five.

The lease is signed, furniture sold and my entire life is packed up in eight boxes and two suitcases.

I have always felt free to go on adventures and carve my own path, but this moving process has really shown me how many roots I have put down in Toronto.

This is my last day in the city - thank you Toronto for a fabulous five years. It's very bittersweet to leave, but I'm excited to make the jump and try on a new city.

Next stop: Vancouver!

Wishing you all a great long weekend and Happy Canada Day! 

rocks.

Whew, needless to say, the last few days here have been nothing short of eventful! 

Over the past week I have experienced some of the craziest highs and lows of this moving process - there was literally one point where I truly wasn't sure if was going to happen. 

Even though I hit a bump in the road, I'll be B.C.-bound this weekend! 

Throughout my packing process, I've come across several pieces from my time in Toronto that have been a part of my clothing, home and memoir collection. Last summer when I was moving into this apartment, I actually couldn't find one of my most valuable items - my demo footage from my TV internship in Kelowna during 2011. 

I remember tearing my old room apart - literally. Alas, those DVD's where nowhere to be seen. For a good year, I have given up that I would ever find them. 

Last week when I was packing up and giving away bits and pieces I didn't want to move/ship, I loaded a small box with items and put them out on the curb. I left to have dinner that evening with friends, and put moving out of my mind. 

When I got home, I saw the box and bent down to pick it up. It wasn't truly empty, inside were two CD's. 

My demo tapes! 

Needless to say, what is lost can definitely be found. Especially when you least expect it. 

I have uploaded everything to YouTube - check out the playlist of all my stories here.

Below is my favourite report about the Art Rocks Competition in Kelowna during June 2011. It's amazing to see how much my reporting grew not only over that internship, but also over the past two years. 

holes.

I'm not saying it's going to be easy. Nothing in life is easy. 

But that's no reason to give up. 

You'll be surprised what you can accomplish if you set your mind to it. 

After all, you have only one life, so you should try to make the most of it. 

- Holes, by Louis Sachar 

I truly could not have stumbled upon this quote at a better time. Better my last dance performance in Toronto last night (which was incredible!) and encountering an obstacle in my moving process, it's a great reminder to "LLL." 

LLL is my mother's saying - "live your life large." 

There are always going to be things out of our control, things will do wrong and well, life happens. 

However, if nothing else, since the day I arrived in Toronto five years ago to now has been an incredible learning experience. 

I've made some of my best friends for life, incredible connections and have had the opportunity to perform and dance again after thinking that life was finished for me. I've had the opportunity to travel and see New York City, Montreal, Niagara Falls,and various parts of Ontario while living here.Living here has broken down any walls I had, and now I'm not afraid to pick up my bags, jump on a bus, plane or train and just go. 

This is just the beginning. Toronto, thank you for being a huge chapter of my life. You'll be bookmarked, for sure! 

Next stop - Vancouver! 

lewis.

As I embark on my final few days of the city, each hour (and the people I spend it with) is precious.

Lucky for me, my last weekend in Toronto kicked off with a trip to Niagara Falls with some fabulous work and dance colleagues, taking in a dance show staring my peers and networking with potential contacts in Vancouver. 

Tomorrow, I'm off to the Lole Women White Yoga Tour and performing in my final show in Toronto (for now). 

It's been pretty swell so far if I say so myself. Thank you to so many for making these last few weeks so lovely.  

16.

I stumbled on this list titled, Sixteen Small Steps to Happiness. With some big changes happening in my life, this could not have come at a better time.

I'm happy, healthy and so blessed to get to do what I love, however, we all have our down days.

This little list is already impacting the last few days I've had. Read, notes and (hopefully) find a couple to integrate into your life. 

1. Push yourself to get up before the rest of the world - start with 7AM, then 6AM, then 5:30AM. Go to the nearest hill with a big coat and scarf and watch the sun rise.

2. Push you to fall asleep earlier - start with 11PM, then 10PM, then 9PM. Wake up in the morning feeling re-energized and comfortable.

3. Erase processed food from your diet. Start with no lollies, chips, biscuits, then erase pasta rice, cereal, then bread. Use the that is a child couldn't identify what was in it, don't eat it.

4. Get in the habit of cooking yourself a beautiful breakfast. Fry tomatoes and mushrooms in real butter and garlic, fry an egg and slice up an avocado. Sit and eat it and do nothing else.

5. Stetch. Start by reaching for the sky as hard as you can, then trying to touch your toes. Roll your head. Stretch your fingers. Stretch everything.

6. Buy a one litre water bottle. Start with pushing yourself to drink the whole thing in a day. Then try drinking it twice.

7. Buy a beautiful diary and a beautiful black pen. Write down everything you do, including dinner dates, appointments, assignments, coffee, what you need to do that day. No detail is too small. 

8. Strip your bed of your sheets and empty your underwear drawer into the washing machine. Put a massive scoop of scented fabric softener in there and wash. Make your bed in full.

