Here's what's new here in Paris...

This week has certainly been off to a busy start! I can’t believe it is already Wednesday evening! I have taken five fantastic technique classes at the Studio Harmonic – two contemporary classes with Nathalie Pubellier and three ballet classes with Wayne Byars. I’m pretty sure Wayne is my favorite teacher I have had here in Paris, so it was nice to get to take his class for three consecutive days. As much as I love having variety in my training and trying different things, I enjoyed having the consistency of these classes because it allowed me to apply corrections from previous classes and develop a stronger understanding of his ideas. It is truly amazing to watch him demonstrate…he claims that he’s old and can’t move any more, but he just flies effortlessly across the floor and has unbelievable balance! Some of the corrections and analogies he gave really made sense to me, so I hope I can keep trying to incorporate them into my classes. It has been wonderful to have some different voices giving us feedback throughout these four weeks – I feel like I will be coming home with a lot of new and valuable information!

After our technique classes, we’ve had some busy evenings as well, particularly Tuesday! We went straight from class to Cimetiere du Pere Lachaise, where we divided into small groups and saw the graves of some really interesting people. We were all responsible for researching some information about a few of the people buried there, so I actually learned a lot as we walked around. Plus, we found the memorials for Isadora Duncan and Alwin Nikolais – two very significant figures in the dance world. I was particularly excited about Nikolais – I love his technique, ideas, and philosophies about dance!

After the cemetery, we went straight to a special French dinner hosted for a few of the American groups staying at the FIAP. We had the opportunity to meet some students from other universities and were served a three course dinner that took about two and a half hours! Overall, it was definitely a fun experience…I could have done without a few of the games though.

Later, Paige and I finally did the one thing that we have been waiting for since we got here almost four weeks ago…we went to the top of the Eifel Tower! We climbed the stairs to the second level (which drastically decreased our wait time), and then took the elevator all the way up to the top! It was such a beautiful view, especially at night when the city is all lit up! It was a lot of fun for us to look out, see some of the big landmarks, and know that we have actually been there! It was definitely a wonderful way to spend the evening! Our way home was interesting too…we caught the very last metro back to the FIAP. As we were walking out of the station, they were closing the doors and locking up for the night. If we had stayed at the tower for another two minutes, who knows how we would have gotten home!

This afternoon was lovely as well! After my last ballet class with Wayne, Gianna and I took the metro down to Madeleine Square and explored some of the amazing shops in the area. We wandered down to the Opera area too and I finally tried my first macaron at the famous “Pierre Herme”. I must say, it was absolutely delicious! At around 5:30, we met up with the rest of the group at the Musee Rodin. The museum showcases the work of Auguste Rodin in an eighteenth century mansion and it’s beautiful gardens. Some of the most famous works there are his “The Thinker” and “The Gate of Hell,” which were both fantastic to see!

So after a long and busy day, I’m finally home for the evening to catch up on some rest before tomorrow. We have a ballet/repertory class in the morning, a walking tour in the afternoon, and then a few of us will be going to the Netherlands Dance Theater “Move to Move” live cinema screening in the evening!

Another Wonderful Weekend...

It has been a busy weekend here in Paris! I have definitely enjoyed the opportunity to do some exploring on my own. For the past few weeks, we have been doing so many structured group activities, so it has been nice to break away from that a little bit. Yesterday I took advantage of a few of the wonderful FREE things to do in Paris…remember, I am working on a college student’s budget! I started off at the Petit Palais, a museum featuring all different forms of art. It includes portraits, landscape paintings, jewelry and metal work from the Renaissance, mosaics, works from ancient Greece and Rome, pottery, and much more! The name of the museum is quite misleading if you ask me…there is nothing “petite” about it! The building itself is stunning too. It was designed by Charles Girault and built for the 1900 Universal Exhibition. It features decorative murals, vaulted ceilings, wrought iron work, and stained glass. 

