Daily Tidbits of Mad Woman

\\ N u t c r a c k e r // I loved performing Arabian today! Thanks to my partners @davideyes and @cagnat! . . . #MadsView #sfballet #SFBGoesNuts #SFBNutcracker (at War Memorial Oprea House San Francisco) https://www.instagram.com/p/Brmj8sFBdFz/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1b1fw63qnd34p

\\ N u t c r a c k e r // Today we opened @sfballet's The Nutcracker! Shows will continue on through December 29th; get your tickets now before it's too late! . Here is a little clip of me rehearsing Arabian 🧞‍♀️ . . . #MadsView #sfballet #sfbnutcracker #SFBGoesNuts (at San Francisco Ballet) https://www.instagram.com/p/BrUVcrLBwZ9/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=2ruc39kl75th

\\ SFB Goes Nuts // Nutcracker Season 2018 is officially upon us @sfballet! . Today we moved back into the @sfwarmemorial (it's so great to be back!) and had our first onstage Nutcracker rehearsal. Tomorrow we will have a dress rehearsal and then it's already time for opening night! . . . #SFBGoesNuts #MadsView #sfballet (at War Memorial Oprea House San Francisco) https://www.instagram.com/p/BrR5GJAh1au/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=oxde751p5oa2

\\Nutcracker Guesting// This Sunday (Dec 2nd) @benfreemantle and I will perform as Sugar Plum and Cavalier in @sjyouthballet and @dancetheatreinternational's The Nutcracker! . Yesterday we made it through a long day of learning the opening and finale, rehearsals at the studios, and a dress rehearsal at the theater. . I can't wait to perform tomorrow! 😁🙏🏻 . . . #MadsView #nutcracker #sanjoseyouthballet #dancetheatreinternational (at School of Arts & Culture @MHP) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bq319QJhE5C/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=jigxjdqdvxsv

\\ A k r a m . K h a n // I'm always in awe of how small the dance world can be... When San Francisco Ballet was recently on tour in NYC, I was walking down the street towards the theater and ran into the one and only @AkramKhanLive! It was so nice to briefly chat and it brought back a flood of memories. . My most cherished moments at English National Ballet were thanks to Akram; first in this piece, "Dust" and later in the group and as Giselle in his own full-length version of "Giselle" (which we created at ENB). . This photo was taken during a performance of DUST. . . . #AkramKhan #MadsView (at London, United Kingdom) https://www.instagram.com/p/BqnVwA1hOCU/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1v2v1afkv8jcu

I'm loving my new @gaynorminden jumpsuit!!! . It's keeping me warm as I review some new steps 💃🏻🕺🏻 . Nutcracker time is coming up fast! . . . #GaynorMinden #GaynorMinden Jumpsuit #GaynorMindenWarmUps (at San Francisco Ballet) https://www.instagram.com/p/BqkveVhhucl/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1dqmtkou2goou

•🦋• Photographer: @jamie.nease Hand painted scarf: @ellenbrookartandfashion Hair: @taylorgallanter Makeup: @ashlee.samson Pointe shoes: @freedoflondon . . . #FreedOfLondon #ballet #MadsView #photoshoot #photography #worldwideballet #worldwidedance #balletlover (at San Francisco, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/BqjHFNbBukh/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1rt70c3tjofz7

\\ Gr a t e f u l // Today I’m grateful to be living in the USA so that I can be in my home country during this difficult time. Our democracy is at stake and we must not give up this important fight. #DonaldTrumpIsNotMyPresident #TuVotaEsTuVoz #YourVoteIsYourVoice https://www.instagram.com/p/Bqgc-tUBO5e/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=dxft3tbmyuhk

\\ G r a t e f u l // I’m grateful for the many different paths my life has taken over the past 28 years, and for the amazing people who became a part of my life along the way. . #HappyThanksgiving https://www.instagram.com/p/BqgWOukhLdH/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=ojv8v4c391ma

