The Government Tree

Yesterday a student explained to me that the United States has an actual "Government Tree" ...he thought that since we have 3 branches of government that they must OF COURSE come from our Governemnt tree. Right? Trees have branches:)

Kids rock.

CUSSING

Freaking.

I use often use 'freaking' as a substitute for words like really, unbelievably, and of course the obvious swear word. Examples:

"That movie was so freakin' long! The last 5 scenes were unecessary!"
"What the freak is happening here?!"
"That dance was freaking amazing!!"

In class (6 year old hip hop) I made the GROSS error of using the word freaking when talking about how awesome their dance was. Your language must be beyond reproach at all times whilst teaching kids - mine usually is! As soon as I had said it, the feelings of regret and paranoia filled my mind, only to be met by the shrill voice of a little girl, "Miss Sara! That is CUSSING." Short, red head, widest eyes known to man, hands held wide to the sides, look of distress, surprise and discomfort, and the strong possible emphasis on the "c" sound of cussing.

"You're right, Natalie, that is not a good word to say. Miss Sara should not have said it at all, and I'm very sorry for using that word. Sometimes I say that word at home, and that is not ok," I responded to her in front of the class. No sooner did I finish my apology, than a boisterous 6 year old JUMPS right in and yells,

"Natalie, that is NOT cussing! B****, S***, and D*** - THAT'S cussing!"

No joke! She just up and says it in front of the class! Natalie's jaw drops right open, and another girl (who is soft-spoken and always proper) throws her palms to her ears and starts crying. (I had to do one of those really slow blinks, where you almost press your eye lids together then open them really far apart in order to absorb the reverberating shock of what you've just witnessed.)

Needless to say, I immediately explain to the girl that we absolutely cannot use that language in class, and the consequence is not earning the prized sicker at the end of the hour. After some discussion and a good session of freeze dance, the girls moved on and we had a cuss-free zone, and a really great class I might add.

Teaching dance: never a dull moment.

Daniela

Today I watched a shy, timid girl break through into a bold, enthusiastic dancer. I saw self-confidence radiate from her smile, and energy move through her entire body as she executed the choreo I gave the class. Daniela. She was proud of herself - her dancing and her beauty. Strong work ethic, some intelligence, and the heart to press forward are an unstoppable mix. Daniela stepped it up to the next level today; both personally and on the dance floor.

When a dancers stops dancing to the choreography, and starts dancing through the choreography it's an incredible, definitive, and specific moment. Witnessing that moment is a lot like witnessing a baby take his or her first steps. It's breath-taking, exciting, and happens in the blink of an eye. You can see it coming, weeks or months of building up to it...but when it happens it's somehow a complete (and amazing) surprise.

Daniela - you go girl. You're totally and utterly: a dancer.

Days like today I'm reminded about how significantly rewarding my job is.

Hip Hop...in Honduras

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.(1 Corinthians 13:1-3)

*****

Below: All of the dancers after the show in Honduras. I'm in the middle, a couple rows up from the bottom.

Being a good or even a great dancer, having the rare but sweet ability to teach, and being able to perform for an audience - all great things - but what's the point if do any of it with a loving heart? The expression "blessed to be a blessing" is the point. On a trip to Honduras, while working at a bi-lingual school, a local church asked me to help them put on a huge dance production. Not knowing what I was getting into I said "Yes," wholeheartedly. This meant choreography and detailed instruction for dozens of people over the course of 7 days...

Their show was a success; huge turn out and great performance. I was so proud of their hard work, and even more honored to be a part of it. Dance transcends language barriers and cultural differences. Dance is the perfect venue for communication and ministry. I'm blessed in my career, and I can use those gifts to be a blessing to others. That's how all facets of life should be.

"Bee-you-tee-ful" Nails!

My boss - the most wonderful woman to ever run a dance school - and I LOVE getting pedicures. Having cute, clean feet is a must. They are the perfect treat to help our feet recover from all the dancing!

OPI Nail polish: WONDERFUL. Of all the brands I've used, this is certainly the highest quality in terms of ingredients, sustainability and luster. Remember to gently roll your bottle between your palms, not to shake it for mixing, as to prevent small bubbles in your paint.

Most brands of polish have DBP ("nefarious dibutyl phthalate" a toxic chemical often linked to cancer), toluene (a chemical easily absorbed by the skin causing irritation) and formaldehyde (a carcinogen known to expedite cancerous cells). OPI does not use ANY of these ingredients - so that's good!

OPI collections...so fun!

Thunder! Lightning! Music Videos!

As heavy rain brings southern California it's worst series of "storms" and mudslides in years, the kids come pouring (pun intended) into class with their OHMYGOSH stories about the storms.

Emily: Miss Sara, there was like a 6-foot flood inside my house! (8 yrs. old)
Reality: Her backyard was really drenched with a couple inches of water.

Lilly: Today, it rained on my hair and it got soaking wet! I ran to my classroom and it was the rainiest, wateriest rain I have ever seen! (7 yrs. old)

*****

Competitions start in 4 weeks, and the teams have been tirelessly preparing for them. With the rain, and the inevitable exhaustion today was the perfect day for team building. We recorded lip synching and freestyle dancing music videos - hysterical...and of course: pics!

You Know You're a True Dance Instructor When...

