Saturday, December 29, 2007

about time.... for an update

i am still alive... kickin... and alive.... heehee....
there are so many things to update.. but life back in singapore has been anything more than HECTIC!!!!! all i wish for... is MORE TIME in a day!!! (oh well.. dun we all wish for that? well.. unless u are a convict, or a prisoner serving term.. i guess)
ok... let's start with something more recent... and significant and then we'll 'hopefully' move on to something that are less recent.. but still significant...
my performance.... well.. i personally consider that my swansong, as a matter of fact... but i guess.. some of my peers thinks its too early for me... well... i dunno, to be honest... we'll see...
i did a performance for one of my ballet teacher, Ms McCully. The performance was called 'Circle of Life', and it was for charity (National Cancer Research Funds). it was all for good cause.
i was given the Balanchine's Sylvia Pas De Deux to perform with Chris (my ballet friend). Chris did it 2 years back with another girl, but with a different choreography... and i am still at 'virgin' stage... so... it was about 2.5 months of rehearsals... the choreography wasnt too difficult, some partnering parts were challenging, especially for 2 untrained amatuers... but i absolutely enjoyed the rehearsals process... lots of discovering and experimenting.... anyway.. let's fast forward to the real deal!
well.. let's start with the full dress rehearsal...These are the rehearsals pictures...
Vanessa and I...
Chris trying to stretch me out!
Samantha and I in our dressing room having a kodak moment...

throughout all my rehearsals, i was wearing the peachie costume for rehearsals... been practicing in it for 2 weeks or so... but there were some areas in the pas de deux tat was quite tricky to tackle, partly due to our lack of experience in pas de deux...
anyway... jus 1 week before opening night (19th dec) my teacher said to me that 2 examiners and the director of washington ballet will be there on opening night, and so will be the principal of the school i will be working for.. i was like "GREAT!!!!! LET"S BUILD ON THE PRESSURE YA!"
then.... just barely 4 hours before the show begin on the OPENING night, my teacher said to me, hey celine, try on the black costume (my previous costume which i performed Odile). i was like.. erm.. tat was 6 years ago, and i was tiny then... oh well... i pop it on.. and it was quite fine...
so my partner and i just did a run through of the piece before the show, we just practiced the pirouettes ensuring tat the handling is ok... we were saving of full runthrough, because i had 2 bad bruises on my toes from the pointe work...
and so... OPENING NIGHT!!!!!! i was extremely nervous.. i was shaking before getting on stage... cos i knew who was in the audience and the pressure was really killing me.... i told my partner.... u have to calm me down, if i get too anxious during the pas de deux... i was so nervous, u have no idea... it was almost as bad as knowing royal ballet dancers in the audience, etc...
anyway... off we went on stage for our gig....
there were a few lifts in the pas de deux... the first lift was fine.. and then when it got to the 3rd one... *SPLIT* my costumes started to give way.... one of the attachment fell out... i was smiling to the audience and under my breath i went "SHIT!" then the costume started to split more (it was fabric-tearing sound) i was like... 'Stay calm celine... just be cool'. my partner was like: "OOPS!" and we managed to hold it through till the very very end....
and to me... at that point... apart from the costume malfunction, it was the best performance i had!!!!!!!! i was quite pleased with myself... i feel.. on my part, i tackled the tricky parts alright, and i think i did fine, a pat on the back... however... apart from the costume, and a part where my partner suddenly had a mental blank, but got back into the game quick enough (thankfully!!!!)
my girlie mates who came to support me!!! Thank you sistas!!!!!
my old friends here to cheer me on... MERCI BEAUCOUP!
then the following night, which was the last night... well... let's say i didnt do it as good as the first night. i was annoyed with myself... but some of the people who were watching feedbacked to me that 2nd night was better, but i felt 'NO WAY!'
oh well... i believed if i hadn't had the bruises on my toes, i would have executed better work...
right.. so there u go... this is one of the most detailed report...
chris and i posing around... just before SHOWTIME!!!!


"posers"


not to forget... the flowers i received.. heehee...rather rare for me ya, to have flowers.... love the bouquets... they are absolutely lovely... and they smelled divine!!!!
here i am... sorting out my flowers...hahahaha...

Saturday, September 29, 2007

SIN/JAP/KOR

My usual Sunday classes at the Royal Opera House, with teacher, Raymond Chai.
My lovely ballet friends, Hyo and Tsumugi. And in the wonderful Ashton Studio.
Friends and activities that i will greatly miss.... our usual hearty meal after a good workout.. hahahahaha... yes.. dancers do pig out on Häagen-Dazs
Raymond, Cassa, Myself and Tsumugi....
Hyo, myself and Tsumugi in Ashton...
Hyo and I during lunch... heehee.. the sun was beautifully bright tat day... lovely day on the alfresco dinning in the royal opera house... heeehee...

