I do not regret my decision to go to SAB. I've missed out on a whole year of intense training, that would have made me a stronger dancer. But I don't regret. Because it wasn't the right decision at the time. Though I knew it was a really great opportunity, I didn't want to go. My heart was in my school, friends, and hometown. And that's ok. But over that year, my love of dance grew. And I found something that is necessary for anyone to pursue a dream; inspiration.
My father is a documentary buff. I won't lie, I didn't always like it. Sometimes I would have much rather watch a movie or an episode of Family Guy than a documentary about a kid from the Royal Ballet. But he made me sit down and watch a couple. And I was hooked. Soon, I discovered a great site called "Dance Channel". I watched pieces choreographed by Christopher Wheeldon. I saw master classes taught for Carlos Acosta. I saw ballets from Royal, ABT. I went to see "Mao's Last Dancer". And the underlying theme of viewing all of this, is an thought that recurred every time I did: "I wish I could do that."
I thought than in turning down SAB, I had turned down my chance at a career as a dancer. And last spring, I began talking to my parents about this. They said that they would support me if I wanted to try, but that this would probably be the year that would decide what my chances were.
And then, in my watching of ballet videos, I found two dancers that changed my life.
The first was in a documentary about the English National Ballet. A 26 year old soloist was getting a chance to do the principal role of Romeo and Romeo & Juliet. And that was reassuring. Not all of the principals out there had their roles starting at 18 or 19. Some come a little later. I don't remember this dancer's name, and I've been trying to find him. But so far I haven't.
Another concern of mine was my height. I'm likely to be 6'3'' if not more. And looking at Baryshnikov and others, I thought that dancers had to be small. Then I saw a short about David Hallberg. Not only did he only start training when he was 14, but he's tall. He was a principal with ABT(although now he's moved to Russia to dance with the Bolshoi). He made me believe that I had a chance.
And so, in the late spring (way too late to be doing this), my dad began sending out emails to people in the dance world. I got accepted into a few places, but only some give scholarships. I quote Peter Stark (the other day in rehearsal): "Michael, I accepted you with a full scholarship into my summer program because I saw a picture of you. You have a dancer's body. Show off your legs when you dance".
(Paraphrasing)
And so I went to the Next Generation Ballet summer intensive at the Patel Conservatory. And here I am.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Friday, October 21, 2011
Ballet and Me
My mom took classes when she was a kid, and when she met my dad in drama school in Enlgand, they both had to take ballet. And they thought it'd be a good idea to introduce me to it, as it can be a really great way to get fit. So when I was five years old, they made me take a ballet class at the Joffrey Ballet School in Manhattan. After that, it was up to me. So for years, I took classes a couple times a week with them, excepting ofcourse a brief time where I switched to the Alvin Ailey School. In 2005, my family moved to Ithaca, New York. So I started taking classes at the Ithaca Ballet. This was very different. And as a kid, it was a lot more fun. There were fewer people, so I got more attention as a boy. And I got to perform in shows like Nutcracker, and Sleeping Beauty. Party child, dwarf, village child, party teen, Nutcracker Prince, toy soldier, russian boy, villager, marzipan. I did three or four shows a year, and several roles in each. It was the most exciting thing to do as a child.
Admittedly, I was a normal, misbehaving little boy. I loved performing and rehearsals, but classes sometimes bored me and I would get into all sorts of trouble with the other boys, talking, etc.
When I was about 12, this started to change. I started to become more studious, and began liking ballet more. Johann Studier, once a dancer with the Houston Ballet, began teaching a boys class once a week. This was amazing. I got to work on boy things! Jumps, turns. It was so fun. And I began getting better roles in shows as I was older. And if I'm honest, having the competition of a couple other boys really helped to push me aswell. Then, sometime last year, Johann started teaching a partnering class. Rehearsals often pushed it to the side, but I got to take partnering once every month or two.
Then, one Wednesday, my dad drove me to the big city to take an audition class at the School of American Ballet. Just for the experience. It was more intense than any I'd ever had. I loved it. I wanted to pass out before petit allegro. My teacher, Mr. Jock Soto, offered me to sit down. I didn't take him up on this, and pushed through. I was exhausted, but I felt good. A week or so later, I got a call at school from my dad, letting me know that SAB had offered me a full scholarship to start their year round program immediately. At first, I leapt at the chance. Then I went back to class with my friends. And I went to ballet (by this point, I was part of the Ithaca Ballet Company, and had grown close to everyone there). And I suddenly realized what I would be leaving. And I didn't really want to be a dancer. So I was torn. After two weeks of "should I stay or should I go?", I decided to remain in Ithaca.
During the early winter/late spring of last year, I started watching documentaries about professional ballet.