9. Organize your room. Fold all your clothes (and bag what you don't want). clean you mirror, laptop, vacuum the floor. Light a beautiful candle.

10. Have a luxurious shower with your favourite music playing. Wash your hair, scrub your body brush your teeth. Lather your whole body in moisturiser.

11. Push yourself to go for a walk. Take your headphones, go tot he beach and walk . Smaile at strangers walking the other way and be surprised how many smile back. Bring your dog and observe their behaviour. Realize you can learn from your dog.

12. Message old friends with personal jokes. Reminisce. Suggest a catch up soon, even if you don't follow through. Push yourself to follow through.

13. Think long and hard about what interests you. Crime? Sex? Boarding school?  Long-forgotten romance ettiquette? Find a book about it and read it. There is a book about literally everything.

14. Become the person you would ideally fall in love with. Let cars merge into your lane while driving. Pay double for parking tickets and leave the second one in the machine. Stick your tongue out at babies. Compliment people on their cute clothes. Challenge yourself not to ridicule anyone for a whole day. Then two. Then a week. Walk with perfect posture. Look people in the eye. Ask people about their story. Talk to acquaintances so they become friends.

15. Lie in the sunshine. Daydream about the life you would lead it failure wasn't a thing.

16. Open your eyes. Take small steps to make it happen.

pops.

Happy Sunday! 

Today I'm wishing the happiest Father's Day to my incredible dad who has been my mentor and coach in work, school and life and has shown me how to not take life too seriously. 

Thank you for your patience, love and taking me for exactly who I am - dance, career and life goals and everything else! 

I love you more than words can say. Happy Fathers Day Señor!

playlist.

NXNE is a milestone in the classic Toronto summer. I feel like it was just yesterday that I was running around covering it. This year, NXNE is making me nostaligic.

I started reviewing concerts and albums for The Take Media during the summer of 2010. I trekked all over the city watching rock, indie, metal and pop shows and writing whatever I thought about the band, the performance and most importantly, the music.

Even though I've put my pen down as a music writer to pursue other projects, (although, I'll never say never if the opportunity comes up again), I'm finding myself drifting back into this world again.

I can't get enough of classic rock and new electronic music. I'm wearing clothing that my friends say makes me look like a roadie or disco queen. I'm inspired by the music, persona's and lifestyles of ages past that I want to tap into for a new dance project this fall.

Hey, just like Penny Lane said, "it's all happening."

With that, here's my refresher playlist of songs I'm loving when I come up for air out of my rock-heavy world. Think new Daft Punk, lounge beats and some oldies thrown in for good taste.

Enjoy.

mountain.

Well...hello, hello! 

I detest blogs that haven't been updated, and I'm very guilty of that right now. However, the past week and a half has had me running around the city like a mad person - but I loved every single moment of it. 

Between last-minute CBR rehearsals, performing, networking, helping plan and execute Divas in the City 4, taking part in year-end festivities,  I have finally found a moment to relax. 

Looking back at everything that has happened over the last 10 months,  I have made some mistakes, make some leaps and made connections I will cherish for the rest of my life. 

There are a few more things brewing in my pot - for now, I'm looking forward to taking some time off and refuelling before making my next move. Expect more happening on the writing/social media side, and then some dance and instructional work coming up in the fall. 

But first, coffee and time to tackle the mountain (and I mean it, mountain) of laundry that has been glaring at me since I got back from B.C. 

Enjoy the sunshine and expect a more updated blog this month! 

shades.

'Twas the night before my next big show...

While having coffee with a friend visiting Toronto, everything I am a part of relly really hit me. Tomorrow, I will perform in a multi-media production with over 50 performers, and we've almost sold out tickets based through our presale. 

After struggling and dancing for years, pining for people to come to shows, it's amazing to be part of a show that people are dying to see. 

As a fresh choreographer, this is a huge platform for my work to be seen. Last night in dress rehearsal, several colleagues came to me and said how much they admired my pieces. I am truly, truly touched, and hope the public enjoys my choreography as well. 

To my students, peers, teachers, artistic director, friends and family who have all taken the time and energy to support this production in your own way - thank you. 

Especially to my parents, even though they physically can't be here, were ears and eyes in their own way. They believed in me way back when I was six-years-old as a cat on stage doing jazz squares in dance recitals. We've come a long way Mom and Dad!  

My dancing is dedicated to you all. 

Time for rest and mental preparation - tomorrow is the night we've been waiting six months for! 

six.

It's here! It's here! It's here!

I can't believe it has been six months of hard work in the studio with my dancers - June is here and I have a plethora of performances, shows, lessons and the like coming up this month.

Thus, I am warning you now that this little blogette may be a bit sparatic (the week especially) with posts, as I'll be focussing on getting ready for our big performance later this week.

As always, I have my iPhone in hand, so please follow me on Twitter and Instagram (@PortiaFavro) for shots of the glitter, sequins and lipstick looks from
behind the scenes, last-minute rehearsals and more!