Up and Down and All Around

Posted on May 24, 2014 by CaseyT

Always posing

The past couple weeks have been busy! We’ve already finished learning our second show, a Vegas themed production. It’s a very diverse show. In the opening and finale, I’m a showgirl, complete with a rhinestone bikini and feathers, but in the middle of the show, I do a fierce number to “Dark Lady”, a fun number to a Bette Midler song, and at one point, even dance with boxing gloves! It’s a little challenging to switch into so many styles, but is very fun to do.

Rainy day in the studio

We’ve now moved onto our third production show. So far, I’ve learned the opening number, full of more turns than I’ve ever done on stage, and half of “Queen of the Night”. This show also has a lot of variety, and is known for being technically difficult and requiring a lot of stamina. I’m enjoying the rehearsals, but am looking forward to a day off on Sunday to rest!

Kristin Chenoweth

In other news, I got to meet (or pose with) Kristin Chenoweth! She visited the studios for an event for a new ship in the fleet, and I was able to snag a photo and get her autograph. I’ve been a big fan of hers since I saw “Wicked” in New York. In person, she was lovely. She was so kind to all of the cast members, and looked gorgeous.

So exciting!

I’ve been enjoying getting to know the other girls in my cast. Each night, we end up chatting for hours. They’re all so down to earth! We went out for a “girls’ night” last week and made mojitos at the apartment on Saturday. This weekend, we’re planning to do a cast barbecue, and maybe even go out for Sunday brunch!

Homemade Mojitos

I’ve been having a difficult time adjusting to the busy schedule while also maintaining a long distance relationship. My beau, who I met on my last ship, was just sent to a ship in the Caribbean. His hours are very different than mine, so we’ve not been able to talk as much as usual. As a result, I’ve been somewhat emotional. My amazing sister sent me a box of “happy food” to try to cheer me up. Supposedly goji berries and hemp seeds help to boost your mood, so I’ve added them to my diet! I don’t know if they actually help, but I smile every morning thinking of my sister while I add goji berries to the top of my cereal.

Happy food!

Overall, things are going really well. I’m looking forward to finishing the last show, and getting ready for the ship. We sign on in less than 3 weeks! More stories coming soon.

This is My Dance Space

Posted on May 9, 2014 by CaseyT

I’ve been in rehearsals now for over two weeks. In that time, I’ve learned many new styles and techniques. The first show we learned was a ballroom show, so I had to learn cha cha cha, foxtrot, quickstep, salsa, rumba, and lindy. It was a lot of information to take in, but I really enjoyed it. Our choreographer was an excellent teacher and was very supportive, and the featured ballroom couple would help the rest of us with some technical details.

The day after we finished learning the show, we performed it in the studio for some of the staff. It was a little stressful, because the material was so new, but was also very exciting. Having an audience gave us all a lot of energy. I already loved this show, but now I’m excited to put it on stage. It will be really fun to perform.

Post-performance celebration

Yesterday, we started working on our second show, a Vegas themed production. It felt strange to be doing jazz again! I’m looking forward to learning more today. We get to dance to some great music, and I’ve heard the costumes are pretty fabulous.

Some of the boys stretching

It’s shocking for me to think that I’ve only been working with this group of people for 2 weeks. I feel like I’ve gotten to know them very quickly. The first weekend, we went out to a Mexican restaurant for a cast dinner. After of in-studio performance, we celebrated with a drink down the street. This weekend, we’re celebrating a cast member’s birthday. It’s an energetic bunch of people, but I think I’ll really enjoy working with them for the next 6 months.

Mexican restaurant mmm

Check back next week for more!

Time for an Adventure!

Posted on April 26, 2014 by CaseyT

One of the loveliest sunsets of vacation

My vacation has finally ended. The past 3 months have been a bit of a blur! I traveled a lot, and was blessed to be able to spend time with friends and family. Here are some of the highlights.

Snow! Didn’t see that in Australia!

After about a week back “home” in San Francisco, I went to visit a very close friend in Portland. We were mainly focused on catching up, but also managed to do some tourist activities. She took me downtown a few times and convinced me, quite easily, that I should move to the Pearl District when I’m done with ships. We also drove out to Multnomah Falls. Due to heavy snow, we weren’t able to climb up the bridge, but the view was amazing!

