Annika 2014

This past year has been filled with lots of new things! Now that we are not so little anymore, everyone is getting jobs, permits and more new things that we would not do when we were little.

The start of the year was just as busy as the year before. In ballet we were getting back in shape from the pumpkin pie from Christmas. It is hard to go back to ballet after a long break. It feels like you lost all of what you worked so hard for the past couple of months, but luckily after a couple of days it comes back. We started working on our dance for the spring performance right away. We were doing "The Little Mermaid” and “ Paquita.”

Margo and I found out at the start of the year that we did not get our Black Belts. But that did not stop us. We kept on working towards them. I turned 14 in February and had a nice party with a few of my close friends.

I also auditioned for the The Bolshoi Ballet Academy Summer Intensive. I had been playing my violin on the street corner in our town to fund it. I played almost every Friday and Saturday afternoon / night. I found out a couple of weeks after I auditioned that I got in!

In the spring we did the annual Spring performance, “The Little Mermaid.” I was one of Aerial's older sisters. In “ Paquita” I had a duet with one of my friends. The dance was cupid from “Don Quixote.” It was a lot for fun and hard work!

For orchestra I auditioned for the next level. I had been in “Prelude" for a couple years and I wanted to move up to “ Philharmonia.” I think I had a good audition, after all I had spent 7 months preparing! I would have to wait for weeks until I got the results.

My summer started when I went to Montgomery (Alabama) String Fellows Music Camp. I have gone every year since I was 12. This year I went with Margo. She was a counselor. It was cool because she had her friends and I had my friends, so we did not clash. I got concert master (that is the first chair violin). I also got a couple of solos as well. At the end of the week I got awarded the scholarship for most improved. It was a big honor!

Once I got home from music camp I had less then one week to get ready for ballet camp in Connecticut. Mom, Benj and I drove up and got settled right away. I originally was going to got for three weeks, and I would pay for room and board. But we decided that I would got for six weeks and mom would drive up to Connecticut with me and we would stay in at hotel.

Bolshoi was amazing! I met lots of new friends and and teachers. I was able to take partnering class that only six-weekers could do. Erik, Benj and Dad flew up and/or down at different times so we could see them too. It was a fun experience. At the end of the six weeks we did a small performance to showcase our improvement.

After the camp was done Mom, Dad and I drove back to Florida. It was good to be home!

Soon Fall came and things started back up. After auditioning for Philharmonia In the past spring I got the results that I got in! Ballet started back up as well. We also had a big Halloween party -- I was Audrey Hepburn from “Breakfast At Tiffany's.”

As fall went on we started working on Christmas things such as Christmas music at orchestra and Nutcracker pieces in ballet. I was in the Arabian dance for ballet. We did a lot for performances for the community. Soon it was Christmas! We had a lovely time. We had Christmas Eve dinner at our house, including my Uncle Steven, Aunt Jeanette, my cousin Jennifer and her husband Jim and Granny and George. It was wonderful spending Christmas altogether as a family.

It has been a wonderful year and I am grateful to spend It with all of my friends and family! I hope you’ve had a very Merry christmas and a Happy New Year!

Love,

~Annika~

xoxo

PS Keep up with me at my blog ValentineDreamer.com.