http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/shutdown_corner/post/NFL-8217-s-oldest-cheerleader-will-have-her-lif?urn=nfl-wp574
The NFL's oldest cheerleader is 42 years old and she is going to get her own movie.
In dance, I am surrounded by fantastic women who are older than I am. Women, who aren't taking the concept of aging, sitting down, in fact, some of them are building a tremendous head of steam.
I have never wanted my age to stop me from doing anything. It's a part of life, I can't stop the march of time, I can't stop or reverse what age and time will do to my hair, my face or my body.
In fact, there is only one thing I can control.
What I do with myself as I age and slowing down.. is NOT one of those things.
There is something that an older dancer brings to her practice and performance. A life lived seasons that performance adding a perspective that a younger dancer doesn't have.
(Please, note, younger dancers will get their own note, soon).
So, to all the dancers, my age and older.. Cheers to us.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Monday, March 21, 2011
Costume Closet
As many of you are aware, I have gone through some pretty big physical changes recently.
This has caused for me to take a long hard look at the costume closet.
There are some pieces that I made size specific that I am not able to take in.
Others have been adjusted as far as I can go.
This means new costumes for me... and for everyone else--- A sale!
I will be posting photos and approximate sizing on these costumes.
This has caused for me to take a long hard look at the costume closet.
There are some pieces that I made size specific that I am not able to take in.
Others have been adjusted as far as I can go.
This means new costumes for me... and for everyone else--- A sale!
I will be posting photos and approximate sizing on these costumes.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Queue Stage Fright in....3, 2, 1....
For some, this is never an issue. There is no fear in performing.
For others... just the idea of getting on stage leaves you weak in the knees, breathless, shaking and offering up silent prayers that there is a trash can or an empty bathroom stall, should things get so overwhelming.
That is me.
The moments before a show are often filled with the worst kind of anxiety.
I have gotten better at quelling the butterflies or at least hiding them from everyone else.
If you see me backstage or in the wings, I may have the picture of a calm face, but the truth is 9 times out of 10. I am anything but calm.
The things that run through my head when I am nervous are amazing.
Here are just a few of them.
1. I will be center stage, with my music playing and I will freeze, in place staring out at the audience and them back at me, with me being helpless.. unable to move.
2. IF I am able to move, the audience will hate me, leaving me to wonder why I even tried.
3. (the most recent and very real fear) That I will do something that I have done a million times before with success and my body will betray me. That my knee(s) will suddenly break.
These are the top three fears in my head.. Besides the tripping on my costume or having some devastating costume malfunction.
I never know when this anxiety is going to hit. Sometimes, it happens the moment I arrive at the venue, other times it starts several days before a show. Often when it starts that early, I can work myself straight up into a full blown panic attack.
Thanks to all my very supportive friends and fellow dancers, I have not yet experienced any of the worst fears. (Except having my knee break in practice)
My most wonderful best friend shared with me the trick of trying to name all Seven Dwarfs.. Making my brain do something very real, while letting my muscles do what they know they need to do.
Tempest, shared taking a couple very deep breaths and holding them for a moment or two.. again, causing the brain to slow down.
The other wonderful thing, is that I am blessed to perform with many of the same dancers at every show. Which is a source of comfort for me. Knowing that my friends will be there to either cheer me on or pass over the ice bag and a box of tissues or to help clear a path to either a toilet or trashcan depending on what I need. (Of course, someone having a flask filled with something I can drown the butterflies in, NEVER hurts)
The funny thing about performance anxiety is that actors and dancers are NOT alone in it. Athlete's of all kinds face these same fears.
None of us deal with them the same way either.
The tricks that work for one, don't always work for someone else.
So far, I have honestly learned that making friends with that anxious feeling is what helps me the most. Don't get me wrong. This is not the kind of best friend I want around. It's more like the unwanted dinner guest. You know the one... That person who complains that the food is too.... x, or that the wine tastes like vinegar, that the rest of the company is beneath them.
Yes, you know the type.
I have learned to acknowledge that this is how I am feeling, like it or not. It just is and because it is, I have to deal with it. I listen to my brain tick through all of the what if that goes wrong, or this goes wrong. Much like an over worried over thinking child.
Once I let it rant and holler, I am able to say.. "Well, we won't know until we do it. So, what are you waiting for? Let's go do it and see what happens."
My hope here is that everyone realizes that for some, stage fright is real and debilitating. That the best thing sometimes that can be done is to look your terrified dance friend in the face and tell them, that you are proud that they are getting out there and doing it anyway.
So, if you suffer from stage fright or performance anxiety. You are most definitely, not alone. I understand the feelings all too well.
For others... just the idea of getting on stage leaves you weak in the knees, breathless, shaking and offering up silent prayers that there is a trash can or an empty bathroom stall, should things get so overwhelming.
That is me.
The moments before a show are often filled with the worst kind of anxiety.
I have gotten better at quelling the butterflies or at least hiding them from everyone else.
If you see me backstage or in the wings, I may have the picture of a calm face, but the truth is 9 times out of 10. I am anything but calm.
