Dear Sanna - That's show business

Friday the company lost two girls. It wasn't such a horrible thing they left, because the artistic director didn't exactly love them, so they also weren't extremely happy. However, it was a really inconvenient time to lose two members of our corps. We had to have an emergency rehearsal, shifting everyone around for our performance Tuesday, which meant me doing a few extra little things, and one completely new part I had only understudied before, not to mention dealing with a lot of other slightly confused people on stage. So it was the day of the show and I had had ONE rehearsal of the new part, and of course we had no time to get ready. I was putting my shoes on when the ballet mistress grabbed me and the other two girls who do the new part with me to quickly space it on stage before the show, which was kind of important and good, but also then I really had to rush to get ready, which is sort of stressful. Anyway there were a few terrifying moments, but for the most part it was okay. After the new part was over though, I still had the entire ballet to do like normal.

With a few changes in the corps, I found myself on the wrong side of the stage at one point, and wearing the wrong costume at another. Luckily for me, I have observant and kind friends who went out of their way to tell me I was wrong, so nothing tragic actually happened. Just some REALLY quick switching of sides and costumes. But the ballet mistress gave good feedback, even if it was "good under the circumstances".

Then after the show, since we had spent a lot of time changing that performance, we had neglected what we are performing tomorrow, so we had to stay the whole rest of the day rehearsing. I was also just thrown into a new part in this ballet, too, so I am really having to think quickly this week. I am just trying my best to just focus on the choreography, so I have fun and dance and do my best. If I focus on the negative, I will only sabotage my performance.

Janie