Charlottesville, VA

I went back to SF for a training course, and then packed up my winter gear and went to visit family in Charlottesville, VA. I enjoyed some much needed time with my sisters, took a few yoga classes, and played in the snow! Unfortunately, I don’t know how to drive in snow, so I was housebound for most of my visit. I’m now an expert at snow angels, however!

Snow Angel Pro

My next stop was Romania. I went to visit a gentleman from the ship that lives outside of Bucharest. Early in the trip, we went to Peles, a beautiful castle built in the German Renaissance style.

Peles

We also went on a tour in Bucharest. Our first stop was the Museum of the Romanian Peasant, where we were able to walk around a village of sorts featuring houses, mills, and chapels in traditional styles from across the country.

Museum of the Village

After lunch at a Lebanese restaurant, we went to the House of Parliament. It is the second largest government building, after the Pentagon. We took a tour inside, during which I learned a lot about the country. The decor is beautiful, and I was fascinated to learn that all of the materials used to build and decorate the building, except for one set of doors, are from Romania.

Parliament

Towards the end of my trip, we went to Brasov. We went up to a ski slope to meet some friends, wandered in the city, and took advantage of the nightlife. It was a great week. I was able to explore a new country, learn more about a special friend, and meet some wonderful people.

See ya, Romania

Upon returning to the States, I spent some time with one of my sisters in Northern Virginia. From there, a friend from the ship picked me up to drive to New York. There, I saw a few ship folks, including my roomie, and some recently relocated friends from SF. I did a few touristy activities, like going to the MoMA and walking through Central Park, but mostly made the rounds to see my people.

Washington Square Park

My next stop was Texas. I was able to spend a good few weeks with my parents, see my old friends perform with the ballet, throw my best friend a bridal shower, and do a photoshoot with an old dance buddy. It was nice to be home, but I was anxious to get moving again. I needed to feel like I had a purpose once more.

Bridal shower

For the past few days, I’ve been back in Florida. I just started rehearsals for my next ship, the Adventure. In the past 3 days, we’ve learned a hip hop routine, a lindy, cha cha cha, foxtrot, and quickstep. Only one of the dancers from my last cast is with me this time, so I’ve also been busy getting to know my new group. So far, things are going well! Check back next week for more updates from rehearsals!

My Bags Are Packed, I’m Ready to Go

Posted on July 3, 2013 by CaseyT

I can’t believe I’m leaving Florida today! I won’t return to U.S. soil until 2014. How crazy is that?!

Farewell!

Over the weekend, I took advantage of my free time, and relaxed. I had a movie night with a couple of the girls after rehearsal on Saturday, and Sunday treated myself to a “Princess Day”. I slept in, ran a few errands, then went to a hotel on the beach for an afternoon at the spa! I had a lovely “Heavenly Massage” at the new Heavenly Spa, enjoyed the steam room, sauna, and relaxation room, and after hydrating, sipped on a delicious ginger martini at the hotel bar. It was great to have some time to myself to decompress.

Lovely legs

Monday morning we had a late start time, a few hours of review and rehearsal, a send-off meeting, and most importantly, our office run! Our performance of the Movies show went really well! I loved performing with my cast. A friend from another ship actually commented on how great our group dynamic was. Most of the other feedback I received was about my legs. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t thrilled about that.

A great team

We went back to the Mexican restaurant downtown to kick back after a rather stressful afternoon. I had a hard time winding down, so I was grateful to be able to sleep in on Tuesday! I ran a bunch of errands, did final loads of laundry, and re-packed all my things! Somehow, my luggage has gained 10 lbs in 5 weeks. I’m hoping I can avoid overweight luggage fees, but they may be inevitable.

Happy thoughts

We are leaving the apartments early in the morning, then flying from Miami to Tokyo, with a short stop in Dallas. I wish we had a longer layover so I could see some of my friends from home! We’ll be in Tokyo for a couple hours before flying to Gimhae in Korea. We are going to spend Thursday night in a hotel, and will join the ship Friday afternoon in Busan. It’s going to be a long trip, but I’m really excited! I have a giant book and a Nook (on loan from my sister), so I should stay entertained on the plane. Unfortunately, I’ll miss out on any 4th of July festivities.

Let me entertain you!

Next time you hear from me, I’ll be on the ship! Things are about to get interesting…

Aloha!

