January 27, 2010—Day 2

Today is Wednesday, right? So I am already a day behind, but I'm trying to catch up...
Yesterday was our first full day, and that is a gargantuan understatement. About the full part. Woke up, had breakfast, came to The Meeting Place. It is a newly renovated theater, English bookstore, theater supply shop, meeting place for English speaking people and Dominicans. So Midd students lead their first class, which went really well in a very tiny space. There was a warm-up, improvisation, fantastico. Then lunch at Polanco restaurant, which had its ups and downs. Too many tourists, including us. We walked around after lunch, played tourists then headed back to the hotel. Back to the Meeting place at 5:45 for the first rehearsal of the two groups working together, Teatro Balsamo and Dance Company of Middlebury. They are doing several children’s games and songs and it is such a good time—to watch and do, according to Phillipe. After rehearsal we walked to the local cable television station because, yes, Arisleyda, leader of the Balsamo theater group, had arranged for an interview with the two groups. So 22 people piled into a tiny studio and were interviewed en masse. Except for Nicole, Jenn, me and Elian, Arisleyda’s grandson who was half-asleep wedged between us, which was fine by us.

Then to dinner, ordered at 9:00ish and done at 11:00pm. Home, Bed.

Those are the facts, the intinerary. They don’t in any way tell you the thousand and one meetings, kisses, phrases of Spanish both beautiful and broken, laughter, movement. Really in the first 48 hours these Middlebury students have made so many great connections for themselves and others through dance and art. So many small moments of friendships starting, being open to learning, to others. Much more on this tomorrow, I need to catch up on what happened today—two classes, two rehearsals, PB&J sandwiches in a kindergarten classroom where the student dared each other to come in and talk to us. Yeah, I’ll get that down tonight and try and get that to you tomorrow. Meanwhile let's see if I can load some video...mmmm...