Yes, folks….that’s me!

First of all I have to say it was an amazing experience and to give a hearty round of thanks to the designer, makeup artists, and photographers who made it possible.  So how did this come about?  Well, I answered an ad that was looking for ballroom dancers for a fashion event.  Not one to be content with your everyday dance opportunities, I responded.  It was a long shot as I don’t have a partner currently and could only attend one day of the two day event.  To my surprise, they asked if I would be available to model and dance for the one day I could come, no partner needed.  Obviously I said yes.

Two days of frantic packing, preparing extra business cards, seeking out a fashion forward wardrobe and booking some time with my friend who is a makeup artist, and I was set.  Hollywood here I come!   The designer was a wonderfully sweet woman, who has worked in the industry for decades, and was finally setting out on her own.  She was excited I had come.  It turned out I was the only model with ballroom experience. Not only did she want me to walk down the runway, but also to actually dance.  I’m pretty sure I must be one of the very few people, if not only one, to have actually danced on a fashion runway.

What I thought would be nerve-wracking (for the evening event I was the very first model to go out), ended up being an exercise in truly owning my confidence.  Even with no experience, several inches shorter and I’m sure a few years older than most of the “real” models, I mustered up my internal strength and channeled all the supportive, loving comments I have received over the years from  family and friends – and then I went for it.  It was liberating and gratifying.  It was truly one of those “step outside of your comfort zone” moments when you discover how far you can go and what you’re capable of.

So lessons learned – never limit what you think you can or cannot do.  By all the typical modeling standards, I would never have stepped foot out on a runway nor is it something I would have truly considered.  Yet there I was, doing exactly that at a bona fide modeling and fashion event. Second, believe in yourself and listen to the voices of those who believe in you.  Those voices of confidence will help you achieve things you never dreamed possible. And finally, live in the moment. Enjoy it! Own it!

In the coming year I am looking forward to watching this site grow even more and sharing the tales and experiences yet to come. I am hoping to expand the reviews of local performances and choreographers, share thoughts on my entry into the world of teaching, and jump into choreographing some exciting twists for ballroom on stage.   If there are any topics you’d like to see me explore, please feel free to let me know.

In the meantime, I wish you a year of joy and happy dancing!

The show took the overall story of the Nutcracker and did a bit of an Alice in Wonderland treatment.  While there were some pointe shoes to be found, there were also chorus lines, hip hop armies, a magician, aerialists, toddlers in angel costumes, Spanish fans and generous doses of jazz and contemporary.  Based upon the thunderous applause by the audience in the sold out theater (1300 tickets in all), the reimagining was a hit.  Everyone I talked to loved the show and enjoyed the departure from the traditional ballet version.

For myself, the show was a complete whirlwind.  Being in four pieces meant constant costumes changes and quickly becoming adept at running up and down stairs as fast as possible.  My previous post touched on some of the prep work I did in order to keep all of my costumes, hair and make up requirements straight, so that I could stay focused on performing.   I have to say this was one of my favorite shows to date.  So much energy and excitement backstage, the thrill of doing so many diverse pieces and of course the fun make up from Waltz of the Flowers that channeled every color of the rainbow.  I also got to work with two of my favorite choreographers at LA Unbound and had the opportunity to dance with some new ones as well.

Overall another enchanting production, with many new friends made and the satisfaction of proudly saying I’m a dancer…and yes, I have been in the Nutcracker!