View from the top.... overlooking the Covent Garden Piazza, Apple Market...

it's tough to say NO to Häagen-Dazs


last days in london...

i don't even know where to begin how i feel.... it was a combination of happiness and bitterness stirred up together. there were lots and lots of happy times meeting up with friends, and hanging out with Saffy and Nat, however, time passes ever so fast when one is happy.... and parting is never easy...
Farewell dinner with my ballet.co.uk friends.... as they continued burning the UK ballet flame for me.... i will just continue to read and weep about all the exciting shows in the vibrant dance scene of Europe... Dinner at SOFRA:
Here's dave,With Mandy, my Ed-buddyAnd Sim,And GrahamDavidMichelle, my other Ed-buddyRob,Gillian
All these beautiful people I miss you guys very much!!!!
And these lovely pinkies... i will miss them too!!!! they are just 5... some of them are probably still 4 years old!!!

Monday, September 17, 2007

books.. books... books...

i have a HUGE weakness when it comes to bookstore... i could stay for hours and hours and hours... deciding which book is worth reading, and which should not be bothered... and sometimes i will just take a mental note which books are on my WISH LIST.. and which can i physically get... and they usually come up to a long long list...
the other day just waiting for my train, i headed into a mini bookstore, and bought 2 books...and once, i just pop my head into a 2nd Hand bookstore, and bag myself 3 hardcover dance books, and in another 2nd hand bookstore i laid my hands on this discontinued publication of one of my favourite choreographer, Kenneth MacMillan. I was absoutely thrilled!!!! then... just last friday, i went into WHSmith, and there was a promotion - 3 for 2. And how could i resist? i had a few books on my list, and I had to make such a tough decision...
finally i am proud to claim ownership of the last Harry Potter book, yes yes, i know i am LATE.. but i do not care.
there have been so many reviews of the film, and i couldn't find time to catch the film, i shall make do with the book. furthermore, i am intrigued with Ian McEwan.
Linking to the previous title, I guess i have to say, sometimes i picked books according to the state of my mood... and during these period, i was in a 'hopeless romantic'; need a 'sobbing' read... and picked this gem up...

Thursday, September 13, 2007

British Telly

check this out:
4.00am GCSE Bitesize Revision: English 1 — Shakespeare Film:
4.00am GCSE Bitesize Revision: English 1 — Shakespeare (TVM , 4.00am GCSE Bitesize Revision: English 1 — Shakespeare)
4.00am GCSE Bitesize Revision: English 1 — Shakespeare.

GCSE? for students? at 4am???? doesn't the kids sleep in UK anymore? or does one thinks that they are in the mood for Shakespeare at 4am in the morning???

That aside... yesterday when i boarded a bus, I asked the driver if the bus goes to Bank Station (which it does, in about 4-5 stops), and the bus driver replied, "I hope the bus lasts long enough to get us there!"

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

finito-Black Label

sob sob.... its time to say tata... ciao.. adios... au revoir... to my multinationl black label family!!!! hmmmf hmmf.... There were moments of angst and frustrations, but the countless moments of laughters will be the most vivid... here are some of the most hilarious and fun people around, that kept me laughing and wrinkle-free for the last 4 years!!! (might add on when i dig out more pictures)
here are the pictures taken on my last day.... it was also Valentina's birthday, hence the chocolate cake from Valerie's Patisserie *yums*
before the start of the day:
Greetje and I. Greetje is the coolest grandma on earth! You can talk to her bout anything, fashion, drugs, sex, food, books, tv programs, any single thing!!!
Michele, a very very lovely italian, only know him for a few months, but he has been the loveliest straight guy in the store...
prettie Anna & i....We were rarely put together on the same shop floor. If we do end up working together... we cannot stop laughing... and fooling around! I will miss her!
At the end of the day, as I was last getting out of the shop, the rest of the gang were standing outside Giorgio Armani, cheering on, clapping and whistling with digital cameras and camera phones in their hands on standby. I looked at Tadius, the secrurity guard, and we both just thought, nothing alarming, its just a typical behavior of people from Giorgio. The gang was cheering so loudly, that I can hardly hear myself when Tadius was checking my bags, etc....It reached a point of utter embarassment when cars were stopping to see the commotion the gang was making, and people from the buses were all checking out wat was the big deal! As u can see from the window reflection...
When I was finally out of the shop, they cheered even louder, thinking that i was some sort of big shot celebrity!!!! hahahaha... a few people walked past and stopped and asked who was I, and Anna said at the top of her voice, "She is the most famous ballerina from Singapore!" OH MY GOSH!!! i didn't know where to hide!!! One japanese tourist, walked past and stopped to take a picture of me, smiled gleefully and continued on.... I was speechless... hahahhaha
That was one of the memorable exit i ever had from London... hahahaha
Here i am with Tadius, the Biggest person in the shop, and me, the tiniest person in the shop!
Onwards, we headed to Wagamama for my farewell do... here's ME
Almost everyone...
Guiseppe. The married man! He is one guy that I have met who is so happy after he tied the knot, he felt like a NEW man! Good for him, am really really happy for him.
Paola... This is my favourite picture. heehee.. she has big eyes and i have typical small eyes.. and here, we reversed roles.. hahahahaha...
Ana Luiza and Karin.... standing in the front wouldnt have been fun without these cashiers...heehee
Anna and i
Magda, Greetje & i