Saturday, August 9 My Own Legacy

I had an audition today for a photo shoot. I replied to this girl on Craigslist looking for dancers for the launch party of her new clothing line. I guess when she saw my headshots she decided she wanted me to come audition to be one of her models too. Wow what a difference makeup and lighting make. I’m so not a model. I went, she was cool and I felt it went well. We will see what happens.

After that I headed to a street fair celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Alvin Ailey Dance Company. How cool was that? It was completely free. On top of that they were doing free performances in the theatre and I made sure to get my ticket!

Before going to the show I meandered around the fair browsing the many different vendor booths and thinking how if I had been prepared and knew beforehand I could’ve gotten a booth and sold my cards. Street fairs are those places that you don’t mind spending a lot of money for something that’s not worth it. For instance, I spent $9 on a sausage link that wasn’t even that good. Why was I paying so much money when my job hadn’t manifested in the natural?

So now I’m full on this nasty sausage link and I enter this beautiful theater ready to watch my favorite dance company perform. I sit down just taking it all in. I’m so excited. I can’t wait. Then I hear a little girl crying behind me. Great. Of all the places I could be assigned to sit, I am stuck in front of a crying girl. She was whining because the seats were so far back and she couldn’t see over this lady’s head. My first inclination was to sock her in the face thinking she would shut up. Then I thought about it and figured that would make her cry more. So I did the only thing I could think to do. I turn around and talk to her. We have a full on conversation about what she likes to do, her family, etc. Then I tell her that she can sit in my seat if she can’t see. I know I deviated from my normal torturing of children but it got her to be quiet.

The show was absolutely beautiful. Amazing. Of course I cried. The ability to reach people that way is so powerful. When you tell most people you want to study dance in New York they assume that you want to dance with Ailey. I get that question so much. Do you want to dance with Ailey? Are you going to the Ailey school? I guess for many people that would amazing. Any honor even. What dancer wouldn’t want to dance with Ailey? I don’t. Alvin Ailey has created his own legacy that has been around for 50 years and as I watched and I realized that I wanted to create that for myself. I mean not for me. But I want my own dance troupe that glorifies God that leaves a legacy long after I’m gone. If I spend my time trying to recreate someone else’s when do I have time to create my own?

I got home and it was just me. I finished setting up my room. It was just so peaceful. I turned off the lights, laid in the bed and for the first time I felt I lived there. Then all of a sudden the neighbors turn on the lights and my peace is interrupted. Is a window with a view too much to ask for?