Top Ten Things To Do During Intermission

[Farrell Fan]

10. Read the program and find out what you just saw.

9. Resume the conversation interrupted by the curtain going up.

8. Observe that "There's never a line for the men's room."

7. Drop names (first only): Misha, Paloma, Irina, Monique, Damian, Kyra...

6. Stay planted in your seat and trip anyone trying to get by.

5. Wave to Leigh Witchel.

4. Ask an usher what time the show will be over.

3. Use your cell phone to call everyone you know.

2. Forget to turn your cell phone back off.

1. Leave.

[Alexandra]

Smoke. That's the only thing I miss about not smoking (I quit 20 years ago). You had your 2 cigarette intermissions and, when things got out of hand, your 3 cigarette intermissions. Great way to keep time.

[Hans]

Drink heavily (preferably champagne) to forget the awful piece/dancing you just saw.

[Mel Johnson]

Run about the lobby crinking cellophane into the ears of offenders you recognize.

[carbro]

Go to predetermined spot to introduce self to fellow BA-nik. I've had the pleasure a number of times. (Hint, hint. )

[Treefrog]

Check to make sure they spelled your name correctly in the donor's list. See who else you know on the list.

[tigger]

- frantically make notes in your program

- go outside and hunt for the stage door

[Funny Face]

DO:

1. Check out the souvenir table and buy a t-shirt to add to your dance warm-up collection.

2. Take the elevator to the top balcony in the lobby and case the joint for all your dance friends, then descend each set of stairs slowly a la Audrey Hepburn in ... what's that movie? ("Funny Face").

3. Take a breather on the outside balcony overlooking Louis Armstrong Park.

4. Graciously acknowledge your students and their parents.

DON'T:

1. Even think about using the ladies room unless you want to miss the entire second half of the program. (That's why you arrive early and take care of business beforehand).

2. Get blottoed and re-enter the theater doing your own version of the evening's choreography.

3. Wear black. Everyone but everyone else does, dahling. (Is this a performance or a funeral?)

MAYBE:

1. Try to crash the millionaires' private lounge for drinks. (It's not actually crashing if you can dazzle someone into inviting you).

2. Case the theater for unused seats with a more advantageous view.

[Ari]

Go over the program for the ballet you just saw and cross off the names of the no-shows and write in the names of their replacements (if you know them).

[fandeballet]

Look for other fans I know, to stretch , and ask for their opinons on the

performance so far

[ConstanzaElisabeth]

Yawn, stretch, stumble around drowsily, attempting to wake yourself up.

[perky]

Curse to yourself long and hard as you attempt to navigate the staircase in your new high heeled shoes.

[BattementCloche]

Groan and complain to anyone who will listen that your knees haven't ached this bad in--amazingly--a week!

Then you turn around and say you're a ballet dancer. They won't believe you.

[Amy Reusch]

Stand up, turn around... see if you can get a rise out of the guys in the lighting booth..

Play "where's Waldo" trying to spot familiar faces in the audience... the dance community is pretty small, usually you can find someone you know.

Saunter out into the lobby saying "wasn't so & so __________!!!" and "Who was that _____________?"

If attending one of the nationally touring russian pick-up companies in a college theater, see if can browbeat someone over by the sound booth into letting you know which of the many castings listed in the program you're actually watching dance tonight.

Watch for little girls twirling in the aisles.

Look for a better seat.

[pleiades]

Watch the little girls struggling to stay awake out for a big evening with mommy and/or daddy

Watch the teenagers trying to pretend they don't know their parents and stand in a perfect fifth

Just people watch -- it's one of my favorite places to do so.