Encore DCS Dance Competition-March 15th

I can't believe it's nearly been two weeks since I competed. Wow.

It was a crazy Saturday. I think the most stressful part (as always) was getting my hair done. This year our studio is getting into wearing sock buns for all performances, and yes while it is pretty and professional, it is a pain. I have long hair and it is difficult to get it up and make it so that it's not lopsided.

Of course, I get my wonderful mother to do that sock bun because my arms are pathetic and get tired easily trying to do my hair. The first time we put it up, it was lopsided. It wasn't a problem really because we could fix it, but we had already put all the bobby pins in and I already had hairspray in.

But we fixed it. I left the house later than I wanted to, but I got it done.

This year, the dance competition was held at the GSU Performing Arts Center in Statesboro, GA (where our studio usually holds our recital). And let me say, it was insane. There were so many dancers and people everywhere, but it was the kind of madness I thrive on. Running to backstage and being around all those dancers and the general excitement of competing gives me an amazing adrenaline high and I love it.

Overall, our studio did amazing. I was in 5 numbers (three group routines and two productions) and they scored as followed:

Take A Ride (group tap): Platinum (!!!!! :D :D :D :D)

This is Me (group lyrical): High Gold

Ooh La La (group jazz): High Gold

Bad Breakup (jazz production): Platinum

Forever Love (lyrical production): Platinum

I am SO FREAKING PROUD OF US because I was hoping to get Platinum on at least one of our numbers, and the fact that we got that one of my group routines is amazing. (Platinum is the second best technical scoring you can get!!)

All in all, it was an amazing weekend for my studio and I. I competed Saturday then went to watch some of the other girls perform on Sunday. One of our senior dancers got the overall high score in her category for her solo (she is a really amazing person too, both in the studio and out. I'm sad that it's her last year with this studio!).

To anyone's who is interested in knowing more about Encore (or their scoring system, etc), here's their website: http://www.encoredcs.com/ If you're a dancer and looking for a place to compete, I'd definitely recommend going here. Everyone is really great and the judges are awesome and supportive people. I hope to compete at another one of their competitions in the future. :)

The last week of NaNoWriMo and what's going on in December for me (it's 4 AM so obviously this isn't going to be the most cohesive post)

So if any of you follow me on Twitter, you will know that I've been participating in a NaNoWager with Jason Cantrell (@CantrellJason). We're trying to see who can have the highest word count at the end of the month, and whoever loses gets punished. So if he loses, he has to record a 90 second dance video to the track of my choice and post it to all his social media websites! xD If I lose, I have to write a short story for his blog based on his outline (and knowing him, it's probably a ridiculous story about killing weredragons so I can invoke Beau Barnett's wrath). But we all know that I'm going to win, so I'm not even worried at this point.

Ok, I lied. I actually am worried a little bit. This year we're going to a relative's house for Thanksgiving. I'm totally bringing my laptop and notebook with me, but socializing with the relatives is going to take a huge chunk of my writing time away. But I've planned to do a LOT of writing on Tuesday to give myself a bit of a buffer.

So there's that. If you want to keep updated on our NaNoWager, visit our Twitters, because we're constantly sassing each other/borderline trash-talking each other about it. I love it. xD

Part of me is sad that NaNoWriMo is coming to an end. November is just full of crazy awesomeness and I've gotten so many words written. I know that after November is over, this energy will fade. No more crazy word wars, etc. I mean, sure I could do some "off-NaNo season" word warring, but it just feels 10 times more awesome doing it in November.

With that being said, I'm actually sort of glad November is coming to a close. I've got a dance performance next month, and while it is a small one (right here in town), I'm looking forward to it nonetheless. It's been so long since I've been up on a stage and dancing. ;3

I have dress rehearsal on the 9th, then I'm performing on the 10th and possibly the 13th. I'm in two routines, but there are no costume or shoe changes, so that makes things a bit easier. I'm super excited, needless to say, but I know that the rest of the girls (even myself) are feeling a bit of pressure. We're the competition team, and while this Christmas performance isn't part of a dance competition, our teachers exert a lot of pressure on us during the year. I don't mind it, per se, because with that pressure they're making us become better and better. But it's hard sometimes to be lectured, especially by Ms. T. (eek!). While she's not the head teacher, she can be pretty scary. (Yet she's a wonderful teacher and is actually a really funny person most of the time. She does tease us about how one day we'll thank her for all the stuff she's put us through in technique class and stuff. And I am thankful, believe me. No pain, no gain, eh?)

Right now we have two more in-studio practices. Today and next week. Then it's dress rehearsal. Two freaking weeks. Wow. O_O

Anyways, that's what is going on for me. Sorry if I'm rambling at certain parts, or scatterbrained. It's 4 in the morning and I told myself I should have gone to sleep a few hours ago because I have dance class in the afternoon.

Happy NaNo'ing!

Exercise goals for November (Not as boring as it sounds...I hope.)

Along with doing crazy NaNoWriMo things in November, I have some exercise goals. I've been dancing for many years, and one of my teachers commented that I have a really good core. But lately I haven't been doing the proper exercises during the week like I should (crunches, sit-ups...). I do, however, have a bit of an excuse as to why: It's painful. Yes yes, I know, no pain no gain. But I'm really skinny and every time I lie down on a hard surface I can feel every single disc on my spine. I need to get over that, though, so perhaps doing them on a slightly softer (not too soft) surface would help.

Here's a list of my exercise goals for November:

• 50 crunches a day
• 40 "calf stretches", which is basically me going up on releve until my calves burn so much I can hardly stand it.
• Taking a walk 3 times a week. I've already tried to get into this, and I walk on a regular basis, but I want to create an absolute minimum for myself.
• 10 sit-ups

Ah, this is going to be painful. But hey, no pain no gain! xD