8 days to go.

8 days? Time has flown. People keep coming out of the woodwork to help, and mainly keep me sane. We've learned the 3 benefit pieces: "Orphans, Kingdoms" "Albertine" & "Flags".... all of which RULE. And we started and finished Andrea's piece "Heavy in Your Arms" within 2 rehearsals. "Heavy" is exactly the word that represents the piece, and here's the video that will be played before the dance....

  

It's going to be awesome. This dance is taking me to a new level.... having to place ourselves in a darker mindset than all the other happier pieces we do. It's challenging, but worth it. The story it tells is about a struggle and the burden that it becomes on your life. It's deep. The video contains a verse from psalm that pretty much inspired the idea of the piece. Basically, no matter if our bones are withering away...God is our refuge and strength and provides a stronghold to shelter us in times of trouble. Can't wait for it!

dear beginning, i like you.

In me, in you 
Orphans, kingdoms 
Wide eyes and paper crowns 
Time will hold us, 
Time eroders 
We're wrinkling children now 

We are wondering where the wild wind blows 
We are happy here 'cause the wild wind knows 
What we are 
Orphans, kingdoms 

In me, in you 
Friends, explorers 
Babes with coats of arms 
A world inside us 
A feast, a harvest 
Each soul a son, a star 


We are wondering where the wild wind blows 
We are happy here 'cause the wild wind knows 
What we are 
Orphans, kingdoms 

Eat and drink, for tomorrow we die 
We will look our waker in the eye 
Raise a flagon and drink to your health 
Who is he that can conquer himself? 

We are wondering where the wild wind blows 
We are happy here 'cause the wild wind knows 
What we are 
Orphans, kingdoms

Day 1 went amazing.

too excited to sleep.

michelle is amazing.

her piece was a joy to learn.

everyone was so present.... and on the same page.

(pretty hard for 16 creative dancers to do)

can't believe this is the beginning.

but, it's just the beginning.

Beneficial.

January has one word: rehearsals.

Choreography starts this week, friends come from all over.

My body hurts already, but I have a 2 year old's enthusiasm.

So, February 4, 2011 has become the day I'm counting down to.

It's also the day we're going to reap benefits for children in South Africa like these:

BOTTLEBRUSH.

The biggest slum in Durban, SA.

HIV/AIDS

meal trucks

water

glass

blood

siblings

incest

violence & abuse.

Never thought I'd hear those words the way I heard them before we performed for 800 little kids at the Bottlebrush School that day. What heartbreak. On the plane ride to Holland in October, I had an idea. Let's make a lot of money somehow, and send it their way. How? Well, I know a lot of people who dance, and who love to dance. We're going to dance... and sing (I will not sing, you are welcome) to raise money for this city. "Bottlebrush" is a flower, it's meant to be something beautiful.... and the village that is called Bottlebrush, has no visible bottlebrush. How perfect that something broken and lost is entitled a name with something to live up to. I believe the money we send there will help bloom the city.

So spread the word.

Help be apart of the movement in Durban.

Come to Life Church on February 4th.

Be ready to listen to amazing songs like this:

Christmas Splendor. {{more than just a candle scent}}

So the two main holidays I brag about to all my friends in Holland, have come and gone. Besides dodging conversations that started with "you're so different now" and waking up any earlier than noon, my celebrations were legit. Too legit to quit. - thank you Jack (a.k.a. Dad) for letting me listen to  97.9 THE BOX FM in your Bonneville back in 1997. My taste in music couldn't get any better or broad.

THANKSGIVING LOVE.

House divided, like usual with our ATX relatives.

My youngest sister and the best pup in the world, Copper.

I LOVE AMERICA. 

My Aunt Margie turns her town house garage into a super classy meal time venue.

WITH LOVE, DECEMBER.

After the Aggies BTHO Texas, December was upon us. My best friend Bonnie is obsessed with Christmas things like candles, car fresheners, and matching green with none other than.... red. She was my date to the Suzanne's School of Dance teacher Christmas party and A&M Consolidated's Holiday Choir Concert where we watched my other younger sister sing while we ate cake, cake,... and cake.

  

- my sister sings real good -

- & this is Jack - 

These past two months have been full of dancing! From Dance Revolution in Dallas, Christmas in the Park, to Christmas parties with fake snow ball fights... it has all been a blast. 

I'm really lucky to witness amazing moments like these: 

Surprise Animal hats for Xmas in the park performance :)

Getting to dance at DR-Dallas alongside an old buddy

Taking Katie to Xtended in Houston, where I learned everything I know

Celebrating a great first half of the dance year with great students!

MI FAMILIA,

To kick start my Christmas travels, I visited Bonnie's family for the second time in San Antonio. Don't hate me but yes, white people do reside there, in mass amounts. (pause for gasp) I ate too much, specifically of the flaming hot cheeto food type and learned what the heck spode is. For those of you kitchen, maternal, or girl-knowledge challenged, it's plates and whatnot with "Christmas Spirit" printed on them. My mom was embarrassed I had to ask what it was. O-V-E-R I-T. After I visited San Antonio, we drove the treacherous 16 hour drive in the 'burb to Colorado Springs, CO to my grandparent's home. After driving around Europe for days at a time, a 16 hour car ride in a suburban with 3 people and 2 dogs seemed like a treat! Colorado was full of mega-church Christmas eve services, singing happy birthday to Jesus, and the family program where my cousins and sister demonstrate their musical talents. I ran in the snow, owned my family at CLUE, and taught my little cousins how to break dance. 

So, the break was successful. I apologize for this being a super long post, but it is what it is. Hailey Burke turned 7 and we (Bonnie and I) got her a huge bear for her birthday. Can't believe it!

my honorary little sister <3

Now, onto starting the blog post with the details/vision behind the benefit concert on February 4th. 

Mark your calendars now because it's going to be worth your while. 

This weekend is the first rehearsal that 32 dancers will be apart of.

This weekend marks the beginning of feeding hundreds in South Africa.

Awesomeness.