Post Number 15 - Berlin/Copenhagen

The 4 days I spent in Berlin now seem like such a blur, even though it is only Sunday now. I met a very excited Noodle at Alexanderplatz about a week ago, and the two of us did class with this awesome teacher at a studio called Dock 11. My most treasured memory about his classes is probably doing tendus to a slowed-down version of Britney's Toxic. We also made the effort and paid to go into the German History Museum, the Jewish Museum and the Pergamon Museum. I know we barely even scratched the surface of the surface of Berlin's amazing museums, but we really did as much as we could! We only had 3 full days!

It wasn't long before we found ourselves on a plane to wonderful, wonderful Copenhagen! And wonderful is right. On some occasions, while walking around the city, I feel like I am in a fairlyland with the Tivoli Gardens and the Palais Cinema. I feel a certain fondness for this city, even though I have only spent the weekend here (which includes one day at an audition).

The Danish Dance Theatre audition. I was indifferent (a feeling I have developed over 7 other auditions), but Nat was energetic and enthusiastic which was something I was happy to feed off. We got in early, so we had a good amount of time to warm up and choose a good spot at the barre. (I made the wrong choice, naturally. I will describe this in detail in the next paragraph). 

They told us at the start that they were not going to cut anybody after the ballet class (or warm-up barre, as it was) and that everyone would learn two pieces of repertoire. The barre that I chose was probably the weirdest one I have ever seen, and it started sinking halfway through the barre. In the end I had to do a centre barre! Also a silly girl in a pink top came in late and just stood behind me so that I could kick her in the nether-regions during the grand battement exercise. Haha, okay I didn't really kick her, but my number fell off and got stuck to her foot!

We learnt the first piece, which was rather wafty and lyrical. Something that I'm probably better at, but I didn't enjoy it as much as the one we were to learn next. In between, we had to do some improvisation for them to watch. Then we learnt the second phrase, which was a rough, more hard-core, Serena Chalker-style phrase. It was awesome! I didn't really care about getting a callback at this point. I was really enjoying myself!

We had an hour's break while the second group had to learn and show the second phrase. I allowed my body to cool down, thinking that this was the end, which is what all good things come to. When we went back into the studio it was cull-time. Surprisingly, my number was called first, followed by Nat's number. I was shocked, but nonetheless happy. It was good to finally be noticed.

The boys had to do some solo improvisation, and the girls had to do it in two large groups. Both Nat and I got cut after that, but we left feeling happy and our bodies felt worked for a change. Once again, the people who stayed were not the ones we expected. I think that Nat now understands that you don't have to be a great dancer to get a job. Some of them were just a tiny bit dodgy, for the want of better word. My theory is that they only kept the local people because they don't have money to hire international stars :P

Tonight we begin our long and tiring journey to Avignon via London and Marseille. South of France, get ready for it!