In recent years there has been a real push for people to lower their energy use, green house gas emissions, or carbon footprint. However you say it it's the same thing: don't waste energy and recycle where you can. One big way promoting less vehicle emissions is using the city bus. It is often advertised as reliable transportation with the friendly bus driver who will get you where you want to go fast and you will enjoy every minute of it. the bus looks so inviting in advertisements. Real life is a lot different than most advertisements but I'm hard pressed to think of the discrepancy being so big as with the city bus. I recently started taking the bus again and I took it for about 8 years when I lived in Edmonton, so I'm a seasoned veteran when it comes to pulling the string to show that there is a "stop requested". Anyways, taking the bus SUCKS:
1) the mercy of the schedule. with transfers and bigger distances traveling you spend a lot of time waiting for buses to arrive. and what would be a a 20 minute trip you have to budget an hour of time for. What I'm currently experiencing is having to be at the bus stop a half hour before I need to be at work for a car ride that would take 9 minutes and if I don't sprint for the bus if I'm running a couple minutes late I'm late for work where as with a car its a non-issue.
2) the bus stop itself. most bus stops are simply a pole with a sign, I got no problem with those ones, its the transfer stations I hate. a collection of an interesting mix of people, most noticeably young teenagers who are trying to bum smokes off of one another or others and seem to think that they are the coolest people around. While most teens spend their time at the mall, participating in extra curricular activities, or playing video games these teens are busy melting the sides of the shelter with their lighters. CLASSY! the other thing I hate about transfer stations is that they are filthy. plenty of garbage bins around but that's not the issue. the issue is that you can't go anywhere without stepping on cigarette butts, like someone in the sky sprinkled the entire transfer station with them as decoration.
3) the bus driver. In my years of bus travel I had only 1 nice driver. the kind of driver you would see on a commercial, one that always greats you with a smile and has no problem answering any question. Most drivers are just pissed off, like pulling over to pick you up was a huge chore and now they are late for dinner because of YOU! and is it just me or is every single bus driver ever a male between the ages of 40-60? cause it certainly seems that way. I can't say I blame them. I don't think I'd be in a great mood if I had that job... although bus driver clothing is trendy.
despite all my complaining about city transportation it does offers a couple of good points:
1) you don't have to think, when the bus gets going you can turn the brain off and zombie out, if the bus isn't crowded you could even catch a few Z's.
2) if you're into people watching its the place to do it. A large diversity of people take the bus so to see different people and create your own little stories for them is fun.
And that is my experience of city transportation.
Saturday, 15 January 2011
Monday, 10 January 2011
feels like winter
now that the holiday season is over I'm glad I don't have to hear people talking about all the effort they have to go through to make it "feel like christmas." In my opinion you shouldn't have to work too hard for feelings. For the most part our attitudes determine our feelings and I'm just not going to spend hundreds of dollars and dozens of hours decorating/cooking/shopping/planning/ and wrapping. Don't get me wrong, I do all of those things in small amount but it isn't going to alter my day/weekends/month or season to do it.
thinking about the feeling of christmas I thought to myself when does it "feel" like christmas or winter (in a good way, not the bone chilling cold way) that requires no effort. For me, it wasn't crunching snow, skating, christmas lights, fire places, skiing, world junior hockey, snow shoeing, santa clause displays, or shopping. To me the best winter feeling I can get comes from seeing fresh snow on trees. a fresh snow fall is great but I have lived in cities my whole life so seeing a completely untouched snowfall is a rarity for me. I think that's why I love snow on trees. nobody bothers the snowy tree, and there is something about branches long lost of leaves with a few centimeters of snow elegantly resting on the intricate branches. AHHHHH! christmas!
thinking about the feeling of christmas I thought to myself when does it "feel" like christmas or winter (in a good way, not the bone chilling cold way) that requires no effort. For me, it wasn't crunching snow, skating, christmas lights, fire places, skiing, world junior hockey, snow shoeing, santa clause displays, or shopping. To me the best winter feeling I can get comes from seeing fresh snow on trees. a fresh snow fall is great but I have lived in cities my whole life so seeing a completely untouched snowfall is a rarity for me. I think that's why I love snow on trees. nobody bothers the snowy tree, and there is something about branches long lost of leaves with a few centimeters of snow elegantly resting on the intricate branches. AHHHHH! christmas!
