Stop the Cupidity

An eventful jaunt over to Sheffield occured last thursday whilst on the way to teach Balboa,  as I noticed a small, but nonetheless definite puff of clear smoke emanating from under the bonnet of my trusty Rover 214. Given that this was  the night of the severe weather warnings & I was about to head onto the Snake Pass alone, at dusk, I felt it prudent to summon a roadside assistance representative. I WAS very pleased to see him by the time he turned up 1 hour 10 mins later, whilst the rain poured, the sun departed and the temp dropped... and dropped...
Once Green Flag's Mr G Sharp (I kid you not) had arrived, he did his job superbly, & even collected me from the McDonald's down the road where I had fled (still in the freezing rain) for a well overdue pitstop. My host in Sheffield was also most understanding & a Balboa-related disaster was, you'll be pleased to know, averted.













This week I focus on messages - over and above what we ourselves type, what messages are we set to receive? What (literal & metaphorical) messages are we putting out there all the time, and how conscious of them are we?

Depth charged fun delivering a Blues workshop for bluesFusion in Edinburgh. Not one to disappoint the fans I sang a couple of songs and on Facebook the next morning they declared: "You have an amazing voice, beautiful  tunes on Sunday, thank you, xXx" This is the kind of message I travel, at varying levels of comfort and & get to bed/get up at 4am where necessary for!

A late night commute back to Glasgow, abundant with banter, snacks & a 2 am round up after a fine vintage. That'll do. A lovely vibe & my guest spot was fun - a mind-expanding intermediate class rounded off the night:  "Great class, very useful tips that made a real difference to the look and feel of the dance - thanks Velody, catch up with you again soon!"
Sarah, Glasgow Lindy Hoppers.

4 Valentine's in the inbox & I felt quite loved up the next morning. Mind you, I choose to feel that way! Not least because I place a high value on connection & embracing the entire experience, whatever it be.

Again, the messages I work for continued this week as I shared a recent song for the new likes on my facebook page (I'm entrusting the universe to achieve 500+ likes for my birthday!)

"nice song, it calmed me down" ... From what, he didn't expand but it spurs me to continue my lyric writing for tunes I'll be debuting in Aberdeen for Livin' the Blues. Who knows what we all go through between our connections? I do know this, I choose to boldly go...

We're jammin'

Gratifying as it is to achieve the recognition of one's peers, elders, betters, wisers... this post is about recognising when we make brave choices & highlighting how our lives are enriched when we do so. I have seen this in others so frequently over the last week or so. Despite muscle aches, lack of sleep, & not packing a hat for this week in London (brrrrrr!) it continues to be an unadulterated pleasure to walk (& dance!) on this earth.
Last weekend I had the privilege of compering and singing at DJam, a highlight on the UK Swing weekender calendar, & it brought a lovely end to my first & longest residency whilst on the road for my year of dance (& related activities). It's been a pleasure to start my year with Lindy Jazz & I look forward to next year's DJam!

A breath in between killer teacher social dances...

European Blues Invasion was at once uplifting, humbling & eye-poppingly stunning. It is not an underestimation to say that it has changed the way I will move forever. Not one to be shy at getting down I was surrounded by many likebodied others & from the moment the first class kicked off I just knew I was home. Whoever said you can't live on the road and still have one hasn't met this crew!

For those of you that want to see what I'm on about check the feedback & feel the love on facebook.
Watching & getting into solo dance offs (called cutting) at a level I've only previously seen onscreen really was something - the vibe in there was MASSIVE! Whilst I have wicked admiration for our visiting instructors who keep this alive at world class cutting edge level, an even bigger shout has to go to people who'd never done this before - including beginners - who all went in with serious attitude & kicked ass!
Oh and yours truly made it into the Finals in my first Blues Jack & Jill competition too - that was a seriously fun comp! ... If you are reading this and are in possession of a cool image or video from the jams or parties, then post away here!

Swingin' out between singing and MCing!

I took the plunge and did a dance clinic in public (where you get a mini private lesson whilst people watch you). If you ever thought those watching would be looking for your flaws, I can tell you I only felt respect and admiration at going first (or even at all). I picked up some great pointers as did the whole group. Which brings me neatly back to making brave choices and being proud to do so - we hear phrases like no pain no gain & throw them away, but ALL the instructors were inspirational to me and not just because of what they can do now. It's the commitment they've consistently made over the years to get where they are & that they encourage those following in their awesome footsteps to be courageous too. I had a moment on the dancefloor last night where time literally stood still & I suddenly cried in joy at how my life is moving forward. Whenever I am asked why I put up with with 4 hours sleep or less per night for days on end whilst working it for 15+ hours per day I can only reply thus: The freedom, connection & courage that we build through dancing...? Priceless.

So, adieu til next time, when I report back from my first Balboa class with Jeremy & Laura tomorrow night & head off to pass that inspiration onto dancers in Sheffield.