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NEW CLASS ALERT!
CONGRATULATIONS!!!
To the cast, crew, musicians and install team of the Mariner Of The Seas!
Gallery of Dreams and Center Stage are open!
Have a wonderful contract!
To the cast, crew, musicians and install team of the Mariner Of The Seas!
Gallery of Dreams and Center Stage are open!
Have a wonderful contract!
Remounting OneSky with these beautiful artists!
Coming soon to Oasis of the Seas...
“My soul is in the sky.” ― William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night's Dream
Congrats, Mariner Team, on your successful Openings!
This is only a fraction of the beautiful humans it takes to facilitate the install process of 3 shows in 2 different venues, during drydock and a 10-day transatlantic crossing. It really shows what teamwork can accomplish! Thanks again for all your hard work, senses of humor and generous sharing of snacks. Have a wonderful contract! #MARYner #Tergii #wheresthewater #CS #GOD #IceUnderTheBigTop #JoinTheCircus #MoreSnacksPlease #CanIGetSomeLemon #BewareOfMonkey
CJDC DANCE JAM 2022
December 30, 2022
@ Barbara Ellis Studio of Dance (Colorado Springs, CO)
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We are OPEN! Congratulations to the Cast and Crew of Irving Berlin's White Christmas @ Alhambra Theatre & Dining! |
Happy to announce I will be tappin’ back on to the stage this holiday season in White Christmas @ Alhambra Theatre & Dining, Nov. 17-Dec. 24, 2022!
#HolidayGig #ChorusGirl4Life
#HolidayGig #ChorusGirl4Life
AMELIA ISLAND DANCE FESTIVAL...
Class with Carlos Garland,
Photo courtesy of AIDF
Class with Marisa Dolan, Photo courtesy of AIDF
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...IS BACK ON STAGE AND LIVE AROUND THE ISLAND IN A CELEBRATION OF THE CREATIVE WORLD OF DANCE
Three-day Series of Performances and Workshops at Amelia Community Theatre and the Courtyard Springhill by Marriott Amelia Island September 9-11, 2022 . Following a busy year of delivering dance ‘to go’ through eclectic video performances on YouTube including an homage to The Beach Lady, a duet at the Fernandina Airport, hip-hop at the historic Post Office and an ethereal evening at Bosque Bello, the Amelia Island Dance Festival is excited to bring dance to life live and person for its 4th season. Saturday and Sunday matinees have been added and 12 workshops will be offered this year. Festival Founder Susan Dodge, a professional dancer and director formerly of the acclaimed Paul Taylor Dance Company in New York, said “What makes dance unique is that your craft goes everywhere with you......no need to carry an instrument or a paintbrush. The expression of dance is individual and ever evolving...and dance comes in all flavors, styles, feelings and dynamics.” This year’s program features acclaimed and accomplished dancers who have performed on international stages, up-and-coming regional talents. Participation is not limited to a seat in the audience (although it bears mentioning that tickets for previous Festival performances have sold out within days.). There is also a weekend of workshops highlighting different kinds of dance, and all are invited to participate. “Everyone is a dancer. You’re a dancer when you move to a beat, to the music that moves you You move....which is dance.” |
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Finally getting out and exploring the dance community here in the Jacksonville area.
Thanks to Ponte Vedra Ballet and Kim Jones for a wonderful Graham Master Class! It felt SO GOOD to move that way again! #KeepDancing #NeverStopMoving |
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CONGRATULATIONS...
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...to the Jewel OTS team on their Opening Night of “City Of Dreams”!
It’s been truly nostalgic spending the past five weeks onboard and revisiting these shows. What made it even more special was getting to observe the wonderful talents of my good friends, Christelle Nesbitt and Mark Pettit! It really takes a village! Thanks to the cast, crew, technicians, costume/wig, shipboard and shoreside teams for all their hard work and support in making last night happen! Take Care. Stay Healthy. And have a wonderful contract! #RCCLTalent #COD #TakeoutFlashbacks #ThisIsTheNight #WeAreBack |
Congratulations to the Cast, Crew and Musicians of
Gallery of Dreams!
Showing on: Mariner of the Seas
Opening Night: December 12, 2021
Directors: Loren Van Brenk, Lucy Clavis and Maria Tucker
Production: Royal Caribbean Entertainment
Gallery of Dreams!
Showing on: Mariner of the Seas
Opening Night: December 12, 2021
Directors: Loren Van Brenk, Lucy Clavis and Maria Tucker
Production: Royal Caribbean Entertainment
ANNOUNCEMENT!!!
September, 2021
It is bittersweet for me to announce that Gene and I will be moving in October to Florida!
We will miss our PNW family SO MUCH, but we are also very excited for this new chapter! To the PDX theatre and dance communities, thank you for giving me the space to create and grow as an artist. I will be forever grateful to all those that supported me over the past decade. It seems fitting that, after one of the most difficult years of my life, it is now time to move on. To our FL friends and family, see you soon!!! We will be in the Jacksonville area and hope you can meet up from time to time.
ONWARDS AND UPWARDS!
#TuckeyAndGenoOut #FedorAndMaggieToo #NewAdventures
September, 2021
It is bittersweet for me to announce that Gene and I will be moving in October to Florida!
We will miss our PNW family SO MUCH, but we are also very excited for this new chapter! To the PDX theatre and dance communities, thank you for giving me the space to create and grow as an artist. I will be forever grateful to all those that supported me over the past decade. It seems fitting that, after one of the most difficult years of my life, it is now time to move on. To our FL friends and family, see you soon!!! We will be in the Jacksonville area and hope you can meet up from time to time.
ONWARDS AND UPWARDS!
#TuckeyAndGenoOut #FedorAndMaggieToo #NewAdventures
MOMENTUM: a mini-festival (July 21-24, 2021)
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So excited to be teaching at MOMENTUM: a mini-festival put on by Dance Wire! Take classes, watch performances, and dance outside... will you be there? |
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JULY CLASSES!
THEATRE JAZZ -Tuesdays, 4:00-6:00pm @ Encore Performing Arts Center
ADULT JAZZ 101 - Tuesdays, 6:45-7:45pm @ Northwest Dance Project
THE ELLOVÉ TECHNIQUE ® - Sundays, 10:00-11:00am @ Bodyvox Dance Center
ADULT JAZZ 101 - Tuesdays, 6:45-7:45pm @ Northwest Dance Project
THE ELLOVÉ TECHNIQUE ® - Sundays, 10:00-11:00am @ Bodyvox Dance Center
Triple Threat Training: Master Classes for Teens
This master class series gives students a chance to work with musical theatre professionals to delve deep and hone their triple threat skills. Designed for students who are interested in a more intensive, professional experience, each class focuses on a different musical theatre discipline: dance, vocal performance, and acting.