Thursday, 30 December 2010
airport experiences
I flew back to eDmonton for the holidays. I surprised my family, which was fun, but here are some reflections of my recent airport experiences.
1) nobody wants to work on christmas eve and I was fortunate enough to not be at work but I saw many people who were working. this got me to thinking what is the worst job in the airport? security isn't all that fun and I'm sure the airline reps aren't always having a blast. I thought I figured out the worst job when I thought about the guys who have to deal with luggage complaints but then my luggage was lost and I think their job is actually pretty cushy. Then it hit me. The worst job at the airport is those people who sit inside the security gates at the kiosks. They are either selling cheap junk, regional trinkets, postcards OR the worst job of them all..... the credit card sales people. Everyone is annoyed at "the credit card people" and pretend to be busy when walking buy and they just sit there all day pestering strangers. there kiosk isn't even nice or entertaining. I wouldn't want to do this job. I especially wouldn't want it on christmas.
2) Sometimes I feel like an ant in an ant farm and if someone were to look at a city as if it were one of those clear ant farms or bee hives that are used to teach children they would have to agree that we are ants. Grocery shopping is usually when I get this feeling. we all walk into the building and come out with a cart of food. going in and out of the aisles, through the checkout, returning the cart. We are all just little working ants/bees going through the motions and doing the exact same thing as everyone around us. The airport definitely replicates the ant farm feeling for me. dropped off at terminal, through line, through security line, wait, wait more, through boarding line, onto plane, wait, line up to get off plane, line up for luggage, leave. we are small.
3) as I was waiting for my flight back to where I live and was waiting for boarding (this was before the flight was delayed and eventually canceled and my luggage was lost) I noticed the energy in the room was much happier. I am under the assumption that most people were returning to their homes after christmas with friends/family. The happy vibe kind of surprised me. I was happy to be going back home, not because I hated my visit or anything like that but rather was simply ready to go back to my own home with my own bed. maybe people were feeling the same thing as me, maybe people had been fed well, were rested, got the gifts they wanted, were now going on a vacation, didn't have holiday stress to deal with, felt the love from those friends/family? whatever the reason a lot of people seemed much happier after christmas then before. interesting.
so there are some more of my perceptions and opinions.
1) nobody wants to work on christmas eve and I was fortunate enough to not be at work but I saw many people who were working. this got me to thinking what is the worst job in the airport? security isn't all that fun and I'm sure the airline reps aren't always having a blast. I thought I figured out the worst job when I thought about the guys who have to deal with luggage complaints but then my luggage was lost and I think their job is actually pretty cushy. Then it hit me. The worst job at the airport is those people who sit inside the security gates at the kiosks. They are either selling cheap junk, regional trinkets, postcards OR the worst job of them all..... the credit card sales people. Everyone is annoyed at "the credit card people" and pretend to be busy when walking buy and they just sit there all day pestering strangers. there kiosk isn't even nice or entertaining. I wouldn't want to do this job. I especially wouldn't want it on christmas.
2) Sometimes I feel like an ant in an ant farm and if someone were to look at a city as if it were one of those clear ant farms or bee hives that are used to teach children they would have to agree that we are ants. Grocery shopping is usually when I get this feeling. we all walk into the building and come out with a cart of food. going in and out of the aisles, through the checkout, returning the cart. We are all just little working ants/bees going through the motions and doing the exact same thing as everyone around us. The airport definitely replicates the ant farm feeling for me. dropped off at terminal, through line, through security line, wait, wait more, through boarding line, onto plane, wait, line up to get off plane, line up for luggage, leave. we are small.
3) as I was waiting for my flight back to where I live and was waiting for boarding (this was before the flight was delayed and eventually canceled and my luggage was lost) I noticed the energy in the room was much happier. I am under the assumption that most people were returning to their homes after christmas with friends/family. The happy vibe kind of surprised me. I was happy to be going back home, not because I hated my visit or anything like that but rather was simply ready to go back to my own home with my own bed. maybe people were feeling the same thing as me, maybe people had been fed well, were rested, got the gifts they wanted, were now going on a vacation, didn't have holiday stress to deal with, felt the love from those friends/family? whatever the reason a lot of people seemed much happier after christmas then before. interesting.
so there are some more of my perceptions and opinions.
