on being interviewed

I was just interviewed for this other ballet website and it was quite amusing.

The interview itself was fine, but I can't help but laugh at myself when I hear myself talking about certain things. For instance: Quesion- You do so much, do you have any kind of a social life? Answer- Ummm no

Okay, it wasn't quite as blunt as that, but I tend to ramble on and on about things and I just crack myself up. I guess that's a good thing...

Also, I hate the fact that I continue to talk about certain things and experiences as if they were so wonderful when in fact that were some of the worst times of my life. No details, but it's hard to denounce certain things in public even though it's true.

Being interviewed myself gave me some insight into what it's like for the people that I interview for MY articles and such. It's like, there are certain things you want to say and touch upon but the questions don't really lend themselves to that, so you find a way to finagle an answer in where it doesn't fit. I'm afraid when you read the transcribed interview it won't make much sense, but it did in my mind, haha. I'm not much of a conversationalist (especially when I'm sick, like now) but it should be a fun read when it comes online in a week or two!

more opportunity

Tonight I had my last class of my 'intro to dance' course at school. It may have seemed like a joke to take it, but it has paid off...

First of all, I had to present my final paper tonight, which was an excerpt from my thesis. I brought a whole bunch of magazines and my laptop to show websites (like The Winger and Explore Dance). After class my teacher (who teaches at a performing arts high school in the city) asked if I would come lecture her students on dance criticism and my experiences in dancing and such. How fun! Too bad I'm like the same age as some of them, haha. But it should be interesting...

She also asked if I was interested in choreographing on them for their spring show. I think I'm going to do it, but it will be my first big-scale choreography project! I've done little solos for myself here and there, and helped some friends choreograph (for Rock graduation, a BAE show, etc) but this is all me. I'm kind of excited about it even though it adds still more work to the crazy life of Taylor.

Well anyways, that's the news for the evening. Tomorrow I'm being interviewed for this new ballet website BalletConnections.com . For once, I'm not doing the interviewing, haha. The guy thought I'd be interesting to talk to because I'm in both dance and journalism...little does everyone know that I have about 5 lives going on at once (school, grad school, freelance writing, ballet, internships). So much to do and say and so little time! But also he mentioned something about a potential writing project because he runs a book publishing company. THAT would be amazing.

We'll see how everything works out.

ode to a ballet teacher

My article on my teacher Kat Wildish is now posted over on ExploreDance.com : Kat Wildish Retires From Fairy-hood but Still Spreads Magic.

This one was amazing to write...

Forbes

I can officially announce that my spring internship next semester will be at Forbes Magazine. It's an editorial internship with their website, and though I'm not the best with business, it's a great opportunity that I signed on to this afternoon.

I did have another internship interview with a big name magazine today, but I won't hear from them for quite a while and it seemed best to go with the one that was offered right away. It's a good name and a good environment. And there's a few other things in the works for next semester so we'll see how it goes...

PS- the cold that was coming on has definitely hit me hard tonight. Not fun :(

back in the city

Every time I get my first glimpse of New York City's skyline when returning from a trip, either to rehearsal in CT or home to Boston, I get the same excitement and chill I first got when I moved to the city.

Except tonight, the chill was from a cold coming on :(

Yes, it's that time of year, and I'm getting a cold from being rundown. Can't imagine why. But I'm trying hard to fight it so I can make it through the rest of the semester alive.

Besides a sore throat and headache, my Thanksgiving break was nice. Visiting friends and family was good, and having some time away from my cramped apartment full of work was refreshing. I also got time for my body to rest before the final push of Nutcracker month.

[pretending to eat all the pie on Thanksgiving. yum]

[one of my dogs, Lucy, who is so cutely posing with the huge xmas tree we just put up]

[we -- well, my mom -- always decorate for christmas soon after thanksgiving for parties and such, and because the house is crazy we go ALL OUT. This would be just part of the massive Nutcracker collection that lines the entire counter]

Went back to rehearsal today...only one more Sunday left til we're onstage! I really can't wait. Mohegan Sun seats 10,000 people! That's almost more than all the theaters I've ever danced in put together -- and I've been in some big places.

Besides that I have some other things to look forward to. The big internship I interviewed for last week left me a message before break offering me the position for the spring. I have my big article due this week. I'm finishing up my last issue (before I graduate) of our school paper The Monitor. I'm being interviewed for this new dance website balletconnections.com and may possibly get another writing gig from that.

As always, a ton of stuff is going on. I thrive on opportunity, but let's hope this cold doesn't keep me down.

happy thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving (yesterday) haha.