And everything changed......
Admittedly, I was a normal, misbehaving little boy. I loved performing and rehearsals, but classes sometimes bored me and I would get into all sorts of trouble with the other boys, talking, etc.
When I was about 12, this started to change. I started to become more studious, and began liking ballet more. Johann Studier, once a dancer with the Houston Ballet, began teaching a boys class once a week. This was amazing. I got to work on boy things! Jumps, turns. It was so fun. And I began getting better roles in shows as I was older. And if I'm honest, having the competition of a couple other boys really helped to push me aswell. Then, sometime last year, Johann started teaching a partnering class. Rehearsals often pushed it to the side, but I got to take partnering once every month or two.
Then, one Wednesday, my dad drove me to the big city to take an audition class at the School of American Ballet. Just for the experience. It was more intense than any I'd ever had. I loved it. I wanted to pass out before petit allegro. My teacher, Mr. Jock Soto, offered me to sit down. I didn't take him up on this, and pushed through. I was exhausted, but I felt good. A week or so later, I got a call at school from my dad, letting me know that SAB had offered me a full scholarship to start their year round program immediately. At first, I leapt at the chance. Then I went back to class with my friends. And I went to ballet (by this point, I was part of the Ithaca Ballet Company, and had grown close to everyone there). And I suddenly realized what I would be leaving. And I didn't really want to be a dancer. So I was torn. After two weeks of "should I stay or should I go?", I decided to remain in Ithaca.
During the early winter/late spring of last year, I started watching documentaries about professional ballet.
And everything changed......
The reality of it
1.) Contrary to popular belief, not all ballet boys are gay. I am completely straight, and that's me. I don't have a problem with people who aren't, it's just my preference. I honestly can't blame people for ignorantly believing that ballet dancers are gay because the truth is that a lot of them are. I'm not encouraging stereotyping, but the majority of ballet guys are gay and so I can understand why outsiders would make the assumption. However, what bothers me is when people do not respect such an obviously fragile topic. People need to respect the sexuality of others, and need to take their word for it.
Over the years, I have taken a lot of crap for being a dancer. That's just the way kids are. I never used to like telling people that I was a ballet dancer so i avoided the subject entirely. As my peers have matured over the past few years, I've grown completely comfortable with it. I tell people that I'm a dancer and that I'm straight and people accept it openly.
2.) Another reality of the dance world is that there are quite a lot of smokers and drinkers. I've seen quite a few documentaries about professional dancers, and some of the principals were sharing a bottle before going on stage. And they all party after the show. This is obviously something to be wary of because getting introduced to the wrong things at the wrong time could be damaging.
3.) And lastly, I would like to broach the subject that many would probably rather not admit. We have American Idol to thank. Because that competition led to shows such as So you think you can dance, etc. and this has led to popular interest in dance. Which has been benefitial to the industry.
4.) This is an unquestionable reality.
Dancers have short careers. We have to train intensely from as early as possible, and few of us will keep a professional career going past 40. It's just the way of it. However, when you've dedicated your life to something, just abandoning it at middle age is hard to do. So most artistic directors you will find were once professional if not principal dancers.
Our injuries are common. Our opportunities few. Our careers short.
But you don't do this because it's easy. You do this because you want it. You need it.
You love it.
Over the years, I have taken a lot of crap for being a dancer. That's just the way kids are. I never used to like telling people that I was a ballet dancer so i avoided the subject entirely. As my peers have matured over the past few years, I've grown completely comfortable with it. I tell people that I'm a dancer and that I'm straight and people accept it openly.
2.) Another reality of the dance world is that there are quite a lot of smokers and drinkers. I've seen quite a few documentaries about professional dancers, and some of the principals were sharing a bottle before going on stage. And they all party after the show. This is obviously something to be wary of because getting introduced to the wrong things at the wrong time could be damaging.
3.) And lastly, I would like to broach the subject that many would probably rather not admit. We have American Idol to thank. Because that competition led to shows such as So you think you can dance, etc. and this has led to popular interest in dance. Which has been benefitial to the industry.
4.) This is an unquestionable reality.
Dancers have short careers. We have to train intensely from as early as possible, and few of us will keep a professional career going past 40. It's just the way of it. However, when you've dedicated your life to something, just abandoning it at middle age is hard to do. So most artistic directors you will find were once professional if not principal dancers.
Our injuries are common. Our opportunities few. Our careers short.
But you don't do this because it's easy. You do this because you want it. You need it.
You love it.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
It's not all fun and games
Ballet is hard.
