Performance “Hangover”

Posted on June 23, 2014 by 4evamaria

Hello everyone!

I’ve been rather scarce on the blog lately, but if you’ve read my previous post, you’ll absolutely know why! “Wonderland” was a beautiful success, and I’m so glad. It was a joy to pour all my creativity in to, and I believe that all of Dance Arts Project was proud of all their hard work at the end of the day.

“So, what’s with the the blog title?” some of you are wondering.

Well, I’m currently experiencing what I have dubbed the “performance hangover.” For non-dancers out there, it’s akin to coming back home after a fabulous, much needed vacation. You’re so glad to be back, but your return simultaneously marks the end of all the vacation fun. And, boy, was it fun… but that shouldn’t justify the inexplicable sadness, should it?

I’ve been attending ballet classes and daily rehearsals like a crazy person this last week. Who rehearses at 9am? WE DO. At the end of my days I felt too tired to even sleep, illogical as it sounds. I should welcome the week-long break before moving on to my projects for the summer. The palpable vacancy in my life has left me listless, at best. Today, aside from lunch plans and running errands, was filled with a little bit of everything and nothing. I described it via text as “just sitting around, ‘watching the trashiest tv possible while simultaneously reading food blogs, and using Google to identify what was actually in my box of chocolates.'” This last idea was pure genius on my part. I digress, as is usual.

Onstage, during my final curtain call for my college company, I embarrassingly burst in to tears. This was partly from sheer exhaustion at the end of a long tour, partly from the fact that I didn’t know if I would ever have the opportunity to dance onstage again. The thought filled me with a fear I’d never felt before. When I was younger, all I ever “knew” was that I loved dancing. At the end of each show, there was always the anticipation of next year- what I would wear, what part I might have. There was never the question that I might not be dancing. The temporal nature of dance is what makes it so beautiful, but also what makes it so difficult for those who love it. There will always come a time when we must bow out, hopefully with grace and of our own volition. But, many things in life are like that. You can’t stay young forever (well, physically, anyway). I like to remind myself that the end of one thing doesn’t necessary mean an end, merely an evolution. If you love something enough to keep it in your life for 20+ years, you’ll absolutely find a way to integrate it in the rest of your years, if you so choose. It’s probably silly of me to be so preoccupied with the idea of endings after an annual show. What’s perhaps sillier is that I spent hours writing, and thinking about this post. In between snacking, dancing around my room in socks, and staring at the television. This is what my vacation looks like, I guess.

Please stick around- I’m hoping to showcase some lovely snapshots and a more formal review of our show later this week on the blog!

As always, thank you for reading.

EVA♥

Wonderland.

Posted on June 17, 2014 by 4evamaria

Hello everyone!

Get ready for some shameless promotion!

Hey look! It’s me teaching class! Photo c/o Michaela Lynch

Wonderland characters. Photo c/o Mary Lee Shalvoy

I’ve been absolutely overwhelmed lately- in the best possible way. I realize that I’m horribly spoiled in the sense that while I sometimes work long hours on my feet, I get to be a part of a wonderful and creative company doing what I absolutely. I spend my days with people I know (some for more than 10 years) and love, and am so proud to call my coworkers.

If I’m somewhat absent from my blog this week it’s because we’ve been working tirelessly on putting together our annual “Big Show!” As many of you who know me outside of my blog already know, this year’s show is “Wonderland;” our take on Alice in Wonderland, with a little bit of Giselle and The Wizard of Oz, smushed together. I’m particularly excited for this year’s show, as I’ve known many of the graduates featured as our main characters since they were four or five years old. I’m going to boast that we have a little something for everyone, regardless of their music taste or preferred dance style. It’s possibly one of our most diverse, yet cohesive shows yet. Want a little bit of classic rock? We have Queen. Prefer social dancing over classical ballet? We have that too. Mom a fan of disco? No problem. We have the disco ball and everything! And where else will you find an Alice sporting Dr. Marten’s?! Getting to perform a bit in it myself is the cherry on the sundae. If you’re around this coming weekend, I encourage you to come and enjoy. You can find all the details at Dance Art Project.

