Miami
|
JUSTIN PECK |
So I just returned from a fun 5-day visit to Miami. I went to visit a bunch of very close friends of mine, who are now prominent members of the Miami City Ballet.
My first order of business upon my arrival was to really take in South Beach (where most of the dancers down there reside). At first it gave off a feeling of surrealism. It was as if I had walked into a postcard setting. Or as if the city of Miami Beach is simply one great big extensive resort in paradise. There are miles and miles of beaches engulfing South Beach, and the weather is in a constant tropical state. I’m not sure how I would feel about living in such a peculiar corner of the country, but visiting it was, beyond a doubt, an experience of its own.
Visiting my friends gave me a prime opportunity to get to see what Miami City Ballet is all about. Like with any ballet company, it has its pluses and minuses. However, overall I found that I really took a liking to the company. It seems like a great company to work for. There are roughly 50 dancers, and they appear to have created a sort of family-based feeling to the work environment. The company is saturated with talented dancers from all walks of life. Everything from Cuban virtuosos, to Chinese technicians, to talented alums of the School of American Ballet.
I also loved their repertoire, and remain to be particularly jealous of the Twyla Tharp ballets that they get to dance (In the Upper Room, 9 Sinatra Songs, + more). Sometimes I find that, after a while, Tharp choreography can begin to mesh and look very similar. But it’s the type of movement that I could watch all day. Its like candy to me. Or ice cream. In ballet slippers.
One thing I couldn’t help but noticing was the average height of the Miami dancers. Their tallest dancer can’t be more then 5’11”, thus making me feel like some sort of colossal freak. I constantly caught myself crouching over when I talked to the other dancers, out of self-consciousness regarding my height and size 
.
So I definitely had a great time on my 5-day stint. I will absolutely be back to visit again very soon.
South Beach! A few of my close friends being sandwiched between two Winger correspondents
One of MCB’s beautiful practice studios. The company is in the middle of rehearsing “In The Upper Room” here
Me with a big group of the MCB dancers
Fellow Winger correspondant Alex Wong, doing the ‘rubies tilt’ with MCB dancer Daniel Baker
