Venues!

My dance teacher recently called up and said the Indian orchestra folks want to know if August 7th will work instead of July 9th. The first thought in my head is of course, that gives me a month extra! But, we have the same hall confusion. Woodford county folks (the ones with the best hall) can't confirm until early next year. Our backup is the Indian temple which is not a great arangetram hall. Needs extra work to block the natural light streaming in, need to hire equipment/technicians to handle the sound etc. Meanwhile, k is looking into another hall which is supposed to be expensive but when we looked online it said $500 rental (plus extras) which didn't sound bad.

Initially we assumed the Woodford folks would say that a July date is better than an August date (more likely to get the hall) but they didn't say that. Meanwhile I booked the temple (as backup) for the July 9th date, so got to change that. So looks like August 7th is my new date! Woohoo!

Affirmation: I have all the time in the world to learn and dance my best!

Pilates.

I like my pilates classes every Tuesday @ the Y. I guess I'll have a break when I go to India for a month but I plan to start as soon as I am back. One thing that is totally different between Pilates and Yoga is the spine stretch. When you stretch and touch your toes while doing yoga, the spine is supposed to be straight. If that means, you can only lean say a few degrees towards your feet, then so be it. But in pilates, you make a C curve in your lower abdomen and spine (since the idea is to exercise your core muscles) when you touch your toes. I wish I had time to get back to yoga too. Oh well. One thing at a time.

Affirmation: My posture is straight and reflects my confidence when I dance. Remember angasudham.

Salanga Pooja.

Photo taken during my pre-r~ dancing days, @ my Salanga Pooja (Oct 21, 2007):

Affirmation: I am a beautiful dancer.

New goals.

So, I didn't really manage to get a hold of that Thillana CD and I don't where to buy it since my dance teacher is now in India. Instead, I decided I would work on what I can. So, besides pilates every Tuesday at the Y, I decided to practise dancing for 30 minutes a day (eventually). For now, I am on day 4 and I have kept up my goal of daily practice. Last 3 days, I practised adavus for 15 minutes with r~. She bounced around and sort of tried to mimic what the dancer on TV and I were doing :)

If nothing, I am hoping it will improve my mood and energy levels.

Affirmation: I will dance everyday and become better each day.

Date change confusion.

So my dance teacher told me today that the orchestra from India has only July 9th available and not 23rd. Assuming I start practice immediately after my India trip (Oct 10th), that's short of 9 months! She asked why I was freaking out. Because I am already short 3 months, I told her. Anyway, she told me she would get the Thillana CD and video from the other girl and I could work on that and my stamina till Oct and she also said she would arrange for someone to work on my adavus the 10 days that I am in Madras. So, I said yes and told her I would book the hall tomorrow.

Oh boy! Less than 9 months and I have to be reborn as a dancer in that time! Help!

Oh almost forgot:
Affirmation: I have ample time to do my best for the Arangetram.

Taking shape, still a blob though.

I discussed my arangetram with my friend who had done her arangetram about 2 years back. I felt silly discussing  the possible dances in my arangetram and how I should practise etc. at this stage -- as if it were still a mirage of the real thing and I was building castles in the air.

Anyway, yesterday, I met with my dance teacher and I circled a likely date, July 23rd 2011. I am still a bit nervous because by the time she is back from her trip and I am back from my India trip, we will be into October (Oct 10th to be precise) which gives me 10 days short of 10 months for my arangetram and I am going to be doing all new items for my arangetram, so can't really derive any comfort from familiarity. I learnt 2 new jathis for my Kavuthuvam of which I properly recorded only one (so mad at that camcorder!)

But yesterday and today, r~ (my 2 year old :) and I practised what little I remembered i,e she sort of jumped about while I tried to recall and dance. So this is it -- pillayar suzhi vechaachu!

I am going to try to get the thillana CD from this other girl who did her arangetram recently so I can start practising from it during the time my dance teacher is away. May the elements cooperate with me :)

Affirmation: My energy increases everyday and I feel the energy in me.

Auspicious beginnings!

Last week, I talked to my dance teacher about tentative dates and locations for my arangetram. I have been seeing students graduating to their Arangetram for years now. I sort of can't believe it's me next. In a way, I have been waiting for this all my life (almost!) but still want to hide behind the pretext that my arangetram is after someone else's arangetram and not the very next one! Wish me luck, God and all! I really need to do this for myself!

I am going to try some affirmations with every post, so here goes my first:
I am energetic and strong.