CROWNS: start of my new career

Two weeks ago I got a chance to do a understudy for the musical Crowns directed by Regina Taylor and choreographed by the legendary Dianne Mcintrye. I audtioned for the understudy early in march at the dance center. I was nervous because the choreo that we had to learn for the audition was very quick and I wasn't use to doing real auditions. Early in April one of teachers Nija Whitson who is assting choreographing for the musical, called me and told me I made the audition. I was very excited as well as nervous because I didn't know what to expect out of the 10 day rehearsal. Overall it turned out to be a very good experience. Just to be at the Goodman theater and rehaearsing with professionals was so mind blowing. This is also is going to help my career since as an Artist.

A documentary of my life

Yesterday I decided to record my life as a dancer. I wanted my family, friends, and fans to see how my day goes by. I recorded mini documentaries from the time I left my dorm, until the time I was finish with rehearsals and performing. Basically the documentary gives you an inside look on what I did all day yesterday. As an artist, I'm going to continue to do my own mini day documentaries so I people can see me as an Artist, as well as for memories for my children, and let them see how their dad got his career started.

Progressing as a Dancer

This week so far has gone by pretty good especially in my dance classes. I'm retaining faster than what I use to. I think its because of spring break. During spring break I didn't dance at all, and my body was able to rest, and take in the information from all my dance classes. When I came back to class last monday, I was a little rusty but my performance in class became 10x better. Even with entering this semester I was way better than last semester. I'm very proud of myself because I'm progressing as a dancer, performer, and entertainer. I know I'm a fierce dancer but I still fighting towards perfection show I can be more fierce when  I come back to school.  I'm ver y grateful that I was blessed with natural dance talent. I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.

Change

Next fall I might be in a new atmosphere; meaning I might be changing schools. As these few weeks been going by, and we're getting close to the end of the semester, I been think about my experience in school. This first year at Columbia has been the best. I met great friends, teachers, associates and different strangers. Each in every last person I came across have influenced me in some kind of way. My experience at Columbia is so meaningful to me because this is where my actual college life started. I came to this school not learning no technique of ballet, modern, african, and jazz, and less in a year I gain so much technique. If things doesn't fall through for me, I plan on coming back my senior year to graduate so I can be back at my home.

Ending of the year.

So far, this year at Columbia has been the best and challenging school year thus far. Coming into Columbia getting exposed to different genes of dance, having to retain it at a quick pace wasn't easy at all. I use to wake up to my body aching, and being so exhausted  from class that I didn't to go sometimes. But what kept me moving forward and fighting through the body aches and exhaustion  was my passion and drive for dance. I knew dance couldn't kill me, it would only make me stronger. Now, my body is adjusted to dancing five days a week all day long, I'm getting better and better by the day. I come to class ready to learn something new from instructors and show my individuality as a great dancer.

Countess Vaughn - Wait For Me (Video) 1992

Music like this really make me miss the 90's. 90's music was very groovy and chill. They actually talked about stuff in their music. You actually could dance to any song fast or slow. Back then, their were real singers not talkers. This is actually me my first time hearing this song, but the first ten seconds it grabbed my attention from within and I just started grooving in my seat.

Kony 2012

Just recently, the word Kony has been popping up everywhere. So one day on twitter I was scrolling down my time line, and one of my followers had a youtube video about Kony. I decided to watch it and it was very interesting. In the video, there is man who is trying to stop Kony. Kony is man in Africa who takes children from their parents. He gives them guns so they can kill them as well as other people.

The director in the movie met a boy named Jacob ten years ago in Africa. When he met Jacob, Jacob was telling him how his life was going. He was far away from home with other Africans children. The rebels that were with Kony were taking the children and killing them. One of the children that were killed was Jacob's brother. Check out the video under this post!!!!

KONY 2012

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A child called it

A child called It was a very interesting  story. I read the story back in high school. and the story was very intense. I didn't appreciate  how the mother abused the young boy physically, mentally, and emotionally. A child should never have to go through that. It is children that are actually going through these things this young bow was going through. Just to re-read this story, I felt like i read it for the first time. You would never expect for a mother to do her child wrong, and starve them. With a child that has to go through this and staying strong throughout the process of abuse, he is amazing.

A Queen Gone So Soon

Whitney Houston family and friends celebrated her home going service on Saturday Feb, 18, 2012. Even though her funeral lasted almost 6 hours, it was the best funeral I ever seen. She had a beautiful gold casket, and it was super shining. Talk about going home fancy. Her service had the best gospel artist singing such as The Winans Family, Kim Burrell, Donnie McClurkin, and other celebrities such as R.Kelly, Alicia Keys, and the legendary Stevie Wonder. The funeral was very touching and moving. Clive Davis,Tyler Perry, and Kevin Costner said some touching words about Whitney.  The part of the service that touched me was the ending. The pallbearers picked up Whitney's casket in the air and carried her casket on their shoulders, and as that was proceeding, I will always love you was playing in the background. It was good to put her away with a unforgettable service

Seasons

"For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing "...... Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

Every year we go through four seasons, winter, spring, summer, and fall. Those seasons can come with a lot of things such as a new job, a good financial opportunity, a newborn baby, devastation, be lonely, or a loss of something. This season I lost my sister; she died last Sunday because of two cars were drag racing around her car on the highway. She left behind my niece who is only five years old. Now it’s my turn to part of the weight and plays not only the uncle roll but daddy roll. Since my sister died I gain more strength, maturity, and ambition in myself. Just by her death I'm highly motivated such as doing better than what I am in school, even though I'm doing good, but there is nothing wrong with doing better, so I'm chasing after everything. My sister was in school, and now it’s my turn to actually do it for the both of us. This season might be sad because she's transitioned to Heaven, but this season is also a good soon. My family is closer than ever. People also gained a relationship with God by her death. Her going home service was so beautiful. Over 700 people attended her funeral, and she loved flowers, so family and friends bought purple (which was her favorite color) for the funeral. I just want to say even though a season might come of bad, think of the positives aspects in your life and gain that strength to overcome what you’re going through.

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        The things that I'm passionate about right now is my college career, as well as my career for the future. Ever since I was in high school, I always have my schedule filled up by dance rehearsals, work, school, and extra-curricular activites. Now I'm in college, I'm still doing the same thing, except it is more about my career for the future, and I'm also more serious about. I feel like God is giving me different oppurtunities now so I can build my self up as a business man and creative man so I can be ready for my future in the entertainment business. In my free time I'm thinking about the future.
       I really been thinking about finding scholarships for school for next year, and studying abroad. One of my dreams in life is to be a successful black man and graduate college as a dance major. I was just told the other day that it was only two black males who graduated fromt he dance department so far, by me being a black male I want to take advantage of that and graduate and be apart of history for Columbia College. Not only that, actually be one of the black males who got out of Chicago and change the world through my artistry. The reason why study abroad has been an interest of mine is because when I was younger in my high school days, I use to think that traveling to this state and that state would be cool because it is different from Illinois. California, Florida,New Orleans and Texas might be very interesting states to travel to but there is a whole nother world across from North America. As I got older traveling across the world instead of the U.S. grabbed my attention. With studying Abroad I can start visiting different countries before I start my career. That way I can shed some experience of my life, and the blessings that God gave to other young black men and women in my community, as well as dancers. I just want to let them know that you can dream big as long as you believe, have faith and trust in God.