Macaulay Seminar One at Brooklyn College

I was looking forward to attending the American Ballet Theatre performance on Thursday night. Even though I had attended ballets before, this one was different from the ones I had attended before for numerous reasons. I learned that the ballet was subdivided into three ballets, and I became even more excited because the ballets I attended before were long and depicted a single story. Moreover, the music of Tchaikovsky, Chopin, and Shostakovich was always something I enjoyed listening to. Furthermore, the physical abilities, fluidity, and gracefulness of the ballet dance art are unlike anything else in the world. Not only do these dancers dedicate their whole lives to this perfection, but they also perform unparalleled things with their body while on stage.

The first performance was something that I enjoyed and expected. It was a classic portrayal of a ballet, with the classical music, typical choreography, “traditional” costumes consisting of tutus and tights. Although the beginning of the first third was something that I found to be archetypal of a ballet, the end of the first third, when all the dancers emerged onto the stage and danced in perfect synchronization was something I thoroughly enjoyed.

The set of the second third of the performance was amazing. The details of the set and the amount of time and effort that probably went into making it were evident. The costumes, set, and the story as a whole fit well together and even though I did enjoy watching it, the third and final part of the performance definitely took my breath away.

Finally, the last third of the performance was probably my favorite. The contrasting colors of the scenery and the body suits, along with the way that they flowed together fluidly as the performers danced was impeccably done. It was unlike anything I had ever seen performed before. While the first portion of the ballet can be compared to soldiers being completely in-sync with one another as they marched, the third part of the ballet can be compared to a more modernized and interesting art form.

In conclusion, I thoroughly enjoyed the night and the American Ballet Theatre performance.

The visit to the 9/11 Memorial was one that I will never forget. Although I watched the Freedom Tower being built over the years, I never entered the grounds of the World Trade Center after the Twin Towers collapsed.

After the security checkpoint and after going through the winding pathway, I entered the memorial and the sight of it took my breath away. It captured all of your senses. The whole site was silent except for the ongoing sounds of rushing water, which blocked out all the sounds of the city. The crisp, cool air enveloped you and the site of greenery everywhere was somewhat surprising. You could see exactly where the buildings once stood, as well as read the name of every person that lost their life that day.

The Freedom Tower stands as the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere alongside the two monuments that were constructed at exactly the sites of the North and South Towers. The two perfectly symmetrical square monuments are identical, except for the names inscribed along the edges, and the depth to which the water fell was unperceivable, no matter how much you tried to see down to the bottom. Each name was illuminated and, each day, a white rose is placed in the names of the individuals whose birthday would have been on that day.

Standing there, it is almost as if you feel closer to the people that are no longer with us. There seemed to be warmth radiating from the names that affected you despite the day’s chilly weather. The more I stood in silence, simply letting the atmosphere engulf me, the more closer and empathetic I felt.

Overall, this experience was a memorable one and, as someone who was personally affected by the events of 9/11, I hope that that day will remain in our memories and never be forgotten in the generations to come after us. I intend to visit the memorial again in the near future.

A few weeks ago, on my birthday, my mother and I went to see the musical “Big Fish” on Broadway. The entire afternoon was pretty exciting! Being that we’re both college students, we decided that we would try to get student rush tickets to see the performance. We got to the box office about twenty minutes before the performance, and got a great discount on last minute tickets. I highly recommend that everyone take advantage of student rush tickets. They’re great!

The performance was spectacular. Having performed in about six musicals when I was much younger, I developed a strong appreciation for the over the top-ness of a Broadway musical. The story is about a cynical son who seeks to learn the truth behind his father’s imaginative life stories. He is about to have a son of his own and wants to make sure that he has his family history straight before his father dies from a terminal illness.

While I was watching the musical, I was transported into a fairy tale world. Every aspect of the performance was mind-boggling. I watched giants, mermaids, witches, and werewolves sing and dance, and the extravagant, dynamic scenery blew my mind away.

However, what I appreciated the most was watching every single move that the performers made be filled with emotion. Every lyric, dance move, and even background movement was jam packed with emotions so tangible that for a second I thought they were true. Big Fish is a fantastic musical that I hope you all get a chance to see!

Going to the American Ballet Theater, aka the “Ballet Theater” for all of us cultured people, was an interesting opportunity. It was also a valuable experience for me because I don’t think I would have otherwise ended up at a ballet just for the sake of going to enjoy myself. I love going to theaters, museums, memorials, and exhibits in my free time, but it never occurred to me that dance is also a highly appreciated form of art.

Part one of the ballet was what I imagined the entire performance would be like. All of the stereotypical elements were there-the tutus, men in tights, and poised dance moves. I wasn’t as impressed as I thought I would be. Given that our threshold for appreciation of the body and its capabilities has been set so high due to all of the crazy extreme sports and events we are exposed to, I found the first third of the performance rather boring.

However, when the curtains opened for the second part, my breath was taken away by the intricacy and complexity of the new set. I loved watching that entire portion of the performance tie together so beautifully. It was just like watching a play but without any words! I never knew it was possible to be so emotionally absorbed in somebody else’s dance moves.

The third part of the ballet was also pretty good. I didn’t like it as much as the second, but after we read the critics’ reviews in class I developed a newfound appreciation for that third of what we saw. I enjoyed toying around with the idea that every detail of the performance related back to Soviet Russia’s authority (the two colored bodysuits, the red objects hanging from the scenery, the music, the dance moves, etc.).

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed our night!

As a soccer player, I have a deep respect for those who push their physical strength to perform fantastic feats. Like many talents, physical prowess takes a huge dedication to practice and regimentation. For these reasons I commend the ballerinas. It is ridiculous how they dance around in those flattened-toe shoes, prancing across the stage like an elegant creature. None 0f their movements were human, as in performed on a regular basis in everyday life. This is one of the true spectacles of the Ballet. There is a fantasy aspect of Ballet that is translated through the movements of the dancers. Based on their movements, I don’t believe anyone could believe that these Men and Women go about their lives everyday, walking, just like we do.

This being said, overall I wasn’t such a huge fan of the Ballet. I think in its traditional form, it is a dying art. Our generation needs to be constantly challenged by their senses to stay interested. Now, elegant ballerinas have been replaced with break dancers who can perform some of the most ridiculous feats of all dancers. Also, the music and culture of break dancing is accepted in our culture, while Ballet is viewed as “ancient” and “dull”.

The first two ballets didn’t do anything for me. I do not mean to downplay the skill of the performance, but I simply was not left a-gasped for a single moment. I wasn’t surprised or on the edge of my seat. I was more concerned with my gummy bears at the time.

despite all this, I have to say that I did enjoy the last ballet. The costumes were eye catching, and promoted the “fantasy” side of ballet that I enjoy the most. The movements were certainly not conventional, and I loved it. The dancers moved in a fluid, oscillating manner that was almost hypnotizing to watch. As I watched, I imagined the dancers as small molecules of the universe, reacting to each others charges and running the universe.