buckling down, settling in and a search for a cure

Well, I have completed my first week of school, and it was completely overwhelming, terrifying, and fantastic. Week 2 has now begun.

my schedule is a lot crazy to say the least... I basically dance from 9am-8pm every day with maybe an hour for lunch or so. I'm not quite sure how I'm going to handle all of this physicality and I am concerned for the stress on my body. Every night I elevate my legs and feet for 10mins, I use my back roller and tennis balls for minimum 30 mins, I drink 1-2 liters of water a day, taking a daily vitamin, and eating as healthy as possible. So far so good, but this air mattress is taking a toll on my body for sure.

Before I go into that story I'll just give you an overview of my first week and give you a peek into the life of a graduate student dancer here at Sarah Lawrence (SLC).

I have class every day day starting at 9am, Most days I start with contemporary class with Gwen Welliver, who is beyond amazing! The class is so relaxing and invigorating, I learn so much from her and the other students. Gwen was a Doug Verone dancer for 10 years and also was the rehearsal director for Trisha Brown for many years. She is possibly one of the kindest, most supportive people I have ever met. She is very different from any technique I have encountered before, but she allows us to utilize other techniques while giving us new suggestions as well. I love that there is no right or wrong in her class (as long as you're not hurting yourself) just a sense of exploration on how to solve the problem presented to us and self learning from how each of us approach it with our own solution. 

I have 3 graduate seminars, which are the only classes with only grad students in them. Graduate Seminar 1 is our research/writing course where this semester we are discussing world dance. Graduate Seminar 2 is our choreography seminar where we can try out ideas and concepts on each other. Graduate Seminar 3 is a mix of anatomy and dance together.

As a first year student I also have to take Lighting design, Dance History, and Anatomy on top of dance making (choreography showcase), music seminar, composition, improv (I chose contact improv). Then I also decided to take teaching conference (might have been a stupid idea, possibly should have taken next year... oh well)

On top of all of my classes I also have 4 hours of personal studio time to work for myself, 4 hours of rehearsal for my own dance piece, 4 hours for Dawn's piece, and 3 hrs for Heather's piece. As well as a bi weekly meeting with the program director, bi weekly meeting with my music advisor, monthly dance  department meeting, and weekly classroom time for teaching conference (starting in Oct), and reading assignments and homework.

Basically my entire life for the next year is completely booked...

So my classes went well and I love all of my teachers, the grad students are so different and amazing.

Over the weekend I finally broke down and bought a bike so I don't have to rely on getting a ride or walking everyday. Which to me was a great relief. I even realized while riding the bike home that I kind of enjoyed it (yes that's right I will eat my words, bikes are not stupid but they are uncomfortable).


Next post will be on my bike day mattress debacle and a surprise...

one of those restless days

I don't know if it's just me or if everyone has them... those restless days where you can't figure out what to do, where to go, what music to listen to, etc. Today is one of those days...

I was maybe going to go to the city on a tour, but it is supposed to be stormy this afternoon/evening and for some reason I don't want to go on their tour... I want to go on my own kind of tour. That, and it's expensive and I am a crazy penny pincher right now.

I feel like I need an artistic outlet, or organizing frenzy, or cooking day, BAH I can't figure it out...

It's really weird being here some days, I feel so isolated even though I'm gaining friends and a knowledge of the area. I still feel alone and out of place here.

This last week was orientation and classes start Monday which is really scary and exciting. Orientation was awesome and I took full advantage of it. Turns out I am 1 of 4 incoming grad students instead of 6 which is how many there have been the last few years. 3 of us are from the first audition and 1 from the second audition (which was twice as large). All the ladies seem really cool and we've kind of stuck together this first week to figure everything out.

All 4 of us are VERY different, which is important and cool: Heather is from South Carolina, Sabrina from Miami, and Marisa from Brooklyn. I am the only west coaster in the graduate dance program, I believe. So I will definitely be different.

My roommate Emily is also super awesome and is an incoming grad student in Poetry which is perfect.

All in all I am really happy about school so far and my class schedule is finalized and a lot crazy. Well finalized is also relative since we still have to figure out our own studio time, 2 personal rehearsals, and a meeting once a week with the program director on top of that

Basically I am taking a full load of 4 lecture courses, then 9 dance classes on top of that, then studio time, rehearsals and meetings as well.

I guess today I will start on my readings for the grad seminar 1 and maybe work on my memory book or read or work on an art project... who knows. But if you have suggestions please let me know.

update... apparently it was a case of the "mean reds" and Breakfast at Tiffany's was the cure needed

Drowning Rat...

I'm a great drowning rat! School is killing me and I have literally given up everything just to keep up. I'm dying emotionally and physically though. I seem to have given up dance, food and sleep... basically every essential thing in my life. I've never had a nervous break down but I think last night was pretty damn close.

on top of more school work than any human could ever handle, I had a broken toilet, broken printer, and broken spirit. I miss dance and I miss real food not school food I buy because I literally live in the library now (no seriously they put down a cot with my name on it near Julian's coffee shop). The staff at Julians officially has my orders memorized all they as is chai or coffee, dirty or straight and how bad. that brings about only a few options:

how bad = medium or large

chai or coffee (chai latte or cafe au lait)

dirty or straight (added shot or not)

The people at Linnaea's my local cafe have also memorized me and my needs, wednesday after a breakdown I went and they guy gave me a mint brownie that I plan on marrying (no seriously it was the most amazing ever)

next week is hell part 2, pray for me to any and every god you can think of... I am

tonight however I will finish up a little work before Still Time's show at SLO Brew with Dave's band Central Currency opening and tomorrow 6 hours of rehearsal (YAY variable velocity!) then shower at school and head to the library (I know you're shocked!) for a meeting then who knows... probably more studying let's be honest.

also I think I'm growing an ulcer, I don't know if that's how it works but I feel like I'm having a coffee baby that will become an ulcer. good thing I don't smoke or my heart palpitations would possibly grow to make my heart actually explode from stress.

Just remember... SARAH LAWRENCE! SARAH LAWRENCE SARAH LAWRENCE...