Join SFB for the AIDS Walk of 2011!
When I was living in Germany it was very hard to become involved in any type of community work due to the fact that I didn’t speak the language. I often saw the Hamburg Ballet involving itself in work that supported important causes, and it was something I didn’t want to forget. I remember sitting in my room during one of those dark winter days when I came across an article on the AIDS Walk in San Francisco. I told myself that not only would I endeavor to participate in this important and good cause, but that if they weren’t already involved, I would get my company to participate too. Having an opportunity to be a part of something that is greater than you is an amazing experience, and that is what the AIDS Walk represents to me.
Last year I approached SFB with the idea of getting the company involved in the walk. It had been done before, but to my knowledge it had never been initiated by a dancer. I didn’t want people to just hand me money in the name of the cause (although that is a very important part of fundraising), I wanted people to truly get involved. I wanted the community to see that SFB is a company that sees the problems the world is facing, and wants to be an active part in helping to overcome them. I wanted people to understand that our work as a company offstage can be as revolutionary as the important work we do onstage. I was thrilled to quickly learn that many people in the company were just as excited as I was about joining the AIDS Walk. I was simply a girl who came in with an idea, but the San Francisco Ballet Team did all the hard work. Our HR team was quick to take over the many areas that I had no idea how to handle; I’m so grateful for all of the generosity that they showed. In the end the San Francisco Ballet Team was a complete success in the AIDS Walk of 2010, and many people in the company got involved: dancers and non-dancers alike.
One of the most important dancers to join the SFB Team last year was Garen Scribner. I’m happy to report that he is leading the way to this year’s AIDS Walk in many ways – so far he has already raised $1,800! Not only is he leading the way in fund raising, but he and our HR Coordinator Kate Schroeder are working hard to organize everything for this year’s team.
Now that you have heard a little background it is time to get to work! We want to raise as much awareness as possible, so please take a moment and visit the AIDS Walk SF website by CLICKING HERE.
Once you are signed up it’s time to start fund raising! Even a simple post on Facebook about your fund raising goals can make a difference. Every dollar counts!
The physical walk itself will talk place on July 17th. I hope to see you all there!
1 Month Post-Surgery & Recent Interviews
Hey Wingers
It’s been one (long) month since I had surgery on my foot (in case you missed it, I had Haglund’s Deformity and serious bursitis…) and though I’m desperately missing dancing, recovery seems to be going well!
I’m finally off the awful crutches and I should be out of the giant boot within a week or so. Getting around New York City on one foot was NOT fun. At all. Once I got rid of the crutches things got a little easier, though the boot makes it difficult to do stairs. I’ve been taking the bus everyone from my new apartment in Queens, which has been more of a pain than the foot itself! But things have slowly been improving…
I’ve started physical therapy (again) to regain my range of motion, and pretty soon we’ll start strengthening. I’m so anxious to get back to class and get back in shape! Last night I took my first (half of a) yoga class and it was amazing to finally move and work my muscles after a month of doing nothing. I guess the rest is good for me but…I can’t take it anymore, haha.
Anyway, my doctor and physical therapist both seem pleased at my healing progress and are surprised at how quickly it’s going. It seems slow to me but…I’m thankful it’s not any slower.
I’ve had a lot of good friends helping me out over the past month and I can’t express how thankful I am to them. So many people have offered me help and I really truly appreciate it. I’m also super stubborn though and I try to do things on my own…but especially during the first few weeks post-surgery I just couldn’t. It’s a tough lesson to learn - that sometimes, you need help. I’m lucky to have so many amazing people in my life!
On another note, I’ve had much more time and energy to devote to my blog since I can’t dance. Check out some of the cool interviews I’ve done recently:
Janet Jackson Dancer and SYTYCD finalist Ellenore Scott:
“Ms. Jackson came in at the last round to hand pick some dancers she wanted to see. When I got the phone call I got the job, I flipped out! I started to cry! I called my mom and told her and my dad and they were both so proud! I was a great moment in my dance career. ”
Ballet West Apprentice Katie Meeusen:
Hubbard Street 2 Dancer Alice Klock:
“Working at Hubbard is an inspiration everyday. Just the energy in the building is enough to get me thrilled for the dancing that is to be done.”
New Rock School Student Alston MacGill:
“My goal for this year is to become super strong in my technique. Everyone here is so good and it pushes me to be an even better dancer, it’s a great challenge!”
