"Life Lessons."

Colin looking at the set for "Life Lessons."

Our journey ended on Wednesday and I basically hit the ground running once again because the kids have a big performance tonight.  They had dress rehearsal most of the day yesterday followed by a pas class (partnering) until 8:30 PM.  Back to the movie...I spent 4 grueling days at rehearsals and the movie set.  I honestly don't know how my Colin and Claire survived all this but they did and they did it beautifully. The ordeal actually lasted 5 days ( a good friend took the kids on one of the days so I could run around trying to get work permits for the kids).  The first three days were very intensive rehearsals.  They learned choreography for a 6 minute ballet and the choreography they needed at the ballet barre.  These days lasted 6 -10 hours, not counting about 3 .5 hours in travel.  The rehearsals took place in a rather small ballet studio.  I met moms from all over the area as well as other states.  Watching the process was fascinating.  I just don't get how the kids learn the steps with this choreographer jumping all round calling out moves, changing every 2 minutes.  It was nuts.  Yet learn they did.  The last two days we spent in Evanston Illinois where they filmed this short film.  The production company rented out the famous Giordano Dance School, which in itself was worth the time.   The Giordano Dancers are a well know throughout the world as a  jazz/modern company.  In fact my husband and I have seen them perform several times.  My oldest (who came along with me) got to watch them rehearse.  So the world of movies is definitely not for me.  One is literally on call from 6 AM till?????  One does not find out when they need you on set till maybe 12 hours before.  This was perhaps the most frustrating aspect of doing this movie.  When I found out that the kids had a 6AM call on Monday morning, I nearly fainted (we were up at 3 AM to get there) and so we booked a hotel and stayed in Evanston.  I felt a little more in control but we were still at the directors beck and call.  I met the main star who played the dance instructor Bently Stone.  He actually played Scar in the Broadway production of Lion King.  Way cool.  Sitting on the set was hot, very hot, and although the technical stuff, like the cameras were cool, it was mainly a hurry up and wait sort of scenario.  The kids found the process fascinating.  Claire wants to be in the movies, Colin, not so much.  He found the waiting unbearable and was glad to have his friends from the ballet school there.  

So what is this movie about...Believe it or not, I am not really sure.  It is set in the famed Bently Stone-Walter Camryn studios in Chicago (circa the 60's) and it is about a young girl who becomes a dancer but during her youth, really was not sure about it.  It shows off how hard it was to be a dancer (ballet) back then.  Apparently the film is going the route of the film festival (Cannes, Tribeca), and from there, who knows.  It could be months in editing.

At the very least, my dancers have a "star" literally, on their dance resume and you never know who will see the film.  Hopefully they wont wind up on the editing floor :)