Safe Environments

I was first introduced to safe environments when I was taking dance in middle/high school where we were able to express ourselves through dance and improv however we see fit. To express our emotions of what we were feeling at that time through dance. It really meant a lot to have that safety and that environment during that time.

I next experienced safe environments when I was in college. Roy, one of my best friends, started ICE CREAM. That was code for a dance class. It was always so fun to go there on a week night and just dance! I personally always loved across the floor best! There were all skill levels and all different types of personalities that attended. Everyone cheered each other one, helped with steps, and just morally supported one another. We believed in each other and let people get what crap they were going through out of their systems through the combinations. There was an unwritten rule of respect that what happened and was experienced in that room during ICE CREAM was something special and should be kept that way.

After I graduated college, worked as a performer, lived in NYC, and now teaching. I have installed my own form of a safe environment to the teens I teach and choreograph for. The first big success of this was during AIDA. I was trying to get the passion out of the teens for THE GODS LOVE NUBIA. I set the mood and what I expected. I told them that it was a safe environment and what happened there would stay there in that room with the cast. One by one the teens opened up about how they felt and what they were experiencing in their lives. We ran the number after that and words can't describe the energy that was experienced in that room. Everyone believed in the safe environment and chose to go for it. It was a lot of work to get to that poing that we reached, but ever since that day it gets a little easier each time to get to a safe environment with the teens I teach.

Through the last few years living in Wichita I have kept Safe Environments alive through the dance classes I teach and shows I direct/choreograph. I see the frightened looks of the teens and the resistance that put up, but once we get there the outcome of them releasing their emotions and hardships and dealing with what they are going through is priceless. I am also able to learn and grow by sharing what I am going through and what bothers me. I am able to work through things just like they are. I learn so much from them.

Art is about communicating and human feelings, emotions, and relationships.

To quote one of my teens: "THE WORLD SHOULD BE A SAFE ZONE."

Communication

I read the recent DANCE STUDIO LIFE MAGAZINE and one article entitled “Little Kids, Big Expectations” here is an excerpt from it that really hit home

“These early lessons in dance class are not necessarily intended to develop them into prima ballerinas, they are life lessons. Along with dance basics, I am teaching them how to be good listeners, be respectful, connect with another person, and rise to challenges. I am teaching them self-respect and self-excellence. I am introducing them to values that will help these children grow into adults who do not accept mediocrity in their lives or in themselves. Those lessons need to start very early on, and those values will help these children change the world.”

This just hit home with me. I couldn’t have put it into words better myself. When I teach dance this is what I try to instill into my kids and teens. During the off season when I direct and choreograph for high schools and theatres, I just don’t teach steps to them. I TEACH and I get them to not only learn the dance steps but all the other qualities that go along with doing a show. I agree that the youth that I teach will be the upcoming generation that will change our world for the better. It is my job as a teacher to make sure they have all the confidence, tools, and support they need to do so. So even when I am not teaching “dance classes” I am still a teacher when working with the youth in the Arts.

Another thing I was reminded about in music theatre/performing is the word COMMUNICATION. I teach about passion/energy and that is the basis for everything. Doing something without passion is not worth doing in the first place. I teach my teens to always have passion when learning/performing. One thing I need to remember to do is to make the word “communicate” just as important as passion. The Arts is about communicating. Whether we are trying to tell a story, and emotion, entertain, or whatever-we have to communicate in some form to get the message across. Music Theatre is about connecting with each other on stage, and making the audience feel something for the characters or shows. You have to engage the audience by communicating with them. When a poet writes a poem he needs to do it in a sense that touches the readers. An artist needs to use colors and styles to get his feeling across to those who look at the paintings. A musician needs to play his instrument with such feeling that the notes and melody are accepted by the listener in a fashion that touches them and makes them feel the certain mood. All of these are forms of communicating. The Arts are about communication. Without that key factor, it is not Art. And how does one communicate? With Passion! So I have been teaching the youth of Wichita correctly, I just need to add the last step and make sure there end product of passion includes communicating.