““I’m not strange, weird, off, nor crazy, my reality is just different from yours.”

~Lewis Carroll

EVA ♥

Spot the Difference: Ballet Edition

Posted on May 30, 2014 by 4evamaria

Hello everyone and happy Friday!

My friends and I are gearing up for a dear friend’s wedding this weekend, so today’s post will be short and sweet. I’m sure many of you, dancers and non-dancers alike, have come across the controversy surrounding the recent Free People ballet-inspired ad campaign. Dancers are, to put it mildly, outraged. We claim that it’s entirely obvious that the model in the video hasn’t had much dance training at all. In my humble opinion, because ballet is not considered an “accessible” art form, it’s more than likely that whomever was appointed to cast this commercial, had absolutely no idea what they were looking for. They have since re-launched their ad campaign featuring classically trained ballet dancers. Since then, I’ve come across another ad, this time by Levi’s, also with classically trained dancers. But you tell me ladies and gentlemen, can you spot the difference?

Have a good weekend,

EVA♥

Five Things

Posted on May 7, 2014 by 4evamaria

Hello everyone!

I can’t believe it’s Wednesday already! I decided that, for this week’s Five Things, I would add a little theme. I know a common therapeutic exercise for when you’re feeling down is to create a simple list of the things you’re grateful for in life. For most people, it becomes quite obvious just how many things you have in life to be happy about. So you can stop crying about how some boy doesn’t like you (or whatever inane problem you have at the time) and live your life with a sense of contentment. Problems solved, ladies!

If any of you know me, even remotely or just through my blog, you already know how grateful I am for food. This afternoon, I cooked up a big bunch of chard straight from the garden to serve alongside some pasta. I love food for all the practical reasons, (sustenance, energy, etc.) but also for the fact that food is comforting, delicious, and can bring people together.

I’m so grateful to have a job doing what I love. I recently had a dream that I was a victim of some horrible accident that left me unable to dance. Morbid, I know, but I can’t tell you how relieved I was when I awoke to find that it was only a dream. Not only do I get to do what I love, but I have amazing coworkers, and I get to see these little dancers and their antics every week. Ok, now this is just a humble-brag, but whatever. It’s true. I’m living life as an artist and I’m very lucky.

I have some very gorgeous, fabulous friends (unfortunately, not all of them are pictured here). They hold me up no matter what, and they’re more like family to me, really. The only unfortunate thing is, I’m not sure I could ever be grateful enough to have them in my life. They’re a pretty fantastic bunch. Thanks for being around, ladies.

I’m grateful that I’ve gotten to travel to some obscenely beautiful and amazing places. I’ve been able to fly around the world, hike up many a dormant volcano, dance on the Great Wall of China, and spend Christmas stomping through the snow in Austria. I’m just getting started! Up next is wine tasting in Mexico, walking on the beaches of Thailand, and learning how to make bread in my grandmother’s kitchen. On her wood-burning stove in Austria, of course.

And lastly, I know it might seem silly, but I’m grateful to have a morning cup of coffee in a place that finally feels like home. Bonus points for my home having a little purple bathroom I can call my own! I moved around so much after college, it got to a point where I was afraid to settle down, to unpack my suitcase, and be content. I literally spent over a month sleeping on an air mattress because I was too frightened to go out and buy real furniture. True story. I’m so grateful that I learned to let go a little, and that things often do work out for the best.

One of my most favorite people of all time, Miss Audrey Hepburn, favored a little poem by Sam Levenson entitled “Time Tested Beauty Tips. So I leave today’s blog/exercise in being grateful with this:

” Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you’ll find one at the end of each of your arms.

As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.

The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries or the way she combs her hair.

The beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides.”

EVA ♥

A Day in Pictures

Posted on April 25, 2014 by 4evamaria

Hello everyone!

Our bulletin board. Filled with letters and drawings from students.

Waiting for the glue to dry on my shoes. Rather tedious.
This blurry photo is generally indicative of how I feel at the moment.

Today was rather eventful. (In a good way, of course) Aside from sitting down for a delicious breakfast this morning, I’ve spent my full day in dance studios. Don’t get me wrong, this is absolutely no cause for complaint.

