Laying down on a futon bed, I close my journal. I get under the covers and stare at the ceiling as one thought penetrates through the mental buzz: "I'm in New Mexico."
I was asked to bring BeatHunter out to Albuquerque, New Mexico from a family I met while I lived in Texas. The thing that really blows me away is that this event was set up before I had even launched BeatHunter at Academie de Ballet (If you haven't read the entry for that click here). It was pretty appropriate though because while I was setting it up, God kept saying to focus on the program in the long run not just the opening weekend. I didn't know the reason was because I would be called out to ABQ but let's be honest, that would've taken the surprise out of it.
So there I was laying on a futon bed, in the living room of the Jones family, in Albuquerque, In New Mexico, two plane trips away from home. God has a way of doing crazy things, let me tell you. The next day, we woke up at 7am (ew) to get ready for the day and head over to the Triple Threat, the studio I'd be teaching at. The first day starts and I'm a little more comfortable than the first time because I've done it once already but then again....I've refined the program so there are new things I'm less comfortable with.
Over the course of the two days I was there, two things happened I would like to highlight. First, I met Moriah, Marisa, and Ariana, and saw Kaylamarie (Whose family called me out there and let me stay with them) for the first time in about a million years....actually, it was exactly a million years. Anyways. All 4 girls are amazing dancers, stunning choreographers, and above all else incredible people (Heart you guys). At the end of the program, they presented their choreography and...I died. Literally died. The second highlight was Expression class. I really pushed the girls to connect with the moments of their lives they brought to class. It was strange and difficult but at the end of the day they showed a lot of progress.
The take away from this entry is just that: It's hard to connect who you are with you dancing. It's so much easier to learn other people's choreography and help their dreams. But when you push yourself to choreograph something you care about and bring your emotions into a dance because you care about it. That's when real growth happens. That's when you realize that your story, your art, and your life in general are significant in the dance world. Actually to the world in general!
This even happened to me on the flight back home! I'm studying Journalism in college and I didn't know how that applied to my dance career, if it even did. Then I got the idea for The BeatHunter Digital Journal. God found away to connect my passion for photojournalism to my passion for dance.
Never neglect who you are as a person because you never know how it can connect with your dance. Who knows, you might even end up in Albuquerque, New Mexico. But don't worry, there are nice be there.
That's all for now! Until next time BeatHunters!
-Joel Casanova
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