I have joined the bandwagon

Since I enjoy reading and stalking my family and old friend's blogs, I thought that it was time to join the bandwagon. I recently took a two week vacation to the British Virgin Islands so I will dedicate my first blog entry to that trip. (It is going to be long!)

We left Wichita on a foggy Sunday Morning. Our first transfer was in Chicago. Once we landed in Chicago we realized we wouldn't make our connecting flight to San Juan. Nancy talked to representatives on the phone and at the ticketing counter. The best that they could do was get us down there the next morning. That would have put us off by a day. Besides, we had a boat that paid for and that timing would put us off a day on our schedule. Nancy found a young Russian Boy working for American. She worked her magic and got all ten of us on a United Flight that left in 20 minutes! We got to San Juan three minutes earlier than we were supposed to on the American Flight! We had a few happy hour cocktails at the airport before heading off to the 35 minute flight to Tortola. Once we landed in Tortola we realized that our bags did not make the connection! AHHHH!!!!! We filled out all the paperwork and headed off to spend the night on our sailboat. That evening we ate at Pussers where I experience my first Painkiller of the trip.

The next day half of us went shopping for drink and food supplies, while the other half checked out the boat to make sure everything was running smoothly. Still no bags had arrived, we decided to go to a whole in the wall store and purchase a few $5.00 clothing items to make it through the week of sailing. We decided to sail to Trellice Bay the first night. It is a bay right by the airport on Beef Island. Once we got there we jumped in the water and started swimming. I couldn't help myself so James and I took our swimsuits off and skinny dipped....one of the many times for me that trip! We got word that our bags had arrived. Mark, Tyson, and myself took the dinghy to the beach, then walked to the airport. After some arguing with American about them not helping us transport our luggage, the three of us headed down the road, then the dirt road, then the beach, and then to the dock. We took two trips back to the sailboat with all ten people's luggage. Finally all of our stuff was with us, we were ready for the fun to begin!

Day #2

We sailed over to Virgin Gorda to look around and explore The Baths. We anchored a bit of a ways from The Baths and hiked on over to what we thought was the right place. Once we got to a beach we were told we either had to swim around or hike three miles. Scott and Tyson decided to go get our dinghy. After we got there we hiked throughout The Baths and took some neat pictures. We took a nature hike to the top of the island where we ate and drank at a bar called "The Top of the Baths." James decided to try french fries at every island we went to. I helped him on this challenge of course! This place had the best fries by far! After a few painkillers it was time to head back to the boat. We had a rough time getting back in the dinghy since it was at a mooring ball and it didn't have any handles on it. Scott and Tyson single handily pulled us all aboard. I have a killer bruise on my man boob from trying to get in! We made it back to Isle Dance II (The name of our sailboat) and were heading off. We thought we spotted another man in a speedo...(we played a game where we counted how many men were in true speedos....we made it to 57) But to our suprise it was a woman topless. Tried to get pictures, but they didn't turn out so hot. We sailed around to the other side of Virgin Gorda and spent the night at Leverick Bay. A friend said that this place had the best snorkeling ever! Chris, Tyson, Jessica, and myself thought we would go try it out. Once we got on shore there were little mino fish everywhere. Jessica didn't like them one bit. We got in the water and started snorkeling. What a dissapointmen! Murky water with no coral anywhere, not much animal life, and tires and bottles on the bottom. We did see a few starfish that we held and put back where we found them. So that was the highlight of snorkeling. J.B. later that night caught a blacktip shark. He took care of it and we threw it on the grill. I have never tried shark before and it was GOOD!!! I brought some glowsticks I had bought and they were a hit this night! We put them in the freezer so we could enjoy them another night!

