Take a peek under the ballet tights and you will find fishnets...

Who'da thought that a little musical about a playboy Italian film director in the 1960's trying to regain his artistic mojo while balancing a handful of sexy, beautiful women, would bring back my mojo???

OMG.

Go see Nine. NOW. Even if musicals aren't your thing, or if you're a dude and you think that it's a chick movie... puh-lease. There is enough eye candy in this movie to go around twice and still have some left over!

I can't get the title song out of my head... Beeeeee Ital-ian!... And it's taking every bit of self-control to not start dancing around my apartment like a sassy jazz dancer... 'cause I can. Oh yes, I can.

You see, once upon a time, long before ballet and modern and the CSU dance department, I rocked the retro, vintage scene as a swing dancer...

(I'm the one on the far left, all up in A's business...)

And in the midst of my days as a swing cat, I did some more "cabaret" style jazz from time to time...

(I hypnotize yet another man with my swagger...)

This included some French Can Can dancing and some Fosse-style jazz (think Velma Kelly in Chicago). Back in those days, I had sass... I had passion... I came alive on stage... not to say the dancing I do now doesn't feed me, but, well... it's more like beans and rice. Jessi wants champagne and filet mignon and creme brulee...

SO.

I'm bringing my inner cabaret, burlesque, Fosse jazz dancer back. She's been hidden away for far too long. I'm pulling out my fishnet tights, my feather boas and my red lipstick. I'm getting my derriere into jazz classes. Local studios re-open classes next week and I will be there, even if I have to sell most of my stuff to pay for classes.

Last night, I saw a couple of dance friends from this bygone era of my dance life while they were in town for the holidays... one guy now lives in New York City, and the other in LA. Both are making a living dancing. I asked my LA friend, whom I mentioned in my previous post, for some professional advice... I asked him what is one of the most important things I can do right now to prepare myself before I head out into the professional world. He told me to find my niche. Know who I am as a dancer and a performer. And hone in on this, fine tune it, announce it to the world. Directors and choreographers will see it shine in auditions and that is what will land me jobs.

So there you go. I don't know why I pushed it back, tucking it away in the back of the closet, thinking I was done once I started ballet and modern training... but I'm not done. The fishnets and feathers and cleavage and crimson lips and bedhead hair in Nine reignited the fire, reminding me what really gets me all jazzed...

xoxo

J