43. The Beginning of the End

My Old Pointe Shoes

This week marks the beginning of the end. Tomorrow is my last day of high school, I had my last dance performance this weekend, and I have only nine posts after this one till the “Something New 52” project ends. Things are generally coming to a close. This time in my life is the culmination of weeks, months, and years of work.

Dance

As one of my friends mentioned just before our final show, “for the past few years, dance has been the one consistent thing in my life.” And it’s true. Friends come and go, interests change, clothing and trends change, but dance has been consistent throughout my life. Pink tights and ballet slippers, black leotard, hair in a bun. As a three-year old I went to creative movement classes, and distinctly remember my father waiting for a hug at the end of class. In first grade, I started with basic tendus, plies, and center work. Ballet was my first love, and in fifth grade I began to do jazz so I could dance more, though I was devastated that I had to quit soccer because of it. But the dancing was well worth it. Two years later, I added pointe shoes to my standard outfit.

This weekend I opened up my closet and found my two pointe shoe bags, stuffed to the point of near-explosion. Opening the drawstring, I let my pointe shoes fall to the ground. Including the new pair I got for this week’s show, I have twelve pairs. Looking at the shoes sprawled on the floor, I delighted in the fact that my feet used to fit into size 3 shoes (about 5.5 in street shoes). Since then I’ve cut, burned, and stitched my ribbons in all manners; jet glued and shellacked my shoes; and switched from one brand to another. I found what works and what doesn’t, and despite my callused and blistered feet, I’m comfortable. I’ve toiled, sweated, and even fallen, and it’s bittersweet that despite my denial, the end is here. I won’t dance with this group of people again, and I’ll miss all of my friends terribly. But I know that as long as my body keeps working, I’ll keep dancing.

High School

Today was the penultimate day of school, and even though I’m on the final page of the final chapter, I don’t feel a sense of closure. I’m in the process of returning my textbooks, finishing my projects, and taking my last assessments. Everything is still running in full gear, so it doesn’t feel like an ending. The younger grades still have a few weeks of classes, which adds to the feeling that things are still in full swing. I’m not ready for goodbyes yet, but at the same time, I’m so ready to go. I’ve done what I’ve intended, accomplished what I needed and more, and realized the need to extend my horizons beyond the limits of my hometown, my current interests, and my current social circle.

This is just the beginning of the end. In the coming few weeks, there will be more winding-down activities– most notably, graduation– and more bittersweet tears and goodbyes. And of course, more reminders that the best is yet to come.

Firsts This Week:

• The realization that some firsts come in the form of lasts
• My last dance show, including senior goodbyes
• Last full week of school

32. Play With Fire

Play with fire: an idiomatic expression meaning to meddle in dangerous situations, as well as the title of the Boston Ballet production I saw this Sunday. Playing with fire is dramatic, seductive, and risky, though there is no greater thrill than reaping its rewards. However, “Play With Fire” flickered and sputtered, leaving only a dull flame in its wake.

The performance consisted of three contemporary works– Sharper Side of Dark, Bella Figura, and Rooster. Each boasted some good moments, but there were few elements that were truly memorable.

Sharper Side of Dark featured massive sets with dozens of mounted lights that lit up as the dancers passed them. Most of the group work was aesthetically pleasing, but watching the piece felt like being in a trance. With the impressive set, I was expecting something much more dynamic to juxtapose with the minimalist costumes.

Bella Figura bills itself as promoting “adoration and reverence towards the human body.” This supposedly controversial piece contains partial nudity, as the dancers wear only long red skirts. While I understand the premise of celebrating the human body, having semi-nude dancers seemed like a decision for the sake of a shock factor rather than an artistic decision. It didn’t add to the choreography, and the message could have been clearer.

The third piece was Rooster, which was set to eight classic Rolling Stones songs. This work was the most dynamic, however some of the costume decisions were baffling. The women wore black and red dresses that resembled a cross between a cheerleader’s uniform and pleated schoolgirl skirt. Of the eight dances, the best were “Ruby Tuesday,” “Sympathy for the Devil,” and “Paint It Black,” in that order. “Ruby Tuesday” made the show, with its wild lifts and partnering. Though the show wasn’t necessarily as beautiful as previous performances I’ve seen, it was still worth the experience.