…and there are some more exciting ones coming up soon. Keep up with the full blog of my recovery and more here.
Surgery :( and Back to Blogging :)
(friends and I before last weekend’s “Performing in New York” showcase)
Hi Wingers!
Well, as usual…it’s been a long time!
Just wanted to give a quick update because a LOT is going on…
First the good news: if you hadn’t already seen it, I was featured in a big New York Times Sunday Arts & Leisure article back in July! It was super exciting even though challenging to be followed around for almost a whole year of freelance dancing. I was thrilled with the article and so honored to receive such a great response from people who read it!
The bad news: I’ve been struggling with achilles bursitis for over 3 years since I was still just a student, and this summer it’s gotten progressively worse. I did something in class back in early July and now I have a tiny tear in the tendon in addition to the chronic bursitis AND what’s called “Haglund’s Deformity,” where my heel bone comes to a point and digs into my tendon.
So…after some really not fun decision making and life evaluating, I’m going to be having surgery tomorrow 
They’ll be removing the inflamed bursa and shaving down my heel bone. I have one of the best dance doctors in the city - so this should solve the problem forever.
I’m terrified. I’ve never been sick or had to be in the hospital for anything ever, nevermind surgery. But I’ve gotten a lot of good advice from friends, and I keep reminding myself that many people I know (dancers and not) have been through much much worse than this. If they can do it, so can I!
I’m supposed to be on crutches for a month and then recovery back to full dancing is 3 months I’m really sad to be missing the fall dance season and giving up some good opportunities I had lined up, but I should be back in action and pain-free for audition season in January!
In the meantime, I’ve restarted my blog (after a 9-month hiatus because the Times was scribbling down my life instead…) and will be chronicling my recovery over there - so please check it out
Oh and I recently did my main website here. Feedback appreciated
(hanging out after teaching a new donation-based ballet class for Liberated Movement at Battery Dance Studios…photo by Steven DiCasa)
(taking a bow with Exit 12 Dance Company last weekend at The Ailey Citigroup Theater…photo by Arthur Coopchik)
So You Think You Can Dance!
Hey Wingers!!
I’m sorry I haven’t been able to post in such a long time. With a tv show, there are a lot of things we’re not allowed to do, and any sort of interactions on the internet are one of them! But now that I’m off the show, I can somewhat resume to a normal daily life.
Just thought I would update you all on what has happened since I last posted! SO - I auditioned for So You Think You Can Dance again (season 7) and after a long and grueling process, I made it to the top 10! (Top 11 this year). I had such an amazing journey on the show and I learned SO much and I am so grateful for everything. I spent 5 weeks on the show, and during that 5 weeks I had the most life changing experience. I know it sounds crazy that something can really drastically change your life in 5 weeks, but this definitely does! With the crazy schedule, how much we learn and the amazing people that you get to work with AND live with, it just completely betters you as a person.
I’ll update everyone later on my specific experience through the whole process but I just wanted to check in first and let everyone know how I am doing. On my 5th week, I suffered an injury the night before show day during a rehearsal of my Bollywood piece on stage. I completely snapped my right Achilles tendon in half, and that has forced me to withdraw from the competition.
I’m just waiting here in LA for my surgery tomorrow morning (Tuesday, July 13th) and hoping that it all goes well so I can start my long journey to recovery!
I just want to say thank you to everyone who has supported me throughout my journey and that I am so grateful for even being here in the first place.
If you’d like to follow me closely I will be keeping my facebook page and my twitter page constantly updated. You can follow me on twitter here:
http://www.twitter.com/alexdwong
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/alexwongdance
Here is the Sonya Tayeh contemporary piece that I danced with Allison Holker:
And here is the Tabitha & Napoleon Hip Hop piece that I danced with Twitch! :
Enjoy!
Godiva Friday!
All of my good friends know that I have a great LOVE for chocolate, specifically Godiva chocolate! While in college, I started what became a weekly ritual called “Godiva Friday”. During my sophomore year, I often found myself overwhelmed with the amount of work I had to accomplish each week. Balancing rehearsals, auditions and homework along with daily academic and technique classes became very challenging. I have a great ability to multi-task, however, I often found that at the end of the week, I wasn’t taking enough time for myself to ‘be’ and ‘enjoy’ being me.
