Ballet Central Diary

Final Lap...

I am writing this weblog having just finished a run-through of the School Show which happens in the last week of every year, it is really starting to hit home now...the end is nigh. Since my last entry we have performed in Hertford, Bury St Edmunds, Wakefield, Hexham and Ludlow with just Hextable and a few dates at the Unicorn Theatre in London before we all make our venture into the big wide world.

Hertford and Bury St Edmunds were day trips so it was nice to get the whole company together again as only sixteen of us do the over night shows. I performed in Cinderella, Arabian, Cygnets, Do you want to...?, and for the first time 'Steps to Bach'. As always I was partnered with my trusty sidekick Rym therefore bringing our grand total of pas de deux's to three a show. She does not always appreciate being told that she is the less accomplished half although I have well and truly added her to the list of Robin, Sweep and Dr Watson who are often overshadowed by their more illustrious co-stars.

Next was a tour to Wakefield and two dates in Hexham. Wakefield was a beautiful auditorium but it was a little tricky as the stage was raked, making pirouettes very difficult and promenading Rym a bit of an uphill task. I did the same pieces as the previous two shows and considering the trouble with the stage I was actually quite pleased with how the show went for me personally although apparently 'Silver Light on Water' was not the best it had ever been done. In the dress rehearsal we actually failed to make the last lift in Cinderella which was the first time that had ever happened so I was a little nervous as I saw Rym hurtling towards me, however as it happened, after a few little tips from the Boss on how to lift on a rake, I did manage to get her up there. Hexham was a nice theatre as well and the first performance was good in my opinion. Personally though I was a little disappointed with the performance the next afternoon. When doing a show in the evening we are given the luxury of a dress rehearsal beforehand, however as we were dancing earlier we did not have one and I was perhaps a little underprepared mentally. I felt that the second half went a lot better than the first but Cygnets and Cinderella did not quite feel right, nothing went drastically wrong but they did not feel fresh and sometimes that can show to an audience.

Our latest venture was to Ludlow, a pretty little town on the border of Wales. For the first time we left our wonderful tour bus and had to make our way up on the train, a mistake which would not become apparent until two days later as sixteen dancers stood shivering outside the station waiting for a replacement 'bus' service that turned up an hour late and was actually a taxi....which none of us blagged our way into. Blissfully unaware of our tragic destiny, our first evening in Ludlow was very enjoyable. We all grabbed some food and sat at the top of a hill to eat it, a nice bit of team bonding I pointed out. We then thought it would be nice to nip to the local pub for the 'live jazz', lets just say Louis Armstrong would have turning in his grave. If your idea of Jazz was two drunk men in cowboy hats playing the theme tune to Rawhide then you would not have been disappointed, as it happened we were and decided against the idea. The show itself went very well, again I performed the same pieces and everyone was pleased with how it went rite up until 5 o clock the next day when our 9 hour journey was complete.

As much as I love writing these blogs I am afraid this is where I must finish for the day. My flatmate Goz is looking very angry as he wants to go home and we have just missed the bus.

Speak soon

Tom x

Posted by Tom Conlan at July 7, 2008 06:58 PM