Dance, dance, wherever you may be...

Well, the show is in 2 days, and rehearsals are going ok. Tomorrow is dress rehearsal, then it's showtime! For the ones I'm in, the tap one is called "Swingtime", the ballet one is "Noblesse Oblige", the modern one is "Recognition", the jazz one is "Made Ya Laugh!", and the musical theatre one is "The Cool Dance". I really like some of the other ones in the show. One of the ballet classes is doing one where they're playing balloons, and I've got that song stuck in my head right now... The kid who looks like Luke is in two of my classes - tap and musical theatre. The senior modern piece is awesome - the music they're using is from "A Childhood Remembered", a dance show the studio did over a decade ago (I was 10 at the time, it was the last dance show I was in for a long time) so it brought back some good memories. But at the same time, there are some moments in the dance that brought back some more recent painful memories. Like the part where Diana is sitting on the ground looking sad while the others dance - that reminded me of the retreat when I found out... well anyone I know who hasn't been sleeping under a rock knows about that... I almost cried when I saw that part of the dance because it brought back the pain of unrequited love, a friendship betrayed, etc. Well, enough about that...

I got picked for a live audition for a short film! Whoo!

I've been looking around the internet for some language schools in Spain, for when I go to Seville next year. I won't let anything stop me from going, and I've already started penny-pinching to save up for it. I haven't used my credit card in 2 months, and if I can make it for 3 months without using it, I'll reward myself. I'll either get professional headshots done, or buy something online. If I buy something online, I'm thinking either the God or the Girl DVD, a Harry Potter Griffindor sweater, a David Bisbal CD/DVD, or something else I wouldn't be able to buy otherwise.

Anyway, that's all for now...

My review for Amadeus

I went to see Amadeus by the Atlantic Ballet Theatre recently at the Confed Centre, and it was awesome! Love it love it love it LOVE IT!

The dancing was absolutely amazing, and Kostyantyn Voynov (Mozart) and Sergiy Diyanov (Salieri) are now officially on my list of favorite ballet dancers. Voynov was perfect as Mozart - he gave off an air of innocence, yet was absolutely brilliant as the musical genius manipulated by his rival. Diyanov was the perfect Salieri - powerful and sinister yet sneaky about it, the perfect slinky Slytherin (there I go being a Harry Potter nut again! hehehe...) getting ready to pounce on his prey. Evelina Sushko was the perfect muse - very graceful, yet flirtatious during the part where Mozart and Salieri are trying to out-dance each other for her affection. Also, she was physically different than the ballerinas who played the court ladies - they were very short and somewhat stockier, while she was tall (taller than Mozart even) and slim. The difference in physicality between the court ladies and the muse emphasized the earthly qualities of the ladies who come and go in his life and the ethereal qualities of the muse who has his complete devotion. I remember in Revolving Doors last year, Sushko played Celeste and my friends who saw the show thought that she was exactly like me! The dancing bishop was good too - doing those leaps across the stage wearing that black robe.

I LOVED the opening part that showed Mozart born out of a harpsichord and the muse sanctifying his birth. When Voynov was dancing after the "birth" wearing only tights and ballet slippers, he was so beautiful and pure, and when Salieri and his crew came in to take him under their wing, it was as if they simply wanted to take advantage of his innocence, look down upon him, and use him as their puppet, before they realized that he was a true musical genius. And the end where Salieri leads the dying Mozart to the harpsichord so that he dies in it, was just brilliant. Mozart dedicated his life to music - it was his destiny, as if he was born from it, lived for it, and died in it. And when the sand falls on the harpsichord like in an hourglass, it shows his musical immortality. He may be physically dead, but what he lived for will always live on.

The parts in between were awesome too. I loved the duel between Mozart and Salieri where they're fighting for the muse. It was funny when she made Salieri hold her cigarette while she danced with Mozart. Laura D'Onofrio was good and expressive as Mozart's wife Costanza, though not nearly as captivating as Sushko. Diyanov as Salieri stole the show in most of the middle parts, and his evilness was apparent in both his dancing and expression. I loved the costumes, though it must have been hell for the men to dance in those suits! And the music was awesome.

This show proved me right one more time when I say - REAL MEN DANCE! These guys were not "pansies in tights". First of all, only one was wearing tights and only in the first part of the show (after that, he was wearing a suit, as were all the other men), and they were not girly flitting around the stage. They were physically strong (the scene with Voynov in tights showed off his muscular dancer's body perfectly), powerful, and totally secure in their masculinity.

On a scale of 1-10, I give this show an 11! I noticed that the audience was so small, the Centre was not even half full (grrr... more people need to get into the arts). Anyone who missed Amadeus missed a friggin' amazing show. I loved it even more than Revolving Doors last year! The Atlantic Ballet Theatre of Canada is now officially my favorite ballet company, and my fave dancers are Kostyantyn Voynov, Sergiy Diyanov, and Evelina Sushko (the rest of my list includes Roberto Bolle, Mikhail Baryshnikov, and Jennifer Welsman). Amadeus was awesome!

Dance show info, Amadeus, and review for God or the Girl.

To all who want to come to my dance show - it's on Saturday the 29th, and tickets are $10 if you're just coming to the evening show (the one I'm in). If you're coming to both the matinee (the one with the little kids' classes) and evening shows, there's a package deal - $14 for both. I'm in 5 dances, and it is going to friggin' rock. Get your tickets at the Confed Centre, and as soon as possible because they're selling out fast. Don't wait till the day of the show or even a few days before, because it will likely be sold out by then (I wouldn't be surprised if it were sold out by the end of the week...). Anyway, for more info, check this out.

