Mel Edwards

If someone aspires to any height in life, there has to have been a “first” idea of that lofty ambition. I can’t honestly say where I first saw ballet. I do recall sitting for hours absolutely transfixed as I watched the New York City Ballet each summer at SPAC. I know I had two neighbors who danced, sisters, and the eldest was part of the NYCity Ballet for a while, but came home after she punished her body to become something it was not meant to be. I often talk about Patricia McBride being the first ballerina I wanted to be like, but most of my dancing heroes were men, including George Balanchine and Peter Martins. Yet, somehow, in my life I learned what ballet was before all of that.

Perhaps my first dancer was also my first teacher: Mom. She did ballet on pointe as a child in a time when most didn’t progress slowly up from slippers to pointe, but just dove in the first year. She was an athletic, strong girl in a time when ballet was thought to add ladylike qualities to a tomboy. As far as I know, she only danced one year. She still remembers her recital costume – green and yellow with a fur-trimmed tutu – and that she danced to a song called “Glow worm,” which she can still sing bits of decades later.

Today’s post is in honor of Mom. (Who is also named Patricia, by the way.) Happy Birthday, and thank you for being my first dancer, first teacher and best friend, always.

No Comments | In: Mel Edwards | tags: ballet, George Balanchine, Mel Edwards, Patricia McBride, Peter Martins, SPAC. | #

To paraphrase Alice Cooper, “Welcome to my daydream. I Think You’re Gonna Like it. I think you’re gonna feel that you belong.” (Hey, one guy’s nightmare is another’s daydream. Right? I mean, check him out on The Muppets. That’s the bomb!) Thanks to my most awesome BlogHer roomie you can now see I have a new blog theme. It is fairly naked and straight forward. Works well with my attitude and creative side and most of all, makes me smile. Hope you like it too.

Oh, and I did the NY City Ballet dvd2 warm-ups and floor exercises this morning. I’m not letting my roomie be the only one to get Thin by 10.

No Comments | In: Mel Edwards | tags: Alice Cooper, BlogHer, Gwynne Lacey, The Muppets. | #

I’ve picked a new WordPress theme for my blog, called Daydreams. (Time for a look that shows more of my creative side.) The work is being done by my BlogHer ‘09 roomie, Gwynne. Stay tuned for the new MelEdwards.com!

No Comments | In: Mel Edwards | tags: BlogHer, Gwynne Lacey, Mel Edwards. | #

At the risk of sounding like an 80s throwback, I know can say I official Rock It. That is, I own a pair of Capezio Dansneakers by that name and I’ve made it through one entire dance workout in them. Now, take this recommendation for what it is worth, since I’m no delicate dancer (yet) but I’ve got to say my arches loved me a whole lot more when I wore these to do my NY City Ballet Workout tonight than they did when I tried to do it barefoot. Sometimes it simply makes sense to spend the dough, and be nice to your body…especially when you think of the feats that you expect your feet to complete.

No Comments | In: Uncategorized, artist | tags: Capezio, Dansneakers, feat, feet, Rock It, sore. | #

Patricia McBride

There isn’t a ballet studio in my neighborhood. I’m still struggling to find a teacher, although there are at least two possibilities that I should hear about in the next few weeks. My “next door” is more metaphorical, made possible through the virtual neighborhood. I did a bit of research today and found out that the prima ballerina whose work I love lives only an hour or so away. I’m talking about Patricia McBride, in Charlotte, NC! I could actually get in my little car and buzz up the highway for tea with her, if she knew me. That’s what I call inspiration!

I find that oftentimes I make little mental excuses for myself, “Oh, you’re in Greenville, SC, honey. No one expects you to actually learn to really dance, dear.” By thinking such things I have an out in case I quit or worse, fail miserably. Now that I know that Ms. McBride is the associate artistic director of the North Carolina Dance Theatre (her husband Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux is the President and Artistic director), and a new facility is being erected (and rumored to have her name on it someway, somehow), I have more motivation than ever to DO (instead of try) in all earnestness. (If I may reference Yoda’s admonishment, “Do or do not. There is no try.”)

