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Like everyone else in the company, I've been working hard in the rehearsal studios to be ready for the new season. In a way, it's hard to begin with contemporary works since they aren't quite as challenging or tiring as classical ballets. (A classical ballet will really push you to increase your level of fitness and can be exhausting.) The two pieces I started with, Tryst and Gong, are technically challenging, but don't require that same level of fitness. Perhaps it was easier for me, though, because I'd performed Tryst fairly recently. I've spent our first five working weeks getting in shape for two pieces that were not that strenuous and didn't wear me out. You still want to look good for your first night, though!
A very nice lady called Tina came over to teach us Gong (I had seen her dance with the Mark Morris company in the past) and it was exciting to be able to perform in one of Mark's pieces. Mark came over as well and he has a very domineering personality - when he comes into a studio you know he is there - but you also admire him tremendously as he really knows his subject. He is very entertaining, but confused us at times by changing his mind on how we were to look. Were we to smile, be serious, etc, etc ? We eventually got it right, I think. One of the hardest parts was dancing with bangles round our ankles: every time you pointed your foot you were aware of bangles digging into your leg, so it was frustrating. The bangles were falling off in the rehearsal studio and also during the dress rehearsal. Jaimie Tapper, who wasn't in Tryst, decided to sew hers on (as the velcro we were using didn't seem to hold), while I had an extra hook and eye put on mine. Fortunately, both methods worked and the bangles stayed on for the show! The colours of the tutus were pretty wild and bright. I was lucky with the burgundy one - the other dancers did keep mentioning that! - because it's everyone's nightmare to have a costume that doesn't let you look your best. I hope Mark was happy with the final product.
It's been wonderful to perform Tryst again, although the music for our pas de deux was initially played a little faster than we're used to. After Johnny and I had to miss out a couple of steps in the second show, we asked the conductor to slow it down for future performances. It's not the same ballet when it's rushed; in the rehearsal studio, of course, it's so much easier to control the speed. I suppose I could have had a strop over it with the conductor, but I'm not very good at those.
I've just started rehearsing Swan Lake. I can only do solo work, as Roberto (Bolle) can't make it over until a week before our first show - he's a busy man - but I'm really looking forward to working with him at the Opera House this season. I'm also going to Verona to guest with him in December. Roberto has been asking me to guest with him in Italy for a quite a while now, but it's difficult leaving Phoebe and the dates were never right. This year, however, I have a two week period in December where I have no shows, so I'll be off to Verona then, hoping to do three Galas with him. I had one of my biggest honours from Roberto recently - after performing Romeo and Juliet in Russia he was asked at a press conference to name his favourite Juliet and he named me! How lovely of him!
I've also been involved in a conference - part of the International Celebration of Kenneth MacMillan - that was very interesting. It was very moving, too, and brought back a lot of memories. It was Kenneth who spotted me at the Royal Ballet School and brought me to the Royal Ballet to perform the lead role in The Prince of the Pagodas. Unfortunately a decision has been made to pull Pagodas from this year's schedule, replacing it with a triple bill which perhaps shows the depth of his work in a better way. Pagodas may come back the following season when I hope there will be an opportunity for some of the younger dancers to perform the role. (I would love to see dancers like Alina, Marianela and Jaimie dance my part.) Pagodas was made on Johnny and me 13 years ago when I was 18 and 19 years old. Six months ago Johnny and I decided not to recreate the roles this season when it was brought back. Johnny made up his mind first (he spoke about how hard his role was in an interview last year) and that made me realize that performing without him just wouldn't be the same. This wasn't an easy decision for me to make, but the choreography is really best suited to a young dancer. If I danced the part, I really wanted to be able to perform it as I remembered it (I also want that memory to stay the same.) and without Johnny I'm sure that would not be possible.
The conference brought home to me just how much Kenneth did for the company and it was fascinating to listen to people like David Wall talk about their memories of Kenneth at work. I only had about 3 years to work with Kenneth, but I wish there'd been more time. He was such a force in the company and it was always exciting waiting to see what his next ballet was going to be. Talking about Kenneth also made me realize what we are missing. He was here to make ballets on this company and we haven't got any one like that now. He was criticized a lot during his career but now his work is appreciated much, much more. It's not just the three act ballets that are incredible; so many one act ballets are extremely moving and Requiem, one of the most moving ballets I have ever danced, was one of the first MacMillan pieces I performed at the Opera House.
Part 2 has a competition and other news.
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