Open your mouth and say ARGGGGHHHHHH!

Hey Im taking a very small break from updating you with DanceFest news to let you in on the horror of an experience it is to be self employed and get health care coverage in this country. Frightening ! I had thought that I was hooked up when I applied for health insurance through a group policy through the NASE (National Association for the Self Employed) . Well last July I had a very terrible "illness" when I returned form Mexico from vacation. I was SO sick! I couldnt eat, had a fever, and felt like I had been run over by a truck for about 5 days . I was severely dehydrated . I still am not sure if I had salmonella, e coli or what but I ended up going to the emergency room . What a stupid idea that was! What the fuck was I thinking? First of all- they didnt ever diagnose me (beyond calling it a "virus") . Secondly- I felt WORSE when I left the emergency room than when I went in. Sounds impossible but I swear its true because the drugs they gave me made me sicker. Yuck-

So here is the real shitty part-- MY BILL
For this one time freaking sucky ass incident, I had to pay $6000 ! Wonderful insurance plan huh?

And on top of that, my insurance RAISED my rate $1000 this year because of that incident. BULLSHIT!

So today I am shopping around for a new health insurance. Ive been talking to Blue Shield and am waiting for a rep to call me back because I have questions about their 12 page application. sigh....

So all you dancers out there- try to get a job with health coverage - or maybe you are lucky enough to have a family member or spouse that can put you on their policy . Otherwise you gotta do what Im doing at some point. I went without any insurance for a long time but at some point you got to be smart and cover your ass. I will let you know how it goes with Blue Shield but I strongly DO NOT recommend going with MEGA insurance which is what I was using through the NASE.

Love and respect
Micaya

Let me give you some more..

The SFHHDF has booked Kristin Schillinger as the booking manager for this year. Kristin was the booking manager for 2007 and did a bang up job but was unable to do the job last year due to an overwhelming work schedule. I am super happy to have her back on the staff at the DanceFest. She is very organized, motivated, thorough and charming! Yay!

So if your company gets booked this year to perform, you will be dealing with Kristin.
Be nice to her, return her calls and emails promptly and return contracts and other documents she needs from you ON TIME!

Love and Respect-
Micaya

She has spoken

The student who I wrote about last week with the lump in her throat has spoken. Here is her response to the blog and to your comments.
love and respect-
Micaya

Denise Burton said...
OMG what have I started...the girl with the "lump" The lump was outta frustration cuz I wasn't getting (& often struggle) with the choreography. Not cuz I care about how I look or what people think. I'm my own worst enemy (scorpion). I am hard on myself when I don't put it together. BUT I WON'T GIVE UP. Thanks for all your concern and words of wisdom!
Denise

A little at a time..

Well there is SO much new stuff going on with the SF Hip Hop DanceFest. All is good, just a lot of changes and such. Sooo-I am going to give it to you.. in pieces..

OK so the biggest news is that the woman who started the DanceFest with me, my "sister" Sterling, is slowly fading herself out of her responsibilities with the SFHHDF. WOW! ..Ok I kinda knew that it was happening due to the fact that her life is getting fuller and busier with her 2 young sons. I somehow knew that she would be pulling herself out so emotionally I was sort of ready. She and I both are a little excited to have new people doing her job/s. For those of you who dont know, Sterling was the graphic designer/photographer and web designer/programmer for the DanceFest. HUGE!
So we are trying to hire three new people to fill this womans shoes!

11 years ago, she and I sat down with a very playful and fun atmosphere and created ideas that have now become the oldest and first dance festival dedicated to hip hop dance. She created all the images that are now associated with this legendary event. She put up with my crazy ways of doing things. She allowed me to dream and congratulated me through all the successes. Every time the was an opportunity for the DanceFest to get ANY recognition, she ALWAYS turned the spotlight away from herself and on me.
Let me tell you this---
I absolutely would NOT have ever been able to do this without her back then. She gave me the strength, inspiration, courage and support to be able to take this dream to what it is today. The is just NO fucking way I would have done this without her. I owe her so much appreciation for this. Thank you thank you thank you!

On top of all that I love her so much. So now she has helped me take the DanceFest more in my own hands.
So my biggest concern now is that I will always be in her life. I have never met anyone like her. There are so many parts of my life that have been affected by knowing her. The way she sees the world is a constant entertainment to her. I must sound like Im gushing on and on right now, but the more I write this, the more emotional I am getting. I have been in a semi state of shock since she told me the news. I knew that I had to process it for a while. It looks like writing this little blog entry is REALLY helping me process this!

Bottom line-
I am so grateful to have had her in my life .
I want us to always be friends.
I love her dearly.

