This is my third blog from the fall semester. I had been having difficulty with WordPress at the time, so it was never posted:

There are various forms of artistry in this world, from a painting hanging on display for all to see, to the graffiti on the underside of a bridge around the corner from the museum. Regardless of the medium, both beauty and genius can be found in a variety of settings with the assistance of an open mind and an appreciation for the cultural differences that make each style unique. Recently, I had the opportunity to experience a whole new art form- story telling through ballet.

            A few weeks ago, my roommate and I went to see the Atlantic City Ballet’s production of Dracula in Stockton’s Performing Arts Center.  Though we both took dance lessons when we were younger, neither of us had ever been to a formal ballet before. Upon entering the theater that evening, we were both excited for the experience and prepared to be captivated by the show. The dancers in the production came from countries as far as Australia and cities as near as Philadelphia, while their resumes ranged from seasoned veterans to novices in the touring circuit.  We were immediately mesmerized by the grace of the performers, as we ourselves lacked the poise to even attempt what they had managed to accomplish throughout the years. To simply witness such a production was inspiring in itself.

Though the show was beautiful to watch, understanding the piece was far more difficult than we had previously expected. For two people with no prior knowledge of the play and little experience in ballet, the task of interpreting the plot was much more challenging than anticipated. We constantly found ourselves turning to each other in attempts to clarify what exactly we were watching transpire, and we sincerely wished for subtitles to magically appear in front of our eyes. Eventually, we gave up on the effort to decipher the plot and simply let ourselves enjoy the show. Once we managed to sit back and watch the piece transpire in front of us, we found the production even more enjoyable. Through we did not know every detail, we slowly began to catch on to subtle nuances and piece the storyline together for ourselves.  By acting as if we were looking through the lenses of more experienced audience members, we were able to enjoy the ballet as an art form, and remember the experience as a truly enchanting evening.