Dance Journal Entry No.4 - Russell Kerr

This is another entry in Salem's Dance Journal which is part of his British Dance Theatre Association's Intermediate exam.

Russell Kerr

Choreographer for

The Royal New Zealand Ballet's

Swan Lake

Russell Kerr is one of New Zealand's most famous ballet choreographers who is respected for his ability to tell stories through musical movement. He has made more than 65 dance works for companies including the Royal New Zealand Ballet and the Limbs Dance Company.

He is a choreographer, a teacher and mentor to generations of dancers, and has directed and produced works for companies including the Auckland Ballet Theatre, the Royal New Zealand Ballet, and Southern Ballet Theatre.

He was born in Auckland in 1930 and studied ballet in his teens with Kathleen Whitford.  In 1950 he went to Europe to train and he danced with the Jose Greco Spanish Company,  the Sadlers Wells Royal Ballet, and the Ballet Rambert, then became a soloist with the London Festival Ballet.

He returned to New Zealand in 1957 and continued his dance career as a teacher, a choreographer and a producer.  He was the director of the Nettleton-Edwards-Kerr School of Ballet from 1959 to 1961.  In 1962, He took over from Poul Gnatt as the New Zealand Ballet's Artistic Director and led the company until 1968.

He staged full length ballets with live orchestras and international guest dancers, and he also created some modern ballets for the company's repertoire which included Concerto (1963), Mephisto (1964), and Peter and the Wolf (1962). Four of his ballets are in the current repertoire of the Royal New Zealand Ballet.

He was the director of the New Zealand Dance Centre from 1969 to 1977.  Then he was director of the Southern Ballet Theatre from 1978 to 1990. He was teaching, coaching, choreographing and producing their youth performance works till his retirement in 1990. Not that he really “retired”.

From 1992 to 2003 he was the Royal New Zealand Ballet's guest director for Petrouchka and did choreographies for Swan Lake, Peter Pan and A Christmas Carol.  And again was the guest director for Pretrochka in 2011.

With dancers of the Royal New Zealand Ballet

In 2005 he Created a new full-length ballet based upon the secret life of Hans Christian Anderson. He is still very busy even now. I was lucky enough a few years ago to meet him, chat with him and listen to him talk about how he choreographed Peter Pan for the RNZB.

He is an Icon Artist of the Arts Foundation of New Zealand, was awarded the Queen's Service Medal (QSM) for Services to Ballet in 1986 and was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) in 2000.

His work includes:
Hans Christian Andersen (2005)
Opus 17 for 71 (2004)
A Christmas Carol (2001)
Peter Pan (1999, 2010)
Swan Lake (1996)
Journey (1989)
Te Maia and the Sea-Devil 1987)
Terrible Tom (1985)
Salute (1983)
Scripting the Dreams (1982)
Prismatic Variations with Poul Gnatt (1959)

- Researched and written by Salem Foxx

Still Dancing....Classes, Injuries and at the Ballet

Since our last post Salem has been very busy.

He has had a contemporary class at Thistle Hall with Lyne Pringle.

He really enjoyed that class and thought that Lyne was a really good teacher and gave him a lot of pointers.

Lyne Pringle

On the 24th February he attended the Boys Class with the Royal New Zealand Ballet.

Martin Videl, the RNZ Ballet's new ballet master, took the class.

Salem didn't enjoy it as much as the previous Boy's Classes he has been to.

The boys didn't get to have a chat with the male company dancers this time and only got to see the company's class for a few minutes.

Then on the 2nd March, he attended the Senior Master Class with the RNZB.

Rory Fairweather-Naeylan took the class and Salem said he did a really good job and Salem enjoyed it a lot.  This was the second class that Salem has had with Rory.

Rory Fairweather-Neylan

The lovely people at the RNZB gave the kids who did the Master Classes, free double passes to see the Made To Move ballet that afternoon.

So we got to see the ballet.  Yay!!!!!!

Made to Move consisted of three very different ballets - "The Anatomy of a Passing Cloud" by Javier De Frutos;  "Of Days" by Andrew Simmons;  and "Bier Halle" by Ethan Stiefel.

We didn't like "The Anatomy of a Passing Cloud" at all and were quite bored with it.  It really wasn't our sort of tatste.  The only part we liked was listening to the wonderful songs by the Yandell Sisters.

