Born Again Dancer

June 2012, Big Range Dance Festival Choreographer: Yelena Konetchy Music: Nathan Laningham Photographer: John Clark, who owns these photos, so don't take 'em. :) 9 feet of silk form the common thread in this series of four dances by Yelena Konetchy "A Common Thread" in Big Range Dance Festival, Austin, TX, June 2012. Choreographer Yelena Konetchy. Photo by John Clark, all rights reserved. 

October 4, 2010 After an hour of tourist toystore mania at Hamley’s on Regent Street, I kiss my husband and kids good-bye at Piccadilly Circus. I will walk toward Covent Garden while they walk the other direction in search of a bus stop at Trafalgar Square to get back to Pimlico and our hotel. “Number 24,” I reminded him. He rolls his eyes at me.  I turn to walk up Shaftesbury Avenue from Piccadilly Circus and picked up my pace, like a horse to the barn. Class. I’m going to class. It has been over two weeks since my last jazz class, and that one was 5,000 miles away in Austin, Texas. I’m in London. And I’m going to class! I feel elation and anticipation in my whole body as I walk to Pineapple Studios. There's  some trepidation and slight intimidation, too. What will this class be like? Will I have fun?   This vacation-induced dance abstinence actually came at a good time. I am coming off a creative binge that included producing a flashmob , perfor...

Here we go again ... my dance card is full -- full of unused classes that I must use or lose by the end of May. "But you go to dance classes all the time," you say. "How is that possible?" Because I carry dance/fitness membership cards like Lindsay Loh@n carries credit cards. Because I'm dance diversified, like a well-balanced portfolio. Tap over here , Broadway Jazz over there , hip-hop, pilates and barre classes here and there . Because almost a year ago, I stopped going to ballet every week to make more time for exercises to strengthen my core (yawn). An ever-changing schedule of work and family activities and commitments requires Advanced Dance Class Calculus to create a weekly routine. (Its expression is obvious only to me.) And it is imperfect, hence the surplus classes on my dance card. But it's happened before , and here I go again. Nine classes in two weeks? I can do that. My diverse dance schedule created a collection of dance/fitnes...

For five months, I ignored a nagging pain in my hip, lower back and leg. When three ibuprofen didn't do the trick to get me through a ballet class, I decided to see the orthopedist. I'm now a diligent physical therapy patient and pilates student, doing my clamshells, pretzels, etc. on a daily basis. Until I'm back at the barre more often, here's some of what I miss about ballet class. "Oh my gawd." "Like when you’re training a dog not to pee in the house, when they pee, you take them outside to the grass. You’ve got to train your muscle memory the same way. Finish in fifth." "It's like baking cookies…if you leave something out, it doesn’t work. Same thing – being on demi point – if you’re just partway there, it doesn’t work, you must lock in the ankle." "How do I say this without hurting anyone’s feeling or getting fired? Keep your hips forward."  "It’s okay if you do it that way, I’ll just talk about y...

Wow. I had no idea the "dance blog" community was out there in force. So pleased to meet you all! I'm grateful for all the support that put Born Again Dancer in the Top 20 at Dance Advantage's Top Blogs of 2011. I've met several insightful dancers and writers who are sharing their dance experiences -- and there's many more out there. People like Adult Beginner , who braved her first ballet class at age 32 and did not cry in class -- I can relate to that. It takes a lot of courage to walk into a dance studio with expectations, whatever they may be -- I've written about the many obstacles we face when pursuing something new, especially in dance. They are financial, mental, logistical, and physical. Adult Beginner earned top votes in the Adult Dance category, and it's easy to see why -- her thoughtful observations, sense of humor, authenticity and self-awareness are magnetic. Looking forward to more! I originally found Dave Tries Ballet on Twitte...

Wow, two cool things happened over the last week. I'm in the middle of another project and can't go into all the details right now, but here are the headlines. Antarctica rocks! First, I got called back to perform in a rock musical called "Antarctica." It will run in Austin for two weekends in February at City Theatre. I'm going to learn to be snow and perform as an Antarctic animal. And I get to practice typing "A-n-t-a-r-c-t-i-c-a" over and over (just try). Maybe I'll go watch the movie Happy Feet again... And in other news... Born Again Dancer is a finalist for Top Dance Blogs of 2011, in the 'Favorite Top Dance Blog' category and in the Adult Dance category. Thanks Dance Advantage! So here we go again: please go vote here:  http://danceadvantage.net/2011/12/27/vote-top-blogs-2011/ . It'd be great if you voted for Born Again Dancer, but if you find something else that you like -- well go for it! There are some great dance b...

I'm feeling a little shy about this. But I need your help. If you have read and liked my Born Again Dancer blog posts over the last three years, you're qualified. You see, there's a contest on for Top Dance Blogs of 2011, hosted by Dance Advantage . -- and there's a category called Adult Dancers. You see where this is going now. If you like my blog, please leave a comment on this post. What do you like about Born Again Dancer? I love all the comments and responses my friends and readers have shared on Facebook over the years, and I really love it when I see comments on the actual blog itself -- that's kinda exciting. So will you comment on this post, please, and make me a contender for Top Dance Blog 2011? Thank you, thank you for taking time to comment. For those of you who've been with me for awhile, here's a "Born Again Dancer" retrospective. First masthead - feeling a bit shy perhaps? Feeling a bit more confident here. Th...

