New Mind Set

I have been lying.  I have been lying to myself and everyone around me.  What I said in my last post, and what I say to so many people who ask me, "if you're not working right now, what are you doing?" is a lie.  I tell people, I am just focusing on getting in shape and dancing as much as I can.  That, my friends, was a lie.  I was not dancing as much as I could.  Although I am on my two crews, and I take sporadic classes here and there, it was no where near the amounts that it should be if I actually want to make this a career.  I don't even use the classes that I work study at BDC for half the time.  That means, I am literally, working for free, and not even utilizing what I am doing.  How many opportunities may I have missed due to my lack of motivation.  Staying home all day, sending out cover letters and resumes to get some random part time job is not moving me forward.  I took my first ballet class in months today.  It wasn't horrible, but I definitely could feel my lack of practice.   

The last week has been so up and down in my personal life, and something today just hit me.  This weekend, I got to dance from some amazing choreographers and people from California and it was just very inspiring.  Where I am at right now, is not moving forward.  It is a very lazy attempt of success, just waiting for the "right" opportunity to come up for me.  Well that is changing right now.  I have discussed it with my family, and I will not be getting a part time job, (if I do, it will be very part time, and very flexible) and I will not be applying for any more internships or office positions.  Paying for all the expenses to live in NY and go for my dream, without really giving it everything I have is pointless.  For the next 5 months, I will be focused on preparing the the spring and for my dance career.  I will be working out daily, not most days, daily, as well as taking a minimum of 6 classes at BDC every week, going to my rehearsals, teaching for the volunteer organization I am working with, and doing sporadic auditions as well.  I am going to be organized, and I am going to eat healthy all the time.  I just found the motivation I had when I graduated early and lost a lot of weight, and I am not letting it go this time.  Anyone reading this, you are more than welcome, to check in and remind me of this post and make sure I am staying on task.  To be successful, you have to be the best you can be.  I have not been aiming for that.  That is over.  It is a new day, and it starts right now.  Until next time friends.

Preperation

Helloooo.  Seriously, summer is over. What? Really. It’s ridiculous.  I am just trying to comprehend how busy I could get very quickly once September hits and more of my commitments start to begin.  My main focuses right now are getting in shape still and training and dancing as much as I can.  I am a part of three crews now, which may not be the best idea for my overcommitment self, but I really enjoy each group and the different styles and vibes each of them have.  I unfortunately did have to tell two other crews recently that I just would not be able to join as an official member due to my schedule already.  Saying no is a very hard thing for me to do, but I realize if I don’t, then I won’t be able to do my best and succeed in any group.  Also, I have started running consistently.  That may be the worst decision I have ever made.  No, I’m kidding, but I do still whine about it pretty much every single time I go.  On a positive note though, I believe I am getting better at not stopping and walking, and going a little bit further each time.  So am I becoming a runner? Who am i?! haha

I am still on the job hunt, now exclusively for part time work.  I do have a dance instructor position that starts in September, and I am very excited to be a part of the studio faculty.  Unfortunately, this job will not be enough to live on, so I still need to find something else.  I have also been doing a lot of choreography lately.  I am definitely a perfectionist when it comes to choreographing pieces.  Which means a lot of going back and changing things multiple times, but I really want to make sure each piece I put online, teach, perform, or anything like that, is something I can be proud of.  Speaking of pieces, I know my YouTube has been slacking.  However, there are pieces in the works, and should be up very soon!  At the moment, everything I am doing is to prepare to attack the dance scene for next spring.  That is when I hope to be in great shape, with my technique, pick-up, and performance skills as high as they possibly can be.  I was talking to my friend the other day, and I told him, “I feel that 2014 will be my make or break year.”  I believe that wholeheartedly.  Everyday I get a step closer to where I want to be, and I am going to try to make the most out of the rest of this year, and really get prepared to do big things in 2014.  Stay tuned for the future. 