Firsts This Week:

• Saw “Play With Fire” as performed by Boston Ballet at the Boston Opera House
• After the show, my friends and I went to the Thinking Cup, a little coffee bar across from Boston Common.

21. Artsy Photo Shoot Continued, Plus Toothaches

This week I got a tooth implant, so for the past few days I’ve been in quite a bit of pain. This  has made me very distracted. In lieu of my typical long post, I’ve uploaded the pictures my friend took of me a few weeks ago, detailed in this post.

Ballet on a Boulder

In a Field

Atop a Dying Tree

Firsts This Week:

• Got a tooth implant (aka, a metal screw in my bone). Ouch!
• Got accepted to college!

16. Artsy Photo Shoot

If a friend asks you whether you would like to venture into the woods to do an artsy photo shoot, the answer is always yes. This Saturday, I agreed to become a model for my friend’s photography project. I spent the better part of two hours climbing over rocks and tree limbs… in pointe shoes. Wearing ballet clothes and little else, I posed on boulders, in a field, and atop a dying tree. The uneven surfaces coupled with the gusty wind made balancing quite tricky, however I’m certain that the billowing movement of my skirt will make for some intriguing shots. Despite its being a windy November day, surprisingly I was not that cold. Perhaps it was the early afternoon sunlight, or the sheer thrill of frolicking in the fallen leaves. I am lucky enough to be immortalized in film, surrounded by the foliage and shadows of the woods. Amidst the dying leaves, heart pounding, I felt alive.

Since my friend uses a film camera, I will not have the pictures until she develops them. For now, my only memento of this adventure is the grass stains on my pointe shoes.

Firsts This Week:

• Became a model for a few hours while dancing in the woods. I truly feel as if I’ve crossed something off of my bucket list.

15. Winter Theatrics

Although I don’t want to admit it, winter is fast approaching. We’ve already had our first snowstorm. The sunset today was at 4:31 due to daylight saving time. During my morning walk to school I can see my breath as I trample frosty grass beneath my feet. And most notably, winter fruits have made their appearance: persimmons, pomelos, and an abundance of clementines now grace our countertop.

After posting last week on October 31, I went to Salem, of witch trial fame, with my family. Given the ancestry of witches, Salem has a tangible Halloween spirit. Despite the snow, fallen trees, and downed power lines that caused Halloween to be canceled in surrounding towns, Salem was hit rather moderately, and thus Halloween activities continued as usual. The costumes were superb: a man in an 80s jumpsuit carried a boombox and an umbrella, decked with strings of light and a hanging disco ball (one man disco); a woodland nymph towered over the revelers on stilts. And of course, monsters and people wearing minimal clothing abounded.

I also went to two shows this week: one was an improv comedy show by the Improv Boston troupe, and the other was Romeo and Juliet, performed by Boston Ballet. I’ve been to improv shows before, so while Improv Boston provided ample laughs, nothing was new about it besides the performers themselves. Romeo and Juliet, however, was amazing. Choreographed by the late John Cranko and set to a score by Sergei Prokofiev, the ballet conveyed the tragedy of the star-crossed lovers. Though it’s been three years since I read the play, I found I still connected with the characters. The ballet was successful in that it conveyed the beauty of Shakespeare’s language through music and movement. Despite the exciting sword fights, uncomfortable pas de deux between Paris and Juliet, and Romeo and Juliet’s first meeting, it was the fiesty Mercutio and the lively Carnival Clowns who stole the show. The set and costume were a convincing depiction of Verona in Renaissance Italy, the lurid colors providing a feast for the eyes. I look forward to seeing the next performances in Boston Ballet’s season.

Romeo and Juliet runs through November 13 at the Opera House.

Firsts This Week:

• Went to Salem on Halloween Night. The costumes were superb.
• Attended an Improv Boston show.
• Saw Boston Ballet’s rendition of Romeo and Juliet.