Dance: Fast-paced and fun, this class will help students prepare for audition dance calls. Following a short warm-up, participants will learn and perform choreography in a mock audition. Then they will get a taste of what rehearsals are like as they set two short production numbers with professional dancer and Broadway Rose choreographer Maria Tucker.
Vocal Performance: In this educational mock audition students will gain new skills and confidence to prepare them for their next audition. Led by music director James Pick, students will workshop solo pieces and group numbers, simulating the audition and callback experience. Participants are asked to prepare 32 bars of two contrasting pieces to perform.
Acting: The third class of the series focuses on a key component of a triple threat’s training: acting. Working with director Annie Kaiser, students will gain a more in-depth understanding of acting fundamentals, practice critical skills like cold reads and scene work, and develop their talents to become well-rounded performers.
Dance: Saturday, May 22, 1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Vocal Performance: Saturday, May 29, 10:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Acting: Saturday, June 5, 10:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
All sessions held at the Broadway Rose New Stage
Ages 13 – 18 | Fee: $90 for series or $35 per class | Register here
Dance: Fast-paced and fun, this class will help students prepare for audition dance calls. Following a short warm-up, participants will learn and perform choreography in a mock audition. Then they will get a taste of what rehearsals are like as they set two short production numbers with professional dancer and Broadway Rose choreographer Maria Tucker.
Vocal Performance: In this educational mock audition students will gain new skills and confidence to prepare them for their next audition. Led by music director James Pick, students will workshop solo pieces and group numbers, simulating the audition and callback experience. Participants are asked to prepare 32 bars of two contrasting pieces to perform.
Acting: The third class of the series focuses on a key component of a triple threat’s training: acting. Working with director Annie Kaiser, students will gain a more in-depth understanding of acting fundamentals, practice critical skills like cold reads and scene work, and develop their talents to become well-rounded performers.
Dance: Saturday, May 22, 1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Vocal Performance: Saturday, May 29, 10:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Acting: Saturday, June 5, 10:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
All sessions held at the Broadway Rose New Stage
Ages 13 – 18 | Fee: $90 for series or $35 per class | Register here
#FunWithFilters
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!
"Enjoy this year's tree lighting from home with special performances by Maria Tucker and Jeff George, Son de Cuba (salsa band) and Bathlete (hip-hop group), along with a holiday message by Mayor Mark Gamba and a special appearance by Santa Claus with Lily the Elf!"
Taste of Style PDX
Flower Power :: Share The Love
(November 7, 2020)
Benefiting the Angel Hair Foundation
"We invite you to join us as we turn our focus this year to children who suffer the crushing emotional upheaval from medical hair loss. Our 6th annual event, ‘Taste of Style PDX 2020 – Flower Power: Share the Love’ will directly benefit the Angel Hair Foundation, which is an Oregon-based non-profit that supplies superior quality medical hair prosthesis to restore confidence and self-esteem in children who lose their hair though cancer or other medical conditions.
Our unique gala runway event showcases the best creations in fantasy hair, makeup and fashion design; featuring the work of local award-winning stylists, cutting-edge and celebrity designer fashion lines, and all modeled by some of your favorite faces. All of which will be available for viewing via LIVE stream on Facebook and on www.tasteofstyle.org .
We invite you to follow us online to see interviews with children who have been recipients of Angel Hair Foundation prosthetics, updates from fashion designers, follow up with how your favorite faces are doing and what they are doing to prepare for the event, special offers, sneak-peeks and more!"
www.facebook.com/tasteofstylepdx
www.instagram.com/tasteofstylepdx
DONATE HERE!
Our unique gala runway event showcases the best creations in fantasy hair, makeup and fashion design; featuring the work of local award-winning stylists, cutting-edge and celebrity designer fashion lines, and all modeled by some of your favorite faces. All of which will be available for viewing via LIVE stream on Facebook and on www.tasteofstyle.org .
We invite you to follow us online to see interviews with children who have been recipients of Angel Hair Foundation prosthetics, updates from fashion designers, follow up with how your favorite faces are doing and what they are doing to prepare for the event, special offers, sneak-peeks and more!"
www.facebook.com/tasteofstylepdx
www.instagram.com/tasteofstylepdx
DONATE HERE!
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CHECK IT OUT!
"WE NEED A BRIDGE" CAMPAIGN by Dance Wire PDX
Watch the video: https://vimeo.com/477844292
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"As Portland's dance hub, Dance Wire is a vital part of the dance ecosystem. We are uniquely connected to what's happening throughout all pockets of Portland dance. Two of the dance community's greatest needs are financial viability and securing funds to stay alive through the pandemic. The following programs were built to address this: 1) Fundraising Consulting - Foundations themselves are choosing between crisis response and long-term goals. Individual donors are trying to figure out where their money is most needed. Many corporations have put a freeze on their sponsorships and community giving. It doesn't makes sense for each dance organization to navigate this alone. Dance Wire will do the research and disseminate critical information tailored to each organizations needs, freeing up their staff time to keep their programs going. 2) Financial Consulting - We have partnered with a financial analyst to develop dynamic tools for an organization to easily monitor their current financial reality. When real-time numbers are entered, charts indicate short-term financial status with Green, Yellow, and Red signals to indicate when the organization is in the danger zone. Your cash donation is an investment in Dance Wire and the community as a whole!" #dancewirepdx #weneedabridge #keepportlanddancing #iseeyoudance #portlanddance |
Portland Fashion Week......was SO much fun! Thank you, Amy Honeybee (Honeybee Couture), for the opportunity! Hair by Chris Vandehey Makeup by Zury Lopez Photos by Tim Ward/Steven Paul Don't forget to tune in to Taste of Style PDX on November 7, 2020! 
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Taste of Style PDX
Broadcast LIVE ONLINE November 7th, 2020 from One Main Place in Portland, Oregon on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube!
"We invite you to join us as we turn our focus this year to children who suffer the crushing emotional upheaval from medical hair loss. Our 6th annual event, ‘Taste of Style PDX 2020 – Flower Power: Share the Love’ will directly benefit the Angel Hair Foundation, which is an Oregon-based non-profit that supplies superior quality medical hair prosthesis to restore confidence and self-esteem in children who lose their hair though cancer or other medical conditions.
Our unique gala runway event showcases the best creations in fantasy hair, makeup and fashion design; featuring the work of local award-winning stylists, cutting-edge and celebrity designer fashion lines, and all modeled by some of your favorite faces. All of which will be available for viewing via LIVE stream on Facebook and on www.tasteofstyle.org .