A Balancing Act

It’s already July.  I can not believe that.  In the last month, what has happened?  Well, I am now a work studies participant at Broadway Dance Center, and because of that, I am able to take a lot more classes there than before I started the work study program.  I am ecstatic about this opportunity because obviously, the choreographers and teachers at BDC are so talented and have vast knowledge of the whole industry.  I had some lovely visitors during June, and it was great to spend time with some of my NC dance family.  In a few weeks, I am performing with a hip-hop crew from the Bronx at an event.  I am very grateful that they invited me to be a part of this event with them.  I auditioned for a paid hip-hop performance group for events around New York City and was happy when I found out that I was selected to be a part of it.  Any opportunity that I will be able to make any money doing what I love, getting experience, and exposure, is something that makes me feel very blessed.  I also joined a crew in NJ.  The commute is not too bad, but it isn’t fun by any means.  This group is huge but they are very into the family and community aspect of a crew, which is something I really like about them.  They are also a very talented group of people, which of course will give me a great opportunity to learn anything I can from them and hopefully share anything I have to offer with them as well.  

This past weekend, I had final shows for my two companies that I had previously joined.  Of course I love performing and being on stage, so the weekend flew by.  There were some scheduling and regular day of the show stresses, but overall, my experience with both groups was positive.  Now, I have to decide which groups I can do all at the same time, because as you can see, I am kind of all over the place with different groups and commitments, so scheduling is a little bit tricky.  I have some big decisions to make in the next few weeks, and I quite possibly could be the worst decision maker of all time.  I hate it.  I am so indecisive. It is a problem, but I am working on it. hahah. However, I am excited about all of these opportunities and I really hope that I can make it work and participate in the groups that will help me move forward in my dance career, along with making good connections and friends as well.  On the more negative side of things, my computer has a virus and that is just miserable, because everything I do when I am home is on the computer.  There is also a mouse in my apartment, and I am the biggest scaredy cat alive, so that is a problem.  I’ve also gotten a few negative dance reviews recently and feedback that hurts to hear, and although I know it is all part of being in this industry, it doesn’t make it any easier to hear.  I may end up getting an hourly simple job, which I was really trying to avoid.  I got the business degree and I really wanted to utilize it to get a job with a little more substance and responsibility to it, while also gaining useful experience.  So as it would be expected, there a lot of ups and downs on this journey and I am just trying to stay positive and use the negatives to fuel my progress for my dancing goals for the future.

YouTube 

Twitter: AConn47 

Gettin That Buisness

Hokay, so.  Some bigger changes have happened now since my last post.  Slowly but surely, things have started to turn around for me.  I auditioned for and got on another dance company.  This one is in Astoria and is more of a Salsa and Samba focused company, while also doing jazz, contemporary, hip-hop, all that, so that should be a great learning experience.  I finally heard back from all of the internships I applied for.  At first I agreed to do three of them part time, but due to trying to survive at all financially, I had to let one of them go.  So I will be doing two part time business marketing internships throughout the summer.  One is with a modern dance company, so I will get to see how running a non-profit dance company in the real world really works.  The other internship utilizes a classroom setting and teaches me, along with the other 10 interns, about inbound marketing and other skills that should make us more marketable in the industry.  In exchange for taking this class for free, we use what we have learned by doing projects and events for the company who set this entire internship up.  This company supplies services and support for women who have survived domestic abuse.  I believe that both of these internships will teach me a lot and give me real world experience on my business side.   I have found some part time, temporary paid work.  However, just that, temporary things, but I believe that the right opportunity will come for me, maybe from one of these experiences.

The internship I had to let go was involved with an advocacy group attempting to protect and preserve American wild horses’ land and environment and their right to be on the public land.  I am sad to not have been able to continue with this one, but if you are interested in this issue, I would happy to talk to you about it or put you in contact with people who can tell you even more or how to get involved!  Even with the short time I was with this group, I learned a lot about this issue and wish them all the best with their goals for these horses.  On the dance side, I am going to try to get back into technique classes besides just choreography classes all the time.  I have also been networking with different hip-hop people around the city, just trying to dance with more people.  Hopefully more will come for hip-hop before my next post! Until next time!

