Tuesday, October 7
I woke up at 5:30 a.m., anxious to get to the Big Apple. The super shuttle picked me up at my apartment at 10:30 a.m. and I arrived at San Francisco International Airport at 11 a.m. After we landed, I claimed my baggage, got on the bus and headed to the Hudson Hotel. We made it there safely, which I was thankful for! I'm ready to eat. It's been a long day. Good night!
Wednesday, October 8
I woke up at 9 a.m. and had to get my caffeine fix at a Starbucks near the hotel before company class at 11 (until 12:15 p.m.). Then I had rehearsals from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. After rehearsal, I went to a Cuban restaurant, Cafe Leche, and it was delicious. I've had Cuban food before, but this was very good. After that, back to the hotel to watch one of my favorite shows (aside from Project Runway), The David Letterman Show.
P.S. It's really nice to have company massage therapists on tour with us, just in case we need to have something loosened up!
Anthony Spaulding and Nicole Grand of San Francisco Ballet in Val Caniparoli’s Ibsen’s House. Photo by Erik Tomasson.
Monday, October 13
Got my morning breakfast at 9 a.m. and took the subway to Penn Station to visit my grandma (on my father's side). She lives in Red Bank, N.J., and I hadn't seen her in three years, so I was really excited. Before taking the train, I bought a bouquet of flowers to give her. It was our free day so I was really happy to have the whole day with her. We visited all afternoon, talked and ate a lot. I then met up with fellow dancer Ludmilla Campos and we went to a pub/restaurant close to the hotel.
Wednesday, October 15
Woke up around 9 a.m. and felt a little sore so I took a bath and put some liquid muscle/joint reliever in the tub. I went to Whole Foods at Columbus Circle and got fruit and a breakfast sandwich. I ate my breakfast in Central Park since it was nice and warm and I didn't want to eat inside. I took some pictures in the park. Before heading back to the theater, I also bought some sunglasses that I really wanted. We had class at noon with Ricardo Bustamante and rehearsed The Four T's and Within the Golden Hour. We have been taking class more in the studio than on stage because the stage is pretty small. I'm bundling up a lot because the theater can be cool, but it's very intimate—you feel connected to the audience—and I can feel that especially when I'm onstage.
Thursday, October 16
After company class, I'm going to a pizzeria and then to Urban Outfitters to look for an outfit for our end-of the-NYC-season party. I also need to do laundry today before the show at 7:30 p.m. I've only had one show off so far and I am performing The Four T's tonight. My friend from Arizona, a former New York City Ballet dancer, is in town, so tomorrow after rehearsals we'll have lunch together and he'll watch the performance tomorrow night. I haven't seen him since the summer and I'm really excited. He's like a mentor of sorts to me and he hasn't seen me perform in two years; I'll be performing On a Theme of Paganini and Ibsen's House.
Read more tour diaries in San Francisco Ballet’s blog, Open Studio 455.
San Francisco Ballet at 75: The American Tour runs through November 30. The tour’s next engagement is at the Orange County Performing Arts Center in Costa Mesa, Ca., Nov. 11-16. Click here for more details. Tickets: 714.556.2787 or www.ocpac.org.
