Monday, March 16, 2015
Tonight is my first night staying in the hotel here in Paris. We just arrived back from a spectacular performance of Swan Lake, performed by the Paris Opera Ballet. It was a bit stressful getting there because I was the only one who knew any French and nobody knew how to purchase our subway tickets. I had to speak broken, hurried French to the ticketing lady, but thankfully she understood me and we worked everything out. We were almost late and would have missed the show…so I can see already that my French (however imperfect) is coming in handy. I have noticed that people here seem much kinder and understanding than what I was expecting. Most people I know, when asked how they think Parisian people would act towards Americans, think they would act condescending and impatient when confronted with an American. I have discovered just the opposite: each French person I meet seems laid-back and willing to help us along as we struggle to communicate in a new environment.
Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Today was our first day of classes at the American Academy in Paris, and I must say it was highly enjoyable, despite our persistent bouts of jet lag. We took ballet from a French instructor and then proceeded to learn a solo dance en pointe in variations class. The French students and teachers at the academy treated us with the utmost kindness. We walked in and were greeted with smiles and nice words. In class the teacher gave us all valuable corrections and seemed very observant of our dancing. She also gave the corrections in a positive, supportive way instead of demeaning us or tearing us down. After class, we made our way to the Eiffel Tower, one of the most epic structures in Paris (and the world). I was dazzled by the size and infrastructure of this beauty. We mounted the tower and traveled in an elevator all the way to the top. I got some amazing pictures from below as well as on top. After coming back down, we all took dance pictures with the Eiffel Tower in view. What a delightful day it has been…
Wednesday, March 18, 2015
How could I describe this day…Exhausting? Informative? Exciting? It really has been all three, and more. Today we took contemporary class and then rode a bus to the Palais Garnier, the theater where the infamous Phantom of the Opera resided and haunted. While I was definitely overjoyed to view the elegant theater, my stomach felt like it was caving in on itself. One thing I would certainly change about this trip is actually allotting time for eating! Later on this evening, we made our way to the Arc de Triomphe, which is simply glorious at night when it is all lit up.
While it seemed intimidating at first to take ballet class in Paris, I’m quickly realizing that while teachers in the U.S. sometimes pronounce French words incorrectly, it wasn’t too hard to understand everything the teachers say since they all use the same terminology, and since there is a large physically demonstrative aspect to ballet class. It was also refreshing to hear the words pronounced by someone who speaks the language natively. Also, the teacher knows French as well as English, so if we don’t understand something she clarifies in English.
Thursday, March 19, 2015
It’s quite late, but my heart is swelling with joy. We just witnessed the beautiful sparkling of the Eiffel Tower at midnight! It was a magical experience to say the least. Today has been wonderful in many aspects. Class was fun, and afterwards our trip to Notre Dame proved my favorite spectacle yet. Visiting these tourist sites helps me understand French culture and history on many levels. While I do wish we had more time for rest and relaxation (my legs feel like jelly and my feet ache), it has been extremely informative and exciting to discover the landmarks and monuments of Paris. Notre Dame, a spiritual and remarkable structure that draws in massive amounts of people (natives and tourists alike) to revel in the cathedral’s size, decoration, and energy, has really left me in awe. We were lucky enough to stumble in during a mass and even hear the brilliant acoustics amidst a choir of singers and musicians.
Friday, March 20, 2015
I’ve now visited one of the most famous art museums in the world: the Louvre! I snapped a picture with the Mona Lisa and proceeded to roam the majestic halls filled from floor to ceiling with the largest and most detailed paintings I’ve ever seen. I can’t emphasize enough how inspiring it is to view these gorgeous pieces of art. It makes me want to take up painting again. After the Louvre closed, we all walked down to the famous lock bridge. I wrote my and my boyfriend Alex’s names on a padlock, locked it on the bridge, and threw the key into the river! This is supposed to symbolize endless love…
Now for some more ballet talk: Taking ballet in Paris has been similarly enjoyable to how it is in the U.S., but I must say that the novelty of dancing in a new environment makes the movement feel fresher. One thing I really have enjoyed is the thoroughness of the French ballet teacher. She seems to value correctness over rushing through a class. It’s nice to go at a slower pace and look at things more in depth rather than pushing through everything in a hurry. Based on this experience so far, I have learned to relax, retain a consistent calm energy, and pay attention to small details that will make my dancing more refined and polished. A wonderful correction I received was to feel my calf muscles touching when I do a demi-plie, which will help me strive for a better working turnout placement.
