On Tuesday, my daughter Mary, middle granddaughter Emily (22) and I got to ballet class!
That may not sound like much - but we've often intended to go (about 20 minutes away), while Emily's attending university here in town....
Gregory, Emily, my son Josh and me after Nutcracker - 2018
My daughter and I've taken Ballet over 45 years, and Emily since she was around 5. She and her dad were in Nutcracker again this year, and we vowed we'd get to class in January!
Our teacher Emma Seth was classically trained by her mother Lynn Marchant, in the Vaganava Russian style. Lynn trained with Bronislava Nijinska in Los Angeles. Emma's studio, with its 'floating' floor, grand mirrors and barrés, is in a former wine tasting room in downtown Amity.
In the 70s, our little family lived in Corvallis, and came to watch the kids' cousin Tammy dancing in Nutcracker in McMinnville ...
And that's all she wrote!
I was 28, and I'd always wanted to take ballet!
I had begged for my doll Francis, with knees and ankles that bent, a tutu and point shoes! ....
I had ballet paper dolls ...
I later drew ballet paper dolls, from my sketches of the students ...
A few days after Nutcracker we were in town again, and my sister-in law needed a ride to the adult class ....
So i took her. I was wearing street clothes, and didn't have slippers. Lynn smiled, and said, 'that's ok, just start at the barré ....'
... and I did!
For the next three years, before we moved North, I drove the hour from Corvallis a couple of times each week, while the kids were in school. My hubby, Mary and Josh began taking class the next summer. We took class the weekends we came to McMinnville, pretty frequently, as he did research with his biologist mom. (And she had studied modern dance in the 30s, as a collage student!)
That next winter, we helped backstage for Nutcracker, and ran the apparatus for the 'snow' - plus sweeping it up, refilling the long bag after each performance!
By 1980, we were dancing in Nutcracker, and each year, assigned more roles! I was Mother Ginger, and Clara's mother in the party scene. Mary and I, snowflakes and flowers.
Michael and Josh were in the party scene.
More recently, Josh took up the role of Mother Ginger and the Nutcracker for several years. He's still an Uncle, in the party scene, and helps backstage.
Mary stopped talking class in High School - then took a Dance Minor at Western Oregon U in the 90s.
She loved the great teachers, program, and dance styles, and they were impressed with her training and natural flair.
Western is also my Alma mater (I had a music Minor), and we return each Mother's Day weekend, to watch the Spring Dance Concert.
We were all sand when Lynn passed, 14 years ago. Emma asked me to play harp for her mom's memorial service - a special dance performance during Nutcracker season. Students from Lynn's 30 plus years teaching in McMinnville were invited to participate in corps numbers, and it was a wonderful send off!
Do you have a favorite Throwback memory, or a practice you want to revisit?
Aww, you ladies actually danced together. Three generations at the barre feels incredibly rare and beautiful. What a gift to share not only memories of ballet, but the movement itself, across time. Thank you for telling this story.
ReplyDeleteIt was so much fun, Tamata!
DeleteAnd my 25 year old granddaughter Alyssa hopes to come with us soon!! We have class on the calendar their June - and plan to keep going! You're welcome for the bit of history
Nadya
What wonderful memories, Nadya. I've never tried ballet but I took ballroom dancing lessons at Arthur Murray's when I was younger, Was working on the Bronze program. Couldn't really dance unless I was with the instructor.
ReplyDeleteI love ballroom, Lily!
ReplyDeleteIn the early 2000s, we had a teacher who had both Arthur Murry and Fred Astair training! When his usual assistant couldn't make it, he'd partner with me for the demo, telling me, "I know you've had ballet - when I tell you to go strait back, I DON'T want a rondé!"
Unfortunately, while we had great classes, there were just occasional dances in town.
Then, one of my favorite dance partners invited me to take Round Dance classes with him!
That's ballroom which is 'Cued,' and pairs with Square Dance! I went on to learn Square Dance, as the local club holds monthly dances - which alternate between 2 Square Dance 'tips,' and two round dances! The basic dances are 2 step, waltz and cha cha. (And upper levels include Merenge, Salsa, Tango, etc)
The beauty is, the 'cuer' choreographs the dances, and cues each movement!
While my friend didn't want to learn square dance, so stopped after the lessons, our Square Dance caller was an excellent dancer, as are many of the guys in our club. It's a kind community, and very welcoming of single folks. So it's been a good option for me.