4 more days!

Wow... only 4 days left and I have so many mixed feelings right now. I just got done with my last day at the studios, and it was bittersweet. I'm glad that I got to have my last class with Mr. Han, who has been one of the best teachers I've ever had the pleasure of learning from. He's quite the character. One minute he'll be screaming at you and telling you how much you suck, and the next he'll be cracking jokes and making everyone in the room laugh at his impersonations. He can be really harsh, but I think that's what makes him such a great instructor. He dishes out a lot of insults, but, when it comes down to it, he's such a caring person and I'd like to think that he only says all of those things for the benefit of our improvement and capabilities. And, while you hate hearing that you look like a sushi waitress or that you have sausage legs or that you are so stiff you look like you've swallowed a stick, it pushes you that much harder to try and be good enough for him. Some days are discouraging and I get so frustrated when I don't do what he has asked us to do week after week after week, but it is the greatest feeling in the world when he finally tells you that you've done a good job and that he is proud of you.

After our rehearsals were over, we all had a pizza and cupcake party. I supplied the cupcakes, of course :) and the teachers brought us the pizza. It was so nice just to sit there and be in the company of all my friends, even if we spent most of the time trying to conceal how many pieces of pizza we had scarfed down from the teachers. haha! Every time they left the room, we all dashed to the table to snatch another piece before they walked back in. I think everyone loved the red velvet cupcakes. I'm going to miss making my little baked goods for everyone here because I know, no matter how bad they've turned out, all my friends are still so supportive of me and tell me how good they are. We are officially heading into the weekend full of shows. I can't believe how fast this last week went, and it's going to all be over so soon! I just don't want to think about saying goodbye yet and I am going to try and soak up every last minute this weekend, regardless of how exhausted and stressed out I will probably be.

YAGP Torrington in our "secret" dressing room :)

4. I am going to miss the thrill of performing with all my Washington Ballet buddies. We've all gotten so close this year. It's amazing how well you get to know someone when you're in the theater. You really don't get to talk very much in the studio when you're just taking class and rehearsing, but when you get into the theater, you have so much more time and you end up learning so much about each other. During Nutcracker, I made many new friends, all of which are now so close and dear to my heart now. I will forever cherish the moments we spent, goofing off in the dressing room, singing the grande pas de duex music in the bathroom and jamming out together while waiting in the wings before we finally got to go on stage. Once you've shared the stage with someone, you gain this sort of connection. And after you walk off after you've performed together, you get to laugh about all the stupid mistakes you just made and congratulate each other for how amazing they were. I always love my time in the theater, and especially all the people I grow so close with because of it. I love the feeling you get when you step out on that stage and all you want to do is flash a smile and put out all you've got. It's such an amazing, freeing feeling. None of your teachers are there, screaming at you to point your feet. All you've got is the vast dark audience in front of you and the lights all around you. I simply love it. And it's even better when you get to appreciate all this magic with the people you love. Through Nutcracker (30 stinking shows of it!!), YAGP fundraisers, YAGP in Torrington, the dreadful and epic failure flash mob in Dupont, and now this Spring Show, we've all stuck together, laughing and sweating, maybe even crying a little, freaking out in the wings, hanging out in the dressing room, and every moment in between. My friends are what got me through these difficult performances and are who have made them some of the most memorable experiences of my life. I will never forget all of the stressful times, trying to learn choreography 10 minutes before the curtain comes up, and the difficult times, trying to finish the Waltz of the Flowers without completely dying, or the hilarious times in the studio or the dressing rooms before going on stage, the terribly long rehearsals, the crazy competition dancers who glared us all down, the anxious moments in the wings, and every other minute in between. I have loved all of it and I will miss all of the people who made each of those performances spectacular in so many ways.

This is Choo San Gho's "Fives". A whole year of memories with this piece!

Just one example of what we do while we are waiting countless hours in the theater: Eat Bagels and pose for ridiculous pictures :) Going to miss this most of all!

One thing I must do this summer is get a tan tattoo. I know, it's a little childish, but I've attempted this for the past few summers and it has never worked. I've used a sharpie, I've used sunscreen, but nothing ever comes of it. Maybe I should just accept that fact that I'm not blessed with beautiful and easily tanned skin and move on, but I don't want to! I'm going to try really hard this year and spend lots and lots of time at the pool, and hopefully I can get that little white rimmed heart on my shoulder. Ok, writing this makes me sound really stupid, but I think they just look so cool!! That's another thing: I'm going to spend lots of time in the sun and at the pool. I feel like every year, we get caught up in all these activities and never get to just relax and sun bathe as much as we should. My goal for the summer is to soak up as much sun as possible and take more time to just relax in the swimming pool :). At least this goal shouldn't be too difficult for me! haha