Between Desert Classic and last week’s trip to the Bay Area for a meeting with my business group, the last two weeks have been a whirlwind! While I let the dust settle in my brain, I’m pushing back this week’s blog post.
Don’t worry, I still have a story for you! Right before I left for Desert Classic, I managed to find the time to do an interview with Starterstory.com. Check it out to get a behind-the-scenes look at how I’ve built my business and brand:
Hi dancers!
If you saw my last post, you know I was honored to be interviewed on the talk show, Out of the Comfort Zone, on ThinkTech Hawaii. It aired live on June 5, 2018 at 4pm PST, and the replay has just come available. Enjoy!
The release of my interview with FloDance on Saturday got me thinking about my journey so far in ballroom and as the Girl with the Tree Tattoo. It’s incredible to look back and see how much I’ve changed. A couple years ago, I would have been privately excited and proud of an interview like this, but outwardly I would have hid that excitement and felt embarrassed and almost guilty for “bragging” by sharing the video. Bragging in my head is a bad thing, something to be ashamed of, and calling attention to myself feels like a form of bragging. I still get squirmy about having attention on me, but the cool thing that’s happened is I’m realizing that it’s not really about me. It’s about the message I’m trying to convey to the world.
Hi everyone!
Just popping in real quick to share some exciting news. While I was at Embassy Ball at the end of August, I was interviewed by FloDance. They’re part of the FloSports network, kind of like an online ESPN. FloDance focuses mainly on ballroom dancing.
They used part of my interview in the video The True Cost of Being a Dancer, but today, they released the video just about The Girl with the Tree Tattoo!
Check it out here: https://www.flodance.com/video/6057295-the-girl-with-the-tree-tattoo
Of course, I’m thrilled (after I got over my initial “Eeeeek! There’s a video about me! No one look!”) as well as incredibly grateful for the opportunity to share my story with another audience. Every day on this ballroom journey, I strive to stay true to myself, overcome my fears and doubts, and release the dancer inside me. I share that journey, with all of its ups and downs, in hopes that you’ll be inspired and encouraged to continue on your own journey.
So be confident, be joyful, and DANCE!
As follow-up to their joint interview in April, I had asked Elizabeth Thomson and Nicholas Barkley if they would be willing to do individual interviews and share more of how ballroom has impacted their lives. Liz shared her struggles with PTSD and how ballroom brought her back to life in May. Now, we get to hear from Nick!
I met Mandy Mykitta, this month’s interviewee, at the Murdy Park community center in Huntington Beach, California. When I arrived, kids were outside playing on playground equipment and a game was in session on a basketball court while parents watched and chatted. Families spending time together outside? Imagine that! After a long day and getting stuck in traffic on the way to the interview, seeing some pure and simple positivity lifted my mood.
When I first spoke with Nicholas Barkley and Elizabeth Thomson about doing an interview for the blog, I also proposed a second set of individual interviews. Their stories of how ballroom became the key to coping with their PTSD were incredible and deserved their own spaces, separate from their shared story of becoming an amateur couple.
Liz was kind enough to make time for me during one of her visits down to Orange County. We met at my studio after one of my dance lessons and talked for over an hour. While we sat stretched out on the floor of the teachers’ break room, Liz shared her journey, from enlisting in the Army to getting diagnosed with PTSD to finding relief in ballroom. Although she still struggles, ballroom has been Liz’s defibrillator. It brought her back to life and saved her from becoming “just another PTSD statistic.”
In my continued effort to bring you stories from other ballroom dancers besides me, I’m happy to introduce you to an American Smooth amateur couple, Elizabeth Thomson and Nicholas Barkley. They have backgrounds that you would not expect to find in ballroom and share an important message. This month, we get to learn how they got started in ballroom and formed their new partnership.
Hi everyone! A little while ago, I was honored to be interviewed for the Dancing Housewife podcast. The episode aired today!
We talk about the inspiration behind my Dance Diaries series (including my personal experience behind the infamous “Friendly vs. Friends” article), the origins of my tree tattoo, and of course, my ballroom dancing.
You can listen to it on Google Play, iTunes or Podomatic. You can also access it directly on The Dancing Housewife’s blog.
Thanks for listening!
For February’s interview, I’d like you to meet Antoinette Datoc, otherwise known as the Dancing Housewife. She is a fellow ballroom dancer, as well as a blogger and podcaster.
The Girl with the Tree Tattoo 