\\N u t c r a c k e r . G u e s t i n g// I'm very excited to announce that @benfreemantle and I will be performing the grand pas de deux for @dancetheatreinternational's performance of The Nutcracker on December 2nd at 11am and 4pm! Hope you can come see us dance in San Jose 🤗 . This is a little clip is from my first rehearsal trying to get the solo and the coda together. . . . #TheNutcracker #BayAreaEvents #ballet #NutcrackerShows #MadsView #DanceTheatreInternational (at San Francisco Ballet) https://www.instagram.com/p/BqecHuuBmnu/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=18uimd33zwh0z

\\ C a l i f o r n i a . F i r e s // While it's been very hard to breathe through some of the past days in San Francisco, I am grateful that we are only dealing with the smoke and not the fires. . So many people have died, are unaccounted for, or have lost their homes in these terrible fires. From the reporting that I've read, the best thing we can do right now is to donate money as opposed to supplies. It's the easiest way to make sure people get the correct supplies and help they need. . Go to @americanredcross or click the link in my bio to see a larger list of how you can help. . . . #cafire #californiafires #campfire #donate #smoke (at San Francisco, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/BqdK3MNhNLH/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1a4a3jo5qwcod

•🦋• Photographer: @jamie.nease Hand painted scarf: @ellenbrookartandfashion Hair: @taylorgallanter Makeup: @ashlee.samson Pointe shoes: @freedoflondon . . . #FreedOfLondon #ballet #MadsView #photoshoot #photography (at San Francisco, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/BqbJ6oCh8la/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=5ljjboytpf27

❤️ (at Charmaine's) https://www.instagram.com/p/BqZW7uShHYH/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1n1ykegoc5ppy

\\ Tour // At @nycitycenter when dancers from 8 different companies take class in one studio. 👯‍♀️👯‍♂️🕺🏻💃🏻 (at New York City Center) https://www.instagram.com/p/BqO36EjBnZ8/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1jw9sn7x80ubc

I'm always greatful to read the words of Andrew Solomon. I believe his writing is vital, especially for those who may not understand or know anything about depression. . Here is an excerpt from Andrew Solomon's book: The Noonday Demon: An Atlas of Depression . "Since I am writing a book about depression, I am often asked in social situations to describe my own experiences, and I usually end by saying that I am on medication. “Still?” people ask. “But you seem fine!” To which I invariably reply that I seem fine because I am fine, and that I am fine in part because of medication. “So how long do you expect to go on taking this stuff?” people ask. When I say that I will be on medication indefinitely, people who have dealt calmly and sympathetically with the news of suicide attempts, catatonia, missed years of work, significant loss of body weight, and so on stare at me with alarm. “But it’s really bad to be on medicine that way,” they say. “Surely now you are strong enough to be able to phase out some of these drugs!” If you say to them that this is like phasing the carburetor out of your car or the buttresses out of Notre Dame, they laugh. “So maybe you’ll stay on a really low maintenance dose?” They ask. You explain that the level of medication you take was chosen because it normalizes the systems that can go haywire, and that a low dose of medication would be like removing half of your carburetor. You add that you have experienced almost no side effects from the medication you are taking, and that there is no evidence of negative effects of long-term medication. You say that you really don’t want to get sick again. But wellness is still, in this area, associated not with achieving control of your problem, but with discontinuation of medication. “Well, I sure hope you get off it sometime soon,” they say." - Andrew Solomon, The Noonday Demon: An Atlas of Depression . . . #andrewsolomon #depression #mentalhealthawareness #mentalhealth https://www.instagram.com/p/BqOAjKEhvwe/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1xfll5nnj3ip3

. https://www.instagram.com/p/BqN_L5mBpcj/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=2f9r057r6ldz

\\ Tour // A look back at our recent D.C./NYC tour. Here we were rehearsing Divertimento No 15 in the studio of the @kennedycenter. (at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts) https://www.instagram.com/p/BqNyDLVBVLY/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=bws35jzaeisf