The bottom line is this, even if (G-d forbid) Ms. McBride said vile things about me (a fat chick wanting to learn how to dance), and we both go to our final resting place without ever meeting, I’m still making strides to be the dancer I could have been. Today I began using the NY City Ballet Workout dvd (part 1) and was surprised how much of it is like the yoga and Pilates I already know. I’m doing, and one day, I hope to thank Patricia for the inspiration, even if she doesn’t give a whit that at age 41 I finally learned to dance.

2 Comments | In: Uncategorized | tags: inpiration, Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux, North Carolina Dance Theatre, NY City Ballet, Patricia McBride, workout. | #

Officially, for 7 days now, I’ve been on my quest to turn to my love of ballet into the ability to actually participate in the dance form. This morning as I walked through Cleveland Park, I decided to take up an idea from creative friend of mine (Hi, Ann!) and actually do a tiny bit of ballet while I meandered about. Her original comment to my Facebook page was to take a plie every 10 steps and one the the basic 5 positions every 5 steps, which would amount to making me look like John Cleese’s ministry of silly walks, and wouldn’t do much to keep my heart rate where I wanted it to be for an hour or so. Instead, I opted to pause at two different picnic pavillions and use the structural supports to touch in lieu of a barre. I did each of the 5 positions, right side first, then left, complete with grande plie transitions between each pose. Low and behold, my hips seemed to love the new movement 40 minutes or so into my jaunt around the park. I can only guess this is what the Tin Woodsman felt like when he was finally oiled, and blissfully I walked a total of 9, 924 steps and got a teensy weensy bit of ballet in as well.

Alas, the Woodsman isn’t the only character from the land of Oz that I feel like as of late. My dear readers, I have a confession to make. For all my vibrato and bluster, I’m no King (or Queen) of Forest, even if we have as much kudzu as tress in the park. The full story is that I’m a 5 foot tall woman who weighs a good 50+ pounds than I should for my height. (In fact, I won’t even admit to the general public how much I do weigh at this juncture.) Thus, in a tutu, I’ll look more like the sweet natured beastie on this book cover than I’ll look like Patricia McBride, and as a result, feel like the Cowardly Lion when I imagine being in a group ballet class.

Don’t worry. I’m not giving up by a long shot. I used some of my birthday money to buy the NY City Ballet Workout dvd (parts 1 and 2), and once I learn all the lingo and the positions, I’ll use it regularly to improve my skills. I know I have miles to go, but about 2500 years ago Lao-tzu said it best: “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” My journey has begun. What’s everyone else’s excuse for not trying?

No Comments | In: Uncategorized | tags: Cleveland Park, Cowardly Lion, Hippo in a Tutu, John Cleese, Lao-tzu, Ministry of Silly Walks, NY City Ballet, Oz, Patricia McBride, Tin Woodsman. | #

Lucille Ball as Lucy Ricardo in "The Ballet" (1952)

Today I’m 41 years old. In the past 81 days I’ve worked to lose about 17.5 lbs, part in an effort to beat the birthday clock, and partly because I just wanted to feel happy in a body I love. Although today the love I feel has very little to do with my physique and a whole lot to do with other pleasing things: flowers, the thoughtfulness of loved ones and the funny memories of my younger years — including those of watching “I Love Lucy.” (...and I don’t give a damn that I’ve dated myself by both giving my age and that I adored that show, even if I only watched the re-runs.)

My favorite flowers are alstroemeria lilies, and hubby got me two huge bunches for my special day. There are so many blooms that when they’re in the vase I can just barely wrap my arms around them. For my birth anniversary, the sweet treat he chose were huge napoleons. They made me think of France, which made me smile as I’m on a quest to be a ballerina at 40-something. Then, one of my dear colleagues (Hi, Steve!) made me laugh out loud today as he reminded me of Lucy Ricardo’s attempt at ballet where she got her leg stuck on the barre.

What has made this day special has little to do with who I am and what I’ve brought into the world, and everything to do with those I’m fortunate enough to surround myself with. That includes you, dear reader, wherever you are. Thank you for caring, sharing my life, and my heart.

