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Tiny Dancers Class: 3 Awesome Tips to Inspiring Quick Order
Whether you’re facing a brand new class of littles or you are walking in to greet the same group you’ve had for months, law and order in the classroom is key. It’s important because a bunch of cute ballerinas in sparkly black leotards and pink tights can turn into a band of mini elephants faster than you can say ‘grand battement.’ Keeping a tiny dancers ballet and tap class orderly can be a challenge. I don’t know about you, but I personally go a little nuts when baby, preschool, and kindergarten dancers are running loose. It’s not necessary for littles instructors need to tolerate unbridled disorganization or noise. I remember one…
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Choosing the Road Not Taken—the Artist’s Road
You might be wondering about the picture above. Why have I given you a picture of me trying to climb over the prohibitive sign on a lush green cliff in Maui? Here’s why: it serves as a visual demonstration of the fact that I’ve always taken the road less traveled even when it looked to everyone else that it would be “too dangerous.” I had lots of people tell me to stay on the path. But did I? No. And boy am I glad that I didn’t. I am sitting here writing this at 2:21am. Here’s why: Last night I had rehearsal from 9pm-11pm. By the time I got back…
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9 of My Favorite “Artist” Movies Where the Heroes Never Gave Up
I love having a life that is essentially centered around art—don’t get me wrong! However, you know and I know that there are days when life gets us down. Sometimes things just aren’t going right and it feels like everything is getting in the way of our art. Maybe it’s finding out you didn’t score the high-paying, long-term writing job you were sure was as good as yours (me). Or those rejection letters…. Maybe you got yet another rejection on that story you poured your heart and soul into (yep, also me). Sometimes the best thing to do in these situations is take a deep breath and give your mind…
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5 Things That Separate Professional Writers, Dance Teachers, and Artists from the Rest and Cost You Nothing
We’ve all seen ‘em. We’ve even met ‘em. Some of us have even looked up to ‘em. You’ll see later why I say SOME of us. Yep, it’s no secret that most of the time when a person (artist), reaches a point where he can openly call himself a professional, he lets some of the great foundations one clings to as an amateur slide. Today I want to talk about a few of those foundations, amateur values that are worth holding on to even once a person crosses over to being a professional. And the good news? They don’t cost you anything and are relatively painless. But, trust me, they…
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The Balancing Act That All Writers Must Master: Something’s Gotta Give
“Altogether I have so much to do that often I do not know whether I am on my head or my heels.” -Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Daily Rituals by Mason Currey Can you relate to Mozart’s lament? I sure can. As you most likely know already, pursuing one’s art isn’t an easy or relaxing endeavor. There really is no roadmap offered to a person who wishes to make a living as an artist. My days, therefore resemble something of a patchwork quilt—teaching a couple classes here, spending an hour or so writing there, then going to teach more classes over that way, and back to the computer again once I get…
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Another Day to Dance: Stopping to Be Thankful for My Legs
It had been one of those weeks. I was tired. It seemed like a sore throat from talking over kids whose lot in life appeared to be interrupting me, had become the norm. As I pulled myself out of bed that morning, I was able to muster up one positive thought to keep me going: It’s finally Friday! Wrapped up in my robe, being careful to keep my feet on the bath mat and off of the floor that was cold as an ice rink at this time of morning, I attempted to stretch my neck. Even the hot shower had been unable to loosen up the kinks woven into…
