If I can make it here...I'll make it anywhere!

So...here I am! I finally made the big move to the Big Apple! I've been here for almost 2 weeks now, and every day has been a new adventure! I've already learned a lot - about dance, about living in the city, and about myself. There's just so much to tell people, so I figured I'd start a blog to keep everyone updated. I can't guarantee that I'll write on a regular basis, but I'll blog when something great, interesting, or strange happens...which will most likely be just about every day! So here goes!

School - NYU is GREAT! I'm really enjoying the dance program. I was happy to learn that the atmosphere of the program is not competitive...the faculty, staff, and other students are all very supportive and encouraging. The other 1st year MFA's are pretty cool...I'm still getting to know them, but they all seem to be serious about the art, creative, and fun to hang out with. We're bonding, I guess!

We had one week of orientation and started classes on Tuesday after Labor Day. So this is the end of my first week as an NYU graduate student! Classes are going well...every faculty member is absolutely brilliant! I'm going to soak up as much as I can while I'm here! I'll be taking ballet and modern dance 4 times a week. Right now I have a lady named Tina for ballet and Gus Solomons Jr. (a LEGEND!) for modern. Both have been great! My body is already sore and exhausted, but it feels so good to be dancing again! I'm also taking Comp (choreography), CC&D (Choreographers, Composers, & Designers), Grad Seminar, Anatomy, and Music. I've signed up for 18 hours!!! But it'll actually be about 40 hours a week that I'm in the dance building! I start class at 8 or 9 in the morning (I'll have Pilates 2 days a week at 8 - ballet starts at 9) and don't get home until about 6 or 7 in the evening! Rehearsals for the Faculty Performance Workshop (which we just had auditions for today!) will begin next week - which means that I'll be in rehearsal 2 nights a week until 8:30! Plus I have to find time to get my work done for class! Crazy schedule! But it's only for a year...next year will be a lot different - but I'll tell you more about that later!

So that's school! It's good. It's busy. But that's why I'm here! Now let me tell you a little about the wonderful things I've seen and experienced in NYC! Where do I begin?! There have been so many!! Maybe I should just narrow it down to today...even better - to today on my way home from school. As I was walking to the subway, I passed a man wearing crocodile boots, a suit jacket, and a hat with a huge yellow feather in it! He had sunglasses on, a scruffy little blonde goatee, and was carrying a cane! Good stuff! I admired his confidence as he walked down the street with everyone who passed staring intently! But someone dressed extravagantly really isn't that unusual here! Just yesterday, I was on the subway with a lady wearing a leopard print dress, sunglasses, and a hat with 2 big feathers sticking out of it. Maybe I need to start wearing a crazy hat! Anything goes in NYC! So, I got on the train and saw a little Chinese woman eating some sort of fruit that I didn't recognize. At the next stop, a pregnant woman got on the train...so (being the nice person that I am!) I let her have my seat and ended up standing just in front of the little Chinese woman. I caught her glance at one point and smiled. She seemed sweet! On the other side of the train, there was a lady falling asleep. The sleepy lady kept nodding off toward her neighbor's shoulder which bothered her neighbor for sure! But it kept me entertained! Got off the train and started walking home...I noticed flashing lights and fire trucks up ahead. When I got closer, there was a girl lying on the ground in the middle of the street. I guess she had been hit by a car! There was an ambulance there, and the girl was being placed on a stretcher! Scary! I'll be sure to triple check before I cross the street!

SO - there you go! I tried to keep it short, but there was just too much to catch you up on! I'll try to do better next time! But things are going well...I'm having fun, but I do miss home. I miss the comforts of home and the air conditioning of home! It's been a scorcher here!! But I'm here for a reason...we'll see what's to come!!