Tuesday, 7 December 2010
lazy talkers
a while back I saw an ad for Tim Hortons Coffee. The ad was simply a cup of coffee and a line that said "true patriot love" next to it. As I read it I of course understood that this line was from the national anthem 'O Canada' what I also thought was how when I sing the anthem or when I hear it the line seems to be screwed up. I sing it and I always hear it being sung sounding like "true pay trit love" the I and O really aren't shown much respect. Then I started thinking to other words that we as canadians get lazy about. Edmonton, my home city, not often but from time to time gets pronounced emonton. where's the D? Another big one is the city of Toronto. that second T gets no love. I often hear people talking about Toronto as Torono. Is this the Canadian accent or are we just a bunch of lazy talkers?
Saturday, 30 October 2010
day 5
Last day. I get up and fold my bedding, fold my clothes (making sure to separate the still clean from the still damp and disgusting), and eat. Stacey and I part ways as she must study. I hop on the now extremely familiar skytrain and head my now familiar route to the dance centre. I had such a good experience tapping yesterday that I decide to go and do a level 1 tap class. There isn't much tap offered at harbour (or most places for that matter). Tap doesn't get much respect these days. These days it seems hip hop and contemporary are the kings of the hill.
I misread the brochure. I thought that I would have the same teacher as yesterday but nope. I have a different old guy. And this old guys style is fairly different. He is much more interested in the "dance" element of tapping as opposed to the "rhythm" element. Although this class from a technique standpoint was a little beneath me I still learned a lot from watching the teacher teach. I was reminded of so much of the foundation of tap and how much of a tool it is for teaching musicality. A fairly good class. Just one more to go.
The last class for me this week is Jo's jazz. I had heard that her jazz is difficult but I figured I would take it, give what I've got and let it be the final mark of the week. So I walk into jazz class (there is not a single jazz shoe in sight) with all "the source kids" and they clearly know whats going on. I find a piece of corner in the back of the room as I'm fairly sure I'm the only person here who hasn't done the class before. Holy $&!% warm-up is intense. I silently wish to myself that we actually do warm-up and stretching all class so that I can continue to hide. I actually failed at hiding when it was time to stretch in 2nd and (for everyone but me) put our heads on the ground. the image I had in my head is that of a wide open field filled with gopher holes and despite all the holes you see nothing but that one gopher who pokes his head up when all the others are safely below the surface. But I'm already here, and it's my last class, so dammit I'm going to throw the ego away and make the most of my last class.
Time for cross floor. The opening cross floor involves an exceptionally fast salsa step. F! I've never done salsa before. So people start going cross floor and there I was at the end of the pack with one other person. She managed to get across the floor in record pace and there I was, literally in the middle of the room with everyone watching, trying to do some fast salsa. Let's just say I got off the floor as quick as possible. Going back the other way I made sure I was in the middle of the pack and NOT at the end. Cross floor continued and I started to find my groove building confidence (doing jumps and turns helps my confidence usually.) Then we get to the combo. To my own surprise I can do this combo. In fact I can get through this combo just fine, much better than either contemporary combo and I know this is a more difficult set. My body just told my mind, "don't worry, we got this" and my mind replied, "ya, I think you're right, I think we do GOT THIS." We run it in groups and I do just fine. There are some amazing dancers in this room. When class is over I thank Jo for not only the class but the scholarship as well (as her and husband gave it to me). Her baby is amazingly cute by the way. Living off the high of class I actually think about doing one more class. I would be pushing time to get to the bus on time if I do that. Then my mind tells my body "we're tired, remember?" "oh ya" replies mind. I have a few small talk conversations with a couple of people and it's time for me to pick out my trophy. I buy a pair of sweat pants that have gold print on the side (appropriate considering it is a trophy after all).
