sábado, 27 de septiembre de 2014

Natural Awakening Magazine

  Yesterday I was walking around Union Square and I got a magazine called Natural Awakening. While I was reading, a very interesting article got my attention, and I wanted to share posting it on my blog. Here we go … 

The Rules of the World 

by Tara Stiles

   Many of us grow up learning that things are supposed to be hard. School, sports, relationships, careers, and family take hard work. Life is tough, but if you work harder than everyone else, you'll have a shot at success. You have to be tough to beat your competition. You have to be tense in order to prove how hard you're working. If you relax, you'll be passed up, forgotten, and never achieve your goals. No pain, no gain. Sound familiar? 
   This rules have worked their way into every aspect of our lives. We become proud of how much we can take on and how much we can accomplish, and we fail to recognize the damage we are causing in the meantime. Living by these rules makes us desensitized to what we truly need and what will truly make us happy.


  In our day-to-day lives, we are often at war with ourselves internally and in conflict with many things that come our way. How we feel on the inside affects how we feel about everything around us. When we are desensitized, anxious, tense, and frustrated, the slightest slip from how we expect things to go in our day can throw us way off. We rely on our house of cards to hold up to life's twists and turns. If we are calm, grounded, centered, and sensitized, it doesn't shake us much when something doesn't quite go our way. When we are sensitized, we have the space to calmly focus and do what we need to do about the situation whitout anxiety and stress taking over. 
    When we lose touch with ourselves, we begin to shut down and search for space and pleasure wherever we can find it: sugar, fats, caffeine, fast and fried food-pick your vice- become our friends that help stuff down the tension we feel and give us some temporary peace. Unfortunately, our bad news friends don't have good intentions. They are designed to feed into a cycle of tension and pleasure and trap us under the results of poor habits: an imbalanced life, weight gain, sickness, and feeling down about ourselves. 
    Often instead of living out our dreams, reaching our goals, and enjoying life, we get stuck in gaining tension, frustration, and unease, which manifests in agitated views about our bodies and minds. We find ways to punish and reward ourselves and form all sorts of self-abusing behaviors, from destructive thought patterns to imbalance and unhealthy relationship with food, ourselves, and the people in our lives. Our intuition  can't help us when we drift so far away from it. We have to be connected in order to navigate. When we are able to find ease in our lives, we can begin to dissolve the tension and get right back on the path to intuition lane, which takes us directly to our most fantastic self.



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miércoles, 27 de agosto de 2014

Ocean City NJ


I love the beach, I always have liked to spend entire days in the sand. After two years, I took a well deserved vacation where I spent a full week in Ocean City. Ocean City, New Jersey is like a breath of fresh sea air, providing a welcome change of pace from those congested cities. This makes the OC family beach resort of choice for people looking to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life. 



You’ll find accommodations ranging from hotels located just a few feet from the beach to a wide selection of motels and rental homes interspersed throughout the island. My friends and I stayed at this beautiful rental house a block from the beach. The neighborhood was very cute, safe, very peaceful, and surrounded by happy families. 


A little history...? ;)

The island, a stretch of dunes and swamps running for seven miles, had been used by local Native Americans who were brought there by its abundance of fish during the summer months. Originally purchased by the Somers family, the island had once been named Peck's Beach, believed to have been given the name for a whaler named John Peck who had a camp on the island.

In 1700, whaler John Peck began using the barrier island as a storage place for freshly caught whales. Eventually known as Peck’s Beach, the island had several purposes: it was an Indian summer fishing camp, cattle-grazing area, and sometimes mainlanders would boat over for a picnic or to hunt.

The first bridge was built to the island in 1883, and the first railroad soon followed.

    OC Bridge

The Ocean City boardwalk is one of the most recognizable landmarks in the resort. It is also one of the most well-known boardwalks in the world. The boardwalk is marked with mile markers for people who are exercising.

The boardwalk was first built in 1880.  In 1885, plans to extend the boardwalk along the entire beach. 

    OC Boardwalk 1912

     OC Boardwalk now
   
In 1965, the Wonderland Amusement Park opened on the boardwalk at 6th Street, which is still open to this day and known as "Gillian's Wonderland Pier". 



I Definitely recommend this place to all who wish to enjoy a nice holiday by the sea. Ocean City New Jersey is brimming with things to do and experience.


The best thing about warm sunny days when many people are outside and enjoying themselves is all the media people on TV are spreading their daily negativity but no one is listening! 