I'm home and attempting to relax but wanted to post quickly.

I'm making some updates on my website since I could finally download the actual editing software rather than using the online version. So keep a lookout for that.

I have rehearsal Sunday, so I probably won't write again until after that.

PA Ballet review & about the author

ExploreDance.com has posted my review of Pennsylvania Ballet along with a little About the Author section I did.

Check it out :)

getting work done

I'm finally starting to make a dent in the pile of work I have to get done for the rest of the semester.

Last night I finished my (exceedingly long) draft of my thesis on dance writing and the shift from print to the internet. What was supposed to be a 10-15 page draft with roughly 20 sources turned out to be 23 pages with 62 sources! Did I go a bit overboard or what? Well, that's how I do things I guess.

I also just finished my review of Pennsylvania Ballet, which should be up over at ExploreDance.com soon.

I still have a ton to do, but luckily my internship let me out early today because of the holiday, so I have some extra time I wasn't counting on. I'm trying to get as much done now so I can pretend to have a REAL break over Thanksgiving. I probably won't update as much while I'm home from Wednesday night - Sunday. Happy (almost) Thanksgiving :)

autumn in new york

Sometimes when I'm having a bad day or just need a change of pace I skip the subway and walk through the park to get to where ever I'm going (usually class). Today was one of those days...but it was raining. I didn't go through the park, but instead went through some fall pictures I took recently. Enjoy...

Nutcracker countdown continues

Rehearsal today was good, but I'm getting really anxious for the performances! Only 2 more Sundays of rehearsals and then we're onstage! yay!

The conductor was there today and we were working out music and stuff. We ran all of Act II in order again...same as usual. I'm really looking forward to performing.

Interesting New York Times article on Nutcracker today...'So Many 'Nutcrackers', So Little Time'. Alastair Macaulay basically gives a history of the Nutcracker, which I'm not so sure readers of the NY Times dance section really need. One thing he mentions is Disney's film 'Fantasia' and how it uses the 'Waltz of the Flowers' music. Reading about this jogged my memory about that scene (haven't seen that film in years!) but besides that...He goes on to say:

"There is only one “Waltz of the Flowers,” and one “Nutcracker,” that surpasses this [my note: the Fantasia version]. New York is lucky in that since 1954 it has had an annual season of George Balanchine’s “Nutcracker,” a masterpiece of construction that repays endless viewings."

Yes, the Balanchine version is beautiful. But I beg to differ that the only Nutcracker better than a cartoon of dancing brooms is NYCB. I am partial to Boston's Nut, which I grew up with...and I know there are many more out there that are so great. I have to say I very much disagree with the Times.

Anyways, I don't have time to be reading! haha I have so much work to do it's not even funny...Tuesday is my deadline for a whole bunch of things, so I better get going!

PA Ballet

Tonight 2 of my friends and I went to see Pennsylvania Ballet's performance for me to review for ExploreDance. It was such a nice night!

The performance itself was quite beautiful. They did Seranade (that music gives me goosebumps) and Matthew Neenan's Carmina Burana. Very different from each other, but both really well done. Full review to come.

It was nice to the company here after doing Nutcracker with them back in my Rock days. Familiar faces of those I admired as a Hoop in Nut...and also some friends who were at school with me there who are now apprentices. How small this ballet world is.

Speaking of that, during intermission I ran into Darla and Julia, the directors of BAE! I haven't seen or heard from them since I left in June when the year finished (actually, Julia was around a bit over the summer when I worked there, but it's different). It was nice to catch up with them and it made me realize how much has happened and has changed since I left there. Seems like forever ago.

Afterwards my friends and I went to dinner and laughed a lot. It was fun because I hardly ever have time to go out at all any more! I really didn't even have time for tonight (thesis, stats project, and 2 articles due on Tuesday..eek!) but it was worth it.

Nutcracker rehearsal all day tomorrow as usual. More insane busy-ness for the beginning of the week before I go home for Thanksgiving on Wednesday!

so tired

I am dead tired tonight from this crazy week!

The rest of my afternoon after this morning's post was quite busy. I had an internship interview that went well, but it was kind of intense! Hard to explain but it was different from what I was used to as far as those things go. Seems like a nice opportunity, and the lady said she thought it went well, but we'll see. I have some other potential opportunities for next semester coming up lately and I don't know where it will take me yet.

