I heard it on NPR

Like most DC-ites, I spend an incredible amount of time in my car. My poor car, which I love, has absolutely no bells and whistles at all. No power locks, no power windows and certain no CD player or anything like that. So when I started commuting around I listened to the radio constantly. I became an encyclopedia of pop music, and I became quickly bored. My first solution to this problem never panned out; I had intended on putting some sort of stereo in my car and it just never happened. The second solution was the IPOD. I LOVE my IPOD!!! However, I can even get bored of that, and I've listened to almost everything on there. The third solution brought me right around to the beginning and I began to listen to the radio again. This time my dial was firmly fixed to 88.5 FM, WAMU, our wonderful NPR station. I have become completely and hopelessly addicted to NPR. I find that I probably start one out of three conversations with, "I was listening to NPR...," "I heard an interview on NPR...," or "You'll never guess what I heard on NPR...,". At first I was really self conscious about this, because it seemed to me that the people I was generally having conversations with weren't quite as enthusiastic public radio listeners as I am. But slowly I realized that alas...I am not the only one. Enter Lynn Bowman, fellow BosmaDancer now grad student extraordinaire at University of Iowa. Lynn also lived on the outskirts of DC and we frequently commuted to rehearsals and performances together. I would always turn down the radio once she got in the car, but one day I was listening to something extremely fascinating as I was picking her up and I just couldn't turn off the radio. I told her that I hoped she didn't mind, but I was really into NPR. Well low and behold, she was too!!! I was thrilled. We talked about our favorite shows: All Things Considered, The Diane Rehm Show, Fresh Air with Terry Gross, The Kojo Nnamdi Show, you name it she was into it too. At last! Someone else to join in my obsession and who wouldn't judge me for starting every sentence with, "the other night, when I was listening to NPR...".

The Outskirts.

Here I am, on the outskirts of the DC dance community. Involved, but not directly integrated. I love it though, and I often wonder if there are other dancers in this community and others that choose to live the way I do. I commute into and around DC from Annapolis, teach everywhere, and rehearse everywhere. I will admit that being a "Beltway Bandit", as my grandfather used to call commuters, does have its drawbacks. The traffic and congestion are terrible, I often refer to my car as my office, and I don't feel quite as involved as I'd like. But this is what I choose, and I accept that. I don't have to be a popular or completely integrated person to feel successful or like I'm contributing. I've spent almost six years dancing in various companies around here and I definitely feel like I have left my mark.

A little bit about myself:
I have a BFA in Dance from Kent State University (graduated '02).
I have been seen with Ground Zero Dance Company, Tommy Parlon Dance Projects, Air Dance Bernasconi, and I am embarking on my third season with award winning BosmaDance.
I've also been seen in works by Alvin Mayes, Danica Kalemdaroglu and Ann Behrends.
I am on faculty at Anne Arundel Community College and at Musical Theater Center.
I am currently applying to graduate schools to pursue my MFA in Dance.
I've been happily married for over two years, and I am proud care-taker of a beautiful tank of tropical fish as well as an awesome hamster named Tallulah.

So this blog is a new project for me. I'd like to keep it as a record/documentation of this crazy time that I am experiencing in my life. I have for all intents and purposes settled into what could become a stable and successful career here in DC, however I am about to change it up completely and head off for a new adventure. Off to grad school. Where...I'm not quite sure. Right now I am applying to Temple and New York University (Tisch). Big schools for dance...I'm definitely not aiming low. So for all who may stumble upon this space, WELCOME!!! I am excited about this project and hopefully a few people will come along and we can forum together about all of these amazing experiences and crazy adventures I am about to embark on.