The things that run through my head when I am nervous are amazing.
Here are just a few of them.
1. I will be center stage, with my music playing and I will freeze, in place staring out at the audience and them back at me, with me being helpless.. unable to move.
2. IF I am able to move, the audience will hate me, leaving me to wonder why I even tried.
3. (the most recent and very real fear) That I will do something that I have done a million times before with success and my body will betray me. That my knee(s) will suddenly break.
These are the top three fears in my head.. Besides the tripping on my costume or having some devastating costume malfunction.
I never know when this anxiety is going to hit. Sometimes, it happens the moment I arrive at the venue, other times it starts several days before a show. Often when it starts that early, I can work myself straight up into a full blown panic attack.
Thanks to all my very supportive friends and fellow dancers, I have not yet experienced any of the worst fears. (Except having my knee break in practice)
My most wonderful best friend shared with me the trick of trying to name all Seven Dwarfs.. Making my brain do something very real, while letting my muscles do what they know they need to do.
Tempest, shared taking a couple very deep breaths and holding them for a moment or two.. again, causing the brain to slow down.
The other wonderful thing, is that I am blessed to perform with many of the same dancers at every show. Which is a source of comfort for me. Knowing that my friends will be there to either cheer me on or pass over the ice bag and a box of tissues or to help clear a path to either a toilet or trashcan depending on what I need. (Of course, someone having a flask filled with something I can drown the butterflies in, NEVER hurts)
The funny thing about performance anxiety is that actors and dancers are NOT alone in it. Athlete's of all kinds face these same fears.
None of us deal with them the same way either.
The tricks that work for one, don't always work for someone else.
So far, I have honestly learned that making friends with that anxious feeling is what helps me the most. Don't get me wrong. This is not the kind of best friend I want around. It's more like the unwanted dinner guest. You know the one... That person who complains that the food is too.... x, or that the wine tastes like vinegar, that the rest of the company is beneath them.
Yes, you know the type.
I have learned to acknowledge that this is how I am feeling, like it or not. It just is and because it is, I have to deal with it. I listen to my brain tick through all of the what if that goes wrong, or this goes wrong. Much like an over worried over thinking child.
Once I let it rant and holler, I am able to say.. "Well, we won't know until we do it. So, what are you waiting for? Let's go do it and see what happens."
My hope here is that everyone realizes that for some, stage fright is real and debilitating. That the best thing sometimes that can be done is to look your terrified dance friend in the face and tell them, that you are proud that they are getting out there and doing it anyway.
So, if you suffer from stage fright or performance anxiety. You are most definitely, not alone. I understand the feelings all too well.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Identifying Myself.... as a dancer
Everyone all ready knows that I am a rebel. Everyone knows that I will buck and bend the rules. Everyone also knows that I march to the beat of my own drum corps.
This is not new news, I have been this way my whole life.. Odd, quirky and different.
Dance is no different for me.
I know what I am not. I am not a conformist.
Now, don't get me wrong. I do not think that every dancer who chooses a style and sticks with it as a conformist. Mostly, because behind every dance style, there is a dancer who is just like me.
I have had many people ask me to define my own style beyond the label of Fusion. The hard part for me, is that I can't define it.
I don't know how.
Sometimes, this odd way of being can be a detriment to my performing style. Sure, you can put me in Tribal gear and I can do that, you could probably even put me in a heavily beaded costume and I could do that too.
It's what I have learned in the past. Sure, it would be rusty and probably a bit awkward like watching a baby elephant walk on ice.
I have more than once called my own style "Organic Fusion".. since what happens on stage, is reflective of what is going on in that environment.. it's whatever is channeling it's way through me. Most often it is not so technically sound and that is where the detriment comes in.
The upside of that is quite simply the fact that my personality comes through, very clearly. You see without a doubt the rebel herself, not hiding, but right there in your face.
I know that I should probably refine her a bit more, reign her in and force more technique down her throat. But, there is fear attached to that.
Maybe, unfounded or irrational fear, that if I do that, then I will lose the "Mine" aspect to the performance. That I will have somehow conformed to the way that people expect me to dance.
I know that I will have to put a cap on that fear and try to find a balance between refinement and rebellion. Or as Tempest put it, in her own blog... a balance between the heart and the head.. Bringing my dance, in full balance, from the liver.
Until that happens and I am comfortable and happy with the result.. It's Organic Rebel Fusion for me.
This is not new news, I have been this way my whole life.. Odd, quirky and different.
Dance is no different for me.
I know what I am not. I am not a conformist.
Now, don't get me wrong. I do not think that every dancer who chooses a style and sticks with it as a conformist. Mostly, because behind every dance style, there is a dancer who is just like me.
I have had many people ask me to define my own style beyond the label of Fusion. The hard part for me, is that I can't define it.
I don't know how.
Sometimes, this odd way of being can be a detriment to my performing style. Sure, you can put me in Tribal gear and I can do that, you could probably even put me in a heavily beaded costume and I could do that too.
It's what I have learned in the past. Sure, it would be rusty and probably a bit awkward like watching a baby elephant walk on ice.
