My Lost Interview With Serge Onik

I'm in shock and so heartbroken about this. I can't believe this. It doesn't feel real.

Dancer Serge Onik has passed away at age 33.

When is it Appropriate to Cheer During a Live Performance?

A few years ago I went with my friend Lauren and her family to see 'Jersey Boys' on Broadway. I blogged about this before.

One of the plot points was that Frankie Valli had written a song about his wife, but no one liked it to the point where it almost never existed. Finally the guy playing Valli began singing said song, and it turned out to be "Can't Take My Eyes Off of You". As soon as he breathed the initial line, the audience started cheering.

Lauren turned to me and whispered, "Why are they all cheering? They are supposed to be quiet." She was insinuating that because it was theater, us audience members were supposed to be quiet and respect the performance.

I usually agree. I'm against talking a great deal during a performance, of course, but I wanted to explain that people were reacting to one of the Four Seasons' greatest hits, thus it was appropriate.

I remembered that above story after something that came to my attention more recently.

This past summer SYTYCD produced its 14th season. In one of the episodes, four of the dancers (Kiki Nyemchek, Koine Iwasaki, Mark Villaver, and Taylor Sieve) performed a contemporary piece about diversity and standing up against hate, choreographed by Sean Cheesman.

It's a beautiful piece and obviously one that is much needed nowadays. They performed it to Maya Angelou's "Still I Rise," as recited by Alexis Henry. So therefore, they performed a dance not to music, but a poem. I was spellbound watching it, and I tried to envision how I would react to such a piece live. I felt that I would be so entranced by it, as if I was consumed by it as an experience, temporarily forgetting that it was a performance I was witnessing.

However, there is one problem I have with it.

People would NOT stop cheering.

I wanted to listen to the poem as it complemented their movements, but all of the audible reactions just reminded me that it was a routine executed by competing dancers with the audience applauding the impressive motions and positions that told the story. I found the cheers distracting and felt that they took away from the experience and the piece itself.

In fact, I felt so strongly about this that I made a comment on YouTube about it:

The screaming ruined this one. This piece is beautiful and is one of those art forms that just needs to be witnessed without interrupting cheering in the background.

And then I even took it upon myself to tweet my feelings:

The audience cheering is not necessary. This deserved to be just experienced for the art that it is. #SYTYCD https://t.co/pm7LGj39sg

— Stef Sears (@MissStefSears) September 17, 2017

However, this is where it gets interesting. A Twitter friend of mine and fellow SYTYCD fan Michelle Waxman, who was actually in the live studio audience for this performance, responded to my tweet with a different opinion. Our conversation is as follows:

Michelle:
I disagree. Especially being there in person. They tell you to cheer if you like something. See something so beautiful like this had the crowd go absolutely nuts. It was life changing.

Me:
I can see your point. :) For me I just find the cheering distracting from the piece. Cheering is appropriate depending on the dance. You do bring up a good point about being so moved and reacting as such. For me, watching it made me speechless, so a different reaction. This one feels like you need to quietly be immersed in it as an experience to get the full effect. I really like your counter though. :)

Lol you're kinda making me reconsider my argument now. Lol

Michelle:
Lol well just being there makes it so different than watching through a tv screen

Me:

See I would think being there would make you feel more entranced, hence not likely to cheer.

Michelle:

It's hard to explain!

I had a difficult time explaining my point as well. Even though I still stand by my own argument, I began to see Michelle's side. I personally believe that there is a time and place for such constant cheering, like a lively hip hop performance. However, people have the right to react to an art form that moves them in any way they like, just like that 'Jersey Boys' audience that one 2011 afternoon. And who knows? Maybe there will be moments when I may respond certain ways to certain things that move me as well. Plus, time and time again I often hear how audience reactions encourages the performing dancers. 

So what side do you take in this argument? Does appropriate cheering depend on what type of live performance it is, or does it not matter?

In fact, you know what? If any of you reading this plan on attending the tour this year and this routine is a part of the lineup, which I see it is based on a tour video I saw, tell me how you reacted to it live and why. :)

Let Me Tell You About THE TIME I MET TEDDY COFFEY! :D

IT HAPPENED, PEOPLE! IT HAPPENED! THIS EVENT ACTUALLY TOOK PLACE!!! :D

I can't believe that this actually finally happened!! :D

Okay so if you follow me on Twitter, you would know that I am a huge fan of the dancer Teddy Coffey. If not, you can kindly read this fun piece. :) 

Teddy and "So You Think You Can Dance" Season 10 alum Nico Greetham, along with other swell dancers, were in a dance performance this past weekend at Lincoln Center's David H. Koch Theater called "Pearl The Show", which celebrates the life of prize-winning writer Pearl S. Buck and how she is a connection between East and West cultures, China and America specifically. It tells her story in correlation to the Chinese poem ”Spring, River, Flower, Moon, Night”.

In an effort to support my favorite dancer while he was back on this east coast and because it is about a female writer, I decided to attend opening night on Thursday, August 27. My parents came along with me, as well as my Aunt Maria "Ea", whom we brought to celebrate her birthday. My aunt actually told me that this was the best birthday of her life. Beforehand we had dinner at P.J. Clarke's, which treated us very well. I recommend the Pickled Cabbage Burger. ;)

I correspond with Teddy and his family every so often so I told them that I was going to be there. His family was attending the same show that I was, so we hoped to meet each other, which we did! I saw his father Bob first and then scanned the rest of his group and recognized the other members, which included Teddy's mom Pam and of course his Aunt Cindy. I was like, "It's them!" so I ran over to them and tapped Bob's shoulder. They recognized me right away and embraced me with thrill and open arms and introduced me to Teddy's Uncle Greg and grandparents. We took some pictures, talked a bit, and resolved to meet up again after the show to hopefully see Teddy.

