CriticalDance Forum

Dance let class can be such a serious place. Lots of people working hard, tension, egos clashing, careers on the line, teachers gnashing teeth, sweat on the floor.<P>But I have had some of my biggest laughs in dance class.<P>What is the funniest thing that you ever saw in dance class? or BETTER yet - happened to you???????????<P>Tell all - we won't tell a soul - not a whisper - <P><p>[This message has been edited by Basheva (edited November 02, 2000).]

Well, I guess it is my turn. I was in a professional class surrounded by dancers I had read about in Dance Magazine. It was my first time in the class and I was really wondering if I belonged there - and I am sure THEY were wondering about that too.<P>We got to the center - and right after a short tendu combination the teacher decided to go right on to a diagonale combination. It was very simple - just chase' coupe' -down the entire diagonale. I had done that hundreds of times - so I thought I was home free. Wow "THIS" even I can do!! This would be the first look these dancers would really have of me - so this is GREAT!! Chase' coupe' - SIMPLE!! No Sweat!!<P>Well, wouldn't you know it I got half way down the diagonale and the teacher stops the music and stops me and tells me to start again with no music. <P> As I am doing this again she is yelling "I want you to REALLY CUT OUT THAT FOOT (the coupe') I WANT THAT FOOT CUT OUT FROM UNDER YOU" So I really did it - one foot just cut out the other and I landed THUNK right on my postulus butticum derriere. <P>It was silent for several very long seconds, she is glaring at me, no one says a word. So I sat there - and said to her "Did I do it right?" At that even she started to laugh and pretty soon we were all laughing, at which point I decided to get up.

My funniest moment...when I was a rebellious first year student at Juilliard in ballet class. I was chewing gum in class!! (I was "bored" and thought I was too cool to be in level 1 ballet besides) Anyway, when we would face the barre to do exercises, I would chew my gum. And when turned around listening to teacher, I would stop chewing. AT one point, I got confused and was staring right at the teacher chewing gum!! The teacher, Alfredo Corvino, a lovely Santa Claus of a man, turned beet red and said to me "are you chewing gum."? I smiled sweetly and said "yes" and swallowed the gum right then and there! Sadly, this scene was copied almost verbatim in the film "Centerstage"..the writers of the script must have obviously heard my story ...and plaigarized it, of course!!Heeheehee!

Trina that's so cute! <P>- one girl in ballet class got caught one day chewing gum - and the teacher recited this littled rhyme to us -<P>A gum chewing girl and a cud chewing cow<BR>Look alike somehow<BR>Oh, yes, I see it now!!<BR>A look of intelligence on the face of the cow<P>that ended chewing gum for awhile.......