We invite you to follow us online to see interviews with children who have been recipients of Angel Hair Foundation prosthetics, updates from fashion designers, follow up with how your favorite faces are doing and what they are doing to prepare for the event, special offers, sneak-peeks and more!
www.facebook.com/tasteofstylepdx and www.instagram.com/tasteofstylepdx"
"We invite you to join us as we turn our focus this year to children who suffer the crushing emotional upheaval from medical hair loss. Our 6th annual event, ‘Taste of Style PDX 2020 – Flower Power: Share the Love’ will directly benefit the Angel Hair Foundation, which is an Oregon-based non-profit that supplies superior quality medical hair prosthesis to restore confidence and self-esteem in children who lose their hair though cancer or other medical conditions.
Our unique gala runway event showcases the best creations in fantasy hair, makeup and fashion design; featuring the work of local award-winning stylists, cutting-edge and celebrity designer fashion lines, and all modeled by some of your favorite faces. All of which will be available for viewing via LIVE stream on Facebook and on www.tasteofstyle.org .
We invite you to follow us online to see interviews with children who have been recipients of Angel Hair Foundation prosthetics, updates from fashion designers, follow up with how your favorite faces are doing and what they are doing to prepare for the event, special offers, sneak-peeks and more!
www.facebook.com/tasteofstylepdx and www.instagram.com/tasteofstylepdx"
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Dance Wire's TFP Photoshoot @ Shabu Studios
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I had fun chatting with Dan Murphy from Broadway Rose Theatre Company!
They have been dark since March, as most theaters, but have done their best to keep the community engaged. It felt amazing to dance on that stage again! If you are able to donate to an arts organization at this time, please do! Artists are hurting right now, but we will continue to entertain and inspire as best we can. Stay safe and well! M. xo |
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Theatre Dance @ Broadway Rose!
Old Moody Roadshow @ Zidell Yards, June 28, 2020
Had a wonderful time performing with Dance Wire at this show!
Photos by Shannon Butler @ Shabu Studios.
Photos by Shannon Butler @ Shabu Studios.
ISOLATION
march, 2020
#GhostLight #WeWillReturn
"In theatre we have a tradition- whenever the theatre is empty we are always sure to leave one light on. Typically on a stand in the centre of the stage, this light is known as the ghost light. There are many stories about its origin- but it’s meaning is unmistakable.
It means though the theatre is empty, WE WILL RETURN. So here’s to us. The actors, the technicians, the directors, the carpenters, the designers, the dancers, the teachers, the students, the freelancers, those on tour, those at sea, the electricians, the stitchers, the makers, the stage managers.... THE ARTISTS. Many of us have taken big hits during this virus. Financial and emotional weights have come crashing down as our entire industry is reduced to nothing but a bunch of ghost lights. But those ghost lights are temporary place holders. They are a sign. We might be down now- but our passion, our creativity, our drive is still centre stage. We’ll be unplugging those ghost lights in no time. Until then- here’s a ghost light- to let the world know WE WILL BE BACK."
-I've seen this quote on several posts, but don't know who to credit. Thanks, whoever you are.
New workshop starting this Sunday! Come dance with us!
DRAGONS LOVE TACOS Promo!
Now playing through February 16, 2020
Meet the Cast and Creative Team!
Meet the Cast and Creative Team!
DRAGONS LOVE TACOS @ Oregon Children's Theatre
‘Why do dragons love tacos? Maybe it’s the smell from the sizzling pan. Maybe it’s the crunch of the crispy tortillas…Either way, if you want to make friends with dragons, tacos are key.’
The mind-blowing, earth-shattering, tantalizing secrets of dragons REVEALED! When Mom runs down the street to pick up dinner, a boy and his faithful dog Leroy encounter a quartet of dancing dragons. Each one has its own unique style and personality, but they all have one thing in common: they’re hungry!
This hilarious, dance-filled journey into the field of Dragonology is equal parts ridiculous and delicious, and has all the ingredients for a fantastic time!
https://www.octc.org/dragons-love-tacos
Goodbye, Come Fly. Hello, One Sky.
It was very bittersweet saying goodbye to a show that I've been involved with, on and off, for the past 10 years. But what a wonderful experience getting to work with my dear friend and mentor, Loren Van Brenk, and to meet and work with the amazing Dee Caspary!
The Oasis is now on her way back to Miami after a 63-day, $165 million renovation. Check out the newest show onboard, One Sky!
The Oasis is now on her way back to Miami after a 63-day, $165 million renovation. Check out the newest show onboard, One Sky!
Singin' In The Rain
@ Lakewood Theatre Company!
http://westsidetheatrereviews.blogspot.com/2019/05/singin-in-rain-takes-lake-oswego-by.html
Photo by Melissa Nornes
New workshop starting Saturday!
JAG Annual Performance 2019!
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Very excited to be joining the cast of Singin' In The Rain at Lakewood Center for the Arts (Lakewood Theatre Company)!
Show runs April 26 - June 9, 2019. Get your tickets now!
#SinginInTheRainLTC
Audition Season is here! Join us in the studio and brush up on those skills!
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I am headed back to Miami to teach Come Fly With Me at Royal Caribbean Productions later this month. So grateful to have been witness to the creative journey of this show in 2009 with the original director, Jeremy Plummer. Check out more of his beautiful work! |
The MAC kids did a wonderful job at their Holiday Open House and Tree Lighting! Check out some of the highlights below...all photos by Marc Fovinci.
Have a wonderful season, GOH2! Check them out if you are in the area...
Had a wonderful time teaching at the StepsPDX Full Circle Event!
"Laura Onizuka (of Dance Wire) talks with Maria Tucker about her life as a professional dancer. Maria shares her thoughts on the importance of mentorship for young dancers, how dancing is for everyone at any age, and her experience working with Royal Caribbean Cruiselines"
https://www.dancewirepdx.org/artist-stories/2018-artist-stories-maria-tucker/
https://www.dancewirepdx.org/artist-stories/2018-artist-stories-maria-tucker/
Come join STEPS PDX celebrating their one-year anniversary on October 28, 2018!
Free classes all day, plus drinks, snacks and raffle giveaways! I'll be teaching at 12:45p.m., but there are amazing classes before and after. See you there!
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Get in the studio this Fall!
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NEW CLASS!
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Happy to announce I'll be joining the staff at Spotlight this Fall!
Excited to be teaching at this year's Citywide Dance Audition! Hope to see you there!
Do you want to take class with me? New session starting February 11, 2018!
Free Dance Day, January 7, 2018!
Join us for a full day of dancing for $0!
Join us for a full day of dancing for $0!
New Jazz class starting in December
Excited to announce that I am teaching a new Jazz class @ Bodyvox. starting Dec. 8, 2017! Come dance with us Friday mornings, 9:30-11:00 a.m.!
Watch my choreography from NWDT's
A Festival of Dance!