June Successes!

Looking back on it, June was a pretty busy, successful month for me. I love that! :D

So, here's what I've been up to.

Recently I made the career decision to just stick to my writing and if I found any other job opportunity, I would look into it. The idea was to not stress myself out anymore looking for jobs in other areas but rather go with my gut for what I truly love and studied in school, which is writing and journalism. I am learning to be more aggressive and hands on when I see career opportunities and search for them. I've been happier keeping busy in this way trying to stay focused.

All month I've been mulling over in my mind what should be my June blog post. I didn't write one of my blog essays (although I am brainstoming them still), so I will take this chance to talk to you about "Stef's VIEWS, reVIEWS, and interVIEWS", my professional blog that I created and published at the beginning of this month.

Like "Taking it One 'Stef' at a Time", "Stef's VIEWS" is run entirely by me. The only difference is that unlike "Taking", I intend to run "Stef's VIEWS" as a business, an additional market for my writing. The idea is to interview people and cover events to feature on my site for monetary compensation. I'm not sure how well this is going to work, but I'm willing to try it. So if you're an artist, writer, performer, etc., or have a local event and you would like me to write your story, please reach out to me! I would love to write about you! :D Let's see how this goes!

I actually already published an article on there. Here is my interview with "So You Think You Can Dance" Season 11 competitor Serge Onik.

I've come to realize that a handful of the dancers from Season 11, particularly Carly Blaney, Teddy Coffey, Emily James, and now Serge Onik, have helped me professionally in their own ways so I am so eternally grateful to them for that!

This month I actually interviewed a TV and film actor for another magazine. That was a great interview and I'm excited for the story to come out. :D Also, just yesterday I was hired as a freelancer by yet another magazine company and I am wrapping up a book project with another client!

Another reason for my newfound happiness is following the "Dancing with the Stars" Live Tour, especially their opening show in Atlantic City and their two-night show a few days later at the Mayo Performing Arts Center in Morristown, New Jersey, one of my favorite NJ theaters. :) I was VERY excited those two days! I was actually somewhat hoping to interview Alan Bersten and maybe some of the other tour dancers for "Stef's VIEWS" while they were here because I have been wanting to interview Alan for awhile now, but that didn't come to pass.

I keep hearing from EVERYWHERE that I should write down my goals, which is supposed to make my goals clearer and me more focused to accomplish said clearer goals. I have done this, to an extent, but this is something I am yet to do more intensely, which is odd considering I am a writer and like making lists. I have been planning some other future endeavors as well, such as with my vlogging and maybe even my creative writing, so stay tuned!

I'm also getting into volunteering lately. On June 7 I volunteered for Brides Against Breast Cancer in Weehawkin, New Jersey. My vlog for that is coming soon, so look out for it! :) I've kept it under wraps because I was working on other things, but it was one of my June projects!

I'd say that things aren't at their very best for me yet, but they're looking up. Here's to more productivity!

Also, Happy Fourth of July/Independence Day, everyone! :D 🇺🇸

10 Years and 20 Seasons Later - How I Learned to Finally Appreciate "Dancing with the Stars"

The 20th season of "Dancing with Stars" came to end on May 19, 2015 (Teddy's birthday!) with #TeamValenRue, Rumer Willis and Valentin Chmerkovskiy, as the Mirror Ball Trophy victors. #TeamRallison, Riker Lynch and Allison Holker, came in second place and #TeamShway, Noah Galloway and Sharna Burgess, came in third.

ABC

This was the first time I watched a whole season of DWTS from beginning to end, dedicated to it and making a point to tune in each week, so now I want to write about it. :) These are my reflections. I have a lot to say, so hang in there.

Great News, SYTYCD Fans!!! :D

I HAD to blog about this one!

You probably know by now, if you are a SYTYCD fan already, that it was revealed on Monday night, November 17, that FOX RENEWED "SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE" FOR SEASON 12!!!!!!

AAAAHHHHHHH!!!!

What's so great about this is that we were all so concerned about it throughout Season 11 and FOX actually heard our pleas and took them into consideration (as well as some other business financial agreements I'm sure). We banded together and got this amazing result! Once again, thank you so much to everyone for making this possible!

I also love that my writing, my thing, my Open Letter to FOX, probably contributed to this as well.

I was actually at a diner having dinner with my family when I first found out. (I know. SO Jersey, right??) We were sitting in a booth and there was a TV in front of us and News 12 New Jersey was on. My dad cried, "Stef!" and pointed at the screen. I looked up. There on the bottom it said "FOX Renews 'So You Think You Can Dance' for Season 12." I immediately couldn't continue eating I was so happy and excited, although I had to see it show up again to make sure I read it correctly. I even got teary-eyed, feeling relief. I couldn't wait to get home and celebrate with fellow fans. I also really love that News 12 New Jersey considered this important enough to put on their news feed.

For my initial social media reaction as well as many others, check us out on Twitter. It's a love fest of rejoicing and thrill. Truly beautiful. Here are the dancers from Season 11 on tour celebrating the news. I hate to think about what Twitter would look like if they had cancelled it.

“SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE is a rare jewel," says Simon Andreae, the Executive Vice President of FOX. I love that the show is acknowledged in such a way and that the art of dance is important to the company.

However, there IS a catch. For some. Season 12 will be having a whole new format. Instead of the dance genre competitors being random, they will be split into two teams: Team Stage (contemporary, ballet, jazz, tap, etc.) and Team Street (hip hop, animation, breaking, etc.)

This new format has been getting mixed reviews so far. People are already complaining about it, saying that they shouldn't put the two styles against each other and that the original format was better and this is an unnecessary change.

However, I think it's awesome! First of all, it appears that the show was hanging by a thread so we should be grateful that it is even returning. Second, we still are going to have a Top 20, with perhaps more variety, though I'm not entirely sure how they are going to pair them off or if they are. And third, it's a different concept to look forward to. I think we should give it a chance to see how it goes before we totally trash it. If it doesn't work, then they should decide whether or not they need to shelve it and think of something else to try.

This isn't the first time the show has had an odd format. Season 7 was weird because that one didn't have a Top 20 with contestant partnerships because it was the first season to introduce the All-Stars concept. People disliked that at first too but after awhile seemed to have warmed up to it, happy to see their favorite dancers return to the SYTYCD stage. This season went down in history as one of my favorite seasons because of ROBERT ROLDAN.

As time went on, the combination between the Top 20 pairings and the Top 10 eventually dancing with the All-Stars seemed to go over well, so perhaps this new concept mixed with some of the old will do the trick. I don't picture it being overly different as some seem to be taking it.

All in all, it is SO wonderful that "So You Think You Can Dance" is still around to enjoy and I look forward to Season 12! We did it!! :D

You know, the cancellation of "Here Comes Honey Boo Boo" and the renewal of "So You Think You Can Dance" has REALLY helped renew my faith in humanity. Seriously.

Relive some of the show's best routines here.

Let's Talk About Some Awesome Broadway Happenings!

Let's talk about some theater shows that opened on Broadway this October that I am particularly excited about.

For this I am going to go by some Tony categories.

The Musical Revival: On the Town
Theater: Lyric Theatre
First Preview: September 20, 2014
Opening Night: October 16, 2014

First of all, let's get the "So You Think You Can Dance" connection to it out of the way.

It always comes back to that, doesn't it?

Ricky Ubeda, SYTYCD Season 11 winner

SYTYCD was how I first heard about the revival. Contemporary dancer Ricky Ubeda won the Season 11 competition, so therefore part of his award is landing a role in the ensemble. I originally thought that he would get a lead role, but oh well.

Part of the reason why I was rooting for hip hop and tap dancer Teddy Coffey is because of his musical theater background and singing talent, making him perfect for this, therefore a reasonable victor. Plus he wouldn't be too far from me lol. After he was eliminated I was rooting for tap dancer Zack Everhart, because who wouldn't want to see that guy in a musical? However, Ricky proves his worth and appreciation so I am glad that he won. I hope to see him in the show!

I'm excited about it because I first saw it at the Paper Mill Playhouse and even wrote about it for this blog! (Well, actually, I originally wrote it for The Montclarion, but because they didn't run it, I posted it here.)

The story follows sailors, mainly Ozzie, Chip, and Gabey, enjoying a 24-hour leave sightseeing and falling in love in New York before they embark on their military duties. It's a heartwarming musical about living in the moment and I am glad it is back.

Bonus: I just found out that SYTYCD Season 8 alum and former "Newsies" cast member Jess LeProtto of Little Falls, New Jersey is also in it.

Here is the Top 20 group number SYTYCD Season 11 did in honor of the musical. This was how I first learned about the revival and the award, as well as social media. Joshua Bergasse, the choreographer for the revival, choreographed this routine as well.:

Honorable Mention for Musical Revival: Side Show
Theater: St. James Theatre
First Preview: October 28, 2014
Opening Night: November 17, 2014

The Department of Theatre and Dance at Montclair State University actually presented this musical about two conjoined twins Daisy and Violet Hilton working at a freak show at the Alexander Kasser Theater a few years ago. It was one of the few shows I didn't see there, but I fell in love with the music when I watched YouTube videos of it. This is another chance for me to see it live. Like "On the Town", I am happy to see its return. :)

In fact, the MSU version of "Side Show" had its own installment in my "Peak Performances and their Awkward Sexual Moments" series, if you remember. Unfortunately, the videos I mentioned have since been taken down, as you can see in the blog post.

The New Play: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Theater: Ethel Barrymore Theatre
First Preview: September 10, 2014
Opening Night: October 5, 2014

This play is based on the novel of the same name. I had to read the book for a summer reading assignment back in high school and when September rolled around we had group discussions about it.

This production looks just as artistically pleasing as the novel is. From what I remember, the book follows the adventures of and is narrated by an autistic kid named Christopher Boone investigating the murder of a dog and his interactions with people. There are actually illustrations throughout the book to showcase the kid's mind patterns, so that was a pleasant, welcome change to what I normally read for school. I expect the live play to be no less intricate.

It's not a favorite book of mine, but it is different and I like that another book that I have read now has a Broadway play counterpart of its own, considering that I missed out on James Franco's Broadway debut in "Of Mice and Men" this past summer.

The New Musical: The Last Ship
Theater: Neil Simon Theatre
First Preview: September 29, 2014
Opening Night: October 26, 2014

Finally, my favorite one on this list and the inspiration for this blog post.

