tricks.

It's no secret, I eat, breathe, sleep and process dance daily.

When I'm not in the studio, you'll often find me bopping along the sidewalk with my headphones in. Since I was a child, I would choreograph music videos and dances to every song I heard. I still do.

I've had the pleasure of working with so students from various walks of life of the past year - children, adults, women, men, seniors, those with disabilities, pre-professionals, and more.

I've been thinking a lot about tips of the trade - by no means to have the right answers for do's and don't as a dancer (I'm still figuring it out!) but I do get asked quite often for advice on a few things.

Bingo! Blog post inspiration.

TIPS, TRICKS, AND SECRETS 

1. Cross-training. 

I can't stress this enough, especially for my developing dancers. I struggled with repetitive injuries, body image, etc. for years when I was dancing 20-plus hours a week. It just didn't make sense - I was doing everything right from ballet class to stretching to resting. 

Everything changed when I started swimming. Two days in the pool completely changed the overall tone of my body and worked those muscles in a non-weight bearing medium. When I started doing yoga, I found all the strength to ground and secure my balances, turns, and more in my leg movements. 

Every body is different. I've had colleagues find spinning, Pilate's, hiking, running and many other activities also beneficial. I strongly encourage cross-training outside of a dance studio or gym to build up cardio and endurance strength. 

2. Watch, watch, watch. 

Go to shows. Any show. All the shows. 

Dance is a visual art. We learn by watching, copying, interpreting and adjusting. Watching other professional artists in our medium - and outside of it - opens up your mind to so much more. Some of the phrases I've loved most have come from watching how bands play music live. I love watching the arm and fingers move on a guitar, and have integrated that movement into my choreography. You never know where that inspiration can come from. 

3. Find your niche. 

This is way easier said than done. But the dancers, choreographers and artists who are not only enjoying success, but also enjoying being successful in the arts are just being themselves. 

Heels dancing is "cool" right now. I prefer to dance in a 2.5 inch heel character shoe compared to a 6-inch shoe. It's just comfort level. 

From that, I found that I identifying with more cabaret and contemporary movement as my centre of gravity is lower to the ground in those shoes. Then I met a few real life pin-ups, and knew that's what I wanted to be do. I refuse to conform to what society and the dance industry thinks a "heels dancer" should be. 

4. Take a class way outside your comfort zone. Then do it again. 

My first Sass Class was like that! I almost didn't go in the room because I was so scared. 

Thank goodness I went in. I got hooked, made the best friends of my life and started a new career. 

My other colleague made me go with her to an ecstatic dance class about six months ago, and I was completely weirded out and scared to go in the room. It was a freestyle class for 2 hours with a bunch of strangers...on Sunday morning. 

But we kept going back. Every week brought up something new. I'm still terrified every time I take that class. But it brings me back to a very "human" place, and I learn a lot of the dancers around me (most whom are retired contemporary and modern dancers in their 50's). 

Just a few thoughts. Dancers - what are your tips and tricks of the trade? 

lom.

I've been loving seeing all the photos from The Lovers Cabaret presents Lovers of Marley trickle in over the last few days. Here are a few of my favourites from showtime - missing these dancers something fierce.

Sorry for the lack of delays on my end. I'm currently in beautiful Prince Rupert, B.C. teaching at a dance studio for a week. I'll be back to Vancouver next week!

Until then...The Lovers Cabaret is already brewing up their next project. Stay tuned for more details to come!

understanding.

Oh my! How has it been nearly 10 days since I last posted on here?

I guess that happens when there just aren't enough hours in the day. But life has been good, real good. 

Lovers of Marley was a huge success - we had nearly 800 people see the show, with a sold out show this past Saturday night. Being a trained contemporary dancer, you don't often get the opportunity to perform in a project the general public will understand...but this was it.

A huge thank you to so many for their support and taking the time to come out to see the show. I still can't believe we had a line wrapped around the block to come in on Saturday night!

I've also been experiencing recent growth in both my social media consulting and dance instruction business - I've got a couple exciting projects in the works that I'll be announcing more about this upcoming week.

Vancouver, you've been sweet to me. Thank you for taking me for who I am and supporting these wild adventures of mine...it's just beginning.

lovers.

Four months ago, I remember being in a the studio for The Lovers Cabaret auditions for "Lovers of Marley" and screwing up every single piece of the choreography.

It had been awhile since I being challenged in a new "style"of contemporary movement, and I felt like was letting my good friend (who was also the producer) down.

I gave it my all, but to be honest, I just accepted I was just not going to make it. 

I must have done something right...I was cast in the ensemble and was approached to take part in a choreography mentorship to have a piece in the show. I'll never know why the judging panel chose me, but I'm beyond honoured, even though that was months ago!

One week from right this moment, we will have finished our first performance of Lovers of Marley.

The process of working with a cast of dancers and choreographers essentially unknown to me (and I to them) has been extremely refreshing. Even better? As our comfort levels have grown with each other, this group of women have taken me for exactly who I am - twerking, silly, weird Portia and all.

This show will be unreal. From what I've seen it really is a work of art, celebrating not only the life of one of music's biggest icons, but also so many different women from his day and ours.

I love watching dancers of all different shapes, colours and from various training perform choreography from all over the spectrum to pure reggae.

Thank you to so many for your support throughout this process. I can't wait to perform for you next Thursday, February 6 and Saturday, February 8 at The Rickshaw Theatre.

One love.

marley.

Through a series of events, this past Thursday evening I ended up touring The Rickshaw Theatre in Vancouver's Chinatown area.

As my friend, the producer of February's show and I walked around the space, I truly felt that energy in a room.

You could just tell that this venue has seen a lot of good music, dancing, sweat, drinking and rock n roll.

As a performer, we spend so much time focusing on being ready for the stage. I have preached about expressed my love for "The Process" many times - however, I've seen this really only in the studio.

I'm getting older, my body is changing and so is my perspective. "The Process" doesn't just start when you go into rehearsals.

It's here, touring the venue and feeling the energy of the space.

I have been approached to choreograph and work on a new project called "The Lovers of Marley". This cabaret-style show will feature the music of the iconic Reggae artist, Bob Marley, featuring a cast of diverse dancers, actors, singers and other artists.

If you live in the Vancouver area, I highly urge you to come out to the audition tomorrow, Sunday, October 6 and show what you've got! Check out the details on Facebook here.

Have a lovely weekend and see you dancing tomorrow!

speigel.

Not only is this little video quite special, so is the song which accompanies it.

"Spiegel im Speigel", as performed by the Bergen Philiharmonic Orchestra, the Berlin Philarmonic Wind Quintet and the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, was used in the modern piece, "White Light" choreographed by Viktor Kabaniaev for Moving Arts Dance.

A few weeks after watching professional dancers Holly Morrow and Devon LaRussa perform this piece, I knew I wanted to study modern movement. I dedicated myself to training five to six days a week as an apprentice to Moving Arts Dance throughout my sophomore year of high school. From Graham floorwork to Alvin Ailey-inspired Afro-Cuban, I couldn't get enough of this new form of movement.

I learned several variations of the company's choreography, including the "White Light"(watch two of my colleagues performing it on YouTube here).

Even though it's been six years since my apprenticeship, whenever I hear those first few notes of "Spiegel im Speigel", my ears perk up and body falls right into the choreography. It's a piece of music that sticks with you.

Just a little moment from today.