Posted on June 29, 2013 by CaseyT

The past few days have been a bit of a blur! Since finishing the Movies show on Tuesday, our schedule has been filled with review times and full runs of both productions. We also spent some time cleaning up the Welcome and Farewell numbers that we learned the very first day of rehearsals. My brain has been working hard, and my body has been working even harder!

Each day has had a special sprinkle of excitement, so I haven’t completely lost my mind. Wednesday evening, my cast had a luau at the apartments to celebrate a cast member’s birthday. It was awesome! She decorated the apartment, and we played “pin the flower on the hula dancer”, hula hooped, and ate… a lot. It was so nice to hang out with the full cast. It really is an amazing group of people!

Love my cast!

Thursday we ran the first half of the Movies show in the morning, and after notes and cleaning time, ran the entire show again in the afternoon. When we were done, we got to watch one of the other casts perform for their office run. They did another Broadway themed production. It was fun to cheer them on before they embark on their trip to the Caribbean!

Friday was a very long day! We had our “unofficial run” in the morning, during which we performed our Broadway show with lights and mics for members of the staff. It was a little unnerving to have an audience, especially for my Cell Block Tango monologue, but it went pretty well! We won’t run that show again until we are on the ship! In the afternoon, we ran the Movies show. It was our first run with lights, and just the second full run of the show!

Surprise guests before the afternoon run

At rehearsal on Saturday, we are running the Movies show twice through, and spending time working out any kinks. We have a day off on Sunday, and our last day in the studio (and our office run) will be Monday! I can’t believe how quickly this rehearsal period has gone by! I’m looking forward to all that is in store for us!

For your listening pleasure today, I’m going back to the 80s. Fun fact: this was randomly my high school class song.

A Lot Like Love

Posted on June 26, 2013 by CaseyT

A lot has happened in the past few days! I’ve been a busy bee, but have enjoyed flying around.

Cast Jackets

Friday, we had a special delivery. Our cast jackets arrived! We spent the morning learning a quirky, “rock and roll” style girl number, rehearsed our Cell Block Tango monologues on mic, and ran the Broadway show. We hadn’t rehearsed that show in almost a week, so the run was a bit under par. I have a lot of notes to apply and details to review before our next run!

Saturday I was able to sleep in before rehearsal. The morning was mostly review time, and in the afternoon we ran what we had learned of the Movies show. We had exciting guests in the audience: my family! They will not be able to come see me perform on-board, so I was thrilled that they were able to watch rehearsal and see what I’ve been up to. After rehearsal, I met back up with my family for dinner in Miami with an old friend of my dad’s. We had a lovely dinner outside in the Design District. Since my parents had woken up early to catch a flight, I parted ways with them just after dinner. I rejoined some of my cast mates for a Lipstick and Lashes party at the apartments. It was a great night!

Lipstick and Lashes

Waking up Sunday morning was a little challenging, but the rest of the day was pretty near perfect. I met the family at their hotel, and after a tasty brunch and about 4 cups of coffee, we hit the beach. It was wonderful to be able to catch up with everyone without the usual interruptions. As usual, we laughed a lot! I had to cut off my fun in the sun (or, more accurately, fun in the shade) to run home and deal with laundry and groceries.

Sisters on the beach!

I was picked up later for dinner with the family. We drove into Fort Lauderdale for a delicious meal at Market 17. I spent almost half the meal close to tears from laughing so hard. Our waiter got quite a kick out of us, and gave us some great recommendations. Saying goodbye to my parents after dinner was hard, but I hope to meet up with them in Asia!

The whole family

Luckily, I had one more day with my sisters! I only had rehearsals before lunch on Monday, so I was able to meet up with them relatively early. We wandered into Downtown Hollywood, and found a great little happy hour spot. Before stopping for dinner at a sushi restaurant, we strolled through the downtown area. I love my sisters’ husbands, but it was so nice to have the time and privacy for girl talk! My single girl stories kept them thoroughly entertained. After dinner, we grabbed ice cream and walked through the food trucks set up in Young Circle. I never knew Hollywood was so hopping on Monday night! Parting with them was rough, but I know we’ll be in touch. I’m so happy they were able to come spend time with me!

Sisters!

