April 2003 Archives

Have just finished one of the most physically demanding days of my life! My Space life that is! We have a residency this week with smallpetitklein (possibly not the right spelling)! It's run by an ex-student from SSCD who went on to LSCD! He is such a unique mover, as are his dancers! I can tell that this is going to be a helluva week! (I say with complete enthusiasm!)

My two-week rest and recuperation was far too short, and lifting my head of the pillow at 7.45am was a task in itself! Especially due to the fact that I was woken up by a demented, psychopathic female banging down my bedroom door! Thanks Cat! I didn't get to go on my annual camping extravaganza, although I've now decided to save the money I would have spent, to take me to a far off land, where the sun splits the palm trees and the sea is crystal clear! Devon!

I met up with all my mates and frequented my local cinema! Not a lot of drinking, until I came back to Dundee, and went out to blow the student loan with Cat! Much fun was had, although I had to work the next day! I held them walls up well!

I'm getting funny looks from what I think is a janitor who clearly wants to lock up, so I shall love you and leave you! Bye!

I'm going to start with a bit about my knee! (Yawn!) It's doing great! It feels muchos better when I'm dancing and I'm coping well in ballet. (I sound so dramatic) The NHS has finally contacted me with a slightly weird letter telling me to "wear shorts and t-shirt, to save embarrassment during the physical analysis!" I was very amused at the letter and I booked in for my "physical analysis" on Wednesday. A couple of sessions there and I'm going to be fighting fit.

It's a cultural extravaganza at the moment in the Space! As well as our Scottish, English, Croatian and (half) American students, we had lovely young chappy from Austria auditioning today! I always feel so sorry for people auditioning! They all look like they're about to explode into tears if anyone dared to speak to them. I remember my audition, so I completely understand that gut-wrenching, stomach-churning and eyes-uncontrollably-watering feeling, especially as a boy.

X-Factor, a small Edinburgh based dance company, were in for the afternoon on Thursday, primarily I'm sure to promote their latest Scottish tour, but also to give us a creative session based on the theme's running through their latest Scottich tour and to invite us all to the Byre Theatre in St. Andrews to see them perform in their latest Scottish tour. Did I mention their latest Scottish tour?

Site Specific is going well (so far!), although I'm sure by Thursday I'll be suitably freaking out. I called an extra rehearsal on Wednesday after college, only as a safety precaution you understand. I'm beginning to feel sorry for my hard working dancers. They seem to be putting up well with my constant nagging and moaning, while I push and prod them into the position. On top of my personality disorder, I'm not even going to see the debut performance on Friday.

My friend booked me in advance in December, when he bought me a ticket to see Liberty X in concert. I know it's a pretty crap reason, but I don't want him to lose out on money, and my little dancing troupers won't need me, because they're going to fantastical. So if you're in Dundee, and bored on Friday night at 8pm, Saturday at 2pm or at 4pm, come to the Space and see the extravaganza which is 'Exploring the Space!' Just a little plug there to wet your appetite.

I'm going home now to listen to my Site Specific music for the 23rd Millionth time.

Thanks Moloko!

It's been a while, so I'll give myself a little wrist slapping! The bad news is, I'm going home for my Easter holi-bags, so it's gonna be a couple of weeks before I update again! So make good use of this little fix, because it's gonna have to last you!

I'm very excited about my hols, because I get to go home for 2 WEEKS! Yee Ha!

All those long lies, and breakfast in bed, of course I'll be at the gym every day as well! I'm going camping on the 2nd week, which should be an experience, if last year is anything to go by! Torrential rain battering down and gale force winds making the tent roof suffocate you as you try and sleep! A trip to be remembered, but not for any good reason! Fingers crossed for sun this year! (Highly unlikely in Scotland during April!)

Things at The Space have been going grandioso!
My site specific performance went really well, even though I wasn't there to nit-pick! My dancers all had muchos amounts of fun, and for me, that was my main objective. I wasn't trying to make a choreographic (spell that after a glass of highly alcoholic mineral water!) extravaganza, I was making a piece, which was nice to look at, and from the audience’s feedback, I think I was successful!

Last week saw the 3rd Year Cheoreography showcase! I reckon it was good, but I'm sure the 3rd Years may disagree! I went to both performances, although this was my original plan. I, along with 3 of my friends, were travelling through to Glasgow to see the Sugababes in concert, but lo and behold, there was a train strike, which meant all of the buses were bursting to capacity and I was left stranded in Dundee. 2 of my friends did make it through, and one of them was up on stage dancing with them! Gutted!

This last week has been a bit boring. As it's the last week of term, written work is rearing its ugly head from under the woodwork!
I am now fully aware of my physical strengths and weaknesses, and well voiced in the lives of the pioneers of modern dance!

My final day of term has now come and gone, so I'm going home for a bath and a glass of OJ!

Have a nice holiday!

At long last, I Allan McIntyre went to the physio. Wow! It feels so good to finally say that. Last Monday, I travelled from Dundee to Edinburgh to get my knee checked out. I went to Bill Taylor Physiotherapy, where a lovely young lady by the name of Kirsty prodded and poked me for a while. After an extensive chat about my knee, she decided that the ligaments on the inside of my knee had been stressed, thus creating scar tissue, which resulted in my pain and stiffness in the knee joint. She gave it a rub for a while with her magic fingers, then gave me a few minutes of ultrasound and ended the session with acupuncture! Eek! This was one of the weirdest experiences of my life!

So, off I trotted with my list of exercises and advice about returning to class to good ole Dundee.

Tuesday was possibly the worst day I think I've ever had here. I have little to no strength left in my thighs, and every single exercise took so much effort, I thought I was going to pass out. But, hey ho, I struggled through. This kinda got a little better as the week went on. I was sticking to one contemporary class every day, for the first week at least. I don't think Sheena, my ballet teacher, was overly enthused about this advice the physio had given me.

Today was my first day back in ballet, and lo and behold, halfway through the class, I had to return to my spot at the side of the class with an ice pack! This was my own fault completely, as I was pushing my turnout far more than my little knee could take. Next ballet class will be a different story! Promise.

I'm going now to my site-specific rehearsal, which after just one week is really beginning to take shape. I'm pretty excited about the whole thing! My dancers are working so hard, and I feel like I want to give them everything I've got in return.

This is Allan McIntyre (the returning dance student!) signing off.