I have more than once called my own style "Organic Fusion".. since what happens on stage, is reflective of what is going on in that environment.. it's whatever is channeling it's way through me. Most often it is not so technically sound and that is where the detriment comes in.
The upside of that is quite simply the fact that my personality comes through, very clearly. You see without a doubt the rebel herself, not hiding, but right there in your face.
I know that I should probably refine her a bit more, reign her in and force more technique down her throat. But, there is fear attached to that.
Maybe, unfounded or irrational fear, that if I do that, then I will lose the "Mine" aspect to the performance. That I will have somehow conformed to the way that people expect me to dance.
I know that I will have to put a cap on that fear and try to find a balance between refinement and rebellion. Or as Tempest put it, in her own blog... a balance between the heart and the head.. Bringing my dance, in full balance, from the liver.
Until that happens and I am comfortable and happy with the result.. It's Organic Rebel Fusion for me.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Scratch the itch (Figuratively)
Original Post Date : Wednesday, January 19, 2011 at 8:14pm
Go on.. Scratch for it. I'll wait.
How often does a little bit of inspiration start with a little itch in the brain?
For me.. it's constant.. and I will scratch that itch and see what happens.
Bear in mind, in the back of my head I hear my mother's voice admonishing me about scratching.. Something about making it bleed.
I ignore that voice and I keep scratching... Digging at that idea, picking at it... wanting it to bleed and fester... until I am so infected by the idea that I HAVE to do something about it.
This kind of itch happens in more areas for me than just dance. I get this way over a costume, something I am knitting or crocheting.
I find that I am the most satisfied by seeing this kind of creativity to the end.
It leaves me feeling exhausted as though I have poured heart and soul into the idea and have given it breath and life.
Sure, sometimes these ideas die on the vine.. or they lay dormant for a little while longer.. until it is that ideas turn for a scratch again.. The ones I don't follow through on are just as important as the ones I do. Sometimes they even change from the original concept and morph into something else.
So... next time one of the Muse's gives you a rash of an idea.. Go on.. Scratch it... make it bleed... See what comes of it.
I promise. You won't be disappointed.
How often does a little bit of inspiration start with a little itch in the brain?
For me.. it's constant.. and I will scratch that itch and see what happens.
Bear in mind, in the back of my head I hear my mother's voice admonishing me about scratching.. Something about making it bleed.
I ignore that voice and I keep scratching... Digging at that idea, picking at it... wanting it to bleed and fester... until I am so infected by the idea that I HAVE to do something about it.
This kind of itch happens in more areas for me than just dance. I get this way over a costume, something I am knitting or crocheting.
I find that I am the most satisfied by seeing this kind of creativity to the end.
It leaves me feeling exhausted as though I have poured heart and soul into the idea and have given it breath and life.
Sure, sometimes these ideas die on the vine.. or they lay dormant for a little while longer.. until it is that ideas turn for a scratch again.. The ones I don't follow through on are just as important as the ones I do. Sometimes they even change from the original concept and morph into something else.
So... next time one of the Muse's gives you a rash of an idea.. Go on.. Scratch it... make it bleed... See what comes of it.
I promise. You won't be disappointed.
In order to think outside the box... you have to start with a box.
Original Post Date Sunday, January 9, 2011 at 10:33am
(first note of the year and a big Thanks to Twyla Tharp and this great statement for inspiration)
In order to think outside the box... you have to start with a box.
I have always said that the best way to be a dancer is to be outside of or on top of the box.
The dancing and music worlds are so vast.. they are hard to contain in such small definitions.
For me, I prefer to think of that box as a great place to store the awesome tools, skills, ideas and concepts.
Which means, that the box can be as big or as small as you want it to be or you can have many boxes full of different things, giving you a bigger stage to dance on.
You can think of it as a Toy Box or a Tool Box. Makes no difference.
For each performance and preparation, you will find yourself sitting in front of that box.. Selecting what you feel is best needed to get the job done.
You will find yourself going back to the box to take out something else or to trade the skill you are using for something that fits better.
It is part of the creative process.. the experimenting, testing, pushing and pulling needed to grow, shape and cultivate your practice/performance.
I hope that we all continue to add to our collective boxes and share the toys, tools and skills with one another.
In order to think outside the box... you have to start with a box.
I have always said that the best way to be a dancer is to be outside of or on top of the box.
The dancing and music worlds are so vast.. they are hard to contain in such small definitions.
For me, I prefer to think of that box as a great place to store the awesome tools, skills, ideas and concepts.
Which means, that the box can be as big or as small as you want it to be or you can have many boxes full of different things, giving you a bigger stage to dance on.
You can think of it as a Toy Box or a Tool Box. Makes no difference.
For each performance and preparation, you will find yourself sitting in front of that box.. Selecting what you feel is best needed to get the job done.
You will find yourself going back to the box to take out something else or to trade the skill you are using for something that fits better.
It is part of the creative process.. the experimenting, testing, pushing and pulling needed to grow, shape and cultivate your practice/performance.
