Punk Meets Pointe||m.c.

01

"1-2-3-4 LADIES IT'S NOT THAT DIFFFICULT!" my instructor, Miss. Valdez bellowed.

We once again went through, step by step our feet doing all but slipping out beneath us as we counted, and recounted perfecting each one as we went.

When the turn sequence came, my nerves grew.

I'm not the best turner considering I've been at the Sydney Modern Arts Academy For Ballet since I was 2.

Currently, I am 17 years old.

15 years of dancing and I still can't nail the quadruple pirouette* sequence.

I've been a Corps de ballet* dancer for about a year now, and I'm not quite used to the upped choreography that we've been learning.

Luckily, rehersal was near finished and our water break usually followed by a class dismissal was on the horizon.

"Straighten your legs Adriana!" Miss.Valdez shouted at me.

I immediately corrected my self wirh a small blush, and pushed forward into my Pas de chat* completely forgetting the thoughts occupying my mind.

The tune on the piano came to a stop, signaling the end of the corps rehersal.

The first years would be here soon, so we quickly shuffled out of the studio and into our dressing rooms.

Cabbies filled with Pointe shoes* lined the far wall, while the opposing side held vanity mirrors with our stage make up stack infront of them.

Pancake make up powdered the air as the Corps dancers that helped out first years attempted to fix the make up streaming off their glistening faces.

Seeing as someone was using my vanity, I took this time to remove the thread that held my Pointe shoe to my feet.

Luckily, today was a rest day for us and we did not have a preformance tonight.

Don't get me wrong, dance is my lively hood, but having preformances every night is not a fun thing.

I quickly slipped off my pointe shoes and placed my leggings over my calves.

I removed my leotard ans replaced it with a simple T-shirt from when I did marching band in 8th grade.

I slipped on my favorite pair of tan ugg boots, and grabbed my bag.

I had to quickly go home and change in to clothes appropriate for school.

Yes, we get up at 5:00 am to go the studio until 6:30. We have school at 7:30- 4:00 pm everyday.

Well, excluding those who sre homeschooled, or take classes at the

academy.

I've taken classes at the academy every year besides this one, my mother deciding that I should be able to be friends with some new non -dance people.

Today will be my first day of public school with non dancers, and needless to say... I'm petrified.

Absolutely positively petrified.

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Hey!(:

*Corps De Ballet

The ensemble of a ballet company; especially, the ensemble apart from the featured dancers. Being a part of the corps means one is not a soloist, nor a principal.

Pas De Chat*

The dancer jumps sideways, and while in mid-air, bends both legs up (two retirés) bringing the feet up as high as possible, with knees apart.

Pointe Shoes*

A pointe shoe is a type of shoe worn by ballet dancers when performing pointe work. Pointe shoes developed from the desire for dancers to appear weightless and sylph-like and have evolved to enable dancers to dance en pointe (on the tips of their toes) for extended periods of time.

Pirouette*

A

pirouette is a turn on one leg, often starting with one or both legs in plié and rising onto Relevé (usually for men) or pointe (usually for women). The non-supporting leg is held in Passé. A pirouette may return to the starting position or finish in arabesque or attitude positions, or proceed otherwise. It is most often en dehors turning outwards toward the back leg, but can also be en dedans turning inwards toward the front leg. Although ballet pirouettes are performed with the hips and legs rotated outward ("turned out"), it is common to see them performed with an inward rotation ("parallel") in other genres of dance, such as jazz and modern. Spotting technique is usually employed to help maintain balance. Pirouettes can be executed with a single or multiple rotations.