Dancing through Melissa's Ballet Journal

by Lisa for Melissa

Melissa's journal theme is Ballet and I initially thought, what do I know about ballet?  I remember going to a recital when I was little, and more recently watching a friend's daughter perform in Peter and the Wolf.  But what to do?

...And then I thought of one of my favourite ABC shows - Dance Academy.  I love watching people dance, and this series was fantastic.  Great acting, great dance scenes, great themes.  If you haven't seen it, I really recommend giving it a go.  Yes, it's about teenagers, but it's not just a kid's show!

One of the scenes that really stuck with me was just after Sammy died, after being hit by a car on the way to the Opera House to dance in the Prix de Fonteyn.  Tara wanted to dance The Red Shoes in the same competition, which is a ballet about a dancer who has to choose between her love of ballet and the love of her partner.  It is a dance of passion and heartache.

Saskia, who is in the Australian Ballet de Corp, tells Tara that she does not have the emotional experience to dance this part: "You're a child, arrogant enough to think that you are an artist!" 

Tara decides to go ahead with the dance, with thoughts of Sammy beside her to help her through, and earns a standing ovation from the audience.  It's such a beautiful scene to watch.

You can see a short vid of this scene on YouTube here .  I cry every time I watch it.... 😢💜

Sorry, no process pics!  I did this spread in acrylics, and really enjoyed putting it together.

Hope you like it Melissa!  Happy Arting all. xx

Cheers, Lisa