dragonariaes

So, I can finally talk about it:

The dance studio where I have taught for the last few years was going to close, but I purchased the equipment and took over the lease. 
I've been working on getting my Articles of Incorporation and turning it into a certified Non Profit School of dance and performance arts. It's a lot of legal paperwork to set up, but this way, it will be run by a board of directors, and no matter who comes or goes, it will keep going on as long as there is interest in the community. 
I'm opening it up to other performance and theatre arts classes and workshops, and hoping to grow the program. We'll also be offering family classes, classes for special needs children, and children with sensory issues with lower lights, softer music and play filled creative movement time.
I'm really excited to do this. I've had a few people wonder why I'm devoting so much energy and time into a project that isn't going to pay me, and all I can think of is that it is something the community needs, and if giving up a year or two of my time to build it until it stands on its own, I will be happy to. 
If your interested in the school or in the area and have a skill you'd like to teach a workshop on, or just plain curious, the website is www.bourreedapa.wixsite.com/dance
We are going to be looking for sponsors for our competition team and for our season's performances. There are tons of benefits to sponsoring our team, and we advertise for you on our team jackets, performance signs and in our programs.

IN OTHER NEWS:
I'll still be working on my novels in my non teaching days, so that won't stop.

What is new with all of you?

I got so hung up on crazy projects last year that I literally only hopped onto DA 3x over the entire year. 

I have so many things to update and show you what I've been working on.

(If anyone is still out there. Helllooooooooooooooo.)

Also, I think I'm embarking on my craziest project yet, but I can't talk about it for a few more months... 

I'll definitely be back on more often again this year. I have lots of updates to share and I have dozens of commissions to order. I hope everything has been going well for you all and that you've continued to grow artistically in the last 12 months. I look forward to catching up on the massive backlog of submissions in my inbox. XD

I've been super busy with all of my personal projects and feel bad because I've kind of neglected DA.
How are you guys? Anything new?

I'm working away trying to get Book 2 of Guilt ready for printing. I made the mistake of writing the whole thing out longhand, so now I have to type it all up before formatting. It wouldn't be much of a problem, but my eyes haven't been focusing correctly, and typing for long periods of time is difficult. I end up getting bad double vision.

My pointe book is on hold until I can hire a few dancers for photoshoots. My original dancers/models backed out due to being too busy. It makes me sad, but it also gives me time to try to get more personal stories from people about their personal experiences with pointe.

I've been working on a couple more shows, and still don't have my images from Beauty and the Beast. Hopefully soon.

Trying to fix up our house and make functional workspaces for me and it's a project, but it needs to get done.

Other than that, same shit, different day.
Will upload more art soon.

Been a while since I gave you all an update.
Beauty and the Beast was phenomenal. I have lots of pictures to post (hopefully soon) of all of the costumes and craziness I was responsible for. That show was probably one of the biggest I've ever been responsible for and I loved it, but definitely glad to have some time to myself again.

Still working hard at the dance studio. Have a holiday performance this weekend. It's a quick one. One month and up. One performance and done. So not too much stress.

Went back down to Cincinnati and drug along and made him go to the aquarium with me. I know, I'm a dork.

Working on finishing up Book 2 in my Warrior series. Want to have it printed in April again. Also trying to decide what kind of awesome promotion stuff I should do this time around. Last time I launched with and art book, pins and bookmarks. Any requests for round 2?

Also still working on the "preparing for pointe" book I started in August, but I'm getting lackluster response from people I wanted to include in it. I wanted to have ballet dancers from different schools of ballet offer personal stories, questions they had when they started, advice, or their favorite exercises for pre-pointe work. I posted requests in a dozen places and didn't receive a single response. I don't know whether to post again, or move on without that section. Bums me out a bit. Boo. At least the rest of the book is good.

Anything new going on with you guys?

Had a great time in Cincinnati. I was surprised with how much I like the area down there (and the aquarium was a BLAST!)
They let me pet sharks.
Sharks.
There was a leopard shark that loved the attention and he kept swimming up to me to get pet. It felt like velvet. <3

Fall musicals are underway and dance has started again.

You guys will be proud of me. I turned down TWO shows and a couple of commissions  this week. I actually said NO! I am determined to set a schedule for myself and stick to it from now on, including setting a work load limit so I'm not pulling all nighter 4/5 nights a week or supposed to be in 3 places at once. Hopefully, this will mean I'll have more time to work on gifts and personal projects, like my writing.

Anything new with you all?