Culture Shock

I have not been blogging lately; actually I have not been doing much of anything. My house is a mess, the pantry resembles Mother Hubbard’s and my husband was about to put out a “Wanted” poster for my return. I have been AWOL because I was busy immersing myself in a new culture.

During the summer our youngest daughter joined New England Ballet Company so for the past few months I have been busy driving her to and from Orange for rehearsals for The Nutcracker. The last two weeks were really intense with rehearsals and shows. All told . I lost count of how many dress rehearsals they did and I also got to the point where I lost track of what day it was.

I have always been a fan of ballet and we have taken the kids to see The Nutcracker a couple of times. I watch the graceful dancers on stage looking so serene and peaceful.

Now I have been a backstage helper so I know this is all an act; they reminded me of a swan–when you watch a swan swimming gracefully across the water, you don’t see its legs pumping like crazy beneath the surface. Ballet is the same.

While the dancers on stage were graceful and floated like a feather, backstage they run like a chicken with its head cut off. As chaotic as it sounds, it’s all carefully orchestrated, everyone knows where they need to be and silently jump out of the way or leap in to help costume changes.

I became an expert at quick changes; I had to strip one intricate costume off and help put a new one on (complete with delicate head piece) in a minute–two if I was lucky! I would do this several times throughout a show. I became accustomed to having bobby pins sticking out of my pockets, clipped onto my shirt and sometimes clenched between my teeth!

The company danced the last two shows of the season on Monday at . When the costumes were all packed away and we were done, I was looking forward to going home and not having to drive to Orange that night. No more rehearsals just classes.

What was I going to do with all my free time? It was nice to relax, but I have a feeling I am going to miss it. Okay I know I will miss it. I wonder when the spring production is?