Tell tale signs that you have crossed from teaching a few dance classes, to being a full-on dance coach/instructor/administrator:

• More than 50% of your wardrobe is black - you can just grab black clothes and know they will match, you wear black at the studio a lot, and you go out in a lot of black. Don't get me wrong - I love color and wear a variety of clothes...but man, I own a lot of black! It's just a staple in the dance world.
  
• "Shower" is actually an item on your to do list because you're so busy that you don't want to forget.
  
• Pedicures aren't only a thing of luxury but necessity...(shhh, I love this one).
• You frequently assess songs and costumes to see if they will work into "next year's" show because this season is already moving ahead so quickly.
• UNNOFICIAL THERAPIST could really be your job title; from the students to the parents you are in the know, and you're their sounding board for life.
• Smiling, graciousness, and strait-forward honesty are arts that you have mastered.
  
• The covers finally get pulled over your tired body, and all you can think about is another two 8-counts of choreo for class this week and how great it's going to look with an extra kick-ball-change.
• False lashes are second nature on stage.
  
• While ordering costumes and accessories for your girls you think "Oh! I should get one of those for myself too...and that, and this...oh and these earings - totally practical!"
• Student's well-being and growth on the dance floor matters more than the hourly pay...so much that you'll forfeit the final pennies to see him or her progress to the next level.
  
• Dance is a way of life instead of an afternoon job.
• Throwing up a perfect bun has been crafted down to less than 30 seconds.
  
• Around the holidays you receive (and appreciate) a bounty of Starbuck's gift cards, hand lotions, chocolate and by-hand-crayon illustrations of a stick version of yourself with stick-eye-lashes holding the hand of a miniature version of you labeled "You and Me." (I love those.)
• You sometimes "over" dress when going out because you're almost rebounding from wearing sweats all week...and you LOVE LOVE LOVE shoes.
  
• 3 staple hairstyles are in your repertoire to wear during classes because you know it won't fly in your face - when you stray from these styles as a mark of personal variety, you soon regret it because, of course, it ends up in the way.
• Lip gloss is always at hand.
  
• Even though you own more music/cd's/downloads than any average person, you're always looking for new stuff! :)
  
• You believe that you never stop learning.
• Bobby pins; enough said there.
  

TuTu Cute

Photos courtesy of Google Images

Dear Brave Soldier,

The US has countless troops overseas right now. For Valentine's day I sent a box to the M.East full of nearly 100 letters, each starting with "Dear Soldier." The dance students were given the invitation to write letters to soldiers, and I would send the mail for them. To have a child's heart is the coolest thing - here's what some kids wrote:

Dear Soldier,
Thank you for fighting in the war for America. I would like you to write back to me because I have a question. Do you have In n' Out burger where you are? If not, I want to send you a burger from their because they are sooo awesome and perfect. Love, Anthony.

Dear Brave Soldier,
Happy Valentine's day. Thank you for fighting for our freedom. Freedom isn't free. I like freedom. Good luck, and I hope you win. Love, Bridget. (Included ball-point pen illustration of a home, raised American flag, and a flower.)

Dear Soldier,
My hip hop teacher Miss Sara is very nice and pretty. Sometimes she is not so nice, but it's just to make our dances better. I am not old enough to be your Valentine, but my dance teacher is. I live in California. Thanks for fighting for the USA. Love, Natalie. (Inluded crayon illustration of a frilly heart, a stick figure depiction of "Miss Sara" aka myself, and a smaller stick figure that represented Natalie.)

Dear Soldier,
I ran out of things to write about because I wrote too many other cards. So I'm going to google facts about frogs for you. A frog is an amphibian. Frogs absorb water through their skin, I don't know how to do that yet. You are an important soldier. Thank you. Love, Ava.

Dear Soldier,
I am impressed by how brave you are because war scares me. Thank you for your service. I'm sorry you have to sleep on the dirt floor sometimes. Love, Matthew.

Dear Soldier,
Do you like music? I do because I dance to music. Do you like gummy worms? I do because they are slimy when you pull them out of your mouth. Do you like movies? I do because you eat gummy worms when you watch them. Love, Tabatha.


Kids are pretty amazing. To all of our troops domestic and overseas: Thank you, I love you, and Godspeed to you. You are incredible, brave people and I'm forever grateful.

From the top! 5,6,7,8!

"From the top! 5,6,7,8!" I shout that phrase nearly 500 times a week. That's what happens when you teach around 20 dance classes each week. Between pre-school classes, regular classes, competitive teams, working the office and learning the art of "teaching" from some rad mentors, my dance life is busy, beautiful, tough, and gratifying. Welcome to the daily dissertation of anecdotes and observations of a dance instructor. My job allows me to meet all kinds of people, and I'm lucky to say that I teach some of the most beautiful, talented, unique students in the world. Our studio is a place that values the art of dance, quality education, quality staff, family life, and performance.

The funniest, sweetest, and most uncanny things happen in the daily workings of a dance studio - this leg warmer diva is here to divulge and entertain. Note that accounts of students employ the use of pseudonyms to protect their identities, however all of what is told on this blog comes from everyday life as a teacher.

***

Perspective: young woman, college educated, two younger sisters, full-time dance coach of lyrical, contemporary, hip hop, ballet, tap, jazz, and musical theater, life-long student, photographer, and traveler.
Personality: energetic, sincere, happy, blunt, faithful, sensible, passionate, compassionate, loving, stern, intentional, funny, observant, quick, clutsy, appreciative, work-a-holic, lover of food, music and sports.