I figured out that I did 15 classes total in 5 days. 3 classes a day doesn't actually sound like much. "fat ass" body mocks mind. But 15 is a substantial number. In the intensive training program that Harbour has, the students must do 13 classes a week. I did more than 13 in less than a week. I'm satisfied with the effort put in. The experience was very positive. Spending time doing something you are passionate about can always only turn out positive, and this was. I love dancing. Let me say it again, I LOVE dancing. I found that the people were never rude but they did get friendlier as the week wore on. I found myself conversing with more and more people each day and everyone was friendly. It was such a good experience that I'm thinking about coming down for GSP a couple days early just to catch a few classes at harbour before the convention.
As great as the experience was I am looking forward to being back home. As my dad told me once told me "no matter where you go and what you do, you should always want to be home at the end of it." That isn't an exact quote, but you get the idea. And as I sit on a greyhound bus typing the last of this I'm even more excited to be home because I'm tired. Also, I'm sitting next to the stinky washroom and the bus is so jammed with people that there are a bunch of people who have to stand. Actually.
Tomorrow I will spend most of the day rejuvenating on the couch before I go back to my "home studio" of KDA" and take yet another class.
I misread the brochure. I thought that I would have the same teacher as yesterday but nope. I have a different old guy. And this old guys style is fairly different. He is much more interested in the "dance" element of tapping as opposed to the "rhythm" element. Although this class from a technique standpoint was a little beneath me I still learned a lot from watching the teacher teach. I was reminded of so much of the foundation of tap and how much of a tool it is for teaching musicality. A fairly good class. Just one more to go.
The last class for me this week is Jo's jazz. I had heard that her jazz is difficult but I figured I would take it, give what I've got and let it be the final mark of the week. So I walk into jazz class (there is not a single jazz shoe in sight) with all "the source kids" and they clearly know whats going on. I find a piece of corner in the back of the room as I'm fairly sure I'm the only person here who hasn't done the class before. Holy $&!% warm-up is intense. I silently wish to myself that we actually do warm-up and stretching all class so that I can continue to hide. I actually failed at hiding when it was time to stretch in 2nd and (for everyone but me) put our heads on the ground. the image I had in my head is that of a wide open field filled with gopher holes and despite all the holes you see nothing but that one gopher who pokes his head up when all the others are safely below the surface. But I'm already here, and it's my last class, so dammit I'm going to throw the ego away and make the most of my last class.
Time for cross floor. The opening cross floor involves an exceptionally fast salsa step. F! I've never done salsa before. So people start going cross floor and there I was at the end of the pack with one other person. She managed to get across the floor in record pace and there I was, literally in the middle of the room with everyone watching, trying to do some fast salsa. Let's just say I got off the floor as quick as possible. Going back the other way I made sure I was in the middle of the pack and NOT at the end. Cross floor continued and I started to find my groove building confidence (doing jumps and turns helps my confidence usually.) Then we get to the combo. To my own surprise I can do this combo. In fact I can get through this combo just fine, much better than either contemporary combo and I know this is a more difficult set. My body just told my mind, "don't worry, we got this" and my mind replied, "ya, I think you're right, I think we do GOT THIS." We run it in groups and I do just fine. There are some amazing dancers in this room. When class is over I thank Jo for not only the class but the scholarship as well (as her and husband gave it to me). Her baby is amazingly cute by the way. Living off the high of class I actually think about doing one more class. I would be pushing time to get to the bus on time if I do that. Then my mind tells my body "we're tired, remember?" "oh ya" replies mind. I have a few small talk conversations with a couple of people and it's time for me to pick out my trophy. I buy a pair of sweat pants that have gold print on the side (appropriate considering it is a trophy after all).
I figured out that I did 15 classes total in 5 days. 3 classes a day doesn't actually sound like much. "fat ass" body mocks mind. But 15 is a substantial number. In the intensive training program that Harbour has, the students must do 13 classes a week. I did more than 13 in less than a week. I'm satisfied with the effort put in. The experience was very positive. Spending time doing something you are passionate about can always only turn out positive, and this was. I love dancing. Let me say it again, I LOVE dancing. I found that the people were never rude but they did get friendlier as the week wore on. I found myself conversing with more and more people each day and everyone was friendly. It was such a good experience that I'm thinking about coming down for GSP a couple days early just to catch a few classes at harbour before the convention.