This one I am particularly excited about because I see this every time I try to watch a YouTube video, and unlike other ads that just annoy me until the five seconds are up, I actually enjoy this one and normally let it play to its full course.

Composed by Sting, it follows the tale of Gideon Fletcher who works at the England town's shipyard but wants more out of life. The plot involves saving the shipyard and lost love.

Normally I wouldn't find sailing that entertaining nor am I a huge Sting fan, but something about this musical is drawing me to it. I'm excited about this one because it has a different vibe that I can't put to words. Perhaps it's that it doesn't incorporate the traditional cuteness most musical love stories often give off. I mean, it's about a shipyard. We never see musicals about that.

Plus, it seems to have strong female characters, and I always appreciate that.

That's Rachel Tucker making her Broadway debut as Meg Dawson, Gideon's jilted love. And she's clearly upset.

This is such a great scene from the unique choreography to the girl power sarcasm. I love Tucker in this because she has a deep, raspy voice in her singing that doesn't really match the high-pitched voices most musical leading ladies have. I think it might be her Irish brogue. When I first watched this, I was shocked to hear how deep and raspy her voice is. I didn't expect it.

Idina Menzel is another Broadway woman that does this I guess, but a lot of people can't really sing and belt like her and may find it difficult to sing the songs that are tailored for her. I myself do try my hand at Menzel's work at times and think I can pull it off okay, but I'm not very vocally trained.

I feel that Tucker and this song opens more opportunities for women who can't hit those certain high notes, like myself. I think that I'd feel pretty confident singing this song as opposed to others. So thanks, Sting!

Apparently a Sting musical has been in rumors for awhile now, but watching YouTube videos lately is the first I am hearing about it. That is some GREAT advertising!

Now if I can only get enough money to see all of these. :P

An Open Letter to FOX about "So You Think You Can Dance"

Dear FOX (and any other TV station),

My name is Stefanie Sears. I am a professional freelance arts and entertainment writer from and residing in New Jersey. I am an avid fan of "So You Think You Can Dance" ("SYTYCD"), the American version, and it has been my favorite show since I began watching it back in 2007. Thank you for the show's very successful eleven seasons thus far. It has brought so much joy to my life and to the lives of others.

However, it has come to my attention that the show's fate weighs in the balance, so please allow me to express why it deserves to continue to have a spot in your summer prime time lineup.

Met Season 9 winner Chehon Wespi-Tschopp
at his Che Force Dance! The Convention Tour

1) "So You Think You Can Dance" helps some dancers' careers by focusing on them.

As an artist myself, a writer and a performing arts writer at that, I completely understand the struggle young artists endure to find good paying work for their abilities. It absolutely infuriates me to see no-talented folk constantly getting attention and big bucks for doing nothing worthwhile while young passionate artists who actually care and have talent are grabbing at peanuts.

For SYTYCD in particular, not only are dance and dancers showcased, they are SPOTLIGHTED. They are not background dancers like in most other shows; they are front and center. The first time we really saw this was when "A Chorus Line", known as the "dancers' musical," premiered on Broadway in 1975.

Let's continue to see this.

The dancers then go onto bigger things because the show has made them recognizable and I enjoy watching their careers progress. Contestants nowadays have been viewers who in the past have aspired to get on the show and end up achieving just that. Taking the show away takes away more career opportunity chances from more dancers.

In addition, the show gives the choreographers a chance to create and the acknowledgement they deserve.

2) "So You Think You Can Dance" introduces an art form that is rarely explored on TV (but the trend has been getting more popular).

In the television industry, singing competition game shows dominate, so it is great to see another art form, dance, highlighted in this way. Another show that comes to mind that does this and airs on general television is "Dancing with the Stars" ("DWTS"), a show that actually incorporates some SYTYCD alum. The difference between SYTYCD and DWTS is that DWTS focuses mainly on ballroom dancing whereas SYTYCD is more varied, though DWTS seems to have been expanding its horizons. Another difference is that although DWTS gives celebrities an opportunity to dance, SYTYCD is a way for young dancers to break out into the dance field.

A part of me wishes that "So You Think You Can Dance" wasn't a competition game show but rather just a dance variety show, but the show is what it is and does what it does.

Not only is it entertainment, it is educational, something that a lot of TV shows nowadays lack. Unlike what happens with "American Idol," SYTYCD's singing sister show that has been on the air even longer, the general consistency of the judges on SYTYCD is also a plus. I've often noticed that veteran judges Nigel Lythgoe and Mary Murphy and host Cat Deeley always really seem to love their jobs.

3)  "So You Think You Can Dance" is often up for an Emmy.

This year it is up for SEVEN (and even won some!). Not only is this an honor for the show itself, it is an honor for your station as well.

Season 11's Top 18 performs a chess themed hip hop group number
(My current desktop wallpaper)

4) "So You Think You Can Dance" created "National Dance Day".

Technically, SYTYCD's executive producer Nigel Lythgoe and his Dizzy Feet Foundation created the dance holiday, but SYTYCD is how a lot of participants have heard about it and the Dizzy Feet Foundation, which was "founded to support, improve, and increase dance education in the United States." It is wonderful to share such a great day celebrating dance with a TV show that promotes it. We share this happiness together and it is one of my favorite days of the year.

5) The "So You Think You Can Dance" Tours are the best experiences.

The SYTYCD Tours have been some of the best nights of my life. I've attended the tours for seasons 4, 7, and 10. Seeing the dancers you have admired onscreen now live, up close, and personal is always such an amazing experience.

