[This blog was written on Sunday, May 16 in Florence, Italy.]

Today is the big day! It is the premiere of Impermanence, a creation Zdenek [Konvalina] and I have been working on for the Maggio Musicale in Florence.

It all began two years ago when we started brainstorming about a multimedia performance that would explore a new way of using dance. Not too long after that, I got an offer from the Maggio Musicale in Florence to choreograph and write the music for a work that would be presented during the festival. I talked to Zdenek and we jumped at the opportunity to develop our own show.

We decided we would co-choreograph the entire full-length work. I would write the entire score and we would both dance in the piece as well. Needless to say, we’ve been very busy.

At 8:30 pm on May 16, a Sunday night, kind of an unusual time for a premiere, we will see this piece come to life at the Goldoni Theatre. It’s a very old and beautiful theatre in the heart of Florence and it feels like it’s been kind of our second home in Florence.

Last week, there were many problems that arose for the theatre. The government of Italy is restructuring the funding for the arts and it seems like the Maggio Musicale will suffer. There have been many strikes and many unplanned challenges during our stay so our show is having its premiere during a very intense time in Italy.

I have to say that this whole project has been a huge learning curve for me. Zdenek and I have been responsible for pulling together every single aspect of the show. From creating a short film that is shown in different scenes in the ballet, to writing and recording a full musical score that was written for a 12 piece string orchestra, to casting, rehearsing and, of course, creating 70 minutes of original dance.

It’s been a wonderful couple of weeks that concludes two years of work. Zdenek and I are having incredibly long days that usually finish with a little wine and more brainstorming.

The nerves are different this time. I’m used to being nervous about dancing - I’m familiar with my body and thinking pattern before a big show - but as a choreographer and composer, these jitters are all very new to me. I feel more vulnerable than I have in a very long time and I can’t tell if it’s good or bad but whatever happens tonight, I’m very proud of Impermanence.

So I’m off to the show and as the Italians say, “In bocca al lupo!” (direct translation: “In the wolf’s mouth!”, meaning: “Have a good show, break a leg!”)

Impermanence will be part of the Canada Dance Festival in Ottawa on June 7, 2010.

Guillaume Côté is sponsored through Dancers First by Emmanuelle Gattuso & Allan Slaight.

Zdenek Konvalina is sponsored through Dancers First by Gretchen Ross.

[Photos of Impermanence provided by Guillaume Côté]

The National Ballet of Canada welcomed a very special guest this week. Her Excellency, the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada, made a stop at the National Ballet during her two-day visit to Toronto.

The visit included a tour of the National Ballet’s Wardrobe department to view the newly designed costumes for Onegin, a rehearsal of Onegin in the studio and even an impromptu vocal sampling of West Side Story Suite’s much-loved song, America, courtesy of Corps de Ballet members Tiffany Mosher (Anita) and Jordana Daumec (Rosalia), who were on their toes in more ways than one.

Media were on hand for this special occasion and coverage with photos was included in The National Post and Toronto Sun, among other outlets. The Globe an Mail featured this Canadian Press video.

[Photos: 1, 2 and 3: Her Excellency Michaëlle Jean and Karen Kain, with Artists of the Ballet. 4: Chair of the Board Lucille Joseph, Executive Director Kevin Garland, Her Excellency Michaëlle Jean and Artistic Director Karen Kain. Photos by Bruce Zinger.]

A lot has changed over the past year – The National Ballet of Canada has welcomed two new ballet babies and there are two more on the way! Here’s how some of our dancer moms will be spending this Mother’s Day:

Principal Dancer Xiao Nan Yu (mom to Ava, age 5 and a half) doesn’t know what is planned but is expecting a surprise that Ava has been creating at school!

First Soloist Rebekah Rimsay (mom to Anya, age 2) is hoping for sunny weather so that brunch in Roncesvalles can be on the patio.

First Soloist Tanya Howard (mom to Lia, age 2), is having a multi-generational get together. Lia’s grandmother and great-grandmother will both be there, so there will be four generations of women to celebrate with.

First Soloist Keiichi Hirano and mom-to-be Corps de Ballet member Tamara Jones (expecting a daughter in September) will be attending the wedding of the daughter of Keiichi’s former host family and radio personality Tarzan Dan. They will also continue to work on the nursery in their new home.

Principal Dancer Sonia Rodriguez (mom to Gabriel, age 6 and a half and Dillon, age 2 and a half) will be sharing a meal with her Mom in the city.

[Photos: Top, Xiao Nan Yu with daughter Ava. Centre, Rebekah Rimsay with daughter Anya. Above, Sonia Rodriguez with her Mom, Luci, and Sister, Vanessa.]