Thursday, June 14, 2012

Setbacks.

Personal note.

You know when you're on a really good track, thinking it's too good to be true, but you go along with it anyway because you think, maybe there really is a chance I'll have what I want and I'll earn it with my bare hands.

That usually doesn't last. And I know why, it's no trivia. Life is giving me a serious lesson. A serious thing to ponder about. To get through and to be a fucking survivor.

I know I can do it, I know I can fight through whatever it is that comes my way. But at the same time, I really also am as emotional and as weak as my physical self, the small little asian girl that you see on the outside. No one could've known that this could happen, no one at all.

I really am grateful for my friends and family who are really there and trying to help and support me as much as they could. They all have their own ways of showing it, but I really can tell how much they care and want the best for me. Thank you for everything. You have no idea what every kind word, every joke, every detour back to positivity means to me.

If you have something you really want to fight for, don't ever let go. You never know what setbacks you will have in your life that will try to take it away from you. Be a strong warrior. Be that person you want and think you should be.

Alas, I need to stay positive. Can't keep reverting back to horrible thoughts, preparing for the worst. I know Life, or whatever deity is out there, they really just want to give me a struggle to help make me define myself. Become a better person, know my real wants and needs. I know it, and I'm ready to take on whatever you've got.

PS. I REALLLY WANT TO DANCE!!!!! ARRRRRRRRRRRGHHHHHHH.

Sunday, June 10, 2012

Happenings: Unity Charity 3v3 BBOY, 3v3 ALLSTYLES Dance Battle Preliminaries

The Unity Charity Battle Prelims hosted by Dave Baring was a huge success! Held at the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO, we thank them for sponsoring the space) for FREE on Friday June 8th 2012, the turn out was amazing. It started off with many cypher circles (mostly breaking and a few hiphop and popping/ locking ones) and good hiphop music and breaking beats to get everyone warmed up. This was about to be my first dance battle ever and it hadn't even kicked in yet.






Many familiar, and even more new faces showed up as the night progressed, the all styles battle prelims happened first. When it began, that's when my heart started racing a little bit. When Mariano and Dave Forteau (MC's of the night) actually called out our team name "Team Roshi" (Don't ask what it means... Vinny made it), I went into panic mode. I'm pretty sure it was a mild panic attack I had there, I could feel my heart pumping like there was no tomorrow, my limbs were numb, the music was hard to absorb, what the opponents were doing right in front of my eyes were a BLUR. Thank goodness Pyro was by our side to calm us down, told us to focus, and listen carefully to the music. And here it is... footage of our prelims!


I dont know what I was doing... I need to learn how to control it a little more... not let my nerves get the best of me when I freestyle.

I really want to thank everyone who has been supporting me and pushing me to do this. I know that I am an instructor and I should be fearless, but when I felt weak and nervous, I was glad to have so many people out there who had my back and kept me going. Even if they weren't there at the AGO, or even if they didn't say "good luck" I know that if they knew they would be happy for me and would cheer me on too, and just that thought alone was really powerful in my head to push myself forward. And especially to those that stood by me and were at the battle hoping for the best for our team, I thank them for their presence and their words of encouragement and even more grateful for their words of advice after it all happened.

Well that was a super fun experience!! I feel like battling is like getting tattoos.. it gets addictive after the first one.

Inspire Each Other,

Happenings: Spotlight 2K12 Photo Blog

Photo Blog of Full day rehearsal and Tech Rehearsal.
All photos from my camera, and whoever was holding it (me, Henry, Pyro, Danny, etc.)






































Sunday, June 03, 2012

Happenings: Spotlight 2K12 The Sleuth was a SUCCESS!

Wow! How exciting was yesterday, June 2nd, 2012?? We finally had VYbE's annual dance showcase at Young People's Theatre in downtown Toronto, and it was AMAZING. I have many many pictures from the tech rehearsal the day before, as well as a few photos from the big day which I will be posting later.

After a night's sleep, I'm all kinds of sore everywhere on my body, though I must say every bit was well worth it. I had someone from the audience come up to me and say that I really looked like I was enjoying my time on stage because they could see my huge smile from where they were. And, indeed I was having the time of my life! Spotlight really is a big motivation for most of my year, and I think I can speak for everyone involved (dancers, directors, singers, photographers, etc.) that they really do want all the best to happen on stage, for themselves, and for the audience as well. We all work out butts off, and although we sometimes complain, no one can deny that amazing feeling you get on spotlight day when you finally get to show off your hard work and improvements from the past year.

So many hilarious and fun memories come from Spotlight every year. This year,

  • we wanted to get $5 burgers from this $5 burger campaign but didn't end up having enough time during lunch break
  • For the first time A BIRD POOPED on me. but luckily it landed on the very end of my sleeve, but not far enough to reach the food I was holding, 
  • Pyro helped me take photos during tech rehearsal, but it ran out of battery just as me and Danny's duet came on (sad face)
  • My highschool friends came to watch, and we explored that hilariously awkward situation when you see people after the show is done, and there's always that awkward "bye" moment
  • J VYbE got me a super sweet gift during the break in between, and a signed T shirt, but the signing makes it impossible for me to ever really wear the shirt :(
  • The battle! Pieces (Unity) finally won! Although some Tony (sp?) guy that Doris knew almost won with his "interpretive dancing" haha. He was brave though, I never would have the guts to jump as high as him and slide on the floor like he did in his freestyle. Props to all the competitors!
  • The kids from the Hollaback Kids all hitting on all the girls of the company, the one boy that kept saying "Hey Jasmin!" every time he saw me.
  • And so much more...
Inspire Each Other,