Friday, May 7, 2010

The Foot Returns

May 7, 2010

I’ve kept you waiting and that wasn’t nice.

But my first two-footed no-boot dance callback went splendidly! I was able to do a lovely pirouette on my right side, I rocked out the “Seventy Six Trombones” combo, I baton twirled my pièce de shoe rack as I slid down into a split, and I was asked to return for final callbacks in October! Hoorah, hoorah, what a lovely way to return to the world of the dance.

Not only are my feet feeling quite extraordinary, they are also looking rather elegant. I’ve done them up in an iridescent golden pink for their return to the public eye and also for my one true love’s upcoming return to New York.

Inspired by my “Music Man” experience, I am now quite looking forward to my auditions this week. I am a bit nervous for the tap one, so my physical therapist suggested I walk around my apartment in my tap shoes so my foot adjusts to the three inch heel. Bet my roommate and neighbors will love that one!

I think I’m going to tackle spin class tomorrow; I’m torn between that and biking up to 100th and Amsterdam to get something from the Michael’s craft store. I guess it’s silly to bike in place for an hour and then take the subway uptown five miles. I’m leaning towards just making the trek. Hopefully my bike can take it. I mean, I know that my legs can. By the way, my left leg extensions are killer. All that barre in my kitchen to keep my leg in shape totally paid off.

Nevertheless, my entire body is sore beyond belief from dancing for four hours yesterday. I made it through three separate dance combinations and cuts. And in between each one, I did about a million kicks and splits and kicks a la baton and splits whilst baton-ing. The dance is not as easy as we make it look.

So, tonight I’m taking it easy, gearing up for my bike marathon tomorrow and catching up on some guitar tunes. Jacques is wiped out from our speed racer walk to and from Union Square. Our new roommate is out on the town, putting us old biddies to shame.

Happy Friday!

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Twirling Ninja

Happy Cinco de Mayo, readers!

The ninja is back in business; kicking butt in spin class, cruising the bike lanes of Manhattan and rocking the musical theatre audition scene.

Today I had my first two-footed no-boot audition for the national tour of "The Music Man," and I got a callback for tomorrow. To...dance!!! Scary, I know. Well, I've been doing physical therapy now for almost two weeks, and it's going great. So, I'm going to do a little bit of the dance tomorrow, whatever I feel comfortable with, and perhaps I'll get to show off my mad baton skills which seemed to be of interest to the team. I've been practicing all afternoon with a piece of metal tubing I took off my shoe rack as I traverse the crowded streets of New York. Carefully.

I biked probably a cumulative 100 miles last week in my fervor at being able to move quickly again, but sadly the not-so-gradual leap in exertion gave poor old ninja bronchitis. Oh, 25. Clearly the year I join the elderly.

Also, folks. I'm headed back to the children's theatre scene with an appointment next week for Barney Live! (I kind of thought Curious George was cooler, as did my ten-year-old babysitting charge, but what do we know???) But Paul Frank doesn't make any cute big purple dinosaur sweatshirts with attachable headphones that look like monkey ears...yet. If they cast me, I may design my own line of hip "prehistoric and purple" wear.

The pup and I have done a fair bit of shopping as we return to our routine of long, fast-paced, New York style walks. He hasn't found anything that fits, but I got an awesome belt, a great pair of denim shorts, hiking pants (not really - they're super punk!). Oh and furniture! We've been furnishing the apartment since my old roommate moved out and the new one moved in. She totally likes Jacques better than me (so did the old roommate). They went on an exclusive excursion last night while I pointed and flexed and curled and stretched and then iced and watched "How I Met Your Mother" on DVD.

I head back to the gym tomorrow, and I now have permission to slowly start to run on the treadmill. Hoorah!! Hoorah!!

By the way, my physical therapy joint is full of Broadway dancers. They all talk about doing their shows and I'm dying to know which ones exactly, but it's not really cool to ask, plus it would destroy the illusion that I, too, am a Broadway dancer, and it's not that big a deal (But it so is).

I finished Drood, my research book for my upcoming show, and I now feel very well-prepared to read the script.

Countdown:
1 week til LOML (love of my life) returns
3.5 weeks til LOML and I go to Japan!
7.5 weeks til LOML and I start rehearsals for Spelling Bee and Drood!!!

All good things.

Well, enjoy your margaritas folks, Jacques and I will be taking it easy this Cinqo D.

Bronchitis + Broken Foot in not so distant past = potential for disaster.

Stay tuned for baton and dance updates!!!