Football and Modern Dance

Friday, Chuckie and I got to see Louisville play football in person for the first time in almost 2 years.  Lucky for us, they had a road game at UConn in East Hartford, Connecticut, just a little less than 2 hours from Boston! Our friends Ana and Jose came with us and fully committed to being Louisville fans for a night. The game itself wasn't the most exciting game ever and it was super cold outside but that didn't stop us from having a blast.

After dinner at a place called "Margaritas," we drove to the stadium and found parking in a field a million miles from the stadium. Not really, but it felt like it.  I couldn't get over the fact that everyone, even pass holders/season ticket holders, park in a field! It was so different from Papa John's Stadium, but in a good way.  UConn's football team may be 0-8 but their fans still tailgate as if they're 8-0. We didn't have much to tailgate with except a backpack full of beer and a little speaker for music, but really, what else do you need?

We sat in the Louisville section and met a lot of Boston residents who are UofL alums. They get together at a local restaurant for most of the football and basketball games, so I have a feeling we'll meet up with them in Boston in the future.

Ana and I took a bathroom break at one point in the night and on our way back to our seats, I spotted Mike Marra and we asked him for a picture. Although when I first saw him I think I said "Hey! You played basketball! But I can't remember your name!" I'm sure he really appreciated that. His friend told me, "I'll give you a hint- it starts with a Mike" and as soon as he said that I yelled "Mike Marra!!!!!!" So he knew I was legit.

Also please notice Ana throwing up the L. She's a really good and committed fake Cards fan and this is why I love her.

We thought the team would come over to their fans who stuck it out to the end (it was pretty cold, y'all) but only 3 players came over! And now Damian Copeland and Hakeem Smith are our favorites because they shook every fans' hand and said "Thank you for coming. Thank you for supporting us. Thank you for being here."

So that was Friday. In two weeks, we're heading to Connecticut once again, this time to see the basketball team play in a little tournament!

Saturday we switched gears and instead of Louisville clothing and football, we got dressed up and went to a dance show. Sami's BFF Ines, who you've seen on the blog HERE before,  attends the Boston Conservatory for dance and she's a-maz-ing (both at dancing and just at being a lovely, wonderful person). So Chuck and I went to see her dance in the fall showcase at the Conservatory. It was so fun to see Ines on stage and we got to meet her entire family which was fun too!

Sunday we relaxed from our busy weekend and I got myself hooked on another show on Netflix, Mad Men. Chuckie's not watching this one with me because he actually has to do some work sometimes and isn't allowing another show to distract him like Breaking Bad did. So I watch a few episodes of Mad Men and then I update him on the crazy antics of Don Draper. It was a good weekend.

This Thursday, Chuck and I are headed to Chattanooga, Tennessee so he can visit an Amazon fulfillment center (I'll explain more after the trip) and we can spend the weekend with one of our favorite friends of all time, Branden!

The Dance Complex

I've found my favorite place in Boston. It's not a restaurant. It's not a historical building. It's not even an ice cream place. It's- The Dance Complex.

After some recent blood tests, it was suggested by my doctor that I take better care of myself and try to reduce stress over the next month before I come back in for more blood tests. It's a long story, but I'm fine- just a couple of high levels on some things in my blood results that could either mean there is an issue with my thyroid or could simply just mean I'm stressed.

So in my effort to de-stress, or get out of my "funk" as I like to call it, I've started doing some things like taking bubble baths, baking, and aromatherapy.  And in my latest attempt to de-stress, I attended a dance class.

I took dance from ages 4-17. Jazz, ballet, tap, modern, and even some pointe for a little while. At one point I was taking dance lessons two nights a week and was also in our dance company's traveling performance group which met often rehearsing all day on Saturdays and Sundays. I was by no means an amazing dancer, but I LOVED it. I loved being in the studio. I loved learning new dances. I loved the atmosphere.  I loved the people. And I loved performing.

A girl at work recently told me about this place called The Dance Complex that offers several different types of dance classes at all skill levels throughout the week. There is no early sign-up required, no weekly commitment, and no validating your dance background. You simply show up when you feel like it for the class you want to take, pay the $11-$15 (depending on the class) and dance your heart out for 1-2 hours. You guys. THIS IS MY DREAM. And the best part? The Dance Complex is ONE BLOCK from our apartment.

Have you ever seen the movie Center Stage?  No. Most of you probably haven't. It came out in 2000 and was my favorite movie all through middle and high school.  It's a dance movie, and since the cast are all real dancers and not actors, the acting is kind of bad and the plot is a little silly and really it's just not a very good movie. But the dancing is awesome and when I was growing up, I wanted this movie to be my life. (Just the dancing parts, not the drama.)

My favorite scene in the movie is when the main character, a ballet dancer in school in New York City, goes to this cool studio and drops in on a hip hop/jazz class just for fun and to get away from her really intense ballet classes.

And because this is a movie, I didn't think this type of experience actually existed. But it does! I walked in to the Complex and there were people all over the lobby in dance clothes, stretching, chatting, putting dance shoes on... I was pretty nervous, considering I haven't danced in a class since I was 17. My nerves weren't helped either when the lady at the desk saw what class I was signing in for and said "Oh you're taking THAT class? You have some dance experience, I hope?" Once we got into the studio though I was calmer. The teacher had us warm up and do some exercises to get our bodies moving, and then for the last 45 minutes, taught us a combination. Then we (like the lady says in Center Stage)  danced the s#@* out of it!

I left feeling so energized and happy and like myself. And then I realized, since we moved to Boston, I have not had any arts in my life for the first time. Growing up I was in piano lessons, dance classes, band. In college my major was Arts Administration, so half my classes were theatre, art and music classes and I practically lived in the Fine Arts building at UK. When I graduated, I worked at the Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts for three years and lived and breathed the arts daily. Since moving to Boston, I have not worked in the arts, been to a performance of any kind, or participated in any art form myself. I think I found the solution to my funk, and while this might not cure all my stress problems or my blood results, it is definitely going to make me an all around happier person.