I'm not breaking up with you

Alright, I know it has been quite some time. I've been back from South Africa for over a month now and never clearly finished a post wrapping up on my journey. A lot of you kept asking me "What happened, why didn't you finish your blog?" Well there is two reasons... A) Because google decided to lock me out of my own account for a good week not allowing me to fill you guys in and B) I just didn't want to come to terms with my experience at Jazzart coming to an end. So I've chose to not let it come to an end and if I created a "final post" on my journey it would kind of feel like I was "breaking up" with Jazzart, so instead I've decided to keep us in an "open relationship". Or should I say "long distance"?

My last day in Cape Town I spent with all of JA in the studio. It was filled with a huge amount of hugs, laughs, tears, kisses, boogers, and emotions. Part of me was smiling because I was walking away with a new family of love, support, and inspiration, and the other part of me was frowning because well... I was walking away from that incredible family. But in fact even 6 weeks after I had left to return back to the states they are still behind me one hundred percent, and the distance really means nothing.

Upon returning home, I've set out to reach my goals of performing professionally which means auditions, auditions, auditions. Any artist knows that this is not an easy industry, you can simply get cut at an audition by the way you look rather than how fierce you work that stage. Currently I am in New York City, the land of dreams, auditioning for some dance positions of cruise lines, musicals, and some other things in between. I won't lie, it gets a little discouraging when you don't get a role you were hoping for. But what's more encouraging? Getting a message from someone half way across the world who is still supporting me, telling me not to be discouraged, to remember why I do what I love to do, and to believe in myself like they believe in me.

As I move on to this other chapter of my beautiful life, this final post doesn't serve as "The End"...just  a page into the next one.

See, Jazzart Dance Theatre? You are still with me. In fact you are stuck with me. I'm not breaking up with you....

Lots of love, hugs, laughs, tears, kisses, boogers, and emotions
XoXo - Annamaria

For those of you who would like to see pictures from my trip, please add me on Facebook at Http://we.facebook.com/annamariaklucevsek

Baboons

Try your best not to waste time focusing on the negatives. Look for the good in life, the positives are every where. Never get caught up with anyone or anything that brings your spirit down. Be good to yourself. This is your life so take control of it. If you look around there is an endless amount of life that we are blessed with.

If there is one most important thing I am taking away from South Africa, it's what the people taught me. The glass is always half full.


Here is a picture from today at Cape Point, South Africa...the southern most tip of the African continent. Crazy how I find myself here aye? 

Freedom fighters

Words cannot describe the amount of love and appreciation that South Africa has for Nelson Mandela, and really not just South Africa it is people from all over the world and anyone who has an understanding of the history of racial segregation. Today I got the chance to tour Robben Island, an island about 7km off the coast of Cape Town known for holding political prisoners. Robben Island was where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 18 out of the 27 years he was jailed. There is a tremendous amount of history that goes along with Robben Island, like too much for me to take in in just a 3 hour tour. But just standing on the same ground that such an influential part of apartheid history took place is such an amazing feeling. Really I has butterflies in my stomach standing next to Mandela's tiny jail jail cell where he fought for freedom.

There is this quote that keeps running through my head from Steve Biko, another political activist during the apartheid. And I don't have much to say about it because I think it speaks for itself. It goes like this...
"So tell me why you call me black when my skin is more brown than black? And why do you call yourself white when you're more pink than white?" - Steve Biko

Lots of Love
 -Annie

Lemonade

Today was a special day for me in South Africa. The JazzArt Outreach Coordinator, Mzi, took me along with him and another assistant to teach a handful of dance classes to a community outside of Cape Town. I was privelaged to work with children ages 8-14 with a variety of backgrounds. The children are not all fortunate to have supportive families or stable health, and they look forward to days like today to use the arts as an expressive outlet. Most of them seem so shy until you hand them some dance moves and some music then you get to see them come alive. It's truly touching watching a smile form on their face just by given the chance to let loose. And whats even more inspirational is their ability to keep that smile without a single complaint, nevermind what reality they are dealing with at home.  They are just happy to be there. Any dance teacher probably knows this, but one of the best feelings in the world is at the end of the day when a child runs up to you with a big squeeze and a thank you. But really I should be thanking them.  They are inspiring me to keep doing what I'm doing and to never give up no matter what kind of lemons life decides to throw at me.

