First Quarter 2011

This update comes to you live from the remote office, otherwise known as Gaybucks otherwise known as Starbucks on Santa Monica in West Hollywood. It’s Friday and Friday is my day to come to the remote office to work and treat myself to venti non-fat, no whip, extra hot mocha. And a view of my nemesis. He was here in all his terry clothed wrist banded glory.

But enough of him, on with the update.

PERFORMANCE

Over the last couple of months I’ve had a few really great performance experiences. The first one came to me from a member of Cheer LA. Jodie, Cheer LA squad member, was already rehearsing for a dance concert when a need arose for an additional male dancer. He was good enough to mention it to me and I took it from there. After submitting my headshot and resume to the company’s artistic director and taking a ballet class with the company as my unofficial audition As a result, they asked me to perform in their upcoming concert. The time commitment was minimal and the pay was even more minimal but I agreed. (Hey, speaking of pay, I just realized that I never got paid. Who do I think I am, J.D. Gottrocks?)

I was very flattered and excited they asked me to perform…until the rehearsals started. Let’s just say that the “style” of the artistic director was not something to which I was accustomed. I should have known there was going to be trouble when, in the first rehearsal, he asked: “Ok, where are my competition dancers?” For those of you who don’t know that term, a competition dancer is one that’s trained, more or less, to be a human show pony. Please note: this is my opinion and other dancers have other opinions. They’re taught dance but in the very loosest version of the term and art form. This type of dancer mostly learns and works on tricks and if any technique is gained along the way then it is by pure accident. There are studios that concentrate on this type of education and training and that’s fine. But there are also other kinds. The kinds I went to.

Now I know I started late – 16 – but thankfully I started at a studio that stressed the artistry of dance versus the tricks of it. I was lucky enough to be a part of a dance program in college that did the same. After college I went straight to the city and to the best studios Chicago had to offer: Ruth Page Foundation and Lou Contes (Hubbard Street Chicago). In these various studios and throughout my training I learned that “fame costs” and we were to pay for it in advance in sweat, that’s for sure. The teachers stressed listening to the music and dancing to it with emotion and technique. We learned dance etiquette, too. Such as coming to class on time, dressing properly, NO DRINKING anything in class, knowing your spacing on the floor, etc. The aforementioned studios don’t seem to touch on these topics, at least from what I’ve observed. And it’s a shame because they are turning out (so to speak) a whole crop of young, new dancers that are missing a huge amount of dance information and history.

Ok, so with ALL that said, I rehearsed and prepared for the dance concert. About midway through I’d experienced enough of the differences mentioned above to decline an invitation to perform in the finale when it was offered to me. Why? It would have meant more rehearsal time with the artistic director. By that time we already had an unspoken understanding that we didn’t get along despite the happy and cordial faces we put forth. I was actually surprised when he asked me again and followed up with “It’s just that the entire company will be in the finale and then you’d have to come out in a different costume for the bow.” I said: “It’s ok. I don’t have to bow.” Later I found out that another dancer didn’t want to be in the finale either. I told her that when he asked me I just told him no. She said: “I did but he just didn’t seem to accept that.” I responded: “Well I meant it.”

All in all I am glad I did it. It was good to do just a pure dance performance. And btw, I did end up bowing…in a different costume than the rest.

Speaking of dance, as some of you probably saw I posted that I did a flash mob dance performance the other week. It was for American Airlines and we did it in downtown Los Angeles. It was cute and fun and I got paid. What else could I ask for? Here’s the link in case you didn’t see it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_w0lX3NIOk

Also posted on Facebook was mention of doing extra work on Glee. SO EXCITING! A good friend of mine does hair on the show and I finally pressed him to get me on. I was scheduled to be one of four teachers for the prom episode but when I got there I got “bumped up” to the role of photographer. I don’t have any lines and not even sure of any camera time but that’s all ok with me. You may see the back of my head and right shoulder as they did some shots from behind me like that. It was a great three-day shoot. I made friends with the other “teachers” and was sure to make myself known to the guy who does the casting. I told him that I’d love to be called in again to play a teacher and he said: “Great, you look like a teacher.” Must have been all those classes I took getting my teaching certification.

The episode is going to air some time in May on FOX.

CHEER LA

Cheer LA is going really great. We’re gearing up for the Pride season and it’s a lot of hard work but it’s going to be worth it. We’ll be performing at Long Beach Pride in May, Los Angeles Pride in June and San Diego Pride in July. Among the things we’ll be doing at these Pride events will be marching and performing in the parades as well as performing within the Pride festivals. During those performances we’ll be collecting donations from the audiences with everything going to local HIV and AIDS related charities. We’ll be doing pyramids, stunts and dance and pom routines. I’ll be sure to post anything that’s captured on film or via video.

Side note: I may or may not have had a hand in getting our squad some prime real estate on the stage at LA Pride. It has to do with a couple of interviews I had with the LA Pride office. They were looking for a free lancer to work in their office from February to July. I went in for two interviews and was one of the final two candidates they were considering. Though they were very impressed with me they went with the other candidate. I dare say the REALLY liked me. I got that impression during the interview process and via the feedback I received afterwards. But what does this have to do with Cheer LA? It seems as though Cheer LA has been requesting to perform on the LA Pride main stage since their inception but never received an invitation to do so. This being Cheer LA’s 10^th anniversary they were determined more than ever to perform! Knowing this I made my plea for our group at both of my interviews. It must have paid off because the President of the Board of Directors of LA Pride came to our practice a few weeks ago with the great announcement that we did indeed get some stage time to perform. He also mentioned my lobbying as being very influential in their decision-making. Needless to say the squad is so thrilled. I even got MVP of the week that week!

WORK

Since the beginning of the year I only had one “real”/corporate type job that came up. A woman I used to work with at Bon Appétit was kind enough to extend an opportunity to work in her husband’s office. I was happy to take her up on the offer and worked at an international travel agency for a few weeks at the beginning of the year. They specialized in international group trips. The problem is/was that a big portion of their business came from trips to Egypt. And wouldn’t I have started right around the time of all those problems in Egypt?! It need not be say that their business suffered and their need for additional office help became no longer necessary.

But on a lighter note, this Monday I start a temporary position that should last anywhere from four weeks to six week to possible a permanent gig. Over the past few months I’d gotten a couple of calls to interview at some Conde Nast titles for sales assistant positions. I guess this third time was the charm. I’ll be working at W magazine as a sales assistant to the West Coast salesperson. It’s a position in transition as new sales person will be brought on board in the next few weeks. I’m there to keep things running and together during this transition. Should the new person like me it might result in my temporary position turning into full time. At the very least I have a few weeks of work and after talking to unemployment found out that my claim will be put “on hold” while working there. I’ll be commuting to the same building I worked at for Bon Appétit – an easy 7 minutes to work. I’m looking forward to the challenge of learning something new both in the position I’ll be in as well as the magazine itself. So three cheers to that.

That’s all for now. I’m about done with my second coffee of the day, this time just a regular venti coffee. Thanks in advance for reading. Feel free to post your comments and/or let me know how you’re all doing.