Is this called work?

imdb.

Found out today that I am actually on imdb.

Weird.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3891085/

It was for being a dancer in the short film "Three Sister's Laundry" which will be at the Colorado Film Festival this June and hopefully have a premiere with all the cast and crew sometime in June or July.

I crave to do more.

Woah Cha Cha.

I am getting out of my comfort zone and doing a Cha Cha for this upcoming Medal Ball event through work. I have been with Arthur Murray for a year now and have been in shock of what I have been able to accomplish this past year. The Cha Cha that I am going to perform is a fun Hollywood Legends theme. Every professional routine that I have done has been some sort of a smooth dance: Waltz, Tango and Fox Trot. I am finally able to push myself and try something new with one of my favorite latin dance, the Cha Cha (though Mambo is definitely second). Maybe I'll post a video of myself dancing. We shall see!

Exercise

If you want a really good leg workout, I would have to prescribe Bolero and Waltz. Slow and beautiful, but stretches those quads slowly and beautifully quite a bit with each side step that is taken. It's odd having muscle. And people say Waltz is a sissy dance. Give it a try! Ready and, 1 - 2 -3 - 1 -2 -3 x 500. Thank you.

Update on Dancing.

This past Tuesday, I had a checkout with a coach from Iceland in the first two levels of ten dances. Adding up all these patterns and variations is around 182. Then you would have to multiply that by two in order to get the amount for both leading and following. That is 364 patterns that I had to memorize altogether. Not just the steps, but theory behind each and every step. From how the pattern should be aligned on the floor, how much pressure to put into each step and even how to teach each step. After this 3.5 hour test, I finished and passed. It was one of the most stressful and nerve racking experiences I have had in a long time. What helped was knowing that it was a learning experience and I had to treat that way.

There might be chance of competing in Las Vegas at the end of the month in the Waltz and the Tango. Then Washington D.C. in December with Waltz, Tango, Rumba and ChaCha. The Waltz routine is finished, it's just time to make the Tango very dramatic and powerful. The entrance to the Tango is astounishing. We will see how this competing goes.

Teaching has been great. Now having this recent certification makes me more confident with each concept that I present to my students. Our mission statement is to change peoples lives through dancing. It is amazing to witness just that. I've seen people relax from a stressful day at work here at the studio. I've seen people become more confident with their self image. I feel like I have changed a few lives through this. Yes, dancing is the focus, but there is so many underlying benefits that everyone discovers further down this path of dancing. To be apart of this system is remarkable.

Now it is time to get ready for my next certification which will the toughest of all. It will take about six months to prepare for and more countless steps to learn, along with two more dances in this certification, Bolero and Vienesse Waltz. There has been challeneges all across this journey. Frustration, confusion, joy and accomplishment all comes with this journey. So many emotions. I just have to look at the bigger picture of the lives that are changing and the lives that will be touched further throughout this journey.

It is amazing that I dance for a living. It is even more amazing to share this with others.

More writings to come. If you ever wanted to take lessons, let me know. I'll hook you up.

Amazing Routine.

We have a student doing something like this at Showcase today.



Now it's time to get ready to do more freestyles and perform a professional Waltz routine. Oh yeah!

Englewood... who knew?

I moved to Englewood a few weeks ago to be closer to work. Instead of about three hours of a bus ride every day from Denver to the studio and back, it is nice being five minutes to work. It is odd not having twelve hour days anymore. I can actually sit down and play guitar, write a little, watch a movie and discover new bands with the extra time. Thankfully the local liquor store two blocks away carries Newcastle, I smiled that first trip.

I am living with an old friend from high school who turns out to be a co-worker as well. Lisa Picard and I are are sharing a two-bedroom house. It is nicely renovated with all hardwood floors and very very nice tile and countertops in the kitchen. Comes with a washer and dryer too. There is also a trampoline that just so happened to be there when we moved in. Located in the big backyard, it is a great place for Lisa's puppies. I just need to get a barking collar...

The dancing has been amazing. It is pretty cool to know that I dance for a living. We teach intro lessons for a pretty good price and that is what I have been working with mostly. I had my first extension last week, so they could continue on with lessons. My extension rate is 50% right now and I hope to keep that percentage for the rest of this year. It is nice to teach and make people smile through dancing. I have worker with some tough stories, but knowing that I put a smile on their face is the most amazing feeling in the world.

I taught six lessons last week, which is a descent amount for just starting six weeks ago. This week, I am booked to teach around sixteen lessons in just four days. Craziness. I have learned tons, not just dancing, but teaching as well.

There might be a chance of competing in October at Las Vegas in the smooth category, meaning waltz and tango. Or in November head to Washington D.C. to compete also. Maybe rhythm categories too, which are cha cha and rumba. It will be in the future champions category, for teachers that have two years or less experience teaching. A lot of opportunities with this job. It is amazing thinking that we had a staff meeting one day and worked on some Lindy Hop and we got paid for it. Too good to be true to have work that I enjoy.

Well, there is an update right now. I could write much much more of all these amazing stories I have encountered so far with this "job", but I don't know where to begin.

See some of you in June!

We'll have to dance it up.

Steps in my Mind.

When I have been waiting for the bus or lightrail, I find myself doing all these different dance steps without thinking about it. Then I walk by a store that is playing music and bust into some type of dance. It must make for an interesting sight.

I am currently at work right now on my lunch break. I'm so glad they use Macs here!

My feet should hurt a lot more than they currently are. I have twelve dances under my belt, both lead and follow. I get to be tested on Monday to see if I know ten of them. Then I will be certified to teach beginners. I've been doing mock lessons with fellow instructors and it has been a great learning experience. The dances that I have picked up thus far are: Fox Trot, Waltz, Tango, Rumba, Triple Swing, Cha Cha, 2-Step, Mamba, Merengue, Samba, Salsa and the Hustle. Many more to come also!

When the weekends come, let me know if you want to dance. Seriously.

It is interesting to think that I dance for a living. Wow.

Job.

Finally.

I start training as a ballroom dance instructor at Arthur Murray studios in Lakewood, CO on Monday. It is going to be an amazing experience and opens up so so many doors down the road. Get to learn ten different styles of dance from the get go and more to come as well.

I shall post a first week on the job and let you know my experiences.

Wow.

Amazing.