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Josephine Jewkes,
Another Month, Another Scan | |||||||
Josephine Jewkes, dancer with Rambert and formerly an ENB Principal, writes each month on the "dancing life".
Link to the previous column
The MRI results should elucidate the question of whether I have sustained a deep tear to the cartilage of the acetabulum as is suspected. If this is the case (and is the root cause of the mysteriously-occurring calcification) then I have been advised to avoid permanently any movements which would stress the area, meaning that certain steps would no longer be part of my technique and I would have to adapt classes and repertoire to my limitations. I am deeply sceptical that I could maintain any sort of professional standard with such a restriction - as you have doubtless gathered, I am an all-or-nothing sort of person where my own work is concerned. Chris Bruce was most encouraging and sympathetic, citing his own knee problems and the way he cut floor work and knee turns out of his repertoire in order to continue with his very successful dancing career. I was agreeably surprised by his supportive attitude as I am only too well aware that a small company like Rambert cannot afford to carry any "dead wood" and Christopher is a great perfectionist. We have agreed that, short term, I am very useful for Cruel Garden and will talk about the long term when more is known about my state of health. My all-or-nothingness has resulted in a fortnight of nothingness (exercise-wise) since Rambert dispersed for the holidays and I spent the final days of the season in bed with 'flu! As I know to my cost, trying to dance with an infection always greatly exacerbates any inflammation, and usually results in taking time off for injury so, especially during rehearsal periods, I have learnt to stop sooner rather than later. Of course this did mean that my muscles weakened and softened again during the week of inactivity and my confidence and willpower hit rock bottom. Until I hear a firm diagnosis of my injury I feel unable to try and drag myself back into shape again. In the next few days the results should be through and then at least I can start to see a future for myself. In view of this uncertain future, Tim has accepted a guest contract with Peter Schaufuss which will engage him there for six months but with provision for him to come back to England for some weeks during that time. In the meantime, he is planning to study for a B.Sc. in Psychology. The other big decision has been to sell my beautiful cottage in Kew which has been a labour of love for the past six years, renovating it from a wreck to a gem. This has been a difficult decision, especially as my late father lavished his considerable talents on it too, but a mortgage is simply too much of a burden for a body in such uncertain health to carry. Luckily within three days I have a firm offer from a private buyer and I resolve to look forwards and not backwards. Strangely enough, I think that joining Rambert has changed my whole outlook on life, even down to my choice of house: from the verdant, exclusive Victoriana of Kew, I am now turning my sights towards the sweeping spaciness of untrendy new Rotherhithe, where the vastness of sky is reflected in the broad Thames and the glittering skyline is changing daily as new buildings mushroom. I shall be selling off most of my antique furniture and scouring the new furniture makers for sculptural forms appropriate to the new apartment we hope to buy.
On Friday 30th I hade a rare excursion to see some ballet. Nowadays I find it difficult to watch anything other than the very best and that, by definition, is rare, especially when a convincing artistic interpretation if called for - and I find that I am by no means alone in this view, as numerous conversations with various colleagues confirm. However, on Friday the Stars of American Ballet at the QEH gave me an evening of great pleasure. I could see the love and care with which they worked. I knew that they sweated blood over their tendus every morning and then revelled in their accomplishments when the curtain rose every evening. The result was an atmosphere of palpable pleasure and excitement among the audience, especially for the wonderful new works (new to London) of Ulysses Dove and Christopher D'Amboise. The art of choreographing neoclassical ballet is not lost. Hurrah!
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