Weak 1

It has been said that I never do things by half, and in true Velodious form, this first week on tour has been no exception. The aforementioned injury was finally taking it's toll so upon the advice of my rather fabulous new housemates I drove (yes, drove) to the Urgent Care Centre in Peterlee - a quite lovely drive along the B1283 if you're ever in the area.

After a short wait, (thanks NHS!) my foot was prodded, x-ray'd and it was confirmed that I had in fact broken the neck of the 5th metatarsal. A jagged, nasty break I could see from the x-ray image and my, my did it explain a lot! As having never broken a bone before, I can only presume that because I could stand on it (of a fashion, painfully, and only quite a few minutes after it happened), I of course assumed nothing could be seriously wrong.

Any excuse to be carried!

When I informed the nurse that the incident had occurred 6 days previous, I had driven from Manchester to Durham the day after & danced alternate nights on it since, his expression was a picture! Whipping out my cameraphone just felt wrong somehow so you'll just have to conjure up that image yourself! He did say that I was obviously 'not a wimp' or words to that effect.

He didn't hear me scream like a girl during the incident itself - mind you that was from the excitement just before the clatter, not the pain just after - I was pretty silent for a few minutes then I can tell you!

I am a firm believer that it's when your back is against the wall that you find out who you truly are. Of course for most of us, for most of the time, it is only the perception that there is imminent danger or disaster which makes us power up or panic ... & that was me Saturday night. The extra hour in bed was somewhat fortuitous as I did wake at 3am wondering what 'the hell' was I going to do...?

You see, I was no longer just dealing with a bit of a dodgy foot that would no doubt heal any day, I was now under doctors orders to rest, NOT dance, NOT drive, AND be on crutches for up to 6 weeks. Spanner in the works doesn't really cut it when you've just relocated 130+ miles away from friends & family to launch your year of dance! I have to confess that during that dark hour before the dawn I did 'reach for the facebook'... It did help put me back to sleep though.

Upon attending the fracture clinic first thing Sunday morning, I discovered the prognosis was a little more favourable - 3 weeks rest, elevate, elevate! then come see us again. I breathed out (finally).  & so, dear reader, the adventure continues, Dorothy's biography is on it's way to me, the Lindy Jazz team have been amazing & we are on track for a fantastic launch party in Washington! Tonight's costume..? Stumbling zombie I think.

The early days...

Do you ever make promises that you have every intention of keeping, but then somehow, events occur, distractions abound, time runs away...? It happened to me this week, but more on that later!! The promise I am keeping right now is to begin my blog and as you are taking the time to read it, as many of you promised you would, "it's all good!"

So, why this blog?
I have done the unthinkable - given up my house, most of my possessions and the (albeit part-time & my only ever) dayjob, and set myself the goal of travelling light for 1 year. The express purpose of which is to push my dancing and performance to their absolute limits. The distractions of homely delights (& housework!) needed to be minimised as I am a simple soul.

Currently chaneling Dorothy Parker, (prized author and grand wit who resided at the infamous Algonquin Hotel NYC, which I aim to visit during this imposed year of no fixed abode!), I resign myself to a maximum of 2 small cases of clothes, a portable PA - well, you never know when you might need one! - and ofcourse some quality booze! The current tipple being honeyrum, FYI.

A bit of Charleston!

As one that oft deals in complex ideals, has ethics and integrity but is still simple underneath it all, the distractions of much of modern life - this season's must have outfit, co-ordinating linens, who's who on the X-Factor, just don't mean the same to me as they seem to to other people. I make no judgement on those that appear to be able to balance those things with self-fulfilment, as I know there are plenty of you out there too! I just know in order for me to excel, I need my days simple, my amount of choices limited, and my injuries to heal quickly!

I refer to my current injury - torn ligaments across my entire left foot - as it impedes my dancing abilities, and being as the main purpose of this year's tour is to 'max out' my dancing achievements, it's not the best ever start! Mind you, nor was being so distracted by normality (unpacking!) the other day that I arrived at my first teaching engagement with only seconds to spare before the cavalry jumped in! The saying goes 'the only way is up' so I'll leave that there...

So I make this promise to myself & you dear reader, to go headlong into the next 365 days, with a literal swing in my step, to regularly update you with the challenges & the successes, & to most of all, to stay on the road, chaneling Dorothy & championing the dances of the era she lived at the Algonquin - namely, the Prohibition years! After all, it don't mean a thing...