Ballet exam is finally over! I can't believe its finally over! All those gruelling ballet lessons that I had to go through, just for that one and a half hour showcase in front of the examiner.
I still can't believe that it's over! And just one week ago I was in Beijing worrying, "I'm not ready for all of this yet... "
And now its over! And well, obviously my Beijing trip's over as well! Haha.... The fact that the whole trip is over hasn't seemed to really dawn on me yet as I find myself still very attached to the city. You know, I can't remember a happier time than in those few days that I spent in Beijing. Ok, maybe some people think that I am overexaggerating, but it's really true! I had never ever laughed so much in a week in my entire life.
I spent everyday laughing and smiling, even though there were some times that were not so ... well.. happy, there would always be something that would make me laugh, no matter what.
So.... Let me give a chronological account of what's been happening to me this past month and a half... because i've been so busy I haven't been able to really blog and tell my friends (esp my D6 members) what's really been going on. I think if i don't really explain what's happening, they'd be soon wondering, where's Sam gone? She's like, pulling this disappearing act! I finally realised the importance of actually telling my friends what I'm doing, because the other day Siyun called me at about 11pm and when she found out that I was still at rehearsal, she was like, "How do you survive???" And from that day on she took a whole new perspective to me and why I'm always feeling so tired in class (heh heh)
#1 Dance Concert Ok, i'm sure some of you (if not most of you) went to watch the RGS dance concert. It went... well and THANK GOODNESS FOR THAT! The modern ballet piece that I choreographed didn't go as well as I expected but it wasn't bad either.
I was actually quite stressed because when you're facing a whole bunch of sec 1s and 2s and they just won't listen to you, you feel like just wielding out a knife and slashing it at them. But towards the end, they FINALLY realised the importance of constant practice and they even took the initiative to organise rehearsals by themselves! Ok, intense practice just a week before the performance is probably too late but hey, as long as they've gotten their wake-up call right?
Besides, they'd have many many other dance pieces ahead of them and its a good thing they've learnt it NOW so that they can apply it in the FUTURE *habits of mind= applying past knowledge to new situations*
And although I was kinda sad because 3 (which is HALF) out of the 6 members of D6 couldn't be there... Carrot was physically not in S'pore, Cellie was probably out gallavanting with her man and Rhea was probably prepping for some BIG BIG (and it had BETTER BE IMPT) Bengali exam.....
But I know that Mel and her twinn will always be there to support me!
daw jer lei jee chee ngoh!
#2 The Human Expression Dance Theatre (aka the Beijing Thing) Ok... not many people know about my beijing thing because why? I didn't tell you guys! So its actually not your fault that you didn't know... And I'm really sorry if i made anyone feel left out by not telling you about the Beijing (BJ) thing.
I auditioned for the BJ thing on the 30th June 2006... And the audition was so hard! I had no idea that it would be THAT difficult! It's not the pretty pretty kind of dance that everyone loves.... Its that kind of dance that not everyone can appreciate... And when Ms Silvia (the same person who choreographed the Peacock dance for the dance concert) taught us the two audition pieces, I was like thinking ," What in the world is this???"
I mean, before i went for the audition I already knew that it was going to be contemporary but I had no idea it was like, pure contemporary... The Macau thing that I did was MODERN BALLET, NOT CONTEMPORARY.... So..... technically speaking, its my first attempt at pure contemporary dance.... But then again, its not really pure pure because its got elements of classical ballet in it, so maybe it could be considered contemporary ballet? Or Neo-classical contemporary? Call it whatever you want, because my point is simply that I had never encountered anything like it before, EVER.
So... one week later when i got the call from Ms Silvia I was shocked! At first I didn't want to do it (and i went to the audition for fun) because the performance dates fell on the exam week (week 10) PLUS.... Rehearsals were at least 5 times a week, 3 weeks before the performance week.
Nope, you didn't read wrongly. That's 5 times a week, 3 weeks BEFORE EXAM WEEK. Yup. That's it.
I don't even know WHY I accepted her offer. Because I overestimated my capabilities and my time management skills? I don't know... All that I know is that I just said yes and was like "Bring it on".... I think.. though... maybe i wouldn't have been so eager to sign up if not for the fact that everything was paid for except subsistence... and even then there was a 3-figure salary for my participation in the festival.
And the thing is, I never really told my parents about the 5 times a week thing and I never really told them that it clashed straight on with my exams...
Haha... When i look back now, i wonder, "How did i ever do it? How did i manage my schoolwork, my rehearsals, my school exams AND my ballet exam?" Its a MIRACLE! a MOMENT OF GRACE... :D
I never knew that I could have done all this... And I certainly didn't do this all by myself. If my teachers hadn't been so kind as to reschedule the exams that I would be missing especially for me, I wouldn't have been able to go on this trip after all! And Ms Silvia! I'm so grateful to her because she really understands how much stress I am under and would always help me and coach me during rehearsals. Her assurance was really very gratefully received... She's like the big mother of the whole group.... *i miss her (sobs)*
I'm really sorry to all the friends who I had been "missing" this past month, because life for me had just been, school-ballet-rehearsal, school-ballet-rehearsal, everyday, for this whole month. There was a point in time I was so stressed I just wanted to give everything up. My exams were coming and I couldn't even find time to study... I had to resort to studying during those 15min breaks in rehearsals. And I even gave up the chance to watch a movie with Mel because I had a rehearsal... But Mel understands.. and its this kind of support that kept me going! So... THANKS EVERYONE!
uh-oh... i gotta go for class now! will continue in the next post about my experience in beijing! See ya!
---------------- to infinity and beyond
hold me TIGHT; and NEVER let go*
aboutME.
amethyst1943
08 03
jc
dancer
shooter
myLOVES.
=)
dance
green
chinese
ducks!
the west side of my island
myWISHES.
golden leaf
strong constitution
pleasant disposition
do well for 'A's!
[still thinking]
goldenWORDS.
the greatest thing you'll ever learn
is just to love and be loved in return-
