I'm back!!

Wow, I know.... I have been Missing In Action (MIA) lately. A LOT of stuff has been going on and I know that I was supposed to post about my Rockette Experience but just have not found the time. I have been overwhelmed with getting re-acclimated with school and such. So, that's my excuse...take it or leave it!!

So.......How was the Rockette Experience you ask??????

It was alright.

I know ...I know... you are probably all saying... WHAT?? JUST ALRIGHT???

And yes... it was just alright.

It's a long story. So if you want to read ahead... go for it. If not, it's okay, you won't hurt my feelings because I know it is LONG.

Here it goes.

For as long as I can remember... I have always always always had a HUGE interest in the Radio City Rockettes. I LOVED watching them and still LOVE to watch them on TV when they perform in the NYC Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. And of course I enjoyed their annual Christmas Show held at Radio City Music Hall. I know everything there is to know about a Rockette and the history of the Rockettes. I am Rockette crazy.

So, I was pretty darn excited to have been given such an awesome opportunity to go and see them and actually feel what it feels like to ACTUALLY BE ONE! So, I took the train into NYC with my Mom and Aunt. We hung around awhile in Times Square and found a place to eat. We looked a few stores and then anxiously waited outside of the Stage Door of Radio City Music Hall.

FINALLY... we were allowed inside the Music Hall. We were given "backstage passes" so that no one could question why we were there. We put our stuff down in the main room where the Rockettes practice. I was basically in heaven sitting in there and glaring at the mirrors, the numbered dance floor, and all the framed pictures of the Rockettes that lined each wall. It was a blessing just to be standing in that room.From there, we went on a Stage Tour of Radio City. Even though I was excited to dance with a Rockette, for some reason, I was even more excited for the Stage Tour. I had always wanted to see behind the scenes of the Music Hall. I had always wanted to stand on the stage and go down beneath the stage to see the Rockette dressing rooms. I COULD NOT WAIT!

Well, we started the tour and we were shown the costume room, which we could stare into but not walk into. We were shown the apartment where the old owner of the Music Hall used to live (he has since died and the music hall is under ownership of a corporation). And we were able to see the music hall from the audience's perspective up in the third mezzanine (the last row).... which I have seen before.
And...well.... there ends the tour. Yep... that was it. We NEVER stood on the stage...and we NEVER went to the dressing rooms and we NEVER saw "behind the scenes" like the website said we would. The tour guides excuse for that was "MTV is getting ready for their MTV music awards and the stage is now a "hard hat" area and is dangerous".

Great. Glad I paid 100 some odd dollars for this.

SO.. I got over it. And our Rockette teacher Melissa came into the practice room to get us stretched out. I loved Melissa. She was very nice and very professional. She was beautiful, tall, and slender. She was everything that I have been working so hard to be like for the past half a year. But yet... I was no where near the shape that she was in. Of course.. I know.... I don't dance for hours and hours everyday, so I obviously wouldn't be in the kind of shape she is in. I just ... wished I was.

Anyway... I know that there was obviously not enough time to learn a WHOLE ENTIRE dance from the Christmas show... but I was hoping to learn maybe half of one.

Well.. noo.. we didn't. We learned maybe 32 counts of a 2 dances. And then we learned how to do the kickline... which I thought was beneficial.

The 32 counts of jazz that we learned and the 32 counts of tap that we learned were difficult at first.. but I didn't feel challenged enough. And then the kickline was hard as well, and I felt more challenged with that because the Rockettes need to kick at eye level. I could maybe do 10 of them and then I really found it hard to keep my momentum.


But all in all.... I didn't feel like I was actually a Rockette.

Gosh...I don't know... maybe I am being too critical of the class. But, I was also the only 21 year old there. Every other girl was about 10 or 12 years old. So, I guess I just didn't realize what I was getting myself into because I felt as though the whole experience was geared towards younger dance students.

So, really... it was not at all what I thought it would be.

We were also supposed to get shirts that said "Rockette Experience" on them. I was excited for that so that I could always remember my experience as a Rockette. BUT ....they didn't have any for us. SO THAT WAS NICE.

I'm sorry... I just HATE IT when there are promises made and they aren't kept.

Although... overall.. I absolutely loved the Rockette that I worked with. She was an amazing dancer and has a very fun and bubbly personality. She was awesome. I just wish that she could coach me everyday.And as for my lack of blogging and commenting on all your blogs... I just moved back in my apartment at school on Sunday and then yesterday (Monday) was my first day of classes.. .and then today was also my first day of other classes. And I am already overloaded with homework... YUCK.

So, please excuse my slow-ness in commenting. I hope to be all settled in and having things under control soon so that I can continue to read your awesome blogs and also post in mine.

And please...don't get me wrong about my Rockette Experience... I am glad that I did it. I just had higher expectations for it. I am so glad I did it though, and I would be kicking myself if I didn't do it. I loved the dancing part of it and I loved the Rockette that I met. She was great, and I would meet with her again in a heartbeat.

Thank you all for your constant support with what seems to be such a far off dream of mine. I know it seems far-fetched that I want to be a Rockette and I thank you all for not laughing at me when I say that someday I would like to be one! I know that my body and mind are very far off from that point. Something that the experience DID teach me was that it takes not only a strong body but a VERY STRONG MIND to be a Rockette. You have to be tough and deal with constructive criticism. You are also away from friends and family members for long lengths of time. That is something that would be hard for me to deal with. I have a lot of growing up to do and I am so glad that all of you are with me on my road to being a healthier, thinner, and stronger person in both body and mind.


Thank you all for your constant support!!

Til next time,

Karla =)