Getting to meet them and chat for a little while is even better.

Meeting Stephen "Twitch" Boss at my first SYTYCD tour with friends Lauren and Cara
SYTYCD Tour 2008

Season 7's Robert Roldan from SYTYCD Tour 2010
(I've treasured this picture for years)

Season 10 from SYTYCD Tour 2013

6) "So You Think You Can Dance" helps people make friends.

Everybody seems to have their own fandom. This one happens to be mine. We've all heard of fans who have bonded over "Doctor Who", "Breaking Bad", and "Game of Thrones", to name a few, but I ended up connecting with fellow fans across the states and the globe because of THIS show. It is great to bond with people in this way, and I ended up bonding with two groups. One is the #SOTTMP (the acronym for which is an inside joke) and the other is the #SYTYCDFanFamily. I am grateful to have met them all through this show and share memories with them.

Not only are the fans a family unit, those involved with the show are a family unit as well. Together we invest in these dancers and hope the best for them.

7) "So You Think You Can Dance" is a source of happiness.

For some people, SYTYCD may be their only source of happiness in an otherwise struggling world. I myself can attest to this to an extent.

In a world full of bad news constantly taking place and corroding our newsfeeds and airwaves, or just being a post-graduate looking for good paying work and feeling frustrated at times, watching the show and interviews with the dancers instantly makes me feel better and takes my mind off of things. The words of wisdom from the dancers inspire me and their quirky personalities make me laugh.

But although dance is something to enjoy in times of sorrow, it could also be used to raise awareness and release emotion about the negatives in the world. This is something we all need.

The show itself is something for us all to come together and look forward to every week and especially every summer. We look forward to meeting new dancers and routines. Once a season (and even its following tour) ends, we end up feeling withdrawal. No other show gets the same reaction or comes up to it, at least for me.

There could be other reasons that other people and myself could add to this, but I believe my point still stands that "So You Think You Can Dance" is one worthwhile television program.

https://twitter.com/dizzyfeet/status/491251876017352704

Of course, ratings are an issue, as well as money, and all good shows must come to an end at some point, but "So You Think You Can Dance" has not yet reached that point. The show is unique when compared to other shows that are currently airing (some of which that have overstayed their welcome) and I can assure you that people do indeed tune in and appreciate what it has to offer. The show has its fans. There are also those who watch the show online or on their DVRs, so this could account for the low ratings in real time.

Ever need further proof? Check out what people have to say on Facebook and Twitter. You say yourself in the snippet to the left that you love the show, so it shouldn't be an issue for you to keep it alive.

SYTYCD helps people through their struggles and brings them joy. It deserves to continue that legacy.

Thank you for taking the time to read this letter. It is much appreciated if you were to please take your audience's requests and pleas into consideration.

Sincerely,

Stefanie Sears

New Professional Website Launch!

So other than endorsing Teddy Coffey, Carly Blaney, Serge Onik, and eventually Emily James on "So You Think You Can Dance" (ALL of whom were eliminated last night! >:|), I have been busy with job searching and other moves to further my career. I haven't really been inspired to writing a "Taking it One 'Stef' at a Time" style blog post, though I am interested in and brainstorming one about Teddy.

So, like I said, I don't like any month going by without a blog post, so here is July's post! Yay!

For the longest time I have been using this blog as my website, but I decided to jump in and actually finally create a website for myself after dabbling in it in the past but never being satisfied. I have been working on my professional website since March. The plan was to take a month to work on it and launch it in April but I got cold feet and kept tweaking it until I finally did publish it in late June. It might still need some decorating, but it looks nice right now. I'm actually hoping to do a photo shoot with my friend Andy at some point to get some professional head shots.

I've also been wondering if I should use different social media accounts just for my professional side. They have been created, but for right now I am just using the social media I have always been using. They seem to be working out thus far. I will let you know if anything changes.

So, here is my website! :)

Also, don't worry, "Taking it One 'Stef' at a Time" will still be here for my personal musings. ;)

Let's see how this works out!

Robert Roldan, Don't Ever Wipe That Smile Off Your Face

One my favorite Robert head shots :)

One night in Newark, NJ, on October 17, 2010, I met the love of my life and future husband. His name is Robert Roldan, and he was the third runner-up on Season 7's "So You Think You Can Dance".

LOL JK! Though I did indeed meet him, it will probably just remain an infatuation. I believe he has a girlfriend and I am happy for him that he has such a positive lady figure in his life. :)

Here is why I am talking about him now. First of all, "Taking it One 'Stef' at a Time" didn't exist back then for me to talk about it, but just recently he made "SYTYCD" history, which made me invested in him all over again.

Back in June 2012, Robert got into a serious accident and almost died from it. He told us fans about it through Facebook. Here is what he wrote.

When I first read this I told my friend Lauren, who actually met him with me, about it. We both were concerned but more so grateful that he survived. I knew he had some recovering to do and that he would bounce back, but I never really understood the effects of his injury until recently.

On "SYTYCD" August 13, Robert made a sensational comeback to the show as an All-Star and danced with contestant Tucker Knox. It didn't really dawn on me at first, but this was the first time he was on the show again since his accident. What's amazing about this is that he accomplished what he said he would in his message. There are people that are not able to overcome an accident and resume doing what they love, even in such a short time, so the fact that he did is triumphant on its own.

This is the first time a lot of people saw him again after his ordeal and the dance, choreographed by Travis Wall, was pretty much dedicated to his experience, so therefore it was an emotional segment.