I hope that we all continue to add to our collective boxes and share the toys, tools and skills with one another.
Motiveated by love
Original Post Date: Friday, December 31, 2010 at 9:04pm
"The more you are movtiveated by love, the more fearless and free your action will be." His Holiness The XIV Dalai Lama
What a thought to start off the new year. This line of thinking can be applied to dance as well as every day life.
The more you love what you do the more willing you are to abandon yourself to it.
There is no such thing as being fearless.. Instead you have embraced the fear for what it is and have decided to jump in with both feet anyway. You didn't let the fear govern your actions.
For me there is fear every time I take center stage. I don't think it will ever go away. The what ifs... What if the music gremlin shows up and my music won't play... What if I freeze and completely forget what I needed or wanted to do. What if I hurt myself..
I have to work to push those thoughts right out of my head or at least stifle them with chocolate and a gag.
The moment the music starts I instantly remember that I am in the center of attention because I love to dance. Not because I want the accolades or the reviews.. I am there because dancing makes ME happy.
Career advice that I heard growing up was.. "Do something you love and you will never work another day in your life."
Dancing doesn't pay the bills.. So I still need a regular job.
But, my love of dancing erases the drudgery of working. It takes me only for a moment out of my mundane list of responsiblities.
In a single moment, I am free. Free to embody the music and to move in a way that has touched a very real chord in my soul.
I am free to drag the audience on that path with me.
In that same single moment. I know that I will never have the same moment ever again.
I am filled with love for what I do and I am free and fearless.
I hope that 2011 brings to each of you:
A renewed love for the dance. If you need it.
A greater fuled passion for dance. If you are already in love and willing to fall deeper.
A glimpse at the love that dance is. If you have yet to experience it.
A moment to be free.
A moment to be fearless.
Here is to another collection of nothing more than Free, Fearless and Love filled moments of dancing with friends. Old and New. I am looking forward to each moment with each of you.
Dance 10: Looks 3
Original Post Date: Monday, December 13, 2010 at 3:37pm
Time for another note... *if you have seen Chorus Line... you'll get the title*
You know me, if I am not practicing, performing or making something.. I am thinking about dance.
Today is no exception.
I saw in my news feed today an article about a NY Ballet Company dancer who was called "fat" by a critic..
(I swear, two of her could wear my jeans)
It really got me thinking about how proud I really am to be a part of a dance culture that doesn't place the same heavy criticism on weight as some of the other forms of dance.
We really mean it when we say "Every Body Dances".
Mind you, I am coming from the mindset of the dancer NOT the dance critic. We all know that the critic and the audiences have a different aesthetic when it comes to what they expect out of a belly dancer. But, behind the scenes and in the studios... We are a different breed.
Is our weight really that important?
I have learned from personal experience.. That my own weight has made a difference. When I was considerably heavier.. I could cheat... a LOT. I didn't have to bust my butt on some moves. But, as I lost the weight.. I found that cheating... did me NO GOOD. (does it ever... really?) I also learned that some of the movements that I really had to work on.. Looked so much better a few pounds lighter.
Also, the reverse is true for my much thinner "Brain".. she had to work really, really hard on a LOT of things.
I will say that only to a certain point is our weight important. It is far more important for us to be healthier.. After all, being healthier makes it easier to stay in the groove in practice, class, performance and so forth.
But, there is no perfect weight for a belly dancer. Instead, we celebrate being women of all shapes, sizes, colors and creations. How much healthier can that be.
So... on that note... I am proud to be a belly dancer and even more proud to be part of such a supportive community.. for all dancers.
Time for another note... *if you have seen Chorus Line... you'll get the title*
You know me, if I am not practicing, performing or making something.. I am thinking about dance.
Today is no exception.
I saw in my news feed today an article about a NY Ballet Company dancer who was called "fat" by a critic..
(I swear, two of her could wear my jeans)
It really got me thinking about how proud I really am to be a part of a dance culture that doesn't place the same heavy criticism on weight as some of the other forms of dance.
We really mean it when we say "Every Body Dances".
Mind you, I am coming from the mindset of the dancer NOT the dance critic. We all know that the critic and the audiences have a different aesthetic when it comes to what they expect out of a belly dancer. But, behind the scenes and in the studios... We are a different breed.
Is our weight really that important?
I have learned from personal experience.. That my own weight has made a difference. When I was considerably heavier.. I could cheat... a LOT. I didn't have to bust my butt on some moves. But, as I lost the weight.. I found that cheating... did me NO GOOD. (does it ever... really?) I also learned that some of the movements that I really had to work on.. Looked so much better a few pounds lighter.
Also, the reverse is true for my much thinner "Brain".. she had to work really, really hard on a LOT of things.
I will say that only to a certain point is our weight important. It is far more important for us to be healthier.. After all, being healthier makes it easier to stay in the groove in practice, class, performance and so forth.
But, there is no perfect weight for a belly dancer. Instead, we celebrate being women of all shapes, sizes, colors and creations. How much healthier can that be.