Day #3

We set sail across the channel to Norman Island. We stopped at The Indians where we snorkeled for a bit. It was very interesting and cool to see all the underground life. We spotted a few small square jellyfish so decided to head back in. We then sailed over to The Caves. We jumped in the water and we were surrounded by these Yellow Tail Fish. Nancy started throwing in some bread and they were not afraid to go pouncing right in front of your face for the food. It was a very neat thing to be surrounded by tons of big fish swimming all around you. We made our way to the three caves and it was very interesting to go in there and see what nature had done. Especially, all the colors on the rock walls from the works of Mother Nature. I brought a underwater flashlight and it sure came in handy for our expedition into the three caves. We headed back for the Isle Dance and sailed to The Bight. We got a mooring ball and started partying.....This was the stop of the famous Willy T floating bar! We decided this would be the Bachelorette party. Before the festivites started, J.B. caught a grouper and he heard that if you pour alcohol down its mouth it kills it instantly. That is a fact. It worked! Nancy made some great pink shirts for us all. James and my shirt said "Bride's Bitch" we names ourselves brides maids because there were no girls for Jessica to have. So we gladly took on the role, along with bringing supplies for the party! I got a veil and a sash with a button for Jessica. James got some penis straws, a boob crown (for Tyson) and a boob and penis shot glass for both he and she. I got some big rings that glowed and decided to get the glow sticks out again. We were ready!!! We headed over to the bar and decided that we needed to do the shot ski. That is a ski that has four holes in it for shot glasses. We all took the shot together. I had several.....a lot..... of painkillers. We made friends, danced, hung from the high beams, and Tyson even did a body shot off of Jessica. We met some interesting people, and had a CRAZY good time. The Bridal party left earlier then the the bachelor party did. Come to find out Mark fell into the water at the Willy T and Tyson fell in trying to get back to the sail boat from the dinghy. Memories were made on this night for sure!

Day #4

We sailed back to Virgin Gorda to The Bitter End. On the way we stopped back at our home port of Road Town on Tortola. We needed more boos of course! Once we got there we went on land to explore. This harbor is very high class and stuck up. Very pretty, but the attitude there was not. There were triangle topped cabins all along the hillside. They looked like teepees to me. We walked around and explored all the nice facilities and looked at all the big and beautiful yaughts. While we were gone J.B. and Nancy were on the boat and he caught a Red Snapper. Later that night he caught a Tuna! We ate like kings!!! We had a long sail the next day to Anegada.

Day #5

I woke up and we were already sailing. It was very windy and the waves were very big. I worked on a cruiseship, but I was getting a little uneasy. I went down to take a nap which helped. We made the trip in record time. Anegada is a flat island that is only 28 feet tall. So you think you are sailing nowhere, but you suddenly see the trees appear! This day also happened to be Nancy's birthday. We rented two cars because there were so many of us. Tyson, Jessica, James, and myself were in the jeep-while the rest were in the mini van. We drove through town and stopped at a bakery and had some great homemade treats. I had my first TING which is kind of a mix between Squirt and Fresca. We stopped at the lagoon to see flamingos, which were several hundred yards away, but we saw them no less! Tyson had fun four wheeling through the dirt roads through all the puddles that were there from rain storm the night before. We first stopped at Loblolly Bay and went snorkeling. I thought that this was the prettiest beach I have ever seen. Miles of sandy white beaches and crystal clear waters. There were reefs far out and we swam to them and snorkeled. This was by far the best snorkeling we did down there. Big beautiful bolders of coral reefs and marine life. We ate at the bar there (and a painkiller) I had conch fritters and we were then off to Cow Wreck Beach. We got there and then I realized that this place was the prettiest beach that I had experienced. Snorkeling was not as good, but there were probably 15 people there and we were the only ones in the water the whole time. Chris took some great pictures of the happy soon to be wedding couple and they even took a shot of the "Green Fairy". Proud of them! We headed back to the boat to get ready for our Lobster dinner on the beach for Nancy's Birthday. She also made us caribbean blue shirts with the name of our boat "Isle Dance II" and we wore them this night. Our lobster was caught that day and grilled right next to us. It was the biggest and best lobster I have ever had. We had several photo shoots and I decided it was time to pull out the rest of the glow sticks. It was a wonderful day and a great way to spend a birthday with friends and family!

