival was celebrating its 8th year, and Una Mirada al Flamenco made its Boston premiere last Friday.

The Cutler Majestic Theatre Web site description of the Flamenco show is as follows:

"From Seville, Rafaela Carrasco keeps one foot in the old world as she dances toward the new. She is an elegant, refined, yet gutsy dancer whose innovative choreography expresses what flamenco means in the 21st century. Una Mirada al Flamenco (A Look at Flamenco) features five male and female dancers profoundly reworking traditional flamenco, while a delicate cello, lyrical piano and expressive guitar and singing maintain the intensity of emotion."

Which I missed.

With each time I reread the description, my heart sinks a little more.

I guess there's always next year.

"Midsummer" dreams come true

The Boston Ballet's full-length production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" choreographed entirely by Balanchine was an experience rather than a mere show.

The costumes, set and music transformed the Victorian Citi Wang Theatre into a fairy woodland complete with incredible fouette (a certain type of ballet turn) sequences and comedic relief from Puck.

As previously described on the Web site, Act I was completely narrative and with 25 children from the Boston Ballet school playing woodland creatures (i.e. fairies and such) the play took on a new form and it was very easy to follow along, young and old.

The dancing was beautiful, the set majestic as Titania's part of the woods was surrounded by massive, literally enormous pink flowers which makes sense since fairies are traditionally considered tiny.

I couldn't help but draw similarities between my costume as Fairy #2 when I was 15 in a high school straight drama production of the classic comedy and Boston Ballet's artistic director's choice.

But back to the dancing. Puck's movement was sharp, emphatic and very funny and frenzied which gave the audience a reason to laugh at every turn. What you don't expect when you go to the ballet is to laugh, especially a narrative ballet which is usually based on heartache or some utterly tragic story. But laugh we all did.

Throughout Act II, I began to get a little distracted and bored with the Pas de Deux (partner movement). It was sort of a wedding celebration when both mortals and fairies are celebrating in their own way. But the repetition was a little too obvious and I began to feel like the 10-year-old girl behind me who asked why they were doing the same things over and over again.

But I am a grown 20-year-old woman and feel that maybe I shouldn't have let myself get bored. After I all, if I was onstage performing movements that happened to repeat, I would want the audience to notice slight differences or the reason for the repetition, which there usually always is.

So with my new "Midsummer Night's Dream" green t-shirt adorned with pink butterflies in a Boston Ballet shopping bag, I headed out of the theatre and down to the Boylston T stop where I ran into some friends, dance friends, who had just been to see the show as well. We all agreed that watching any sort of dance performance puts us in the mood to kick off our shoes and dance.

And now i wish I had done pointe and realize that I can never go back and do it again as my ankles aren't strong enough ... because a career on pointe only lasts so long and for most ends at a very early age.

"A Midsummer Night's Dream" will be playing through February 18 so if you have the chance to see it I highly recommend student rush or rush tickets (an hour and half before the show).

Hence away ...

I'm dreaming of a "Midsummer Night" right in the middle of February

Boston Ballet's Fall 2006-Spring 2007 season will jump back into full gear this Thursday night, on opening night, of A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Described on the Boston Ballet Web site as a ballet "based on Shakespeare's comic masterpiece, George Balanchine's ballet is an enchanting ode to the supernatural power of love. This company premiere is a perfect treat for your valentine or family."

Well I hope it is all those things and more, as I will begin taking advantage of my Boston Ballet Student Subscription this Thursday at 7 pm when I will sit in my $75 seat which I paid a mere $20 for way back in September. (Ah the benefits of thinking ahead, going to the Boston Ballet studio on Clarendon Street in the South End to show my student id, and reaping the benefits of being a part of academia.)

I was actually in a straight theater production of A Midsummer Night's Dream and can NOT wait to see this ballet version.

This production will be the first completely original full-length ballet created by Balanchine, a genius at worst.

Balanchine supplemented scores from the composer's music, in a nutshell, to build a dual-act show where the first act follows the narrative of the story, and created a second act without an apparent narrative.

Whatever Balanchine did with the music is between him and the composer. All I know is I am extremely ready for a night of pure talent, poise and precision which the Boston Ballet is sure to deliver during every performance.

These people are professionals after all.

My very own dance life

(Photo courtesy of Ricky Popolizio)
Here I am last June, stopping to enjoy a mid-Commonwealth avenue dance pose statue in someones front garden.

After all of this research on dancing and watching "Dancelife" each week, I wonder if things would've gone differently had I aggressively pursued dance after leaving Brooklyn and moving to Westchester County with my parents to a suburban school, a lifestyle I wasn't used to and a separation from the cultural diversity I had loved so much in the Brooklyn Heights.

