My Week 15-- Now categorized!

(I have an awesome rant about dance cliches, I need to put that one up here)

Awesome Dancers.

1. Have you ever seen someone dance with so much energy and conviction that they practically become a human tornado? I've witnessed this twice in one week. The phrase "throwing oneself into the dance" will never be the same for me again-- I've seen two different people not only throw themselves in, but get swallowed completely and then leap out gracefully.

2. It's a cool thing to see, but if you're seeing it up close you had better get the heck out of their way before they run you over. They do not see you, because you are not in the same room as them. They've transcended.

3. And no, I won't tell you who it was (or if I did, I'd use some nickname you would never figure out; I rarely use names on here). Know what's weird? I know they'll read this, and I know they won't think for second that I'm referring to them.

Kiddos and Teaching

4. I knocked off a little more of the Alice ballet this week. I've still got a ways to go, but I'm happy to at least have a chunk of my scenes already set (a few are getting close to being clean).

5. Last week, I got to give one of my Intermediate girls The News. "What do you mean, The News?" It's when I get to make a young girl's entire face light up from a 1,000-watt ear-to-ear grin with one sentence: "It's time for you to get your first pointe shoes."

6. Now, this school is very professional in the way it's structured. That said, the Director and I understand that being declared "Ready For Pointe" is the Best Thing Ever(!) for most of the kiddos, being able to give a student The News is fun for us: Seeing their expressions and seeing classmates hugging them shouting "OHMYGAH CONGRATULATIONS" makes The News worthy of extraneous capitalization.

7. I was working on a ballet with the kids the other night, and I nearly surprised myself at how much I sounded like another choreographer I used to work with. I've never had a similar demeanor or temperament as this artist (especially not in rehearsals), so I was a little off guard when I realized it was Miss Heylia's voice coming from Miss Butterfly. Then again: she was a big influence on me; we all show a bit of our different artistic influences/mentors at some time (some more than others, of course).

Let's see, what else:

8. Rehearsals with the dance company, of course. There's one ballet in particular that makes me ridiculously happy. Seriously. To me, it's about ten minutes of straight-up Whee!

9. You will all be glad to know I managed to not injure my dance partner this week (Even though he's always saying "You don't hurt me, no worries!" I want to give this guy a medal).

10. I'm going to see Toni Leago Valle's new show Tetris this weekend. I'm excited, especially since I've heard some GREAT things about it. And, I get to write a peer response for it! Sweet. I can't wait. Check it out, fellow Houstonites.

11. I've got a new project on the boards right now. It's in the early stages, but I'll keep you posted.

12. Not really on topic, but whatever: Earlier this week, there was one day where I did not high-five anyone.

12. I'm outta here....I'm off to go see Betty and Indigo Bloom kick dance's ass one more time.