The Tragedy Of Long Combinations

Let me start off today by telling you that Danseuse is launching very soon! I know I've been saying that for about two months, but this time it is. We have the model shots all finished and I'm just waiting on them being sent to me for final retouching. Once I get them, and the prices are decided, then it's all go. We are aiming to launch next week! We may go live with everything or we may just add products as we go. You can follow the Danseuse blog in the meantime.

At the moment I am focusing most of my attention on ballet, as it's the thing that's keeping me sane just now and taking my mind off my job worries. Whilst I am officially freelancing, it's just so much more uncertain than I'm used to, or comfortable with. So ballet class is where I let it all go and just focus on that moment in time. Which is just as well as ballet class is requiring a lot of focus just now.

Our intermediate and graded class teacher of the past 4 years left in December and we are now taught by someone else. She is young, enthusiastic, a beautiful dancer and makes class immensely fun. Her combinations are incredibly balletic and very beautiful. You really feel like you could actually dance them....if you had a snowball's chance in hell of learning them! They are loooooong. On Wednesday she gave us this beautiful port de bras combination but it just kept on going. When we thought it was finished, and were by now looking at other thoroughly confused and lost, she then said, "so that's the first part". The first part!? Girl, are you on crack?!

Long combinations are fine, but when you are still learning ballet and just aren't at the stage of retaining choreography quickly, being unable to do it just means you end up looking like a headless chicken.

Sometimes that shit just won't go into your head.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdylQeg5B9I]Not being able to follow such long combinations also means you leave class feeling frustrated and pissed off.

Luckily, I am really enjoying pointe classes just now and go away feeling like I'm improving. Not at turns unfortuntely, but at most other things. Plus, my new Sansha shoes are loosening up enough to let me wear them for a full class, which is excellent. It's painful but completely bearable. Which I think is as good as it gets with pointe shoes.

QMichelle