"Experience is not what happens to a person. It is what a person does with what happens to them." ❤❤❤

martes, 15 de julio de 2014

Musical Theater Intensive



What inspired me to move to New York was Broadway. Musical Theater became one of my goals, so I'm preparing myself mentally and physically everyday and I'm training hard to make that goal a reality. It is a difficult process but not impossible, and each day I feel more energy and excitement because I know and I'm sure that I'm on the right  path. I was privileged to attend the musical theater intensive at Broadway Dance Center, where I had the great opportunity to meet and learn from teachers and choreographers in the industry. 


We learned choreography from leading dance professionals and Participated in seminars hosted by industry experts. All classes were dedicated to refining each dancer's craft. 

We started the day with Musical Theater class by Joey Pizzi. Pizzi was most recently on location in London shooting the upcoming feature film Into the Woods, directed by Rob Marshall. He had previously worked on Mr Marshall's films: Nine, Annie, and Chicago, in which he also appeared as Bernie in Cell Block Tango and was honored with an American Choreography Award for Best Choreography. Some of Joey's other movie-musical credits include: Burlesque (Astaire Award nomination, Dance Tracks Magazine Award), Dreamgirls (Choreography in Media Honor), Hairspray (Choreography in Media Honor), Rock of Ages and Lucky Stiff.




The next class was with James Gray, who is currently the Associate Choreographer and Resident Director/Choreographer for Woody Allen and Susan Stroman's Bullets Over Broadway at the St. James Theatre Broadway James Choreographed The Mel Brooks – AFI Lifetime Achievement Award at the Dolby Theatre Hollywood, televised on TCM. James Directed and Choreographed Peg O’ My Heart The Musical, at the June Havoc Theatre NYC, which won the MITF Best Musical Award. ​ Associate Choreographer for the Broadway, Touring and Madison Square Garden productions of A Christmas Story The Musical. ​ Associate Director/Choreographer national tours of Mel Brooks Young Frankenstein the Musical. ​ Associate Choreographer for the Kelli O'Hara and Nathan Gunn, Carousel with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, also starring New York City Ballet Principle dancers Tyler Peck and Robbie Fairchild , televised on PBS. 





Tap class with Randy Skinner who is an award-winning director, choreographer, and performer whose work has encompassed Broadway, off-Broadway, regional, and Los Angeles productions. 


Shows include: 42nd Street (Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics, Astaire nominations), Ain't Broadway Grand (Tony, Outer Critics nominations), Irving Berlin's White Christmas (Tony, Drama Desk nominations), State Fair (Outer Critics nomination), After the Night and the Music (MTC/Biltmore), Do Re Mi, Of Thee I Sing, Face the Music, No No Nanette, Gentelmen Prefer Blondes (the last five at City Center Encores!), Lone Star Love (Lucille Lortel nomination), Lend Me a Tenor (Gielgud Theatre/London), Garry Marshall's Happy Days, Stormy Weather (with Leslie Uggams/Pasadena Playhouse), An American in Paris (Alley Theatre), Hello, Dolly! (with Nell Carter), Pal Joey (with Dixie Carter and Elaine Stritch), Strike Up the Band (with Tom Bosley), On the Fifth (The Takarazuka Company, Japan), Puttin' on the Ritz (The Kennedy Center), Lucky in the Rain, George M, Babes in Arms (all three at Goodspeed Opera), 2001 Tony Award Telecast (Opening Production Number). 

Mr. Skinner's "taps" can be heard on the recordings of Sondheim at the Movies, 110 in the Shade, Strike Up the Band, and Lucky in the Rain. He has received the LA Drama Critics, LA Dramalogue, Bay Area Critics, Connecticut Critics, and Cleveland Times Theatre Awards. A Columbus native, Mr. Skinner is a graduate of Ohio State University.




Voice Lesson with Marshall Keating who has been playing auditions, music directing and teaching in NYC since 2006. For seven years he was on faculty at CAP21 teaching numerous classes in voice, acting and auditioning while music directing many industry showcases and productions for the conservatory. He has just returned from being on the road with the national tour of Rock Of Ages and is thrilled to be the MD and vocal arranger of the new national tour of Camelot this fall.


Musical Theater class with Michael Mindlin. He is currently Dance Captain of Disney's Aladdin on Broadway. As a NYC based Choreographer/Director/Performer he has taught musical theater and dance master classes extensively throughout the country.