Sometimes I forget to step back and look at the artists that these young performers are becoming. Sometimes I feel I'm not the right person or I'm in the wrong place. The future could bring something different, but who has all of those answers and why the hell do we have to worry about that today?! #learningtobepresent
"You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment. Fools stand on their island opportunities and look toward another land...there is no other life than this."
-Henry David Thoreau
"You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment. Fools stand on their island opportunities and look toward another land...there is no other life than this."
-Henry David Thoreau
Gypsy at Broadway Rose Theatre Company! Playing now through August 20!
August 7, 2017
Teaching Traditional Jazz – The Luigi Jazz Technique
Joffrey Ballet School dance teacher, Bill Waldinger, gives us the low down on traditional jazz
'I’ve been traveling the country more frequently to guest teach. And as I meet more and more teachers, studio owners and competition directors, I’ve received some inquiries as to why I’m teaching the Luigi Jazz Technique.
It seems as if there is a perception that this kind of traditional jazz is in some way not relevant/helpful in the training of today’s young dancers.
I have also encountered some dance conventions and organizations that are not looking for teachers who teach “technique” but are instead looking for teachers who present “fun choreography”; especially if the dancers are “already warm”.
I teach both Classical Ballet and The Luigi Jazz Technique at numerous schools in New York City and I have made it my personal mission to keep the work of my mentor, Luigi, alive.
There are two aspects to this work. Firstly, there is the “Style”. Luigi created an unmistakable and beautifully exquisite style of Jazz that seems to have all but disappeared.
And here’s the thing: I AGREE that there isn’t a lot of usefulness to teaching the Style for its own sake. There has been very little work choreographed in his style, and there certainly are not many jobs waiting for dancers familiar with the style.
BUT THERE IS MORE TO THIS WORK THAN THE STYLE. The Luigi Technique is also a codified training method. And this METHOD has been responsible for the creation of some of the most beautiful, unique and exciting dancers that the stage has ever seen.
The technique teaches a beautiful QUALITY OF MOVEMENT; something that I see missing from today’s dancers. It teaches how to develop a deeply personal style, how the body works, how to use epaulment, how the torso is carried, how the rib cage is held, how the arms connect to the back, how to create a beautiful port de bras, or a long line that goes on forever, how to feel the music, how to phrase, how to “Dance from the inside”, how to “Feel first, then do”, and how to “Never Stop Moving”.
The Luigi method divides the class in half. The first 45 minutes is devoted to the technique exercises/warm up. The second 45 minutes is spent on a combination.
With respect to the Luigi technique exercises and warm up: the warm up is so much more than just a means of warming up the body. I would never entertain the idea of skipping the warm-up simply because the dancers are already warm… Especially at a convention.
Don’t dancers come to conventions to LEARN to dance? They can learn STEPS on YouTube. They do not need me to teach them steps. The majority of the teaching of Jazz occurs during the warm-up.
If we are going to teach jazz as a technique, we have to TEACH Jazz. Real jazz has a look, a style, a feeling, a sense of musicality and rhythm, a deep connection to the ground that is also lifted and pulled up.
The truly great Jazz dancers: Cyd Charisse, Bob Fosse, Carol Haney, Gwen Verdon, Gene Kelly, Ben Vereen, Chita Rivera exemplified this “look” this “style”.
It brings to mind the idea that “Ballet defies gravity, Modern Dance plays with gravity, and Jazz acknowledges gravity…BUT IT GOES DOWN FIGHTING”.
That look of being lifted and pulled down into the ground simultaneously must be TAUGHT and STUDIED. When I teach at conventions, whether the dancers are warm or not, the warm up / technique exercises is the most important part of my class. And when taught right…the warm up can be incredibly exciting as dancers find a new way to work. They find things they never felt before.
And by working this way, one day they will discover a REAL DANCER looking back at them in the mirror as their body acquires real Jazz technique.
Yes…there will be a combination; the point of which is to work on the TECHNIQUE that makes JAZZ the great American art form that it is. Jazz is not about steps or choreography. It is about style, look, musicality and feeling.
If we present kids with work that is of REAL QUALITY they will know it, they will embrace it and they will GROW. Isn’t that the point of a CLASS?
There are a few of us (former students of Luigi) left teaching this work. I, however, refuse to turn the technique into a museum piece. Although I do teach the technique and style the way as he did, I teach it in a manner that allows dancers to apply the training to ANY STYLE.
I want the technique to be a living growing evolving and exciting way to train dancers. I want my students to pulse with the excitement that this technique brings, and to come away a more beautiful, more nuanced, more artistic, more unique, more exciting dancer in any and every style they approach be it contemporary, hip hop, lyrical, jazz, ballet….the list goes on…
Every time I visit a new school or studio as a guest teacher I am always thrilled as I watch dancers explore this way of working.
It’s like opening a door for them; a door they never knew existed. And that is why I am teaching this work.'
Recital season is over!!! On to a jam-packed summer...
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Come see my choreography!
I had the pleasure of setting a new piece for these young and hard-working dancers! Get your tickets now!
“Some birds are not meant to be caged, that's all. Their feathers are too bright, their songs too sweet and wild. So you let them go, or when you open the cage to feed them they somehow fly out past you. And the part of you that knows it was wrong to imprison them in the first place rejoices…'
https://vimeo.com/199097564
https://vimeo.com/199097564
Another big Thank-You to the RCI team I had the pleasure of sharing the table with. See you next time!
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Auditioning Singers and Dancers for Royal Caribbean this week in Australia! Come by and see us! ;-)
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THE LESSON THIS TIME -- by Don Kenneth Mason
'I broke my sobriety on Tuesday night. It had been nearly four months, and recent events turned me away from myself for just a moment (okay, a week), and I drank. Heavier than I have ever drank before.
But in picking myself up on Wednesday morning to face the unwelcome turmoil that was my still-drunk hangover, I wondered what point my foray into self-destruction had served. Numbing myself to reality would have no benefit to myself and those around me who were so clearly in so much pain.
I resolved myself to be back at Day One, and I resolved myself to say… something.
I keep turning to the various news networks to watch a nearly schizophrenic difference in tone and reaction regarding this election. For those networks in which the results were not quite what they were expecting (to put it mildly), amid the disbelief and stupefaction, there was an overwhelming need to have answer to the questions: What now? What lesson can we learn? How were we so wrong about the characters of our countrymen?
Perhaps you have been asking yourself some permutation of the questions above. Perhaps not.
As I mentioned before, I resolved to begin my sobriety anew. Today is Day One. It seems only fitting as half of the population in the country is also at a somber and sober Day One. We begin our collective sobriety with the knowledge that we have seen behind the curtain. We have seen ourselves at our worst, and behaviors that we would rather hide and suppress from others have come to light.