Nutcracker Unbound 2011 – Photos

Photo by Rawich

For example, my last show involved four separate numbers, each with different costumes, dance shoes, hair and makeup requirements. A lot to keep straight even for seasoned dancers.  Here’s my multi-step approach:

1. CONFIRM THE REQUIREMENTS for each dance number or style you are performing or competing inCheck in with the program coordinator, choreographers and/or your competition sign ups to determine what your needs will be.
• If emails were sent with details, make sure to pull all the details out.
• If you have questions, earlier not later is the time to ask. Make sure you know every detail: costumes, undergarments, shoes (or not), hair, makeup, props, etc.
• Re-confirm a few days beforehand to make sure none of the details have changed or if you have to make adjustments for fast costume changes.
2. CREATE A CHECKLIST for each dance number or costume combination you will need. I suggest creating a one column for all the clothing, shoe and jewelry related items. Then make additional separate call out boxes to the right for: hair style, makeup, undergarments and props. I like to use Excel and make a tab for each dance and then a MISC option.
3. CREATE A CHECKLIST FOR ALL THE MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS. This includes anything and everything else you might need such as food, make up, hair products, deodorant, street clothes, etc.  The downloadable template below has my suggested list of items to pack.
4. PRINT OUT EACH CHECKLIST. Put each checklist on the floor or counter top, and below it place all the items from the checklist, marking each one as you go.
5. PLACE RELATED ITEMS IN PLASTIC BAGGIES AND/OR GARMENT BAGS. I suggest using clear bags when at all possible, so you can easily see the contents.
• Put your name, phone and/or email, and the name of the dance style or dance number on each baggie. That will help keep items from getting lost or disorganized.
• I like to use smaller bags for undergarments and separate bags for shoes (so they do not get your costumes dirty). I also have separate bags for makeup, hair products, food, and any other subcategories of items.
• Then place all the smaller bags into one giant bag or garment bag per dance. Use garment bags for anything that needs to be on a hanger and cannot risk getting wrinkled. Ziploc sells some really big plastic baggies for pretty cheap. I bought mine at Target, but most general retailers should carry them. Look for the XL or XXL size. You can also use lingerie or other mesh bags if you want the items to breathe or have them handy and don’t want to use plastic. Just remember you can reuse your plastic bags for future shows or other items afterwards.
6. PACK BAGS INTO A SUITCASE OR DUFFLE BAG.
   • Pull out your travel luggage and find one that will fit all of your items, minus the garment bags. I usually put the heavy items on the bottom and the more delicate items and actual costumes towards the top.
   • The goal is to minimize the number of bags you have to carry into the theater or venue. The less things you have to juggle the easier it will be to get around.

Once you arrive and get settled in, you can either leave things in their respective bags or unpack and put related items on a single hanger or designated space.  This should make any fast changes seamless.  No more wondering where something is or desperately searching through piles of clothes to find the right item.

In the spirit of sharing, here is the template I use.   Please feel free to download it and make it your own.

Dance Checklist Template

Here’s to happy, stress-free dancing!

You can attend for part or all of the camp, but I recommend the whole thing for a complete experience. I would love to see some fresh faces join the camp this year, so please check it out if you can.

OC DANCE CAMP

If you can help at all, even $5, it would be most appreciated.
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1233983746/the-nutcracker-unbound-a-new-holiday-tradition

I have been deep in rehearsals for LA Unbound’s next extravaganza, Nutcracker Unbound. If you live in the Los Angeles area and act fast, you can still get tickets for this reimagined version of the Nutcracker. It has everything from ballet to jazz, tap, contemporary, aerialists and more. I’m very excited as this is my first Nutcracker (as I never studied ballet as a child), but also to become more deeply involved with this great group of people. For the first time I’m in not just one piece, but four. It has been a challenge on many levels – from 6 hours of rehearsals on Sundays, to learning difficult choreography, to keeping up with a 8 minute number. Overall though, I’m excited to be back on stage, to be dancing with my many friends in the company and to finally, finally say I’ve been in the Nutcracker!

By the way, if you don’t live in Los Angeles (or even if you do) and you want to support this production, they are raising funds through Kickstarter to help make this show even more spectacular. http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1233983746/the-nutcracker-unbound-a-new-holiday-tradition

That being said, my debut back on stage actually took place last month as part of LA’s Best Dancers, where I performed salsa and bachata. It was a lot of fun to be on a big stage again, and back in my element of partner dancing. After being away from ballroom and partner dancing for so long, it felt revitalizing to be in that world again, with new-found abilities courtesy of my scholarship program. I was amazed out how much easier it was to pick up choreography and execute movements. But most importantly was the confidence I had gained. I walked out onto the stage with a calmness that had previously felt elusive and somehow I felt more at home.

