| September 23rd, 2004 - Email from Tanner Schwartz |
|
| 9/01/04 - Danish Summer Experience |
| Coming overseas to study with one of the world's premier ballet companies was an experience that would change the outlook and career
of any young dancer. I was fortunate enough to live that fantasy when I spent six weeks on the DANCE Scholarship Program working and training
with the Royal Danish Ballet in Copenhagen. |
| Looking back over the past month and a half, it has a been a great, eye-opening experience in both life and dance. |
| As only a three year veteran of the School of American of Ballet, learning that I, along with a fellow a SAB student, had received
the DANCE Scholarship came as a totally welcomed surprise. Being that it would be my first prolonged stay in Europe, not to mention my first
experience living on my own, I saw the opportunity to experience the day to day life of an professional dancer while simultaneously
improving my technique. So I off I headed to the land of Bournonville and blonde Vikings. |
| Situated in a gorgeous apartment in the center of Copenhagen, courtesy of The Danish-American Society, I fell right into a pattern
of days spent training with the company and nights spent exploring the city. Thanks to the gracious staff of the Royal Danish Ballet, as well
as members of the company, I felt instantly comfortable and welcomed into the hyggelig (cozy) Danish lifestyle. |
| Class each morning started at 10 AM, running for around an hour and a half. For the first two weeks, I only participated in morning
training, but I managed to fill my schedule with hours spent watching rehearsals, training, and hanging out with members of the company. I also
had the experience of watching the production of Danish master-choreographer, August Bournonville's Abdallah and former Royal Danish
Ballet principle, Alexei Ratmansky's working of the Leo Tolstoy classic, Anna Karenina. It was a wonderful experience to watch the dancers
that I had grown so close to performing for audiences of thousands. |
| Asides from attending numerous performances by the company I also had time to make new friends and explore the city. From lunch with
principle, Thomas Lund to early morning visits to the Little Mermaid, I wasn't bored for a single second as I unearthed the various facets of
a singular, diverse European city. |
| Looking back over the past six weeks, I am thankful for the slew of helpful people that made my Danish summer the full, wonderful
experience that it was. |
