BC BEAT AND A DREAM REALIZED

"I sing the body electric, i celebrate the me yet to come, i toast to my own reunion, when i become one with the sun.  And i'll look back at venus, i'll look back on mars and i'll burn with the fire of 10 million stars."

This phrase has been my mantra since 1980. That is when i first experienced "FAME" (the movie). That film made me believe that everything i had been in my head, i could now be in reality.

I told my mother that a spot was waiting for me at the School for the Performing Arts in New York and i needed to begin preparations for my audition.  I was going to be a Dancer, Singer, Actor and all around performer, i knew this just as sure as i was breathing, my mother looked at me like i was crazy.

Undeterred, i began praticing my Arabesque, Tap, Modern, Mime, Dialect, Phrasing, etc.  Everyday was countdown day. I kept telling myself "They're just waiting for me, They're just waiting for me". 

Alas, it was not meant to be (or so i thought).  Although i was instead sent to a military school, i never lost my creative fire or my love of dance and on Monday,December 5th 2011 at the Cielo Nightclub located on Little West 12th Street in the Meatpacking District, i Plie'd and Dosey Doed vicariously through seven, beautiful dancers, Brandon Contreras, Sharona D'Omelias, Rosie Lani Fieldelman, Jennifer Locke, Antuan "Magic" Raimone, Gabrielle Ruiz and Torya Beard by contributing the costumes for the piece. 

"Sigh No More" indeed.

Choreographed by the enigmatic and stunning Stephanie Klemons along with her Assistant Ashley Crimmins, the piece told the story of Loss, Denial, Redemption and Joy and was so beautifully executed that i wished it were longer. I owe a huge debt to Stephanie for embracing me and trusting me with her vision as well as allowing me to somewhat exorcise the dancer in that little boy that existed not to long ago.

I met Jennifer Jancuska, the Broadway Choreographer/Performer and the Producer of BC Beat  in my store a couple of months ago and she's the one who introduced Stephanie and I. She and her crew, Bryan Cortes, Shawn Fisher, Katie Hagen, Rickey Tripp, CJ Tyson, Kyle Vaughn and Jessica Walker performed a piece called "Are We At The Movies".  The high energy concept for her story centered around speed dating and was absolutely flirtaciously fantastic.

There were several additional pieces of the night by Choreographers Grasan Kingsberry, Daniel Watts, Steven Hoggett, Nick Kepley, Ellenore Scott and Cherice Barton that were just as extraordinary.  After last night i can finally put energy into new dreams but i'll never put away my dancing shoes.