Week 10 till 14

YESSSSSSS, lets start straight away with great news. I BOOKED MY FIRST DANCE JOB!

Im starting rehearsals tomorrow and it is for the brand Reebok. The show will be in Boston in 10 days, which means I will be flying out to Boston next Friday for 4 days! Which is so funny, as my first job after I finished 'Lucia Marthas institute of Performing Arts' in 2011, also took me to Boston!!
I guess me and Boston go together with 1st things. (Also being stuck in my First ever hurricane - Hurricane Sandy - in 2012 , took me to Boston, but that was not for dancing, that was to be able to eat as we run out of food on the ship.) Like I said first things we celebrate in Boston! :D

Of course I am so so happy to be sharing this news, as I totally lost count of the amount of auditions Ive done (and still be doing). So this feels so rewarding and motivates more than I can describe. It gives me a boost in my confidence, an extra push to not give up, a way to pay the bills next month (also very very necessary) and makes me very happy!

Every audition can be different from being in a room with 50 people going up to over the 500. The talent out here is just insane and the amount of people that are so talented surprises and inspires me everyday.

As much as people use the word ‘competition or competing together’ a lot, and yes believe me some people are super competitive! I have to say Im really enjoying meeting all these people in classes, or during auditions, who instead of seeing them as my competition, I see as something amazing. As it is pretty cool to meet people who share the same passion, desire, dreams as you. Ive met people from Norway to Tokyo who all just like me, left their families, boyfriends behind, moved out while missing them, on their own, understand the whole visa struggle process, and didnt give up just because their heart told them they should give it a shot. And that is what instead of creating a distance, for me creates a mutual feeling of understanding and feeling like we are all the same. We’re all in the same position, trying to do the same things, following our hearts. So we might as well support each other as much as we can, cause we are all alone, but we are all the same (kinda).

Because of that I’ve been very lucky, as Ive been making some friends, have been having some carpool rides with people from and to classes and audition that are too far away to bike. We are sharing open-auditions together to give everyone a fair shot in case someone didn’t hear about it.
Of course everyone is on their own path and grind and has just slightly different dreams (we all wanna dance, but what and for who can be different), but its nice to come together where we can.

Because of that I also found out about a mentorship, which I got approved for and started this month. Every Sunday Im dancing now 6 hours with this mentor and the students who follow the same program as me, and we have to take 4 more classes a week that have to follow a specific criteria. Ive decided to do this, as I feel like I wanted to be a bit more specific in my classes and wanted to receive a lil more personal feedback, so I can grow and evolve more. (As in auditions you only hear a ‘please stay’ or a ‘thank you’. whispered in your ear ). You never know or hear the reasons why and I decide to not think about it either as you will never know and otherwise you make yourself go crazy and you can easily lose your mind.
The reasons can change from your look, height, eyebrow shape up to not good enough, no star-image, not the right technique, to.. They are looking only for 1 more dancer out of the 500 and probably already decided that their best friend who they know since high school, is getting the job. Its just the way life is and life goes.

Now I feel like Im learning more, growing more, getting actual feedback instead of just taking classes where you sometimes do get feedback, but also sometimes you share the room with 100 people and your lucky if you were able to follow the dance, or to even have space to dance, and on top of that have been seen by the teacher more than once, so they actually have a reason to give you tools and feedback.

That being said, Im super excited for the upcoming 11 days!!!!!!!

Also to keep it all happy and positive, I got signed with a Model agency (not the one I was going for in the first place, but the one that clearly was meant to be and Im very happy with them!) and I actually got my first job (in general) through them yesterday! I was on set for the HBO serie ‘Ballers’ and I was a “personal trainer’ for one fo the actors. Im sure ill be in the frame for 2 seconds, but it was a great experience!

So things are slowly falling into place and I hope that now the ball started rolling that it will keep going. It for sure has put me in a great flow.

I also have met a life coach, yup in the Starbucks, about 6 weeks ago and Im meeting her now every 2 weeks to talk about life and all thats part of it. She is absolutely amazing. She actually has a FB page called Journey to Worthy and posts everyday a video there to motivate people, in case you would be interested yourself in hearing a 10 minute motivational and inspiring talk each day.

What else.. Im still babysitting here and there, still being very happy with my roommate and the place I live, started another free tryout week of yoga this month at another studio, my bike is still my best friend, not all cars appreciate her the way I do, but thats oke.
Funny story actually. As a few weeks ago I went to the movie ‘Black Panther’ with Valerie, Esra (also from Amsterdam) and two of their friends who I never met before, who were from Amsterdam too and basically live in LA. When I walk over to introduce myself, one of them says. I KNEW YOU WERE DUTCH.
Apparently he saw me bike that week on the road and went home to his roommate and said; I saw a girl bike today on the road, without gear, with one hand, in her other hand she had her phone, bags hanging on her, and no fear or worry about the cars. This has to be a Dutchperson. HAHA so me and my bike are slowly becoming legends here. hihi

Well I think these were the biggest highlights of the past month and I hope they keep going this way!
Me and my roommate actually have made a vision board for ourself about 3 weeks ago. Mine I hung up right in front of my bed so I look at it all day everyday when I wake up or go to bed. And I have to say, since that vision board is up there, things have slowly fallen into place,.. So either way, if it was luck, timing, hard work, coinsidence, the art of visualizing, meant to happen or just happened to happen at the same time,… Whatever it is, or I believe, It brings me joy looking at it and it motivates me everyday to wake up, get up and start my grind.
To rise and shine and to not give up as theres still so much I believe in and enough daily challenges to fight. My board puts a smile on my face, makes me go to bed with a dream, start my day with a purpose and motivates and helps me start up my engine each morning.
I hope you all also have your own secrets and tools that help you do the same. Whatever works for you, figure it out and help yourself! Life makes it hard enough, so lets try to keep it as easy as possible to make ourselves happy, motivated, inspired and with a drive of positive energy to kick ass everyday. Whatever gets you out of bed! 'As in order to kick ass, you first have to lift your foot.'

I hope everyone is doing well, I think about you all loads, miss you all even more and send all my love to you!

Have a great weekend and keep me posted about your adventures too! <3
I will do the same! x Until next time! x