December 10-- Advent at ADAFT 2014!

It's a funny truth that Europeans, generally, do not share the wild Nutcracker-mania that sweeps the US every December.  The Nutcracker is actually Russian--well of course, right?-- and didn't hit American shores until sometime in the mid-1960s.  But hit it did, and I can tell you that all American ballet dancers have a crazy love-hate relationship with this ballet.  On the one hand, we're sick of it; on the other, so many good memories!  On the one hand, why can't we dance more "serious" ballets?  On the other--look how much money the company made off it this year!  On the one hand, every Tom, Dick and Harry, thinks they know about ballet from having seen a Nutcracker once; on the other, people are actually interested in your work!

So you won't be surprised to know that my first couple years in Denmark felt like a decadent holiday, a totally relaxing break from overgrown mice and saccharine sugarplums.  And then, of course, I started to miss it.

And you won't be surprised to know that I actually bought tickets to see a Nutcracker last year, when Den Kongelige Ballet (Royal Danish Ballet) brought their new production to Aarhus.  Overall, I was underwhelmed.  I've seen a lot of Nuts, and this one wasn't even original-- it was the Balanchine version that New York City Ballet does.  And I didn't think that many of the dancers felt comfortable with that style.  But I did love the sets and costumes.   I loved the inspired blend of old and new; and that the production looked so Danish, so classically European and yet so modern and bright.

See for yourself.

 

December 19--Advent at ADAFT 2012!

Nu er det Jul igen!

Last night E arrived at the ballet school to find all the kiddos holding hands and skipping through the hallways and studios, singing this song.  For most it was the last day of class before vacation, all the shows were over, and spirits were high.  Just imagine these singers are little blonde kids in tights, and you'll have the same happy experience she did!

Lots of Lists, Part 1

We haven't posted in a while, for two reasons. The first, and most obvious, is that we couldn't bear to consign our tulip pictures to the bottom of the page. The second is that, well, nothing much has happened.

This past week B's brother A has been here, and we took a short trip down to Copenhagen with him, so maybe we'll say more about that later. In the meantime, though, I want to try out an experimental feature--lists.

Come on, they're popular on Facebook, right? (If they're not anymore, that's OK, because I live in Europe now and am allowed to be behind on this kind of thing).

I'm thinking of posting several lists over the next week or so. I'll be open to topic suggestions (hint, hint, darling readers)! And I'll just say now that my next entry, "Lots of Lists, Part 2" will contain some astonishing information and will be a must-read.

Without further ado,

List #1!
Recent Danish Conversations I Am Proud Of

1. Explaining to the hotel desk clerk that I'd been unable to print my purchased-online theatre tickets, and asking if she would be so kind as to print them for me.

2. Helping a woman at the library figure out from the icons on the library website whether the book she wanted was checked out or available.

3. Confessing to the train conductor that I'd accidentally stamped the wrong ticket by mistake, asking if it would be possible to get off at the next station and fix it, and thanking him effusively when he said he could just stamp it for me.

4. Telling the new receptionist at the dance studio that I qualify for the professional dancer discount, spelling my name (hey! harder than it sounds!) and informing her how much I actually needed to pay.

5. Discussing the relative merits, stylistically, of the Royal Danish Ballet and the Paris Opera Ballet, with my Danish teacher. (Only counts for 1/2 points because it was in class; on the other hand, it was a topic we were both actually interested in).

That's all for now, but stay tuned for the big reveal on Sunday!