Bruised toes and busy times

My feet are delightfully destroyed. Two bruised toenails and skin missing on more than half my toes. While exclaiming over the gross-ness with V, I snapped a picture of them with my camera phone and said "THAT's going on my blog." Don't scroll down if you're eating (you're welcome for the warning).

Epically incinerated toes aside, rehearsal today was joyful. I was nervous going into it, but the worrying must have helped-- I even managed to complete one of the most challenging ballets with my dignity intact (for maybe the second time in, um, ever). We get our full notes tomorrow.

We're also dancing a piece to Martin Luther King Jr's famed "I Have a Dream" speech-- an original recording from August 28th, 1963. Talk about an experience. I'd never heard the full speech in its entirety until our very first rehearsal, where we heard the speech while watching the original performance of the dance. Just in case his words weren't powerful enough (which they are), dancing to them, having the know the speech well enough to find one's cues and timing-- makes them resonate so much deeper. Even rehearsing it is powerful. It will close the show.

I still haven't had the time to post about what my ensemble is up to. I have this evening off so I can get things together for us for the rest of this week and next-- one week from Friday is our showing/fundraiser, two days later we're dancing as part of a dance festival. It is a busy time.
Speaking of which, I need to get off my derrière and start getting organized. More updates to come-- until then, here's you're moment of Zen:

(you're really glad I used the "small" image choice, aren't you?)