"Of Days" was a lot better, beautiful dancing but we found that the projected writing was too distracting.
It was so high up that when you read it, you missed out on the dancing and vice-versa.  The lighting showed off the dancers impressive muscles amazingly.

"Bier Halle" was a bit of a light-hearted laugh.
It was very impressive to see Jonte (Sir Jon Trimmer) do a backward roll!!!!!!

Can't wait to see Swan Lake next season!!!!!!!!

Salem has been doing plenty of practice but has unfortunately has had an injury which has put him back a bit.

He has been over stretched which has affected his hips and thighs so we are working through this with gentle exercises and plenty of massage etc.....

He is still doing all his classes and preparing for the up-coming competitions, The Ribbon Festival and The Alana Haines Awards.  

Practice, Boys Class,Pointe Shoes and Ballet Exams

Hard at practice

This is a very busy time for Salem.
He has been getting ready for his RAD Grade 5 exam and his RAD Performance Award exam.
We have been up at the gym in the dance studio nearly every day.
Salem has had his normal classes plus a mock exam on the weekend.
He knows it all and now we are working on polishing up everything.

Glen Harris

The day after his last performances of Giselle, he went to the Boys Ballet Class with the Royal New Zealand Ballet.
His teacher was Glen Harris who is the RNZB's ballet master for the moment.
Salem really enjoyed the class and Glen gave the boys lots of good tips which Salem has found very useful.
He has been practicing one of the dances from Giselle that Glen taught the boys.

Getting ready for his Intermediate
Foundation Class

Salem loves his blue pointe shoes and has been using them in his Intermediate Foundation class.
He is becoming more confident with them and is doing centre work with them on.

His blue pointe shoes

His pointe shoes still need a bit more wearing in.

So exams are on Sunday and his examiner is his old ballet teacher from Wellington.
I know he will do very well!!!!

A Master Class and Two Performances - Giselle

Me and Loughlan Prior

Ballet Diaries - Giselle
By Salem

A Master Class and Two Performances in One Day
10th November 2012

We had to get up very early in the morning and had to catch the 7am train into Wellington.
I had a Master Class with the Royal New Zealand Ballet at their studios at the St James at 8.30am.
It was a real rush to get there in time but we did it!!!!!
Loughlan Prior, one of the RNZB dancers took the Senior class which I was in.
It was a real fun class and we did some exercises and lots of combinations.
He was a really good teacher.

After that, me and Mum stayed in the green room for a while and had a cuppa and a biscuit to eat.
It had been quite a while since we had breakfast.
Then we went for a walk to upper Cuba Street to have brunch at Arthur's Cafe and to meet up with a photographer to have some photos taken of us for a newspaper story.

Visiting Jonte in his dressing room

A bit later we had to go back to the St James and up to my dressing room and Mum put on my make-up as usual and I got into my costume.  We were doing a matinee show this afternoon.
I went back downstairs and visited Jonte (Sir Jon Trimmer) in his dressing room.  He let me choose one of his costume rings for me to have.  I chose a big green one.  Thank you Jonte, I love it.

I went and got some more autographs in my Giselle program.  I just knocked on the dressing room doors.
All the dancers are lovely and signed my program.  I think they are used to me doing this now, except for the new dancers though.

Knocking on the dressing room door to get more
autographs.

I went back up to my dressing room and Mum went into the St James as she was watching the show in the audience again.
Me, Paris and Jaida mucked around until we were called to go down to backstage.
Our performance went well and I got some souvenirs, some of the leaves from the trees had fallen off so I picked some up and put them in my pants until I got up to the dressing room.
As usual, I quickly got changed and went downstairs to chat to Lindsay until Mum picked me up at intermission to take me into the theatre so I could watch Act Two.
I got to watch Lucy Green as Giselle and Kohei Iwamoto as Albrecht.
They did really well and everyone danced brilliantly, but Antonia Hewitt and Andrew Bowan are my favourite Giselle and Albrecht.
Giselle is such a great ballet!!!!!

Me and Bronte Kelly

Between the shows we had a pot of tea at The Jimmy and then went and hung out in my dressing room and relaxed.
But on the way up to the dressing room, Ethan Stiefel came and waited to go up in the lift as well.  I needed his autograph so I ran up the stairs (the lift takes too long) to get my program for him to sign while Mum chatted to him while he waited for me to come back down.  Yay, I finally have his autograph.