I am also entering the world of teaching. I’m still in the early stages of this venture, so I’ll pass along more details when ready. Suffice to say I’m looking forward to changing the teaching approach of partner dancing to help both beginner and more seasoned social dancers find more success.

And still under secret wraps are two new website projects. I’m working hard and furious with some amazing people to bring two amazing resources for dancers to life in the near future.

Copyright - Clairobscur - Obviam Somes

I-5 Windmills was a somewhat literal piece, bringing imagery of the windmills found in Northern California along the highway. The circular movements of arms poised atop dancers delicately balanced in arabesques did accurately bring to mind the vision of fields of windmills.

Crawl Xipe Totec, on the other hand, expressed more abstract qualities of intensity and charisma. To me, the piece had a strong visual element of animals, accentuated by green and red costumes and extensive floorwork. However, Ms. Sefton has stated that was not the intended metaphor. I would argue that animals, their movements and the natural world at large often represent qualities that people identify with as well as evoke strong emotions. We can be drawn into its beauty, harshness and sheer immensity. Therefore even a misinterpretation of the visual would still result in the audience perceiving the qualities it is meant to represent. Certainly the strength of the dancers and the powerful movements clearly represented those qualities.

This Facility is Being Monitored for Your Protection and Security, a two-part piece, did an excellent job of portraying feelings of discomfort that a world increasingly filled with surveillance can induce. Of the two parts, Panopt was my favorite, although both pieces were well done. I thought this particular piece truly showed off how wide a range the dancers had physically and emotively – from the perfect synchronization of movements to unexpected twists and sheer athleticism.

Obviam Somes premiered at the show and was an expression of the vulnerability and exposure we can feel around our bodies. It explores medical themes as well as the more stark aspect of being visible and bare, whether alone or with others. Like the previous piece, the choreography demanded the audience pay attention, using situations easy to identify with, and then left us to explore our own reactions and feelings as if we were in the dancers places. In particular, the costumes consisting of sheer, hospital-type gowns, highlighted the sense of being revealed.

Overall, I very was impressed with the power, emotiveness and range of the dancers. The choreography was innovative, compelling and accessible to both dancers and non-dancers. Without a doubt, I would highly recommend experiencing Clairobscur for yourself as it is well worth seeking their performances out.

http://www.dancedancedance.com/whtwomen.htm

© vince trupsin

The audience instead was transported to a bar in the Deep South, complete with a classic and contemporary blues-based sound track and modernized choreography including elements of jazz, hip hop and musical theater. As someone not familiar with the storyline walking in, I found the plot and characters easy to follow via the choreography and portrayal by the dancers. I personally am a fan of storytelling within dance productions because I believe it increases the accessibility of dance to those not trained in this art form. It harkens back to my days in folk dance when we did full length folk tales set in dance. It is rare these days to find a production entirely composed in dance with a cohesive storyline aside from the story ballets. Although this is a take on one of those ballets, I still give props to the company for taking the risk to produce a full length story show. From that perspective, I felt that RhetOracle’s take on “La Bayadere” was masterfully created and executed. It very much stayed true to the company’s mission.

As to choreography itself, I enjoyed seeing Nate’s style in a larger work, having only experienced his previous choreography in much smaller bites. The opening number immediately engages the audience and draws them into the setting and characters. At times the repertoire felt repetitive, given the large number of scenes, and I would have liked to have seen a little more variety. However, on the whole, I still found entertaining and I certainly was not bored at any point in the show. The dancers gave an outstanding performance, both technically and theatrically. I particularly liked Byrana Verner in her role as Nikki.

If you are looking for something outside of the usual contemporary dance scene in LA, I highly recommend getting out to see “La Bayadere.” It is a story well told and performed.