Summer SHORTS Aug. 9

My first performance as a new resident of the east coast is coming up!

I'll be performing in the show Summer SHORTS with The Collective in Baltimore, MD on August 9th.
This is The Collective's annual show filled with short performances by company members (limited to 5 dancers and five minutes) along side guest artists Christopher K. Morgan & Artists and DishiBem Contemporary Dance Group.  It's the perfect little dance version of hors d'oeuvres.  Small, varied and a taste of what modern dance has to offer.  They'll be serious, funny, fast, ponderous, strange, ordinary, and certainly different than your typical friday night fare.

I'll be performing in 2 pieces.  One of my own and one as a dancer for someone else.  A nice little introduction to my new dancing family and community.

If you'd like to join me, or spread the word, Summer Shorts will be:
Friday, August 9, 2013 at 8pm
Creative Alliance at the Patterson
3134 Eastern Ave
Baltimore, MD 21224

Tickets are $15/adults, $10/students, seniors , and CA members
call 410-276-1651 or purchase online at www.creativealliance.org

Happy Birthday To ME!

What's up!?  I'm a leo, so therefore I need your full attention.

It's my Birthday!!!  I'm celebrating for the whole weekend/week, so stop by here, my Facebook page or my Twitter page to send me some love.  Hey, I live far from all of my family and friends and although my husband rocks, sometimes I need the support of all of my cyber-friends :-)

What am I doing to celebrate?  Dancing, of course!

Peace

Goal Met! I'm going to Chicago!

So, as some of you know, I have been raising travel expenses to get to Chicago.  Why?  Because when I was living there, I was a company member with Mordine and Company Dance Theatre, and right before I left, it was decided that Mo&Co would be one of the season openers on The Dance Center of Columbia College's 40th Anniversary Season.  As The Dance Center is one of the major places to see dance in Chicago, I was very excited.  

Then my husband and I moved.  

I talked to Shirley (Artistic Director of Mo&Co) and said, "If you'll have me, I'll be back to do my role in the piece All At Once" (I'm in the maroon v-neck t-shirt).  She said yes and everything was fine and dandy until...

My husband and I moved to D.C. and because of various misfortunes, went through our pitiful savings at an alarming rate.  After 3 maxed out credit cards and many familial loans later, I was facing calling Shirley and telling her to replace me unless I could fundraise enough money to get to Chicago.  

WELL, I am so happy to announce that with all of your help, I have raised enough to get my tush out to Chicago for rehearsals and the show!  

Thank you so much to my generous donors:
A big thank you to my generous donors on GoFundMe who helped me with travel expenses for the trip!  
Anonymous
Anonymous
Sarah Coffey
Mom & Dad Drake
Diego, Lauren, & Monica
Andrew Lomen
Paula Biasi
Brad and Megan Vollmer
Bart Griepentrog
Anonymous
Kelly Anderson

If you would like to see this exciting show in Chicago on October 3-5, 2013,  click RIGHT HERE for ticket information through The Dance Center's Box Office.  

If you're not in Chicago, then check back here as I blog my way through the rehearsals and show.

Thank you!

Dance with me!

Guess what?  I'm teaching again!

Come take class with me in Washington D.C. this Saturday 7/13 and next 7/20 at Dance Place.

I'll be taking over Deborah Riley's classes for a bit (a fellow CMA) and leading my dance partners in some lovely Bartenieff movement and round-a-bout patterns to lubricate the joints and getting us dancing up, down, and all around.  Multiple ages will be there and I'll even have live accompaniment!

More details here:
http://katiesopocidrake.weebly.com/classes--workshops.html

Help Send My Dancing Feet To Chicago

AAAAANNNNNNDDDDD, now it's my turn.

After staring, puppy-dog-eyed at so many artist's requests for funding, now I get to ask....

http://www.gofundme.com/3i38p8

Here's the deal: I just moved (for my husband's job - not my choice! But it was his dream-job, so we had to) to Washington D.C. and even though it will be a good move for the long run (thing 10-20 years) it has put my husband and I deeply in debt and me out of a job.

I JUST got a part-time job at the National Zoo, am sub-teaching at a local studio, and am commuting to Baltimore for my new company, but all of that means we're still not able to pay our bills and are leaning heavily on family to get us from month to month.

SO, before we moved, I got and signed onto the fantastic opportunity to go back to Chicago in late September through early October to perform with Mordine and Company Dance Theater and Mucca Pazza at The Dance Center of Columbia College for their 40th Anniversary Season.  This is a big deal.

Now I am faced with the challenge of getting back to Chicago to rehearse, tech, teach masterclasses for children and adults, and dance for one of the most discerning dance audiences I will ever face.

Please consider helping me get there.  I even made a nice little video to show you how hard I've been working over these last few years.

Thank you in advance (for donating OR simply sharing my GoFundMe page with your friends) and here's where you can help:

http://www.gofundme.com/3i38p8