I can't wait to see Amadeus this weekend! Dance shows don't come here often, so I want to take every opportunity, and since I really like Atlantic Ballet Theatre, I have to see this one! Plus, I love Mozart's music and this really looks like it's going to be an awesome show.

I've been watching God or the Girl lately, and it's an awesome show. Finally, a positive portrayal of the priesthood from the secular media! Here's what I thought of it:

I love the theme song (yay Jars of Clay!) and I LOVE the choral music and the shots of statues and priest praying. The scenes from World Youth Day in Germany brought back great memories (the Dom surrounded by pilgrims, Marienfeld, the blue Italian hats, etc), and the scenes in Guatemala reminded me of Dominican Republic. The guys in the show are perfect examples of good Catholic men who want God's will, and though each is at a different point in the discernment process, I can see that they all have great qualities that would help them if they do become priests. Though they all have a different life story and different interests, they all have their faith in common, and it will lead them to great things.

The only thing I didn't like is that the show makes it seem like going to the seminary is like a binding contract - that if you go you have to become a priest. While in reality, many men go simply to discern a possible vocation, and don't decide right away to become priests (I've known several guys who left the seminary after 1-4 years because they weren't called to the priesthood after all). That might scare some Catholic guys out of going to the seminary.

My thoughts on the guys during episodes 1 and 2:

Dan - he is my favorite. If he doesn't become a priest (I hope he does though!), I wanna marry him! He is totally dedicated to his faith and is not afraid of telling it like it is when it comes to issues that have to do with religion (so brave to be openly pro-life in such a hopelessly anti-life world).

Steve - he is my other favorite. I totally admire how he gave up all the riches and opportunities he had in the past to pursue his faith goals. It reminds me of a saint who did the same, I think it was St. Francis of Assisi - he was rich, powerful, and had everything the secular world values, and when God called him he gave it all up to become a monk and live a life of everything the secular world sees as inferior.

Mike - he may be called, but it's hard to say. I do think he would make a good priest, but I can see that he is really struggling with this decision. He obviously loves his girlfriend and is looking forward to the married life, but then again many men who were in his position were called to the priesthood after all. I've known several priests who broke up with serious girlfriends before going to the seminary and it was a real struggle for them, but in the end they didn't regret their decision and are happy with the choices they've made in life. Actually, I remember when Bishop Vernon jokingly said that he gave his then-girlfriend two-weeks notice before going to the seminary!

Joe - he really needs to make some changes in his life. It's obvious he's not sure about the priesthood, but perhaps the seminary would give him a better opportunity to discern his vocation? If he's not getting anywhere with what he's been doing for the past 10 years, maybe he needs to be immersed in an environment where he can seriously think about it without worldly distractions.


My thoughts on them in episodes 3 and 4:

Joe - he is working through his confusion and seems to be going the right way now. I think he needed to get away from his home for a little while since his family is trying to pressure him into the priesthood. He needs to make that decision on his own, and going to the retreat house is a good way to get away from the pressures and influences coming from home. Also, perhaps God wanted to him to go through some confusion along the way. Sometimes, it's through suffering that we find what we need, and maybe that's the way God wanted him to discern.

Dan - he is still my favorite (not just because of the fact that he looks like David Bisbal, teehee!). I think he's called to the priesthood and he would be an awesome priest. I loved how he was presenting the pictures of the women in his life - the Virgin Mary, Mother Theresa, etc. And it's great that he's living in a great faith community with the other guys. Also, he really understands the concept of suffering (carrying that cross for 20 friggin' miles!), and I can see he truly wants to do God's will.

Steve - he made me cry at the end! I think that if he's not called to be a diocesan priest, he may be called to be a missionary. He has a good heart and has learned a lot from his experience in Guatemala, which will help him if he becomes a priest.

Mike - he's not going to the seminary now, and though he may be called to the married life, there's still a possiblity for a priestly vocation - he might end up going to the seminary in the future instead. It might even happen decades from now - I know a few priests who got their calling late (Father Paul and Father Tom who were ordained last year are in their 60s, they're both widowers and are retired from their former careers), and their life experience with marriage, careers, etc help them a lot as priests.

Anyone have any thoughts? Who's your fave?

Mid Spring is dance season...

Well, the days are getting longer (yay daylight savings time!) and the weather is warmer. Which means summer is approaching, which is a relief. Between January and March, things are boring around here, but soon the trees will be green, the seasonal restaurants and stores will be open, and the Island will be filled with people. It's only in summer that the Island comes alive. At other times of the year, it's usually blah.

There's another ballet show coming to town soon! I'm going to see Amadeus, about the life of Mozart. The Atlantic Ballet Company is performing it - the same company that did Les Portes Tournantes (Revolving Doors) last year. I got my ticket yesterday, whoo!

My recital is at the end of the month, and so far, rehearsals are going good. In all my classes, we finished the dances, we just have to keep running them till the show. And I got new ballet slippers - Bloch Pump. They're made of canvas so they don't stick to the floor as much as my leather ones, and they're split sole so they're more flattering for my feet.

I see some people don't understand the concept of SARCASM... Anyway, the April Fools post is gone. Happy now?

Apparently, Mr. Squirrel is using the outdoor portion of the air conditionner as a storehouse for the seeds he steals from the birdfeeder. Thank goodness the cats aren't allowed outside, they hiss every time they look out the window and see him in the tree!