Fireworks!

I just want to say, I saw what I believe to be the best fireworks show that I have seen, potentially ever. I spent the 4th of July weekend in downtown Norfolk experiencing the annual Harbor Festival. The festival itself was pretty cool to begin with. They had tall ships from other states along the Eastern coast and even one from Rio de Janeiro! The tall ships offered free tours of their decks and some even let you go into the such areas as the lower decks... It was very cool to see since I've never been on a sailing ship before. The Baltimore II was even offering to take on guest crew members for a 4 day trip to Boston! If only I had $600 to spend...it would be pretty cool to learn how to sail in general, but especially how to sail a tall ship. I also got to geek out a bit because naturally the rigging for these ships is very similar, if not the same, to the rigging that we use in the theater that I am currently working for! (I found out that there are VERY few hemp houses still in operation in the U.S.!)

Anyway, the rest of the festival was your typical festival fare... fried food, face painting, balloon animals, circus-like acts, live music and free shows!

Getting back to the topic of my post, the fireworks were wonderful. Friday and Sunday's shows were your average shows, but since the 4th fell on the Saturday along with Harbor Fest, they made it really special! All the shows were choreographed to music, naturally Saturday's was to patriotic music, and are shot of a barge on the Elizabeth River between Norfolk and Chesapeake. For Saturday, the had not one barge, but TWO barges shooting off fireworks to the music! It was awesome! I can't tell you how long it's been since I've been impressed with a fireworks show. Having the double barges along with a wonderful soundtrack and new beautiful fireworks that I've not seen before and the choreographers successful attempt at suspense and awe with the grand finale were a real treat. I don't know if I can put into words well enought, but it was just a fun and enjoying sight to see!

NYC

I had the wonderful opportunity to go to New York City last week! I was able to attend the Frankie Manning 95th Birthday Festival; 5 wholes days of dancing with at least 2 live bands each night, not to mention classes, workshops, panel discussions, performances from dancers all over the world and over 2,000 participants in the Hammerstein Ballroom in Manhattan! I was able to meet a lot of great people from literally all over the world whose dancing skills were unbelievable! I have to admit that when I watched everyone dancing that first night I began to feel severely insecure about my level of dancing; since I've been in Norfolk I've gone dancing maybe 3 times. I had a wonderful time and definitely did not want the weekend to end, but a part of me kept thinking that while I've been dancing for many years, I don't quite fit in with this group of people who literally make dancing their lives. I only wish I could afford to go to tons of exchanges and go every day of the week.

This weekend reawakened in me the desire to go dancing as much as possible; it made me remember just how much I enjoyed it. I think I can honestly say that I was able to let go of everything this weekend when I was dancing. I was able to dance without caring about the steps, about my ability, about who was watching, about how ridiculous I might look, about what anyone watching or even my partner might think of me, it was the best feeling! It was the kind of thing that I've been trying to get back to, ever since college I've become so preoccupied about what I'm doing right and wrong and how that reflects on me and whomever else I may represent at the time, but it felt so good to just loose and have a great time. Here's hoping that this can infiltrate into my everyday life!