Performing at The Sadler's Wells Theatre, London

This week I have been performing in Little Red Riding Hood and The Three Little Pigs at the Sadler's Wells Theatre in London. I thought I would share some extracts from my journal and some photographs below. Permission has been granted to share the following information and images. 


 Monday

Our first day at Sadler's Wells! I really enjoyed Amy's class on stage, lots of eating up the space! After class we did a full run. I must say that I found this really hard. I think I could have done with having a more substantial snack but we were told that we only had 5 minutes between class and rehearsal so I did not really have time. Still, although I know that I made a few mistakes, I was glad that we did this full run because I knew the areas which were going to take more concentration for the show. After a good meal I felt much better and actually the performance ended up going really quite well. There was a great atmosphere in the audience even though it was not a full house and everyone seemed to be very entertained.

The more I think about it, the more I realise that one of the reasons this ballet is so challenging is because if you are not on stage, which most of the time you are, you are either doing a quick change, quick changing someone else, moving the set or doing a fast cross over! The concentration required for the performance is extreme. At times I still find that my memory can fade, probably just from an over load of information. However, I am not blanking in my own passages of choreography any more which is good.

With Krystal Lowe and Anna Pujol

Tuesday

My legs were very sore today but I enjoyed pushing through this because I know that ultimately it is at these times that I will gain strength. I feel that I am finally starting to let loose a bit more in my dancing and really go for it, rather than worry about being technically correct. We had a rehearsal of a few scenes and then a decent break before the second show. The atmosphere in the audience was not so great tonight and I was very frustrated because during one of my entrances in this ballet I have to bring a pig on wheels on and it got caught in the wing. Someone managed to unhook it but it fell on its side so I had to pull it on on its side! I was already on stage so there really was nothing that I could have done. I felt annoyed and as though I had spoiled the performance but tried to tell myself that there was nothing I could do and that I had not done it deliberately. Aside from this the performance was good and it was lovely to have two of my friends take company class and then watch the show. It made me consider how actually I think I do feel more confident when I have someone I know in the audience. Especially in this theatre because the auditorium and stage are at such close proximity and it is possible to literally see everyone's faces.

Wednesday

Again a good class with Amy which the London Ballet Circle came to watch. I felt a bit nervous with them watching because they have sponsored my apprenticeship with the company. I did enjoy performing for them though. This was followed by a productive rehearsal of some of the minpin sections which were still a bit ragged because of so many cast changes. Then I practised my entrance with the pig about ten times until I was confident that I would not disrupt the production with it!

I thoroughly enjoyed this performance, I just felt so fortunate to be there dancing in the Sadler's Wells Theatre.   

      

Warming up on stage before the show