You can tell that he's been through a lot. His body isn't as broad as it once was (but has been growing) and he is more solemn, that's to be expected, but he still has his dancing talents and determination, and he's living his life to the fullest perhaps even more so now than before. But one thing is seriously bothering me about this...

He seems to have lost his smile, both physically and figuratively.

I'm not the only one who has noticed this, for I have seen comments written by other people seeing this as well. I actually kind of hate the fact that other people notice it because I normally notice stuff like that and others don't. The fact that others notice shows that the accident is a lot more obvious. When you look him up, his accident is the first topic that shows up, as if he is defined by it now and this is how he is remembered. He even refers to his accident as the day everything changed.

If you watched him on the show before, you would know that he was a total goofball and everybody knew that about him. During his season he even introduced himself as someone who always has a smile on his face. But since his accident, he seems to have done a total 180 and I'm concerned that he won't get back to the way he used to be. The right side of his face has been altered, suggesting that it was involved in the accident significantly and needed reconstructive surgery, so therefore his structure is now slightly different. Ever since this performance I've noticed that he hides that part of his face away from the camera in recent photos and videos. Either that or he's just not in as many. I think he might be self-conscious of his jaw, right eye, and the right side of his face in general. What scares me is what if he lost teeth in the accident? What if his face is permanently paralyzed on that side and he is physically unable to smile huge and make silly faces even if he wanted to? Every time I look at him now, whether it is an older or newer shot, I focus on that side of his face.

The old Robert often smiled widely and never shied away. His face was always full of expression and beautiful, his smile symmetrical with perfect teeth. Now he's more reserved with small (side) grins if anything.

Now granted his dance with Tucker isn't exactly the most jovial of routines, so I don't expect him to be all happy go lucky here. But even when he was on the show in the past dancing to serious numbers, he still seemed rather cheerful even though he understood the seriousness of the piece. He is still capable of being serious and pulling it together despite his silly personality. But I do understand that his solemnity is warranted because this routine in particular hits very close to home.

I often feel like, why did it have to happen to HIM? Why did this have to happen to the one guy on the show who was constantly laughing and smiling? I wish I could turn the clock back to before this happened.

I feel foolish because I know that it definitely could've been worse. I should be grateful that he is still alive, able to dance, etc., and I am, because if anything else happened instead the situation would've been way worse, but here I am crying about his smile. It breaks my heart to see him this way though because I feel like even though his life, abilities, and health survived the accident, his personality, his essence, I feel was lost in it. And this was part of what made me really admire him and now it's gone and we don't know if he will ever get back to the way he was.

Ever since his return to "SYTYCD" aired, I've been crying about this on and off, obsessed with the idea of him smiling again. I feel kind of embarrassed to admit this because I feel like I am crying about something that is minor. My inner feminist is also annoyed with myself because I am crying about a boy (a boy that doesn't know me, a boy with a girlfriend), something I always vow to never do but manage to do anyway. :P

This past summer was pretty rough for me. I graduated college and was struggling to find decent writing work, getting frustrated with myself and others. I also had issues with my weight gain, which didn't help matters. I could just be melodramatic, but this kind of stuff happening to me made me think negatively about how worthwhile my life is. I tried to keep myself busy tweeting about my summer TV shows and writing my screenplay, and even another play that I wrote in three days. But I still wallowed in self-ridicule because even though I was writing in my field, I still wasn't getting income. Then I saw Robert in this way and it basically topped off my already emotional summer.

But on the flip side, ever since I saw this episode with Robert I began to think about my own life more favorably. When I get angry about my life and think badly about myself, his face automatically jumps into my mind. This guy almost died and yet he's achieving accomplishments despite injury, so it made me reevaluate to appreciate my own life more. As he says in the video, "A second chance is like, the biggest gift."

He managed to go from being my crush to being one of my heroes. I'm crying again as I write this, lol.

I didn't realize what an impact Robert and his smile made on me. I just thought that as time went on since the show he lived his life and I lived mine, and that I enjoyed seeing his career progress updates.

So Robert, I don't know if you will ever read this, but if you do, please don't ever wipe that smile off of your face. It impacts too many people, myself included. Please don't be ashamed of your "battle scars" because you're beautiful inside and out and we all love you. Please try to get your old self back, because he's well missed. I'm proud of what you have accomplished thus far since your season and since your accident. I'm proud of you as well for gradually showing your full face to the camera again. DON'T STOP! KEEP GOING! :)

Since Robert's situation has been making me emotional, I didn't know how to shake these feelings and couldn't stop thinking about it. I went on a Robert photo and video spree, which made me feel happier to see again, yet sadder at the same time remembering what once was. I kept thinking about not only his face, but how traumatized, sad, and serious he appears since his accident. I feel bad for the guy for what he had to endure. I even talked to my friends about it, but it wasn't giving me the release I was looking for. They told me that he's fine, his dancing is all the recovery he needs, perhaps the accident matured him and gave him a newer perspective. These are good points, but a part of me disagrees and thinks that he isn't altogether fine and still needs to feel better in order to smile and act himself more again. It's like he's holding back. I'm actually hoping that one day his face will go back to normal, the way it was before the accident, but I realize that there is a good chance that won't happen.