I have known that this was going to be the result since I first heard the announcement in 2015 of his candidacy. I remember clearly where I was: I was in my car on SW Alder & 13th. I heard the announcement on OPB and I had a vision of this very day. The vision visited me again when he won his party’s nomination. But still no one took it seriously. I watched as we laughed, critiqued, satirized, did everything to ignore the rising tide. There were prescient voices on various news reports and think groups that this was something we should look at seriously. But as the people who were issuing the warnings were mostly people of color, these warnings were laughed off. If you don’t believe me, you can watch the segment on Full Frontal with Samantha Bee.
I, too, had the same vision that this campaign was going to be a successful one. I kept this to myself save for a few close friends who thought I was being my typical dramatic, fatalistic self.
Once he had secured the nomination, we joked that we were one step closer to Hillary for President. People who supported Bernie Sanders would come around, Millennials (who hate that term I have been told), would put aside their petulance and apathy and “do the right thing”. We told ourselves that a man who launched a campaign with hatred, misogyny, xenophobia of every sort -- while proclaiming to be the least likely person to mistreat someone without cause -- we said that America would never let that man become the leader of our nation. We would not let him speak for us. We have seen what happens in history; we were not going to let that happen again. Not us. We’re better than this.
Yet I think that if you could have asked any person who is marginalized in this country -- any person who has had their personhood denied by someone somewhere far away whom they will never meet and will never have any effect on their lives, other than to tell them whom they can marry, what they can wear, how they can identify themselves, what language they should speak, how violent or ignorant or collectively lazy they believe them to be. Ask any such person who has been denied their singular nature and been relegated to the adjectives given to “their group”, who has struggled to be seen as human, worthy of loving and being loved if they thought this could happen. I believe you will find that the marginalized are not surprised today.
This is the America we have been telling you about all along.
There are people who are going to insist that this was not a race about hatred and division of any kind, and that any speech to the contrary is just an attempt to continue the perpetuation of an imaginary problem created in the minds of its victims. This is what they will say and you will try to argue with them. You will try to make them see. But they will not see. They will dismiss you, they will condescend to you -- they will ignore you.
I know from experience.
But the lesson this time is that now the people who consider themselves to be the allies of those who cannot speak for themselves -- yes, I’m speaking to all those people who cringe at the thought that they are privileged -- you, my friends, are now seeing what the people you march for, protest with, support and love, you are seeing what we have seen all the time.
I understand that it is shocking and saddening to no longer be able say that “This is not America. We are better than this.” I understand the sense of betrayal you must feel to no longer believe that we are better than this, that we are past all this. I understand the pain and the deep wounding that you must feel.
Pain is our greatest teacher, my friends. Feel the wounds of this election. Feel them, and do not forget them soon. The lesson this time is that now you have just the slightest understanding of what it feels like to be in danger. It is nothing new to some of your countrymen. Ask anyone whose skin is a little brown, whose gender is a little queer, whose body is not their own, whose sexuality is a little homogenous, whose abilities are a little different, whose mind is a battlefield trying to claim their lives. Ask them, and they will tell you that this is the America they know all too well.
We are here to welcome you to the fold. We are glad that you are here. Now more than ever you know what it truly means to be with us. And we need you to be with us in a way that may feel new and a little frightening. We understand your fear It is a fear that we have known for most, if not all, of our lives. But we cannot lose ourselves to that fear. That fear must be channeled into courage, courage that is going to help propel you to act. You fight the hardest when you have nothing left to lose. And you, our allies, our friends, our family, you now have nothing left to lose, and that makes you the most dangerous agents of change that this world will ever see.
Yes… it’s going to get ugly. Very ugly. There are going to be far-reaching consequences in the time to come. I may not live to see the change of which I speak and hope for. But my life has never been guaranteed. I have come to know that and be reminded of that constantly since I was a small child. I have hope, though, and I hope that you will share that hope with me, because our fight is your fight. You have always believed that this fight was your fight, but now you can feel it. You can feel it in a way you have never felt it before. This election has caused people to come out of hiding and relinquish the confines of political correctness and racially-coded phrases. They have now been given the permission to speak their minds freely and without recourse. They have been granted the freedom to be their authentic and cruel selves, and history has shown that whenever men can be cruel with impunity, they will more often than not give in to that temptation.
The difference now is that we know exactly who they are. We can see them. They cannot go back to hiding. They have shown themselves and we know who they are.
Things will change. This was the final charge to hold onto power for the Old Guard. They know that their numbers are dwindling. They know that their time in the majority is coming to an end. Now they can potentially have everything that they want and they will have no one to blame but themselves. When their fruit comes to bear and they are still afraid of people they will never meet, when they still fear that they are no safer in their homes and communities, when they are no healthier, no richer -- when their lives are no better than they were before, they will look to find someone outside themselves to blame. Hatred and fear can never be satiated; there will always be something new to hate and new to fear. History has borne this to be so.
We, on the other hand, will keep marching forward. We will keep our cameras pointed at corruption. We will keep the conversation moving. We will keep our eyes on the truth, on the evidence that the soon-to-be small and few are trying so very hard to hide. We will keep loving, knowing that the power to love is the only true freedom there is, and this is a freedom that cannot be taken.
The world is so much smaller than it was seventy years ago, and the world is watching.
The war for America’s Soul has many battles. This loss was necessary so that the war fought by truly good people -- even flawed alcoholics like myself -- can eventually win.
So lick your wounds. Cry. Scream. Yell. Turn off the TV for a while. Log off Social Media. Connect with people. Walk your neighborhoods and see your neighbors. You will see who is with you and who is not. You will see. You will remember. You will keep fighting. You will challenge the status quo. You will not stay silent. We are going need you to see, to remember and fight, to keep speaking up and challenging what you know to be cruel and inhumane, and we are forever glad that you are with us.
This is Day One. For me. For you. For all of us.'
'I broke my sobriety on Tuesday night. It had been nearly four months, and recent events turned me away from myself for just a moment (okay, a week), and I drank. Heavier than I have ever drank before.
But in picking myself up on Wednesday morning to face the unwelcome turmoil that was my still-drunk hangover, I wondered what point my foray into self-destruction had served. Numbing myself to reality would have no benefit to myself and those around me who were so clearly in so much pain.
I resolved myself to be back at Day One, and I resolved myself to say… something.
I keep turning to the various news networks to watch a nearly schizophrenic difference in tone and reaction regarding this election. For those networks in which the results were not quite what they were expecting (to put it mildly), amid the disbelief and stupefaction, there was an overwhelming need to have answer to the questions: What now? What lesson can we learn? How were we so wrong about the characters of our countrymen?