So... on that note... I am proud to be a belly dancer and even more proud to be part of such a supportive community.. for all dancers.
a rant
Original Post Date: Friday, December 3, 2010 at 4:12pm
I have a rant/soapbox issue that needs to be put out there.
In sharing some videos with Nancy Asiya today... (in question, Muse- Super Massive Black Hole)
There were several videos of "classic" style dance (ie, modern, jazz, etc)
Can someone please explain to me.. why it is okay to teach and allow pre-teen girls to lie/sit on the floor in spread eagle shots crotch facing the audience... and I don't want to hear.. that they have leotards on so it's okay.
Belly dance has gotten the bad rap for years of being suggestive or sexualized. I get it, our costumes show off bellies and cleavage.. We shake like jell-o when we shimmy hard and long... Fine, call that suggestive or sexualized.
But, no matter the age of the student from young to old... we learn right off.. to keep our crotches away from the audience, make sure we have our knickers on and not to flash anything under our skirts/harem pants...and cover yourself off stage...
I do not understand why that is deemed acceptable while we take the bad rap.
Is this explainable or.... have I missed the boat completely??
I have a rant/soapbox issue that needs to be put out there.
In sharing some videos with Nancy Asiya today... (in question, Muse- Super Massive Black Hole)
There were several videos of "classic" style dance (ie, modern, jazz, etc)
Can someone please explain to me.. why it is okay to teach and allow pre-teen girls to lie/sit on the floor in spread eagle shots crotch facing the audience... and I don't want to hear.. that they have leotards on so it's okay.
Belly dance has gotten the bad rap for years of being suggestive or sexualized. I get it, our costumes show off bellies and cleavage.. We shake like jell-o when we shimmy hard and long... Fine, call that suggestive or sexualized.
But, no matter the age of the student from young to old... we learn right off.. to keep our crotches away from the audience, make sure we have our knickers on and not to flash anything under our skirts/harem pants...and cover yourself off stage...
I do not understand why that is deemed acceptable while we take the bad rap.
Is this explainable or.... have I missed the boat completely??
Resolution Revolution
Original Post Date: Saturday, November 27, 2010 at 3:23pm
I'm not much of a New Years Resolution person. I believe that if you want to change something you should do so immediately and not wait until the first of the year.
Not to mention, statistics show that most "resolutions" tank in the first 6 weeks after the new year.
So, I am considering a few new resolutions for myself.
In the next year I want to:
Make my spins better. I am habitually BAD at spotting.. so I get dizzy in more than four revolutions.
Work on better layering.. I layer okay now... but after seeing a 12 year old, layer a shimmy, with a turn, with a wave and .......... wow.. IF she can... I can.
Get my head up... I swear this makes my list every year and it comes up a little more every year.. I no longer have memorized who in the audience has on awesome shoes.
Take up more space with my arms.... I tend to keep them low and tight... Why? I have over five feet of space on either side and 3 feet above my head... That's a LOT of room.. I need to explore this.
For the moment those are in the immediate.. I will of course expand and expound on this list throughout the year. As I tend to do.. Since things come up in practice and feedback from performances. (thank you to my awesome feedback team.. I appreciate ALL the critiques.. Even if they are not always sunny... I would rather have the truth than a blanket, good job.)
So, that's where I am.. Where are you?
I'm not much of a New Years Resolution person. I believe that if you want to change something you should do so immediately and not wait until the first of the year.
Not to mention, statistics show that most "resolutions" tank in the first 6 weeks after the new year.
So, I am considering a few new resolutions for myself.
In the next year I want to:
Make my spins better. I am habitually BAD at spotting.. so I get dizzy in more than four revolutions.
Work on better layering.. I layer okay now... but after seeing a 12 year old, layer a shimmy, with a turn, with a wave and .......... wow.. IF she can... I can.
Get my head up... I swear this makes my list every year and it comes up a little more every year.. I no longer have memorized who in the audience has on awesome shoes.
Take up more space with my arms.... I tend to keep them low and tight... Why? I have over five feet of space on either side and 3 feet above my head... That's a LOT of room.. I need to explore this.
For the moment those are in the immediate.. I will of course expand and expound on this list throughout the year. As I tend to do.. Since things come up in practice and feedback from performances. (thank you to my awesome feedback team.. I appreciate ALL the critiques.. Even if they are not always sunny... I would rather have the truth than a blanket, good job.)
So, that's where I am.. Where are you?
Attitude is everything
Original Post Date :Thursday, November 11, 2010 at 8:43pm
Typically for me this time of year is usually very low energy.
It's not a bad thing.. it's just a time for introspection and contemplation.
Attitude - if you spell this out and correlate it numerically in the alphabet 1-26 it totals 100
This reminds me that attitude is one of those things that really does mean an awful lot.
Attitudes are equally reflected both good and bad.
So at the moment.. I am reflecting attitude to Gratitude.
I am grateful for the teachers I have studied with. Each of them have taught me something that I didn't know... About myself, my dancing or just dancing in general.
I am grateful for the dancers I have been blessed to share space with.. REGARDLESS of their ability levels, ages and sizes.
They too have taught me a lot about myself and dancing.