As great as the experience was I am looking forward to being back home. As my dad told me once told me "no matter where you go and what you do, you should always want to be home at the end of it." That isn't an exact quote, but you get the idea. And as I sit on a greyhound bus typing the last of this I'm even more excited to be home because I'm tired. Also, I'm sitting next to the stinky washroom and the bus is so jammed with people that there are a bunch of people who have to stand. Actually.
Tomorrow I will spend most of the day rejuvenating on the couch before I go back to my "home studio" of KDA" and take yet another class.
Thursday, 28 October 2010
Day 4. "you did well for your first time"
So this is supposed to be my biggest day of dance. The climax of it all. Also…… the day I get to tap.
I was going to do back to back tap because my brochure said there were 2 level 2 tap classes (but I was told that the teacher tends to bring the level up to a 2/3. As it turns out the brochure lied and there was actually a level 1 followed by a level 2. I was going to go and do both classes anyway because I would like to do tap as much as possible but I didn't. Not through lack of trying either. I was just running late to begin with and then I had to meet up with Stace to give her her apartment key. When all is said and done I would have been about 15 minutes late for class. I'd rather not be a huge disturbance and I will still get to do the class I want to.
So I go to tap class now. and Sarah has decided to join me, which is nice because I have been in every class without anyone I know so it's just nice to have someone else around. It's tap class now, it's hard for me to describe just how anxious I am for this class. I'm mostly excited because I haven't been in a tap class as the student for sooo long but part of me is nervous because what if his style is different than my mine and he uses a different vocabulary? I have every hope that this Tap class is going to be the climax of my trip. So I do the class and instantly I'm intimidated as the teacher does a "warm-up" that is crazy fast and he doesn't really explain. Just starts tapping fast and expects you to catch on…. yikes. The strange thing is that I was able to. When hearing it and watching it I was able to pick up what was happening and proceed to do it. He used my language using riffs and scuffles… I was home. We do a combo that moves fast but is ridiculously fun. The teacher throughout the class gives me a few pointers here and there as well as the other guy in class. I think he is favoring us. I'm not complaining, I'm here to tap. After we do the combo once the teacher tells me that my tapping was good throughout the entire combo. He didn't say it too loud and was relatively close to me when he said it but for me that put the metaphorical cherry on top. When class ended I had to thank him for class and just talk to this guy. He's super friendly and this class was awesome, everything I wanted and more. It should be mentioned that the teacher is like 60 years old and amazing, I was told he was a big time dancer in LA back in the day.
Off to contemporary jazz. Even though it's contemporary I figure I should make the most of my experience again and its better to work on my weaknesses then only ever work on my strengths. We get this super cool bit of choreography where we are supposed to be swans, but not pretty swans, more like distorted swans. This should be right up my ally but again, I'm just not feeling it. The song is fairly good and the choreography is sweet but I'm just not feeling it. I just can't get into the combo. I do the class and that's that. As I write this I look at the word contemporary and I think for me it is appropriate as I break the word up as 'contempt temporarily'. You can't win 'em all.
Then it is hip hop 2/3 with a short dude named Jerome. I call him the short dude Jerome because that is what was told to me when I was asking another KDA'er about her brief harbour experience. This class has one of the SYTYCD canada kids in it. I thought he was a douche on the show and seeing him in class proved that 10 fold as towards the end he looked at himself in the mirror and hand combed his eyebrows. The choreography is most like Cat's style of hip hop. It's pretty hard hitting and aggressive. This combo is really fast but uber fun. I thank short Jerome at the end of class and he tells me that he hasn't seen me here. I explain I'm only here temporarily (without contempt for hip hop). He said I did well for my first time in his class. I felt I did well. one more class today though.
I actually have an hour in between classes so I just find a spot to sit and read. The thought crosses my mind to go buy some harbour merch as the front desk isn't busy right now. I tell myself not today, I know I will buy some stuff, but not today. I decide I will buy any and all harbour clothes at the end of my trip…. when I've earned it, when it's all done. The clothes will be my material proof of this trip and scholarship. The sweat pants I will buy will be my trophy. It's kind of laughable to think of sweat pants as a trophy but it is what they will be for me. Anyways, one more class.