Perhaps you have been asking yourself some permutation of the questions above. Perhaps not.
As I mentioned before, I resolved to begin my sobriety anew. Today is Day One. It seems only fitting as half of the population in the country is also at a somber and sober Day One. We begin our collective sobriety with the knowledge that we have seen behind the curtain. We have seen ourselves at our worst, and behaviors that we would rather hide and suppress from others have come to light.
I have known that this was going to be the result since I first heard the announcement in 2015 of his candidacy. I remember clearly where I was: I was in my car on SW Alder & 13th. I heard the announcement on OPB and I had a vision of this very day. The vision visited me again when he won his party’s nomination. But still no one took it seriously. I watched as we laughed, critiqued, satirized, did everything to ignore the rising tide. There were prescient voices on various news reports and think groups that this was something we should look at seriously. But as the people who were issuing the warnings were mostly people of color, these warnings were laughed off. If you don’t believe me, you can watch the segment on Full Frontal with Samantha Bee.
I, too, had the same vision that this campaign was going to be a successful one. I kept this to myself save for a few close friends who thought I was being my typical dramatic, fatalistic self.
Once he had secured the nomination, we joked that we were one step closer to Hillary for President. People who supported Bernie Sanders would come around, Millennials (who hate that term I have been told), would put aside their petulance and apathy and “do the right thing”. We told ourselves that a man who launched a campaign with hatred, misogyny, xenophobia of every sort -- while proclaiming to be the least likely person to mistreat someone without cause -- we said that America would never let that man become the leader of our nation. We would not let him speak for us. We have seen what happens in history; we were not going to let that happen again. Not us. We’re better than this.
Yet I think that if you could have asked any person who is marginalized in this country -- any person who has had their personhood denied by someone somewhere far away whom they will never meet and will never have any effect on their lives, other than to tell them whom they can marry, what they can wear, how they can identify themselves, what language they should speak, how violent or ignorant or collectively lazy they believe them to be. Ask any such person who has been denied their singular nature and been relegated to the adjectives given to “their group”, who has struggled to be seen as human, worthy of loving and being loved if they thought this could happen. I believe you will find that the marginalized are not surprised today.
This is the America we have been telling you about all along.
There are people who are going to insist that this was not a race about hatred and division of any kind, and that any speech to the contrary is just an attempt to continue the perpetuation of an imaginary problem created in the minds of its victims. This is what they will say and you will try to argue with them. You will try to make them see. But they will not see. They will dismiss you, they will condescend to you -- they will ignore you.
I know from experience.
But the lesson this time is that now the people who consider themselves to be the allies of those who cannot speak for themselves -- yes, I’m speaking to all those people who cringe at the thought that they are privileged -- you, my friends, are now seeing what the people you march for, protest with, support and love, you are seeing what we have seen all the time.
I understand that it is shocking and saddening to no longer be able say that “This is not America. We are better than this.” I understand the sense of betrayal you must feel to no longer believe that we are better than this, that we are past all this. I understand the pain and the deep wounding that you must feel.
Pain is our greatest teacher, my friends. Feel the wounds of this election. Feel them, and do not forget them soon. The lesson this time is that now you have just the slightest understanding of what it feels like to be in danger. It is nothing new to some of your countrymen. Ask anyone whose skin is a little brown, whose gender is a little queer, whose body is not their own, whose sexuality is a little homogenous, whose abilities are a little different, whose mind is a battlefield trying to claim their lives. Ask them, and they will tell you that this is the America they know all too well.
We are here to welcome you to the fold. We are glad that you are here. Now more than ever you know what it truly means to be with us. And we need you to be with us in a way that may feel new and a little frightening. We understand your fear It is a fear that we have known for most, if not all, of our lives. But we cannot lose ourselves to that fear. That fear must be channeled into courage, courage that is going to help propel you to act. You fight the hardest when you have nothing left to lose. And you, our allies, our friends, our family, you now have nothing left to lose, and that makes you the most dangerous agents of change that this world will ever see.
Yes… it’s going to get ugly. Very ugly. There are going to be far-reaching consequences in the time to come. I may not live to see the change of which I speak and hope for. But my life has never been guaranteed. I have come to know that and be reminded of that constantly since I was a small child. I have hope, though, and I hope that you will share that hope with me, because our fight is your fight. You have always believed that this fight was your fight, but now you can feel it. You can feel it in a way you have never felt it before. This election has caused people to come out of hiding and relinquish the confines of political correctness and racially-coded phrases. They have now been given the permission to speak their minds freely and without recourse. They have been granted the freedom to be their authentic and cruel selves, and history has shown that whenever men can be cruel with impunity, they will more often than not give in to that temptation.
The difference now is that we know exactly who they are. We can see them. They cannot go back to hiding. They have shown themselves and we know who they are.
Things will change. This was the final charge to hold onto power for the Old Guard. They know that their numbers are dwindling. They know that their time in the majority is coming to an end. Now they can potentially have everything that they want and they will have no one to blame but themselves. When their fruit comes to bear and they are still afraid of people they will never meet, when they still fear that they are no safer in their homes and communities, when they are no healthier, no richer -- when their lives are no better than they were before, they will look to find someone outside themselves to blame. Hatred and fear can never be satiated; there will always be something new to hate and new to fear. History has borne this to be so.
We, on the other hand, will keep marching forward. We will keep our cameras pointed at corruption. We will keep the conversation moving. We will keep our eyes on the truth, on the evidence that the soon-to-be small and few are trying so very hard to hide. We will keep loving, knowing that the power to love is the only true freedom there is, and this is a freedom that cannot be taken.
The world is so much smaller than it was seventy years ago, and the world is watching.
The war for America’s Soul has many battles. This loss was necessary so that the war fought by truly good people -- even flawed alcoholics like myself -- can eventually win.
So lick your wounds. Cry. Scream. Yell. Turn off the TV for a while. Log off Social Media. Connect with people. Walk your neighborhoods and see your neighbors. You will see who is with you and who is not. You will see. You will remember. You will keep fighting. You will challenge the status quo. You will not stay silent. We are going need you to see, to remember and fight, to keep speaking up and challenging what you know to be cruel and inhumane, and we are forever glad that you are with us.
This is Day One. For me. For you. For all of us.'
Come take class with me! New session starts October 16!
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Theatre/Contemporary Jazz Dance
Sundays, 10:00-11:30 a.m. Six Week Session-Only $55! Drop-In Rate: $12 *Cash or check made out to MT Productions, Inc. @ Global Art of Dance Studio globalartofdance.com 12570 SW Farmington Road Beaverton, OR 97005 Max stop: Beaverton Central *Use contact form for more information. |
That's a Wrap! West Side Story is officially closed. What a whirlwind! Check out our preview below and keep supporting local theater!
