Rehearsals

Rehearsals for the Gala

We have been very lucky to be able to use the studios at the Sangmyung University in the late afternoons and evenings. We just come in, warm our bodies up, do some exercises that we need then just do our own class to work our bodies the way we feel we need to. As a dancer, you know what your body needs and can work to your ability. Its nice to work slowly and take your time now and then and work!!! After doing a nice class, then we would stretch and I am so pleased to say that my stretching has improved. I have been working every night since I got  back from Russia. It has felt like it has been doing nothing, but it is so true that if your persevere, you will eventually see results!!! 

Here are my results: 

But this is what my goal is:

Olga, Gold Medalist from the competition.






This is the University where we rehearse






After we were done with all the stretching then it was time to work on Coppelia as we had dedicated so much of our time to all our other pieces due to the competition. Halfway through our rehearsal, Mr Park came in and saw that we were working on our partnered pirouettes (if you know me, its not my most favorite step in ballet). Well, he told me that I must put my weight slightly forward, and that it feels uncomfortable and to feel a rhythm with my head and relax. Guess what!!! It worked every time. He gave me a training exercise that he used to do with his partners. He is not a professor in the Vagonova method for nothing... He gave James and I many other corrections that have helped us so much! He is one of the most amazing people I have ever met in my life. He was the one who originally invited us to the Korea International Ballet Competition, as he is the President of the competition. Mr Park was a Principal of the Korea National Ballet and had many famous partners. He told us that he has no pictures except for 4 that his brother had of him because there was a fire that burnt down his house and destroyed all his photographs. This is so sad! He was also the Artistic Director of the Seoul Ballet Company. He is so kind, humble and helpful. He has done so much for James and I while we have been here. He has given us the opportunity to do what we love, to DANCE ON STAGE!!! He has changed our lives forever and we are so grateful to him!!! We both feel that he is our ballet father. The reason why I say this is because we have heard from many of his students that they call him father. We have wondered why, now we understand. We love you Mr Park, our ballet Father!