My First Day at The St Petersburg Summer Intensive

So today was my first day at the Summer Intensive. Um... WOW! It was so hectic, but really amazing. I learnt so much in one day and can already feel my body working in a different and better way.

We started the day by walking to the theatre that we would be attending our classes in. Of coarse it would be pouring with rain! I was very lucky that one of the American Mom's let me use her umbrella so that my pointe shoes wouldn't get wet. I felt so bad because she got so wet...
So when we got there, we got dressed and then went to our first class which was gymnastics. We did some really good exercises that strengthen your back, feet and core.
After gymnastics we had 1h30 mins class with Professor Ludmila Safronova who is 82 years old, a Professor at the Vaganova Academy and was taught by Vaganova herself! The class was very slow so that we could work our technique. When I say slow, I mean that you work VERY hard!!!
Then we went to variations class with Ms Irina Kolpakova who is a coach for the Principals at the American Ballet Theatre. We learnt Jewels from Sleeping Beauty.
We had a pretty long break and then we had character class. Now this type of character dancing is not what you would think of. Its a styl of dancing on its own where you do barre work and it has its on type of tendu's and degages etc. Then just when we thought we were too tired, we had another technique class with Mr Vladilen Semyonov who was taught by the same teacher as Baryshnikov! He was really great, gave me some good tips too.

Tomorrow we have the same day. I'm sure I am going to be really sore tomorrow from working so hard, but I'm so glad to be able to get this training. Its so amazing and I cant wait to share it with my fellow South Africans who are interested. Another thing that I found really cool is that I was with some of the students at the Vaganova Academy, WOW! I feel so privileged!

Until tomorrow (",)