2016 Drammy Awards!
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So honored to be chosen as a finalist for a 2016 Drammy Award! Thanks to Sharon Maroney for the opportunity to create! :-)
Excited to be joining the cast of West Side Story this Summer!!! Get your tickets now!
Dance, when you’re broken open. Dance, if you’ve torn the bandage off. Dance in the middle of the fighting. Dance in your blood. Dance when you’re perfectly free.-Rumi
“You’re not the first person who was ever confused and frightened and even sickened by human behavior. You’re by no means alone on that score, you’ll be excited and stimulated to know. Many, many men have been just as troubled morally and spiritually as you are right now. Happily, some of them kept records of their troubles. You’ll learn from them—if you want to. Just as someday, if you have something to offer, someone will learn something from you. It’s a beautiful reciprocal arrangement. And it isn’t education. It’s history. It’s poetry.” (J.D. Salinger, “The Catcher in the Rye”)
Deep in the wintry parts of our minds, we know that there is no such thing as a work-free transformation. We know that we will have to burn to the ground in one way or another, and then sit right in the ashes of who we once thought we were and go on from there.
— Clarissa Pinkola Estés
— Clarissa Pinkola Estés
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What a great ten days teaching the Oasis cast Come Fly With Me! They are on to their rehearsals for Cats now, but I'll see them in October when we all board the Oasis of the Seas!
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Do you want to take class from me? I'll be teaching a 5-week session in Musical Theatre Jazz from Sept. 13-Oct. 12! Please contact me for more details...
What:
Beg./Int. and Adv. Musical Theatre Jazz
Where:
Trip The Dark Dance Studio,
707 NE Broadway Street, #208, Portland, OR 97232
Beg./Int. Sundays, 6:30-8 p.m.
Adv. Mondays, 6:30-8 p.m.
Drop-In Rate: $10
Whole Session: $40
What:
Beg./Int. and Adv. Musical Theatre Jazz
Where:
Trip The Dark Dance Studio,
707 NE Broadway Street, #208, Portland, OR 97232
Beg./Int. Sundays, 6:30-8 p.m.
Adv. Mondays, 6:30-8 p.m.
Drop-In Rate: $10
Whole Session: $40
Here are some great reviews for Oklahoma!
http://oregonmusicnews.com/2015/08/14/solid-oklahoma-combines-history-romance-broadway-rose/
http://westsidetheatrereviews.blogspot.com/2015/08/broadway-roses-oklahoma-climbs-clear-up.html
http://westsidetheatrereviews.blogspot.com/2015/08/broadway-roses-oklahoma-climbs-clear-up.html
Preview of Oklahoma! at the Broadway Rose Theatre Company! Showing only through Aug. 23, so get your tickets now!
Check out my choreography on Royal Caribbean's newest ship, Anthem of the Seas!
17 Things Mentally Strong People Do
1- They move on. They don't waste time feeling sorry for themselves.
2- They keep control. They don't give away their power.
3- They embrace change. They welcome challenges.
4- They stay happy. They don't complain. They don't waste energy on thing they can't control.
5- They are kind, fair, and unafraid to speak up. They don't worry about pleasing other people.
6- They are willing to take calculated risks. They weigh the risks and benefits before taking action.
7- They invest their energy in the present. They don't dwell on the past.
8- They accept full responsibility for their past behavior. They don't make the same mistake over and over.
9- They celebrate other people's success. They don't resent that success.
10- They are willing to fail. They don't give up after failing. They see every failure as a chance to improve.
11- They enjoy their time alone. They don't fear being alone.
12- They are prepared to work and succeed on their own merits. They don't feel the world owes them anything.
13- They have staying power. They don't expect immediate results.
14- They evaluate their core beliefs and modify as needed.
15- They expend their mental energy wisely. They don't spend time on unproductive thoughts.
16- They think productively. They replace negative thoughts with productive thoughts.
17- They tolerate discomfort. They accept their feelings without being controlled by them.
1- They move on. They don't waste time feeling sorry for themselves.
2- They keep control. They don't give away their power.
3- They embrace change. They welcome challenges.
4- They stay happy. They don't complain. They don't waste energy on thing they can't control.
5- They are kind, fair, and unafraid to speak up. They don't worry about pleasing other people.
6- They are willing to take calculated risks. They weigh the risks and benefits before taking action.
7- They invest their energy in the present. They don't dwell on the past.
8- They accept full responsibility for their past behavior. They don't make the same mistake over and over.
9- They celebrate other people's success. They don't resent that success.
10- They are willing to fail. They don't give up after failing. They see every failure as a chance to improve.
11- They enjoy their time alone. They don't fear being alone.
12- They are prepared to work and succeed on their own merits. They don't feel the world owes them anything.
13- They have staying power. They don't expect immediate results.
14- They evaluate their core beliefs and modify as needed.
15- They expend their mental energy wisely. They don't spend time on unproductive thoughts.
16- They think productively. They replace negative thoughts with productive thoughts.
17- They tolerate discomfort. They accept their feelings without being controlled by them.
If you can’t get rid of the skeleton in your closet, you’d best teach it to dance.-George Bernard Shaw
I am happy to announce that I have been asked to choreograph for Royal Caribbean's newest ship, Anthem of the Seas! More info to come!
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Headed to the Azamara Quest for install, November 1-22, 2014. We will be installing five great shows in three weeks!
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Some Fun @ The Chicken Ranch!
First Review is up! Check it out!
Come see us at the Chicken Ranch!
Opening Week is here! Three weeks only so get your tickets now!
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I am honored to be included in the cast of this amazing show! Get your tickets now!
With a few cast members from the Azamara Quest…and King Julian! :-)
”The artist is a receptacle for emotions that come from all over the place: from the sky, from the earth, from a scrap of paper, from a passing shape, from a spider's web.” -- Picasso
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
2014 is going to be as good, if not better, than 2013!
What an amazing year it's been! I returned to the stage and made a bunch of great friends in the process. More teaching, choreographing, and audition tours coming up and, if all goes well, more performing! Let's make 2014 a year to remember!
xoxoxoxo
M.
2014 is going to be as good, if not better, than 2013!
What an amazing year it's been! I returned to the stage and made a bunch of great friends in the process. More teaching, choreographing, and audition tours coming up and, if all goes well, more performing! Let's make 2014 a year to remember!
xoxoxoxo
M.
SPAMalot Preview!
SPAMalot!
First review of SPAMalot is up!!!
Thank you, David Howard! You will be missed...
David Howard’s 15 Top Tips for Teachers
• Instead of talking to students for 15 minutes, put what you are trying to say in the steps.
