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CANDICE THOMPSON |
To borrow a great phrase from my favorite and only tv show I have watched in the last few years, Project Runway. Tim Gunn would be proud if he only knew of the almost 70 costumes I designed and made over the last few weeks for eight different classes at the Creative Arts Studio for their annual showcase at Brooklyn Museum. Some were for my own ballet students, some were for other classes like Hip Hop.
It was insanely stressful but in the end the two shows this past Saturday and Sunday came off without a hitch and it was a successful end to the school year for the students and teachers, who all worked as hard and intensely as I did.
Here are some backstage photos I took on Sunday, letting you into the nerves and excitement that are present when kids are the stars of the event:
Two of my advanced students, Elizabeth and Olivia, getting ready to perform on pointe for the first time ever!
Another advanced student, Sean, getting her pointe shoes on. She has been injured and performed rather stoically and beautifully through the pain just as a professional would, which of course, had all of the teachers incredibly on edge.
My Ballet 2 students in their “Fall” costumes, showing me backstage that they were ready to perform. And perform they did, I saw some jetes I had never seen before in terms of height and felxibility!
A couple of Ballet 1 students, in butterfly leotards of mine with attached “wings”, went around giving tired teachers shoulder rubs. I got in that line quick!
More Ballet 1 butterflies waiting to go onstage, bubbling over with nervous energy on top of their usual high energy.
Miranda, of Ballet 2, waiting in line for the final bow at the end of the show.
A few of the hip hop students in nutcracker short unitards I made. The theme for the entire show was The Four Seasons. It was the end of the show and as you can see, the girl on the left is losing one of her gold stripes. One of the biggest goals of mine was to create costumes that could be worn by the students in their classes after the show. The parents spend a lot of money and it seems a shame to get only one wear. So pieces like the gold stripes were tacked on at the last minute for easy removal, and all of the skirts were separate from the leotards, which were all based on my LOLAstretch designs.
My advanced ballet had the final piece of the show to Vivaldi’s Summer. Here is a photo I took, like a proud parent, from the audience. The were in champagne chiffon empire-waisted dresses.
Congratulations to all of the students at CAS! You were beautiful!
xo
Candice
