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By KIM TYSON
Battalion Campus Editor
Dressed in velvets and brocade, a
ady-in-waiting” stood before a
icked Rudder Auditorium last
|iursday knowing that with one
r of ballet training behind her
ie could ruin “Swan Lake. ”
The idea seemed at first abusrd.
Me, dance in the ballet?
As a six-year-old, I dreamed of
“coming a ballerina during a girl’s
andard year of ballet lessons. But
ly lack of skill, plus my mother’s
islike for the ballet teacher put an
nd to that. Or so I thought.
The chairman of the Opera and
erforming Arts Society (OPAS) de-
ered what she considered a
9 colleges! wmbshell” to members last week.
ceded for extras in the ballet: one
oman, four men. Average sizes.
In the spirit of George Plimpton,
Supeij hy not live out a dream? I volun-
possible. [ :ered.
Costume fitting and rehearsal
egan at 3 p.m. before the night’s
>eakerswn erformance. My colleagues, four
cal to get! oung men railroaded into volun-
Dorothyk sering, met me near the stage in
udder.
When we came in, the crew was
the middle of rehearsal practic-
d for
•ky Paris
jolly were
cs coacli,
!1 awards s
ds the
III
; vious ydgng steps and leaps on stage. Ben
■tevenson, artistic dance director,
Ir 'head honcho as one performer
aid, was giving instructions. He
oon began to hum parts of “Swan
,ake” as each dancer took turn
oing the steps and jumps. Some
and laughlingly tried to ful-
11 his commands and amuse the
est of the cast.
Most of the members of the ballet
ii roup were in their early 20’s al-
lough the leading dancer, Andrea
odehnal, will be 40 next year.
At 21, I felt like a has-been,
hildhood ballerina dreams had
me fry-
Knowing my experience with bal-
it, I rhought I’d probably end up a
« ie or fake swan for the perfor
ce. But the heavy velvet dress
id headress made me feel less a
■ < i eak and more a true member of
M / i ie cast.
| Any amount of frivolity I per-
eived at the afternoon rehearsal
as dead that evening.
Forty-five minutes before the
erformance, I arrived to dress and
ear more about my part.
. But the stage this time was filled
ith sweating, huffing puffing dan
'll
. Yeast
are sol
r healtk
clenium
licult to
nts,
an be hand
•m
cm
Buffet
riday
P.M.
cers. They lined up along four pipe
bars, stretching their limbs in splits
and extensions. None dressed to
perform.
“One, two, three,” Stevenson
barked as the dancers sweat.
“Half hour, everyone, half hour
till places,” he said at the end.
In the women’s dressing room,
black trunks filled with assorted
leotards and ballet slippers covered
the floor.
Tackle boxes of mascara,
eyelashes, liners and eye shadows.
Lighted mirrors one after the other
around the dressing room. Clothes
racks of sequined, ruffled outfits in
the center.
An intercom was like the tick of a
bomb. Someone would come over it
to announce the minutes left. You
could hear the orchestra warming
up and the crowd filling in.
A few stragglers quickly put on
their outfits, adjusted straps and
hurried to the wings. I groped from
backstage darkness to find them.
The ballet had started.
A man in front of a conductor’s
stand spoke into his headphone near
a lighted boards
“Five, four, three, two, one, light
cue five,” he counted down like a
rocket launch announcer. “Light
cue six, go.”
Four spear-carrying guards wear
ing gray tights and helmets arrived.
One seemed hypnotized by the per
formance. “This is something,” he
said, “I sure wish I had a front row
seat.” They stood together,
spellbound.
An apprentice dancer in the
wings imitated the movements on
stage, nodding her head to the beats
of the music.
One girl rushed to the stage after
performing a dance. “I knew I forgot
something,” she said grabbing an
arm ruffle with exasperation. Back
at the dressing room she mentioned
paying a fine for the missing piece of
costume.
The act ended and the “swans”
powdered up for the next act.
“Places, upstage right,” came the
anonymous voice again. “Watch out
where the fog is coming out. It may
be slippy.”
Groans from the room. “It may be
me, the way my night’s going,” one
dancer chimed in.
The flock of swans gathered at a
rosin box to powder their shoes. An
Say nation losing
productivity lead
United Press International
MENLO PARK, Calif. — Re
search and development continues
to decline in the United States, a
decline that threatens a lower
standard of living, according to Stan
ford Research Institute’s magazine.
The quarterly cites a number of
economic indicators, suggesting that
the nation is losing its lead in produc
tivity and technological innovation.
A slowdown in innovation could
mean fewer jobs and less trade over
seas.