After that I did another interview for my other article. Mystery person #4 (who might be revealed sooner than the others) was nice and helpful like the others. I'm starting to get a sense of exactly where this article is going, so now I just have to sit down and write it!

After all that I took class and rehearsal all night as my Friday nights usually go. It probably wasn't a smart idea to take most of the week off and then hit 3 technique classes in one day. I'm quite in pain this evening, and I was feeling my foot a bit in class which hasn't bothered me in a while now, so I don't know. The last thing I need is to be injured, haha. No, I'm fine though. That's my motto: I'm fine.

Alrighty, well I really need to do some work (even though it's late!) and then get to bed. Tomorrow after school (yes, Saturday mornings I have my graduate class) and ballet I'm going to see Pennsylvania ballet at City Center to review for ExploreDance, so I'm looking forward to that. Then Nutcracker rehearsal all day Sunday. 2 more Sundays before we're in the theater! Yes!

Complexions review posted

My review of Complexions is now up over at ExploreDance.com.

Click here.


I just did an interview with my ballet teacher for an article for that site as well. Oh my goodness, what a conversation! I cannot wait to write this one. She is amazing. Just you wait.

the energizer bunny

I feel like the Energizer Bunny this week...I just keep going and going and going, haha.

I had work all day today. Whenever I say work, I mean my internship. And it only feels like "work" because it's in an office. It's really quite enjoyable. Today I got to go to another press event, this time for Walmart, and my boss came with me. Like Target the other day, they had some nice things they showed us that are set to be in stores in the spring. Got some nice swag (aka free stuff) out of the deal :) and got to talk more to my boss (she's too nice to be a "boss") about jobs and such.

School tonight was the usual. I'm starting to realize how little time there is left in the semester. I only have 3 more Thursday nights of classes thanks to Thanksgiving next week. This semester has flown by! Probably because I've done ten thousand things in the span of 3 months.

I've gotten some more comments on my thesis post over at The Winger if you want to check 'em out. It's so nice to hear from people! More people should comment on THIS blog too, since lately I've been getting some new readers...

Another super busy day tomorrow like yesterday. I finally have a chance to take class since I've barely had time to do so all week. After morning class I'm interviewing my teacher (she's amazing) for an ExploreDance article. Then I have an internship interview (the first interview in a while where I'm not the one asking the questions, haha). Then another interview for my other article (4th of 5). Then taking class the rest of the evening as I usually do on Friday nights. It's funny how right now class is like my reward for getting everything else done, whereas many times it feels like something I just have to do or have to get over with. Maybe that makes me appreciate it more.

complexions

Complexions was so good!!!

Full review to come at ExploreDance.com.

Due to the last minute planning of the evening I went alone, but I ended up sitting next to the Editor of Pointe Magazine whom I interned with almost 2 years ago! The dance world is sooo small, haha. It was nice to see her. The performance was really great...just really long (2 intermissions...2 1/2 hours).

As a follow up to my most recent post about being busy:
-ended up doing another interview tonight before the performance, 3 down 2 to go
-have a (pretty exciting) internship interview scheduled for Friday afternoon. It's a good one, although not much can beat where I work right now! This one's only for fall/January though.

SO busy!

This day, and week, has been insane!

This morning I did another interview for movmnt. Mystery person #2 was also really nice and gave me GREAT anecdotes to use in the article.

Then I just got out of a lonnnng audition for Rebecca Kelly Ballet, this contemporary company downtown. It was a really nice audition -- I liked the choreography a lot, and it wasn't too crowded. She has another audition in December before she makes any decisions or whatever, so I won't hear back for a while. It felt more like a good class than an audition, so...think positive.

Now I'm fumbling around trying to respond to many many messages I got while in the audition...I got last minute press tickets to review Complexions tonight, so I'm arranging for that to happen. I've been playing phone tag with another movmnt interviewee and I'm try to get that squared away. I got a call from a very important internship asking for references and an interview, so I'm in the process of that as well. Crazy! You know I'm busy when I can even find time to take class! I guess the audition counted though.

Anyway, I better get to work on organizing my life and stop rambling on here, haha. Report on Complexions coming later tonight :)

more intern fun

Today was another fun day at work (internship).

I got to go to a press event for a new design collection for Target. Fun! They have some cute stuff coming out in January.

The rest of the day we had another photo shoot. I like the days when we shoot because I'm not at a desk all day (as much as I enjoy my cubicle...and I'm not being sarcastic!). It's more interactive and fun. Everyone at the magazine is so nice. Today was exciting because the photo editor made cupcakes and brought them in, haha. Oh the things that brighten a day...

