ballet and bayonets

"huzzah!" was my cry as i deftly lowered the musket into the cradle of my arms, anticipating the next movement of my gun: a neat, quick stab of the bayonet into my dying enemy's chest. a dying pirate's chest, that is. but today, there was no pirate to offer a quick and painful death. instead, there was a prop master and weapons trainer, telling a bunch of boys how to properly hold the gun. in the sweltering valley heat earlier in the week, the weapons trainer drilled nearly 40 british east india trading company soldiers in military meaneuvers.

after a good bit of training and a few visits to the craft services trailer, i tried my best to prove my merit as a soldier. after all, i need to get that sag card.

after wrapping military training for the day, i drove a few minutes from burbank's disney studio to the streets of hollywood. there, near the intersection of cole & santa monica, is the area's most renowned dance studio. edge is la's premier source for dance classes, ranging from hip hop and belly dancing to ballet and tap. instructors seep out of the entertainment industry's darkest corners, from the likes of madonna concerts or behind-the-scenes american idol choreography. all i'm there for is a little ballet. just as a little musketing and shoot-em-up action is right in its place, so is a well-executed plié or pirouette. although i'm only one class down, i'm hooked. combine that with my biweekly hip hop class, and i will soon be a dance machine to be reckoned with. yeah, so i think i can dance.

and that's what it's all about. as long as i'm pursuing a dream of performing for a living, i might as well get it anywhere i can. so, i'll take bayonets and ballet, please.