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Mary Pat checks in from SoCal

Jan
29

January 29, 2012: Irvine

Another beautiful day in Paradise, as they like to say here. Sunny and warm here in Irvine, and a warm welcome from Cathy and Charles, at Maple Conservatory. There are so many terrific dancers here this afternoon, from lots of different studios in the area. I really enjoyed seeing Lauren Crocker and her mother, Grace, who was a Resident Assistant for us last year when Lauren came to SI. My friend Yoshi played great music for us all, and we enjoyed this big airy studio. Back home tomorrow!

Mary Pat in the city by the Bay

Jan
28

January 28, 2012: Berkeley

It’s always fun to be back in Berkeley. The cool topography of this site clearly reminded the architects who developed the north Berkeley hills of the great hill towns of southern France and the Italian coast—places like Roquebrune and Amalfi. The hills are sprinkled with staircases and walking paths, so that one can go exploring right between all the cool houses. Up, up, up all the way to Tilden Park—my legs are going to pay for this!!

Mary Pat "cultivating" in the Pacific Northwest

Jan
25

January 25, 2012: Seattle, Washington

I’ve been thinking a lot today about gardens, and wilderness, and cultivation. I like nature, but I love a garden. It’s not a coincidence, I think, that so many ballet teachers are avid gardeners. We like to nurture, and mould, and develop things to their full potential.

Mary Pat connects with Auditionees and Alums in NY and Princeton

Jan
23

January 21, 2012: New York, New York

So, it’s finally decided to snow in the New York metropolitan area! Just in time for our New York
audition—I hope that no one is prevented from coming because of the snow. After a busy morning of
having to notify people about our morning classes being cancelled, we made it out to the train and into
the city.

I See America Dancing, 2012 edition - Mary Pat's Audition Tour

Jan
17

 

"I hear America singing," said our great poet Walt Whitman.  I’m lucky—I get to see America dancing.  And what fun that is!  Here are my adventures in 2012.

Sunday, January 15, 2012—Washington, DC

Q&A with Lindsay Jorgensen, one of this year's "Claras"

Nov
23

Many girls dream of playing Clara, the young girl in The Nutcracker who receives a mysterious gift from a favorite uncle and travels on a magical journey to the Kingdom of the Sweets.  This year, two Princeton Ballet School students, Lyndsay Jorgensen and Emilia Kraft, will be portraying "Clara" in ARB's Nutcracker.  To find out more about what it's like to dance the lead student role in this year's production, I asked Lyndsay some questions:

The Tradition of Nutcracker

Nov
07

It’s that time of year again, when, in studios all over the world, toy soldiers are marching, mice are battling, flowers are waltzing, and sugar plums are dancing.  The craziness of Nutcracker has hit!  Schedules are hectic, rehearsals are long, and casts are huge.

Life at Princeton Ballet School, by DANCE POWER Scholar Aleshia Rider

Nov
03

I have greatly enjoyed my times at Princeton Ballet School thus far. Princeton Ballet School has a vibrant, welcoming atmosphere, spacious dance studios, and sociable, friendly people. I couldn’t imagine dancing elsewhere and having an experience quite as exceptional. I have gotten so used to the environment, that I honestly couldn't imagine dancing elsewhere.

Mary Pat: the life of the mind translated into movement

Oct
26

We humans learn by experience, they say, but it turns out, not surprisingly, that not all experiences are
equal, in terms of learning. The method by which we learn something has great bearing on how well-
integrated the new idea becomes into our brain and body. There was a fascinating article in the NY
Times over the weekend, about how a large number of the leaders in the computer industry are sending
their own children to Waldorf Schools, where they don’t connect with technology until well into high

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