I know I haven't blogged in ages but thought this might be of interest and this was the best place to share my experiences :) Hope to post more soon!
I just finished my first national tour: dancing in “Angelina
Ballerina, The Musical!”
My role, Serena Silvertail, is the “most famous ballet
dancer in all of Mouseland.” I don’t know about famous, but I certainly was one
happy mouse!
I had auditioned for Vital Theater Company’s production at
least three times before I landed the part. One Wednesday afternoon this August
I was sitting at Kinkos on 56th Street printing resumes for yet
another audition when I saw my phone blinking. I always keep it on silent, so
it was a good thing I had it out to see it going off. An unknown New York City
number flashed across my background photo of Lincoln Center.
“Hello?”
“Hi Taylor, it’s Holly calling about Angelina Ballerina.
We’d like to make you an offer!”
I’m pretty sure I started laughing.
Rehearsals started only a week later, so I had already given
up waiting for that phone call and arranged my life for autumn in New York.
Hearing Holly’s voice was thrilling!
In the next few days I visited their theater on the Upper
West Side to sign my contract and pick up my script. I received two DVDs of the
show and a CD with the tracks I’d have to sing.
Sing!
Ok yes, we “sing” in the ensemble at Radio City, but we
aren’t mic’ed. Looked like I’d be actually singing and speaking onstage for the
first time ever.
The first day of rehearsals was just to learn music. I sat
amongst 7 other actors and a piano in one of the smallest studios at Ripley
Grier. The musical director was asking them to sight read and create beautiful
harmonies. I was shaking in my seat praying he wasn’t going to ask me to do the
same!
Luckily I only sang in one number, so I got out of there
early and embarrassment-free.
We had one day learning choreography, one day with the
director, and then a run through. After a full day of tech (learning how to
hang and fold drops, build the set, tally props…) we set off for the first leg
of tour to Ohio.
That week was a trial run. We played two cities in lovely
old theaters. It was our first really long drive, first hotel rooms, first of
many nights getting to know each other.
The cast was 7 actors and myself, and traveling with us were
a fantastic stage manager and sound guy. Their big, theatrical personalities
came out immediately. It was interesting for me, as I’m always the quiet one,
to figure out where I fit with this group. In other groups of friends I am
frequently the leader, the planner, or the “good girl.” This group already had
many of each of those. It was a process not just of finding myself but finding
myself in relation to other people.
We returned to NYC for a week and a half before leaving for
the full tour. In that time, I packed up my apartment, got a subletter, and
coordinated substitutes for all of my many jobs and classes I teach. I have a
LOT of friends to thank of helping me out during that time!
The first week of the full tour we drove and performed
through New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana,
among others. We traveled in a white 15-passenger van and a Sprinter truck
carrying the set and luggage. I cozied into my second row window seat for each
travel day and found a surprising amount of ways to keep myself busy on long
drives. I was writing freelance for Veteran’s Advantage (link?), making plans
for my winter Europe trip, and possibly watching an episode or two of Scandal
or Glee J
One thing I couldn’t stop myself from doing was checking
audition listings in NYC. As a freelancer constantly searching for my next
performance opportunity, it’s just habit to keep an eye on the future. That was
probably the hardest adjustment for me to tour life: accepting that I was
really away from my regular life and friends, and enjoying the fact that I
could live in the moment with my current job performing. The contract was for
two months – that’s a pretty solid fall performance plan, when I finally
thought about it!
The show itself got better and better as we went on, too. We
did a total of 26 performances by the end, and each was more fun and
interesting. Getting into microphone, doing sound check, and saying lines
became second nature for this silent bunhead who rarely speaks anyway! Haha. I
became more creative in making choices in my finale dance. I found moments to
relate to the other characters onstage just as our real life relationships
developed.
After many of our performances we would do “Meet and Greets”
with the children in the audience. Besides melting my heart with their doe-eyed
looks at my tutu and crown, their enthusiasm for ballet was invigorating. Even in
the smallest of towns, girls came out in their pink leotards and fluffy skirts
to hug us and sign up for classes at their local studio. Part of me wanted to
say, “Don’t do it! You don’t know what you’re getting yourself into! Ballet is
crazy!” Haha. But the better part of me was humbled to see such an appreciation
for an art form that argues its losing its audience.
There are so many great things about touring in general, but
one of my favorite parts was being in so many historic, gorgeous theaters
across the country. I have a thing for big stages and empty audiences. Every
time we arrived at a venue and went to drop our bags in the dressing rooms I’d
head out onstage to take it all in. Some had incredible chandeliers. One was
built like a castle on the sides. Others had unique artwork along the aisles.
And almost all were really large stages! The performances I have most of the
year in NYC (aside from my time at Radio City and the Met) are on smaller stages
or intimate performance spaces. How wonderful to have space to travel and look
out to the back of the house!
The other highlight for me being on tour was having the
opportunity to take class with several ballet companies en route. I sent emails
a few days before we approached major cities to see if I might be able to take
company classes. Most responded very positively and were happy to have me for a
day.
The first was Alabama Ballet. I took an open class the night
we got to Birmingham, which had been my first class since we left for tour over
a week ago! I was SO ready to move. It was a small class, but the teacher was
positive and very complimentary. The next morning I took company class with
their director. I felt encouraged to see many dancers similar in type to
myself.