I decided that the only way that I could finally unload all of my feelings was through my writing, so that's why I wrote this piece, which explains the lengthiness of it. There is more that I could've added to this, but I didn't want to bulk it up too much, so I decided to create a brand new "Taking it One 'Stef' at a Time" series dedicated to Robert called "Roberto Roldano Reminiscing". :) "Roberto Roldano" was a name he dubbed himself back during his own season when he danced the Argentine Tango with All-Star Anya Garnis, and I like the alliteration of the title.

This will be a cute small series that I will post every so often (maybe once a month) so I don't have to bombard you with my Robert fandom lol. It will be therapy for me out of support for him. :)

As time went on since I wrote this, I began to recover from my concern and sadness about it and not really cry as much about it. He began to not look that drastically different to me (I think I am getting used to it like he seems to have) and like I said, he seems happy and is enjoying his life, his personality getting more and more intact. He appears to be doing better. Earlier in September on the show, Robert returned as an All-Star once again and danced with finalist and eventual Season 10 female winner Amy Yakima. I was looking forward to seeing him dance again all week when I heard about it, but I was also concerned about it making me emotional all over again. 

Thankfully, in this episode Robert definitely looked more relaxed and happy. More himself. I feel like it's because he was already on the show since his accident and got his initial return from a long hiatus out of the way. It's normal for him to come back now and he's back in the groove of things. Plus, the routine this time didn't hit too close to home for him to have an emotional reaction. And then he posted this picture of himself on Instagram. It made me SOOO HAPPY and I shed happy tears. Even other people commented on the return of his smile, establishing again that people have noticed the change. This is the first Robert Roldan-like picture he had posted in a while, and it made my night. Since then he and others have been posting other fun photos of him and his progression makes me giddy every time. This shows that he is slowly but surely returning back to his old self! :D

And! And. He danced like THIS in the season finale, thus proving to me that his body is still capable of being quirky. Up until this point I thought that maybe his body was still in recovery and weaker so he couldn't move like this. NOT ANYMORE. There are also Instagram videos of him dancing to the NappyTabs "Run the World (Girls)" routine. HE'S BACK! :D (Gradually.)

I seriously think that his return to "So You Think You Can Dance" has helped all of this. 

And by the way, I have been getting more paying writing work lately. It's as if since he somewhat came back into my life and has been growing I've grown as well. :D 

Perhaps this accident propelled him, and he in turn propelled me, into the next successful stage of our lives. I also attribute some of his new lack of goofiness to his maturity with age.

All in all, at the end of the day, he could've passed away and been gone forever, and that would've been devastating. I am thrilled that he is still with us here on Earth and continues to grace us with his beautiful dancing presence. God is certainly not finished with him and definitely has more planned for him.

Yet Another Version of The Nutcracker...

I just found out tonight that "So You Think You Can Dance" judge Adam Shankman will be directing a gothic version of The Nutcracker that will be released in 2013. See? This is exactly what I was talking about when I wrote my other piece about this very idea!

I'm sure that all of these different versions are interesting and it's nice to see different perspectives and versions of the same story. It shows creativity, enriching The Nutcracker so that it never dies out and is always a new experience. A part of me wants to see this movie when it comes out and I am interested in seeing what is done with it. But still, I have my opinions and reservations on the matter. I just find this ironic considering I just posted a full essay about the subject so I just had to post it here. It's also ironic that a man involved with one of my favorite TV shows is directing it. Click here to learn more about Shankman's film.

A Good Twist and Variation...or a Rip-off of a Classic Ballet? A Look at Changes in The Nutcracker

So I guess my question is, does change to an original classic piece ruin it, or enhance it?

Now that it is December and we are in the Christmas season, now is a good time to write about this. Last month I discovered a trailer for a 2010 3D film version of the classic Christmas ballet, The Nutcracker. Check it out:

Here's the thing. I grew up with The Nutcracker. My family and I would try to go see it every year. It is one of my fondest childhood holiday memories and actually might be the first theatrical show I had ever seen in my life, so this show is a big deal because it triggered my interest in theater. I remember the dancing, the costumes, the scenery, etc. I am attached to it.

Before I go on, allow me to provide you with the basic premise of The Nutcracker with this simple video. You'll probably need this information to understand what I am talking about. Something I forgot to include in this clip is that the "Land of Sweets" is also referred to as the "Land of the Sugar Plums." This is actually the title I grew up with. No two versions of the actual ballet are the same, but they all seem to follow a basic structure.

This 2010 movie isn't the only version of The Nutcracker that exists. There are plenty of other versions as well. Even Barbie had her own version in 2001, which doesn't really follow the set up of the original ballet in any way. What I am wondering is, do these many different versions enhance The Nutcracker and continue and perhaps strengthen the tradition it brings to the holiday season by making changes and adding different flairs to it, or do these flairs make The Nutcracker out to be a watered down joke and not as much of a classic as it once was? Should it just be left alone in its original state, should it be altered for creative purposes, or does it make any difference?

I guess you can argue that there are plenty of remakes of anything. Movies have been remade, songs have been remade, so this shouldn't be an issue. However, that doesn't mean that these remakes are necessarily good. My argument is that this is a ballet with classical music composed by Pyotr Tchaikovsky we are talking about. A lot of times it seems like dance isn't as showcased or appreciated as it should be in today's world. Today, in popular culture, dance is people in the background bouncing around in little clothing. There's not much of a focus on the art behind it. A reason why I like "So You Think You Can Dance" is because that show tries to rekindle passion in regards to dance. I think that might be why I don't take too kindly to other versions of The Nutcracker. There are too many different storylines and not enough focus on dance! It's odd that I would be saying this because in a majority of my other blog posts I discuss on how to improve storylines. In this one, however, I recognize how in The Nutcracker, dance is more of the focus rather than the actual story.

