Then I began to remember...

I've never really felt as old as I am, even when I was younger. 18 years old felt more like 15 and at 21 I DEFINITELY didn't feel legal. So when I was asked to write about what it feels like to be "the most senior member" of TDC, My first thought was "Well it feels just like the first year..."

Photo by William Frederking

Then I began to remember.

How scared I was. How nervous I had been about my technique EVERY rehearsal. How many jobs I worked just to be able to eek out a living so that I could spend another month in Chicago able to dance with TDC. How I could stroll into rehearsal after a full day and dance my butt of without thinking about it, then wake up the next morning feeling like a million bucks. How my feet didn't hurt, and my knees didn't crack with every plie or lunge I performed. How long I spent on the CTA, EVERYDAY. How the girls that I was dancing with were some of the funniest, smartest, most loving people I had met and how they made my transition to living in the city and joining the company smoother. What I remember and forget all at the same time is how quickly I have twirled my way through 7 seasons, all because time flies when you're with people you enjoy being around. Being the most senior member now I hope that my presence does for our newer members what the oldie goldie girls I danced with back in 2008, did for me. They created an inviting and accepting environment, full of creative energy and support, laughter and advice and they are still a HUGE part of my life today. When I look back on my time dancing with TDC and in the Chicago dance community I know I will remember the performances and projects I have been a part of but more than that, I will know the people I shared those experiences with helped shape who I am today both as a dancer and an "adult". No matter if I feel like one or not. 

Submitted by TDC Dancer Olivia May on Wednesday, March 25, 2015.  

Swirling my Karma

Jamie flying with Shannon!  Photo by William Frederking

So, as one of the Social Media Divas this month I have been tasked with the writing of this blog post that reflects on my experiences thus far as an apprentice for TDC. The previous zillion attempts I’ve made at this first sentence, I have rapidly deleted out of horror at how cheesy, or cliché, or sentimental they were. But alas, after that many attempts I will just have to settle for being self-reflexively cheesy, cliché, and sentimental in hopes that I can convey my ruminations without grossing anyone out. Here we go: Oh yes, it starts with a flashback…

A year ago at this time, my brain was predominantly occupied with panic: panic about finishing that piece I was choreographing, panic about presenting my thesis in front of a crowd, and mostly, panic about what-the-heck-am-I-going-to-do-with-the-rest-of-my-life. Now, I can’t reassure you by saying that I don’t panic about what-the-heck-am-I-going-to-do-with-the-rest-of-my-life because I do, on a daily basis, but I can reassure you that I am absolutely loving the way that I’m spending the Tuesday and Thursday nights that are part of this rest-of-my-life. 

Warning: We’re entering mush territory. Firstly, the ladies of TDC are brilliant and I have a great admiration for the commitment they bring to the project that is TDC. I call TDC a project because it is so ongoing, so collaborative, so ever evolving. I’m honored that even as a newbie I feel welcome to share my thoughts and my movement. The collaborative atmosphere makes everything more fun, but it also brings an extra challenge. There is no, just showing up and learning the moves, the work actually requires me to, gasp, think and create! I’m so grateful to Margi and all the TDC women for providing an environment that challenges, but also validates my ideas even so early in my career. This sort of cooperative environment was one of the things I valued most about my dance studies in college and I’m so happy to have found a place where I can continue collaborating and learning: Learning about working with new bodies and new minds, about giving it my all even if it’s just a rehearsal, about making decisions and committing to them, about climbing walls, speaking onstage, and (to end as cheesy as possible with a quote) about “being sea kelp and swirling my karma.” Thanks TDC for an awesome first six months! 

Submitted by TDC Apprentice Jamie Corliss, Saturday, February 28, 2015.