The real world

To say the least this year has been a gift.  I have been able to focus on my dancing completely.  It’s been an almost surreal year immersing myself in flamenco.  Along with taking classes daily, rehearsing, studying the cante/history/dance, I have had no other obligations.  The year was all about me and my dancing and for that I am so thankful and so lucky.  Now, it’s back to reality.  This last week I have already been rehearsing for a show I was hired to perform in this fall in NYC.  That means that I no longer spend all my time in the studio working on my choreographies and on improving my technique.  I can’t complain, it’s a great opportunity to work on something immediately upon arriving in the U.S. and I am learning from the experience.  

Every gig and show is an opportunity to learn and grow but in a different way than studying in the studio.  As much as I love being in this world here where I am completely submerged in studying flamenco, the whole point in studying and creating is to perform and to pass on what I’ve learned through teaching.    

Nevertheless I have to make sure that even with all the work opportunities that arise I continue to work on my own dancing and dances and continue studying the music as I have been here. I have so many ideas and I will need lots of perseverance to make them reality.  I’ve already noticed this week that it’s hard to do that when you spend all day in the studio learning choreographies for a show.  This coming year will be a huge challenge–my first year working full time as a freelance flamenco dancer.   Balancing working on my own projects with ‘outside’ work will not be easy.  I’m both excited and nervous and ready for the challenge–there’s so much I want to do and share!