Recently, I came across a post on Facebook announcing that Smuin Ballet would be having an open rehearsal to kickoff Bay Area Dance Week. Seeing as half of the DAP family dances with Smuin, there was no way that we would miss it, and took advantage of the opportunity to surprise them. It was fantastic to see the dancers up close, and to get a behind-the-scenes preview of their spring program, featuring Michael Smuin’s “Dances with Gershwin” and a world premiere from Val Caniparoli. Little did we know, we also made an appearance on Smuin Ballet’s instagram account, complete with a candid shot of the lovely Miss Erin yanking on her shoe. Funny enough, a former student of mine recognized us in the shot, and sent us a screen capture: “I see you!” We clearly look thrilled, but I assure you, it’s a look of concentration.

Following a rain-soaked dash back to the Dance Arts studio, the director, Micheala, and I decided to rally with some cups of coffee and…sitting. Despite the dreary weather, I made good progress with choreography though not without a headache. I’m finding it increasingly difficult to keep dances straight, as they so often want to blend themselves together in my memory. I’m luckily that ballet attracts such bright girls- I rely on them more than ever as we get closer to our show. Plan B is that they run in a circle until I can get the movement sorted in my head. (Only kidding.) In all seriousness, you don’t know pressure until you’ve stood in room with 25 pre-teens staring at you, waiting for your next move.

Have a good weekend everyone!

EVA♥

Five Things

Posted on April 16, 2014 by 4evamaria

Hello everyone!

It’s Five Things Wednesday again, and a beautiful day in the Bay. Despite all that, I’m wishing that I could find myself on vacation tomorrow, preferably somewhere searing hot and with a beach. I’m well aware that I’m already spoiled enough at my current job, but I can’t help the fact that I’ve been wishing that my entire life could be a perpetual vacation. I blame tax day. And also the fact that my cousin keeps posting photos of her on the beach in Hawaii. At least I can live vicariously through her on Facebook while looking at photos of my Hawaiian birthday adventures from last year. Speaking of Hawaii…

I’ve been craving this all week. An acai bowl topped with strawberries, apple bananas, honey, and coconut. Best breakfast ever. Am in awe of both the food, and how tan my hand looks.

Back in the Bay, I managed to get my hands on the The Girl & the Fig cookbook! And also this tomato that happened to be shaped like a heart. I couldn’t eat it. That’s just how I am.

I would love to be the kind of adult that owns cups with saucers. I love looking at all the mismatched patterns. It somehow works.

This is what I do at work sometimes. I’m also wearing pink tights and pointe shoes, so I clearly needed to document this rare occasion.

I love this. So much. Self explanatory.

Happy Wednesday!

EVA♥

An Afternoon with SFB

Posted on March 6, 2014 by 4evamaria

Hello everyone!

(The beautiful San Francisco Opera House)

(My program, in the dark. Yes, my ticket is for standing room. Can’t beat that deal!)

(My standing room partner-in-crime, my mother, on her birthday!)

I first set out for this post to be a review of the recent San Francisco Ballet mixed bill production I had seen this last Sunday. A program in three acts that combined a little bit of everything: Kingdom of the Shades from La Bayadère for the purists, Yuri Possokov’s Firebird for those who love a visually stunning storyline, and Christopher Wheeldon’s Ghosts, for the more contemporary tastes. Days later, all I can think about is Ghosts.

When the curtain was dropped at the end of the piece, my mother and I turned to each other agape, and she exclaimed: “That was it?! I wanted it to keep going!” I felt much the same way, and even a bit of despair when the house lights came up. Undoubtedly, I would have sat through hours of Ghosts had it been longer. It was a contrast to La Bayadère in every way, from the flowing dip-dyed dresses, to the metamorphic set, to the eerie rolling music. It’s temperamentality fascinated me, as did the looming sculpture suspended above the dancers. What was it? The wreckage of a plane, a haunted ship, the ruins of an old building; it could have been anything! I believe this was entirely the point. Like finding shapes in a cloud, we see what we want to see in this ballet.

