Post-choreography. So hot.

Fact: In my younger days, I took 5 years of jazz dance classes. We’re talking sequins, spandex, and hair with enough AquaNet to withstand a tornado. The whole nine.

Last night, yours truly was thrust into the dancing world once again, as part of The White Hot Happening at the National Ballet’s White Hot Gala. After some incredible performances by newly promoted members of the company, as well as retiring dancer Chan Hon Goh, it was time to grab a martini and bust a few moves of my own.

And how on earth did I manage that? Like most of my crazy adventures, it was sort of by accident…

My friend Jess and I both receive emails from Dance Break, a program that makes ballet tickets more accessible to dance fans aged 16-29. I was out for coffee with another friend when I got a text message from Jess, asking me if I’d gotten the latest email, and if I wanted to go. I said I wasn’t sure, as I couldn’t actually see the email on my Blackberry, but that I’d let her know. She wisely pointed out that tickets would likely sell out quickly, due to the nature of the event and the fact that there were drinks after the performance with members of the company (ie. a super awesome night that was sure to rock our faces off). So I said, sure, yes, put me down for a ticket. Then I got back to the coffee…

When I got home that night, though, I was in for a surprise. Upon opening the actual email, I realized that this super awesome event was much more than I’d bargained for. In addition to the performance and the gala, there was going to be something called a “Happening,” which required me to go to a choreography session downtown. At the National Ballet. With Melissa Williams from So You Think You Can Dance Canada. Umm… Wait a minute. I have to dance? In front of strangers? Seriously?

Hello flashback to the early 90s! (Or Frosh Week, for that matter!)

When our choreography session rolled around in May, I walked into the studio and took a good look around. Surrounded by very fit women on all sides, I had a sudden urge to proclaim “this isn’t where I parked my car!” and run quickly out of the building. But thankfully, I stayed put. After all, how many times in my life am I going to get to learn a dance from Melissa Williams? Really now.

The choreography session was great fun—despite the presence of many video cameras—and we were asked to keep a lid on the dance so that it would be a big surprise for everyone at the White Hot Gala. And let me tell you, it was a secret worth keeping. Last night was a complete blasty blast. After a month of practice here and there, I’m happy to say that I danced my very best, and managed not to trip on my heels and face plant on the hardwood. What more could a girl ask for?

For more details on the White Hot Gala and Happening, check out this article from the Globe and Mail. And if a video of The Happening surfaces somewhere, you can be sure I’ll be posting it here as well!

Update: Here’s the video!

Photo by Linda Nguyen (@L_Nuggie)

Alright, I know I promised a post-concert review in yesterday’s post, but after getting home and relaying the awesomeness of the evening to B-rad, it was pushing midnight and I was one tired (though happy) girl. I decided to sleep on it and return bright-eyed and bed-headed to gush about the evening.

But first, let me share a little gem from my subway ride, because I do love a good TTC tale. I was on the train heading to Queen, quite engrossed in my Metro crossword, when suddenly there was a woman sitting on my lap. Literally. I’m not totally clear on the details, but it seems that a somewhat elderly lady had gotten on the train with a friend, and when the train took off, she hadn’t quite made it to her seat and lost her balance. So there she was, sitting on my knee, holding on to a centre pole and trying to pull herself back up. With some help from another rider, we got her to her feet and into a seat where she said…nothing. Not “Thanks,” not “Hey, sorry about the mall Santa routine back there,” nothing. She didn’t even respond when I asked if she was okay. At first I thought, “Well, that’s odd…” but there are plenty of reasonable explanations for it, ranging from embarrassment to the fact that I’m a notoriously quiet talker. Bygones.

Anyway, I made it to Massey relatively unscathed and picked up my ticket. I’d thought that being close to the back of the main floor might be a bad thing, but I was happily surprised to find that I had a great view of the stage. The opening act for the evening was David Martel from Montreal (whose album you should also buy on iTunes because he’s pretty darn cool). Along with a fantastic cellist (whose name escapes me) and bandmate Natasha Landry doing vocals and playing a very cool mini folding xylophone contraption, Martel put on a great show that featured stripped-down versions of songs from his album, I Hardly Knew Me. When your set ends with a singalong-turned-whistle-along, you get two big thumbs up from me. That’s entertainment.

After snagging a copy of I Hardly Knew Me and chatting with David and Natasha (who were both lovely), it was time for Ms. Adele to take the stage. She opened with Cold Shoulder, which seemed like a natural choice due to its upbeat, energetic tempo. Of course, she could have opened with “I’m A Little Teapot” and I’d still have thought it was incredible. It’s just that voice… that brilliant, powerful, soulful, incredible voice. And her attitude on stage is fabulous as well; after the first two songs she was joking about how she hadn’t meant to be dressed so casually in an oversized sweater (“I sleep in this jumper”), but had gotten cold on her tour bus and didn’t realize what she was wearing until it was too late (“Oh f*ck, I’m in my pyjamas.”) Incredibly talented, and also incredibly humble.

So. Highlights? Well… everything. Apart from the material from 19, which I already adore, I was a big fan of the covers. She knocked out some excellent renditions of Many Shades of Black, Etta James’ “Fool That I Am,” and Sam Cooke’s “That’s It, I Quit, I’m Movin’ On.” In the encore, she also performed a song that will hopefully be on her next album (but isn’t finished yet), called “Stand By Me.” But, being the completely biased critic that I am in this case, my favourite songs of the evening were definitely Hometown Glory and the Bob Dylan cover, Make You Feel My Love.

Solo concert adventure over, I’m back at home and waiting (im)patiently for Adele’s next album. Looks like I’ve got a new girl crush…

I’ve been an Adele fan since I heard “Hometown Glory” on So You Think You Can Dance of all places (something about that moody piano intro gives me goosebumps every time…) so I couldn’t pass up the chance to see her at a venue like Massey. And while I’m hitting the concert solo this evening, which will be a new experience for me, it’s one that I’m definitely looking forward to.

Check back later this evening for thoughts on the show! In the meantime, check out this great interview with Adele from Tuesday’s Globe and Mail.

Update: Thoughts on the show are here!

This Magazine is celebrating its colourful new makeover with a sure-to-be-fabulous bash at Supermarket on March 10. Music, cheap mags and a cupcake bar with CMYK icing… What more could a girl ask for?

Need more details? You can get ‘em here.