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A New Beginning

M12Though a time of fallen things, this autumn will represent a new beginning for me. A new home on a new street (and just three minutes from someone very dear to my heart), new school courses and dance classes, new teachers and new perspectives are all just around the bend. My writing style seems to be changing against my will, my thought process evolving into one that is incessantly grasping for more– more answers, more knowledge, more patience, more peace. I want to be fluent in French, and play the piano and read books until my eyes pop out. And way ahead of the infamous Board, I have my college list made, my essays drafted, and one day soon, I’ll be ready to audition for a certain dance department. I’m locking the gate after the horse, but I haven’t posted quite as often this year as I have in years past, so I suppose I’m making up for it.

Change isn’t easy. But I’m ready for it this time.

In all reality, I was not expecting to update this blog. I wasn’t ready. I would never have been ready. But circumstances outside of my control have lead me here–to this fresh journal space–and I’m so pleased to be sharing with you the new Dancing Angel. My writings of the past five years remain here, though my formatting up until this post might look a little wonky. My ramblings and my pictures are intact, and you’re here, and that’s what matters.

Take a look around! There’s a lot to see. If you’ve never visited before, welcome! It’s so good to have you. My bio and contact information are in the left sidebar, along with my archives. And there’re a lot of good books and songs listed, too. You’ll notice that I am no longer connected to Google+, but never mind that. New beginnings all around, and here’s to them!

“It’s been my experience that you can nearly always enjoy things if you make up your mind firmly that you will.” – Anne Shirley

xo Aquinnah 

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Summer Then and Summer Right Now

Summer at the end of May was a whirlwind– the beginning of change. I completed my junior year of high school and friends graduated. And I, in June, and despite my valiant efforts to ignore the fact, began my last summer at the studio.

June taught me to cope with the changes. Senior year can’t possibly be any more difficult than junior year, right? And true friends, even when apart, remain true in the end. Every day of my life is a testament to that. Likewise, dance remains dance, and I feel incredibly blessed to have experienced another summer at the studio, with my beloved family. I wouldn’t trade the past seven weeks for all the time in the world.
July had a few bumps, but I was able to attend the Desperation Conference with thousands of other teens, and it was there that I found within myself a Holy Spirit who called me, “fearless” and “free.” How beautiful it is to worship a God who can make the fearful brave.
One week into August, I am walking in the certainty that I am never alone. Thursday, Friday and Saturday, you could find me worshiping alongside my sisters at Gather, for our last performance of Daylight. It was an honor and a joy to meet so many new faces and to praise with them all. Thanks to Ms. Tina, Miss Athena, Miss Cheri and Ms. Sara for an eye-opening three days.
Summer right now is cardboard boxes and packing tape for my family’s twelfth move. It’s college applications, and senior solos and mixed emotions. All in all though, summer right now is pretty near perfect.

xoxo

Gather

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Presenting Leaps and Turns Magazine

Leaps and Turns Website

It’s been a hectic month! Dance classes have begun (i.e. sore muscles), I’m filling out college applications and yes, of course we’re being entrepreneurial again!

As our [very beautiful– check it out] website so eloquently puts it…

Leaps and Turns Magazine is a purposefully unique publication, the first of its kind in the region, and it serves to promote and encourage the performing arts in Colorado Springs through print and online media. Leaps and Turns features people, places, performances and the many industry related services the area has to offer. The Leaps and Turns team strives to connect the performing arts community, while inspiring creativity in our friends and neighbors.

On our website, you’ll have the opportunity to review our Media Kit and submit your display advertisement or local event advertisement. You’ll also be able to read some notes from the editor (yours truly, very excited!) and, if you live out of town, read a web addition of the print magazine.

Our Premier Issue hits Colorado Springs dance and music studios, theater training centers, performance venues, cafes and coffee shops, supermarkets, organic markets, university campuses, community centers, public libraries and visitor centers in October of 2016. Ad reservation deadline is July 18th! Click here to learn more about display advertising options and here to learn about event listing options.

