Wake up
Breakfast
Workout
Ballet class
Lunch
Rehearsals
Dinner
Yeti Yogurt Work/Church Event
Bedtime
My life is not as structured as that list above but some days, life can feel like that. Europe was amazing because I was able to get out of my daily grind. It is easy to forget why we love to do something when we are so invested in our work. With lots of rehearsals these next two weeks and a bunch of auditions, my mind is moving is moving a million miles an hour trying focus on my career and future. My friends invited me to watch a modern/contemporary dance show choreographed by a man named Kyle Abraham. I have read about his work in magazines and articles but to see his work in real life was incredible.
I try to have a pretty open mind to other styles of dance, but to be honest, I do not really go out of my way to see other styles of dance in performances. This performance was VERY different than what I usually go out and watch. I was able to escape the usual to see the unusual for me. This performance made me think and I was interested in Kyle Abraham's work. He was going to teach a master class at another dance studio in Seattle called Velocity the next day. Luckily, I was able to make the master class after my day of rehearsals and class.
When I got there, I was out of place. Everyone there was all about the contemporary dance scene and here was this classically trained ballet dancer in the class. I felt awkward and weird but in a good way. The class was exciting because I was invested in the class 110% since I do not do this movement often. The movement is not natural to me, so I was constantly going over my steps. In ballet class, it is easy to space out because I have been doing the step for a really long time. This uneasiness was really great because my mind was thinking and was able to go in place I have never been and discovered new movement. I think it is easy as an artist to not want to try new things because of being afraid of what the people around you might initially think. To be in a random place with people that do not know you at all was great to try things without feeling judged.
I definitely needed to do something artistically that I do not usually do. I do not want what I love to do to feel like a job (RULE 58). To prevent that, in my opinion, you have to do something different. Different is sometimes good (RULE 59). I definitely want to take some more open contemporary classes for fun and to get out of my usual ballet life.
What do you do to get out of your daily grind? Let me know down in the comments below.