Guest Post: Dance Of Shadows

Feb •  22 •  2013
Hello and Welcome!
Check out the Dance Of Shadows Page

“A Day in the Life Of Vanessa?” It could be schedule of her dance practices, diet routine, etc.

The New York Ballet Academy is known for its grueling schedule. Here is a peek into Vanessa’s life, five days a week:

6:30 am                 Wake up

6:35 am                 Kick TJ’s bed so that she wakes up, too

6:40-6:55 am         Shower, dress, then downstairs to the caf

7:00-7:15 am         Scarf down whatever will give you energy with as few carbs as possible (unless you’re TJ, in which case you have French toast or maybe even pancakes)

7:15 am                 Walk quickly (running is verboten according to Hilda) across the plaza to the practice studios

7:30-8:30 am         Stretching and warm-up (with Hilda, who is the ballet mistress as well as program admin and NYBA enforcer)

8:45-10:45 am       Classical training. Us freshmen spend most of our time at the barre; upperclassmen get to do center work

11:00-12:50 pm     Academics. Two classes alternate every other day (algebra and human geography/ history) with two other classes (English comp and English lit), but we get some bit of French every day. AKA “the language of dance.” AKA “can’t speak it without sounding like a snot.” AKA “language of snark and gossip by the upperclass girls.”

1:00-1:30 pm         “Lunch.” In quotes because some girls I swear survive only on the idea of actually eating. Me—I’ll have a salad with some sort of protein in it, and a Diet Coke.

1:40-3:30 pm         More academics. So far here we have the sciences. And Mickey Mouse classes like human anatomy, a lot of which we know already. Final half hour is a supervised homework period.

3:30-4:30 pm         Pilates, weight training, and conditioning class

4:45-6:30 pm         Classical training and/or rehearsal depending on whether you get cast in a show or not.

6:45-7:30 pm         Dinner

7:30-onward          Homework and “free time.” If we’re in the midst of rehearsal, we may have to meet again with Josef to go over choreography, or do some work on our own. Remember: practice makes perfect.


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Posted by on Feb 22, 2013 in 2013, Blog Tour, Yelena Black | 2 comments

2 Comments

  1. Jenny
    Feb 22, 2013

    That is quite the busy schedule! I don’t miss having my days outlined like that at all, I’m happy to be out of school and working from home – it’s nice to make your own schedule:) I should probably work in a little more exercise into that schedule like Vanessa has…but sometimes the call of the couch and a book is just too strong!

  2. Amy
    Feb 22, 2013

    Great guest post. That is one tough sounding day.