dance: knl @ the hollywood bowl

dance: knl @ the hollywood bowl

It wasn’t so long ago when knl was getting settled into its new practice space at SIPA. We didn’t even have mirrored walls for dance practice. We used closet doors.

That’s just the spirit of things with knl. We just kept bringing love to rehearsal, be it another set of closet doors, food and desserts to share, a hello hug and a boundless supply of patience that made dance practices feel like a family gathering.

This year marked my 7th year with knl (7 years blogging as well) and although I’ve taken mini breaks, I cannot imagine living in Los Angeles and not being involved with my knl family in some way. Aside from being a really cool nonprofit education arts group that a teacher like myself finds easy to adore, where else have I ever spent so much time and hard work where I can imagine growing and bringing my own kids to rehearsal so they may have blanket time with a crew of other dancers’ tots?

Knl at SIPA.

This year knl was fortunate to be part of Apl.de.ap’s curated evening at the Hollywood Bowl; Apl.de.ap Takes You To The Philippines. It was the most incredible experience I’ve ever had performing. The stage is HUGE (then you fit speakers, mics, special effects, lighting and musicians.) And eighteen thousand Angelenos can be seated in the audience.

Knl opened the evening with jota paragua, my most favorite dance which I had never learned until this year. It’s a Spanish influenced dance, very ole; flamenco. My favorite part was to dance with a maton, a shawl and wear a gorgeous green jewel dress. I’ve spent years admiring the dancers that performed jota paragua and finally for the first time, I was in jota paragua. Yippee!

Knl also opened the second half of the evening with a traditional Tinikling that evolved into hip-hop dancers ushering the modern half of the evening.

The evening closed with a curtain call dance party with everyone on stage while Black Eyed Peas performed “I Gotta a Feelin”.

I was dancing in the audience when the final song began….

JNET: “Awwww, this is my nephews favorite song.”

Apl.de.ap: (waving people on the stage wings to come) “Everybody!”

I don’t think we even thought about it for two seconds. R and I were dashing from the audience and making our way to the performer area, waving quick hellos to show our clearance to join the party onstage.

And what a party to the happiest good night song. Celebrating the close of a wonderful evening, onstage in awe of the thirteen thousand people dancing in the audience, my mom, brother and friends somewhere in the sea of people….What made it especially joyful to me was sharing such an incredible experience with people I love and who are especially dear to me, there onstage, dancing and hugging me; my knl family.

Yeah….and my special significant other as well who I met at knl . More on him at another time (I know I said that last time….ooops)

Pince me.. Are we really here??? Confirmation hugs, sharing the moment filled me with more awe. What an awesome journey. I love knl.

I love my world because of the wonderful people in it

JNET

traveling at the speed of joy

The fireflies celebrated 3 months of love love love at Disneyland. We shared the special day with my visiting cousin and a constellation of new and old friends. One noted how thrilled she was in seeing me so happy and that we are a glowing couple. Glowing? Cool! We are fireflies

Just shy of being together 100 days; we’ve shared so much despite being so new together. First it was sharing hours of rehearsal time to prepare for a show, then it was parades of family time. Yay, everyone loves him, me, us. What a blessing that is.

He's wonderful and he’s turned my life upside down (in a good) way. Traveling at the speed of joy, I call it. That’s moving forward in life at a speed that is driven by love, passion and joy.

Three months new???? It’s the ones that have yet to meet my firefly that need assurance that I’ve not buzzed myself into dopamine oblivion.

The latest firefly conversation is wanting to play house.

R: “I don’t think we’re moving fast, just efficiently with time.”

Jnet: “Would you proceed as efficiently 3 months with another person?”

R: “Not another, they would be a nightmare. Not you.”

It’s amazing and encouraging that loved ones near and dear to us are enjoying the firefly buzz. Being three months happy has its moments of taking my breath away. But I occasionally have a moment steal in which makes me realize that my life is evolving. And like a kitty of habit that’s enjoyed a particular sunny spot, the thought of change sometimes makes me want to cry.

Jnet: “Thinking of the future is a wee bit dizzying. Whew. Must fasten seatbelts.”

R: “Sorry. You want me to keep the plans I have to myself, then?”

Jnet: “No, don’t keep it to yourself. Just keep kissing me to keep me sane.”

R: “Yikes. Dont worry. It’ll be okay however things end up. Promise.”

Jnet: “Shine the way and I will follow.”

And so I follow, this man who is afire with love, vision, and kindness.

JNET

the meaning behind a quiet kiss

He kisses me all the time and my favorite ones are the random ones; the ones when we are simply next to one another maybe at church listening to the pastor or while I’m playing the piano or sitting at a table and he walks by. It is such a simple thing, a peck of hello and affection upon my head and it says within that quiet moment that he is happy and feeling blessed.

I'm enjoying the quiet things of life with my firefly like family time, a meal, conversation. These are things I happily enjoyed alone in solo monthly trips to San Diego or coming home after a long day of activity to make a meal for myself, light a candle and write.

It's ironic that in the space of wanting to create healthy mindfulness within a romantic relationship and experiencing the commitment to the conversation by someone who cares….really really cares…..other relationships are starting to stand out in how they are compromising. The weight that some choose to press me without a sense of wise compassionate insight has been …disappointing.

So here I have in my firefly world, a loving soul that is genuinely connected to me even with his respective independent interests. How he treats me with kindness and respect and grows his life tells me how he loves his life.

When he gives me those random favorite kisses, my lips never touch his. He kisses me when i am not even looking. Like taking a moment to enjoy a flower in the garden. Those kisses are firefly’s way of saying thank you not to me but rather to life and God. :)

JNET – enjoying being firefly’s flower.