More interviews coming up this week. For this website I'm going to write for I get to interview my ballet teacher! Pretty excited about that one...haha I'm a dork beyond words.

This week is going by really fast and I have sooo much work to do. I can't believe Thanksgiving is next week! I'm going home to the family, which will be a nice (short!) break. So much to do before then though...just trying to keep everything in control.

movmnt interview #1

This morning I did my first interview for my article for movmnt magazine. I don't want to give away who it was (to leave suspense for the article to come out, haha) but it went really well!

Mystery person #1 was really nice and had some interesting things to say. I can't wait to get this article on paper! It would be so nice if there were all the print space in the world to share full interviews with everyone, but as my thesis topic shows yet again, it cannot be done. So you'll have to settle for a few quotes in the final draft of the article printed in January!

rehearsal in costume

This weekend was nice because I only had to go out to CT for Nutcracker rehearsal today instead of spending the entire weekend out there.

It seemed to pass much faster since I didn't stay over, and rehearsal itself is getting better and better as we get closer. We've officially finished setting everything and are now running through Act II all the way through. It's finally starting to feel like a show, and I'm finally building up stamina to make it through without my calves turning to rocks, haha.

Before we ran Act II today we went through Snow as usual, but we got to do it in costume! We had fittings a few weeks back and the costumes are so pretty, but it's better when we actually wear them to dance. The choreography has several moments where we hold or play with the skirt (it's to the knee) so it was helpful to actually have something to swish around. And it just feels pretty to be sparkly, haha.

I can't believe it: 3 more Sundays until we're onstage! It's going by quickly...can't wait to actually be performing. One of my teachers once said, "The stage is sacred." Performing is living. It is why I dance, and why I breathe.


Okay, that was dramatic. But anyways I have an insanely busy week this week...interviewing people for my momvmnt magazine article, cracking down on my 20 page thesis, starting The Monitor's December issue, reviews of 2 performances for ExploreDance. Oh, where do I even begin...

conversations about dance blogs

Recently I posted my thesis proposal on The Winger to get more input from dance bloggers and readers, since my topic concerns dance writing and the shift to the internet. It seemed fitting to publicize my ideas there just to get them out there, but the response was something so amazing!

People genuinely care about this topic, and I'm so excited about that. Dance journalism is not something to be forgotten as it would seem from diminishing coverage in print. Today even the former dance editor of The Village Voice left a comment on the post! It sparked great conversation and I can only hope more discussion will come. This week I have to sit down and make time (which I verrry little of) to write a draft of the thesis paper. It's a ton of work, but I'm so ready to get it all on paper!

On top of that I have writing assignments now for ExploreDance.com. I'm reviewing a couple of performances next week and doing some other articles. Exciting!

Also this week I'm starting my many interviews for my movmnt magazine article, so that should be interesting. I love getting the opportunity to speak to these incredible people! That's why I want to be a writer -- to hear these stories and ideas and get them out there for others to hear. As movmnt's editor reminded me, "As journalists, we are storytellers."

The Flexi-stretcher: my new addiction

As much as I need my gingerbread latte nowadays, I need the flexi-stretcher before or after class!

This thing is unbelievable. Basically, it helps you stretch in the absolute correct position so you can't cheat and use other muscles or twist your bones or anything. It mainly helps improve your arabesque and get your leg right behind you, but it can be used for tons of other things.

Last night after class we had a demonstration with the girl, Rachel, who invented it. She's a dancer herself and had a whole series of exercises to go along with this amazing stretchy band. From abs, to arms, to extension, this thing does it all!

I've had mine for about 2 weeks now (but was borrowing from friends for about a week prior to ordering mine) and I definitely feel a difference! Most notably in my arabesque...my back is extremely tight and always has been, but this contraption gets my hips loose and in the right position so my leg goes up. It builds muscle and strength as it stretches, and when I'm in class after using it I imagine having it on and can feel the right alignment. It pulls my shoulder back too, which I often twist and hunch to aim for better extension.

I highly highly highly recommend buying one if you want a great stretch! It's a little pricey but well worth the investment. I got mine at Discount Dance, but you can also go on the flexi-sretcher website to order and see demonstrations.

Warning: It's addicting! :)

the write stuff

Today I met with the editor of movmnt magazine - a new(ish) quarterly dance and pop culture magazine - and received my first BIG writing assignment.

I'm incredibly excited that this worked out! We came in contact with each other over the new dance social networking site, THE (INTER) MISSION and after some back and forth conversation he offered me an article for the next issue!

