Capezio ACE Awards 2011-winner!

In July I was lucky enough to have been asked to dance in my friends piece for a prestigious choreography competition called the Capezio ACE Awards. It's only in it's 3rd year and is a great way to catapult a choreographer's career.  Al Blackstone who was the choreographer of my piece (http://www.alblackstone.net/), won the competition! As the winner he has been given a sum of money to put on his own show in New York in 2012. It was a great day-so much fun. Here's the piece for you to watch. It's about a guy who's looking for the girl of his dreams over the internet and their first date......how will it turn out?!!! Called Brown Eyed Girl-and yes I'm rocking an afro!!!! ENJOY

In The Heights website complete!

So all the photos and videos have been uploaded of our cast on the website for In The Heights. Go to www.intheheightsontour.com.

In The Heights - Run-through

Today we did a run-through of the show with the original cast of In The Heights watching! It was so great to have their energy in the room. It gave us another little boost to what we've already achieved. So excited to be hitting the road tomorrow. First stop South Carolina for technical rehearsals. Extremely tired but getting my energy together for the beginning of this adventure.

Oh and Lin-Manuel Miranda, who created the show and starred as the lead, tweeted this:  "I spent a lot of time trying to sum up the new Heights tour's run-through tonight. I remain speechless. I am so proud. You will love them."

In The Heights-website!!!

Well, we're finally on the website!

http://www.intheheightsontour.com/tour-cast.html

You can check out everywhere...and I mean EVERYWHERE we're going on tour-we are hitting the good, bad and ugly of America! Hahahahaha.

It's been 4 days of rehearsals so far and I could not be enjoying it more. I feel so privileged to be a part of this show. The choreography and music are inspiring and so fulfilling to do. The cast are talented, energetic, loving, supportive. We're going to have a blast!

In The Heights-1st day of rehearsals

Today was day 1 of rehearsals for my first US national with In The Heights. It was a really incredible first day. The talent in the room was huge and today was focused on learning all the music. I had chills on so many occasions as we were singing. The sound was immense! It was such a great feeling to be in the room.

There is something very special about being a part of this musical. Maybe it is to do with the story line itself-based on community and family, or the fact that the creators want the cast to be a family and are so actively involved in every person that becomes a part of the show. Whatever it is, it means that I get to be part of a great show, with great talent and a feeling that we are a "family", we are a community. I'm looking forward to every step with this show........feel very blessed to be where I am in life right now!

In The Heights

Today was exciting as I had my measurements taken and a shoe fitting! Well I tried on so many shoes and they were all so pretty. I went to Worldtone Dance, which is a ballroom specialist shoe shop. here are some photos-a serious amount of trying on!!

In The Heights poster on the wall!

 Shoes-attractive socks there! Hmmmm

 These are the ones I want...pleaseeeee

 Yes, I tried on alllll these.

Niki Darling

Saturday, I wake up to this loud music blaring from outside. And how lucky am I? There's a little block party going on, right outside my window! Huge speakers playing great jazz music and then soul music, then later on we have a set from a new artist for an hour! can't believe my luck, The name of the band is Niki Darling & The Sound. You can find her on facebook and she's definitely worth looking up! Loved her-she's quite similar to the Noisettes or Janelle Monae. The band were incredible-really rocky sick lead guitar, bass and drummer! She did a great cver of Kings of Leon and Amy Winehouse-in tribute. Just ashame more people weren't around the block to witness her but I was so lucky to be there that specific hour. Look out for her. Follow her on facebook and twitter. Video at the bottom

Head Shots

Finally, I have some of my head shots. I haven't chosen which ones to use yet, but here's a few. Ismael-Enrique Cruz-Córdova the photographer did such an amazing job, I'm really pleased with the outcome. Look out for the afro....and yes it's my hair! The last one is with my room mate Myriam and the photographer Ismael.

Dance Awards

The beginning of this week I went to The Dance awards. Now, you know all those ridiculously talented American kids that can dance their faces off? Well, this is THE place for that! The talent was awesome. My friend Al (I'm performing his choreography at the finals of the Capezio ACE Awards in a week-more on that later) invited me.  I've posted my fave number for you to all gasp at! She is 13 and won the Teen section! It was a great night-apart from the amount of people saying "live" "fierce" and "werk"!! TOO much hahahahaha.

Al and Me

 The Opening Group Number

Sarah Pippin-winner of Teen Section

Daniel Gwirtzman Dance Company

This weekend, I went to Rochester (Upstate NY) to do a show with my dance company- Daniel Gwirtzman Dance Co. So........it was a 6 hour drive! Was hilarious, that's how long it taks to get to Scotland and we hadn't even left the state!
It was a great weekend. We performed outside the Memorial Art Gallery in Rochester on the steps of the gallery and on the lawn. It was a beautiful sunny day. We premiered 2 pieces that were made site specific and did a few numbers from a show that I did with the co in 2009 called Encore.
We started off with a parade down the streets of Rochester which was funny. We gathered quite a crowd and got all the little kiddies dancing with our pom poms and ribbons!
Oh and (drum roll please!), my picture got used the next day in the Rochester paper about the dance co!!

The link to the newspaper picture!

http://www.democratandchronicle.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2011107100326

Headshots

So today I got my first COLOIR  headshots done....yes Britain, we are waaaay behind! It has been slightly embarrassing to say the least going in to auditions with my black and white headshot. So I finally managed to get a GREAT photographer who is friends with my room mate Myriam and we did a shared session. Here are a few in action shots.....and yes my hair has been combed out to a HUGE afro! Was so much fun and cannot wait to get the pictures-from what I saw on the camera screen-they look awesome!!

My afro!

The photographer Ismael

The gorgeous room mate Myriam!!

Central Park cont...

A few more pics.....

Rehearsing in Central Park

So, today we did a bit of rehearsing with my dance company in Central Park. I'm a part of Daniel Gwirtzman Dance Company and we have a gig in Rochester on the 9th July. For it we're performing on a lawn, so how better to practice then in the park. Was soooooo hot though-it was a killer! Here's Daniel-the director and Stacey practicing, hopefully some more pictures to follow!:

Fire escape!!

Well, I've found a way to be at home and be outside!! The good old fire escape. So NY I love it, but I did nearly have a hear attack the first time I stepped out on it-literally two hours ago!! But the view is great-I'm on the top floor.

My bedroom window to the fire escape!

Hanging on for dear life! It was wobbly, not gonna lie!

Looking down.

The beautiful view-yes in Brooklyn!!