Sleep well Cape Town...

7th wonder

On Monday JazzArt was invited to dance for a popular TV show here in South Africa called Top Billing, a preeminent lifestyle magazine television programme. I got to dance with the JazzArt company and trainee members in a flash mob sort of dance to celebrate Nelson Mandela's birthday coming up July 18th. Being behind the scenes of a camera set is actually alot of fun, some people say its intimidating but how can it be when you're just dancing with your friends?

Tuesday I had the day off to do what I wanted. So I gluttony slept till 9:30 then went off with a friend to Sea Point, a lovely beach area on the edge of Cape Town with lots of cute shops and good food.  Not to mention beach babes with six pack abs kicking round a soccer ball. Come evening, I was taken to Signal Hill which is a hill on top of cape town that many people come to sit and picnic while watching the sunrise /sunset. We were a little late for the sunset but I got to watch the last few minute of the sun fall over the Atlantic Ocean and the rest of Cape Town. It was an absolutely priceless moment, honestly so beautiful. I ended the night by eating out at a fancy restaurant in Camps Bay which is almost like LA. It's the "hot spot" in Cape Town where you can find celebrities or fast cars.

And today I got up early and hiked Table Mountain, the seventh wonder of the world. It took about two hours and I couldn't help but stop every few steps to look down where I came from to say "damn this place is beautiful". Once at the top you can see all of Cape Town and beyond, it is the highest point in South Africa. There is a cafe and tourist shop at the top as well. A cable car is also available for those who don't want to hike up, and only takes 5 minutes to get to the top. And if hiking that big mountain wasn't enough exercise for me today, I went on to teach a two hour contemporary dance class to a small company in Constantia. The days I don't stop moving are the days I don't stop smiling.

Table Mountain, Cape Town, South Africa 

Peace and love

 -Annie

Closing Night

Whoop whoop! What an amazing past few days this has been!!! Tonight was the closing performance of "Azishe!" with JazzArt, and it was on fire! Every night has been a different kind of performance with a certain energy and a certain audience. But every dancer knows that no two performances are ever the same, and it's in our blood to always critique ourselves when we exit the stage. You know that saying "You're only as good as your last performance" ... Tonight was that opportunity for me to leave it all the stage not to prove anything to anybody else but myself. And man I feel good.

I have really made a family here with some of the dancers. They treat me no differently than how they treat each other .... With love and respect.  I've noticed and admired the constant support between dancers. They will do anything for each other, whether it be fetch a busy girl food so she has energy to dance or to plaster a bloody boy with bandaids because he's too tired to do it himself. That kind of affection is so contagious. And in turn creates a positive environment for the dancers to take space in.

I've received a few comments from the viewers on how well they thought I fit in with the rest of the group. JazzArt is known or having a particular sense of style. Which is why hundreds of aspiring JazzArt dancers came to audition for the training programme, but only 15 were chosen. In the back of my head I know that I would have more eyes on me, being the only white cast member and only an intern. I knew that every little step I took on that stage was compared to the others. But I didn't let it scare me. I wasn't going to let the color of my skin be a reason for the audience to think differently of the piece.

Feeling humbled and on Cloud 9
 Xoxo - Maria

Azishe!

Opening night of "Azishe" is already here! Tonight is the night! I can't believe it. 4 weeks of hard work with Jazzart Dance Theatre will come down to this. I am feeling honored and blessed beyond belief to have this opportunity to be sharing the stage with such incredibly talented dancers and beautiful people.

I am wishing my home country a Happy 4th of July today and I will miss being with friends and family on such a big holiday. But what better way to honor myself as an independent American than by performing half way across the world?


Peace, love, and happy feet!!!
Xoxo - Maria