This Art Form

It is so easy to forget why you love this art form when you sacrifice so much of your life inside of a studio with your feet cramping, muscles burning, and sweat dripping in your eyes. It is so easy to forget why you love this art form when you think about how many things you have missed out on by not living a “normal” life for a dream that you may never even reach. It is so easy to forget… until you step onto that stage to dance for hundreds of people and hear their applause… until you experience an injury that prevents you from being able to express yourself for weeks… until you are offered a job contract that allows you to do what you love and not sit in an office all day long… until an audience member warmly touches your shoulder after a performance and tells you how grateful he/she is for sharing your gift…

The fact is, I hear negativity every single day whether it is inside of my own head or from other people expressing their personal unhappiness. I have begun to realize that dance is a mental battle, and it is something that continuously challenges people both emotionally and physically. I have known so many people who have stopped fighting for this dream and have had thoughts of “what if I didn’t, where would I be now?” for the rest of their lives. Do not ever forget why you started dancing, and do not ever forget that magical moment that lit up your young eyes when you discovered it for the very first time. Always remember the power that dance has to heal and change people’s lives, and never allow your current emotions to put out the flame that burns deep within your soul. Remain true to yourself, and have faith through it all.

No matter how defeated you may feel at times, never forget this art form… It is part of you. It IS you… Do you really want to let it all go?

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I know that this post was significantly longer than my typical posts, but I just felt like the world needed to read this because these words have been lingering in my head for quite some time now. Too many people in my life have incredible talent, but they are quickly loosing their passion; I don’t ever want that to happen to me.

Photo credits: Richard Jean-Louis

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Share Your Talent

“You guys were beautiful. This made me feel young again. Thank you!”

I had the most amazing time performing for the residents at the assisted living facility this morning. It warmed my heart to bring the arts back into the lives of these seniors, and I can’t tell you how rewarding it was to see the smiles on their faces. I will absolutely do this again, and I highly encourage YOU to share your talent, hobby, or joy with your local community. No matter how small and simple it may seem, people will appreciate it more than you will ever know…

Nutcracker Casting 2018!

A few days ago, the casting for this year’s production of The Nutcracker was released. My friends and I had been discussing the possibilities for weeks now, and we had all been anxiously waiting to find out if our predictions were accurate.. I have been cast as a maid, the snow queen, and marzipan. I had never imagined that I would have been selected for these roles, and I am incredibly thankful.

The enchanted forest of snow has always been one of my favorite scenes out of the entire ballet, and I am absolutely honored to have been cast as the queen. I had always hoped that I would perform marzipan someday, but I never expected it to be so soon…

My very first rehearsal is Tuesday. Wish me luck! 🙂

Enjoy the Ride

“Life is a roller coaster. You can either scream every time you hit a bump or you can throw your hands up in the air and enjoy it.”

~Unknown

After a hectic road to get here, I am so pleased with how the performance turned out last night. I choreographed two separate dances within an incredibly short time span, and they both turned out so much better than I had ever imagined. I was faced with many challenges and issues that caused me to completely rework my initial vision, but I quickly recovered and my dancers pulled off an exceptional performance. I danced a few ballet variations and contemporary group pieces as well, and I am content with them. Of course, they were definitely not perfect, but it made me absolutely elated to have been approached by audience members after the show. It makes me so glad to know that they enjoyed witnessing my contribution to this beautiful art. I always remember how fortunate I am to dance under those lights, and I thank The Lord for giving me the opportunity and ability to do what I do.

Dance.

Exploring Nashville

Despite the wet, windy weather that took over Nashville, we still had a great day exploring Music City. We visited the Ryman Auditorium (“the mother church of country music” since 1892), line danced, and experienced lots of live music. I am so lucky to have seen Preston James perform that night… He made Blake Shelton’s team on Season 11 of my favorite singing competition, The Voice! He is so amazing, and I am so fortunate to have seen this 17 year old star perform right in front of me.

Thanks, Nashville!

Tribute to Daisy

I never thought that I would enjoy performing this variation. Canary Fairy had always been one of least favorite classical ballet variations, and I never imagined myself performing it in front of hundreds of people. Surprisingly, I adored portraying this vibrant character, and I was upset when I took the final bow. My costume was glowing… My gold crown was shining…

This was such a wonderful Tribute to my yellow Daisy Bird, and I had a lovely time as the Canary Fairy in this weekend’s production of The Sleeping Beauty.

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I am shocked to announce that all of the performances have finally come to a close. After spending over 12 hours in the theater yesterday, we were able to whirl through two separate ballets in one weekend. Each show definitely had its own challenges, but I think that is one of the most exciting things about performing live (you never know what you are going to get!) I am so proud of ALL of the casts, because they were all absolutely stunning. This was a fantastic weekend, and I am so fortunate to have been blessed with the opportunities that I had been given. Have a great week! 🙂

Honored

Despite all of the stress and pain that lies behind the curtain, it was such an honor to bring Swan Lake to that stage tonight… This is one of my favorite ballets to watch, and it makes me so grateful to be a part of it. I am beyond thankful to have been cast as one of the four swans, because this is an opportunity that I may never get to have again. I am so happy that I am able to perform this weekend and do what I love with all of these wonderful people… It doesn’t get much better than this.