bluebirduncaged

December 17, 2009 bluebirduncaged Ballet

Nutcracker 2009-Pt. 3

My pre-performance routine.

Go in the stage door…

Climb the stairs…

All the way to the 5th floor…

Down the hall to…

Organize my stuff…

Warm up, then get ready for the show…

December 13, 2009 bluebirduncaged Ballet

Well, The Nutcracker has opened in Atlanta. So far it's gone pretty well. Our first show was Friday morning for Kids in Step. I got to do Lamb for that one. Before the show, I took class with the company to warm up. That was pretty cool but also kind of intimidating. Overall, the show went well; we weren't together on one part but afterwards we got a good job from the ballet mistress. In between shows, I went to class then came back for the evening. At the beginning of the show, they introduced our new Executive Director, Arthur Jacobus. They also had Mr. Barnett there with people who had been in some of the first Nutcrackers of Atlanta Ballet. I was only a Dream Fairy for that show but it was just cool to be on stage at the Fox with the Atlanta Ballet on opening night. More Nutcracker to come!

December 9, 2009 bluebirduncaged Ballet

Nutcracker 2009 Promo video

Here are some very short excerpts from our Nutcracker. We open in 2 days! Click the box with the red x(I can't get the pic to show up) on the right to buy tickets.

December 7, 2009 bluebirduncaged Ballet

Nutcracker 2009-Pt. 1

Every year, I look forward to Nutcracker. It is my favorite time of the year and for me, it would not be Christmas without Nutcracker. For me, alot of firsts are associated with this magical ballet; the first time I was exposed to ballet, the first time I understood true artistry, my first pas de deux, the first time I guested. This year, is my first performing Nutcracker with a professional company. I'm blessed to be a part of the 50th anniversary cast of Atlanta Ballet's Nutcracker and here is my side of a really cool adventure.

In September, I was excited to find my name on a list calling me to a height line up with the Company. This meant that I was being considered for company casting such as Flowers and Snow. A group of us pre-pros headed to studio 5 on the third floor at the assigned time. First, the ballet mistress, Dale Shieldslined the Company members in height order. Then she lined the pre-pros in height order. Then we all got in one big line stretching from one end of the studio to the other. I was fifth from the short end, with four Company members shorter than me (Nadia, Alessa, Peng, and Yoomi). A few days later, the cast list came out for Waltz of the Flowers–and I was an understudy! So, I started going to the rehearsals. This year, John McFall re-choreographed Flowers and it was fun to see his thought processes. After a few weeks of learning it on the sides, Ms. Dale asked me to step in during rehearsal. That was so nerve-wracking; I was happy to be asked to do the part but I was also nervous about messing up and learning the spacing and everything–I'm sure I was way too tense to look very much like a Flower. But I didn't do too badly. After being thrown in, I was much more confident that I knew the part. I am also an understudy for Snow.

A few weeks later, I was also cast as a Dream Fairy (a very minor, no-pressure role in the opening of Act II). After Magic Flute was over, Nutcracker rehearsals began in full swing. As I checked the Company board one day, I was delighted to find my name under a rehearsal called for lambs. Two pink lambs along with one baby lamb dance with the shepherdess during the Marzipan divertissement. Only two other pre-pros were cast as lambs, the rest were Fellowship students. Another cool thing about being a lamb is that I got a pair of pointe shoes for being cast in the part. The downside of being a lamb is that your whole body is covered–including your head. This past week was the first time we practiced with the lamb heads on. It's a little challenging because you can't see anything but straight ahead but at least you don't have to keep a pleasant face while you are gasping for air.

This week, we go into the theatre for dress and tech rehearsals. The show opens on Friday the 11th and runs until the 27th at the Fox Theatre. I'll keep posting with more pictures and tidbits as we progress. Hope your Nutcracker season is going well. Leave me a comment and let me know how it's going.

Photos by Charlie McCullers

December 2, 2009 bluebirduncaged Family

Christmas Tree 2009

Here is the second annual tree decorating video (click here to see last year's). Have fun watching us assemble, decorate, and clean up the Christmas tree in under 4 minutes ;-). I'm going to post about Nutcracker soon. Stay tuned!

November 25, 2009 bluebirduncaged My Life

Number 100

I took another unintended blog break. I don't have anything terribly interesting prepared right now but here's a collage of pictures of the past few weeks. Oh, by the way this is my hundredth post!! Hooray!

November 1, 2009 bluebirduncaged Things I'm learning

YOUR story

We all have role models; we want to be like someone. We all want to grow up (even if culture says we already are) to be the ideal person. When we find someone who we think embodies our ideal we scrutinize them. We notice their nuances and try to implement them in our own behavior. We start to talk like them, dress like them, and act like them.

It’s great to look up to people but the downfall comes when we actually try to be them. When we make decisions based on what they would do (or did) instead of the wise choice and forget that we are different. In trying to follow their footsteps, we lose ourselves.

When we try to rewrite someone else’s story over our own, we are rejecting who God made us to be. We lose sight of who we truly are and put on a mask of someone else. But we each are unique. God has a story planned for every one of His people; we just need to follow His lead. Francis Chan writes, “Be careful not to turn others’ lives into the mold for your own. Allow God to be as creative with you as He is with each of us.”

God has given us each unique gifts and we are called to use those gifts to His glory. If we happen to have similar gifts as someone else, we can ask them to be our mentor. But we need to be careful not to blindly follow in their footsteps. It’s easy to take a path that’s already been made but it takes faith to make your own. God wants us to trust Him, follow His lead, and allow Him to write a story as unique and original as ourselves. Sure, we can look to others for advice and ideas, and it’s easy to copy someone else, but only we can live our own story so why would we waste our time infringing the copyright of someone else‘s?

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working but the same God works all of them in all men. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. ~1 Corinthians 12:4-7

October 30, 2009 bluebirduncaged WW/FF

Fingerprint Friday

Joshua took this while I was in Pittsburgh

There is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman that says:
I can see the fingerprints of god
When I look at you
I can see the fingerprints of god
And I know its true
You're a masterpiece
That all creation quietly applauds
And you're covered with the fingerprints of god

Click Here for more Fingerprint Fridays

October 18, 2009 bluebirduncaged Things I'm learning

I remember when we were little my brothers and I would catch fireflies on summer nights. We would put them in a jar, fill it with grass, cover the top with hole-poked tin foil and take them to bed with us. After being tucked in, we would stare at the jar and watch for the little flashes of light. Eventually, the blinks would get fewer and farther between and we would wake up to a stinky jar of bugs.

I think we’re like fireflies. Fireflies use their lights to communicate with each other. When they’re put in a jar, they have no one to communicate with and therefore stop emitting light. As Christians, we are called to be lights to the world. But sometimes the world distracts us. In other words, we get put in a jar and our lights go dim. When fireflies use their lights, they’re different from other bugs in that they don’t blend in with their surroundings. When they are not using their lights, they’re just like any other bug. In the same way, when we allow ourselves to become complacent about our faith, we start to look the same as everyone else around us.

When we become complacent and stuck in a jar, we lose our effectiveness. By blending in with the world, we basically tell God that He is not important enough for us to be uncomfortable. We have to avoid being put in a jar. We must keep our eyes out for potential circumstances that will squelch our lights and our faith; whether they be idols that distract us, compromising situations or careless conversations. We have to constantly be on the alert, for Satan desires nothing more than for our lights to be extinguished. So….what’s putting you in a jar?

"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." ~Matthew 5:14-16

October 9, 2009 bluebirduncaged WW/FF