The next classes I took were at University of Texas at
Austin. My friend Roman Baca connected me with his mentor who works in the
theater department there. I was so inspired touring the college campus (that’s
the nerd in me. I miss school.) The two classes I took were absolutely
incredible: the teacher gave corrections and combinations that made me look
differently at the way I’ve been executing certain steps for so many years. It
was amazing to be exposed to new approaches and ideas. The second class was on
Halloween, so it was also fun to see the students dressed up as I’ve always
done on that day in my training J
On our weeklong drive to shows in Iowa, I took class with
Oklahoma City Ballet. Their company manager was super nice and introduced me to
the director before class. By this point I had a bad cold, was tired of hotels,
and hadn’t had a real class in 2 weeks. Though I wasn’t at my personal best, I
took the class and really enjoyed it. Center was much more technical than what I
usually like, but it was just what I needed to keep myself in shape. The
company was also preparing for a Balanchine ballet in the spring, so jumps were
quick like I like.
Iowa and all the middle states we passed through were not
too exciting (sorry mid-westerners!). We had several one night only stops in a
row, so I didn’t get to see much of the cities beyond the hotel walls and
restaurants. I did get to meet a lovely Twitter follower and dancer in Iowa,
who asked for my advice about dancing in New York. As we spoke between shows I
realized how much I wanted to share with her and how many mistakes I’ve made
and had to figure out in my nearly 9 years in the city! I felt old, haha.
After Iowa, we drove all the way back south to shows in New
Mexico, which was a welcomed change.
The warm weather was much friendlier for my body (the cast
made fun of me for stretching in the van by sticking my foot on the ceiling.
Whatever, my hamstrings liked it J).
I took class with Ballet Arizona when we made it to the Phoenix area. That was
a little more intimidating – they are tall and beautiful! It was a challenging
class (for everyone, I realized later, not just myself) but a few dancers were
friendly and all were a joy to watch and learn from.
The most interesting class I took was with LA Dance Project.
I showed up Monday morning for class but apparently the ballet master forgot there
was a meeting instead of class, so I returned the next day eager to be seen. I
thought it was going to be a ballet class – wrong! It was much more
contemporary than classical, though we did do barre work. Many of the dancers
were recent Juilliard graduates, so I enjoyed reminiscing about New York with
them. It was cool to find new ways of moving in a low key environment (grande
allegro was to the song, “Hot Stuff!”)
I also took a fantastic class at Dance Arts Academy in LA.
My friend and LA Ballet Dancer Christopher McDaniel suggested it to me. Reid
Olson gave interesting combinations with fun challenges, like a cartwheel out
of a tour jete! I wrote down the entire class so I can steal some ideas when I
go back to teaching, haha.
I knew Chris was going to be in class, but as I went to hug
him walking into the studio I heard someone else call my name. It was my friend
Laura from a decade ago at The Rock School. I totally forgot she was living in
LA doing comedy now. It was a pleasant surprise to catch up with her! I had
just mentioned her when I saw my roommate from that year, Lindsey, after one
show in Texas. We hadn’t been in touch in since 2004 and had fun gossiping
about where classmates have ended up.
The other good friend I got to spend time with in LA was
former New Yorker and dance blogger Tonya Plank. We had dinner one night and
then she showed me around Hollywood and Beverly Hills. She was generous enough
to drive me all around that huge city and show me the sights! We, too, spent a
lot of time missing New York together and recalling the golden age of dance
blogging we both were part of.
I really liked LA. I’m pretty sure I was biased because we
were finally in a true big city with civilization. I had friends there and ways
to get around independently, unlike the rest of our stops on tour. We also had
a gorgeous hotel on the beach, so that didn’t hurt J
I paid a visit to Disneyland, too! My roommate from 11 years
ago (!) at Rock’s summer intensive lives near there and knows the park like the
back of her hand. Michelle was the best tour guide I could’ve asked for, and we
had such a wonderful day returning to childhood. There is no better way to do
Disney.
After Thanksgiving (spent by the water in a t-shirt – thanks
California winter!), our tour moved to the San Francisco area. Two of my best
friends from year round Rock dance up there and came to one of my last performances.
Katie has visited me in New York, but I hadn’t seen Alanna in at least six
years! It’s always amazing to me how the ballet world has given me such close
friendships that expand around the country and remain solid after so many
years. I absolutely loved seeing them and exchanging life updates.
The day we visited San Francisco itself I was able to take
one more class, at Alonso King LINES Ballet. The teacher was really nice and
offered advice for the other towns we were visiting. It was a dance-y class
that felt great. I wanted to return another day but transportation issues kept
me away.
I owe a special thank you to my stage manager and a few
other castmates who drove me around to various dance studios. Not having my
license was a blessing in terms of not having to share driving duties cross
country, but it made it somewhat stifling to not have a way of getting around
by myself. I’m so independent in New York (even if I do complain about the MTA)
so having to depend on other people was an adjustment.
Besides the dancing itself, there were so many other great
moments on tour. My outgoing, outrageous cast introduced me to experiences I would
never have had if I were traveling alone. I ate fried food at the Texas State
Fair in Dallas. I rode a mechanical bull on Halloween in Austin. I climbed a
mountain in Sedona. I saw the Hoover Dam in Nevada. I spent an (mostly) free
night in Las Vegas. I followed the Hollywood Walk of Fame. I enjoyed a
delicious wine tasting in Sonoma. And I made some incredible friendships. If
I’m lucky enough to book another tour someday and I’m in their area, I’m SURE
we’ll be laughing and reminiscing about our two month adventure on the road.
I have mixed emotions about it being over. I must admit that
I actually cried the night before we first headed out in October, wondering if
it was a mistake to leave the city. In fact, I really needed a break and I am
SO thankful for all the opportunities and experiences I’ve had. And every
moment onstage is one to be grateful for.
Twelve hours after my flight landed back in New York City I
started two solid weeks of Nutcracker performances, which were only booked two
days before my final Angelina show. I am awed at how life works, sometimes.
What a gift to do what I love, make a living from it, and share it with
audiences young and old, near and far.
I will end with the closing lyrics from our show: “Whatever
you dance, whatever you do, whatever you think you might want to pursue: do it
with your heart.”
