I love New York I dance New York

sleeping like a dancer...

Although not a native New Yorker (and a native Londoner gone Madrid-ian via Connecticutian with my heart in Brazil before settling in New York for University and beyond) I feel New York is my home and always was meant to be. The dance world in New York is no doubt the toughest there is and it will chew you up and spit you back out if you don't have a thick skin.

Luckily for me, I took up kickboxing during my time as an Ailey/Fordham BFA student...when they told me to develop more of an "attack" in my dancing because I "danced too pretty." I got a thick skin..at least around my knuckles since that first time boxing only to unwrap my hands to bleeding knuckles definitely made me vow to toughen up. I also lived in Harlem for a year...and in the words of my friends I was "gangsta." I loved living in Harlem and getting to practice my Spanish everyday, I really did! (You should have seen my neighbors faces when I opened my mouth to speak Spanish...they were quite confused). Living there made me less of a priss and I appreciated what living in a real community was like, unlike my spoiled campus housing in Lincoln Center. I also must add that I lived with my best friend in Harlem and although we live separately now I have a feeling our friendship is going to last a long time.

I digress. The point of this post was to say that although times have been really tough in New York for the artist, things are picking up, despite a recent letdown. I won't be joining Human Affect anymore due to their pushbacks in scheduling...and my circus contract and other work commitments. However, I should be starting to work on the Darren Aronofsky feature "Black Swan" (where Mila Kunis and Natalie Portman play ballet dancers who are rivals) as a dancer in the company and in the background scenes. I'm really looking forward to that, as well as an upcoming flamenco performance premiering at the end of March. In addition, the day jobs aren't too bad either;)

Over MLK weekend I spent some time in DC and went to see a wonderful documentary at the Smithsonian titled "Journey to Mecca." It was so inspiring and really spoke to me regarding dance being my journey to inspiring others and using my God-given talent for the good rather than for showing off or fame or any other wrong reason. I dance because it makes me happy, and because I've known in my heart since I was four years old taking my first ballet class: I was born to dance.