Category: The Student Perspective

A Little Cha Cha and Connections – This is Why I Do What I Do

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Just a quick post because I need to go to bed, but I won’t be able to sleep if I don’t share these things now.

One: I was having a “meh” Monday.  What Monday isn’t “meh”?  In any case, I went to the studio to take a cha cha group class. I was on the fence about going because I was really tired and kept getting stuck in my head about a bunch of things, not all dance-related. But I hadn’t been to a group class in awhile and I haven’t done cha cha in an even longer while, so off I went. It was exactly what I needed.  Lucky me, it was just me and one guy, so we ended up with a semi-private lesson. Forty-five minutes later and I didn’t feel so tired and my troubles didn’t seem so bad. And as I drove home, I thought this is it!  This is why I spend all this money on this ballroom nonsense. It makes me feel good! It makes me happy!  All of my anxieties and fears over performance and wanting to be accepted and feel like I belong, those are born out of the “extra” stuff that surrounds the dance. And I like that extra stuff too. I like pushing myself to improve and challenging myself at competition. I want those anxieties and fears brought to the surface so I can finally see what they’re really made of and work on exorcising them! But it’s nice to be able to take a break and just do a little cha cha.

Two: I was so very honored to read a quote from my last post as the starting line to the latest post on Facing Diagonal Wall. Because this is why I blog. To connect with people, to inspire people, to encourage people. I feel so blessed to have connected with so many bloggers through the Ballroom Village in such a short time. Big thank you to the Biggest Girl in the Ballroom for inviting me to be a part of this awesome group!

This evening has made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside, and even a little teary-eyed! I hope I can continue to connect with people, support them in their pursuit of their passion, guide them in battles against their demons, and inspire them to do whatever makes them want to dance!

I want you to know that you all rock.  Every single one of you.

Sweet dreams!

Mental Smackdown – When Your Dealer Cancels Your Next Fix

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On today’s episode of Mental Smackdown, I share what happens when an external trigger sets the demons loose in my head and how I attempt to bring order back to the chaos that’s created.

I was having a really good night, feeling genuinely optimistic about life in general.  And then my lesson was cancelled. Cue descent into darkness.

I know, I know, so dramatic! It’s just one lesson. Disappointment, sure, but descent into darkness? Really? Financially, it helps me because it stretches my last lesson payment that much further. So what’s my problem? Well, like any good addict, sometimes the only thing that gets me through the day is my next fix. I think it’s been well established that I am addicted to ballroom and my heart and soul gets poured into it. Good or bad, I desperately rely on my two standing lessons to get me through some weeks. I may be hating life, but at least I have a lesson to look forward to. So when that oasis I’m crawling toward turns out to be a mirage? Let’s just say the struggle is real. Still too dramatic? Just wait, it gets better.

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Countdown to Emerald – 2 Days: Fighting for the Dreams of a Servant Girl

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Emerald Ball’s countdown clock has less than 1 day, but since I’m not dancing until the second day of the comp, I’m giving my countdown an extra day.  I took a prescribed break from ballroom over the weekend.  Teacher says I’m ready, and I feel ready more or less.  But with the few comps I’ve done, there has always been a time right before the big day when the sheer cost of everything hits me hard and I once again question what I’m doing. For this comp, that time came this past Saturday night.

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Countdown to Emerald – 10 Days: Team Match and a Pardon

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Today was a good day.  My studio hosted a team match, and due to some good fortune and strict budgeting, I could afford 12 entries.  And my anxiety had apparently taken the day off!  A few butterflies showed up after the dancing first started, but that was it.  I attribute it to the events of the previous day.  I had a lesson scheduled and then I was to go to the spray tanning salon to do a test run in preparation for Emerald.  I was in an awful mood all day.

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The Cathartic Beauty of Dance

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On April 4, 2015, I lost a dear friend and the world lost a beautiful person and dancer.  She passed away from the ALS that had ravaged her body for the past two years.  She was one of my first ballroom friends and had an amazing smile. She always encouraged me and supported me in my dancing efforts.  I always think of her when I’m battling my demons because she always told me, very firmly, don’t let your fears hold you back.

Her memorial service was this past Saturday and I had a dance lesson right after. Teacher wanted to work on my performance more because he says my technique is solid, we just need to put the finishing touches on my dance for Emerald Ball. Which means I need to emote more! And why not, I had already spent the whole morning very emotional, may as well put it into my dance. It’s what my friend would have told me to do.

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Guest Post: The Girl With The Tree Tattoo

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I’m so grateful for the opportunity to connect with other ballroom dancers! This is an article I wrote for the Biggest Girl in the Ballroom.

loveablestef's avatarBeautiful Girl In The Ballroom

I cannot tell you how incredibly pleased I am to get to share this next Balllroom Village Blogger with you!

Please welcome Girl With The Tree Tattoo!

I appreciate her authenticity, enthusiasm, and willingness to share.  Please do check out her Blog at: 

http://www.thegirlwiththetreetattoo.com/

And for a special treat, you can see her in action, dancing! 

https://thegirlwiththetreetattoo.com/more-about-the-girl/videos/

Without further ado, Enjoy!

“I can’t…I have dance.”

Balancing a Full-Time Life and Ballroom

First of all, I am honored to be writing a guest post for the Biggest Girl in the Ballroom! I found Stefanie’s blog because it showed up on my suggested list from WordPress. Thank you, WordPress algorithms! It’s so exciting to be able to connect with a fellow ballroom dancer. As for me, I have been a student/addict of ballroom dancing for over 2 years. I have been competing for just under a year and currently compete at the bronze…

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Put Yourself Out There!

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I just added a photo gallery to the website!  Just a few shots from the competitions and showcases I’ve done to date.  I plan on adding a page with links to some videos from my competitions as well. Honestly, I had the gallery pretty much ready to go about a week ago.  But I didn’t want to hit “publish.” It’s scary to put yourself out there!  It’s one thing to write about my competitions, but to add visual aids and announce “here I am!”… Yikes. It’s a risky thing to open yourself up to the opinions of others. Especially when you know you aren’t perfect, you’re still learning, and therefore, you’re more vulnerable to criticism.
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