Day 5

Today was a fun day. We started our day the same, breakfast around nine, and dance at 11:00. Heather and Ashleigh had to go buy jeans to cut up for a costume for one of the pieces, so they went to the market in town (outside market, open daily with food and clothing, where people get their fresh food daily) to get jeans. We all met up at the studio and took class from Caterina, the studio owner of the dance studio we have been rehearsing in. She is a great teacher, who gives you really great corrections. It was nice to take class from a woman, because she gives us more feminine movements than when taking from a man. We also took the class with some of her students, who I had met last year. Some of them were Laura, Nicole, Federica, Francesca, and I think two others. We waited to watch them rehearse one or two pieces, then we started. We ran Michelle's piece and it looked good, much better than when they first started running it here. Next was Britney, and it went well. I fell on my knee a little too hard this time after our fuete turns, but I will be fine. I will just be coming back to America with a few more bruises then when I left. After Britney we ran Spantango. By this point I was ready to do it. I was motivated, and still running on adrenaline from Britney. We had girls watching from Caterina's studio, so we wanted to really do well. Then we ran the pointe pieces. We started with Click. I did pretty well on my new part I had to learn, its a trio with Kaitlyn and Andy. I am filling in for Natalie since she is not here. Other than that though, it was better from yesterday, at least for me.

Next, and last of my routines was Clauser. It went well again, Clifton was calling things out that I was doing wrong though, and because of a previous statement he had made about a certain movement (a small thing, he said out legs were bent when we do retires --It's okay if your'e reading this and don't know what that is) I knew the leg wasn't bent, but he thought it was. He was in actuality thinking of another movement we do, in coupe where our other leg is bent. ANYWAYS! (you can go to ABT.com in their dictionary if you really want to know what that is lol) so we ran it, and We were going over a correction he had told me in Clauser. He said to take my hips where I was going in my attitude turn. I didn't notice that I wasn't doing that. I did it a few times, fixing or changing something everytime. And then, I did it with my upper body spiraled like he said. It was a very beautiful, held, stay up on pointe kinda pirouette. Literally everyone in the room was like, "Oooooooh". It made me happy :) I did something that was really nice. Now I just have to keep it! Kaitlyn and Mara ran Classic, a pointe duet, and Tiffany and I, being understudies, marked it on the side. After that we were done! We found out that the theatre we are performing in tomorrow booked two shows, so, I'm not sure what exactly that means, but it was somewhat stressful even though they were booked at two different times, so bottom line is we still perform at 8:30 I think?? Clifton says don't ask questions, so we don't. We went to this pizzeria for lunch that we have eaten at twice before, once for lunch, another for dinner. I have written about it before, about two days ago for dinner. The department was paying for our meal! :) There are options for what you can have for each course. There are two main courses and two courses after that, if I remember correctly. I had the canneloni, which was very good. (stuffed, tube-like shells with spinach and ricotta cheese). We had the option of french fries or a mixed salad with olive oil and vinegar and I chose french fries because their french fries are amazing. Honestly. People in Italy have french fries too. I was supposed to get this pizza-like thing, with garlic and tomatos and I think meat on it? I never got it, I think they forgot about me. But I was curious to try that the most. Then, I had veal with marinara sauce, which was better without the sauce honestly, but by the time I got the veal I was getting full.

All of that food, plus to die for bread before hand and a coke for the first time this trip, and I was full. What a great way to work off your food than shop! we went shopping again today. There was a whole new street of stores we hadn't gone in the other day that Ashleigh and Heather had found, so we checked them out. We also visited a few of our favorites we had been in already, and ones we didn't make it in time to yesterday. I did really well again, and didn't buy much. We went to this outdoor market near the restaurant, and I got a very pretty, and unique necklace. Its like a glass shape with different colors and designs inside of it. I wore it tonight to get my panini, bellini, and cannoli. I also got a very cute white jacket and a beautiful scarf with teals and pinks and whites in it at the same store I bought a shirt at last year. Good store huh. I love what I bought, and they were all at moderate prices. After the shopping was done, we went back to the hotel. I was wiped out. But, I showered, and got dressed to go get drinks with a few of the dancers. It ended up being Kaitlyn, Kylene, Jessica, Mara, Heather, Ashleigh, and Andy. It was fun, and relaxing. I got un tommo y pomodoro y mayionese, tuna and tomato with mayonaise. Its one of my favorites there, and I needed some protein. I am always hungry because we are always dancing! Then, we walked outside to the outdoor bar right next to the gelateria we got our sandwiches, and ordered our drinks. We all only had one, we weren't trying to get crazy, just having a taste of the culture there. Most people got an Italian beer, Petroni. It tasted good, smooth and Mara told me it was a lighter ale. A few of us, including myself got the ever so delicious peach bellini. Peach schnopps, peach puree, and champagne. It was good, just like last year. After that, we walked back, a few of us got gelato, and I tried my first real, authentic, cannoli from Italy! I never had time last year to try one, and I finally got to! I was so excited to get to blog about it and tell my mom, because it is her favorite dessert :). I took pictures mom, don't worry, and it was SO good. Definitely worth another trip to Italy for. I found out that Cannoli is a sicilian dessert, so it is really only found in Sicily, unless there is a sicilian gelateria nearby. I was in luck. It was delicious. After I brought it back to the room and ate it all, a few of us hung out in my room again. Once things had quieted down to just myself, Ashleigh, Tiffany, Heather, and Andy, we head cars, fireworks, and cheering. We looked outside, and saw tons of cars lined up miles down the road in traffic. Italy had just won the European soccer championship against Madrid or Barcelona! It was so cool to see them all celebrating. A few people looked at us on our balcony from their cars, and cheered to us, we cheered back, and they cheered even louder. There was so much pride in their country in the people on the road. I took a video of the cars, and took in this crazy sight. It was really fun to see, and be here for a time like this. Last year we were in Rome the day before the world cup semifinals were to be played there. That was intense too. After we settled down a bit, Andy helped my Soaz muscle, the one on the lateral side of your thigh, and rubbed some knots out of it. It was really hurting, to the point where it hurt to walk too. Since you can't stretch that tendon/muscle, you have to rub on it. Well it helped, and then before we went to bed he helped me again, and I am now currently enjoying completely open sinuses thanks to the muscle rub I put on both my thighs. It has helped my leg too. Well, tomorrow is our performance. I am going to bed, earlier than I have this whole week. I am proud. I am looking forward to being in Tolfa tomorrow for the show. Goodnight all! I hear Louisville is having good weather! Ciao!