Tag: Ballet

Sticks & Stones May Break My Bones, but Dancing Does Too.

My Injury Part 1

lwjoefmy4 Comments

I have so much to share with you about my injury and the journey it took me on, that I decided to dedicate a few posts to it. It was a significant time for me where I learnt a lot and hopefully, by sharing my experience I can help other dancers, athletes or anyone see what one can get out of a bad situation. Enjoy.

Last weekend I sadly missed the first performance of our season due to pain appearing where I was previously injured. I was very disappointed to find out I needed a weeks rest after only being back two weeks from summer. The workload having gone from nil to intense was just too much for my foot.img_3686

My injury occurred last season in May. I was having pain in my right foot for a while, with it feeling tight and ‘crampy’ most days. After a sudden change of cast I had to dance Taming of the Shrew with only a few days notice and from the increased work my foot started reacting to it. I saw our Physiotherapist to try  release it, but the pain kept returning. I was told to take care and rest when I can.

It is always hard to hear these words. As dancers, I believe we have a very high pain tolerance, and when told to take it easy I always find it hard to step back. I love to do class each morning, and even on the days I don’t think I can manage I push and try to finish, which is not necessarily the right thing to do.

13330954_1095355263855152_5414135058520684069_n-1
Morning ballet training

Continue reading “Sticks & Stones May Break My Bones, but Dancing Does Too.” →

Bringing Misia to the Stage

lwjoefmy2 Comments

Today the new season officially starts with our first performance back on our big beautiful stage. The company will perform Das Kleine Schwarze/The Roit of Spring, a modern ballet by Terence Kohler portraying the lives and relationship of Coco Chanel and Igor Strawinsky. It is always great to return to stage and there is always such a good energy in the theatre.

schwarze_gp_106
All the girls in Das Kleine Schwarze/The Rite of Spring (photo: Jochen Klenk)

Unfortunately this year I will not be part of this excitement due to an injury (post coming soon on this), which I am very sad about. Who wants to be off before it has even started? But I am realising, one must not dwell on things they can not change and in order to be part of the excitement I decided to share with you my wonderful experience of creating this production instead.

02-misia-sert-and-coco-chanel-01
Best friends Coco & Misia

Last season, when the piece premiered I got the chance to work with Terence in creating the role of Misia Sert, Coco Chanel’s best friend. And oh how I loved becoming this lady. She was confident and sassy, and a socialite among the upper class. Her relationship with Coco was very passionate: insinuated by similar interests, a lethal wit, and drug usage. There was almost rivalry between the two and without Misia introducing Coco to the world of art and beauty, she would not have become the icon she did. Misia often gave Coco ideas for her production in fashion and perfume, telling Coco that fashion changes but perfume is forever: introducing Chanel No. 5. Continue reading “Bringing Misia to the Stage” →

Another Fest in October – O’danced is!

lwjoefmy

And what a nice Theaterfest is was… For that reason, I would like to share some impressions of a marvelous day with you.

Already on arrival people were in a festive mood and once again I was surprised how many people who came to the theatre that day.

img_1615

We had a fun and successful open ballet training and rehearsal of La Sylphide with Peter Schaufuss.

img_1653

Continue reading “Another Fest in October – O’danced is!” →

Theaterfest

lwjoefmy7 Comments

Today we are dancing into the weekend with our annual ‘Theaterfest’. A day where the theatre comes to life and welcomes everybody back after the summer break. There is always yummy food and drinks outside in the sun and short presentations shown on stage from the ballet, opera and drama department to entice the guests into what is to come in the new season.

I always have so much fun on this day because we have the chance to see friends in the theatre and mingle with the guests who support us throughout the year. The atmosphere in the theatre is great.

On top of that we get to show our fans a ballet class on stage and then present a rehearsal or a snippet from the premier piece we have been working on, which is a good chance for them to see what goes on backstage.

With a performance in the evening it is a great way to start the season off with positive vibes and smiles from the guests and employees of the Staatstheater.

http://www.staatstheater.karlsruhe.de/programm/info/2376/

Have a lovely weekend!

With love,

Harriet

The Beginning is the Most Important Part of the Work

lwjoefmy

First week of work…check.

I am back to my normal routine of a ballet dancer, with morning warm up followed by ballet class and a day full of rehearsals. It has been a week of meeting new colleagues and learning new steps, laughing with friends and learning more steps. My muscles have ached and my toes have hurt, but I have to admit it was not as bad as it could have been, as most days the work load was manageable. Continue reading “The Beginning is the Most Important Part of the Work” →

Every End is a New Beginning

lwjoefmy3 Comments

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.

13707638_10209546500236105_1254487738778209114_n-1
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” →

Dancing into the New Season with the School of Russian Ballet

lwjoefmy

With my summer holidays coming to an end, I had a lovely opportunity to finish it off on a dancing high. In a small studio, along with some young aspiring ballerinas and a wonderful teacher, I was back to ballet training and ready to work.

During the previous summer I spent a week here with my parents and manage to find a small dance school called The School of Russian Ballet, where they were nice enough to let me join in some classes. I was there once again this summer sharing the studio with the girls and their teacher, Regina Zarhina. Continue reading “Dancing into the New Season with the School of Russian Ballet” →