"The goal is New York city" she said: My first trophy!

Last week of classes before finishing the year with a week's work of showcase. I am really excited about showcase. I will be opening the show with our ensemble number and then later on in the show I will be performing Fields of gold the Sting song, but in a cover of Eva Cassidy.

Last class of scene study

Lat class of audition technique

I did it! I am so proud of myself! The following day of my last post I went on a whole day without eating. Not because I chose it as a life style.. or because I think it's healthy . But just that one day.. because I have been making too many exceptions in my eating habits with sugar and fats, I guess it was first of a kind of lesson I wanted myself to learn after breaking my daily goals before. But also to test my persistence.. even if it's not about something more important like things in my career, it has been frustrating to see myself keep breaking promises, because I give in to temptation. That is a weak sign, and I am so proud that I was able to say - nope for a day I will be strong.
I had a low point with depression and a bit moody, because I had been dancing and moving a lot all day - in school from 9-7 .. but I soon turned it around saying .. hey there have been days where you were so busy and caught up in things or too excited to even remember to eat... you didn't die or get depressed. So it's easily done.

So the day after, I was obviously really looking forward to breakfast. Funny, I had a non-fat yogurt which tasted way too sour. I thought it was old, but my friend said it was normal.. so I think that was just my tummy getting used to foods again.
I had a big breakfast at 8 and then didn't eat again till 12. Which is when I had a mini hummus with pretzels, a banana and a granola bar before dance.
Today I had finals in both ballet and jazz.
Let me start with jazz, even though that came after ballet ... because that class was the high point of my day.

In jazz I had SO much fun, and I wasn't nervous for the choreographies... which made me more positive and open as a dancer, being able to focus more on the story of the dance. I had SO much fun, and think I did really well - which I hadn't expected in that way, since I kind of dreaded the process, knowing I've been really slow at picking up choreography this past year.

Now, LOOK what I got in ballet class

....

I was brought to tears by how overwhelmed I was when Chad gave one his traditional yearly awards to me. This is a special award that my ballet teacher himself designed for his students that has made remarkable progress in class through out the year. Three in total of the 10 in our dance set got an award. He said, then of course one to Miss Jasmin, who has has proven to keep her head high, despite the obstacles and kept working hard.

I actually felt like I was gonna write a full out essay about this one award in my blog.. but the fact is I am so overwhelmed and proud that I don't really have a lot of words for it. All I have in mind is how much I always feel I can do better, and being so result-driven I guess I was taken aback by my teacher's acknowledge of me in the process.
I remember what he said to the whole class, when he singled me out. Jasmin, being taken down from D4 to D3, without humiliation, but just working hard and always staying positive about it - that is real talent..
Those words are what I always need to remind myself of. Any other thought of myself is invalid.

Biking around New York has been truly wonderful. It's an amazing way to start the day, and I am not really feeling very scared in traffic any more.. it's just normal for me now.

On my way home

Wednesday night I saw the musical 3pennyopera. Pretty amazing and extremely scary show. I was on the first row, totally not expecting it to be so much 'in your face'. It was a Brecht play, with music by Kurt Weill. This is a composer I have been recommended to work on. So finally the show came to New York (off-Broadway) woth even Laura Osnes as one of the main characters - she was Cinderella in Cinderella on Brodway. I was sitting so close I could see their veins and sweat.

I am falling asleep over my computer. Tomorrow is a day of 2 finals and an emotional Meisner class! yay <3

I was gonna read some more Gelsey Kirkland.. but I will wake up in the morning and do that over my breakfast.