Without a doubt, dancer-turned-choreographer in residence for the New York City Ballet at the early age of 27, Wheeldon has a flair for harnessing the metamorphic nature of choreography. From the initial process of creating a ballet, to the As Cheryl A. Ossola eloquently put it in the program, Ghosts is Wheeldon’s sixth commission for San Francisco Ballet and full to the brim with “rich […] imagery and connotations.” She describes it as being highly influenced by the poetry of Edgar Allen Poe, all thematically haunting, which Wheeldon used to “create an atmosphere of a mass gathering of souls, such as might occur after a tragedy. ‘It’s more like perfume than a heavy sort of ghost story,’ he says.” Despite Ghosts reveling in the ethereal, the movement is incredibly human; the dancers audibly gasping for air, reaching out for one another, and curling around each other on the floor. The piece went from short well-lit bursts of solos, to suddenly dark, foreboding multitudes of dancers. It never slowed entirely- it’s sections blending effortlessly together up until the moment the curtain comes down over the still moving dancers. In short, this ballet made me a huge fan of Wheeldon’s work. He has won my steady affection, as it were.

“What’s so great about his work?” you might ask. Well, in an effort to locate (and watch on repeat) sections of Ghosts, I turned to the good-old Youtube. While unfortunately not finding concrete clips of the ballet itself (you can see a preview here, however), I stumbled upon a wealth of interviews and rehearsal footage of Wheeldon and the dancers. Give them a watch and you tell me.

Until next time,

EVA♥

5 Things Wednesday

Posted on March 5, 2014 by 4evamaria

Guess what day it is?

It’s Wednesday everyone. It’s also CBEST test day- wish me luck! I hard the hardest time reaching back into my elementary school math for some of the topics covered on the dang test. I confessed to my students the other day that my mathematical skills now consist of determining how much the shoes are now that they’re 25% off, and how much I should tip the waiter. And, of course, counting to eight.

Without further ado, here are my five things of the week:

(I am amazed that no one at Target gave me a strange look when purchasing 10 pairs of Easter Bunny ears along with my makeup remover. They must get a lot of teachers. Wonderland wouldn’t be complete without baby bunnies. )

(My Suffolk Spotlights. Hands down my new favorite shoes, especially since I managed to stitch them so beautifully in just 15 minutes before rehearsal. I’ve certainly come a long way with my sewing.)

(Two things in one: Earrings & Sunglasses)

Okay, everyone. I don’t want to hear it, I am aware that I look like a fabulous bug. I decided to jump on the fancy-reflective-aviator bandwagon. They’re just so darn fun. On another note, my mother gifted me the pair of earrings I’m wearing in the picture saying: “These make me look stupid and I feel conspicuous in them. Take them. Happy Valentines Day.” Gee, thanks Mom. I do love them, despite the wonderful sales pitch.

(A new favorite evening snack: tiny Haribo gummy bears.)

Please forgive the awful yellow lighting and drab background. It’s difficult to take a decent picture late at night at a Bart station….on your phone.

Thanks for stopping by!

EVA♥

Celebrating 20 Years and One Month

Posted on March 3, 2014 by 4evamaria

Hello ladies and gentlemen!

This last weekend has been so hectic, today feels oddly like a Sunday. I’ve gotten all my necessary cleaning and errands done, and finally managed to have a bit of time free to write a recap of the last two days. In short, it was filled with ballet.

Saturday was ultimately a “work day.” I use captions here because, having worked in an oppressive corporate office for one year, my Saturday workday can be qualified as the least work-like day ever. I began my day teaching the little ones (as usual), and followed this with a quick run to San Francisco Dancewear in the East Bay to pick of a pair of pointe shoes that I had ordered. I then returned home to get ready for the highly anticipated Smuin Ballet 20th Anniversary Gala. 20 years! And I get to work for them! (On a sidenote: this is a ballet company I clearly admire above others, so I was beyond thrilled to be a part of their big anniversary gala). Held at the San Francisco Design Center, and boasting a beautiful set up, I arrived just in time to catch a bit of the dancers rehearsing prior to the official start time. I primarily assisted in getting the 300+ attendees registered and set up for the silent auction. It was fairly straightforward and some of the best people watching of the night, which honestly distracted me at times. For the most part, everyone was beautifully and impeccably dressed. But, I must say that blue eyeshadow and glitter eyeliner does not and should not fly after the age of 11, and is never black tie appropriate. Aside from that faux pas, I saw some gorgeous Valentino and Alexander McQueen little numbers. I admired a woman who had let her waist length hair go naturally silver, topped it with a black fascinator and delicately beaded cap-sleeve bolero. I want to be as stylish as her when I’m older.

