Hi everyone–
I’ve been planning to do BEDS (Blog Every Day of September) this month. Traveling and getting back into the swing of things at work placed me behind, so to make up for my delay I wanted to do 8 quick “blog-lets” to get me caught up. These will be mainly updates/commentary on my dance life so, let’s get started.
Day 1: Gigs
Ever since I got back from traveling to a conference for work, I’ve been working on a string of gigs. They were all fun but also draining, this is because 1) many of the rehearsals take place after work, and anyone who’s taken class or gone to a rehearsal after a full day of work knows that getting yourself in the frame of mind to dance isn’t always easy and 2) many of the rehearsals were super far away from either work, my house, or both and commuting can be just as draining as the dancing itself.
Nonetheless, gigging like this was a test of my abilities as a learner and exposed me to a lot of new people and experiences. In the last two months, I’ve performed at an end of the year fashion show for a mentorship program for young women, The House of Blues and I’m currently rehearsing for a city-wide arts festival. All of this while teaching, holding down a full-time job and trying to drink enough water!
Day 2: All Hail Queen Bey
For Labor Day Weekend I got to do something that’s been on my bucket list for a while. I saw Beyoncé live and in color!
I’ve wanted to see Beyoncé ever since I saw clips from the On The Run Tour and The Formation Tour. Her stamina and showmanship are second to none and she is undoubtedly Tina Turner’s replacement as the hardest working woman in show business. Something tells me Beyoncé’s tours are winding down (she’s earned it) and I wanted to make sure I saw her live while I had the chance.
I’m so glad I did. Queen Bey is everything people say she is and more. Her show looked flawless, I saw her change costumes no fewer than 10 times and she sang perfectly without even a hint of being out of breath. I was blown away by her work ethic and the athleticism of her dancers, and I also enjoyed Jay Z’s part of the show, too. While I don’t think I’ve risen to the level of being a full member of the Beyhive, I do have a new appreciation for Mrs. Knowles-Carter, and, if I ever have another chance to see her perform, I will absolutely take it. The concert was worth it, even though the rain destroyed my shoes and I spent most of the evening barefoot. Like you do.
Day 3: New Tap Shoes
View this post on InstagramI have GOT to get new shoes!!!! New taps #comingsoon! #bustedtapshoes #marleydestroyer
This one is going to be short and sweet. After breaking my second pair of tap shoes in under a year, I finally caved and bought myself a brand spanking new pair of Capezio Tapsonic tap shoes.
I just got them Friday (yay UPS Choice expedited shipping!) and I wore them for the first day of my new teaching gig. So far, no complaints, the sound is loud and clear. Aesthetically, the shoes are nice and they fit pretty well, despite being half a size too big. Hopefully these bad boys last me.
Day 4: The Continuing Journey to Snatched-ness
I’m technically in the off-season, meaning I don’t have any big shows coming up. As such, I’ve been a little bit more relaxed with my diet. But, since autumn is nigh and dance season will be back before you can say “5,6,7,8” I’m trying to get back to sticking to my diet. That includes faithfully adhering to meatless Mondays, minimizing sweets, dairy refined starches and fried foods and making sure I drink plenty of water.
Once production season starts, I’ll eliminate dairy, sweets, fried foods, alcohol and refined starch. I’m also toying with the idea of going vegan for a month after New Year (just to see if I can). This is less about losing weight for me this time (last year it was about losing weight), but more about making sure I have enough energy to get through super packed days of work, rehearsal and classes. It’s about being at my absolute best both physically and mentally for any shows I do. Most importantly, it’s about challenging myself to live my best and healthiest life as a dancer and as a human being. I’m trying to be better at treating my body like the physical temple/powerhouse that has carried me through a nearly 20 year career as a dancer.
Day 5: How Many Hours a Week do You Dance?
The below answer won’t include rehearsals.
This is a rough question to answer because work, gigs and life can have an impact on how much I dance. On a good day I dance during the last few days of the week and on the weekends. If I count my teaching, I spend about 6.5 hours a week dancing, which translates to approximately 5 classes a week. Not counting my teaching, it’s closer to 3-4 hours a week.
This sounds shameful, I know, but because I also work full time, I try to keep the earlier half of the week clear so I’m not burning out. Sometimes if I really feel like I need a class, I’ll cheat and dance earlier in the week, but, generally, my dance schedule is relegated to evenings and weekends.
Day 6: How’s Teaching Going?
So far so good. I’ve been at the studio teaching adults for nearly a year and I just started a new gig teaching kids, which I’m incredibly excited about. I love that I’ve gotten to share my gift for dance in this way and I’m up for the challenge of being the best teacher I can be.
Day 7: Have You Been Keeping up with World of Dance?
Not as well as I should have. A binge watching sesh is definitely in order.
Day 8: Any Blog/Podcast Spoilers???
Wait and see….😏
DANCE SAVVY 