Granted I never stopped dancing, I would perform at local school talent shows, and I co-founded the Irvington High School Dance Team with my best friend and took hip hop classes here and there and even joined a children/teen hip hop company for a little while.

But had I made it my priority, could've I have been a dance major at some prestigious, Midwestern school known for its performing arts program, or even a major hit in Broadway productions?

There is a crossroad that every child dancer must face, at a young age at that. To honestly assess your talents and to decide whether dance enough of a passion and desire that you want to be doing it everyday, and you want to make it your career, life and love. Or whether to pursue it as a great athletic hobby that gives you satisfaction, stress release and is a great way to stay in shape.

I keep re-evaluating my dancing abilities and wondering if maybe things work out differently, and the chance presented itself to me, would I drop everything in my life and pursue a career in dance?

At least I'd still be able to blog.

Last night's "Dancelife" episode ... I'm yawning a little bit

So last night's episode of "Dancelife", the third of this first season of the new show, left a lot to be desired.

It was a little bit boring and cliche, as Jersey struggled with over extending herself and rehearsing for too many different dance performances throughout the same time period.

Celestina tried to juggle having a boyfriend and focusing and progressing her career.

I mean it's basically a given that in any type of serious attempt to develop and become successful at your job, especially entertainment, the relationships in your life become sacrificed to some extent.

Whether that means completely breaking up with a boyfriend or girlfriend, moving away from friends and family or having to give away your pets, in entertainment, if you don't put your career above all else other things will become a distraction.

Don't get me wrong, I am a huge fan of having a well-rounded life, filled with family, love, friends, a great job you love and hobbies. But it's a brutal fact the entertainment business is a cold place to develop or maintain a romantic relationship.

At the end of the show of course, Celestina and her beau were doing fine, as he tried to convince her that a Lakers games was a romantic date.


As for the dancing, I could've used just a touch more of that element that keeps me coming back to the show every week.

Jersey and Celestina performed with Ashlee Simpson to her hit song "L.O.V.E." at a concert and most of the "Dancelife" cast performed at Carnival, a club night in LA where the dance pieces, varying in style, were well received.

Kenny (Wormwald) who took a backseat role in this episode after a whirlwind of attention in last week's episode, was the star of a Boston Globe article that ran yesterday. The show profiled him as a Stoughton, Bay state (that's Massachusetts for all you out there outside of the area) dance wonder who describes himself as being "a hyper kid," who always loved to dance.

He has danced at the White House, and recently was chosen for a Christina Aguilera video.

After graduating high school, Kenny and his dance friend from Randolph moved to LA to pursue a full dance career and he immediately began landing dance roles such as on the television show "The Drew Carey Show" and in Madonna's "American Life" music video.

The lucky, talented and irresistibly adorable Boston boy with a South Shore accent to match, will be performing with Justin Timberlake tonight at the TD Banknorth Garden with Timberlake's tour.

Dream's don't come true more so than that.

Complexions performance review continued ...

So as I began to just touch upon in last night's blog, the Complexions company featured a variety of dance, dance styles and songs.

"Barely Silent" was the opening piece for Act 2 and featured two couples (one male and one female each) in fluid light blue/gray costumes performing a dance that featured more modern/lyrical movement than the previous "Hissy Fits" which awakened the senses to think deeper about relationships.

The "Barely Silent" female dancers appeared to not be wearing dance shoes at all, but after a minute into the piece my companion and I realized that they were going up en pointe (on point, a.k.a. on the very tips of their toes) several times and without hesitation.

The secret of the graceful transition from flat foot to pointe: incredibly smooth and barely visible pointe shoes.

The choreographers need to be commended on the complementary partnering movement which seems to flow naturally out of the dancers' fingertips and toes. Plus, a signature move, a slap on either the chest, thigh or arm, seemed to occur at least once per piece.

The pieces ranged from a Fosse and Twyla Tharp-inspired jazz piece to a "tango ballet" that left me on my feet clapping.

The one downfall in my opinion was the lack of unison group movement. And when it appeared it was obvious the directors choose to do mainly solos and complementary partnering because each dancer truly adds their own distinct style to the movement. When two or more dancers performed the same exact movement, I became lost in finding the differences rather than enthralled by the unique choreography.

However, it is also my belief that this type of distinction in movement and style is fostered in the Complexions company, and encouraged during group pieces.

Either way, the mix of genres, the enthusiasm, energy and pizazz of the choreography all lend themselves beautifully to an entertaining dance show that anyone can appreciate.