I am grateful for all the hard work that our behind the scenes people do. Music, lighting, hauling carpets, chairs, pillows and even the dreaded dancers bags.
You have all been covered in glitter, smelly perfumes and sweat. It's a job that not many thank you for. So, here it is... THANK YOU FOR HAULING MY CRAP, MAKING SURE MY MUSIC PLAYS, SUPPLYING A SURFACE TO DANCE AND SIT ON.
For all the people who have located, found, donated and shared venue space with us. There wouldn't be shows without you.
For all the people who have organized those shows. Putting a show on isn't as simple as it seems. I appreciate you for doing it.
For all the artists who have done programs, business cards, fliers and the people have walked around with tape, staple guns and decent walking shoes putting them up.
For all the friends and family who support us with all of our crazy talk about dance, who have rearranged schedules and events because of our shows, who are willing to sit there and listen as we babble about this that or something else, including make up... For the record... there will NEVER be enough make up and one shade of purple is NOT enough.
I wouldn't be a dancer without any of you and I am humbled repeatedly by how the outpouring of support that all of you give.
Thank you!
Typically for me this time of year is usually very low energy.
It's not a bad thing.. it's just a time for introspection and contemplation.
Attitude - if you spell this out and correlate it numerically in the alphabet 1-26 it totals 100
This reminds me that attitude is one of those things that really does mean an awful lot.
Attitudes are equally reflected both good and bad.
So at the moment.. I am reflecting attitude to Gratitude.
I am grateful for the teachers I have studied with. Each of them have taught me something that I didn't know... About myself, my dancing or just dancing in general.
I am grateful for the dancers I have been blessed to share space with.. REGARDLESS of their ability levels, ages and sizes.
They too have taught me a lot about myself and dancing.
I am grateful for all the hard work that our behind the scenes people do. Music, lighting, hauling carpets, chairs, pillows and even the dreaded dancers bags.
You have all been covered in glitter, smelly perfumes and sweat. It's a job that not many thank you for. So, here it is... THANK YOU FOR HAULING MY CRAP, MAKING SURE MY MUSIC PLAYS, SUPPLYING A SURFACE TO DANCE AND SIT ON.
For all the people who have located, found, donated and shared venue space with us. There wouldn't be shows without you.
For all the people who have organized those shows. Putting a show on isn't as simple as it seems. I appreciate you for doing it.
For all the artists who have done programs, business cards, fliers and the people have walked around with tape, staple guns and decent walking shoes putting them up.
For all the friends and family who support us with all of our crazy talk about dance, who have rearranged schedules and events because of our shows, who are willing to sit there and listen as we babble about this that or something else, including make up... For the record... there will NEVER be enough make up and one shade of purple is NOT enough.
I wouldn't be a dancer without any of you and I am humbled repeatedly by how the outpouring of support that all of you give.
Thank you!
Still learning...
Original Post Date: Wednesday, November 10, 2010 at 2:59pm
It's been a while since I have written a note regarding my thoughts on dance.
This one is about the fact that I am still learning...
Sometimes what we learn about dancing has to come from somewhere other than the classroom or studio.
It can be in a compliment or a critique from a fellow dancer.
It can come at a show or even at home during personal practice. It isn't always from your teacher(s).
I've learned more this year about letting go and being more truly in the moment.
How to not get all caught up in the details.
Since I prefer improvisation over choreography.. that shouldn't surprise you.
But, even during improvisation you get hung up on "Okay.. what's next?" in the middle of a performance. Just like with a choreography you can get hung up on the same thing.. should your brain go right out the window due to nerves or it's inability to recall directions of left or right.
My dance sisters Nancy and Isvari have been instrumental in these lessons.
Nancy has challenged me (and I her in turn) to improvise and perform with her despite living 3 hours apart. Giving us ZERO time to practice aside from exchanging ideas.
You cannot get any closer to "In the Moment"... besides when you are on stage and the music is playing and the audience is watching.
Isvari has always encouraged me to push my creative edge just a little harder and farther with each show. What can I do that I haven't done before?
The show on Oct 2nd was a huge leap of faith for both of us. She selected the music and the costume. I showed up.
Until I stepped onto that stage.. I had NO idea what was in store for me.
I had to absolutely let go and treat that stage the same way I do my practice space. I had to let it come, for better or worse.
While I call out these two lovely women who I have been blessed with, they are not alone.
There are dancers that I have watched who have continued to impress on me their moments.
From the very first hesitating steps of their very first solo to the nervous excitement of a young dancer at her very first show, even to the new face in the audience watching for the very first time.
These are examples of others who have been in the moment..
You are all still teaching me and I thank you for those lessons.
It's been a while since I have written a note regarding my thoughts on dance.
This one is about the fact that I am still learning...
Sometimes what we learn about dancing has to come from somewhere other than the classroom or studio.
It can be in a compliment or a critique from a fellow dancer.
It can come at a show or even at home during personal practice. It isn't always from your teacher(s).
I've learned more this year about letting go and being more truly in the moment.
How to not get all caught up in the details.