Following the silent auction, there was a performance featuring a little bit of everything Michael Smuin, dinner was served, a live auction was held, and the night ended with the live band playing and an open dance floor. The evening meal was provided by McCalls Catering and consisted of a spring pea gazpacho and ceviche starter; braised short ribs on a bed of barley risotto; and a little flourless chocolate cake-thing topped with raspberry sorbetto and chili sauce. I tell you all this because it was delicious. I had to dash out early to meet a friend in another part of town, but the whole evening was so lovely.

The front desk, a view of the main stage, and Allen, the boss man. He’s officially the Patron Services Manager, but more friend than anything. I considered it part of my duty to provide him hugs when it looked like he was too stressed. He in turn insisted that I drink additional glasses of wine when I was done working. A good boss.

The view from my workstation. (My apologies for the awful computer glare)

Let me preface this by saying these did not both belong to me, and yes, this is still my workstation. Alternately: this is how everyone’s desk should look at the end of a successful day at the office.

Some of the fabulous auction prizes: Shannon Hurlburt’s tap shoes, a signed Smuin Ballet sweatshirt, the now Artistic Director’s signed pointe shoes, and copious fine bottles of wine.

The radiant Erin Yarbrough and Josh Reynolds performing a pas de deux from “Frankie and Johnny;” making it look easy. This was one of my very favorites. I’m also going to take this moment to say that she trained me. That lovely lady right there. I know her, and am a big fan.

You know you’re at a fancy event when the bathroom sinks are filled with gardenias. It smelled amazing, but I believe everyone felt guilty running the tap over these delicate things.

What I wore! In the bathroom! There never seemed an appropriate time to ask anyone to take a picture, so I snuck a quick one in. I insist on being fully independent, so you get to look at my phone in every picture that I take of myself. Sorry!

Illuminated tulips served as the centerpieces to every table- very unique.

This was all just one evening; my Sunday consisted of some additional celebrations, namely my mother’s birthday and our attending a San Francisco Ballet matinee together. I promise I will elaborate later on this week. I would also like to take a moment and acknowledge my 50th post on Watch Me Juggle! I blogged every single weekday of February, and with this post, I’ve finally made it to number 50. It seems like no time at all, and I fully intend on continuing to post everyday! Thank you all for reading up to this point, and thank you for all your wonderful support. I would have never thought that I could write about my life and have so many people appreciate it. It’s really a great feeling.

Lots of love, from me,

EVA♥

I Could Do This All Day

Posted on February 27, 2014 by 4evamaria

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I’m terribly sorry for my absence in the blog-o-sphere today. Quite honestly, this is the first time I have been home all day and had a chance to sit down. Or do anything other than dance, for that matter. As some of you might already know, my former partner and I have begun rehearsing (aka getting back in to shape) for our studio’s annual “Big Show.” This year, we’re doing a spin on Alice in Wonderland and I couldn’t be more excited. Yours truly is the white rabbit. Yes, I’m going to be this little guy:

Pink ears and all. Anyway, I spent all day in the studio today. I mean 10am- 8pm. Fours hours of which were spent being thrown about, spun around, and picked up in pointe shoes. Oh, and I squeezed myself in a leotard one size too small. Unfortunately I am now somewhat immobile, and require assistance to stand up. I have my feet wrapped in ice packs in an effort to numb them completely and feel as if someone has beaten me with a baseball bat. It’s a great feeling. Tomorrow, we start again, but perhaps in a slightly more cautious manner. But I wanted to leave you with these snapshots of the day before I trudge off to bed.