 

Afterwards, I went back to Montmarte for another free walking tour, compliments of “Discover Walks.” I absolutely loved my guide and was shocked to learn that he used to be a dancer for the Paris Opera Ballet! How perfect! The tour started at the Moulin Rouge (I finally saw the famous red windmill!) and finished up at the Basilica. Along the way, he gave some great information about the artists who used to inhabit the area, as well as recommendations of the best stores and restaurants. He even showed us the boulangerie that won the Baguette Contest in 2010! I never knew there was a baguette contest, but apparently it’s a pretty big event! 

 

Later in the evening, a few of us went down to the Eifel tower to celebrate Shiloh’s birthday! We watched the sun set on the tower and just lay in the grass talking enjoying the view! It was a lovely way to end the evening…and hopefully a fun way for Shiloh to spend her nineteenth birthday! 

 

This morning, I started out pretty early. I attended mass at The Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity, also known as the American Cathedral. It is a beautiful example of English Gothic Revival Architecture, and it was really nice to be able to attend a service in English. It was very intimate and welcoming…definitely work waking up for!

Then I went to Choco-Story, the chocolate museum! I absolutely loved it! I actually learned a lot of really interesting facts; for example, chocolate was not produced in a solid form until the nineteenth century! The museum traced chocolate’s 4000 year history and had a lot of interesting tools and artifacts. Still, my favorite part had to be the demonstration! Since the museum was fairly empty, I got my own private show with a chocolatier who showed me how to make molded chocolates with a filling. It was fun to watch and I got to taste LOTS of samples, which were all absolutely delicious!

After the museum, I made my long-awaited trip to Luxembourg Gardens. I took some time to just walk around and look at all of the beautiful plants, statues, and fountains. It has been a lovely, warm, and sunny day, so it was perfect for an afternoon walk in the park. After exploring for a bit, I settled down in the shade to listen to the jazz band that was playing. It was very relaxing after a busy weekend. 

 

Now I’m back at the FIAP for the evening and getting ready for Week 4 of class. I can’t believe how quickly time is flying by! Hopefully I can make this final week last!

It's the Weekend!

It’s amazing how quickly time flies when you’re busy exploring a fantastic city! Yesterday was a long, but exciting day. We started off with a conditioning class and then took a master class with Barbara Kane from the Isadora Duncan Foundation. This class was really interesting for me because I’ve studied Duncan’s work so many times throughout various dance history courses, but I have never actually taken a class in her style before. It was certainly different from anything I’m used to, but it was fun to shift gears a little. Plus we got to dance with scarves!

Afterward, we made a trip to the Musee Bourdelle, a small museum in the Montparnasse area. It features the work of Antoine Bourdelle, as well as his apartment, studio, and some beautiful gardens. It’s a very small museum, but I definitely enjoyed the visit. From there, we went to meet our tour guide for our Paris Fashion Walk! We got a chance to visit some of the most prominent fashion houses in Paris (in other words, places I would probably never walk into otherwise). We all felt a little under-dressed, but it was a very fun experience for me…I just avoided looking at any price tags!

After dinner, a small group of us made our way down to the Eifel Tower for a boat cruise along the Seine River! It was absolutely beautiful – the weather was perfect and the sites were magnificent! Our boat didn’t leave until 9:30, so throughout the ride we got to watch the sky darken and the city light up! After the cruise, we stayed by the Eifel Tower to watch it “twinkle” (On the hour, the Tower lights up with sparkling lights for five minutes). It was one of the most magical things I have ever seen and a perfect way to wrap up Week 3!

 

Today was a free day for us, so I took the opportunity to do some exploring of my own. I wandered through a flower market and then took a free walking tour of the Latin Quarter that was a ton of fun! The guide was full of great stories and information about the area, so I might be going on a few more of the company’s tours in some other areas before I leave! One of my favorite sites was the Shakespeare and Company book shop, which is not only a fantastic English bookstore (the first in Paris actually!), but also a studio for writers to read and work. I did take a few minutes to look around inside and it was fantastic…there are books lining the walls and there are even ladders and step stools to reach the top shelves! A few other exciting sites on the tour were Sorbonne University and the Pantheon.