Since I prefer improvisation over choreography.. that shouldn't surprise you.
But, even during improvisation you get hung up on "Okay.. what's next?" in the middle of a performance. Just like with a choreography you can get hung up on the same thing.. should your brain go right out the window due to nerves or it's inability to recall directions of left or right.
My dance sisters Nancy and Isvari have been instrumental in these lessons.
Nancy has challenged me (and I her in turn) to improvise and perform with her despite living 3 hours apart. Giving us ZERO time to practice aside from exchanging ideas.
You cannot get any closer to "In the Moment"... besides when you are on stage and the music is playing and the audience is watching.
Isvari has always encouraged me to push my creative edge just a little harder and farther with each show. What can I do that I haven't done before?
The show on Oct 2nd was a huge leap of faith for both of us. She selected the music and the costume. I showed up.
Until I stepped onto that stage.. I had NO idea what was in store for me.
I had to absolutely let go and treat that stage the same way I do my practice space. I had to let it come, for better or worse.
While I call out these two lovely women who I have been blessed with, they are not alone.
There are dancers that I have watched who have continued to impress on me their moments.
From the very first hesitating steps of their very first solo to the nervous excitement of a young dancer at her very first show, even to the new face in the audience watching for the very first time.
These are examples of others who have been in the moment..
You are all still teaching me and I thank you for those lessons.
Between YES! and NO!
Original Post Date: Monday, October 11, 2010 at 12:02pm
As I am doing prep work for the up coming shows. I found that creativity can be very fickle sometimes.
Currently, it's one of those moments where I know exactly what I want to do.. Just not sure how to pull it off.
It happens in costuming. It happens when I hear a bit of music and it seems that the heaven's just open up and you get a "Yeah.. that's it".... or it becomes.. "Nope, not it"
The spaces between the yes's and no's are sometimes the hardest.
Handling the Yes moments are easy. You run at full tilt with the idea. Practice your way into madness. Sew your way there. Go into total ZEN to get it done.
Handling the No moments are a little trickier. You want to run at full tilt, but the energy is not there yet. What you do during those NO spaces is just as important as what those full tilt YES's.
For me, learning to cope with the No has meant that it is time to a) clean up the disaster left from the last great YES. Organize my sewing stuff. Clean out the dance bag. Mend costumes.
Because of the NO.. I have learned to draw a little better. My costume sketches no longer look like a pre-schooler's stick figures with broken crayons. (trust me, I cannot draw worth a darn compared to some of my friends who are masters of the pencils).
Those moments have also taught me to sit back. Appreciate dance a little more.. Ponder on where I am going with it.
I appreciate the NO, because it has taught me to look closer at my costume designs. See where I can improve.
NO moments help you strike a balance between Dance Geek and Life.
The periods where creativity is not raining down from the heaven's are blessings. Provided you look with the right perspective.
Sometimes a NO happens right when you need it to... Sometimes it's incredibly inconvenient. (like RIGHT before a show)
The next time you have one of those NO periods as a dancer. Think about it as a rest or a pause. Stew on it a bit. Let it happen. Take advantage of the stillness caused by it and explore it.
The No could be pointing out something you have neglected in your daily life or it could be there to help clear the way for the next bit YES!
Either way.. Moments of NO.... are not always bad.
As I am doing prep work for the up coming shows. I found that creativity can be very fickle sometimes.
Currently, it's one of those moments where I know exactly what I want to do.. Just not sure how to pull it off.
It happens in costuming. It happens when I hear a bit of music and it seems that the heaven's just open up and you get a "Yeah.. that's it".... or it becomes.. "Nope, not it"
The spaces between the yes's and no's are sometimes the hardest.
Handling the Yes moments are easy. You run at full tilt with the idea. Practice your way into madness. Sew your way there. Go into total ZEN to get it done.
Handling the No moments are a little trickier. You want to run at full tilt, but the energy is not there yet. What you do during those NO spaces is just as important as what those full tilt YES's.
For me, learning to cope with the No has meant that it is time to a) clean up the disaster left from the last great YES. Organize my sewing stuff. Clean out the dance bag. Mend costumes.
Because of the NO.. I have learned to draw a little better. My costume sketches no longer look like a pre-schooler's stick figures with broken crayons. (trust me, I cannot draw worth a darn compared to some of my friends who are masters of the pencils).
Those moments have also taught me to sit back. Appreciate dance a little more.. Ponder on where I am going with it.
I appreciate the NO, because it has taught me to look closer at my costume designs. See where I can improve.
NO moments help you strike a balance between Dance Geek and Life.
The periods where creativity is not raining down from the heaven's are blessings. Provided you look with the right perspective.
Sometimes a NO happens right when you need it to... Sometimes it's incredibly inconvenient. (like RIGHT before a show)
The next time you have one of those NO periods as a dancer. Think about it as a rest or a pause. Stew on it a bit. Let it happen. Take advantage of the stillness caused by it and explore it.
The No could be pointing out something you have neglected in your daily life or it could be there to help clear the way for the next bit YES!
Either way.. Moments of NO.... are not always bad.