• Give students a physical analysis to see the kind of bodies that they are working with. Look at the structure: the size of the head, the neck, the arms, the width of the hands, the length and width of the torso, the size of the hips, the length of the waist, legs and feet. Are they hyperextended or do they have bowed legs or tibial torsion? It is helpful to keep a file on students. What kind of exercises did you give the student? Did they work? What have you changed?
• To keep your teaching fresh, think about the way you put steps together. Teachers fall into familiar patterns in developing combinations and end up using the same kinds of steps in the same kind of order. For instance, if you work with the same group every day, give them a turning class one day. We talk about spotting but how many teachers give spotting exercises?
• Think about the kind of music that you use and try to vary the tempo. When working with CDs, teachers tend to use the same kind of music. Without an accompanist, you might do everything on a 3/4, and the CD isn’t going to say, “Hey, this is the eighth 3/4 you’ve used in a row, why don’t you do something on another time signature?”
• Study as much as you can. Learning more about music, anatomy and kinesiology will really open up your mind.
• A lot of what dance teachers say is very negative. Try saying, “I suggest you do this,” rather than “Don’t do that.” If you give the student possibilities, they won’t feel like they have failed.
• Watch other people teach.
• Make notes about what you do in class and refer back to them.
•To continue to grow as a teacher, you should go to as many seminars and watch as many videos as you can. There are also a lot of books that you can read and lots of performances you can attend.
• Take time to evaluate what you’re saying in class, and whether it’s working. Just because it worked for you as a student doesn’t mean it’s going to work for other people.
• Keep students curious by giving them new ideas all of the time. Rather than just repetition, give them information that they can work with.
• Your eye is your most valuable tool.
• The most important thing is to develop healthy human beings. Realize that not all students want to be professional dancers. Some are just doing it because they enjoy it and want to go on to something else.
• You have to establish emotional boundaries when you teach, just like a parent.
• Training a body in the healthiest, most efficient way should be your aim.
• Instead of talking to students for 15 minutes, put what you are trying to say in the steps.
• Give students a physical analysis to see the kind of bodies that they are working with. Look at the structure: the size of the head, the neck, the arms, the width of the hands, the length and width of the torso, the size of the hips, the length of the waist, legs and feet. Are they hyperextended or do they have bowed legs or tibial torsion? It is helpful to keep a file on students. What kind of exercises did you give the student? Did they work? What have you changed?
• To keep your teaching fresh, think about the way you put steps together. Teachers fall into familiar patterns in developing combinations and end up using the same kinds of steps in the same kind of order. For instance, if you work with the same group every day, give them a turning class one day. We talk about spotting but how many teachers give spotting exercises?
• Think about the kind of music that you use and try to vary the tempo. When working with CDs, teachers tend to use the same kind of music. Without an accompanist, you might do everything on a 3/4, and the CD isn’t going to say, “Hey, this is the eighth 3/4 you’ve used in a row, why don’t you do something on another time signature?”
• Study as much as you can. Learning more about music, anatomy and kinesiology will really open up your mind.
• A lot of what dance teachers say is very negative. Try saying, “I suggest you do this,” rather than “Don’t do that.” If you give the student possibilities, they won’t feel like they have failed.
• Watch other people teach.
• Make notes about what you do in class and refer back to them.
•To continue to grow as a teacher, you should go to as many seminars and watch as many videos as you can. There are also a lot of books that you can read and lots of performances you can attend.
• Take time to evaluate what you’re saying in class, and whether it’s working. Just because it worked for you as a student doesn’t mean it’s going to work for other people.
• Keep students curious by giving them new ideas all of the time. Rather than just repetition, give them information that they can work with.
• Your eye is your most valuable tool.
• The most important thing is to develop healthy human beings. Realize that not all students want to be professional dancers. Some are just doing it because they enjoy it and want to go on to something else.
• You have to establish emotional boundaries when you teach, just like a parent.
• Training a body in the healthiest, most efficient way should be your aim.
Rehearsals for Spamalot are underway!
Get your tickets now! It's gonna be a fun show!
A Great Review from a theatre-goer!
'Who is the dancer who played the little white cat in CATS? We just saw the production and loved it! I didn't feel she got the audience response on Sunday that she deserved! I'd like to say she did a beautiful job! Please let her know. Bravo!
The cast of CATS (and all those that played a supporting roll off stage) were all fabulous!
Thanks for another great BRTC show!'
Cats Preview Video
Opening Night!!!
Opening night for Cats! Break paws, Kitties!!!
Check out my profile on Answers4Dancers!
Back to rehearsals...
How quickly they disintegrate when you're dancing in them eight hours a day...extra pairs have been ordered. ;)
A little footage from the RCI Audition Tour
*This is NOT an official RCI production and RCI did not produce this video. Only for personal promotion...
Cats' rehearsals are underway!
Let the games begin! Vocal rehearsals started last week and we start staging on Wednesday. Get your tickets now!
Royal Caribbean Productions - Australian Auditions
Out of over 400 dancers, we found 45 amazingly talented performers to add to our talent pool (active casting file for dancers). I had such an amazing time! It was my first time in Australia and it was a whirlwind; long days and lots of traveling. We had one day off in Brisbane, so it was off to cuddle some koalas, feed a kangaroo or two and get up close and personal with some of the diverse Australian wildlife. Thanks to my partner, Tracy Kamps-Vocal Extraordinaire, for sharing the table with me! I had an amazing time and I look forward to doing it again! :)
Meow, Meow!
I have been cast in the role of 'Victoria' for the Broadway Rose Theatre Company's productions of Cats! The show will run June 28 - July 21 at Deb Fennell Auditorium in Tigard, OR.
Royal Caribbean Auditions!!!
I will be doing an audition tour for Royal Caribbean Productions in April. Los Angeles, CA - April 17-18 and Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, AU - April 22, 24-25, and 28. Stop by and show us your skills!
Spamalot!
I was recently cast in the Lakewood Center for the Arts' production of Spamalot! The director and choreographer have also asked me to be dance captain! Come see us September 6 - October 13, 2013!
Azamara Journey Rehearsals
Back from South Florida and rehearsals with the third cast for the Azamara Journey. I am so proud of this show! So very charming and I was elated to work with my wonderful friend and mentor, Loren Van Brenk! The cast had so much material to learn (four shows, pool party, jazz sets, etc.) and they did a great job. Look for them if you find yourself onboard!
Oasis CFWM Install
Just finished a 3-week install on the Oasis of the Seas. Two weeks of night rehearsals (midnight-8 a.m.) and four days of tech to open the show on the fifth day of that week. A whirlwind! Can't believe how we can get things done in such a small amount of time! Thanks to the wonderful team from C5 for all of their hard work as well. If you happen to find yourself on the largest cruiseship in the world, check out Come Fly With Me in the Opal Theatre. Enjoy! ;)