 

After coming back to the FIAP for a quick lunch, I made my way back to the Marais area, determined to find the amazing tea shop that I have heard so much about. After a bunch of wrong turns and a few distractions, I finally found it. It may have taken me hours, but it was certainly worth it! I wanted to buy the entire store! It is called “Mariage Freres: Maison de Thé à Paris” and it was established in 1854. They sell over 500 varieties of high quality tea, grown in 35 countries! As you can imagine, the aroma of the shop is absolutely lovely and much of the old décor remains intact, giving the store a very unique atmosphere! It was definitely my most expensive shopping excursion yet…I have no will power when it comes to tea! Once I finished my shopping, I was pretty exhausted from all of the walking so I sat outside of a café for a bit to enjoy the weather before heading home for dinner. Now I’m back for the evening and getting ready to plan out tomorrow’s adventures!

Today was an absolutely wonderful day, and not only because it warmed up and finally got sunny again! It started off with a ballet class with Wayne Byars at Studio Harmonique, and it was definitely my favorite class I’ve taken so far! It was also the first one taught entirely in French! The atmosphere of the class was wonderful. There was certainly a wide range of dancers – including a few professionals who were incredibly inspiring to watch. Plus, Wayne is very positive and very enthusiastic about the class, and he gives great feedback and corrections! I really hope I get to take his class again before I leave! Some of our group took a contemporary class at the same studio though, and they seemed to love their class as well…too much to do and not enough time!

After class, I spent the afternoon wandering around the area. I managed to get myself lost and turned around a few times, but I found some fun things on the way! I finally did make it to Victor Hugo’s house though, which was a wonderful treat after seeing “Les Miserables” in London last weekend! Now I’m inspired to read the book as well!

Victor Hugo's writing desk

  Around 5:30, we all reconvened for our visit to the Centre Pompidou, which houses a collection of modern and contemporary art! The architecture itself is amazing…it certainly has a different aesthetic than all of the other museums we have been to. I don’t even know if I can really describe it, so I guess I’ll just put in a picture…

On our way up the many escalators, we got a wonderful view of the city before delving into the artwork.  Throughout the museum, I found a ton of pieces that I was drawn to. Unfortunately my note-taking was cut short when my pen died, but at least I was able to capture a few with my camera so I can look back at them later. One of my favorites was “THEVERYMANY” by Marc Fornes, which “investigates the transformation of surface into structure and structure into surface.” Its creation was innovative in that it was designed using some kind of software program. I didn’t really get all of the details, but I enjoyed seeing all of the printouts and images that were made during the process. 

After spending a good amount of time exploring all of the artwork, I finished up my day with a good old French dinner – a chicken and cheese crepe with a bottle of Orangina – outside of the museum. Now I think it’s time for my evening cup of tea! A bientot!

Week 3 Begins

Well, I take back what I said yesterday about the weather being warmer and sunnier here in Paris…today was definitely cold and rainy! We made the best of it though. We started out with a Conditioning class with Kehinde, which felt amazing! After running around London all weekend and then sitting on trains for a few hours, it was nice to reconnect with my body! After a few lectures and a quick lunch, a few of us ventured out to the Marais area to work on our next assignment. We will be guiding a walking tour of the area tomorrow, so those of us who wanted to get ahead a bit went out to explore! My assignment is to briefly discuss the history of the Places des Vosges, so I wanted to at least be able to see it and take it in before doing my research. It actually turned out to be very interesting! It was constructed from 1605 to 1612, and it is the oldest true square (140 meters x 140 meters) in Paris. All 36 buildings follow the same design by Baptiste du Cerceau, and there is a lovely garden in the middle.

Once we scouted out our “required” locations, we stayed around for a while just to explore! We found an amazing chocolate shop and an entire store devoted to honey! Gianna and I also spent about 30 minutes wandering around a bookstore! Loren said she found an amazing (but unfortunately expensive) tea store in the area over the weekend, so we’ll definitely be on the lookout for that tomorrow!

I think that was about it for today. Now I’m just back at the FIAP drinking a lovely cup of green tea and preparing for the presentation I will be giving tomorrow about Anna Pavlova. Bonne nuit!