Pansies
My intermediate ballet class with the S.E.A.L. has been canceled. I am extraordinarily upset.
The begining ballet classes with the S.E.A.L. are packed to capacity. If 4 people weren’t on vacation, we wouldn’t be able to fit the whole class in the room. And our instruction already acts as an intermediate class - we’re working on complex adagios and jumping sequences. There are at least 6 people in that class perfectly capable of keeping up with the S.E.A.L.’s intermediate class. They may stink like me, but they could keep up. However, these people refuse to move up to the harder class, resulting in our intermediate class having only two registered students and thus being canceled.
The reason for all this? They’re all pansies.
Seriously. If you’re scared of the S.E.A.L., and I know I am, you need to just plug your nose and jump in and wait for the pain to start. But what is this hanging around in the beginning class?
I know I took the plunge so I can eventually be in the advanced class, taught by whom I will dub The Master.
If you think the S.E.A.L. sounds intimidating, The Master will kill you.
We hear him conducting his class, literally shouting out orders (he sings instructions to the music - it’s terrifying and exhilerating at the same time). Balances are for 32 counts - minimum (S.E.A.L.’s max is 16 counts). Legs are at least 90 degrees, or you might as well keep it on the floor (you can get away with 60 degrees with the S.E.A.L., if she’s not looking). What do you mean you’re not down in your split yet (I’m not)? You’d better be down with your nose to the ground. I’ve seen The Master make the company members (i.e. people who do this for a living) collapse after his jumping sequences. They start off grande jeteing just fine, but after six minutes of continual leaping, they just kind of stop and walk to the side of the room. He kept one member (who had the most gorgeous back I’ve ever seen, by the way) after class for 20 minutes practicing turns in succession. She did not go off pointe for 20 minutes.
This, my friends, is The Master. And he puts the S.E.A.L. to shame.
Sure, this scary. But if your goal isn’t to one day be killed by The Master, what’s the point?
I can’t wait for the summer session to start when I get to take all intermediate classes.
Pansies.