The Leaps and Turns team is beyond excited at this opportunity to shine a light on the unmatched beauty of the performing arts. To follow along as we prepare for the launch of our first issue, visit our Facebook or Instagram page @leapsandturns.

Promoting and encouraging the performing arts in Colorado Springs– presenting, Leaps and Turns Magazine. This is just the beginning of an epic adventure.

Aquinnah
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Five Years of Ceaseless Adventure

I want to go. And I want to be human.

The beauty and eternal wonder of this earth–such a colorful, growing, changing earth–inspire my own creativity as the Creator makes for me a new adventure every single day. My name was written on His heart before I knew it myself, and I wanted to know it. My dreams, desires, fears and idiosyncrasies are always teaching me more and more about the living, breathing Aquinnah, in the midst of space and time. Like the earth, I’m always growing, always changing and adapting. It’s not always easy, not always fun– but it is a part of being human, and I am. I am only human. And I’m proud of that.

It is an overwhelming joy to wake up to a family who loves and cares for me, who is near even when far and who inspires me to continue growing and persevering, even when it’s hard. It is an enormous blessing to have friends who are honest with me, who stand up for me and who put up with my oddities on a daily basis in person, over the phone and through mail. It is an honor to learn from teachers who invest so much into making me stronger, healthier and generally happier. It is mind-boggling to know that you, my readers, from all over the world, have continued to read and support me for the last five years of my journey. I could never, never thank each beautiful person in my life enough for being. Just being. Being themselves, being in my heart and being human with me.

We survived Cecchetti exams, assistant teaching, Nutcracker, master classes and intensives, five pairs of pointe shoes, photo shoots, uncountable rehearsals and performances, sickness and injury, Firebird, an internship, tens of books and four birthdays. We thrived. And we’re not finished.

I live to scream without making a sound, moving out of time and into music. I love it. I wanted to come, and I wanted to dance. I want to inspire people as they inspire me.

So, thank you for five years of scribblings, and excitement, and worry and triumph. Thank you for listening without hearing my voice and following along with me as I continue to grow. This blog is a piece of my world– memories. And I hope you’ve enjoyed reading about them almost as much as I’ve loved living and writing about them.

Happy summer, lovelies! Twenty-three hours until dance. Ceaseless adventure.

This post is dedicated to the 125,000 beautiful babies who said, “I want to go,” and, today, were robbed of their chance and to Miss Bethanny, who told me to put chocolate milk in my cereal.

Much love,

I11.1

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Recital 2016

Junior year of high school doesn’t end until Thursday, but Recital has come and gone. For one week now, I’ve been considering how to translate all that happened this year, and it’s almost too much to put into words. But, with over one million words to choose from, I’m going to try.

It was a weird year. I’m sure you’ve noticed. From school, to work, to dance, to driving a car, to watching friends graduate and blossom in college, my need for control has been tested time and again and has worn aggravatingly thin. This year’s Recital was bittersweet, as always, but it was short, too. Nobody planned for a blackout halfway through Spanish Dance, but the Training Division is blessed by spectacular teachers and a wonderful tech crew, and the dance went on as dances must. My need for cleanliness was nearly completely stripped away by Requiem for a Tower, pushing me to let go and accept imperfections that humbled me week after week. And I had to say goodbye– goodbye to the comfortable place in which I’ve enveloped myself for years and to the high school version 4.0 of some of my dearest friends. After God’s Warriors, only the second in all of my runs in which I didn’t miss a single turn, I had to make a decision regarding next year, and I think I chose right. I hope I chose right. I Will Sing of my Redeemer didn’t just push but shoved me out of my box and into a jazzy world that I now love. The costume turned my armpits purple, and I still have scratches from its sharp sequins, but I’m so proud to have tried something new. And as for Daylight… I’m so glad we’ll have the chance to perform it again this summer.