I also finished getting all my autographs, Maree White's was the last one I needed and I finally tracked her down.

On our way down to backstage.

Later, I got back into my costume for the last time and Mum did a quick fix-up of my make-up.
Then I took Paris and Jaida downstairs to the dressing rooms to get autographs in their programs.
We had heaps of fun doing that.
Back up in our dressing rooms, we were feeling a bit sad as this was to be our last performance.

The Peasant Men

Our performance went very well as usual but it was sad.
I wanted to stay on stage as usual with my "family".

Back up in the dressing room, we all got changed and said our goodbyes.
Paris and Jaida gave me a little present of lollies for being a good "brother".
We gave each other hugs and then it was time to go.
We will all see each other again at future master classes and competitions.
It will be nice to see my friends again.

I was a very tired and sad boy and needed to get home to bed.
Jonte was on the train with us again and both of us caught some zzzzzzzzzzzz's on the ride home.

My First "Real" Performance of Giselle 8th October 2012

Paris, Jaida and Me

Tonight was our first "proper" performance.
I was very excited especially since I had a message this morning from Richard Bowman, Andrew Bowman's brother (who is also a ballet dancer), wishing me good luck.

Me being silly in the St James Theatre

Before I went up to my dressing room, I went autograph hunting and managed to track down a few dancers to sign my Giselle program.
It has become a tradition of mine and some of the other kids who have been in the Royal New Zealand Ballet's productions, to get all the dancers to sign the show's program booklet for the show that I am in.
I have got programs signed from The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella and now Giselle.

The Peasant Children

I went upstairs and Mum put my make-up on me and then I got dressed into my costume.
Then Paris and Jaida came in and we had a bit of a play until we were called to go backstage.

Everything went very smoothly on stage, I had so much fun.
It's sad that I only have two more performances left to do.
I have two shows on Saturday.
I'm doing the matinee at 2.30pm and the night time show.
It's going to be a busy day as I have a RNZB master class early in the morning.

Act One which I am in but this is with the other cast with Gillian and Qi

I got changed straight away after we left the stage and me and Mum went and chatted to Lyndsay and watched the rest of Act One on the monitor in Lyndsay's little room.
Then at intermission I went to some of the dressing rooms to catch everyone for their autographs.

Salem with Andrew Bowman

I got to meet Andrew Bowman and we had a quick chat and he signed my program for me.
I was so excited to meet him and felt a bit awe-struck.
I didn't know what to say to him so Mum had to help a bit.

I went into my old dressing room from Cinderella and got all the guy's autographs.
Mac Hopper, who is new to the company, said that he had never been asked for his autograph before.

Outside the St James Theatre earlier that day

Then we dashed into the St James to get a cast list before going home.
That is another tradition of mine, to get a cast list for every show I am in.
I was recognised by some people who had been watching the performance, it was still intermission, they said hello to me.

On the train ride home, we sat with Jonte (Sir Jon Trimmer) and chatted until he got off at his stop.
I was so tired.

I can't wait until Saturday!!!!!!

Boys of Ballet - Giselle

Giselle Act Two

Televison New Zealand's "Close Up" interviewed the 'boys of ballet' working on Royal New Zealand Ballet's new production of Giselle: Ethan, Johan, Andrew and Dimitri.

"You've got to be a man to do this." ~ Andrew Bowman

Royal New Zealand Ballet

Matt McLean finds out that being a male ballet dancer is not what it seems as he joins in on preparations for their latest production.

 

http://tvnz.co.nz/close-up/royal-new-zealand-ballet-video-5205900

Full Dress Rehearsal - Giselle

In my peasant costume

Ballet Diaries - Giselle
By Salem

The Full Dress Rehearsal  6th November 2012

Tonight was the Full Dress Rehearsal!!!!
Mum came up to the dressing room with me and put my make-up on me after I had put on my costume.
I was sooo excited!!!!!!
I share my dressing room with two adult men extras, Nigel Boyes and Thomas Drent, so when Thomas arrived Mum left to go and watch the performance in the theatre.

With the men's peasant costumes

After Mum left, I looked out the window that overlooks the car park and saw Daniel get out of his mum's car.  He came up to the dressing room and he had all his make-up on.
I told him that it wasn't his night for performing, so he left.

I had a bit of a chat with the guys in my dressing room.  Thomas said that he thought he looked like a Mexican in his costume.