It's a nice 4 page spread (my work to this point has been maybe 1/2 a page, max!), and I have to interview a few big names in the dance world(!). This is a big big step for me and lots of work, but I'm so excited to get this opportunity!

Also of note is that I may start writing for another dance criticism website, Explore Dance. Through the Winger the editor saw my writing and thought I'd be a good fit. No details on this yet, but it's in the works.

At my internship they are starting to let me write for the magazine as well, so things are looking up! I wrote a short piece yesterday (mostly product descriptions...more like ad copy really) but next week I actually get to do an interview and write it up. More published clips!

This is an exciting time for at least one of my hopeful careers.

The Monitor - Nov. Issue

The November issue of our school paper, The Monitor (of which I'm the Features Editor), is now available online.

Lots of work went into this, so please take a look at the .pdf and enjoy! Page 10 has one feature of mine, and page 11 has the very cut down version of my interviews for the DAW performance of the Dance Dept.

I only get to work on one more issue before I graduate. Scary!

Ballet + College = NYTimes article

As mentioned in my letter to Dance Spirit, I think it's really important for dancers to have an education. Though it was once frowned upon as a distraction and waste of time, college is becoming more and more prominent in the lives of professional dancers.

See this article in the NY Times yesterday. It talks about the new LEAP program a lot of New York area dancers are starting. My teacher who helped me graduate high school early is helping out with the program and it sounds really great for dancers with limited time.

I hope this is the start of a more forgiving and encouraging outlook of the ballet world towards education.

good week

What is the magic ingredient that makes one class (and my resulting mood) quite good, and the next so horribly bad?

I wish I knew.

But this past week of class and rehearsal has been quite good for some unknown reason. I don't know what it is, but I felt like all of last week I had more energy or something. This weekend of rehearsal was similar. Can't explain it, but I hope it continues on this week!

I get into these modes sometimes where I realize how lucky I am right now. I go through my ups and downs a lot, but then I get to a point where I see that I really truly can't complain about my life: I'm in the best city in the world, doing what I love, at the brink of 2 possible careers, with the support of the people I love. I have to remind myself of that sometimes when I'm down -- there's nowhere else I'd rather be, no other way I'd rather be spending my time or living my life than the way it is right now.
---

Lots of stuff going on and coming up soon. I'm starting to interview for potential spring internships (seems like I just started my fall one yesterday!) along with working on my many papers/projects for the rest of the semester. Other writing assignments are popping up that I'm excited about but will keep me ever-more busy. Starting to think of audition season in the back of my mind...Classes and rehearsals as usual...

I'm counting down until Thanksgiving break (not much of a break though) and then til performances, and then til the end of the semester!

celebrate! gingerbread lattes are back

Today is like a holiday for me - it was the first day of the year that Starbucks began selling their limited-time-only seasonal Ginerbread Lattes for the holidays!

For 2 months of the year this phenominal caffeinated beverage becomes my drink of choice, and it is truly a tragic day come January when I ask the bored barista for one and they are out of gingerbread syrup. Tear!

But they are back! And I had one this morning, which for me marks the beginning of winter (it's freezing today!) and the beginning of the holiday season. I have a mental association with the warmth of coffee and the insanity of Nutcracker that is so comforting.

Yes, it's the little things in life...

internship photo fun

While at work today I realized I haven't posted much about my internship at all since I started a month ago! So I felt an update was in order...

Today was a really fun day at the magazine. We had a photo shoot alllll day long, and it was so cool! They have shoots all the time in the studio right there in the office, but this was the first I was able to attend and help with. What an experience! I've been on other shoots for other magazines and things but this one was particularly neat because things are different when it's done in-house.

It was an all day affair and rather exhausting even though my job was basically to be a fly on the wall. I had to steam some shirts that the models wore (one of the few menial intern-type tasks I deal with) but besides that I sat back and just observed - how they make the set, how they decide on color schemes, how important props are, how they decide on the perfect pose, how they choose the final picture from the (literally) thousands of shots they take. Thank goodness for digital photography!

Anyway it was a really interesting day and it's times like these when I realize how lucky I am to be involved! My bosses are so great, and the photographer and photo editor and makeup artist and everyone were so fun to be around all day. Our one editor and I were talking and she asked how I liked working in magazines, and I said "I love it!" After dance (or instead of, if need be...argh) this is definitely the industry for me. She was like, "They don't teach this stuff in school. It's a whole other animal..." and she's completely right. That's what internships are for.