nutcracker update

it's been difficult blogging lately. it's been difficult doing anything lately. the apartment is so upside down. there's so much that didn't get done over the summer because we were so busy with sturbridge, and because when i was finally home, it was just too hot to pick through bags of old clothes, toys and stuffed animals. i also feel organizationally challenged these days, but then i've felt that way ever since morgana was born. my mother used to say that she lost the curl to her hair when my sister was born, as my sister was born with a head full of curls. i say that i lost my organizational abilities when morgana was born. she took them all, and is now the one i turn to when i need to sort anything in this apartment . . anything in my life?????!!!! ha! in addition there is the everyday cooking, cleaning, laundry, taking care of pets (i truly do not like walking jack these days), dance classes, dance rehearsals and lessons. it just doesn't all fit in.

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so, what is the above picture of? it's a nutcracker rehearsal. the young boy is turning away from the door where he was watching the gingerbread dancers rehearse. the parents are watching and waiting for their children to be dismissed. rehearsal is almost over.

hmmm. what's happening here? the mice are rehearsing. justin, in the red shirt, is the company member who is directing the rehearsal. morgana is in the center of the picture, standing on her right leg with her left leg up in the air and waving her stick which is standing in for her sword. morgana will also be dancing "the waltz of the flowers." it's a lot of fun watching her rehearse this dance . . how many times did i dance around my living room to this song when i was little? maybe a million!

and what is this? this is a picture of the three marys, trying on their dream girl costumes. and, yes, that is chanda in the brown dress in the center. she's sharing the lead role with two other girls: her friend nora on the right, and calliste in the blue leotard on the left.

i'm finally down from cloud nine, but we were all flying high around here after the casting was announced. chanda is having a great time learning the part, but of course she has rehearsal friday, saturday AND sunday. it makes for a week without any break. i guess that's why i feel so discombobulated and the apartment is in such disarray.

bekka, the rehearsal director for the party scene section of the ballet, requests all party scene child dancers to write about their character. mr. patrelle based his version of the nutcracker on new york city history. the opening christmas scene takes place in 1895 in olde new york. the honorable william l. strong has just been elected mayor and he and his family have been invited as houseguests to a christmas party in gracie mansion, owned by hamlin and jane babcock. e.t.a. hoffman's marie character is mary strong, and her brother fritz is putnam bradlee. you can read a small new york times blurb about it's beginnings here. for me, it's a magical family holiday ballet production with very talented dancers. this year jennifer ringer and jared angle from new york city ballet will perform as the sugar plum fairy and her cavalier. many "regulars" will come back as guests at the party scene since everyone has such a great time dancing in it.

chanda's sources for her essay.

waiting for chanda's rehearsal to begin, after morgana's flower rehearsal ended.

since the girls are no longer little, i sometimes feel funny hanging around at these rehearsals, but i like just sitting and knitting. there's too much to do for me to sit comfortably at home and knit . . and i'm usually too weary to run errands . . so i get my earl grey tea and . . knit. on the needles now is a simple mohair scarf for a little friend who just turned nine.