NGB Guest blog: hardest thing I've ever done...but worth it!

Guest blog by Lauren Blakeney, New Artist with Next Generation Ballet at the Patel Conservatory.

These past few weeks since Labor Day weekend have been quite busy, so this is the first chance I’ve had to write a blog entry!

Everything at Patel [Conservatory] is going great; I seem to be learning something new every day. We’ve already started and finished Waltz of the Flowers, in which I’m so honored to be Dew Drop. This is my first Nutcracker ever so I cannot wait to do my first full length ballet.

We’ve also been hard at work on Snow, in which I’m a Snow Maiden, and I have to admit, it’s one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. We haven’t even finished it yet and I’m already rushing to catch my breath as soon as the music stops.

We’ve also started our intensives where we are working on variations from YAGP [Youth America Grand Prix], and I have to say I love my variation. It’s from Paquita, and it’s only the third variation I’ve ever learned in my life, so I’m excited to be learning more. It’s a very hard variation, but I know with Ivonne’s [Lemus] help and coaching that I will be just fine.

So besides the daily two ballet classes we take, there have been a lot of rehearsals each day. I come home exhausted every day, but it’s all worth it!

Being with new friends all day is something that definitely helps as well, even though we’re tired, we all seem to push each other which is great. I’m so happy to be a part of Next Generation Ballet, and can’t wait to see what else is in store.