Archive for MADISON
September 28, 2008 at 1:36 pm · Filed under dance, MADISON, gifts, madison keesler
I am a firm believer that we attract and control everything within our lives.
A friend of mine from Central Pennsylviania Youth Ballet sent me an e-mail explaining how one of his friends has started a dream. Her dream is a “29-Day giving Challenge”. I think it is a wonderful idea, so I wanted to help spread the word.
Her website is www.29gifts.org and there is a video on the opening page that explains everything. I have also attached that video below…
click here to view the video on youtube
“Why? Because to see the world change, we have to do something to change the world. Plus, the best way to attract abundance into your life is to be in a perpetual state of giving and gratitude. Be an important part of the global giving movement that inspires more generosity on our planet.” - from www.29gifts.org
Recent Posts by Madison Keesler
September 18, 2008 at 3:10 pm · Filed under dance, germany, hamburg ballet, MADISON, farewell, madison keesler
(This is a little out of order now but I wrote this on the airplane when I was first coming out to Germany.)
Right now I can’t help the tears that are starting to very, very slowly leave my eyes and roll over my cheeks. These aren’t the tears you cry when you feel despair, or the tears you cry because you are bursting with joy…I am not sure if I could tell you what these tears are from. Maybe they are from a little fear mixed with pure excitement. These aren’t the kind of tears that come with a simple explanation–that is for sure. I do know that as they come, I let them fall right past my cheek onto my orange scarf, and down past that to the blue-stripped pattern of the chair I am sitting on. I used to try to hide emotions such as this, but I think I have given up hiding. There are things that sometimes we aren’t meant to have complete control over, and emotions are one of those things. I believe that while we do have the ability to control many things in our lives we also have to be brave enough to close our eyes and just let life happen. Right now, I definitely feel that I am ready to close my eyes for a little while.
I was in a light sleep dreaming about all of the exciting things I have to look forward to when I heard a voice tell me that we were flying over the state of Colorado. The pilot said that to the left you could clearly see the Rocky Mountains. Pikes Peak and Cheyenne Mountain were in clear sight and we were right over Colorado Springs. Memories suddenly flooded my mind. I lived in Colorado Springs on Cheyenne Mountain for four years of my life. I was six when we first moved there and it is one of the first places that I feel attached to. Many of my wonderful childhood memories happened miles below me now and they still bring a grin to my face. We continued miles forward because just like I had to, after those four years in Colorado, I am moving on. This will be the seventh time I have moved in my life but it doesn’t make it any easier. I think that change is hard for anyone, but I also believe that it can be an amazing thing. After you go through the hard parts, you will undoubtedly learn some of the most important life lessons along the way. I have found it helps to keep that in mind during the hardest adjustments.
Without question this move will be the biggest, and most difficult change I have ever been through. Not only am I moving to a country where I don’t speak the language– I am starting my very first job! I will be paying my first bills for my first apartment; I will be getting my first paycheck, and I will be budgeting my own earned money for the first time. I finally have reached the starting point in a career that I have been dreaming about since I started taking dance classes once a week at miss Nancy Derby’s Dance School in the place that I just flew over not five minutes ago. Life is an amazing thing. I am so excited and grateful for everything I have had, as well as, for everything coming my way…whatever that might be.
Recent Posts by Madison Keesler
September 12, 2008 at 9:10 pm · Filed under dance, MADISON, madison keesler, hamburgh ballet
Guten Tag!
I am so sorry that it has been so terribly long since I have posted. I am currently writting this post from Germany! As I am sure you can imageine things have been very crazy recently. I am currently on my third week here but so much has happened that it feels more like my thirteenth week. In short, everything is going well over here.
I have a lot to tell and I will be posting about it soon…I have a short day tomorrow so be expecting more news soon!
Recent Posts by Madison Keesler
July 10, 2008 at 9:29 pm · Filed under dance, magazine, magazines, dance photography, MADISON, cpyb, sanf francisco ballet, dance spirit, madison keesler
Hello again everyone!
First I just wanted to thank everyone for the many congratulations about Hamburg. As the time comes closer it is becoming more and more real, I don’t think it will fully hit me until I actually arrive though.
Ok now for the main reason of this post…..
