Checking off my list, managing time, remembering to breathe

Dance Chicago ended yesterday. I was lucky to be featured in five performances throughout the festival, including opening and closing night. I'm glad to check this festival off my list. No more rushed, last minute reworks. No more cramming into an office calling itself a dressing room with 40 other dancers, all trying to dress, warm up and rehearse on top of each other.

Today is my first day off in a long time, and I feel like I am just barely catching my breath before starting the next race. Even on my day off, I have already spent a couple of hours on IDC touring and outreach work, cleaned some of my apartment, watched about 45 minutes of "Gods, Monsters and Heroes" and am about to make dinner before heading off to company class. I have forgotten how to relax.

I feel like everything is falling into place. Looks like my teaching schedule will possibly change in 2011 which will make me available for all of my currently scheduled rehearsals. New projects are going to be in the works soon.

My stresses and complaints are still the same from the past few weeks, but they are slowly becoming less stressful. I guess learning how to manage my schedule is how I relax.

Look for updates soon.

It's your job

So tired...that's how I've felt on nearly a daily basis for the last month. I don't want that much more free time, to be honest. I just want more sleep and more time to take classes.

Over the summer while I was at the Thodos intensive, one of our guest speakers told us "You should be in class everyday. It's your job." It really hit home, and I completely agree. I just cannot imagine how I could take classes more regularly. With work, teaching, rehearsing and performing all competing for my waking hours, I'm lucky to squeeze in one or two classes a week.

Luckily, I now have the opportunity to take a class for every class I teach at NorthSide Dance Theater. Since I am scheduled to teach 9 classes a week, it's not a problem using up those free classes. Unluckily, my classes aren't always filled, but I am thankful that whenever I have a class that goes empty, Jenn peeks her head into my studio and invites me to come take barre with her.

I feel like I'm in the best shape of my professional dance career, but I know I can be better. I watch professionals that I admire, and feel like I can do almost everything they can. I just need some polish. More class time.

Dance Chicago will be over in just over a week. I keep thinking that I will be able to sleep after that, but in actuality I won't. Setting pieces for Renegade Dance Architects and GI Alliance Dance Co., hopefully producing school shows with Innervation Dance Cooperative. I look forward to being busy, but I also would like to devote more time to myself, to improve and give myself more insurance for a prosperous and prolific career.

On my mind

I'm awake way past my bedtime. It's been happening a lot lately, mostly because my sleep schedule is completely out of wack and I have a lot on my mind.

Yesterday was opening night for Dance Chicago. I performed in a pre-show act with Renegade Dance Architects. We danced our piece "Forgiveness, Not Permission" on the sidewalk in front of Stage 773 (formerly the Theater Building) about 6 times as the audience walked into the venue. It was definitely our most challenging performance yet. In addition to repeating the dance over and over for half an hour, we had to navigate the rake of the driveway, huge cracks in the sidewalk, joggers, dog walkers, interested (and very uninterested) observers. But it was so much fun, as usual. Apparently Sid Smith, dance critic for the Sun-Times and SeeChicagoDance.com, was a bit impressed too. We'll perform the piece again on the stage soon as part of the festival.

I have such a busy month! A short glimpse: I'm in 3 other pieces for Dance Chicago (two that we featured in IDC's last concert, and one that a dance friend Christine Hands choreographed). This weekend, IDC is auditioning for America's Got Talent. NorthSide Dance Theater added two new classes to my schedule (Intermediate Tap on Tuesdays and an additional Intermediate Modern on Saturday mornings). I'm also going to be setting a new piece on the gorgeous and talented dancers in Renegade Dance Architects. Add in co-op meetings, Thurgood Marshall after school program (hopefully starting soon), additional school outreach, GI Alliance Dance Co. rehearsals and studio showing, and work...phew. Good thing I love it all so much.

Seriously, on an almost daily basis I am moved nearly to tears by how fortunate I have been this year. So many opportunities have been presented for myself and Ed, and we couldn't be happier. As much as I want a break just to breathe, I don't want to slow down.

I do, however, wish I could spend more time with the people I love. I just can't get enough time with my husband and my lovely, lovely friends from IDC. Even if I saw you at rehearsal today--I miss you all so much all of the time!

Hopefully, writing all this down will help me sleep now...