GREEK SING

Greek sing is finally tonight! I am so happy to just get it over with! We have all worked so hard and it is finally coming together. Last night before our last practice the LBC police came and broke it up! Now we have to go in tonight without practice! I know we can do well I am just nervous since it is my first one! EEEK! Now I have to go do my hair and make up! I'll blog tomorrow about how it goes :)

Greek Sing

So we have practiced almost every day/night for Greek Sing. The practices go so late! Then I have work and dance on top of that. I am so tired!!! Long behold I am extremely sick. Last night I tried to go to bed at 12:30.... I didn't fall asleep until 4:00. Not a good night! I can't hear out of my right ear and I am so stuffed up. I have called my doctor but they never answer :( WAH! On a happier note, Greek Sing is on Friday so I can't wait to finish all that! Everybody has been working so hard and I can't wait to see what everyone has come up with! 


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlAZr4UGfls


THis is Gamma Phi Betta's Greek Sing from 2009. Their theme was "Little Mermaid."

Back to school

Sadly we are back at school. :(. I was stupid and didn't dance for a week. Then my first day back I danced four hours, went to the trainer, and then the gym for two hours. THEN after that I had a practice for three hours!!! I have a practice for something called Greek Sing. Every sorority is paired with a frat and there is an overall theme. THe theeme is heroes and villains. We are Batman. So our dance is all about Batman, the Joker, and Catwoman! I hope it all comes together. But to wrap this all up, WELCOME BACK EVERYONE :)

Sister

Sadly today I had to take my sister back to the airport to fly to Japan. There is still awful radiation there, yet Disney is opening back up so she is needed. She plays the role of Sleeping Beauty. So she has a huge role there. I hope the radiation gets taken care of. The day after the tsunami and earthquake, the Japanese were cleaning up and fixing the streets. THe Japanese are ON TOP of EVERYTHING! That makes me feel better that she's going there verses somewhere else. I miss her already! She is my best friend and I only want success for her! LOVE YOU!

Spring Break

I fly home tomorrow to San Francisco for my spring break! I can not wait! THis is the last time I will be home until Christmas. This summer I will be in South Carolina opening up a a trapeze school and teaching dance. So I am really going to appreciate my time home! I have missed my family sooooo much. I can not wait to eat REAL food again. My mom's cooking is way better than the dining hall's. All and all I CAN NOT WAIT! I wish you all a happy, healthy, and safe spring break :)

Stage Crew

So for dance class I have to complete a class of stage crew. It is so boring. I can't even begin to tell you! I sit backstage and change the colors for the lights. I have learned how to work the lights, clean the floors, do sound cues, and set props. There are three shows containing thirteen pieces each. Each piece is 20 minutes long. There are judges who vote and judge the dances. THey pick their 8 top routines to perform in the fourth and final show. So each show I watch is different. I have to be here everyday from 8 till 10:30. It is really boring but I learn a lot!! See you all after spring break :)


http://www.acdfa.org/

So you think you can dance

So this past saturday, I went to the so you think you can dance audition. It was super fun! It just took forever! I am not allowed to talk about the auditioning process because it is confidential but I can tell you that our very own Clarice has made it to Las Vegas!!!!!! I am so proud of her! Nobody understands how hard it is to make it to that point. Especially because the judges critique harder and harder each year. We have a star in our classroom! She leaves for Vegas in a couple of weeks. It is known as "hell week." I can't wait to hear all about it and I am so proud of her!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IyWQD5vSLGE

Japan continued...

My sister is now being sent home for a couple of weeks. Disneyland is underwater so she can not work, they have had over 125 earthquakes, and she lives near the nuclear warplant. It is about time they send her home! I have not been able to sleep. This is the scariest thing that I have ever experienced. I just wish I could hop on a plane and go to her. But as of thursday she will be home.


On a different note, Lent began last Wednesday. I decided to give up all animal products. In other words, I am vegan. I am also allergic to gluten so there is only a small variety of foods that I can eat. But Lent is not supposed to be easy! I can't wait to see my sister!!!!!!!!!!!!

Japan

As you all know, my sister lives in Tokyo, Japan. Two nights ago I was skyping her when the 8.9 earthquake hit. I saw everything in her apartment fall and crumble. She lives on the seventh story so she got hit hard. She began to scream so I yelled at her to get under her desk. She did then her laptop fell. All I heard was her screams and cries. I thought everything was okay but then I wake up to find out there was a tsunami as well. I had not talked to her or anything. My sister somehow got a hold of my mother and told her how the after shocks are around 6.8 and how there are explosions all around her from the nuclear war plants. I found out this morning that she is alright. Thank the Lord for everything you have. Don't take any day for granted. 
I love you dearly Courtney and I am so happy and thankful that you are safe. 
http://www.google.com/#q=japan+earthquake&hl=en&prmd=ivnsu&source=univ&tbs=nws:1&tbo=u&sa=X&ei=mj98TaqTLIX1rAHH3IVH&ved=0CFIQqAI&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&fp=65feb11b35c9a642

Parsons!