Moving Stresses

Well, considering that I haven’t written on here in a while probably is not a good sign.  haha Not a lot has been going on.  I have been majorly focusing on trying to get in shape.  The biggest thing that happened is that I just moved into my first permanent apartment up here.  So that is exciting, even though it was one of the most stressful and frustrating experiences of my life.  Especially the day of the lease signing, which got pushed back a day so everyone was already annoyed.  The lease signing was on the 1^st, which was the day I had to be out of my sublet and by 4:00 pm, when I had to be out of my previous short term apartment, I still did not know if I would have an apartment by that night.  After being in their midtown office for 5 plus hours and it was after 10:00 pm, I finally got the keys.  My roommate’s guarantor signature confusion caused me having to wait there for hours stressed, upset, homeless, and thinking that I might be driving to Iowa that night.  Our third and fourth planned roommates ended up backing out at the last minute, which also caused a lot of the stress.  However, it is done now, I am in my apartment, and I am not living in Central Park. Yay!  As far as dance goes, I have been taking some classes, but they are expensive, so not as many as I would like to be taking.  However, I am hopeful for the future.  Still no luck with the part time business work.  However, I am trying to stay positive about everything because as cliché as it sounds, I believe that everything happens for a reason.  Ohhh, side note.  I was able to go down to Richmond to visit and work on some concept videos with some talented individuals.  I got to work with Mike on a piece to Give It To Me Right.  We started it before I moved, and finished it before he moved to Seattle.  Then I also got to work on my first group concept video titled Family Portrait.  I am so appreciative of the four dancers, Marbien, Fred, Edlene, and Mike for working very hard to learn and clean the piece very quickly.  I also am very thankful for Warren, Marhesha, and Hero for putting up with me and working very hard on the filming and editing.  It was also so amazing to see everyone in Richmond, and even a visit from some NC family.  I got to go to the KCVA finale, and had a wonderful time dancing with the dance fam.  I love KCNC, KCVA, and Blank Canvas obviously with all my heart and I cannot wait to see them again!

Give It To Me Right - Amy & Mike

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cL73MeAhCS8

Family Portrait

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gl6_alenue4

Twitter: @AConn47

Instagram: @AConn47

YouTube: amyconnerley

Baby Steps

A few weeks ago my family visited me, and it was a lot of fun getting to be a tourist with them for a week.  I learned a lot about New York City and fell in love with the place even more.  I had mentioned a call back in my previous post.  Unfortunately, I did not get past the call back due to my weight at this time.  Not going to lie or beat around the bush.  That is the situation.  They called me in with a couple of other girls to tell us that they wanted to keep us, but unfortunately, due to our weight, they were unable to.  They told us to come back in May, and if they see improvement, they may have a spot for us.  I appreciate getting the feedback and I will try to use this as motivation to work even harder.  On a happier note, I did get accepted into a small contemporary modern dance company.  I am still doing auditions and classes when I can, but I also have been looking into getting a marketing or social media job part time.  These classes don’t pay for themselves you know.  I have gone to a couple of interviews, so hopefully I will have some good news about that in the future.  I did an audition for a specific role in West Side Story.  I learned that I need to do more research before an audition if it is for a specific role because I did not look like a tomboy like I should have.  Anyways, as of right now, I am just trying to get into better shape, dance when I can, and learn anything I can in my free time.  I am trying to force myself to read novels and pretend to enjoy it, so maybe I will be able to teach myself how to like reading.  We will see.  I am also doing my taxes.  A lot of just random collections of things I am doing right now because I do have free time, which is weird for me. 

First Call Back

And we have a call back!  The way that this company did it, was they emailed you after the auditions were over to let you know the outcome.  I was ecstatic to see my first positive response from an audition since I have been here in New York.  I felt really good about that audition piece.  It was a very high energy, classical jazz piece and was so much fun to do and perform, and luckily for me I guess my passion came through because they wanted to see me again.  Before that audition this week, I did a couple other ones for a touring show and another cruise line.   The cruise line one went well, but I did not make it past the cut.  I am not sure why, because it was the first one that I had felt more comfortable and felt better about my performance in the audition as well.  I actually enjoyed the piece instead of worrying so much about the judges, but that is the way it goes because you never know what they are looking for.  The touring show one was my first audition in character heels.  I was not comfortable in them, and I guess that showed because I was not kept.  The audition consisted of learning a 12 count technical combination.  The choreographer was very enthusiastic and strict about what he wanted, including very high kicks and a lot of facial expressions.  The next day after that audition, I went and bought the LaDuca character heels.  Although they were above my price range, they are very good shoes that show lines and are easy to move in, and hopefully could make a difference in my future auditions.