Day #6

We sailed to Cane Garden Bay on Tortola. This port had lots of beach activities. We got there when the cruise ships were there. So the beaches were packed with Europeans (this is where we got most of our speedo count) I decided to head off by myself, and after a couple times of walking up and down the beach I found a great little bar with seats in the shade. Come to find out painkillers were 2 for $5.00. I could not pass that up! I met three different couples from England and chatted away about cruiseships and such. I was ready to go back, but I missed our dinghy. I sat on the edge of the dock watching our boat members swimming. Tyson came and got me. I then swam back to the big trampoline in the water. I did some tricks and flips then James, Chris, Tyson, and Jessica came and got me and I took them back to the bar. We drank some more and went swimming in the ocean. By this time the cruiseship people were gone and the beach was almost vacant. I decided to take my suit off again. After a while I noticed that it was gone! I was so mad. I searched and searched and started freaking out. I was going to have to swim back to the boat naked!!! hahaha. Chris Clark had it the whole time. I guess that is what I get for making people give me piggy back rides without a swimming trunks on. :) I was a little out of it and don't remember much of the night......

Day #7

We picked up more friends that traveled to the wedding but didn't go on the sailboat trip before hand. Four members of Jessica's family, and four friends of ours arrived also. We sailed to Sandy Cay which is an island owned by the Rockerfellers. It was very pretty and lots of fun to spend time with the new kids! We then sailed to Jost Van Dyke and ate at Foxy's. We even met Foxy himself. Tyson put his boob crown up on the ceiling. I hope it is there the next time we go back! We then sailed around to Sopher's Hole. We rented a slip this night and were between some very fancy boats. We ate at Pusser's again and guess what....I had a painkiller! Pretty bad service and messed our bill up, but we were used to that from everyone being on island time. Our other friends left back to the hotel, and we spent that last night on the Isle Dance II.

Day #8

We started sailing the boat back to Road Town and we got caught in a storm. Raining very heavily and the waves were very big. It cleared once we got back to where we got the boat from. We took a taxi up the mountain to our hotel The Tamarind Club. It only had 12 rooms and we the wedding party took 11 of them. The food here was to die for. I could eat all my meals for the rest of my life here and be perfectly happy. The outdoor pool/bar/dining area was very nice....They could spend some time in the rooms though. None of the doors had locks on them, which was cool and kind of weird also. We sat around and relaxed, took the ten minute walk to Josiah's Bay and scoped out where the wedding was going to take place the next day. Tha night we partied and all had fun. The groom had a little too much fun! haha

Day #8

After some confusion with the wedding cake, Nancy made sure all was well for the wedding!!! Jessica went into town and got her hair done and Chris went and got a couple of his photos developped. (His pictures are AWESOME!!!) We had the taxi take us down to the beach and I raked the area where the bride and groom were to stand (I am such a great bridesmaid) except the damn justice of the peace and her girl friend walked all over my hard work! I was so mad, but I wouldn't let that ruin the day. The wedding was absolutely beautiful. It was so neat to have close family of the Reeves' and friends be there on the beach experiences this wonderful day. I choked up quite a few times. The photos went well after and the bar down the beach even gave us all jello shots afterwards! Tyson wasn't able to drink the champagne after the wedding, so as a good brother and bridesmaid I helped him out. We went back to the restaurant and had some delicious food. We took some pictures at the hotel, then went to bed to catch our flight early the next morning.

Day #10

We took a sarari bus to the airport. It was quite the ride! We made all of our connections and our bags made it home also. The next day it snowed! haha.

I am grateful that I was able to be a part of something so special and such a neat occasion. I am proud if you made it through my first blog posting. Peace out girl scout.