What’s the 411? It’s my birthday! Your girl is turning 28 and I can’t think of a better way to celebrate this day with you than to finally share the video of my dance that I re-staged on the students in the School of Dance at George Mason University.
If you can recall, I had shared photos of our rehearsal process last November but never got around to sharing the video of the actual dance because welll… In the words of Erykah Badu, “I’m an artist and I’m sensitive about my shit.”
Dance is such a personal part of who I am and it’s been a rocky journey trying to find my way back to it after I injured myself and had knee surgery 3 years ago. But I think this opportunity to get back in a dance studio and choreograph was just the push I needed to finally come to the conclusion that I DO still want dance to have a place in my life.
This mid-life crisis/epiphany is the main reason why I’ve been so focused on getting my body back into shape and why I recently started teaching dance classes again. This is about me coming to a place where dance feels fun again, with no pressure or thought to anyone’s else expectations of me. Just me, myself, the movement and music.
With that said, below (and above) are photos of some of my most favorite people in the world who came out to support me at the Fall Dance Concert last year. I was/am so grateful for their presence and for the School of Dance for giving me this opportunity to re-stage my piece.
^^ Tarek & Charles
^^ Fam Bam – My sister, Gigi, is hiding in the back somewhere haha.
^^ My Gotti crew grabbing some food post-concert at Amphora!
^^ The Prettiest Roses From Charles <3
^^ A thank you card my dancers gave me on the last day of the 3 day concert series. Seriously love those girls.
My dance is entitled, “Migration to Apsara.” In case you’re wondering, Apsara is the goddess of dance in the Cambodian culture. Before I began training in western techniques as a kid (i.e ballet, modern and jazz), my first exposure to dance was through my Mom, who took me to learn traditional Cambodian court dances every Sunday in preparation for the annual Cambodian New Year’s performances. This dance pays homage to my multicultural roots; a fusion of various dance styles inspired by traditional Cambodian dance movement and gestures.
I dedicate this dance to my mom and dad. I am so thankful to have them as my parents especially on this day, my birthday. Without their support in my passionate pursuit of dance, I wouldn’t be where and who I am today. So without further ado, I present to you: Migration to Apsara.
**Make sure to click on that HD tab for the best quality. Enjoy!**
P.S. I’ll be celebrating my birthday today at the Cherry Blossom Beer & Wine Festival in D.C. Make sure to follow along via Instagram (for photos) or Snapchat (for unedited real time video) – username for both accounts: @setarrra :)
Linking Up with Random Wednesday and Treat Yo Self.
Facebook | Twitter | Bloglovin | Instagram | Pinterest
0