No Comments | In: Uncategorized | tags: alstroemeria lilies, birthday, I Love Lucy, Napoleons, The Ballet. | #

I’ll be direct, I didn’t dance but opted for yoga and a bit of Pilates today instead. My knees, particularly the inner sides that touch each other when my legs are together, ache today. I’m guessing I was trying to compensate for my lack of turnout by wrenching my knees a tad. Can’t do that.

By now you’re thinking, what a cream puff! She’s too much of a whiner to ever really learn how to dance at this stage of life. But you’re wrong, my friends. This is one goal I’m going to see all the way through. (The Cliffs Notes version is this, I tend to move to new projects lightning fast because I get bored as soon as I learn the basics of any concept and have mastered it well enough to feel competent. This goes for jobs, projects, arts, and, yes, goals. That’s how I’ve managed to accomplish so much in my 40 years.)

On the note of sticking with it, it looks like I might have a dance studio willing to work with me. (A whole year of classes lined up will keep me honest.) They’ll know by Friday what their schedule for the year will entail. They’ve never taught adult ballet classes at this studio but have honorable dancing bios and the owner responded to my APB for a teacher sent out to the local artists’ council. Keep your fingers crossed for me. It would be a most excellent birthday present, at least until I have to stuff myself into a leotard, but that is a post for another day.

No Comments | In: Uncategorized | tags: ache, ballet, dance, knees, studio. | #

Okay, so this isn’t the most ladylike title in the world, but after three days of practicing very little ballet — just the 5 positions to each side with demi and grande piles, I have to nearly yelp when I sit down. In fact, my armpits hurt too. Boy, do I have a long way to go to get into shape.

So what is keeping me going? Part of it is the dream. If you haven’t seen Danyl on the X-Factor’s amazing charisma and jaw dropping audition, you probably haven’t seen many people captivate an audience in less than a minute. I’ve seen it a few times, even been captivated, but I haven’t ever been THAT performer. Part of my dream is to captivate one audience like that and dance, ballet in particular, mesmerized when I was 8 years old. I was so captivated that I sat through hours of the NYCity ballet’s summer season at SPAC without ever once asking to pee.

Until I reach that level, however, I need to keep it real with smaller goals. My latest goal, in addition to working beyond the butt pain, is of weight loss (10 lbs to be exact) thanks to a challenge from Patricia Moreno on her blog today. I’ve got until October 5th to lose it. I’m flashing back to images of Debbie Allen in Fame telling her students, “You want fame? Well, fame costs. And right here is where you start paying, in sweat.” I’m ready to sweat, and work, sore butt and all. Who’s pullin’ for me?

No Comments | In: Uncategorized | tags: blog, Danyl Johnson, Debbie Allen, Fame, Patricia Moreno, X-Factor. | #

Today I started calling around for dance classes. One offers stretchersize on Saturday mornings, and if I ever feel frisky, pole and exotic dancing classes on weekday evenings. I left a message, something like this, “Um, I wanted to know what stretch-er-size is and uh, what your rates for private lessonsarebecauseIsawonyourcalendaryoucandothemonSaturdayafternoons…(gasp)” I hope the poor woman can understand what I said because I blurted it all before I could chicken out. I’ll let you know if she calls back, and what her rates are. Another school has a 1.5 hr class once a week…on a day I work late. I asked about private lessons, and the woman on the other end, who sounded like a granny said, “Private lessons? For what?” I said, “For ballet for adults. If we can’t make the one class you have per week are we out of luck?” She replied in a snarky tone, “Well, I guess you are.” No, granny, YOU are. I’ll never recommend her school not matter how fabulous their Nutcracker is touted to be.

So, for tonight I went online for my basic practice. Jodie Gates, formerly of the Joffrey Ballet, has several free videos online, even if they’re all about 5 minutes long. What did I learn today? The answer my friend is in the rotation of the hips, not the knee, lest one desires pain and injury. Rats. My hips don’t rotate much when I’m behind a desk all day. I think one of Ana Caban’s Pilates mat workouts will help here. Off I go!

No Comments | In: Uncategorized | tags: Ana Caban, ballet, class, Jodie Gates, Joffrey Ballet, Pilates, stretchercize. | #