House. This is another open level class, and this one wasn't taught by the usual teacher. the guy teaching us today apparently doesn't have a house class of his own. I could tell his teaching skills were just a bit rusty. he did fine though. I found the class moved slow. It was probably just as fast (or slow) moving as locking but I think because I expect house to be fast and because I have done house classes before that I found it a bit slow. once we were doing the choreography with music it was fun because the music was considerably faster then how it was being counted without music. Learned a few things. Another good day but my body is starting to ask for a stoppage in play.
In the first day or 2 I was bewildered and living on the high that was the trip. By about day 3 the body was slowing down but the mind was able to will it onwards. Now, at the end of day 4, the body is starting to win the argument. Because classes ended earlier today then other days I have some time to do more than flop on a couch. Part of me wants to go out and experience some vancouver night life, but then I remember that I'm here alone and that I'm exhausted. Stacey and I order pizza, buy some beer, and watch the oilers (get eaten alive by the sharks.) Bed time.
I was going to do back to back tap because my brochure said there were 2 level 2 tap classes (but I was told that the teacher tends to bring the level up to a 2/3. As it turns out the brochure lied and there was actually a level 1 followed by a level 2. I was going to go and do both classes anyway because I would like to do tap as much as possible but I didn't. Not through lack of trying either. I was just running late to begin with and then I had to meet up with Stace to give her her apartment key. When all is said and done I would have been about 15 minutes late for class. I'd rather not be a huge disturbance and I will still get to do the class I want to.
So I go to tap class now. and Sarah has decided to join me, which is nice because I have been in every class without anyone I know so it's just nice to have someone else around. It's tap class now, it's hard for me to describe just how anxious I am for this class. I'm mostly excited because I haven't been in a tap class as the student for sooo long but part of me is nervous because what if his style is different than my mine and he uses a different vocabulary? I have every hope that this Tap class is going to be the climax of my trip. So I do the class and instantly I'm intimidated as the teacher does a "warm-up" that is crazy fast and he doesn't really explain. Just starts tapping fast and expects you to catch on…. yikes. The strange thing is that I was able to. When hearing it and watching it I was able to pick up what was happening and proceed to do it. He used my language using riffs and scuffles… I was home. We do a combo that moves fast but is ridiculously fun. The teacher throughout the class gives me a few pointers here and there as well as the other guy in class. I think he is favoring us. I'm not complaining, I'm here to tap. After we do the combo once the teacher tells me that my tapping was good throughout the entire combo. He didn't say it too loud and was relatively close to me when he said it but for me that put the metaphorical cherry on top. When class ended I had to thank him for class and just talk to this guy. He's super friendly and this class was awesome, everything I wanted and more. It should be mentioned that the teacher is like 60 years old and amazing, I was told he was a big time dancer in LA back in the day.
Off to contemporary jazz. Even though it's contemporary I figure I should make the most of my experience again and its better to work on my weaknesses then only ever work on my strengths. We get this super cool bit of choreography where we are supposed to be swans, but not pretty swans, more like distorted swans. This should be right up my ally but again, I'm just not feeling it. The song is fairly good and the choreography is sweet but I'm just not feeling it. I just can't get into the combo. I do the class and that's that. As I write this I look at the word contemporary and I think for me it is appropriate as I break the word up as 'contempt temporarily'. You can't win 'em all.
Then it is hip hop 2/3 with a short dude named Jerome. I call him the short dude Jerome because that is what was told to me when I was asking another KDA'er about her brief harbour experience. This class has one of the SYTYCD canada kids in it. I thought he was a douche on the show and seeing him in class proved that 10 fold as towards the end he looked at himself in the mirror and hand combed his eyebrows. The choreography is most like Cat's style of hip hop. It's pretty hard hitting and aggressive. This combo is really fast but uber fun. I thank short Jerome at the end of class and he tells me that he hasn't seen me here. I explain I'm only here temporarily (without contempt for hip hop). He said I did well for my first time in his class. I felt I did well. one more class today though.
I actually have an hour in between classes so I just find a spot to sit and read. The thought crosses my mind to go buy some harbour merch as the front desk isn't busy right now. I tell myself not today, I know I will buy some stuff, but not today. I decide I will buy any and all harbour clothes at the end of my trip…. when I've earned it, when it's all done. The clothes will be my material proof of this trip and scholarship. The sweat pants I will buy will be my trophy. It's kind of laughable to think of sweat pants as a trophy but it is what they will be for me. Anyways, one more class.
