Hi Everyone!
As promised, I’ll be telling you all about my adventures in the studio, onstage, and in between. The first part of the summer kept me quite busy, and I’m looking forward to all the craziness the rest of the season brings! But first, a quick recap of the past few weeks:
The first two weeks after school ended began my very first experience working the MAC Dance Wynwood Summer Intensive. Two weeks, 3 classes per day, non-stop learning and working on technique, as well as performance qualities, with dancers ages 9-14. It was nice to see some familiar faces from the MAC Dance Program, but it was even neater to meet some of the new faces who will be joining us in the fall, as well as many other dancers who joined the intensive to expose themselves to new styles, teachers, and experiences. We brought in some amazing guest teachers in addition to Valerie and myself, and we did it all: ballet, modern, jazz, hip hop, ballroom, contemporary…we even had two AWESOME improvisation sessions at the Wynwood Walls, one indoors and one outdoors. It really is a blessing to live where everyone else vacations, and to have access to some of the best dance teachers in the region 😉
Following the two-week intensive at MAC, I drove up to Orlando for In10sity Dance Nationals with Miami Dancity. It was a week of go-go-go, non-stop dancing. I’d like to congratulate ALL the studios that attended In10sity Nationals this past week. They were all brimming with teachers, choreographers, and dancers that were beyond talented and gifted, yet humble and hard-working. It is always so inspiring to see young dancers continue to strive towards their dreams, and work tirelessly to reach their aspirations. Congratulations to you all. The room was filled with artistry and passion the entire week, and my jaw continued to drop in awe of some of the work performed on that stage. These dancers gave it their all: they left their hearts out on the dance floor, and gave their best performances every single time they danced.
I had one of the proudest weeks as a teacher witnessing just how much the MDS dancers have grown this year, and how they are continuing to flourish into young, independent artists. Fortunately we had a few breaks in between performances, so I made sure to really enjoy those by hanging out with the hubby as well as some of the dancers and their amazing parents, so the week flew by! Before I knew it, I was sitting at the finals, where we had several groups qualify for the chance to compete for grand champion, and 3 of those groups succeeded! Congrats to Yvonne, Caitlin, and Sashalie for their national wins with their group pieces “Me & My Girls”, “Brave”, and “This is Gospel”. A special shoutout to “Washed Over” for an entire year of overall placements and special judges’ recognition during the regional season, as well as placing 3rd overall during nationals week. We witnessed some amazing studios and dancers out there, and you all worked together and pulled through, never losing sight of your work and mission within the piece. Thank you ladies, for bringing my idea and vision to life. You were all lovely in the work, and it was a pleasure to work with such a special group. This week was a bittersweet one for me as it was my last nationals with MDS…I will definitely miss all the craziness and fun, but I am looking forward to all the new opportunities that await me the rest of the summer.
In the weeks to come, I plan on getting back in the studio to work on new ideas and concepts that are brewing in my crazy mind, so stay tuned! I will also be teaching at a few summer intensives as well as coaching dancers and teaching privates, so if you want to come dance with me, message me and we’ll connect!
xoxo,
-DF
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