Saturday, March 21, 2015
I simultaneously can’t believe it’s our last day in Paris already and feel like it has been a month since we got here. Earlier today we had ballet and variations, and watched all our classmates perform the solo. One interesting thing I’ve learned is that in France, the step that we Americans call pas de chat is called saut de chat instead. Also, in a seminar that we took about finding dance jobs in Europe, I learned that a movement called non-dance is actually becoming equally, if not more popular than dancing. In this style, people are not supposed to indicate any formal dance training and instead must move in a very pedestrian style in order to perform. I thought this was somewhat perplexing yet interesting.
We also took a trip to Versailles today, which blew my mind with the mere spectacle of a family living in such a ridiculously lavish palace. Needless to say, I took about a million pictures of the jaw-dropping splendor contained in those walls.
In many situations my peers and I have felt similar things in the circumstances we find ourselves in- such as Sally’s awe in the grandness of Notre Dame, or our collective excitement while we ran down to watch the Eiffel Tower sparkle at midnight. However, in other situations we find ourselves reacting in different ways. As we ascended to the summit in the elevator of the Eiffel Tower, many of my peers felt nauseous and even terrified because of the height. I felt none of this and instead felt a thrill and excitement. But all of us thought Versailles, and especially the Hall of Mirrors within it, was a grandiose extravaganza!
This has been a crazy adventure. Now all we have between us and home is a ten-hour plane ride (and potential layover, and another two-hour flight). See you on the other side of the ocean!
Tonight is my first night staying in the hotel here in Paris. We just arrived back from a spectacular performance of Swan Lake, performed by the Paris Opera Ballet. It was a bit stressful getting there because I was the only one who knew any French and nobody knew how to purchase our subway tickets. I had to speak broken, hurried French to the ticketing lady, but thankfully she understood me and we worked everything out. We were almost late and would have missed the show…so I can see already that my French (however imperfect) is coming in handy. I have noticed that people here seem much kinder and understanding than what I was expecting. Most people I know, when asked how they think Parisian people would act towards Americans, think they would act condescending and impatient when confronted with an American. I have discovered just the opposite: each French person I meet seems laid-back and willing to help us along as we struggle to communicate in a new environment.
Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Today was our first day of classes at the American Academy in Paris, and I must say it was highly enjoyable, despite our persistent bouts of jet lag. We took ballet from a French instructor and then proceeded to learn a solo dance en pointe in variations class. The French students and teachers at the academy treated us with the utmost kindness. We walked in and were greeted with smiles and nice words. In class the teacher gave us all valuable corrections and seemed very observant of our dancing. She also gave the corrections in a positive, supportive way instead of demeaning us or tearing us down. After class, we made our way to the Eiffel Tower, one of the most epic structures in Paris (and the world). I was dazzled by the size and infrastructure of this beauty. We mounted the tower and traveled in an elevator all the way to the top. I got some amazing pictures from below as well as on top. After coming back down, we all took dance pictures with the Eiffel Tower in view. What a delightful day it has been…
Wednesday, March 18, 2015
How could I describe this day…Exhausting? Informative? Exciting? It really has been all three, and more. Today we took contemporary class and then rode a bus to the Palais Garnier, the theater where the infamous Phantom of the Opera resided and haunted. While I was definitely overjoyed to view the elegant theater, my stomach felt like it was caving in on itself. One thing I would certainly change about this trip is actually allotting time for eating! Later on this evening, we made our way to the Arc de Triomphe, which is simply glorious at night when it is all lit up.
