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/