Taking a trip down memory lane... 2011 as a dancer

2011….. Two    Thousand     and     Eleven. No matter how many times, or how many different ways I write that, the year just cannot be summed up. I literally cannot believe how blessed that year was. Can someone buy me new socks? … Cause mine blew off! ;)

It is actually unbelievable the journey I went on in that one year. The year started off light and pretty normal. I was in my second year of Professional Dance Training at college in Edinburgh and we were and had been preparing for our January “Christmas” show for the last month at least. The show got cancelled only a few hours before we were due to begin… TWICE. It’s safe to say that threw the class into a state of oblivion and of course, like any group of performers, DRAMA. Anyway, we eventually got over that. 

March brought more excitement in my world of dance including a hip-hop performance as the grand opening at a conference hosted by c7 Church. I’d describe it as a mix of Jabbawockeez meets Crunk with a bit of MJ on the side. Straight after this, me and a friend headed to catch a flight to London for the Move It! Dance conference there. Throw in a free upgrade to a ‘prestige ‘ apartment in Kensington, loads of free Maoams (yum), shopping, good food, and a photoshoot and that pretty much sums up that weekend. Pretty good.

April came along and I hit the big 21. Safe to say, that was the BEST BIRTHDAY EVER. It was the perfect weekend spent with family & friends from Edinburgh and Fraserburgh (my hometown). All the generations together, just loving life. At college, rehearsals started for our big End of Year Performance at the Festival Theatre in Edinburgh. This was a really big production that we prepared for over a couple of months. In that time, I found out about an audition opportunity as a dancer for the music video ‘Swagger Jagger’ by Cher Lloyd. (an ex-X Factor semi-finalist) I literally found out about it the night before the application deadline, and thought may as well give it a go. The description totally suited me = ‘Dancers interested in Street and Contemporary dance and prepared to bring their swag on set’ I was definitely prepared for that. I sent over my headshot with a brief description of myself, thinking that they probably wouldn’t even read it. Oh how I was so wrong. They offered me an audition later that month in London. WOOOOHOOOOOO!! :) :)

So.. I packed my bags and off I went down to London. Travelling solo in the big city. Got lost plenty of times but thankfully understood how to get around the Underground tubes. (Thanks to a previous short relationship with a Londoner – I believe purpose in everything, even if it may be only for me to understand the underground haha.) Anyway, I met some really cool people and it was safe to say it was the most fun audition I’ve ever experienced! I got a call back audition and the drill was pretty much the same. In a circle, each dancer one at a time had to work the crowd and freestyle. I travelled back home and now it was time for the waiting game….. a week goes by, still waiting…. Another…. (this process is the WORST by the way. Follows plenty sleepless nights and feeling sick.) … Then the email came. I most definitely had that feeling of ‘I want to open it’… but also ‘I’m scared to open it’. (I was also in the middle of a dance rehearsal and happened to be sneakily checking my phone) I opened and read it and…. AAAAHHHH!! I GOT THE JOB!!! I WAS GONNA BE IN A MUSIC VIDEO!!!  Safe to say that was one the most memorable moments of my life. From there, I travelled back down to London twice (First time the shoot was cancelled) got a perm ‘just for fun’ (what an idiot) and filmed the video. WOW WOW WOW. Coolest thing ever!!! So surreal! I felt like I was in a dream the whole time. Like it was a movie that I was watching, one of those you get really sucked into and come out of the cinema thinking you’re a secret agent or a muggle or something like that. It was a great time but life beckoned me back in Edinburgh.

The End of Year show for college went great and it was SUMMER! I jetted off to Las Vegas & Mexico with my parents for 3 weeks. Bliss. Whilst in Mexico I somehow managed to land myself a photoshoot on a Mexican beach for a Professional Photographer who does loads of work for a Mexican Glossy Magazine. Win. Back home I go, then straight back down to London for the Hillsong Conference. Phenomenal, life altering, and simply amazing. God is good. August brought Solution Camp. Again – phenomenal, life altering and simply amazing. I repeat, God is good. Very good. Summer 2011 was actually unbelievable. It was the perfect combination of everything I love. Friends, Family, God, Dance-offs, being a complete nutter and halloumi cheese.

September came along and brought with it the start of my third year dance training. I kicked off a dance team in Edinburgh at c7 Church (Where I call home) and everything was pretty sound. I recorded a song (yet to finish), and performed it live after my own acoustic version of Swagger Jagger, at a ‘Live Lounge’ event.

October – I landed a part as an extra in the upcoming movie ‘Under the Skin’, starring Scarlett Johansson. That was really cool, and the pay was not bad too, hehe.

My year ended with my college class finally getting a ‘Christmas’ show - yes, it wasn’t cancelled this time- and performing in A Christmas Spectacular hosted by c7 Church. It was the perfect start to Christmas and brought my performing for 2011 to a nice finish.

Now it’s 2012. I have 3 of my best friends getting married this year. (Woh!) and already got some exciting things lined up, including this blog J  and being a featured singer on a friend’s upcoming album. I am currently at this moment playing the waiting game about another job (cue sleepless nights and feeling sick) the details of which I cannot confirm at this moment :P . It is only the 3^rd of January and this year is already looking pretty sweet. I am very excited for what 2012 is going to bring and I wish everyone a happy New Year. Believing for blessing for you all.

Every cloud has a silver lining. Every tunnel has a light at the end. And every door shut allows another one to open.

Let the new chapter begin.

Lucy

xoxo