While it seemed intimidating at first to take ballet class in Paris, I’m quickly realizing that while teachers in the U.S. sometimes pronounce French words incorrectly, it wasn’t too hard to understand everything the teachers say since they all use the same terminology, and since there is a large physically demonstrative aspect to ballet class. It was also refreshing to hear the words pronounced by someone who speaks the language natively. Also, the teacher knows French as well as English, so if we don’t understand something she clarifies in English.
Thursday, March 19, 2015
It’s quite late, but my heart is swelling with joy. We just witnessed the beautiful sparkling of the Eiffel Tower at midnight! It was a magical experience to say the least. Today has been wonderful in many aspects. Class was fun, and afterwards our trip to Notre Dame proved my favorite spectacle yet. Visiting these tourist sites helps me understand French culture and history on many levels. While I do wish we had more time for rest and relaxation (my legs feel like jelly and my feet ache), it has been extremely informative and exciting to discover the landmarks and monuments of Paris. Notre Dame, a spiritual and remarkable structure that draws in massive amounts of people (natives and tourists alike) to revel in the cathedral’s size, decoration, and energy, has really left me in awe. We were lucky enough to stumble in during a mass and even hear the brilliant acoustics amidst a choir of singers and musicians.
Friday, March 20, 2015
I’ve now visited one of the most famous art museums in the world: the Louvre! I snapped a picture with the Mona Lisa and proceeded to roam the majestic halls filled from floor to ceiling with the largest and most detailed paintings I’ve ever seen. I can’t emphasize enough how inspiring it is to view these gorgeous pieces of art. It makes me want to take up painting again. After the Louvre closed, we all walked down to the famous lock bridge. I wrote my and my boyfriend Alex’s names on a padlock, locked it on the bridge, and threw the key into the river! This is supposed to symbolize endless love…
Now for some more ballet talk: Taking ballet in Paris has been similarly enjoyable to how it is in the U.S., but I must say that the novelty of dancing in a new environment makes the movement feel fresher. One thing I really have enjoyed is the thoroughness of the French ballet teacher. She seems to value correctness over rushing through a class. It’s nice to go at a slower pace and look at things more in depth rather than pushing through everything in a hurry. Based on this experience so far, I have learned to relax, retain a consistent calm energy, and pay attention to small details that will make my dancing more refined and polished. A wonderful correction I received was to feel my calf muscles touching when I do a demi-plie, which will help me strive for a better working turnout placement.
Saturday, March 21, 2015
I simultaneously can’t believe it’s our last day in Paris already and feel like it has been a month since we got here. Earlier today we had ballet and variations, and watched all our classmates perform the solo. One interesting thing I’ve learned is that in France, the step that we Americans call pas de chat is called saut de chat instead. Also, in a seminar that we took about finding dance jobs in Europe, I learned that a movement called non-dance is actually becoming equally, if not more popular than dancing. In this style, people are not supposed to indicate any formal dance training and instead must move in a very pedestrian style in order to perform. I thought this was somewhat perplexing yet interesting.
We also took a trip to Versailles today, which blew my mind with the mere spectacle of a family living in such a ridiculously lavish palace. Needless to say, I took about a million pictures of the jaw-dropping splendor contained in those walls.
In many situations my peers and I have felt similar things in the circumstances we find ourselves in- such as Sally’s awe in the grandness of Notre Dame, or our collective excitement while we ran down to watch the Eiffel Tower sparkle at midnight. However, in other situations we find ourselves reacting in different ways. As we ascended to the summit in the elevator of the Eiffel Tower, many of my peers felt nauseous and even terrified because of the height. I felt none of this and instead felt a thrill and excitement. But all of us thought Versailles, and especially the Hall of Mirrors within it, was a grandiose extravaganza!
This has been a crazy adventure. Now all we have between us and home is a ten-hour plane ride (and potential layover, and another two-hour flight). See you on the other side of the ocean!