My dressing room

Then my "Mother" asked if I wanted to go and join her and the girls (Paris and Jaida) in their dressing room, so I went and joined them.
We took some photos of each other and had a bit of a rehearsal.
Then it was time to go downstairs backstage to wait for our turn on stage.

Me in the audience to watch Act Two

Miriam came and told us that it was time to go on stage and our performance began.
I had lots of fun and it was so cool having a full audience watching us.
It was over too quickly, I wanted to stay on for longer.

I quickly went upstairs and got changed into my normal clothes then went downstairs and chatted to Lindsay until Mum came to pick me up at intermission.
She took me to sit in the audience so I could watch Act Two.

The curtain before Act Two

It was so cool and I loved the graveyard scene.  There was mist everywhere.
The Wilis danced beautifully sending me into a trance.
It is such a sad story!!!!!
Giselle (Antonia Hewitt) was so lovely as a ghost, she was so sad.
Andrew Bowan"s (Albrecht) dancing was so amazing when the Wilis tried to make him dance to his death.
His Entrechat really blew me away.
I hope that I will dance like Andrew when I am older.

I am so lucky that I got to perform with this cast, and to watch it too!!!!

Can't wait for my next performance on Thursday night!!!!!

Saturday's Rehearsal for Giselle

Dimitri Kleioris as Hilarion

Ballet Diaries - Giselle

By Salem

Saturday's Rehearsal  3rd November 2012

This afternoon was our first proper rehearsal.

Turid came and got us from our dressing rooms right at the beginning of the rehearsal of Act One so we could watch what was happening.

So we sat in the auditorium until it was our turn to go up on stage.

It did take a while to get past the opening scene as Ethan kept stopping things and the curtains had to be re-set to begin again.

This happened about five or six times.

When we were on stage Turid and the stage manager told us what we had to do.

We had to stand with our "mother" and watch and react to what everyone was doing around us.

I was being nosey and my "mother" was keeping me in line.

It was fun play acting and it felt like I was really in the village.

I wish I was on stage longer.

Andrew Bowman

Andrew Bowman is the guest dancer who is playing Count Albrecht.
Andrew is originally from Palmerston North and he has been dancing since he was 4 years old. 
For the last fifteen years he has been dancing with the Royal Danish Ballet as a principal dancer. 

Andrew was really good at being Albrecht.  I thought he looked very mischievious and almost boy-like.
I enjoyed watching him a lot.
He is such a good dancer and was very tall and strong.
I thought he made the best Albrecht, sorry Qi!!!!

Antonia Hewitt

Antonia Hewitt was Giselle, she was fabulous as Giselle in the rehearsal.
I can't wait to see her dance in Act Two.

Dimitri Kleioris was so good at being Hilarion, the game keeper.
He really looked the part.

I enjoyed watching all of Act One, except I couldn't watch when I was on stage.
Mum said that me, Paris and Jaida did a good job.

Next is the full-dress rehearsal in front of a full audience on Tuesday night.

First Rehearsal for Giselle

Playing with my cards in the dressing room

Ballet Diaries - Giselle
By Salem

Our First Rehearsal  2nd November 2012

Today was the first rehearsal for us kids.
We were in two groups, Daniel and two girls, one of which was in Cinderella.
I was with Paris and her little sister Jaida.
Paris and I used to be in the same ballet class last year at Paula Hunt Dance School.
Their dad is Shannon who is the RNZB Educator.

Daniel and I played with my cards making buildings and roads with my packets of cards I always bring with me.  We had to wait in our dressing room which is the rehearsal room upstairs until we were needed.

Gillian and Qi

We had a bit of a wait before Turid came to take us down to the auditorium.
We watched all the dancers rehearse Act One until it was time for Daniel's group to go up on stage.
They were told what to do and got to have a practice.

My group got to watch everything so that we knew what to do when it came to our turn.
We just got a quick run through because our practice is tomorrow.

Gillian Murphy as Giselle

Gillian Murphy was Giselle and Qi Huan was Count Albrecht at this rehearsal.
Gillian looked very lovely as Giselle.
The stage set looked so cool, there where two peasant houses, they were wooden, they would look very good in my backyard for me to have them as play huts.  I would live in them!!!!!
The scenery was sort of foresty.
It was really cool when I was up on stage.

We continued watching the rehearsal until it was time for the dancers to have a break, dinner time I think.
Then we could go home.
So it was a quick dash to get a bus to the Railway Station.