RP1 2016

The kiddos–all 50 of my beautiful students–taught me a lot this year, too. I learned lessons in choosing joy and peace and patience. Each of those girls means the world to me, and I’m honored to have been able to teach and to learn from them.

Maybe what has made this year seem so indescribably odd is “the gap.” The big, huge, overwhelming, gaping GAP between maturity and adulthood. On the phone a few weeks ago, I told my grandfather that I had tried not to grow up. In return, he told me, “It only gets better from here, hunny, and we’re all on your side.” And since then, I’ve stopped trying to bridge the gap. I’m choosing to believe that it’ll close when it’s time.

RP2 2016
Ady and I were a little tired after Showcase

And maybe that’s what control is actually. Maybe it’s the letting go and handing to God. Maybe it’s keeping an open mind and an open schedule because wonderful things happen every day, and I want to see them.

Thank you to my amazing parents, teachers and friends for a year that taught me more than words can truly say. I love you all to the moon and back.

xo Aquinnah
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New Car Playlist

Happy May, loves!

It’s hard to believe that dress rehearsals for the kiddos start on Wednesday. I’m still trying to wrap my head around Picture Week. This being my third week of gross, relentless sickness, I’m ready for a change of pace. It’s coming up fast– faster since this freaking fabulous car moved into my garage yesterday.

BMW

Meet my beautiful merlot BMW! She requires an AUX cord to play music from my phone, and since I haven’t picked one up yet and I’m not very patient, I went old school and burned an upbeat New Car playlist onto a CD. Yay technology!

New Car Playlist
  • 22 by Taylor Swift
  • Best Day of My Life by American Authors
  • Beautiful World by Bon Jovi
  • Can’t Blame a Girl For Trying by Molotov Cocktail Piano
  • Eye of the Tiger by Survivor
  • Don’t Leave Me (Ne me quitte pas) by Regina Spektor
  • Fight Song/Amazing Grace by The Piano Guys
  • Life Is a Highway by Rascal Flatts
  • London by Benjamin Dunn & the Animal Orchestra
  • Lost Highway by Bon Jovi
  • Smoke and Fire by Sabrina Carpenter
  • Shake It Off by Taylor Swift
  • Welcome To Wherever You Are by Bon Jovi
  • When Can I See You Again? by Owl City
  • Home by Phillip Phillips
I think it’s a pretty good one, but seriously peeps– eyes on the road. 😉
Here’s to new adventures and upcoming dress rehearsal runs! It’s the most wonderful time of the year! And the best is yet to come.
xo Aquinnah
P.S. Prom pictures on Google+ now…! Check them out!
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Pause Please

M11.1

My word of the… day? week? month? year? is BLAH. Because sometimes, the English words, “happy,” “free,” “confused” and the rest of those ultimate Taylor Swift emotions don’t come to mind in time. I need a “pause” button.

Two months left of junior year of high school, praise God. Depressing Roman myths: it’s been fun, but I’m ready to move on with my life. Thank you for understanding. Oh, wait. Everybody dies in Roman mythology.

BUT (Here it comes….)! Two months of school means just six weeks until Recital. Four, actually, if you discount Picture Week and Dress Rehearsal Week. I received my last Recital costume of 2016 yesterday. It and my modern skirt are going to need some minor tailoring, but that’s no big deal. I’m far more worried about that quick change between God’s Warriors and I Will Sing of My Redeemer.

Dawn, God’s Warriors, Requiem for a Tower, Daylight and Spanish Dance have all been completed since my last post, with only I Will Sing of My Redeemer, Daddy’s Girl and Simple Gifts to join the list. How can a year seem so very long and so very short at the same time?

Yes, it’s a BTR song. As of right now, I think it sums up my life since Spring Break ended.
On Saturday, I had the privilege of participating in a promo video filming for the studio. More on that in May…!
I wish I could stay longer, but BLAH.
xoxo,
 
Aquinnah