For Battalion Classified
Call 845-2611
THE BATTALION
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 1977
Samson
PROFESSIONAL
HAIR
DESIGN
1510 Holleman
College Station
693-1772
UniPcrm
PRiUSlON FIRMING SftllM
1 w -il
George Ann Hoke, Judy Fondy,
Kathy Grimes, Vickie Matthews,
Judy McCann.
(not pictured: Jane Kroll)
old folding table became an exercise
bar.
“Go” shouted one stage hand as
another pulled the curtain rope up
hand over hand.
Vodehanl finished a graceful solo
on stage. “God, I’ve got to catch my
breath,” she said as soon as she got
to the wings of the stage. “First, the
music slow, then fast.” Her “prince”
throws up his hands.
I suddenly realized my moment
of stardom was coming up. I stop
the questions about dancers and
start them about me.
Shock of shocks. The last girl in El
Paso nearly didn’t make it off the
stage, one dancer confided, laugh
ing. I started worrying.
No step-by-step- rehearsal, just a
quick run-down about where to be.
My “performance” was a parade
behind two dancer “ladies-in-
waiting” and the queen. I smiled
nervously as I tried to look like a
pro.
But I realized by peers were true
professionals on stage. I stood there
worrying about whether my folded
hands should cross left over right, or
right over left.
The sweat sprays from the
“prince” like a sprinkler as he turns.
Ballet being difficult, of all things.
They sweat like football players.
But next was when the El Paso
girl blew it, I looked to see my cure
from other dancers. The throne
“blows up” with a gun powder
smoke screen and I throw my hands
up in mock horror.
My ^rand performance was over.
I didn’t shake the Earth. The pro
gram did’t even say we existed.
I walked to the dressing room and
took off the dress and headdress.
The thick eyeliner and eyeshadow
next.
Average Jane Doe, junior, jour
nalism major walks past the Corps
area to my dorm room.
“What if. . I began to think. I
looked down at my bow legs.
“Oh, well...”
J
onference requests ‘funds’ meeting
ilk]
(knew,
itilher.
30
AST\\
lAYSljJ
United Press International
HOUSTON—The National Worn
’s Conference, financed by a
'hly controversial $5 million fed-
appropriation, called Monday
President Carter and Congress to
ovide “sufficient funds” for yet
other such meeting of American
imen.
Conservatives angered by the de-
«ion promptly staged a walk-out
it before the historic four-day con-
'ence was scheduled to adjourn,
ie protesters left singing a chorus
“God Bless America.”
Does the country want more of
is?” asked conservative floor
ider Joan Gubbins, a state senator
Indiana. “Does the country want
re tax money spent for one point
I view?”
Feminists dominated the confer-
ice, which passed 25 proposals in-
jding support for the Equal Rights
endment, abortion, and lesbian
gilts. Only one proposal by the
jadership was defeated.
.Conference leader Bella Abzug
iffered a personal defeat when the
(eeting rejected her proposal for a
lecial federal women’s depart
ed — the only major issue that
vided the feminist majority.
Many feminists joined with con-
rvatives and members of the les-
an caucus to defeat the women’s
ipartment. Some lesbians indi
ted they were motivated by bit-
■mess at Abzug for her original re
liance to discuss lesbian rights at
e conference.
Eleanor Smeal, president of the
ational Organization for Women,
id most opponents of the women’s
apartment simply did not like the
idea that women’s concerns would
be “ghettoized” in the government.
Feminist leader Gloria Steinem
spoke on behalf of the proposed de
partment, contending it would be
nothing more than a small agency
for women’s advocacy at the cabinet
level.
The conference of some 2,000
delegates—the first of its kind in
American history—has long been
under attack by conservatives for
the expenditure of millions of fed
eral tax dollars to promote feminist
causes.
Xerox presents 90 minutes
with one of literature’s most
celebrated heroes.
Bilbo Baggins, the reluctant
adventurer created by J.R.R. Tolkien
and idolized by millions of readers
of all ages, comes to television
in a spectacular animated special
from Rankin/Bass Productions.
Everyone will want to see how
the timid Bilbo finds the courage to
confront the fearsome Gollum, the
mighty Great Goblin and,
finally, the awful Smaug.
Once you’ve seen this Xerox
presentation, you’ll never again
believe animated specials are only
for children.
661
TheHobbit’.’
Sun., Nov. 27, NBC-TV Network.
Check local listing.
lays
15 & 9:15
5
. iW' 1 *
dai^
7:15
9:15
Tfiurs
thru
Sur.
1:15
3:15
5:15
ALSO
“Beat t.u.!”
Petal Patch
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soft drink for every-
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Friday, November 25
Also . . .
Flowers for
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Conveniently located across from campus
707 TEXAS PHASE II 846-6713
SAW BEVO’S HORNS OFF . . .
in one of the great contests at Taco Villa after
the bonfire!
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25
A WINNER EVERY HOUR
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9:30 p.m.
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