On Friday night I stayed up late, writing and working on this blog. I went to bed well after midnight. On Saturday morning my DH asked me if I dreamed about dancing last night. I don't remember, I said, a bit groggy. Why? Because you did this, he said. And he described how he woke up to turn over, only to see me reach toward the headboard, left arm overhead, body extended, before I snapped to a sitting position and looked around the room. Then I slumped back to sleep. I wondered if your toes were pointed, he said. I don't remember the dream. I'll bet it was good. *** After two solid hours of class and rehearsal on Friday, I didn't want to leave. I was just getting warmed up. Physically I was warm exactly 35 minutes after walking into the studio. In this particular class, the warmup does not change. In the same way that Ashtanga yogis practice a series of postures in specific order, my classmates and I embrace the familiarity and routine of what we all si...

For three Augusts now, something special has happened in my life as a dancer. In 2008, I rediscovered my love of dance and committed to its practice for one-year . (+dance) In 2009, I celebrated that year -- and didn't stop. I added ballet . (+ballet) I started thinking about " getting a gig ." In 2010, I co-produced a cabaret act with my friends (and began taking voice lessons). (+singing) In 2011, I performed in my sixth stage production, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels . (+more performing) With all the excitement of Augusts, Septembers could easily be letdowns. But this September, a seed of an idea from last winter began to sprout. Over a couple of margaritas, a friend urged me -- for the second or third time actually -- to write more often and openly about my experiences as an adult ballet student. Why? Perhaps because I have some opinions on this subject (especially after a couple of drinks). She thinks that others may relate to it. Here's something interesting abo...

“Kick Lines and Drill Teams and Poms, Oh My!” That’s the headline on my newest issue of Dance Spirit magazine. Actually, the magazine is addressed to my husband. A few years ago he bought me a new pair of black jazz shoes at Capezio, a purchase that led to this glossy mag in my mailbox every month. And every month, I pour over it like it's the 1983 Homecoming Fashion issue of TEEN Magazine . Given that I'm a bit (ahem) older than their audience of aspiring dancers, I feel like I'm reading my daughter's diary. It's not exactly written for me, but I can't put it down. Kinda like men who watch Golden Girls marathons on WE tv. They can’t help themselves. One of my favorite Dance Spirit reads is a front-of-book piece called “Letter to My Teenage Self,” written by successful adult dancers to the memories of their ambitious yet insecure selves. The letters, such as this one by the enviable Broadway star Elizabeth Parkinson , often move me. Perhaps this is because I...

"You oughta get a gig." That's what he told me nearly two years ago, and I was skeptical. In the fall of 2009, I'd been dancing again for about a year. I had performed in two community workshop productions at Ballet Austin's Butler Community School, but the thought of auditioning for a "gig" sounded a little silly at the time. I processed the idea slowly. I performed in a few more workshops. I co-produced a cabaret act for my birthday in 2010. But I didn't actually entertain the idea of an audition until last May, when I learned that a community theatre in San Antonio was producing the musical "Chicago" -- a great opportunity for a dancer like me who has been learning a wide range of Fosse choreography for the last three years. So I went. I prepared a song -- "Bye Bye Blackbird" -- it has about five notes in it, perfect for my less than confident mezzo-soprano- ish voice. And a group of us traveled to San Antonio to get some...

The advantages of Ballet Austin's Butler Community School programs are numerous, one being its class-card system that allows you to buy a punch card and attend any classes on the community school schedule. This "open class" system is a boon for an adventurous and busy dancer who may not be able to make a weekly commitment to the exact same schedule or who simply likes to take a variety of classes. (Both describe me.) For the last year or so, I have bought my class cards in bulk at a discount each fall and spring, calculating my usual class load and buying accordingly. (On average, I attend four classes a week.) Well, I miscalculated this spring, and I have 12 classes left and 6 days to use them. You can do the math. So here's my ambitious schedule for the week: Monday - Jazz Funk: Best defined by what it's not -- it's not hip-hop, it's not a classic, old-school jazz class, and it's not "lyrical" jazz akin to "So You Think You Can Danc...

"A lot about a little." That’s how our director describes Broadway musicals. It’s an observation, not a criticism, artistic judgment or evaluation of the cultural significance of musical theatre. It’s a simple way to say that musical theatre shows are a whole lot song and dance about a little bit of life -- the orchestra, big multi-level mechanized sets, fancy costumes and lighting are glamorous embellishments to stories of love, success, sex, greed, corruption, treachery, etc., etc. All the things we hold near and dear to our hearts. So this weekend I’m part of a cast of nearly 70 adults, teens and school-age children who are celebrating what’s on Broadway today. What’s on the stage in New York is the inspiration for an 80-minute revue that we will perform in downtown Austin at Ballet Austin’s Austin Ventures Studio Theatre. By celebrate, I don’t mean imitate. You won’t see Spider Man flying a zipline , tap dancing sailors fronting a full size battleship on a backdrop or a c...