Costume Fitting for Giselle

At the RNZ Ballet's Reception

Ballet Diaries - Giselle
By Salem

Costume Fitting  30th October 2012

Today we went into Wellington for my costume fitting for the Royal New Zealand Ballet's production of Giselle.
There was no one at the reception desk so I pushed the button to call someone out to see us but it didn't work out at all.  I pressed it three times but it must have been broken.
Luckily someone came past and got Hank for us from the costume department.

Hank took us out back to the costume department and I got changed into a peasant costume.
So I am to be a peasant boy.  
It was a very cool costume, I really liked it and it was very comfy and a perfect fit.
Natalia, who was the costume designer for Giselle, checked me over and tried three different hats on me and we both agreed on the one that looked best.

Everyone in the costume department was pleased to see me again and they are all waiting for me to have a growth spurt and to get taller and fill out.  I am in no hurry to grow!!!!

My shoes were sorted out very quickly, usually they have to try to find a pair small enough to fit me, but this time the first pair I tried on fitted me perfectly.  The shoes are black laced up ones but they are going to change to colour to brown.

When we left we said "Hi" to some of the dancers and Ethan even waved us good-bye from his office.
Then we saw Turid when we went outside, she was having some lunch outside in the sun, so we went over and said "Hello" and had a quick chat.  She said it was nice to see me dance a solo at the Genee Challange on Sunday.  She also gave me some nice comments about my dancing.
Then it was off to buy some more make-up as I was running out.

I have my first rehearsal on Friday afternoon which will be on stage, I can't wait!!!!!!

Great News

Great news, Salem has a part in the upcoming Royal New Zealand Ballet's "Giselle".
It opens on the 7th November here in Wellington, with shows til the 11th before moving on to the next city.
Salem was thrilled to be asked again.
Rehearsals for him start next week with costume fitting on Tuesday.

Tomorrow it is off into Wellington to the New Zealand School of Dance for the first day of the Genee Challenge.
There will be a class first and then solo rehearsals.
Then on Sunday there will be a warm-up class before the solo performances.
Salem's practices for this have been going well.
It's an early night tonight.

The Royal New Zealand Ballet's Giselle

The Royal New Zealand Ballet has just released these beautiful photos from their upcoming ballet Giselle.

Salem and I will be going to see this.

The costumes look stunning as usual.  

The Story of Giselle

This is a tragic tale of disguise and revelation, love and jealousy.  It is a love story that unfolds against the ghostly backdrop of a Rhineland forest which is haunted by the fearful presence of the Wilis which are the vengeful spirits of abandoned brides. 

Giselle the beautiful peasant girl, falls in love with Albrecht who conceals his identity from her to win her heart. When Giselle discovers her lover's deception, it shatters her innocence and she dies of a broken heart.  

Albrecht is then thrown into the hands of the merciless Wilis, but Giselle cannot bear watching Albrecht die so returns as a ghost to save him.

The Royal New Zealand Ballet will be performing Giselle here in Wellington at the St James Theatre from the 7th to the 11th of  November 2012.  The Vector Wellington Orchestra will be performing the music.

We can't wait to see this!!!!!!!

My Last Cinderella Performance

Salem with Brendon Bradshaw

I'm finally getting to type this out.  We have been so busy with rehearsals for my dance school's (Kapiti Dance Centre) show.  The last two rehearsals have been up at Southwards Theatre.  It is a full dress rehearsal this afternoon and evening.  Then it is two shows tomorrow, one at 2pm and the second at 7pm.
It has been very tiring, especially when you have to wait around a lot.  Should be fun tomorrow though!!!

Ballet Diaries - Cinderella
by Salem
My Last Cinderella Performance  11th August 2012
It was quite sad waking up today thinking that this is the last time that I will be performing in Cinderella.
But I was excited as well as today I will be actually watching the whole show in the audience before my performance.

Bronte Kelly and Abigail Boyle

It was very interesting watching the other casts' page boys at the matinee.  I could see how I would look to the audience, but I smile more :-)
I thought the show was really good, Bronte Kelly was Cinderella this time and she looked lovely and the Prince was Brendon Bradshaw, he was a great Prince.
It was great to see everything come together after just seeing bits in rehearsals and from the side of the stage.

