Studio One begins

Once the wings get set up in the Gibson Studio, I know the Studio Series is getting close, but once the wall comes out and the chairs go up in the McDonald Studio, theater week is in full spring! It’s nice to perform in our home studios, a space we're comfortable and familiar with. The first studio performance of the season always comes slightly more quickly than expected, but once again, it brings that feeling of anticipation and excitement for what lies ahead.

Now, just because the wall goes out and we go into a theater mode, doesn't necessarily mean rehearsals stop. I personally always enjoy our rehearsal time in the theater because it gives those of us not currently rehearsing the opportunity to watch the ballets from an audience perspective. With the lights changing and the music stopping and starting, I get the feeling of being backstage and behind the scenes while watching from an audience view point.

Waiting for rehearsal to begin

We mainly rehearse the current Studio One pieces, but we often mix up our day working on tour pieces, Studio Two, as well as lecture demonstrations. Our schedule changes from our regular 10:00AM – 5:30PM day to starting and ending later in the day. It’s nice to have an occasional weekday morning off to get all the normal people stuff done. We so often lose time for grocery shopping, house cleaning, laundry, car stuff... etc.

Our first weekend of shows was very successful. Opening night was sold out and the audience, as usual, was extremely supportive. We had a great review and haven't lost our momentum!

Cody during Tech Rehearsal

Putting on all that stage make-up day after day starts to look more normal. It all seems to go by so quickly --from the end of our warm-up, to the half hour call, and the close of the curtain. When the curtain closed Sunday night after our first weekend of Studio One, we know it’s not over yet. While we don't have consecutive weekends of Studio One, we will be participating in the Richmond Folk Festival, which will be done in our home theater. Studio One will then continue in a second weekend to follow.

If you haven't yet had a chance to make it to the ballet yet, don't miss out. These two ballets, Clowns and Others and Ershter Vals, really show the versatility of the company dancers and our repertory. Studio Two will be here before we all know it!

My space backstage

Wrapping up my summer...

I spent the last part of my summer at home for just about two weeks (home is in Simi Valley, California). I always forget just how pretty the California mountains can be and what the valley view looks like as I fly in. It's so different from Virginia, and because it was home for so long, there is a kind of welcoming feeling I get when I see the layer of smog over the valleys.

I knew I didn't have long before returning to Richmond and the start of the season, however time seemed to catch me rather off guard, and the weeks went by quickly. I always return to the same classes when I'm home -- it's nice to take class with professionals all visiting from other companies, to hear their stories and push myself against their dancing. I usually see the same dancers who have similar layoffs as Richmond Ballet, and so most of them I've come to know fairly well over the years. I'll typically see dancers from such companies as Tulsa Ballet, Sacramento, American Ballet Theater, New York City Ballet, Eugene Ballet, and Los Angeles Ballet.

Taking class in Hollywood is always fun because I run into dancers who have taken their careers into acting. I usually see Amanda Schull from the dance movie Center Stage, who is always kind and very humble, usually not admitting to where people may know her from.

Los Angeles is also really big into a new form of workout called Cardio Barre. It started in Hollywood, where I actually saw actress Amanda Bynes. Now that its become a bigger thing, we actually have a studio right in Simi Valley which combines some of a ballet barre with arm weights and a nonstop hour of cardio. It's usually pretty intense no matter what kind of shape I'm in, and also great for my stamina. While bike riding is not as big at home as it is here in RVA, my sister Kailyn and I did our share of riding our beach cruisers around town, which I found to be great for my core strength in learning to ride with no hands!

California is much more spread out in general, although the valley I'm from is fairly close to the beach. I didn't get many chances to make it over the pass into Malibu, but the day I did get to go ended up being a great weather day, although I have to admit that the Atlantic Ocean is so much warmer! After being in the Pacific for just a little while, my legs started to turn red and numb.

I had a great time spending my final weeks of vacation with my family, which is nice seeing as how I won't see Kailyn as much this year. It was so nice to have her around, and is something I know I'll miss here in Virginia. I'm really looking forward to this season, and we're off to a great start -- it's been nice to get back to work and into a routine again. I hope everyone enjoyed their summers, and I'll be seeing you at Studio Theater!!

-Kara

Ballet and a Big Move!

Hello everyone!

I've stayed around Richmond for the most part this summer, but my summer started out on a bit of a difficult note when my sister, Kailyn, who was my roommate as well as a trainee with the ballet, moved back to California. I miss her terribly and it has definitely been an adjustment.








After she left I moved out on my own for the first time ever! Moving into the Fan is different from where we were in the West End, but the neighborhood is now home to seven RB company members including our two newest additions- Trevor Davis and Cody Beaton! It's comforting to have so many friends close by. You may have seen us all riding our bikes to the ballet in a big group! Cars have a hard time missing the ballet dancer biker gang as we ride through VCU and up Byrd.

I haven't been taking a whole lots of classes myself, but I have been teaching all summer. I work with some School of Richmond Ballet students, as well as incoming students and I'm also running workshops for high school kids through a studio I teach at during the school year. It's a lot of work, but I'm enjoying it immensely. I'm in and out of the ballet during the week, maintaining my pilates schedule with the wonderful Jerry Weiss, taking classes when I can (both in summer intensive and the adult program), and trying to make it to physical therapy.

All in all, it's been somewhat of a low key summer, but I've been keeping out of the summer heat (not necessarily out of the sun) and busy. I'm heading home today for the first time since December and I'll stay there for the remainder of our vacation. Home is Southern California, where I'll have plenty of time to take some wonderful ballet classes, and to get my body and stamina prepared for our upcoming season.

Hope you're all having good summers as well! --Kara