Dancer Perspectives – Cristina Rodriguez
Cristina Rodriguez on GKA and her roles in ‘Swan Lake’ and ‘Drum Dance’
What pieces are you dancing for the show?
-I am in Swan Lake Corps and Drum Dance (from La Bayadere).
Cristina Rodriguez in rehearsal for ‘Swan Lake’ Corps de Ballet
Can you tell us a little bit about Swan Lake?
-We’re doing the 2nd act of Swan Lake, which is really great. I love the music – it’s wonderful, it’s probably the best part of it, which really helps the dancing. It’s easier to find the character when the music’s as rich as it is. For the 2nd act of Swan Lake – my story of Swan Lake is very bad- (laughs) -I don’t know it completely but I know it’s in the forest, by the lake and all the swans are around it… I’m not very good at describing ballet! (laughs) The coda (finale part of the piece) is the best – I love the coda music.
What do you feel about the piece?
-Well, something I did to prepare myself for – what really gets me in the mood of being a swan in Swan Lake corps is imagining I have my own set of wings – not exactly my arms but these wings that extend from the middle of my back and go out like this (demonstrates). That always really helps. And in a lot of the poses where I have to be looking over – you just imagine seeing your reflection in the lake. All those things really help.
Then for Drum Dance – that’s a very exciting piece – lots of stamina required for that one! Very earthy and tribal, which is really exciting. You definitely feel like your heart is going to escape from your chest by the end of it (laughs) – it’s pounding so hard that you’re worried that your ribcage isn’t strong enough to keep it contained. But it’s very exhilarating.
What about either piece is challenging or easy for you?
-A challenging part of Drum Dance is to keep the energy up and not lose it toward the end when you become very fatigued. And I’ve actually discovered that it’s better to just go for it instead of “okay, I have to save enough energy for the end” – if you just go for it you get so much adrenaline from the piece that you’ll be fine. As long as you rehearse it enough so that you get used to it, it’s fine. So that’s a challenge, to always “go for it” – you’ll be fine, you’ll get through it.
Swan Lake corps is not an easy corps, it’s probably the most difficult corps pieces there is, but that’s what makes it really enjoyable – the challenge a lot of the time in corps pieces is that you’re just standing there “looking pretty” – and in Swan Lake you actually have to dance and be together with all the other swans. I would have to say something that’s easy about Swan Lake corps is getting the emotion behind it because of the music. That’s something that’s easy to find for myself.
Cristina in rehearsal
What do you find most enjoyable about either piece?
-I really like the eye contact that goes on in Drum Dance with my fellow dancers. Sometimes you get these really intense tribal looks where you’re just pounding that imaginary drum – “here we go, this is the last 8 counts, we’re just going to whack it out” – that’s fun. I think that’s the most enjoyable part of that one.
What part does the music play in either piece – what impact does it have on you as you’re dancing?
-I would have to say towards the end of the entrance of the 2nd act of the corps (in Swan Lake) and the big and little swans come running in the music gets very bravado and intense and almost – I don’t know – I feel a lot of pain. (passionately sings the tune) It’s really hard to just stand there in your position and not get really emotional. The first couple of times we had rehearsal I was like “oh my gosh, this music is so intense!” I couldn’t help by really feel that music – the intense pain… I don’t know, that’s what I got from it.
What does performing mean to you?
-I don’t know… it’s a very nice moment to enjoy what you love to do. It’s not so much for me about “hey look what I can do” when you’re up on that stage – “look at how hard I work” – no, it’s really just a moment of – not self-indulgence – but a moment of enjoying yourself and just sharing that enjoyment with everybody else – with the audience, with who you’re dancing onstage with. It’s very powerful.
Cristina assisting GKA student, Justine Hulley on paining the base of our ‘Witches’ cauldron
What has it meant for you to be a part of GKA?
-It’s been a very interesting two years here. I was here from the very first summer, beginning-beginning. I was here when they cranked open those doors and there was nothing but a floor and white walls and no mirrors, no chairs, no reformer bed – no anything! It’s been a really good growing experience to kind of grow up with all these people and see everybody change and see yourself change as a dancer in a good way, both technically and artistically, and to watch the camaraderie – become really close knit – because you have to in this industry – you need help from your fellow dancers and I’m glad that this is the kind of school that has that. You can find people that really support you no matter what.
Anything you’d like to share about your preparation for the show?
-Keep doing what I’m doing, work hard in class, keep doing my Pilates! (laughs) That’s probably the key right there. I need to have nice abs for that Drum Dance, I’ve already been working on my abs so I wasn’t too worried, but I need to work on them a little more.
Written by, Rachel Wunder
Gelsey Kirkland Academy of Classical Ballet 