Welcome to Barre None, my new video blog exclusively on Huffington Post. I'm Sara Mearns and I hope to be your tour guide into the world of classical ballet. You might ask yourself, "Why a video blog that goes behind the scenes of a classical ballet dancer's daily life?" Because what you see on the stage does not begin to capture what ballet or our lives are all about. You see the performance, but what you don't see -- the rehearsals, the costume designs, the frazzled nerves, the learning of a new ballet, the constant travels around the world, the injuries and the oftentimes long, painful road to recovery that lead us to wonder if this is the injury that can end a career -- it's all a part of what we do and who we are.
I'm only one dancer, but I hope that by giving you a window into my life as a principal ballerina at New York City Ballet, a door will be opened to more interest, curiosity, and enthusiasm for this artform that I, and so many others, love and work so hard for. So come on in, pull up a seat, and join me every Friday. You'll have a great time. I promise. Barre None.
Chez Sara Mearns...
I can hardly believe I got through my first week back after an eight-month hiatus from the stage, performing Balanchine's Serenade and Swan Lake. I had the most liberating moment on stage where I felt like my old self again, passionately swept away by the music and steps. It's all going great and then...wham! I find myself on the floor. Ballerina down! I had gotten so wrapped up that I forgot where to place my feet, and down I went. Believe it or not, it really is not unusual for mishaps to happen on the stage. They happen all the time, but it's all in how we handle it and keep on going. And that's what I did. I smiled and kept on going.
I had some nights off during the second week so I'd like to show you what my real home away from the stage is like. This is the place where I sleep and occasionally catch up on my favorite TV show, Downton Abbey. Forget what you've seen on Sex & The City. Trust me, it's not all glitz and glam, but it is home. I live in a typical New York City fourth floor walk-up that quickly dispels the idea that everyone in New York City has an elevator and a doorman. I even have friends who are determined to get me out of here before the end of the year because they can't stand the climb. I surround myself with artwork, photography books, ballet mementoes, and yes, a big flat screen TV, in order to watch tennis. I also have an adorable six-year-old puppy (well, to me he's still a puppy) named Rocky who never gets tired of seeing me. And who can complain about that? Anyway, welcome to my home. In traditional Southern gal style, I hope you'll sit a spell.
Check out last week's video blog here.
You can find Sara Mearns on twitter here: @nycbstar2b.