Lucy Green in Cinderella's lovely tutu

Some of my favourite bits were watching Cinderella in here beautiful tutu, it really did twinkle like thousands of fairy lights, seeing Jonte play the Royal Shoemaker with all the other shoemakers working hard to make a copy of Cinderella's shoe, the Silly Sister and her very silly dance, she showed her knickers and was very funny.  And to top it all off was when all the rose petals fell down on Cinderella and the Prince at the end.  There were so many bits that I liked!!!!!

At the Wellington Botanic Gardens

After the show, we had a bit of time on our hands so we went for a walk through the Wellington Botanic Gardens.  It was nice to have some fresh air and look at the flowers.  We also walked through the old graveyard, it was full of beautiful and very perfumed spring flowers.

In the loading bay looking into the moving trucks

It was back to the theatre and the big trucks were there to load all the ballet sets, props, costumes etc in after the show.  I wondered if I could stow away in the back of one of the trucks so I could go on tour.

Next to the huge moving truck

Wow, my last performance, I felt a bit sad again that it will be all over for me after this performance.  I bumped into Joseph and Helio when I was in the dressing room so I had my photo taken with them.  They were about to change costumes.  They are in my dressing room too, but on the other side of the partition wall.

With  Joseph Skelton and Helio Lima

I had to play around with Daniel's make-up again.  I got rid of some streaks in his foundation.  We played cards again to occupy ourselves, then we went downstairs to backstage.  Me and Jonte sat together again.
Then it was my last time on stage.  It all went well as usual.  I didn't really want to go off stage.
It was back up to the dressing room, I took off my costume and put everything in to the washing basket and put away my hat and shoes tidily.

Saying good-bye to Lindsay

We had a chat with Lindsay on the way out and had a big hug.  Then it was off to the railway station, caught the train home and flopped into bed.  I was tired, happy and a little sad.  Until the next time.............

The Fun is Nearly Over

Ballet Diaries - Cinderella
By Salem
The Fun is Nearly Over   10th August 2012

Me and Jacob Chown

I'm feeling a little sad as this was my second to last performance.  I would love to be able go on tour with the Royal New Zealand Ballet and do Cinderella or any future ballet with them and tour around New Zealand.  That is one of my dreams.
Mum did my make-up as usual tonight and when I had got all my costume on I had my photo taken with Jake (Jacob Chown).  He is one of my favourite dancers.  He has been really nice to me over the last few years, I even remember when his brother was with the RNZB.

Young Cinderella, her step-sisters, Matthew Slattery and me

We caught Matthew coming up for a costume change and Young Cinders and Co came up at the same time so I had my photo taken with them.  The girls are Olivia Gordon (short sister), Emily Nicholson (Cinderella) and Heidi Craig (tall sister).
It was also a good chance to have a photo with Sam.  He is new to the company and he is really nice.

Me with Sam Shapiro

Daniel was having to put on his make-up by himself and I saw that he was having some trouble putting his eye-liner on so I asked him if he needed help and he said yes.  I remembered how Mum puts it on me so I did the same to Daniel.  I got him to look up so I could put the eye-liner under his eye.  He didn't have an eye pencil, just some gloopy soft black stuff which I put on with a weird solid brush.
I had to fix up what Daniel had done so I just put some foundation over his mistakes.  I did it properly but he wanted it done even heavier.  He said I did a good job.

Helping Daniel with his make-up

After that he tried to do his mascara but did a big blob under his eye.  So I had to fix that up for him.  Then I did his blusher, he wanted that on far too heavy as well.  He had lots of little black spots from his mascara etc falling down on his foundation so I fixed that up too.

I quite like putting on his make-up and want to experiment on my own face sometime.  I've got my dance school's concert coming up very soon so I will put on my own make-up for that and give Mum a break.

We played cards again tonight, playing Last Card and Daniel taught me how to play Black Jack.

Young Cinderella and Step-sisters

We went backstage when we thought it was about time to.  I was a bit nervous about going backstage because Daniel said that when he was filling in for Nicholas yesterday, as he was sick, he was told off for going down to early.  But we were fine.  I didn't see Jonte backstage this time.

Our performance went well, it is so much fun.  Then back up to the dressing room.  Mum met us up there and I quickly got dressed as we had to go and see some friends, who were watching the show, at the second interval.  They gave me a lovely bunch of yellow roses.  We couldn't chat for long as we had to get a bus to the railway station to catch a train home.  

I was very tired when we got home so it was straight to bed as usual.