As a student in the Ailey School/Fordham University, BFA program, I bounced back and forth between the two campuses numerous times throughout the day. The Ailey building was where all of the dance classes and rehearsals were held, while the academic classes were held five blocks up the street at Fordham University. Between the two schools are the Shops at Columbus Circle, where I often went to window-shop in between classes. Conveniently, a Godiva chocolate boutique is located within the shopping center. Somehow, I found myself in the chocolate lovers paradise every Friday, at about the same time each week.
Just prior to my final class or rehearsal of the week, I would stop by the store and purchase a few of my favorite truffles, to enjoy on the subway ride home. My classmates quickly began to notice my habit and eventually the term “Godiva Friday” was coined. I used “Godiva Friday” as a little weekly incentive. With the chocolate, I would celebrate getting through the week. It was the one thing that I did for myself, no matter what, every Friday, just to take some time to sit back and reflect on the fact that I have survived another week, was accomplishing my dream of living in New York City and working hard at becoming a strong professional. Despite everything that happened that past week, including something someone may have said that wasn’t very nice, an audition that I didn’t do well at or received a less than favorable grade on a paper, I continued to take the time to distress and come back to reality that everything is going to be ok and that I survived the week. I used this time to reflect on the week’s challenges and accomplishments and recharge for the week to come.
Years later, even-though I’m on tour, I continue to partake in “Godiva Friday” every week. Monday is our day off at Wicked and our Friday is the equivalent to a ‘normal’ person’s (one who has weekends off) Wednesday “Hump-day”. While on tour with Wicked, we perform eight shows a week and Friday is our midweek hump. Come Friday night we will have completed half of our week’s performances. Never the less, some way, some how, I find some Godiva chocolate and I take that time to prepare and motivate myself for the remainder of the weeks performances.
It’s amazing what a simple piece of succulent chocolate can do for our spirits! When was the last time you had a little Godiva in your life? Go get some and celebrate whom you are and all you’ve done this week! You deserve it!
Happy “Godiva Friday”!
Counting My Blessings!
During Sunday’s matinee performance, I celebrated my 200th performance in the 1st National Touring Company of Wicked!
My 200th Anniversary Cake! (Red Velvet...my favorite!)
“What if you gave someone a gift, and they neglected to thank you for it - would you be likely to give them another? Life is the same way. In order to attract more of the blessings that life has to offer, you must truly appreciate what you already have.”
-Ralph Marston
People often wonder why I keep count of how many performances of Wicked I’ve completed. The reason why I count is because performing in Wicked was a dream of mine that I never in a million years actually knew if it was going to come true or what that experience would be like. When I was in college, auditioning for Wicked so many times a year, I constantly prayed that I would have the opportunity to even just perform in the show once and even that would be enough memories to last me a lifetime. So when I go into work, some times having to deal with various challenges and obstacles, I continue to count my blessings and each performance that I’ve been given to perform in the show of my dreams. Doing this helps keep me grounded and thankful for each day, each performance, each person I experience in the land of Oz. I realize that the universe didn’t have to give me this opportunity at all… but it has. I’ve been very blessed to have been able to perform the show many times and have a wide range of memories and challenges that I’ve been able to experience. I am, and shall continue to be, forever greatful for this opportunity to be able to share my passion and this amazing story of Oz with audiences across the country.
So, in true Broadway fashion, I celebrated with a cake! I treated myself to a yummy cake and lit candles after the performance to sit back and bask in having completed 200 performances!
McQueen as the Ribbon Dancer in the Emerald City
24: A Year of New Beginnings
Hi readers! Please forgive me for not posting as frequently has I had promised. I have been very busy out here on the road but am determined to do more blogging!
I’ve recently celebrated my birthday! Two weeks ago I turned 24 years ‘mature’, as I like to say. Birthdays and New Years Eve are two very sentimental days for me, filled with lots of reflection, prayer of thanksgiving for life and all of its obstacles, moments to rejoice and blessings while also praying with thanksgiving for the future. I had the wonderful opportunity of being able to celebrate my “Year of New Beginnings” (as I’ve been calling this year as a 24 year old) with close friends in New York City in-between tour stops. Thinking about all of the wonderful and also challenging obstacles I’ve had to overcome in the past year, I can’t help but think of where I was just one year prior. On my 23rd Birthday I was still having issues overcoming an ankle injury I had sustained earlier that year, was unemployed and broke. Emotionally, I was in a rough place, especially because on that very day, only one year prior (my 22nd Birthday), I had just graduated from college and was headed to start my professional life, performing in Susan Stroman’s Contact with North Shore Musical Theater in MA. At the time, it was hard to reflect on how different the two Birthdays had been experienced.