House. This is another open level class, and this one wasn't taught by the usual teacher. the guy teaching us today apparently doesn't have a house class of his own. I could tell his teaching skills were just a bit rusty. he did fine though. I found the class moved slow. It was probably just as fast (or slow) moving as locking but I think because I expect house to be fast and because I have done house classes before that I found it a bit slow. once we were doing the choreography with music it was fun because the music was considerably faster then how it was being counted without music. Learned a few things. Another good day but my body is starting to ask for a stoppage in play.
In the first day or 2 I was bewildered and living on the high that was the trip. By about day 3 the body was slowing down but the mind was able to will it onwards. Now, at the end of day 4, the body is starting to win the argument. Because classes ended earlier today then other days I have some time to do more than flop on a couch. Part of me wants to go out and experience some vancouver night life, but then I remember that I'm here alone and that I'm exhausted. Stacey and I order pizza, buy some beer, and watch the oilers (get eaten alive by the sharks.) Bed time.
Wednesday, 27 October 2010
Day 3. "give it to me"
I decide today to go for an afternoon class. Jazz at 2o'clock my brochure says. I get there and its actually contemporary jazz…. super. I've done 2 contemporary classes in my life but I'm here so I guess I'll take the class.
We do a super long warm-up and then some cross floor. She sets out a cross floor exercise of turns. I think to myself "sweet, I'm good at turns" and this cross floor is insane. It's so fast and I'm spinning out of control trying to change my spot, change directions, and still whip out the turns. I get through but I haven't felt like I've flailed that bad turning in some time.
We then do a combo that I do but I'm not exactly fired up about: plenty of reaching, breathing, and soft movement. This isn't a dance I would necessarily choreograph, but I do it. Class ends, I've got some time to kill before the evening grind of classes so I meet up with an old friend from camp and we catch up and reminisce about camp days and the wonderful impact camp has had on our lives. It was a great lunch where we pretty much just sat around and laughed. Plus, I tell my friend that with all the classes my energy is low so I get my calorie on by having a huge bacon burger with fries and a beer…. It was great. Conversation must end though and I have to go back to class.
First class of the night is "intro to break dance." Teacher goes over some basic moves and I learn a few variables of warm-up exercises we do back at KDA. Pretty fun top rock part of class but then we get into the floor work. I don't fare quite as well at that. "HIPS UP" I tell myself about 23 times because my ass looks like it weighs about 60 pounds. Teacher then tells us that a lot of breakers put different styles into their breaking like house. I think about throwing some tap in there. As I fart around with different ways to move (tap/break style) while yelling at myself to keep my hips up teacher tells me that what I was doing looks cool. Thanks teacher. I enjoy you being supportive.
Next up is hip/hop 2/3 with a teacher who looks like Taylor Swift…. but ghetto. The room is packed (we aren't in the glorious studio this time) and I am at the back. It's kind of hard to see what is going on. I can tell that my body is tired. Mentally, I'm slowing down and physically I find I'm marking more often and doing combos full out less often, and my feet hurt. I must continue. Like so many of the combos I have done already it is a bit weird at first but as I put it more into my body I get a better feel for it and get through it. This combo was fast an intricate.
After we all learn the combo and start doing it in groups G'd up Taylor swift tells us that we are to free style for 32 counts. "NNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" free styling already makes me nervous when I'm back at my "home studio" with people I know. Here I am with nobody I know in a room of pre-professionals! I manage to put some piece of garbage together for 32 counts and get off the dance floor ASAP. Of course, we do it again and I force myself to think to make the most out of it and do the best I can. So the next time up after the combo for the 32 counts I string something together that isn't garbage but it is certainly FAR from amazing. Class ends soon enough with and my tail is between my legs. I'm so tired at this point that I'm contemplating calling it a day. I tell myself to do one more class at least.
