So yesterday my mother decided to spring a little surprise on me... A much appreciated surprise.
For a while now I have been looking at and following the NY based, Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet. I was first made aware of them last summer when ai spent six weeks in NY at Alvin Ailey. So to hear that they were coming to England to perform did make me jump around, somewhat like an excitable puppy.
Now, sitting in a position where I come from a ballet school, and spend the most part of the rest of time with those associated with tap, nobody had in face hears of the company. So on the basis I WAS going to see them on their travels I ended up choosing my mother to come with me to see the company... Well, that was until we had stricken another problem: the dates that they were scheduled to perform. Neither my mother or I could make either, so that was our chances of seeing them in London gone :(
Now, somewhere along the line I had heard that they were holding workshops in London at 2 different venues. Although the prospect if this was overwhelming, being a student, I did not have £150 to part with. (if I had, I would happily have justified it). But still stuck on Cedar Lake, I started to search for other ways if going to see them...
Cardiff answered my problems.
So Cedar Lake are performing in Cardiff on Tuesday.
Being a dancer, you find that as people get jobs and move around you can pretty much travel the world on people's sofas!
Cardiff is one of these places, and each weekend I find myself in Swindon, so I'm already halfway there... Sorted. And at £10 a ticket for under 26s, yes!
In saying this, I shan't even be staying with anybody in Cardiff. I've persuaded a Swindonian to accompany me!
Right... Back to the beginning, back to last night. Those workshops. My mother presents me with a piece of paper, well actually a receipt... For Cedar Lake workshops... For 'tomorrow' as she says. All in all, one very happy daughter right here!
Still in rather a good mood I make my way to Toynbee Studios this morning and arrive around 9.30, ready for a 10am start.
Having not been in these studios before, I went through to reception just to check I was in the right place (more like I didn't know where to go to next so thought I should ask)
"Hi, am I in the right place for the Cedar Lake workshops?"
"Erm...no"
Oh good, but this is definitely where its advertised, at these studios, at this address...
"Oh, hang on, yes"
Phew
"But for tomorrow"
Yes right, ok, good.
Apart from, I cant do tomorrow... I'm working tomorrow. But sure enough, I pull the receipt out of my bag to double check, and there it is, clear as day... October 5th.
To the definite good start to the day. If anybody is sitting in that place upstairs, if yous kindly like to allow me to at least see this performance on Tuesday, would be greatly appreciated... Thanks :)

Evening All

Well, finally I'm here!!!

Having spent, quite literally a week trying to work out how on earth I am to set up a blog, followed by panicking about the fact I had forgotten my account login details... Technology is clearly my strong point!

Last Tuesday I set out my house for what started as rather a stressful day, and ended a little less so. I started a BAPP course at Middlesex University, something of which I am to spend a fair amount of time working towards over the next 15 months.
I recently travelled to America, and I will be honest, when you're sitting in Hawaii after a day of dance, when the sun is out, and you're surrounded by nothing but beauty, the last thing you want to do is sort out your student finance, or read through things you have been sent, and you lull, quite happily back into that temporary bliss, and forget all about it, until you look at your calendar a few days before and realise how much you have to do and speeding through things, don't quite pick up all the details you are supposed to! With hindsight I would have printed these things out, and used a 22 hour plane journey productively. However, having spent the afternoon at Middlesex, and with the help of the 'Reader' provided, I am now much clearer on the tasks ahead.

This may be a short post, but to be honest I'm so glad that I've managed to set this up, I wouldn't mind sending this round about now...

Here's to blogging!