McQueen as a child
Within my first year out of college I had basically jumped from job to job, back to back. I was truly living the life as what we call in theater, a Gypsy! I performed in Contact, took a mini vacation at home in California and went straight into working with a ballet company in Texas as a guest artist. While finishing up my job in Texas, I found out I was offered another job traveling to Germany dancing for Panasonic Electronics, which started literally weeks after the Texas gig. Then, while in rehearsals for the job I was just about to do in Germany, the day before I departed for Germany, I received a phone call informing me that I had been hired to dance on tour with the Radio City Christmas Spectacular. Rehearsals began literally weeks after I returned from Germany. It doesn’t end there! Once I was back from the Christmas season on tour, I went to one audition and booked it! In about a month of my returning from being on tour I was back out on the road again performing in a regional production of Disney’s High School Musical. Looking at it on paper, I worked consistently for 10 months with very few breaks. I was thrilled that my hard work and perseverance was paying off but I knew it wouldn’t last always. In any event, I proceeded to “hustle” my way through auditions (as I like to call it) while on short breaks or just before leaving to start the jobs. I was looking everywhere for potential opportunities for work and build my career not only as a performer but also as a choreographer and keep myself busy. I must say, I auditioned like no other to get my face out there, going to as many auditions I could a week, but in the end, I truly felt like things were all falling into place. In a sense, the hard work and lack of rest was paying off. I was “on a roll” so to speak and the more I rolled…the more I kept trying to keep that ball rolling and the harder I pushed and worked, often not getting enough sleep at night.
On my 23rd Birthday I had not been onstage in what felt like forever (which was actually only a couple months) and was itching for something to do. I was having the hardest time getting a job. I would go into tons of auditions and come out feeling great, but none of them resorted in a job offer. I had fully been a part of what I like to call the “Roller Coaster Complex”. This is where you have stints of just doing really well, getting job offers after job offers in a row and always being busy, and then all of the sudden are left anxiously wondering what’s going to happen next and having difficulty even getting a callback. You know that feeling when your stomach drops from beneath you as you are coming down from a roller coaster really fast? The one where you’re left feeling uneasy, apprehensive, scared and vulnerable as if the ride is going to break? This Roller Coaster Complex, which hit me hard on my birthday last year and left me with much anxiety as I felt I was coming down the hill really fast. I knew in my heart that I just needed to remain faithful and focused that my situation wouldn’t be like the way it was, forever. I was off to a bumpy start of my 23rd year of life but I knew that I had to just continue keeping myself disciplined and continue “hustling” at auditions and the right opportunities that were meant for me would at some point appear. For the first three months of my year as a 23 year-old, I had a lot of time to really think and reflect on life and what it meant to me and what I hoped to obtain out of it. Through this unemployment slump, I was able to really reflect on my mission in life and focused a lot of my attention on volunteer work and giving back. In my heart, as much as I didn’t want to accept it at the time, I knew this was a time in my life that I knew I needed to have to a one-on-one conversation with myself about my life and my goals. Not to mention, I really needed the rest and time to rejuvenate my spirit. Through this period of reflection, I was able to discover whom Jeremy McQueen is and how he wants to leave his mark on the world.
McQueen (second from right) as a Flying Monkey in Wicked!
Fast forward to the preset day, only a year later, I cannot believe how much my life has changed. I have had so many wonderful blessings in such a short period of time! I finally got my “Equity” card touring with the 1st National Tour of The Color Purple, performed onstage at Radio City Music Hall, continued to make progress as a choreographer and now I am employed (On my Birthday!), performing in another Broadway national tour in a show that I’ve longed to do for so long, I am forever grateful for all of the challenges and moments of reflection I have had and will continue to have at points in my life. I truly believe that those moments help not only enhance your character but also prepare you for the challenges and blessings that lie ahead.
As I look forward to embracing whatever the universe has in store for me this “Year of New Beginnings” I have promised myself to be more faithful. I’ve devoted myself to really embracing my favorite quote that “Everything happens for a reason”. Even though we may not know how things will transform in our lives, I’ve dedicated myself to be more relaxed this year knowing that what is meant to be for me will be for me, when the timing is right. Until then, I will continue to be diligent in honing my craft and enjoying every little bump, fall, twist, curve, dip and climb that the roller coaster of life has to offer.
