Step 16: Next steps

Okay, so much has happened since I last posted.

I am officially done with school, Bachelors in Physics. It was such an amazing moment to be able to graduate, and have my loving family and friends there to share it with. My mother never looked more beautiful than in that moment in my graduation. I love her so much.

I also had the pleasure of finally seeing the Watt’s Towers. When I first came to CSUDH I heard about them and was eager to see them immediately, however I made a random choice to wait until the day I graduated to see them. I waited 4 years to see them and I finally got to see the marvel of such a broken beauty. It was truly inspirational: creation built from destruction.

I was thankful that a lot of my friends and family have donated to my cause, I will not disappoint, I will try my hardest to better myself. I have begun my training by taking higher level ballet classes and trying to maintain an open mind to all corrections given, while applying everything else I have learned in these classes and in classes prior.

I was offered an opportunity to travel to China, for three weeks, with the Long Beach Ballet, which is a great training opportunity.. However, I had to say no. It was an all-expense-paid opportunity but I have my heart and mind set on Hubbard Street (and hopefully Nederlands Dans Theatre, too). It hurt to say ‘no’ to such a great opportunity, since everything would be much less stressful (living and travel-wise), but I need to stick to my guns and grow up a bit.

Another exciting thing happened this past week: my submission was accepted and I will be granted the opportunity to audition for BodyTraffic! I am very excited and also extremely nervous. A lot of great things are happening so fast, and I am trying to maintain my excitement, which is difficult, but I’ll handle.

One week left until I find out about NDT…

Remember, donations are still accepted

http://www.gofundme.com/2wwe1w

Thanks,

Ruben

Step 15: Last Class

I taught my final class at DH just now.
I uploaded the final class phrase that I created in the spur of the moment… It’s a mixture of some old movement that I had previously done and some that I created in the past. Thanks to all those people who came!

Enjoy!

Remember, donations are still accepted

http://www.gofundme.com/2wwe1w

Thanks,

Ruben

New Fundraising Account

Hello all,

I have a new fundraising account. Please visit, share and donate.
Thank you all for the support and love.

http://www.gofundme.com/2wwe1w

Sincerely,

Ruben

Step 14: Documentary time!

I made a two part documentary of our concert at CSUDH. I entitled it “The Experience” because this has been a bulk of my experience while at my school: performing in the shows every semester. I hope some of the students at my school see this and decide to participate.

Either way, I thought it was pretty cool!
Check it out:

Donations are still very welcomed
Thanks,

Ruben

Step 13: Concerts, Losing, and Waiting

I lost at the talent show But its okay, my improv wasn’t that impressive and it was very repetitious, but I tried my best! Here is the link to the video:
https://www.facebook.com/video/embed?video_id=561507127213262

This past weekend I had an improvisational performance for the Rod Butler Memorial at my school. The memorial performance is basically a show that the theater, dance, music and art department put on together to raise money for scholarships. It was pretty cool. There was church music, choral music, guitars with an operatic singer, a skit, some music videos, and then there was us. Our dance was structured/choreographed by Doris Ressl, and it was one of the most fun performances I’ve had! It was an improvisational dance, accompanied by the jazz band, who also improvised with their music. Amy, Mel and I danced with clay, forming it through our improv into cool shapes that will be heated up and put somewhere nice. I’ll post the video, if I can, when I get it.

This weekend we have our Spring Dance show, featuring the seniors of our department. Its my final show at DH! Equally as exciting is the fact that I only have to wait about…28 days to find out if I was accepted into the Netherlands Dance Theater Summer Intensive!!! I’m hoping for the best!

Donations still accepted

Thanks everyone!

Ruben

Step 12: Makin’ History!

Thankfully, I made it as a finalist at my school’s talent show, which happens this Thursday! I am pleased to announce that I am the only dancer at this talent show.. The rest of the acts are very talented singers, rappers and poets.

I also had an amazing experience this weekend at the ACDFA Baja Region 2013 at El Camino College. This was such an eventful weekend, with 141 dance classes offered over a span of 12 dance sessions; 48 adjudicated pieces in 4 concerts; 1 gala show with 12 of those 48 dances; and not much sleep time!

I am so proud of everyone at my school for participating in every aspect of this conference: research, adjudication, classes and seminars. Going into this weekend I had made a list of just ballet classes to take (to improve my technique), but once I got there I realized that I rather take more different types of classes that I couldn’t on a normal basis.

There were so many fantastic classes led by incredible instructors. I really had a blast. I am especially proud of the CSUDH adjudicated dancers for doing such an amazing job on a wonderful stage, they really do inspire me so much! We couldn’t have done any of this without our amazing Artistic Director, Doris Ressl.

To my amazement, and pleasure, I was selected as one of the Gala performers with “Solo for Shoes” choreographed by the amazing Mrs. Summer Brown! She has really changed my life, dancing and myself as a person. This was a really surreal experience, especially since CSUDH has never been in a Gala, until now! And guess what? I held every second, every moment, every particle on that stage and now that experience is mine to keep, forever.

Today I will have the dress rehearsal for the talent show. Winner = cash prize! Cash prize = one step closer to Hubbard Street Summer Intensive. Really blessed for everyone and everything in my life!

Step 11: Talent Shows

Yesterday I improvised for my schools talent show audition!!! It was pretty tough because I didn’t know what I was going to end up doing, but I think I did okay.

I’ll find out if I made it tomorrow. Cross your fingers!
Here is the video of the audition:

Goal: $5000 (to attend one intensive, I’m trying to attend two)
Due: June 1,2013

Once again, donations would be really appreciated so that I can achieve my goal of doing a summer dance study program at Hubbard Street Dance Chicago in Chicago, IL this summer, and possibly the Netherlands Dance Theater Summer Program (if admitted) right after Chicago.
Any amount of donation, even if it is just petty change is a blessing. I can be reached at RMEDINA49@TOROMAIL.CSUDH.EDU

Thank You!
Sincerely,

Ruben