And Again

Hi Everyone,

I'm afraid that this is going to be short and sweet, again.

I have had another rehearsal added to my list. Frank Anderson, who worked with us on Siberia to Moscow, stopped by for one day last week to set a very short finale piece. This is going to be used for the Gala next Saturday. It is a very simple piece that is just supposed to end the show with a bang. Frank was originally going to be here for a week working on the piece. But due to the volcano in Iceland blowing its head and creating the worst air traffic jam in a modern history, he was only able be with us briefly.

I haven't been able to get that video shot. The school kids have there major performance tomorrow and they have been jamming up the studios mornings, evenings and weekends. It has been frustrating because all I need is 1 hour in an empty studio to get it done. But their performance is tomorrow and hopefully that will give me the opportunity I need.

I beat my personal best on the the beep test this week. Yay! That sort of shows you how bored I am at the moment.

CNN have been airing their series on Georgia this month and they have finally posted the videos on the web. If you follow this link you will be able so see the various reports. There is one on Nina Ananiashvili that I'm sure you will find interesting and my Mother will endlessly repeat to catch a glimpse of me in the background. ;-P

So that's my news for the week. God willing next week I will have the video!!!

Rodney Cuthbertson

DreamChaser

Another week...

Hi Everyone,

Another week and another post, but I do have some bits and pieces to share with you this week.

Hot gossip item first. One of the three stooges has returned! The principal dancer who last month was in more trouble than a guy caught two-timing is back with the company. The controversy that was boiling over after Japan has run out of steam and the company's lack of principal dancers has been sharply felt. With these two factors combining, the powers that be have allowed him to return. As far as I know, the other two will not be returning.

I'm not really surprised that they have allowed him back. Not only is he virtually irreplaceable; it's typical of the way things are done in this country.

The amusing bit of gossip is that his on/off girlfriend (who he has married and divorced) refuses to be in the same class, room or even same stage as him. She is also a principal dancer which must make for some real scheduling headaches. Not my problem!

I learned yesterday that the company is performing a Gala in the next month and we are going to have a guest artist from American Ballet Theatre! David Hallberg is his name and he will be performing exerts from Swan Lake. If nothing else it will be cool to get a picture with this star.

Our performances for the rest of the year have been set now. There will be performances of the Chabukiani's works, the Gala concert and the American tour in mid June. After this everyone goes on holidays.

I have done three rehearsals this week (Whoopie!!!) They asked me to understudy a Balanchine piece called Bugaku. It is going to be performed at the Gala. It's nothing difficult and I've already learnt most of it. So I'm not going to be doing a lot for the rest of the season. Giselle in America, and that's it.

I didn't have rehearsal today so I went out with Zura and his friends Misha, Sveta and Madonna (No joke, that's her name!) Zura lives about 30 minutes out of Tbilisi in a town called Rustavi. Behind the town is some large hills that give spectacular views. We drove up them took heaps of pictures and shared some katchapuri. Afterward we went down into Rustavi and walked to an ancient castle ruin. Photos are in there usual place or can be viewed by this link. It was great to get out of Tblisi for a bit and see something different. I'm glad that Zura is so friendly and keen on showing off his country.

Thank you everyone for your feedback on the video I posted. I'm going to do a re-shoot of Black Swan tomorrow if possible. Then, I'll get the new video done and post it for you to critique. :-)

That's pretty much it for this week so I'll finish up. Thanks for reading,

Rodney Cuthbertson

DreamChaser

The Times Are Changing

G'day everyone,

I'm just going to tell you straight up that there isn't anything to tell this week. The company is still working on the one-act ballets. I haven't had a single rehearsal this week and the boredom is starting to really get to me now.

My life feels much like a non-event. I don't have much of social life here due to the language and not wanting to spend my time with guys who endlessly chain smoke and like to drink vodka that would easily take graffiti off walls. With work in such a deep lull at the moment, I've just been waisting my days on the internet. Though very entertaining and informing, I would rather have a real life over a virtual one.

So I've made an executive decision. Nina has been out of the country for a bit and is due back today. Sometime this week, I'm hoping to have a meeting with her and let her know that I will probably not stay past the summer. That way I fulfill my original agreement with the company of one season go to America and can save some pennies. I'm just not doing enough to justify them paying this much when they could get the school boys to do my job for a sixth of the price!

I haven't been totally idle with my spare time. With my new camera, I've been able to put together an audition video. You can view the first draft at here or in the sidebar. Feedback and comments are welcome. At the moment I'm going to send my stuff of to Cirque du Soliel and Israel Ballet. Hopefully I'll be able to work out a couple of other places to audition for so I've got plenty to run on when I leave here.

In other news, Will is having his knee operated on today. Hopefully he will be on a speedy recovery and back dancing soon.

So that's pretty much it for this week. Please leave feedback on the video so I can tweak it now if requited.

Thanks for reading,

Rodney Cuthbertson

DreamChaser.

Happy Easter

Hello Everyone,

I hope you all are having a good Easter where ever you are. My Easter has been unusually quiet and free of chocolate. Much like Christmas celebrations, the Easter celebrations here are a lot less commercialized and focus more on the reason for the season. They do have easter eggs here, but they are not of the chocolate variety. They get real eggs, hard boil them, paint them red and then 'hide' them in trays of sprouting beans. So a very different Easter for me.

The isn't a lot more to say from my end. The mass controversy of the last couple of weeks has been dulled with the passing of time and things seem to be quieting down.

The performance of Don Quixote went off as well as expected. The stage was a bit slippery and there were a couple of falls, but nothing serious.

The next season is a series of one act contemporary pieces to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Mr Chabukiani's birth. Chabukiani was a major dancer and choreographer who was instrumental in bringing modern dance to Georgia and Russia. One of the soloists here is Chabukiani's granddaughter and she will be playing a major role in reproducing his work. As yet, I have not been cast or even understudying anything. So for the next two months, I will probably be just doing class till we start preparations for the American tour. Bleah!

I have been enjoying my new camera and taken heaps of new photos. A week ago I went with Zura and some of his friends to a monastery that is a couple of hours drive our of the city. We had to use a 4x4 to get out there, using these rough dirt tracks. As you can see, it's very isolated and remote, but it makes for some ruggedly beautiful photos.

There are also a heap of photos from Don Q's dress rehearsal that are pretty self explanatory. Hope you enjoy.

Will has had some good news with his knee. He isn't going to need major surgery and can get it done in Georgia. He will also not have to be off for anywhere near as long. Fingers crossed, he will be fit for America.

I do have to do a retraction this week. Last week I said that the President was Nina's daughter's godfather. This is incorrect. Nina is actually the Godmother to the President's son. I got it mixed up so apologizes for the error.

That's pretty much it for this week. See you all next week and have a safe and happy Easter.

Rodney Cuthbertson

DreamChaser