Alvin Ailey "The Company." - Photo: Andrew Eccles
"Those who dance are considered insane
by those who cannot hear music."
- George Carlin
My ballet school's summer break is finally over! I'm back at the barre tomorrow - sigh of relief. For 15 years I've shared the barre with an amazing group of ladies: former prima ballerinas, ballet teachers, and amateur ballerinas like me. We come from a wide variety of cultural backgrounds, range from liberal to conservative, and range in age from low 40s to late 60s. But the tie that binds us all together is our lifelong passionate love for ballet.
1st Annual Ballerina Luncheon
As our 'summer break' too quickly approached, I decided to arrange a 'Ballerina Luncheon.' An opportunity for my pointe girlfriends and I to break bread, sip some champagne, talk and just... enjoy each other's company - at my favorite state's side French restaurant bien sur! To my delight, more than half of these lovely ladies were able to attend - and what a grand time we had! It is a boon to our spirits and souls, the time we spend among fellow 'mature' ballerinas. Such a good time that they've asked me to plan a few more get-togethers - yeah, you know I said oui. Our next gathering will be in November...
La Ballerines
While we talked about our lives (husbands or no, children, work, etc.) we spent most of our time talking about why we love to dance: how ballet frees our souls, magnificantly infuses every aspect of our lives away from the barre, in infintesmal ways. Some of us can barely move - have to wrap our ankles in order to bear a deep plie; some of us can barely jump - damned knees! Even so, we leap, twirl, spin and...dance. And even though we sometimes hobble home, we cannot wait until our next class. Cannot wait until we again plie at the barre; glide through adagio at center floor. Yes, we are insane. But only to those who cannot hear the music.
Vivre! Aimer! Rire!
Temple
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