I was fortunate enough to see the show “Remember Me” by Parsons Dance Company with East Village Opera Company. Overall, I was blown away by this show. The first piece, “Caught” was performed by one man. It used strobe lights to catch the performer in mid-air or while doing tricks.  This dance was choreographed in 1982 and is still being performed to this day. The piece blew me away. It literally blew me away. It is hard to find words to describe the creativity and talent in this piece. The second piece was entitled, “Remember Me.”  This is a fairly new piece. David Parsons choreographed it in 2009. This piece was about twenty-five minutes long. It included three lead dancers. The overall story was about a girl choosing between two men. In the end she kills herself. This dance had the East Village Opera Company onstage singing with the dancers. The singers represented the dancers’ thoughts. It was an amazing and clear concept and it was done beautifully. This dance required a lot of stamina and the dancers did amazing. The movements were very Contemporary Jazz and were unlike any movements I have ever seen. There were thirteen songs used in this dance and each one fit perfectly. I was so amazed with this show. I barely knew anything about Parson’s Dance Company before the master class, and now I want to participate in their summer intensive! 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSEl4h2kaAQ

Flying and Dance

This morning I had my normal trapeze class. This time I brought my friend Mark with me. He is also a dance major at Long Beach. I knew he would do well because he is really strong and flexible. It was so fun. I got my whip catch and Mark got a knee hang catch. Then Mark and I recorded a dance that we learned in a master class yesterday from Parson's dance company. It was to "Beat It" by Michael Jackson. I FELL IN LOVE! It was so fun and required stamina and strength, yet you could incorporate you're own style. It was just my kind of dancing. I have the opportunity to see them tonight in the Carpenter Center and I can not wait!!!


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


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSEl4h2kaAQ

TED Conference

This week, my doctor from Stanford arrived in Long Beach. His name is Doctor Elliot Krane. This was the doctor that performed all of my operations and began my therapy program. He was invited to come and speak at the TED conference. This is a HUGE deal. This is a conference where people talk about what technological advancements they are or have brought to the world. Bill Gates gave a speech, Al Gore, and the inventor of Google. The creator of Google even flew Elliot out here on his private jet! Elliot’s whole speech was about me and my hand. Cameron Diaz was even in the audience! He says that everyone loved the photos and the speech. He entitled it “Pain is a Disease.” He used a blow torch to display how that feels like a feather to someone with my disease, CRPS.  He used my descriptions of what the pain feels like to develop his speech. I feel honored to have been in his speech. He chose to do the speech on me because my case of CRPS was the worst he has ever seen. I worked really to get better and I had one of the fastest recovery considering how bad my case was. I am so happy to have met him. If it wasn’t for Elliot, I wouldn’t be as healthy as I am now. 

http://conferences.ted.com/TED2011/program/

Mr. Heartthrob

For my sorority (Alpha Phi) we host an event called Mr. Heartthrob. A boy from every frat is chosen to compete. It is basically a beauty pageant. We have guest judges from different Alpha Phis around California. The men have to have a talent, question-answer section, bathing suit modeling, fine wear modeling, and a beginning act. The men practiced for months! The beginning dance was a huge hit! It got everyone laughing. I got to participate in SAE's talent which was a hip hop dance. We all nailed it and we thought he would for sure win. But out of the blue Mr. Kappa Sigma won! We were all shocked but happy for him at the same time! It was such a fun event to be a part of. In addition all the proceeds go to our philanthropy for Woman's Heart Care. We raised over $5,000. I couldn't have been prouder! I wish I could go to more Alpha Phi events but this is better than nothing. I miss all the girls so much! AOE <3

Japan!

A little over a week ago my sister moved to Japan! She's 21 years old and she got casted as the new Disney Princess in Tokyo Disneyland! She's going to be there for at least 8 months. She's my best friend and I miss her soooooo much :( However, I get to skype her almost everyday. Thank heaven for modern technology. Courtney is a huge inspiration to me because she shows how much dancing can do for you. I know that I want to travel, and with the job she landed, she is traveling the world! I can't wait to start off my life and career. I just hope I am as successful and amazing as her!
http://www.tokyodisneyresort.co.jp/en/index.html
The other day she got fitted for her wigs, shoes, and gowns. She will be playing Sleeping Beauty, a monkey, and the Evil Queen. Those are the three largest roles! She has five hour long practices and then she gets to sleep! She goes three days non-stop and then she gets four days off. She is living the life! Plus all of the money she's making is going straight into savings because they give her $60 a week for food on top of her normal salary. And they cover housing for her. I can't wait to get my life started!!!