Tuesday was a long day! We learned the finale for the Movies show. It’s a Bollywood number, so there are a lot of details and unfamiliar hand positions. I love it though! It’s a fun way to end the show. It isn’t too technically difficult, but is still interesting. After learning the finale and bows, we ran the last 3 sections of the show, in order to become more accustomed to the transitions between each. I was worn out by the end of the day, so I was thrilled to partake in Take Out Tuesday and watch a movie with my cast. Mean Girls and Ramen? Yes.

The song below is one of my “happy songs”. I’ve been listening to it a lot because it always makes me smile! I first heard Lord Huron during an emotional time back in November, and was able to see them live at The Independent. They’re amazing! Since I’m gearing up to disappear for awhile, I like that this song is about searching for the girl that got away. I am that egotistical…

The next few days are going to be pretty intense. We have a lot of cleaning to do in rehearsals, and will be running the full shows frequently. Monday will be our last day in the studios, and then we’re off to Korea!

It Takes Two

Posted on June 21, 2013 by CaseyT

I’ve had unimpaired vision since Wednesday (hallelujah!), and have been trying to pick up any slack from my days of partial blindness. My rehearsal schedule has also picked up, so I’ve been very grateful that my body is finally cooperating. We’ve been working on a Ballroom section and a Latin section for the Movies show, so I’ve been doing a lot of partnering!

Battle wounds

There is always an adjustment period when working with a new partner, so learning 2 new styles with 3 different partners has been quite an experience! My partners have been great, but we’re still working out some kinks. In our attempts to master some of the more complicated lifts, I’ve developed some very colorful bruises! I’ve also been acutely aware of my own faults and weaknesses.

Girls’ Night

Due to exhaustion and the unavoidable signs of my own imperfection, I’ve been a bit emotional this week! I needed a good cry, and luckily wasn’t alone. My roommates and I kicked back one night with homemade brownies and The Notebook. After chocolate, a few tears, and 2 hours of Ryan Gosling’s face, life seemed a lot better.

Searching for normalcy

With so many new styles being thrown at me, I’ve been craving something familiar. For me, that means a bit of ballet. I have gotten critiques about my dancing being too “pretty” and too balletic, so I’m trying to balance barre with jazzier warm ups and conditioning. I’ve also been trying to hone my “beast” status, “fierce” energy, and inner “sexy kitten”. It’s been… amusing.

Since some of you enjoyed the song I shared last week, I decided to post another! This has been one of my warm down jams this week. The band (Slow Club) is awesome, and the video shows a different side of Daniel Radcliffe (you will soon know what drunk Harry Potter looks like). Hope you like it!

I Can See Clearly Now

Posted on June 17, 2013 by CaseyT

Since my last post, I’ve been more than a little frustrated. I seem to have scratched my right eye, so I’ve been unable to wear my right contact lense. I’ve been wearing my glasses as much as possible, but can’t dance in them. The safest/most productive option has been to wear just my left contact at the studio, and rely on one eye. My depth perception has been skewed, and it’s been hard to pick up details when learning new movement.

Rehearsal

As a dancer, I learned quickly how to handle injuries. I know how to decrease pain and inflammation (RICE!), and when to push through discomfort. I can deal with injuries, but with eyes… I’m at a loss! There’s nothing I can do to make them heal faster.

While I was struggling, we learned a quickstep and a pasadoble. Both styles were brand new to me! They are really fun, but I had a hard time feeling confident, especially with the lifts! My partners were very helpful and understanding, and I know there’s nowhere to go from here but up. I have video footage from rehearsals, so I’ve been watching and taking notes on what I need to work on.

Glasses…

After a difficult couple days, I was thankful for the weekend! My roommate and I went downtown for a drink Saturday night and spoke with some amusing locals. Sunday we took the bus out to the beach. It poured down rain when we first arrived, but luckily I had an umbrella in my bag. We still ended up quite wet!

Drenched en route

Once the clouds dispersed, it was beautiful! It was nice to have time to relax and crack open my giant book. I loved having some time in the sun. Even with multiple applications of 2 sunscreens, I got a bit of color. It was worth it though!

Big book, burned legs, and beach!

I enjoyed a lazy Sunday afternoon and am looking forward to an early morning Monday. We’re doing a short ballroom workshop, then continuing with the Movies show.

In many ways, I can see clearly now… my lack of physical focus has allowed me to hone in on what I need to mentally focus on. Hopefully this awareness will make the remaining weeks of rehearsal even better!

