A Cool Cause - Brewla Bars

My friend and fellow dancer Rebecca Dengrove is working on a new line of ice pops called Brewla Bars (they're yummy!), and she needs your support through Kickstarter. You get cool prizes for donating. They were featured in The New York Times last week and you can find them all over the city at different outdoor markets. Help 'em out.

"Brewla Bars: Daniel and Rebecca are a brother and sister team. Rebecca is a trained food scientist with experience innovating for some of the largest food corporations in the world. Daniel is an automation engineer with a background in philosophy and molecular biology. The two siblings founded Brewla Bars in 2010 in New York City, and are dedicated to making the ice pop a delicious, fun, and healthy part of your diet."

procrastination

Tomorrow is the last day of the semester and I have two big papers due by noon...both of which I must finish tonight!

I spent most of the day avoiding this moment where I finally have to sit down and work, haha. I had rehearsal early, and then went straight to NY State Theater for NYCB's all Robbins program. I'm writing a real review for ExploreDance but...

Fancy Free is one of my favorite ballets, and it was so good today! Marcelo Gomes from ABT was guesting and it was so fun and...free, hah. Dybbuk followed, but it was SO long and dull compared to the first one. Janie Taylor was beautiful though. West Side Story Suite finished the program with the same cast I saw do it a few months ago. So good.

Then I went to dinner with a friend I haven't seen in a long time...this has been a week of reminiscing, haha. I've heard from a few people I haven't talked to in years, and I literally ran into 2 others today between the theater and dinner. The dance world is so small, haha.

Okay, off to FINALLY do work. Hopefully tomorrow I can post about being done for the semester!

a fictional me

And for tonight's insomnia session...

One of my best friends has started writing a quasi-fictional account of our years spent together at a certain institution (haha no...a school...) and has been sharing the chapters with me as she writes. I have to say, the experiences we had in real life were often dramatic enough to fill volumes and volumes of NON-FICTION books, but her more literary take on the scenes makes for much more pleasant reading, haha. Someday I promised her I'd help her publish it somehow (along with certain writings about my experiences I'd like to publish...not necessarily in the same laughable tone...hah) but for now I thought I'd share a brief excerpt where she introduces the fictional version of me. The character's name is Samantha, and the description just cracks me up. Only PARTS of it are based on reality and keep in mind it is FICTION so things have been exaggerated (ah the benefits of the excuse of fiction) but have a laugh:

The scene, moving into our dorm room. The narrator, my friend, a nervous newcomer to the school.

---
The first thing Sam does, after introducing herself, is pin up a large black and white poster of Times Square. Even sporting the harsh steel and neon lights of New York City, the wall now looks less blank, less like a place we have never before seen and more like a place we could live. I hastily procure a single photograph from a shoebox and secure it on the wall next to my bed with a thumbtack. The round brown eyes of my German Sheppard look back at me. There, I am no longer living in a hospital room.

As I tack photograph after photograph to my wall, frantically turning the white into a hopelessly New Mexican collage, Sam spreads a multitude of homemade blankets across her previously empty bed. There are all kinds: crocheted and knitted, purple and green and red, striped and solid and lacey. She’s a whirlwind of unpacking, clearly experienced at the task.

“This isn’t your first year here?” I ask. She laughs.
“Not at all. I graduate in the spring.”
I stare at her. She can’t be more than a year older than myself.
“But, you look too young to graduate– I mean¬¬¬¬–”
“That’s ‘cause I am too young to graduate. I turned sixteen last month.”
“Then how…”
“Skipped a few grades, that’s all. I’m a fast worker…not really cut out for this high school crap.”

She goes back to unpacking. Watching, I fully believe that she is a fast worker. I find I am now the one hugging my knees to my chest, watching in awe. Sweaters fly neatly into drawers, books onto shelves, and at least two hundred hairpins into a heart shaped metal box on her dresser.

Finally, she produces three things from her handbag: a diet coke, a jar of peanut butter, and a plastic spoon.

“I’m a health freak.” Sam says, plopping down on her bed.

I like her immediately.
---

Maybe it's not as funny if you don't know me, or us, or the situation...but someday hopefully you'll get to read the full version and understand everything. Too funny.
Thanks Victoria!

Salt Lake City - so long

I'm home sweet home back to my tiny little cramped can't-see-nature apartment in NYC after my weekend in open, free, peaceful Salt Lake City. I'm actually kind of glad to be back...I'm not good at relaxing and taking time off, even though I desperately needed it...It was a great weekend, and again, I promise details tomorrow. Right now, it's bedtime since my body clock is all messed up thanks to the time difference and daylight savings...and I have to take class early tomorrow before rehearsal! Ahh.

