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- Tuesday was a fairy tale. We started off bright and early at 4:00 AM, and went to New York City! I was so excited when we finally pulled up in front of that famous skyline! It was awesome to go to 30 Rock, 5th Avenue, and Times Square. This was my third trip to New York City, and I was excited to see a side of it that I had always wanted to experience. The REAL Broadway. We walked down to Ripley Grier Studios to start rehearsal. I went to the studios to meet with the amazing Shea Sullivan! Shea worked her magic with my talent for Miss America's Outstanding Teen. I feel so fortunate to have been given that opportunity. She really helped me to get into my dance and totally nail it! The cool thing about Ripley Grier Studios is that rehearsals for Broadway shows take place there! As I looked at the flat screen to try to find my time slot with Shea, I couldn't help but notice a number of other shows rehearsing in THAT same studio! I felt like I was living a dream! To make my day even better, while rehearsing with Shea, Peter, a 14 year old from my dance studio at home, was rehearsing in the very same studio! Peter is currently living in NYC performing in Billy Elliot... As Billy Elliot! After the wonderful experience of dancing with Shea, we walked around Manhattan. I felt like a performer, on my way to rehearsal with my pointe shoes half hanging out of my dance bag. In Times Square, there was the NBC Go Healthy Step-A-Thon. I decided to try it! It was so cool to meet the guy running it... not only was he hilarious (he was wearing a bunny hat) he was also a cast member in the Book of Mormon! We took a picture on the Sponsor Board, and it even ended up on the NBC website! Afterward, I popped on my pointe shoes in Times Square. I had one more quick stop that I needed to make. The Capezio Store (a dance store) and being a dancer, I absolutely HAD to go. Inside was amazing! They had real Capezio shoes that were worn by famous Broadway Actresses and Actors. As we were checking out, I noticed the "Dance Wall of Fame". It had signatures like Kristin Chenoweth's, and ballet dancers from American Ballet Theater! Celine Dion even signed it!!! I was so excited. I asked, half joking, "Can I sign it?" The girl at the cash register asked, "Well are you famous?" I quickly said, "I promise I will be! Just give me 5 years." She said OK, and I hopped up on the counter with a Sharpie and signed my name, MNHOT for Miss New Hampshire's Outstanding Teen, NHSB for New Hampshire School of Ballet, and the word T.E.A.M.
- I was so fortunate to have those experiences, and to dance with a real Broadway choreographer, in a real Broadway rehearsal studio. I can not wait to go back! If I got all of that accomplished in one day, then I can't wait to spend a week in New York City! Broadway, I hope you're ready!