LOCKING. It's an open level class so there are an interesting mix of people ranging from very experienced to very beginners. This class was hella fun. A lot of time is just spent grooving and walking around to music. We do a combo that is pretty straight forward as far as the steps go but somehow it is amazingly fun. At one point the teacher came over to correct my arm placement on a move. I didn't understand what she was looking for at first and while she was saying "give it to me" I thought she wanted me to move my body forward more and not my hands. So there I was thrusting my body forward for a few counts before she corrected me and told me to use my hands. I'm sure I looked ridiculous. When all else fails just groove it out. As much fun as I'm having my feet are killing me and I'm exhausted but I'm signed up for one more class. I throw in the towel. Another open level class of "popping and boogaloo" but I decide not to do it, mostly because of my fatigue but also because I want to have a huge day tomorrow so I will need to rest up.
I get back to Stace's and flop on the couch in a heap. Goodnight world.
We do a super long warm-up and then some cross floor. She sets out a cross floor exercise of turns. I think to myself "sweet, I'm good at turns" and this cross floor is insane. It's so fast and I'm spinning out of control trying to change my spot, change directions, and still whip out the turns. I get through but I haven't felt like I've flailed that bad turning in some time.
We then do a combo that I do but I'm not exactly fired up about: plenty of reaching, breathing, and soft movement. This isn't a dance I would necessarily choreograph, but I do it. Class ends, I've got some time to kill before the evening grind of classes so I meet up with an old friend from camp and we catch up and reminisce about camp days and the wonderful impact camp has had on our lives. It was a great lunch where we pretty much just sat around and laughed. Plus, I tell my friend that with all the classes my energy is low so I get my calorie on by having a huge bacon burger with fries and a beer…. It was great. Conversation must end though and I have to go back to class.
First class of the night is "intro to break dance." Teacher goes over some basic moves and I learn a few variables of warm-up exercises we do back at KDA. Pretty fun top rock part of class but then we get into the floor work. I don't fare quite as well at that. "HIPS UP" I tell myself about 23 times because my ass looks like it weighs about 60 pounds. Teacher then tells us that a lot of breakers put different styles into their breaking like house. I think about throwing some tap in there. As I fart around with different ways to move (tap/break style) while yelling at myself to keep my hips up teacher tells me that what I was doing looks cool. Thanks teacher. I enjoy you being supportive.
Next up is hip/hop 2/3 with a teacher who looks like Taylor Swift…. but ghetto. The room is packed (we aren't in the glorious studio this time) and I am at the back. It's kind of hard to see what is going on. I can tell that my body is tired. Mentally, I'm slowing down and physically I find I'm marking more often and doing combos full out less often, and my feet hurt. I must continue. Like so many of the combos I have done already it is a bit weird at first but as I put it more into my body I get a better feel for it and get through it. This combo was fast an intricate.
After we all learn the combo and start doing it in groups G'd up Taylor swift tells us that we are to free style for 32 counts. "NNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" free styling already makes me nervous when I'm back at my "home studio" with people I know. Here I am with nobody I know in a room of pre-professionals! I manage to put some piece of garbage together for 32 counts and get off the dance floor ASAP. Of course, we do it again and I force myself to think to make the most out of it and do the best I can. So the next time up after the combo for the 32 counts I string something together that isn't garbage but it is certainly FAR from amazing. Class ends soon enough with and my tail is between my legs. I'm so tired at this point that I'm contemplating calling it a day. I tell myself to do one more class at least.
LOCKING. It's an open level class so there are an interesting mix of people ranging from very experienced to very beginners. This class was hella fun. A lot of time is just spent grooving and walking around to music. We do a combo that is pretty straight forward as far as the steps go but somehow it is amazingly fun. At one point the teacher came over to correct my arm placement on a move. I didn't understand what she was looking for at first and while she was saying "give it to me" I thought she wanted me to move my body forward more and not my hands. So there I was thrusting my body forward for a few counts before she corrected me and told me to use my hands. I'm sure I looked ridiculous. When all else fails just groove it out. As much fun as I'm having my feet are killing me and I'm exhausted but I'm signed up for one more class. I throw in the towel. Another open level class of "popping and boogaloo" but I decide not to do it, mostly because of my fatigue but also because I want to have a huge day tomorrow so I will need to rest up.
I get back to Stace's and flop on the couch in a heap. Goodnight world.
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