Few more fun pictures from the wild west

Salt Lake City - the hike

(view from the plane...those aren't clouds, they're mountains!)

This is my last morning in Salt Lake City...and I finally had a moment to upload the many many pictures I took over the weekend. Here are just a few from yesterday's hike. Yes, a HIKE. Through the pretty mountains. I'm not one for nature (Central Park is just enough, haha) but this was wonderful!

I'm heading home to the city later this afternoon, but I won't be back til really late. Tomorrow's a busy day with rehearsal (my reason for coming back so quickly...see last week's posts) but maybe tomorrow night I'll write details of my trip. It's been fun!

Salt Lake City day 3

Again, just a quick update from the west!

We went on a hike in the mountains today...and if you know me at all, you know I am NO outdoors-y person. BUT it was really fun and pretty and so nice out. Definitely not a Manhattan moment, haha.

Flying home tomorrow afternoon...because of the time difference (which, by the way, has me even more messed uo thanks to daylight savings) almost the entire day is shot tomorrow. I have a brief layover etc, not getting me home really late. Oh well, SO worth it.

Will update maybe from the airport or if not, then Tuesday I'll write all about my trip!

Photos to come!

Salt Lake City day 2

I'm sitting in here in the amazing city library in Salt Lake with my friend and some of her friends...what a beautiful building!

It's nice having a break from New York to a place that is SO different. Mountains everywhere...buildings spread out...space to breathe...wow

Have to say, I could never live here - New York is my one and only - but it's great to have a change, and I'm so happy visiting my friend Victoria, whom I haven't seen in months.

Will post details and pictures probably when I get back to the city late Monday night or Tuesday

Greetings from Salt Lake City!

I'm here in Salt Lake City, halfway across the country!!!

Will write more tomorrow...tonight is for reminscing.

Happy weekend.

irony of life

So very last minute a few days ago, I made plans to go visit two of my best friends whom I haven't seen in months, in Salt Lake City. Next weekend happens to be completely free of plans, which is rare, so I decided to take the opportunity while it's here and book my flight. It also happens to be one of said friend's birthday on Monday, so I thought it would be perfect.

Then today I get an email from the director of the contemporary company I was working with a bit back in January, saying that she needs an understudy immediately because a dancer got a stress fracture in her foot and needs to be replaced. She asked if I would come, and rehearsals start next Monday.

I am THRILLED - but of course it comes during my first "vacation" in like 8 years, haha. Luckily she said I can come starting Tuesday, so it all works out. I just find the irony of life amusing sometimes.

I'm excited to cover the part though...it's for a performance in April, and she may have one of the company members available to actually do it, but I'm glad at least I can go learn and everything.

Anyway, that's today's news. I'm looking forward to my little getaway...I leave Friday, so there may be a lack of posts over the weekend. But forgive me, I REALLY need a break, haha. And it's only a short time.

Choreographing tomorrow for those high school kids...better get prepared...

pictures brighten my day

I love pictures. I always hate being in them at the time, but to see them later and relive the memories is so fun. And I enjoy taking pictures as well, even though I know often times people feel the same way about not wanting to stop and pose, haha.

I got a whole batch of recent photos today from a photographer friend and thought I'd share just a few...

we are totally serious in ballet class...haha


see?


my graduation dinner after our little performance last week

showcase pictures

Some pictures from Sunday's little showcase, and dinner afterwards :)

my visiting family and friends from class...all together! (can't see half the table here...)


my partner for swan lake, gregory


no pointe shoes...that's why i look so short on the right there :(


weird one, but some random moment during my gamzatti variation

mini performance & dinner

Tonight was our little student showcase performance, and it was quite fun.

I'll write more tomorrow, but it went well overall. My variation was a little shaky but it came together. Our group piece from Swan Lake was fun, though. We had a nice little audience, bigger than we were anticipating, and in general it was good.

Some of my family came to visit, so afterwards a whole bunch of us went out to dinner to celebrate the performance and a belated celebration of my graduation. There were a lot more of us than planned, but it was really nice to have both my real family and my ballet family (ok, corny) there together for once. We had yummy Japanese food and laughed a lot.

More details (and photos hopefully) to come, but big thank you to all who came to support us and to my friends and family!

play it cool at nycb

Just got home from seeing NYCB's American Songs and Dances program, which concluded with West Side Story Suite and Robbie Fairchild *singing* Cool from the famous West Side story score. As I've always been a fan of the film version and was reinspired by the stage version when I saw Chita Rivera do an excerpt in her brief Broadway engagement 2 years ago, I was so excited when I saw it on NYCB's program...and it made me want to dance!

