It was Valentine's Day and I woke up with a bout of rather violent food poisoning. I spent the day in bed, and by sundown I was feeling less poorly albeit a bit shaky on my feet. Against my better judgment, I put on a dress and my friend, Kirsten, picked me up for a drive into the District. American Ballet Theatre performed Giselle at the Kennedy Center, with Isabella Boylston, one of my favorite dancers, in the titular role.
I remember bumbling through the crowds waiting to be admitted in the hall. We had excellent seats and Kirsten was a literal angel the whole evening. She brought me a Vitamin Water that I sipped through the whole performance and I'm pretty sure I took a nap during the intermission. Kirsten even let me sleep on the car ride home.
But even in my ill fog, the evening was a night to remember. Maybe the most breathtaking ballet performance I've ever seen. I remember watching the variations with delight, and waiting in anticipation of my favorite parts. The music swelled and ebbed beautifully, and Myrta and the Wilis exceeded every expectation. The dance was spectacular and worth every bit of discomfort. It brought m to tears and warranted every second of its standing ovation.
In the year since, I've savored the memories of this performance, made more dear to me as the theatres closed a month later. I miss it desperately, and cannot wait to be in the audience once again.
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