Some direction and choreography credits include: Awesomer and Awesomer!!! (Triad Theatre, NYC), Xanadu, Evita, Beauty and the Beast, BC Beat 2012, and A Christmas Eve with Christmas Eve (an annual BC/EFA benefit concert).


The mock audition was choreographed by Jim Cooney. Cooney is an award-winning choreographer who has taught jazz, tap, and musical theater across the world. The New York Times profiled his class in their Theater and Dance sections and praised him for training dancers with "audition must haves: character, motivation, and endurance." He's taught everyone from absolute beginners to professionals and celebrities such as former American Idol contestants, coaching Katie Couric how to lindy hop, and serving on the team rehearsing MTV's Rich Girls star Ally Hilfiger on her Broadway debut. He is proudly the faculty advisor of BDC's Jim Cooney is an award-winning choreographer who has taught jazz, tap, and musical theater across the world. The New York Times profiled his class in their Theater and Dance sections and praised him for training dancers with "audition must haves: character, motivation, and endurance." He's taught everyone from absolute beginners to professionals and celebrities such as former American Idol contestants, coaching Katie Couric how to lindy hop, and serving on the team rehearsing MTV's Rich Girls star Ally Hilfiger on her Broadway debut. He is proudly the faculty advisor of BDC's elite Professional Semester training program.




Eight hours of closed clasess with elite faculty, professional seminar with a talent agent and casting director, mock audition and wrap up with guest panelists! It was a wonderful experience that I enjoyed to the fullest.



"Really good artists are a lot like trees. Trees are grounded, rooted in the earth and this gives them the strength to reach upward and outward, to grow. Good theatre artists are rooted to the rules and methods of their craft, and because they are, they too can reach upward and outward to push the boundaries, to bend those rules to create interesting work. We reach up toward the stars and bend and sway; yet, we never totally uproot ourselves from the earth of our craft and thereby we are never in danger of being adrift without purpose or meaning"

Stacy A. Donovan

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sábado, 5 de julio de 2014

Lincoln Center

The Lincoln Center, one of my favorite places in the city, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts is one of the largest centers of performing arts in the world. It was the first major cultural institutions were centralized in one city in the United States. It is located between Columbus and Amsterdam avenues surrounded by West 62nd and 66th streets in Manhattan known as Upper West Side.


I had the pleasure of attending one of his theaters last week, a friend of mine invited me to see ABT American Ballet Theatre. 


ABT isn’t just a company. It’s a collaboration. Dedicated, passionate people who come together to make sure that our commitment to the best in dance and movement is upheld, and available to all who seek it out. From our staff, artists and Board of Trustees to our many volunteers, the ABT family works tirelessly to ensure that we stay true to our unique vision of live performance.


Swan Lake

 It was a very enjoyable and inspiring experience. It's encouraging to see talented dancers, and not only that, but also the effort and dedication that they have to have to become a part of this company American Ballet Theatre. 


"Dance is the landscape of a man's soul."

❤❤❤





 
sire."

jueves, 19 de junio de 2014

Bryant Park

I can't wait for summer in the city! I love all the free activities in the parks that become available to us New Yorkers. One of my favorite activities is movie screenings in Bryant Park.


Last Monday I had the opportunity to see the first movie of this summer "
Saturday Night Fever". I had the most wonderful time with my friend Alexandra, we also met a very nice group of people with lots of energy! 


There's so much more available to the New York community in the summer!!! And everyone just seems to smile more.


 Smile with face, smile with mind, and good energy will come to you and clean away dirty energy.

❤❤❤

My Life in NYC



 New York City is a fascinating place. Inspire me to play different characters every    day. Monday, a dancer walks as fast as her feets can, she is late for her ballet class in 45th and 9ave. Tuesday a motivated woman runs on Fifth Avenue in the direction of her favorite bookstore, excited to know which book will take her antencion that day. Wednesday, a friendly woman decides to enjoy a lady's night with her best friends in Brooklyn. Thursday a beautiful spiritual woman is resting in the comfort of her home after a long day on a meditation workshop.


Friday, a trendy girl is window shopping, until she decides to go to one of her favorite stores and satisfy her whims. Saturday, a tourist from Venezuela walks around Central Park looking for the best angles to capture the best pictures with her Canon D50. Sunday, an inspired woman is surrounded and covered by tall buildings while resting on the green grass of Bryant Park. She put her thoughts and ideas on her smart phone, thinking about the infinite magic that the Universe provides.



 Living and Enjoying the moment!

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