Innsbruck, City Perusal, Rehearsals, Finale Choreography...Whew!

The Tanzsommer tour bus picked us all up today....everyone is accounted for, including Marianna who arrived with her beautiful family from Brazil: wow, what a reunion it was for all of us and her! Cameras were snapping as we passed through Tirolian and Bavarian countryside dotted with castles and old churches as the Alps got closer and closer while we zipped across Austria on the autobahn (P.S. There is no speed limit on the autobahn!).

Upon arrival at our hotel, we got our room keys and were enthralled with the views of the Alps and the Palace Cathedral right outside our windows! And, it was so exciting to see Tanzsommer billboards, banners and signs all over the city! After only an hour of free time walking through old town in all of it's cobblestone, gold, and Bavarian beauty, we had director's and studio meetings to make sure we are all on the same page with the schedule. Basically, we hit the ground running and don't stop until July 4th. Ahhhhh, the reality of life as a professional dancer :)

After an amazing dinner which included asparagus cream soup, pork loin, potatoes, salad, Bavarian rolls, fresh green beans, lasagna and too many pastries, sorbet choices and chocolate desserts to chose from, it was off to the theater for rehearsals for our first show: tomorrow, in Absams, a benefit performance in a brand new 600 seat venue.

We found out that we will open and close the concert at each venue (quite an honor) and that all seven of our shows are sold out. Excitement is what is keeping adrenaline pumping and energy high...since it's certainly NOT sleep!

The dancers all met at the rehearsal and the camaraderie is already a joy to see. There are 60+ dancers from Seattle, Texas, Michigan and Oregon (us); and although we have just met, the common bond of dance art we share and the desire to inspire and entertain our audiences has brought us all together as one heart and mind....the spirit of joy and cooperation is incredible. I'm so proud of our girls, not only are they talented, but they are kind hearted, humble and make every effort to be the first to befriend dancers from the other studios.

We learned the Finale choreography tonight, and also another piece of fun choreography that is going to be performed as a "surprise" event that we won' t know the details of until the time arrives. ?? hmmmm....wonder what that will be??

It's 11pm. Rehearsal is over, everyone is exhausted and sweaty. It's time for showers and sleep so that we are ready to do it all again tomorrow. See our schedule for tomorrow below. Thanks for coming along on this virtual journey! with us!

Disclaimer: four of us techno- wizards tried everything we could think of to rotate the pictures above for optimal viewing...if they published sideways, please forgive us .... And tilt head 90 degrees to the left :D

SATURDAY, June 25:
6:30am....breakfast
7:30.........depart Innsbruck
9:00......tour the OBERAMMERGAU Theater...the site of the famous Passion Play of Christ (the play is performed in the summer only once every 10 years, and is usually sold out internationally for two years prior- the last performance was in 2010...the next in 2020)
11:30........tour NEUSCHWANSTEIN Castle
5:00..........arrive at our venue in the city of Absams
5-7:00.......block,stage and rehearse concert
7:30............Show time!
9:30pm........dinner in Absams hosted by Tanzsommer in our honor
11:00pm.....back at the hotel, shower, set alarms for 7am for rehearsals and our Gala Concert at the Innsbruck Palace Theater tomorrow night (1800 seats, all sold out!)

to Neuschwanstein Castle for tour