Musings on Dance, Food, Geek Stuff
“Hey ChatGPT, based on what you know about me, draw picture of what you think I look like.” ChatGPT’s explanation: “Here’s an image inspired by your unique style and love for roller skating outdoors! I aimed to capture the blend of K-pop flair, 90s R&B, and vintage swing-era jazz in your look, along with the…
Check out my Halloween costume this year: the Soul Train. I’m pretty proud of myself for conceiving of and executing this year’s costume. Every year I try and challenge myself in some new way. This year it was all about coming up with a dramatic reveal and a participatory costume. My concept was to be…
Every day at the rink I see skaters working on “unlocking” a move — backwards skating, transitions, spins, crazy legs… I see their knitted brows and frowns as they concentrate on getting it down, sometimes for five minutes, sometimes for weeks or months. I don’t always offer tips or help, because not everyone wants that….
The cutest moment I’ve ever had at the roller rink. Her name is Dream, and yes she will definitely kick my ass in a cypher soon. Thanks to Norm for this incredible footage.
Oaks Park Rink in southern Portland is a national treasure — the oldest rink in the America, established in 1905, and the second largest in the country! I had the pleasure of spending the weekend skating on that buttery, gigantic floor for the Rose City Skate Jam. What’s interesting about the rink is not only…
I managed to unearth my last and probably best breaking showcase that I performed way back in 2010 at PMT Dance Studios in New York City. As I look back on those days, while my dancing definitely was a bit cringe, it was so much fun! Just getting to workshop ideas and play with moves…
I’m excited to announce the release this week of the final episode of season one of “The Field Trip Game,” a new video series from KQED. This is the first KQED show created by and for young people! I was so excited to hear that the producers wanted to feature rollerskating in one of the episodes, since…
Tuesday night was a high point in my skating career: leading a skill share for my community on cyphering! I had a vision for what I wanted to have happen tonight — creating a safe space for skaters to express themselves through the cypher — and it went even better than I envisioned. Seeing so…
I did this back in 2021, but it still does a pretty job of expressing different ways that I show care and love to myself. How I express self-care: UPDATE 12/7/2024: I recently found out this idea of a “self-care rainbow” comes from illustrator / artist Decade2Doodle / Steph Ferrell Crigler. Original source.
It was June 2020, a few months into the pandemic, and I was losing my damn mind. In the Before Times, dancing was a central part of my life. I was going out lindy hopping and house dancing several nights a week, traveling to dance events, and obsessing over whatever was new in the dance…