A little over 10 years ago, my dance school, Ridgepointe Ballet (then Miriam Ballet), had a newsletter of sorts which was given out every March. "Miriamb@llet.com" as it was called, basically gave its readers snippets of what the dance school had been up to during the school year (June-March). It also contained the usual "filler" stuff you'd see in magazines/newsletters such as poems, quotes, suggested websites to visit, cool stores to check out, interesting trivia, etc. Ours also included a section for senior and graduate dancers to share their thoughts about dance.
I unearthed for my copies of the now-defunct newsletter (it lasted about 5 years) to look for an article I distinctly remember contributing. Ridgepointe Ballet has just mounted it's 22nd recital, The Velveteen Rabbit (and other ballets), and I feel that the article is quite relevant to recent events relating to the production. Here is the abridged version:
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"Poor Unfortunate Souls"
March, 2003
For the longest time, I saw understudies as poor unfortunate souls. It's different from an alternate; they actually perform. Understudies simply replace if something happens. But nothing ever happens! They waste time and energy learning and rehearsing dances they'll never perform! Or so I thought. Dancing with the Philippine Ballet Theatre (PBT) last 2002, taught me otherwise.
It started when Ms. Liza called to say PBT was dancing Balanchine's choreographies in June: SERENADE, CONCERTO BAROCCO, TCHAIKOVSKY PAS DE DEUX, and WHO CARES? They still needed girls; maybe I could give it a shot.
I intended to. But when I came in on April 4th, the cast was already complete. So I was cast as an understudy: for a girl in WHO CARES? and for Cathee Lee-Roslovtsev (who injured her knee some time ago) in SERENADE. Ugh. But I accepted anyway. After all, I could use the training.
I took WHO CARES? seriously, because I was soon cast permanently. SERENADE, though, I took very lightly. I was confident that since Cathee was a company member, I wouldn't need to replace her at all. Big mistake. On May 10th, Guest Artistic Director and Guest Artistic Coach, Mr. & Mrs. Robert Barnet, from the Balanchine Foundation, came to help us technically and artistically. Surprise! Cathee wasn't dancing that day. I was. Imagine my fear! But as the day progressed, I started to calm down.
Mr. & Mrs. Barnet worked with us step by step, explaining exactly how to execute each one. This comforted me, since I didn't know the whole dance yet, and I couldn't do certain steps [...]. I was afraid of messing up. But they were perfectly nice when I tried and failed. [...] The company members were helpful too, especially Cathee. [...]
Initially, I was only to dance in the matinees, but since Cathee had a difficult pas de deux in WHO CARES, I go all shows! I got all the emotions you can think of. [...] A thousand "what ifs" filled my mind.
So, I attended all the rehearsals as much as I could [...]. It was tiring! [...] But it all paid off. After that BALANCHINE production in CCP in June, the show was brought to [various other places]. All the while, I held [the] spot. I was applauded by [my superiors] for a job well done. In the end, I learned being an understudy isn't so bad. I hadn't been a poor unfortunate soul at all! In fact, I'd been very, very fortunate.
I remember sitting with some company members outside the studio after our first rehearsal with Mr. & Mrs. Barnet. Cathee was there and she said: "Si Trixie kanina nag panic! Di kasi inaral yung steps dati eh! Naku, I bet she'll learn and take all the dances seriously from now on."
I laughed. Oh yes. She sure got that right!
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I will write more about my other escapades in the future but for now, let me congratulate the very young Ridgepointe Ballet dancers, especially those who diligently learned dances on the side as understudies. We were down by a few dancers this production due to physical illness (suspected dengue) and what I like to call, "diva-titis" (but that's another story). We pulled through, because our young dancers were able to adapt (some dances needed re-blocking), and because we had understudies who, despite being all of what, less than 12? years of age, were quick, diligent, and game to face the unsuspecting audience with a huge smile on their faces.
And so to Ridgepointe Ballet, BRAVO! :)
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