Film.

This weekend I was involved in the filming of a short film produced by a friend. The goal for this project will be hopefully submitted and accepted to Cannes Film Festival in France. It is a twenty minute short with some dancing in it. I did some swing, waltz and fox trot for the camera. It was interesting acting in front of a camera compared to a live audience. The premier might be in three months here in Denver. More information to come.

It is nice to be acting again. IMDB, here I come!?

New Car.

Bought a Smart Car.

It's roomy.

And Comfy.

I feel responsible.

Even if it can fit in my pocket.

Pictures soon.

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!

Where the Wild Things Are

I'm excited.

Feels like the whole movie should be done by Sigur Rós.



Amen.

The Highest Title.

Yes. I did it. I auditioned for American Idol.

Try not to laugh. It was hard for me to keep a straight face watching all the crying faces that didn't make it past the producers.

The day went like this:

Wake up at 4:00am to be at Invesco Field at 5:00am

Wait in line for ninety minutes with 8,000 hopefuls till we finally got into the stadium

Spend another hour doing camera footage

During this hour, learn a Carrie Underwood crowd song for everyone to sing to be used for the show. The song is called 'Last Name' which has the most ridiculous lyrics ever. Ever, ever, ever. The story line behind this song is about a girl getting wasted with a bit of poison (alcohol). In the end, she marries some guy and does not even know his last name. Which results not knowing her last name either. I wish I could write something that well. *coughcough*

Finally the auditions are about to happen. On the other side of the field there are twelve tents set up for the the producers to audition a bunch of hopefuls. Four at a time audition just for the producer. You don't even introduce yourself or what you do for a living, you just get up there and start singing until they put a hand up. The very talented and not so very talented singers that are good for the camera went on to face another round.

One hour into the auditions they had a surprise guest to be revealed. So they halted the auditions for one hour so Ryan Seacrest can make a special appearance. Wow, a waste of time.

Finally, after ten hours of waiting in the sun. It was my turn. I sang for twenty seconds and was so relieved to be done with the day. I still had to get to work and teach a few dance lessons. I didn't care about moving onto the next round, the whole idea behind this show is ridiculous.

It was amazing sitting there for ten hours and people watch. The biggest disappointment is that all these people can come together to try and make it onto a silly t.v. show, but this many people can't come together for cause that is more important to the world. I feel sorry for the people that live for this show. People should live for something that really matters.