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