more MIM photos and....some advice

Well heres the deal- I am about to go on a very well deserved vacation. Before I go, I decided to make a list of some needed advice that I have for dancers and choreographers.




Here goes-
* If you choreographed a piece, then do not dance in it. Something always suffers that way... (either you, your choreography or the other dancers). You just can not do it all.
* Tech rehearsal means wear the costume you are going to perform in so that the lighting person can light you properly.
* Dont sing the words to the song while you perform unless it is part of the choreography
* Rehearse in all the clothes and accessories that you plan to perform in to ensure that you do not lose part of your costume on stage. Ive seen millions of hats, earrings, bandanas, belts,... you name it , that have fallen on stage from dancers.
* Dont act out every word to every song when you choreograph. It looks like "dance for the hearing impaired" that way.
* Dont be afraid to look completely different. There is no one exactly like you. celebrate that!
* Allow yourself to be inspired by your dancers. (That is HUGE for me.)
* If you are trying to really impress, make sure all the dancers are equally strong... When companies audition for the SF Hip Hop DanceFest, I always end up watching the weakest dancer on stage.

Well thats it for now cause I got things to do before I go. Im not the type who finds computers on vacation, so I will be back with the blog on July 11th! I will be teaching my classes again starting July 12th! SoulForce will be teaching my classes while I am gone (enjoy!)

Much Love and Respect-
Micaya

Mission in the Mix was a total success!

Mission in the Mix was so much fun. I loved every minute of it. It was a great show every night!
SoulForce, my students and the special guests all kicked ass!

Much Love and respect-
Micaya

(pictured-
8 Count Dance Ministry (and me)-
Elemental Remix (and me)-
Cindy, Laura and me-
Carmina, Samantha, Serafina and me-
Imanis Dream (and me)

2nd weekend of Mission in the Mix starts today!

I am looking forward to doing it again this weekend! 3 more shows to enjoy!

Love and respect-
Micaya

(pictured:
Alexis-
Mitchell, Danyol, Abbey, Clyde, Clarissa and Me-
Raphy and Natalia-
Donna)

Dancers- "BE OPEN"

I often say that the biggest blessing I was given as a dancer, choreographer and teacher is that I studied many different styles of dance. Being able to access the many different dance forms that I have learned has made my ability to express myself much richer and diverse. Its like I have more chapters in my reference library.
When I teach a class, I try to give my students many different styles so that they can have an advantage of being versatile. I hope that they understand and appreciate what I am trying to do for them. Sometime I wonder if they do...
Much Love and Respect
Micaya

"I look toward heaven with my arms open wide"

I got this email today about one of my pieces. This person came to see Mission in the Mix this past weekend and was moved enough to write me an email. The piece is called "I look toward heaven with my arms open wide'. I felt so thankful that someone really appreciated this piece because it means so much to me. I omitted the persons name because I was not sure if they wanted this email to be public. I also wrote my response to the sender. ...read on....
with love and respect
Micaya


Dear Micaya,

I attended Mission in the Mix this past Sunday to see my friend perform and I am so happy that I did! The energy was wonderful, the happiness contagious, the music uplifting and the passion... infinite!

For me, the piece that touched me the deepest to have me in tears during the performance was "I look towards heaven with my arms open wide". As you introduced the piece, I opened my heart and as I watched I felt you must have experienced a big loss at some point in your life, you lost, you grieved, you were numb... and then life returned.

I, myself experienced a lost in the last month that crumbled the ground underneath me, dropped the sky from above me, abandoned me a in a doldrum and stripped me of anything and everything I could hold onto for security and stability... all I had was myself and that too, in ruins. I closed up and have remained in a fetal position since then... in pain and grieving and out of breath. Getting to the dance performance was like dragging feet filled with lead and a heart that was closed.

As I watched the performance, I could feel my heart in pain but also slowly opening up out of curiosity, I was able to relate to every move, every expression, every musical note and song and it truly touched me. The deepest was when your central character sat up and looked at the last pair of shoes that were hers...

... that's where I am right now... I am still getting up, I fall, I get up, I fall, I want to feel safe... but I have now begun to see that last pair of shoes and one day I will put them back on and live and love with an open heart.

And I hope they will bring me to your dance classes for I want to find expression through dance!

So, just wanted to say thank you for a performance that moved me. Sorry for the long note, but it has been on my heart and mind to let you know that that was my favorite piece.

Thank you.
________



Dear ----
Thank you so much for this email. It made me so emotional to know that you could relate to it and that you understood and appreciated it so much. I have been blessed to see my darkest time come full circle and now I am at the other side shining and beaming. I dont think I could have ever imagined that this day would be as beautiful as it is and I cherish it with all my heart. Im glad that you got some strength and hope (even if just a glimmer) from the piece.
I hope to see you in class very soon too!
Much love and respect-
Micaya

Mission in the Mix has been a HIT!

Opening weekend of Mission in the Mix was beautiful! Performances were great, friends were made and everyone had a real good time. We are all looking forward to doing it again next weekend!

Love and respect,
Micaya

(pictured:
Cristina, Sandy and Natalia-
Sam, David and Dave-
Kali and Jenny V.-
Daniel and Abbey-
Star, Brandy and Stephanie -
Ryan)

need to listen to my own advice

On my class schedule it says .. "leave your ego at the door and dance!".
I need to keep those words in my heart tonight when the audience sees my choreographys for the first time. I have had the feeling that people HAVE to get a particular thing out of every piece I choreograph or it is all lost. I realized yesterday.."how dare I expect such thing from people" and to allow them to get whatever they want from what they see and experience. People come to every experience from very different places and they all get different things out of every experience.
I can not be offended if they do not appreciate parts that I dove deep in my soul for.
I can not be offended if they love the parts that took no particular creative element on my part.
Thanks for reading
Love and respect
Micaya