DNB class

Yesterday started with a visit back to the Opera & Ballet house to watch a class and tour backstage. A volunteer led the way. We started with cookies and coffee or tea. The class started at 11a and was a small group because most of the dancers had the day off. The ones who were there were performing that night in the new Opera + Ballet commission of Romeo & Juliet. We were lucky to see Vito Mazzeo formerly of SFB, recently relocated here. James Stout and Erica Horwood are two Canadians with the company and they were both in class. We sat at the very front of the room, so close we could touch them. When they were doing their grand allegro, the dancers ended their runs at our feet! After the tour, we went to the wig shop where the head of the department explained about how they make wigs (mostly for the Opera). Apparently long grey hair is the most expensive to buy. We also walked through the costume department, and back stage where they were setting up for the evening's show. After the tour, I went to visit Rembrandt House, an interesting look at home life during his time, with a wonderful exhibit of his nude drawings and etchings. I decided to take a different route back to the hotel via Rembrandtsplein. There is a large statue of the artist with smaller life size statues of the figures in the Night Watch painting. I rested for the remainder of the afternoon. We had a group dinner planned for the evening. Katherine surprised us with a guest-Martin ten Kortenaar, a young Canadian dancer who we had seen at the Saturday performance (and who Katherine had pointed out to me. He was delightful, well spoken and regaled us with stories of how he got into dance and life as a dancer. The food was excellent as well!