A couple of months ago I was contacted by Dance Spirit Magazine and was informed that I was a finalist in their Cover Model Search contest. I would have to leave San Francisco for a week and go to NYC with the other contestants where we would stay in a hotel, take classes at STEPS and Broadway Dance Center, have a professional photo shoot, see some shows, and have fun. Once I got the OK from my artistic director it was not a hard decision to go. The entire trip was a really good experience. I also learned that if I ever need photos Eduardo Patino is the man to go to. He is an incredible photographer and I loved working with him. It was really great to make the connection with not only Dance Spirit but the other contestants as well. Amanda was a tapper, and Lee does contemporary dance. They are both wonderful people and very talented in their field of dance, as well as other styles, so I knew that I had some tough competition. Even though the entire trip was technically for a competition there was nothing competative about it. We were all supportive of each other and appreciated what the others could do so it was a very relaxed atmosphere which made the trip much more enjoyable.
The magazine finally came out this past month (the July/August edition) and it was exhilarating to see it all put together. If you wanted to check out the magazine i know you can find Dance Spirit at book stores sometimes. Otherwise you can check out the website at www.dancespirit.com/cms . Here you will be able to see videos and a little information about all of us who are up for the cover. After you look at everything you can vote as many times as you want for your favorite.
Recent Posts by Madison Keesler
June 6, 2008 at 3:09 pm · Filed under dance, hamburg ballet, san francisco ballet, companies, MADISON, cpyb, sanf francisco ballet, san francisco ballet school, madison keesler
I have some very exciting news! Starting sometime in late August I am no longer going to be a student. A little while back I was offered an apprenticeship with Hamburg Ballet in Germany! I can’t believe that I got so incredibly lucky, but I am very, very thankful. After working with John Neumeier in SFB’s 75th Anniversary Gala things just developed over time. The season starts August 25th so I will probably be moving out to Germany about a week before. Until then I will be taking a much needed break, followed by San Francisco Ballet’s five week summer program.
I know that it is going to be very different and probably very difficult for a little while but there was no way that I could turn down an opportunity like this. There is no guarantee that I will make it into the corps after this year so I am going to make sure to enjoy and explore everything in Europe while I have the chance. I am also going to make a point to tell you about all of it. So, be expecting more post and while I will be talking a lot about my experiences at Hamburg Ballet I am sure you will be hearing a lot about my new life and experiences living in a new country.
If you would like more information on the company go to www.hamburgballett.de
Tags: Germany, Ballet, Bio, Hamburg,
Recent Posts by Madison Keesler
June 2, 2008 at 11:19 pm · Filed under dance, dancing, firstperformance, MADISON, experience, madison keesler
During February San Francisco Ballet performed Giselle in their 07-08 Season. As usual they used kids in the school for some of the parts. I was happy to learn I would be a noble woman in the first act and simply get the chance to be on stage as well as act a little. Even though these are not dancing parts I was happy to be chosen nonetheless. Originally the trainees were the only dancers from the school who were learning the big corps parts, which is understandable and expected since part of their description is to work with the company. Awhile after those rehearsals had been going on three more girls from level eight were chosen to learn Wilis, and I happened to be one of those girls. We were all very happy to have this opportunity. As many of you may know when you are in a school any chance to work with the company, even if it is just learning in the back, is a great way to show what you can do because you never know who will be watching you. When we arrived we were told what spots to learn and that was that. I was originally 3rd or 4th cast with company members and trainees ahead of me learning the same parts, so I figured I probably wouldn’t perform and just tried to take in the information for the possibility of performing it at some point in my career. We had a lot of very long rehearsals of standing, posing, running, the normal corps work of a big ballet, but they were difficult at first because it wasn’t what I was used to at SFBS. After two or three hours of corps rehearsal like that your body, especially your feet, get very tired and sore; though It is a different tired, more mental, than if you were simply taking class or doing a variation.
A day or two before the show during an on stage rehearsal I was told that one of the girls was out and I was to step into that part for just for the day. Even though it wasn’t any of the original parts they told me to learn I ended up doing every show because she was very sick the entire time. I remember how scared I felt when I was first thrown in, and even though I tried to learn as many spots as possible in the studio this part was never one I focused on. As long as you know the steps it usually isn’t too terribly difficult to step into any of the spots. You just have to figure out where you go, whom you are behind and in front of, what foot certain sides stand on, and ect. It was a great relief when I found out that the corps of San Francisco ballet is extremely kind and very helpful. Everyone was great, but there were especially a few people who really took extra time to help, and made a point to talk to me backstage, and well treated me as an equal. Being a student I never really thought of myself as anywhere close to being an equal but the little things definitely meant a lot.
It was such a good experience overall. Things never end up exactly how you thought they would, but for me this time they ended up better. I learned a lot about corps work through Giselle and it has most definitely made me a little more confident for the future.
Recent Posts by Madison Keesler
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