Chapter Seventeen

Knowing that Wednesday was our last day for ballet, I entered the gym with trepidation. Today we were going to learn a mini-floor routine. In this case, we did Glissade Assemblé , tombé, Pas de bourrée, Chassé, tondue back, plie, tondue front, slide our toe back, kneel, hold, turn (getting back onto our feet), chaîné, chaîné, run off stage with windmill arms. Whew! I can't believe I remembered all of that! I'm not going to even try to explain what each one of those moves looks like.

The funniest part of the whole routine was the running with the windmill arms. I think I prefer the tippy-toe frankenstein over the bent kneed duck run with "windmill" arms. It looked cool when she did it. We just looked like a bunch of freaks running and swatting away killer bees as they were swarming towards us.

The prof nearly fell on the floor in laughter. "I can't believe you guys are getting the hard stuff and screwing up the easiest part about this! Right arm back, left arm back, right arm back, left arm back and look over your right fingertips with nose to the air as you RUN! Don't lock you're knees! Keep your toes pointed out, like a duck! No! NO! NOOO! It's not the freaking backstroke! WAAAAAAHahahahahahaaaaa!!!!" Seriously, I think we practiced this about a thousand times before she gave up on us.

Now that we knew the routine, it was time to "pretend" this was a real performance with an audience. She marked out the "stage" and the sight line, the point where the audience could still see the wings of the stage and where we had to stay in character. The prof split us up into two groups and staggered the first group, mine, into four rows. Unfortuneately, I was in the front row...for ALL to see. I turned to the girls behind me and said "Don't follow me, I dont have the slightest clue what I'm doing."

But to be honest, I was grateful to at least be in the first group and all ready "on stage" because the second group had to run quickly into their places as we ran "off stage" swatting mosquitos. I shouldnt laugh because I can't say I would have taken my position any better, but it was amusing to be in the "wings" and watch everyone flounder as they tried to get into position, and then quickly start the choreography.

We practiced our "choreography" several times before she decided we were good to go, and allowed us to leave. As we were exiting the gym, she announce she wouldnt be around the week before thanksgiving so no classes. And, in addition to this announcement, she informed us we were only having three weeks of lyrical jazz. Our choreography presentations begin the monday after thanksgiving. I guess I'd better get started...