Thank you Sterling for being my partner for 10 years of the SF Hip Hop DanceFest and thank you for being my friend-

Love and respect
Micaya

Performance Workshop

I am officially taking enrollment for my performance workshop that starts in May. This is an exceptional opportunity to get performance experience. All levels are welcome,
See you soon!
love and respect-
Micaya

Thanks Everyone Who Commented!

I really appreciate all of you who commented to the last blog entry with all of your input to my student who was feeling yucky in class. She was not in class tonight , but I hope she gets the message from another student to read the blog . You are all so very helpful and insightful .
Much Love and Respect
Micaya

Please Comment!

I frequently get remarks from students feeling self conscious in dance class. This is such a common concern to so many people. If a student does not learn the choreography as fast as she or he feels necessary, they tend to feel a wide variety of emotions.
This week I had a student say to me literally that she has a "lump in her throat" feeling of emotion when she is in class. I can not stop thinking of this.
Of course I can be as supportive as I can , but Id like to try a new approach just this time.

If any of you have had similar feelings while taking class, please comment. Hopefully when I see the student again next week , I can direct her to read the blog with all your comments. This way she (and maybe you) will not feel like the only one who feels this way.
Love and respect
Micaya

It just ain't gonna happen

Ive been telling you all a little about the Spark program. This is the program that asks middle school age young people what their ideal dream job would be and pairs them up with someone who has that job for a mentorship. I think it is such a great idea! Anyway there has been drama with the kid and the studio space and as of today- the father of the kid pulled him out of the program! I dont know what the issue is, there could be so many I imagine. But just as soon as i was going to start - it all came to a stop.
I still would love for you all to look up this program and maybe get involved in some way if you can.www.sparkprogram.org
Much love and respect
Micaya

told you!

About a week ago I was telling my students how my kitty Bella would dance when I would be choreographing at the house. She gets up on her hind legs and puts her arms in the air and waves them from side to side! ("hip hop hurray"!)
Well - no one believed me!
So the other day when she did it again I didn't have a video camera available, but I grabbed my camera and snapped this photo. She's got skills huh?
Love and respect
Micaya

whats up with the spark program..

Well.. last thursday i show up to meet the student that i am supposed to mentor for the next few months. he was a no show! this was because his father didnt trust the program was legit or something like that. meanwhile, things with that are supposed to be ironed out by this week.
However, there was a small problem with studio space. I am donating my time and energy every week to let this young person be with me when I am choreographing. The spark program is having trouble finding studio space that is available or that can be donated for us to work in every thursday afternoon.If anyone has anything in the SF area, let me know .
love and respect
Micaya

my beautiful students

So I am truly in love with my students. I am blessed with the people who walk into the studios where I teach. There is such a diversity of people who I get to teach. All levels , ages, races , sexes, and so on.
This photo is of my students, Martin and Mary Ann . They are really good dancers and a great inspiration to all the whiny youngsters who complain that they cant do certain things in my class.
Much Love and Respect-
Micaya

Photo Shoot

Last night, one of my students Tracy who is a photographer came to the SoulForce rehearsal to do a photo shoot. Bless her heart! She and her husband brought loads of equipment and spent hours getting shots of all of us.
We took pics of me for my class flier, my assistants and me for the performance workshop and some SoulForce pics for website and Mission in the Mix.
I will share with you the photos when i get them...
Tracys info:
tracywrightcorvo.com
twc@tracywrightcorvo.com


love and respect
Micaya

Parachute Fund

Donate to the Parachute Fund: Help Community Members in Need
The Parachute Fund provides grants to members of the Bay Area dance community facing HIV/AIDS or other life-threatening illnesses. Since its inception (1987), the Parachute Fund has distributed over $100,000 to those in need.

Please consider a tax-deductible monetary donation to the Parachute Fund.

Make checks payable to:
SF Foundation/Parachute Fund

and send to:
Dancers' Group
1360 Mission Street, Suite 200
San Francisco CA 94103

Donating items to Community Thrift also helps sustain the Parachute Fund. Community Thrift is located at 623 Valencia and they accept drop-offs between 10 am and 5pm. Please mention the Parachute Fund (charity #160). Your donation is tax deductible. For questions about acceptable donations, please call Community Thrift at 415-861-4910.

For community members in need, requests may be made for essential or non-essential items. Up to $500 possible per request, and $1,500 in a calendar year. An application for support can be submitted on behalf of the recipient. However, the recipient or legal guardian must accept the funds and the responsibility for their use. We hold all application information in strict confidence. There is no application deadline.

For questions, contact Wayne Hazzard at 415-920-9181 or wayne@dancersgroup.org.

love and respect-
Micaya