Formal review to come on ExploreDance, but this and the rest of tonight's works were really different from the traditional evening at the ballet. It was all very Broadway-esque. Of course all the dancing was great.

I ran into Evan and Philip sitting a few rows in front of me in the orchestra, and we chatted and people watched during both intermissions.

As we walked out late (3 hour long program...sheesh) Evan and I ran into a huge crowd staring up to the sky over Broadway. At first we could only see them looking up, but the sky and everything was blocked by State Theater. When we finally got out by the (boarded up) fountain we saw what was going on...the lunar eclipse! Haha cool. But it was definitely a funny sight to see a huge pack of ballet-goers staring up...it was like what, is there a fire, or someone jumping off a building, or what? It actually reminded me of when I was in this press picture thing for Dancing with the Stars where we all had to look up to the photographer atop Avery Fisher Hall. haha

It was a nice night.

Right before running to Lincoln Center I rehearsed with my friend to embark on the process of making audition videos, as I mentioned earlier. She had found a ballet coach to work with but neither of us knew exactly who it was, and when we met tonight it turned out to be a teacher I had a few days back in my early Boston days! Small world! It was nice to have a different pair of eyes on my variation (gamzatti from la bayadere...performance this sunday :) but I'm finding some contradictions between different versions I've learned and what I should be doing. I guess it's all in the interpretation of the choreography...I like working in depth on this thing though, as I don't really get the time or chance to do that much nowadays.

Okay, it's definitely almost bed time...busy day at The New Yorker tomorrow. Keep a lookout for my NYCB review on ExploreDance.

happy chinese new year!

After spending most of the day at The New Yorker (and getting my official CN key card thingy -- which is rather exciting) I went out with a bunch of people from class to celebrate Chinese New Year...the year of the rat :) It was a fun night.

This post is pretty irrelevant to anything, but other than tonight it was a fairly uneventful day. Busy weekend coming up though...in keeping with my role as editor of my old studio's newsletter, I'm consumed by them tomorrow and Saturday nights with their performances and benefit. Should be interesting. Also have an audition Sunday for ABT's summer program...first audition of the season, and not really looking forward to it, haha.

Anyway. Happy Chinese New Year all

i love new york reason #19873

Have I mentioned lately that I love New York?

Every day and night is different in this incredible city, and I love that.

Tonight I went to see a friend's acting showcase and was quite inspired by the evening...there is so much art out there and I've realized I've only been exposed to very little of it. I should go see things besides dance more often. Hmm.

Friends in Rockefeller Center after dinner (my poor camera is getting old and going down hill, hence the weird flash and blurry-ness)

happy almost new year

Wow, last post of the year!

2007 has come and gone, quite quickly actually. It's certainly been a year of ups and downs, but it is definitely ending on a high note.

I'd like to take this time to thank all of the people who have made this year special, especially the last few months...I hope they know who they are. I am so grateful to everyone who has helped me along the way, given me opportunities to prove myself, and showed me who I can be. There are too many people to name individually, but a big hug and thank you to all my family, friends (near and far), and just everyone.

I have lots planned for 2008, but one of the biggest lessons I learned this last year was that plans are not set in stone and sometimes it's better to just have a general direction you're headed in and let the wind take you where it will.

Another lesson of the year: People can be your greatest asset or biggest hindrance, but only if you let them.

With that said, my new year's resolutions:
1. be more optimistic
2. let go of things that keep me down
3. take more time to stop and smell the roses

I found this quiz thingy online and just thought it was interesting what qualities make a year good or bad. My answers:

Compared to this time last year, you are:
Happier (much, much, much)
Less happy

Compared to this time last year, you are:
Healthier (minus the bursitis)
Less healthy

Compared to this time last year, you have:
More money (I got paid for the 2 things I love doing)
Less money

Compared to this time last year, you have:
More friends
Less friends

Compared to this time last year, your career prospects:
Are better (graduation soon!)
Are worse

Compared to this time last year, your life is:
More exciting (tenfold)
Less exciting

Compared to this time last year, you are:
More optimistic about the world
Less optimistic about the world

Compared to this time last year, you have:
More things to be thankful for (far more)
Less things to be thankful for


Happy New Year 2008 to all! Hope it's a good one :)

holiday update - finally

Okay, sorry again for not posting for a few days. Even though things weren't too busy I tried to take some time away from the computer instead of my obsessive excessive attatched-at-the-fingertip hours on end online. Haha.