Putting this week behind me

After You’ve Gone

Posted on June 13, 2013 by CaseyT

My rehearsal schedule has been relatively light again this week, but I’ve enjoyed the rehearsals that I have had. We started working on a new show set to music from movies, and a majority of the numbers I’m in relate shockingly well to my life. The common idea seems to be “You shouldn’t have let me go”. At the risk of sounding arrogant, I’ll admit that I’m dancing to the words that I want to say, but won’t. I get to dance as a strong, sexy woman, and am able to be a bit cheeky.

Relaxing

Monday evening I had an uncontrollable chocolate craving. Those of you that know me well know that I am a chocolate snob. I convinced a cast mate to drive me to the store so I could satisfy my craving, and ended up going on a 2.5 hour field trip to the mall to get good chocolate. It was wonderful to get out of the apartments for a bit, listen to some cheesy pop music, and chat. And, of course, I was thrilled to get some yummy chocolate (dark, of course).

Chocolate!

Tuesday was a comparatively long day at the studio, so when I got home, I joined some of my group at the pool. I was also able to Skype with a few of my friends from SF. What would we do without Skype?!

Wednesday I wasn’t called to rehearsal. I was a little disappointed, but have been assured that I’ll be busy at the end of the show. Now I’m just trying to enjoy the free time! I toyed with the idea of going to Miami, but cloudy skies and a long bus ride dissuaded me from making the commute. Instead, I had a “me” day. I was listening to more “take that” type music all day, dancing around the kitchen like a lunatic. Here’s a sample for you:

I gave myself a long workout at the gym, ran errands, talked with more friends from home, and spent a good lot of time in the kitchen. It was strange to have space to myself for awhile, but was also refreshing! I have a bunch of leftover spaghetti sauce (and wine) to enjoy over the next few days.

Today I have the morning off, then am going in to run the Broadway show. I have a little homework to do to make sure I’m at the top of my game, but I’m looking forward to the run through. Hopefully the end of the week will be as enjoyable as the beginning… with more movement!

Afternoon at the pool

Broadway and Birthdays

Posted on June 10, 2013 by CaseyT

The past few days I’ve had an abnormally light rehearsal schedule. My free time has been filled with various activities, some more productive than others. I’ve rested and iced my ankle, but have also had fun going out with my cast mates. The more I get to know them, the more excited I am for the next 7 months!

My cast at office run #1

Before each cast signs onto the ship, they do an “office run”. They perform one of their shows for the production staff and the other casts currently in rehearsals. They can also invite local friends and family members to come watch. Two casts were leaving this weekend, so we finished rehearsals early on Thursday and Friday and got to watch our fellow performers do their thing! Thursday we watched the unofficial run of another Broadway show, and ended the day at the office run of a boogie show, set to music from the 70s. It was a fun, high energy performance. I’d love to learn it someday, but am not sure I have the stamina it requires! Friday we saw a show based on a few popular fairy tales. There wasn’t much dancing in it, but I loved it! The cast performing was really strong. It was so nice to see what everyone else has been up to!

Office Run #2

On Thursday, my cast finished learning our Broadway show. We did 2 runs of the full show on Friday. There will be some very quick costume changes when we put the show on stage, so I’m glad we’re running it a lot now to build up our stamina. I have a lot of notes to review from last week, but I feel good about what we accomplished in under 2 weeks! I’m working with a very talented group, and it will only get better from here.

Friday Night

Saturday, the other tall girl in my group and I were not called to rehearsal. We decided to make the most of our surprise day off, and went out Friday night with another cast to celebrate their upcoming departure. It was great to meet more performers from the company. Most of them are re-hires, and they had a lot of great stories to share, and tons of energy! Saturday I ran errands, did laundry, squeezed in a workout, and had home made chocolate chip cookies ready by the time my cast mates got home.

Chocolate chip cookies

Two members of the cast had birthdays on Saturday, so we all went out to dinner at a local Mexican restaurant. We got really silly after dinner, and ended up taking over the restaurant, singing and dancing all around! Some of the waiters even joined in.

Such a fun group!

Sunday I was able to sleep in, went to the pool, and relaxed all afternoon while it poured outside. Hurricane season in Florida is tough to get used to! The weather changes in the blink of an eye. I joined some family friends for dinner, and went to bed early to get ready for rehearsals on Monday. I’m looking forward to another week and a fun new show!

The cast at dinner

waltzing on water

Category Archives: Florida