More PT
Finally addressing some lingering hip issues with some physical therapy.
I’m about 3/4 through my treatment - right about the time when you’re
not entirely sure if you’re getting worse or better. At least things
are moving!
Otis Houston Jr Has A Posse
Otis Houston Jr aka Black Cherokee has a posse and we are assembling. People are in play, talking to each other and working together. Case in point, member Chelsea Spengemann is curating FLOAT, the biennial series of performance and temporary sculpture at Socrates Sculpture Park, August 29 – 30, in Long Island City. For this show, Otis is crossing the river to install sculpture and manifest his concentrated human presence.
This social assembly requires consideration by promoters of online dance communications. It is another great example of how networking technologies can connect artists, viewers, producers and critics. The use of mobile video blogging (iphone 3gs) is new however there is something novel going on here beyond a mere technological advance, that is the treatment of the artist as the subject itself. Through the collective presentation and documentation of Otis’ life and work we build a group narrative around what we see in the artist, not only what he does but who he is.
The talk on Great Dance and DTW misses something else too. The grand narrative that surrounds the production and performance of “great dance” should not one of marketing or branding. Using the language of business is not the best way to conceive and develop relationships between artist and audience. A broader, more effective, grand narrative is that of social interactions rather than financial interactions.
The language of business is limited because it cannot properly conceive of itself. Otis’ support will never come from a bank or a tobacco company because he is their critic . Otis’ support comes from the people and the power they manifest developing social credit outside the logic of the marketplace.
Otis Houston Jr has a posse and we are assembling a story together.
Ballet Austin - Michelle Surgery Diary Entry #5
After not seeing Michelle for a couple of weeks, I was floored when I saw how much progress she had made! I repeatedly wanted to ask her if she should be doing [fill in the blank]. But as I kept watching, she didn’t seem to be in any pain, or to be compensating in any way, so I thought “dance away!”
Here’s Michelle’s next Diary Entry!
Michelle with Shannon, one of our fabulous PTs
Michelle doing one of her exercises
Michelle doing one of her exercises that we are all probably quite familiar with
Michelle hard at work doing yet another of her strengthening exercises
“It has been too long since my last update. It is Monday June 15th, which means I am exactly 2 months from my surgery date. The recovery is going extremely well. I am still dealing with swelling, scar tissue, and am working to gain full flexibility and strength. To give you an idea about the strength I have gained I will give you an example. The day I got my hard cast off I could only pointe 2 pounds (my PT’s have this super cool device that you push on in any direction (pointe, flex, sickle, wing) and it will measure your strength). I think the last time they measured me I pointed 68 pounds. Pretty cool I think.
Anyways, I have been taking ballet class and I am doing almost all the jumps in class. I am still taking a lot of care for big jumps. Any jump landing on one leg is also an area where I want to make sure I am not overdoing it. I have been taking barre on pointe for the last 2 weeks and that has been going well. The first couple times on pointe it was very difficult to get over my box, but every day I gained more flexibility and more strength. Last week I started to do a few combinations in the center, and not too many turns right away. By Thursday of last week I did more turns and then needed to take it a little easier on Friday. There is a fine balance between needing to push it, but also wanting to make sure I am not causing too much swelling.
I have been doing physical therapy 3 times a week and of course doing the exercises on my own as well. Ice is still my best friend right now. I have started doing contrast baths before ballet class in the morning. Ice bath, hot bath 3 times. I am told this is another technique used to help reduce swelling. If I know that I am going to class or do something else physical, I will finish with heat, but if I am just going to be hanging out at home doing homework, I will finish with ice. In physical therapy we have been doing calf raises off a step with added weight (single and double leg), bosu ball, half foam roller stability exercises, ruber wobbly things, trampoline, wobble board, quick fire jumps and relves, tons of theara band exercises, manual stretching, pool jumping, and a lot more scar tissue massage. The one thing the doctor recommended more of when I saw him 2 weeks ago was working out that scar tissue. It is not fun, but it needs to be worked out.
It is nice to feel more like yourself again. I get excited every day, because I know that I will dance again. I think the day I got my hard cast off was the hardest day. That was the one day where I doubted my own ability and getting better seemed impossible. Don’t doubt yourself or give up, because those days will pass and you will get stronger. If you go through something like this don’t let those hard days bring you down. I’d say a positive attitude can improve anyone’s recovery exponentially.
XOXO,
Michelle”