So here's what's been going on and what's coming up, bullet style:

*went home for Christmas and it was a nice, relatively quiet holiday



*since coming back to the city I've gotten to catch up with some old friends spending some time here and it has reminded me how small and tight-knit the dance world is, and how close everyone really is. Even though I go months at a time without seeing some of my closest friends, we get together and it's like we haven't missed a beat. I love that.


*I got an email from the director of my old studio asking if she could hire me to take over the studio newsletter, writing and designing the whole thing. I'm meeting with her next week to discuss details, but I'm pretty sure I'm going to do it, which will get me back involved over there after a 6 month absence (well, maybe not quite that long)

*remember how my foot has been bothering me? Well, my left Achilles tendon has been hurting on and off since about April, and it was only on Christmas Eve morning that I finally had a chance to get it checked out (mostly because insurance doesn't cover out of state, and I'm hardly ever home long enough to make it to a doctor there). So I have Achilles bursitis. It's basically inflammation of the bursa, a sack of fluid between the tendon and the skin, and there's not much to be done besides rest, ice, and anti-inflammatories. My main concern was that I wasn't making it worse by dancing on it, and the doctor said I'm not, so that's good. I should be starting PT soon so I should be just fine.

Coming Up...

*understudy/apprentice with Rebecca Kelly Ballet. I forget if I mentioned it on here, but I auditioned for her a while back and had some vague dialogue later, but she emailed recently asking if I'd understudy a little showcase they have in January and also come to her choreographic workshop as a guest the following weekend to learn some rep. So I'm looking forward to that.

*Dance Research Forum Ireland. Again, forget if I mentioned it but I submitted my senior thesis dance journalism proposal to this big dance scholarship/research thing and they accepted it and want me to present it via poster at their conference in Ireland in June. Yay! Work paid off. It's expensive though, so I'm not positive I'll be attending yet...

*starting to rehearse for a little student showcase with the people I take class with all the time, to be on February 24. Fun. I love them.

*internship at The New Yorker starts pretty soon after the new year. I'm sooo ready for that, but I'll miss my current internship.

Ah. Well, I'm sure I'm forgetting something, but there's an update for now. I'm back in the city and sore from class (since I took almost 2 weeks off besides a single class here and there). It's nice to have a few days of "vacation" to enjoy the city before getting back to school and work and such the day after new years.

And I officially graduate in 4 weeks.

Nut all done!

I'm back in the city after Nutcracker weekend!

All the shows went well and were fun. It's nice to be done with it though. And to get a paycheck in my hand at the end of the performances was SO satisfying! Maybe that sounds wrong, but it's like, to have the opportunity to do what you love AND get paid on top of the experience itself is so great. I don't know. Nevermind, haha.

Anyways here are some more pictures...I have performance shots and even (blurry) videos coming soon that my family took from the audience :)

Meanwhile when getting home tonight I got to meet up with my favorite visitors!!! I've missed them so very much and I'm so happy they came for a few days (even though it's the last, busiest days of the semester!)! We're going to have some fun...


snow costumes


the NY girls


on the train on our final return from CT


my favorite out-of-towners and I in front of the tree @ LC

holiday fun!

After my internship today I took a break from the stress of reality and started to celebrate the holidays! Soooo much fun, but I'm left with a massive headache from all the sugar from gingerbread houses!

PA Ballet

Tonight 2 of my friends and I went to see Pennsylvania Ballet's performance for me to review for ExploreDance. It was such a nice night!

The performance itself was quite beautiful. They did Seranade (that music gives me goosebumps) and Matthew Neenan's Carmina Burana. Very different from each other, but both really well done. Full review to come.

It was nice to the company here after doing Nutcracker with them back in my Rock days. Familiar faces of those I admired as a Hoop in Nut...and also some friends who were at school with me there who are now apprentices. How small this ballet world is.

Speaking of that, during intermission I ran into Darla and Julia, the directors of BAE! I haven't seen or heard from them since I left in June when the year finished (actually, Julia was around a bit over the summer when I worked there, but it's different). It was nice to catch up with them and it made me realize how much has happened and has changed since I left there. Seems like forever ago.

Afterwards my friends and I went to dinner and laughed a lot. It was fun because I hardly ever have time to go out at all any more! I really didn't even have time for tonight (thesis, stats project, and 2 articles due on Tuesday..eek!) but it was worth it.

Nutcracker rehearsal all day tomorrow as usual. More insane busy-ness for the beginning of the week before I go home for Thanksgiving on Wednesday!