End of the week

Dear Bronchitis,
I hate your stinking gutts! 
All I got for Valentine's day was a lovely cough! I had to skip school on Wednesday and then on Friday, the dance department sent me home because I couldn't breathe! I just want to get over this as quickly as possible. On a lighter note, I went to trapeze class this morning. I have been working on my split trick. I finally got the hang of it, so we went in for the catch too. I got the catch! 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QR_-MZgWQyM

I couldn't believe that I had nailed the trick so I screamed so loud! The tricks may seem easy but they take so much strength. You have to use every muscle in your body together at once. I think it is the best workout!

I can't wait until I leave for Myrtle Beach this Summer. It is going to be amazing. I still need to improve all of my skills, learn new tricks, and just gain strength. I am also going to be teaching dance classes on the side. I'm going to have the best of both worlds! I can't wait for summer. And I can't wait to be over my Bronchitis!

Hand...

Today I am sick in bed with Bronchitis. Whenever I get sick, I get this lovely illness! But I can't take any medications for it because they won't work...let me rewind.


In December of 2009, I was diagnosed with a nerve disease called Chronic Regional Pain Syndrome. What this disease does is it takes over a part if your body. Mine happened to be my right wrist region. And of course I'm right handed! My hand locked up, I couldn't move it whatsoever, and I couldn't touch anything. After going through all this, my body went into shock and I couldn't walk for two months. I was in and out of the hospital up until moving to Long Beach. I was even in the hospital while I was down here too. Kaiser is where I was first admitted and they started me on treatments where they would insert a needle half way into my spine through my jugular vein and insert medicines to calm my nerves down. I couldn't have any pain meds and I had to be wide awake because if I were to move and the needle shifted, then it could hit an artery that would stop my heart instantly. Those treatments only worked for a little and my hand continued to get worse and worse! So I was sent to Stanford Medical Center. I was in the hospital for eight weeks. I finished my senior year of high school there. I had seven surgeries there. They put catheters down my neck and armpit that would insert epidural meds into my arm. This was to rebuild my arm from scratch pretty much. After being in Stanford they put me on lots of medicines. One of my medicines conflicts with other medicines working. Advil doesn't work, Benadryl doesn't work, etc. So here I am sick, waiting for my immune system to fight this sucker off! But one usually gets sick because of stress, and my hand disease is triggered by stress. I'm just hoping my hand is okay and that I can fight this cold off fast :/






Here is a link to an article on me from when I attended the "Pediatric Alice in Wonderland Hospital Prom."


http://stanfordmedicine.org/communitynews/2010summer/prom.html


This is my xray of the first treatments I had done with Kaiser. 

 These are the catheters that Stanford would put in my neck and armpit.

Although I had tubes in my neck, it didn't stop me from going to Prom!

This is my friend Keith and I at the Hospital Prom!

Trapeze!

Recently, my family and I took a trip to Mexico. In Mexico there were various activities to do like tennis, sailing, and even trapeze. So every day I would go to the trapeze classes. On my birthday, December 30, the head of the circus asked me to do a trapeze show with him! I learned the whole entire piece in one hour the following day! He told me that the routine is usually taught in one week and when they go to perform the routine, the people freak out and don't do it. The trapeze I learned it on was not to high and I had a net, however the trapeze I performed it on was over a pool and concrete, had no net, and was so high! The WHOLE hotel was there to watch and I was super nervous but excited! I nailed the routine and everyone thought I was a member of the circus! It was the best way to bring in the new year. 


Here is my video. Sorry it is taped sideways. My mom was nervous!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fQCqc5IP3A


One of the members of the circus is moving to America and opening up a school this summer. He asked me to help open it with him! So now I take trapeze classes every weekend. My schedule is crazy with work, school, dance, and trapeze but I am taking it one day at a time :)

The beginning of Spring Semester

I started my second semester of college at Long Beach State about three weeks ago. It's crazy how fast time flies by! I am going to have such a hectic second semester though. I was an active member of Alpha Phi sorority and I was paying for it by myself, however, a tragic accident happened and my money now has to go to my family. I was driving back up to northern California for the weekend to see my mom. It's a seven hour drive and I was twenty minutes away from home. I was going up an unramp, there was gravel in my lane. The gravel got caught under my left front tire, causing it to jam, which then snapped my axel. My car tipped to the left and then I rolled three times. My head split open because the car caved down on me. The police men told me I should be dead. Knowing this, my life was put into perspective. Someone was watching over me that night. So as a result, I have to drop Alpha Phi for a little bit. I am working two jobs to help pay my family back for the car and fees. I work as a nanny and as a hostess at a restaurant in Irvine called Agora. I am also a dance major here at CSULB which is a butt kicker. The teachers told us all that we are too fat and that we need to go on diets and go to the gym everyday. I was already going to the gym everyday! Hearing all this just added even more stress to my already stressful life. Yayy :/