Begin anywhere. Credit composer John Cage for that gem. It's my mantra for 2011 -- maybe the rest of my life. Not exactly dime-store magnet wisdom. Grocery store, actually. I bought that message on a magnet at my favorite upscale grocery store. It caught my eye as I passed the greeting card display en route to bulk snacks, my treat after a yoga class. When I bought it last fall, it spoke to me immediately, and I realized that it represented a huge shift in my thinking. Because I'm kind of a neurotic planner by nature. But planning can be paralyzing. "Plan paralysis" began plaguing me when I worked for PR agency that did brilliant projects which always began with writing many, many plans. While a lot of plans made it to reality and launched impressive new products, services and causes, many plan did not survive. At times we would write a razzle -dazzle plan only to be met with resistance every step of the way. Idiosyncrasy. Unrealistic ideas. Cost. Timing, Implementati...

"How are you laurabondwilliams ?" my dance teacher asked me before class one day. "Busy," I said, knowing and owning how lame that sounds . "Busy" because most weeks I am engaged in four primary activities: dancing, working, parenting and driving (noticeably absent: cooking, house cleaning, organic gardening). So I collect my thoughts in the spaces in between the busy- ness ; sometimes writing short emails or dutiful (but woefully erratic) morning pages. One good thing about busy- ness is that I am not treating my writing so preciously. With that in mind, I'm sharing some thoughts that need to be aired. For two years now, I've been having thoughtful conversations with adult dancers or others who want to be. I've taken over 200 hours of dance classes from more than a dozen teachers in three cities. I have talked to professional dancers, retired dancers, brand new dancers and born-again dancers. For those who are not dancing and say that you...

It's exactly what you think it'd look like, if you're the kind of person who thinks about these things. That is, a fifth floor dance studio on Manhattan's Upper West Side, four stories above a grocery store at 74th Street and Broadway. Like me, if you ' re the kind of person who thinks about these things, then you aren ' t surprised by the two large, painted metal poles that split the center of the studio to support the floor above. (Ah! It looks just like ["insert favorite dance movie here"]!) You may think that these buildings conceal few feats of 20th century engineering. Poles in the middle of the room! Radiators lining the back wall. You may feel the January chill coming through the windows' panes as you drop your makeshift "dance bag" of shoes and street clothes on the floor in front of the radiator. If you ' re the kind of person who thinks about these things, then you may wonder if anyone has ever collided with one of those f...

Like the 5-year-old girls in blue leotards and pink tights who jostle in the hallways, trying to be first in line for their dance class, my dancing experiences jostle for position in my writing. Me first, they say to me. Write about that humbling dance class in New York , where you had to learn a routine four counts at time just to keep up. Write about that crisis of ego before your performance in May. And hey, isn ’t it time to reflect on the class that you fled, weeping, last year? That was big. Joy, ego, humility, emotions, breakthroughs, breakdowns. Like the outstretched hands reaching for the balcony in A Chorus Line’s opening number, the Jazz Combination , my thoughts and themes plead: Pick me. Personally, I have been reflecting on my return to dance because my born-again dancer anniversary passed at end of July. Two years since I stepped into a class that I was longing to take but deeply feared. Two years of change -- physical, emotional and spiritual changes that are tedio...

In class, while Rocker moves us through a warm-up routine that’s become as familiar as brushing my teeth, he’s chatty and observant as he shapes dancers with thoughtful, constructive criticism. But after a few margaritas, he’s disarmingly forthright. At a corner table in the noisy bar one Saturday afternoon, this lean, balletic man with broad shoulders, high cheekbones and tawny skin, his chocolate brown eyes framed by long, dark eyelashes, leaned toward me. In a few words, he answered a question of mine that I hadn’t dared to ask anyone because I thought it rhetorical -- and somewhat self-absorbed. Yet answers sometimes arrive unexpectedly. Or not. Because, I’ve been asking the question -- if not out loud -- for nearly 18 months since Rocker’s and Danny’s dancer magnetism lured me into their class . Over 200 studio hours later, I still thrive in their presence. I plugged myself into a whole new source of energy and self-esteem. They are undeniably my most influential teachers at this ...

You know, December really was a busy month. (I’ll pause for giggles, raised eyebrows or eye-rolling at my sweeping understatement.) Like most families, we fling ourselves into the holiday season at Thanksgiving and begin a four-week run of various celebrations, including two children’s birthdays in the first week of December. (Add two pre-Christmas family celebrations and a four-day road trip to Ohio and that explains why my holiday cards might arrive by Feb. 1). Back in September, I decided to add some mileage to this holiday marathon by joining the cast of “Holiday Road,” a musical theatre workshop produced by Ballet Austin’s community school . For 12 weeks, nearly 60 dancers, singers and actors rehearsed for two hours a week, culminating in two performances that were smack in the middle of the holiday season: Dec. 12 and 13. “Holiday Road,” written by Danny Herman and Rocker Verastique, tells the story of a family road trip from Austin, Texas, to Christmas, Mic...