Finding My Feet in Salzburg

Want to know how things are going here in Salzburg? Read about the new and wonderful time I am having with the Landestheater Salzburg

I have been part of the Landestheater Salzburg for almost two months now and am definitely on my way to feeling settled. The new routine is becoming my norm but still fresh enough to be interesting, and the people that now fill my days are all making life enjoyable and welcoming.

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In our rehearsal studios in Salzburg

I feel cosy in my cute little apartment, filled with leftover furniture and comforting photos of friends and family. I am adapting to the very different timetable here where we work through rather than having a split working day. We begin at 10am with training followed by morning rehearsals till 14pm, a half-hour lunch break and continue with rehearsals until 5pm. When we start performing it will be a little different, but for now, I am really liking this way of working.

❝This is a big ballet to create so a lot of interesting work is going into this part of the process❞

Before I joined the company I admit I was a little worried about this change as I couldn’t imagine not having the long afternoon break I have grown comfortable too, but now I really appreciate having the evenings to relax and recover for the next day. Our bodies have so much more time to recuperate and it also gives us the feeling of a ‘normal life’; work is done at 5pm, time to enjoy dinner, meeting friends or an evening at home. Continue reading “Finding My Feet in Salzburg”

Ask Me Anything

Sharing a video answering ten questions about me and my ballerina life for an ‘Ask Me Anything’

The life of a Ballerina can be quite an interesting one and very different to any other lifestyle there is. As I love sharing with you what I get up to through my blog and social media, I wanted to do an ‘Ask Me Anything’ to answer some of the many questions people are often wondering about us dancers.

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Performing one of my favourite roles ‘Juliet’ with Juliano Tuscano as my ‘Romeo’ (Photo: Admill Kuyler)

I got a great response through Instagram and some amazing questions, so much so I think I may have to turn this video into a series of videos to give as many answers as possible.

Thank you to everyone who asked me something, I loved answering them and it is also a great way to inspire me on things I should write about for the future. If anyone out there has a question for a ballerina please write to me and ask, I would be honoured to answer. 

Hope you enjoy the video and keep your eyes open for more.

With love,

Harriet

A Bali of Life

Holiday time

Everybody needs a holiday, and dancers are no different. It is always something we look forward to, and I mean really look forward to. It’s a time when our bodies and minds can take a well-earned break and recuperate. We can let go and relax. We can forget about work, about dance for a week or two. And I have to tell you, it feels good.img_1573

It is so important that we give our bodies time to rest. We work them so much and push past pains that could be bothering us for a long time so a mid-season break could be just what we need to recover from our tough timetable. It is also quite refreshing to have some time away from the studio. Being inside the same four walls is not good for anyone, and the studio is a place dancers have to love. It is a place for hard work and creation, and for that to happen we don’t want to be climbing the walls but rather filling the place with our passion. Having time away can remind us how good it can be to come back.

Continue reading “A Bali of Life”

A Very Merry Christmas

🎄I would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas filled with love and happiness.🎄

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Enjoy your festive season hopefully surrounded by loved ones. I will be dancing this evening along with my fellow colleagues spreading the dancing joy of The Nutcracker.

Have a wonderful day where ever you are and remember to be grateful for the most wonderful time of the year.

🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄

With love,

Harriet

“Dance Has to be Done by You and For You” – My First Interview

An interview with Alexandra Krohn

A few weeks ago I was asked by Alex if I would like to take part in her interview series about young creatives and their way of life for her blog page ‘Alex In Allem’, and of course, very flattered I said yes.

It was a great experience to work with her interesting questions and in the end, I found answering them showed me how much I have learnt through my life and helped me see my life as it is now. It was a really good exercise for me to express my past experiences and question my future ones. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it.

Find below the link to the interview – originally in English but translated into German for her page (a treat for all my German friends):

Mind Over Matter: Harriet

Ein Interviewreihe über junge Kreative und ihre Art zu Leben.

Alexandra Krohn

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❝Tanzen kann verdammt hart sein. Du musst es wirklich wollen und mit einem fröhlichen Geist bei der Sache sein. Dann kannst du es schaffen.❞


And for the benefit of everyone else, here is the interview in English:

Mind Over Matter: Harriet

An interview series about young creatives and their way of life Alexandra Krohn

Alexandra Krohn

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❝I get so much out of working hard and improving, but I thrive off encouragement.❞

Alex: Hello Harriet. Will you give us a sneak peek into your most unconventional training method? Continue reading ““Dance Has to be Done by You and For You” – My First Interview”

Sisters Dancing Through Childhood

From the moment we could walk we chose to dance instead

A few weekends ago I was lucky enough to have my sister visit me for a few days so I thought it was the perfect time for me to introduce her to my story. Having known me for all my life and me being her much-awaited baby sister, and her my exemplary big sister, we are definitely two peas in a pod.

Growing up together Rebecca and I were very happy, busy girls. After school, our evenings were full of many hobbies and activities. You name it we did it. At the age of three, I joined my sister for ballet, tap, and jazz classes every Saturday with Lynn McCheyne. It was actually not something I loved at first, only doing it because my sister did, so we never imagined that chubby little Harriet would become a professional ballerina.

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Continue reading “Sisters Dancing Through Childhood”

Every End is a New Beginning

So today is the last day of my long summer holidays and the day before the ballet season starts again. I cannot believe that my holidays – six weeks in five countries  – are already over. A daily routine will soon be here and I find myself in a studio instead of a beach.

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Me & friends from the company, Marseille

However, the hardest part is not regaining the previous strength, the discipline, or the long and late hours of work. The most difficult part at the end of every summer is saying goodbye to my family. Continue reading “Every End is a New Beginning”

Tanning, Toning, and Training

The last two weeks of summer

As you may have seen I am spending the last 2 weeks of my summer holiday in Spain with my wonderful family. Since it is such a rare occasion to have us all together for more than a weekend it is a much needed and lovely holiday for us all.

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The Mills family, Puerto Banus, 2016

As my summer break is ticking by quickly and the last weeks are upon me, it is now important for me to exercise every day to get my body work-ready. Like on all summer holidays it is very tempting to soak up the sun all day, but I know my body will thank me for doing some exercise before the season starts. Continue reading “Tanning, Toning, and Training”

Surprised by the Unsurprising

#health#eating#food

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The Lake District, 2012

I am often asked about my diet as a dancer, which I can understand as most people think we are all so skinny because we don’t eat enough. But actually out of the number of dancers I know, we are pretty normal when it comes to food.

To do the amount of exercise required, a dancer has to keep their body fueled with the correct food and right amount of it. Yes, I do watch what I eat but more in the way that I want to get as much out of the ingredients as I can to make me a better athlete. Dancers are like any other athletes and we need power for rehearsals and even more so for performances, and that power comes from our food. Continue reading “Surprised by the Unsurprising”