It takes discipline, dedication, memorization, adaptivity, strength, flexibility. I leave school around 11:15 every day, and class starts at 11:30. The day starts with a ballet technique class. The schedule varies day to day, but after that, I have anywhere from 2 to 6 more classes or rehearsals. I often get out at 8:30. When I get home, I'm usually exhausted. Homework, dinner, and stretches, pushups, and crunches. The latter three get chucked to the side way too much. The most difficult things is keeping up with independent excercises, because in the spaces between being busy....I just want to relax.
My challenges
Next: deciding to become a dancer, and the interesting situation that is living with a host family and dancing more than being in school.
It takes discipline, dedication, memorization, adaptivity, strength, flexibility. I leave school around 11:15 every day, and class starts at 11:30. The day starts with a ballet technique class. The schedule varies day to day, but after that, I have anywhere from 2 to 6 more classes or rehearsals. I often get out at 8:30. When I get home, I'm usually exhausted. Homework, dinner, and stretches, pushups, and crunches. The latter three get chucked to the side way too much. The most difficult things is keeping up with independent excercises, because in the spaces between being busy....I just want to relax.
My challenges
- Splits- it used to be that men who could put on a pair of tights could get top notch jobs as dancers. But it isn't the 40's anymore. GUYS HAVE TO HAVE SPLITS. One leg in front, one behind. 180 degrees. Over the past few years, my previous instructor had been telling me to stretch and I just wasn't. But I didn't want to be a dancer and so it didn't matter. A bit before the summer, I decided that I did. More on that later. Point is, I had to start working on my splits. So thank god for Peter Stark. He pushed me to do them. A lot. My summer roomate and I worked on it every night. And now I continue to daily. And I am really close. I plan on having my splits in the next week or two.
- Strength- I'm 6'1''. I weigh around 135 lbs. I am a very, very skinny boy. I am the weakest boy at the ballet. This doesn't really bother me. Except partnering class. When I attempt to lift girls.......it's the most embarassing thing. But it's a process. I'll get there. But right now........it's the thing I reeeeally have to work on.
- Technique- I am blessed with what Julio Montano calls "monkey body". My legs are long, and my torso is short. My legs are longer than anyone I've ever seen. This is VERY good for dance. And I work really hard. So I'm not so worried about this. It'll come. But the strength and flexibility stress me out.
Next: deciding to become a dancer, and the interesting situation that is living with a host family and dancing more than being in school.
Monday, October 17, 2011
My name is Michael Hill, and I am training to be a professional ballet dancer. In this blog, I hope to dispell myths, catalog my progress, and gain information on this. For starters, I'll give a little background info on me as a dancer:
5 years old- started dancing at the Joffrey ballet school in Manhattan. Danced there for a couple years, under Miss Stephanie, Miss Liz, and others.
At around age 7- I danced at the Alvin Ailey school in Manhattan. While the ballet training was good, and the chance to take African was fun, it wasn't really working out and so I went back to Joffrey.
Age 9- In 2005, my family and I moved out of NYC, and went upstate to Ithaca, NY. I began dancing at the Ithaca Ballet. This was a very different experience. The other schools were all about uniforms, and recitals. This was a more relaxed, performance based experience. I performed in Nutcracker, among other shows, every year, and this is what really got me into dance. I was taught at first by Miss Gunilla, but later by ex-Houston ballet dancer Johann Studier and IB artistic director Cindy Reid. I danced there from 2005 until the end of the school year in 2010 (around 5 months ago).
This summer I attended the Next Generation Ballet camp in Tampa, Fl, under Peter Stark. I am now attending the year round program.
This is the thesis statement, if you will, of my blog and I plan to elaborate on all of my experiences as the blog goes on.
Welcome to the Ballet Boy Blog.
5 years old- started dancing at the Joffrey ballet school in Manhattan. Danced there for a couple years, under Miss Stephanie, Miss Liz, and others.
At around age 7- I danced at the Alvin Ailey school in Manhattan. While the ballet training was good, and the chance to take African was fun, it wasn't really working out and so I went back to Joffrey.
Age 9- In 2005, my family and I moved out of NYC, and went upstate to Ithaca, NY. I began dancing at the Ithaca Ballet. This was a very different experience. The other schools were all about uniforms, and recitals. This was a more relaxed, performance based experience. I performed in Nutcracker, among other shows, every year, and this is what really got me into dance. I was taught at first by Miss Gunilla, but later by ex-Houston ballet dancer Johann Studier and IB artistic director Cindy Reid. I danced there from 2005 until the end of the school year in 2010 (around 5 months ago).
This summer I attended the Next Generation Ballet camp in Tampa, Fl, under Peter Stark. I am now attending the year round program.
This is the thesis statement, if you will, of my blog and I plan to elaborate on all of my experiences as the blog goes on.
Welcome to the Ballet Boy Blog.
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