All about the Joy
Original Post Date: Thursday, September 9, 2010 at 11:17am
"It's all about the joy. When I quit worrying about where I was, I started dancing instead of doing the moves." -- Barbara Eaton
This quote is so absolutely true. Too often we get caught up in being PERFECT.
Don't get me wrong, perfection is a good thing. But, we get so caught up in making our dance perfect that we often forget to embrace the mistakes, the accidents, the forgotten movements as something that is organic. So you spent hours working out a choregraphy, you poured out buckets of sweat and blood practicing it. You get to the show and wouldn't you know it.. About a minute into your song your brain has completely forgotten what it is you were supposed to do. So, you wing it. You have four or more minutes of music to go.. you can't just run off the stage, people are watching. Little snippets of memory to your choregraphy jump into your brain and you perform those moves.. You are out there on the stage, in front of a crowd and you are winging it because you have no choice.
This is a frustrating thing to have happen. It can send a lot of nasty thoughts about yourself whirling through you head.
Of course, that's when something strange happens.
You are done performing and someone who has watched you dance countless times before says " That was awesome! You looked like you were having fun and it was just amazing.. You blew me away."
Of course, in your own mind the inner critic is just screaming at you. Telling you that you suck, that what you just did was utter garbage and demanding to know why you are wasting your time with this.
What's a dancer to do?
Of course you are gracious, you say your thanks and all the while you are abusing yourself.
Here's what really happened. Your mind forgot about what it is you had planned for it, because it had plans for you. It was determined to force you to move organically. Move in a way that makes your soul happy. Your mind, didn't give a rip about the rules, the count of the music, it honestly didn't care. Since it has no ego.
Here's where the scenario gets even stranger for the dancer. You see the video of that performance, you see the photographs. All the through both you are smiling... Just beaming. Every image you see is just full of joy. Passion for what you are doing and you are just on Fire!
Sometimes, we have to let go. Not always, but sometimes. We have to be more gentle with ourselves when we have an oops like that. It's hard to do.
To put in in geek terms.. Sometimes we have to "Use the Force". It didn't let Skywalker down.. Why would it let us down??
Dance Geeks
Original Posting Date : Tuesday, August 31, 2010 at 3:34pm
Geek- Defined as: "One who is percieved to be obessed with one or more things including those of intellectuality, electronics, etc..."
There was a time when hearing the term geek in conjunction with your name often meant you were socially awkward, often had few friends and were most likely made fun of; now Geek isn't like that anymore.
There are lots of geeks out there. Theatre Geeks, Gamer Geeks, Comic Geeks and yes, Dance Geeks.
The truth is. We obsess. Over music, costumes, movements, other dancers, teachers, videos....
It becomes what we eat, sleep and breathe. It can cost us personal relationships with the phrase "I'm sorry, I have dance". It is a commitment that few people understand. (another Geek of any style would get it.. Once they clue in that your personal Geek is dance)
We spend HOURS networking, creating, developing, choreographing and even just moving.
It doesn't stop at the style of dance that we do individually either. We develop an appreciation for all forms of dance. Classic, Modern, Folkloric, Interpretive, Ballroom... the list goes on.
We don't always like what we see, but an undercurrent of appreciation is there. For the hard work and practice that it takes.
We speak a language that only other dance geeks speak. Face it. We are Geeks.
I'm quite proud to be a Dance Geek.
Geek- Defined as: "One who is percieved to be obessed with one or more things including those of intellectuality, electronics, etc..."
There was a time when hearing the term geek in conjunction with your name often meant you were socially awkward, often had few friends and were most likely made fun of; now Geek isn't like that anymore.
There are lots of geeks out there. Theatre Geeks, Gamer Geeks, Comic Geeks and yes, Dance Geeks.
The truth is. We obsess. Over music, costumes, movements, other dancers, teachers, videos....
It becomes what we eat, sleep and breathe. It can cost us personal relationships with the phrase "I'm sorry, I have dance". It is a commitment that few people understand. (another Geek of any style would get it.. Once they clue in that your personal Geek is dance)
We spend HOURS networking, creating, developing, choreographing and even just moving.
It doesn't stop at the style of dance that we do individually either. We develop an appreciation for all forms of dance. Classic, Modern, Folkloric, Interpretive, Ballroom... the list goes on.
We don't always like what we see, but an undercurrent of appreciation is there. For the hard work and practice that it takes.
We speak a language that only other dance geeks speak. Face it. We are Geeks.
I'm quite proud to be a Dance Geek.
New Home
I decided to start a real blog about dance and dance related things.
This will serve me better than my Facebook Notes on Dance.
I will be migrating those Notes to here.
Bear in mind that all notes on dance are my own and are often influenced by what I am seeing or experiencing in dance and the dance community.
I hope that these musings will be of some kind of fun for all who follow.
This will serve me better than my Facebook Notes on Dance.
I will be migrating those Notes to here.
Bear in mind that all notes on dance are my own and are often influenced by what I am seeing or experiencing in dance and the dance community.
I hope that these musings will be of some kind of fun for all who follow.
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