Fembot Ballerinas and that dream where you're naked

Last week my friend invited me to the San Francisco International Arts Festival. She is from Estonia and was excited to see a company perform from her home country. The Cid Pearlman Performance Project (the Estonia company) was not our favorite. I like my touchy-feely modern with the best of them, but when there isn't any technique to back it up, I have a hard time enjoying it.

The show stopper for me was a Finnish group The Susanna Leinonen Company. Two tall, powerful women commanded the stage as what I can only described as "Fembot Ballerina's". They began on stage in muted light with only their silhouettes visible to the audience. They then began moving around the stage much like the street performers painted in silver who pretend to be robots for cash. I was a little unsure about the concept at first because I think we have all seen dancers as robots before, but then they began transforming their movement into this wonderful mesh of half robotic, half sultry, "I am woman" type movements. I love when I leave thinking "I want to do that!"

Also performing that evening was local San Francisco based company Post Ballet, directed by choreographer (and nicest person ever) Robert Dekkers. Post Ballet had a wonderful eclectic group of dancers which included Dominic Walsh Dance Theater dancer Domenico Luciano. Before the performance I kept seeing this guy who I told my friend "I know him from somewhere". She tried to encourage me to go up to him and ask where I knew him from but I didn't have the nerve. I knew that I knew him, I just didn't want to put myself in that awkward situation where I say "Do I know you from somewhere" and they just stare blankly at you. After seeing the bios for Post ballet I am so glad I did not approach the mystery man. Because as it turns out, I do not know him, I just know who he is. It was Dominic Walsh Dance Theater director Dominic Walsh. I imagine if I had approached him it would have ended with me feeling like I was trapped in that dream where you show up at school naked for a test that you didn't study for.

That being said, Post Ballet was beautiful and I really encourage everyone to go to see them for their next performance.  I also encourage everyone to imagine themselves as a Fembot Ballerina next time you are faced in an embarrassing situation. I bet nothing phases a Fembot ballerina!

What is it like to flip back and forth between dancer and teacher?

This week one of my students asked me "What is it like to go between being a dancer and a teacher?"  

Good question

The first part of my day I am a dancer. I do my best to learn choreography, please my director, and be the best dancer I can be. Then after rehearsals are done, I hop into my car and drive to my teaching job. In a matter of hours I go from being the one being told what to do, to the one leading my students. It has been a very unique insight into both sides of the work environment

There have been a few times recently where I have said something to a student in a strict tone, and after I said it I realized that the same thing was said to me prior in the week. This has made me very aware of the reasons why directors can be hard sometimes.

I know that when I am my hardest it is because I expect so much from my students. I know that they can deliver and I want them to succeed. I push them to be their best and I only have their best interest at heart. The days where I am not delivering as a dancer and I get "in trouble," I need to remember that the director want the piece to be a success. So I say this to myself and my students.

"The next time you feel upset because you were told you can do better, remember that you are being told this because the person in charge knows you can."