He smelled nice, like beeswax candles.  It was conducive to deep breaths together before movements. I quickly discovered that European leads asked for connection and when I didn't give it I felt manipulated, which caused me to leave the dance feeling stressed and not so great.  I didn't enjoy the Canada Friday dance, but maybe I just never will as both I and everyone is just trying to get their sea legs back, or maybe with this knowledge I can change my attitude.  I am getting good at relaxing my partners and inspiring them to meet me in the dances I want to have...

Dancing with new partners is like dating. The first date is awkward. We are getting to know each other, stumbling a bit, tripping on each other's feet.  Then we calibrate to each other's frame and habits, then begin to add our own voices to inspire each other, then when things are going beautifully, we ride it out for another song or 2 (or 3, or 4... or 20) and end on a high note or find a natural ending with our partnership or with a DJ set.

I did Paris in a day.  With the help of a former NYC roommate currently living in Paris, I put together an itinerary that let me see a bit of the city and attend the weekly Zouk social on a boat.  Yes, there's a social on a boat on the Seine.  When in Paris...

With Anne-Claire's help, I 

I spent the morning catching up on notes for Canada Zouk Congress, then left for a short adventure. I left Heather at La Louvre and wandered out into le Jardin des Tuileries, saw la Tour Eiffel over the buildings a few times, and after marveling at the truly magnificent architecture of the buildings and grounds around me decided to try walking to the tower.  It couldn't be that far away, right?  I'm a New Yorker, and therefore I surely don't need a map... So my path took me across the Seine and the lock bridge, down Rue d'Orsay (past la Musée somewhere...).  It felt like the East Side of Central Park vs. West Side, even though I think it was North and South.  Anyway, I saw it on my left and began cutting through streets, and suddenly got to a corner and there it was. Wow! It was completely not what I expected.  It was brown from corrosion, not black metal or silver, and there were trees all around it.  I was on the back side, I suppose, not a plaza.  I always imagined it would be like the Washington Monument, isolated on a wide cement area to display it, not something integrated into the city in such an organic way.  Anyway, I set up my shot, borrowed a fellow tower gazer, and took my "garden gnome" photo.  Then hurried back to Heather...

I value connected dances over famous people.  I don't enjoy dancing in search of validation.  I do enjoy connecting with good dancers.  Some of these good dancers are famous.  Some of these good dancers are beginners.

Well hello again! It seems it's been a while since I embarked on a new adventure. Quick recap for, well, everyone:

• ​Dry Bones: Resurrection of the Living had it's Judson Church premiere
• I collaborated on several projects with members of the Open Music Ensemble as well as some new dancers, designers, and venues
• The Tank presented my first three-night run of an evening length work
• I applied to Dance MFA programs and just finished my first year at the University of Michigan
• I fell down the rabbit hole of social dance and have traveled around the U.S. and Canada to study and participate in Brazilian Zouk, Blues and Fusion
• I helped organize U-M's first Zouk Dance Club and have started teaching Zouk in Ann Arbor, New York City and Chicago
• I convinced enough people (and myself) that my creative and academic work bridging social and concert dance forms is valuable and I am being funded by the Center for World Performance Studies and the Department of Dance to dance in Canada and Europe
• I bought a big backpack

Next/first stop: Canada Zouk Congress. I can't even begin to express how excited and grateful I am to be where I am at this moment. Let the adventures begin!