This has gotten me to thinking about why the Mouse King, the ballet's villain, is so evil. So many of these different versions always try to come up with explanations as to why he tries to take the Prince's (whom he turns into a nutcracker) kingdom away from him. In fact, it seems to be a reason why these versions are even created. They find something missing from the ballet and decide to use their own imaginations to fill that void. I can relate to this because it sounds like something I would do with my own writing and I appreciate creativity. But does it really matter? When I was a kid watching it, it never really occurred to me why the Mouse King was the bad guy, and the lack of reasons didn't alter my enjoyment of the ballet in any way. The battle sequence between the toys and the mice was actually my favorite part that I looked forward to it each time I saw it. I still love that part to this day. I think here and there I may have wondered what his motives are, but I never really sat down and truly thought about it. 

What annoys me about the 2010 movie is how the Mouse King doesn't even look like a mouse! He looks more like a Dr. Seuss character in a live action film. Growing up I remember the Mouse King having multiple heads and looking like a rodent, considering he is a MOUSE King. Also, he actually scared the crap out of me at times. Recently, the Mouse Kings don't look as frightening. At one point in the trailer the Mouse King randomly hisses...or growls...or whatever you want to call that. Is this supposed to add some scariness to his character? Well, it doesn't succeed. The growl seems to be just another ploy added to a trailer to add some exciting shock value. Randomly hissing out of nowhere does not add the same level of intensity the original Mouse Kings have.

Another thing that bugs me a bit about the numerous versions of The Nutcracker is the constant debate of the main little girl's first name. I grew up thinking that her name is "Clara," but then I find versions of her named "Marie," and finally, in this 3D film, apparently her name is "Mary." Just choose a name! Why does this kid have so many first names? Perhaps it has to do with cultural versions of it, and I don't hate the name "Marie" for her, but I just find it odd how a main character doesn't have an official first name. I also found out that the uncle who gives the little girl the Nutcracker is called Uncle Albert in the 3D version. Uncle Albert? The original guy's name is Uncle Drosselmeyer! What they're pretty much doing is Americanizing German characters. Yes, this is supposed to be a German story in a German setting. There's no need for that. American audiences can still enjoy a flick even though the characters' names are a little bit cultural. Oh! And the Mouse King is actually called the "Rat King." Wow, they are seriously going out of their way to make this guy bad, aren't they? Um, did the word "rat" just sound more evil to the writers? Hey, at least the Barbie version got a majority the names right! However, they do make her Uncle Drosselmeyer her Aunt Drosselmeyer...

From what I hear, the 3D film didn't do too well. This does not come as a surprise, people.

But another thing I often wonder is if Clara (I'm calling her Clara. I refuse to call her anything else.) and the Nutcracker Prince fall in love. Obviously they probably aren't going to touch on this in the 3D film because they have children playing the characters, but it is suggested in the ballet itself sometimes, because it did cross my mind as a kid. But it is made obvious in the Barbie version.

I'm noticing that part of the magic of The Nutcracker is making a majority of the story up for interpretation. As long as the audience knows the gist of the story and what is going on, the minor details aren't much of a bother. However, the Barbie version doesn't leave anything up for interpretation. I actually enjoy the Barbie version and own my own VHS copy of it (It's also on YouTube if you want to check it out.), but it's just not traditional! I mean, one of my biggest problems with the Barbie version is that the dances are all mushed together at the end when the Mouse King is defeated, a feat that also takes place at the very end. Dances and music that should be during the Christmas party scene or any other scene in the actual ballet take place sporadically throughout the movie out of context. Scenes like these prove that it does not follow the original structure of The Nutcracker at all. The rest of the film is dedicated to the storyline of them traveling the mystical land, developing the love story, and other additional ideas that aren't in the original ballet. It may be a good creative story, but it is not necessarily The Nutcracker.

E. T. A. Hoffmann wrote the novel, The Nutcracker and the Mouse King, on which the ballet is based. Only Hoffmann knows the real deal. So I guess there could've been arguments back then about remaking a book into a ballet as well. I don't mind if movies remake ballets, as long as they do it right. 

Okay, so I just ranted a lot and gave plenty of points, so let me try to answer my original question: Do changes to The Nutcracker ruin it or make it better? It definitely depends on the individual. I don't see how any altered version can surpass the original ballet, but that's not to say that it is a horrible movie in itself. It also depend on your age. If a child watches a newer more enhanced version of The Nutcracker, with no previous knowledge of the original ballet, he or she may think it is the most epic piece of work ever. Maybe this whole time I am comparing film versions to the stage ballets. We all know that film and stage are two entirely different mediums so that isn't entirely fair. More can be done with fun so filmmakers take advantage of the technology to use their imaginations.

The changes I noticed have a lot to do with audience and popular culture. In the 2010 version, it seems that they incorporate modern forms of technology, such as what is used in the story itself and the fact that this is the first 3D version of The Nutcracker from what I see. I'm also thinking that because these film versions seem to be gearing towards children, they include storyline and slapstick to keep them interested. However, as a person who was a fan of the ballet as a child without anything additional, everything about it kept me entertained except for one scene, and that is the final dance, the Pas de Deux, between the Prince and the Sugar Plum Fairy. It is beautifully danced and the music is just as beautiful, but boy is it boring. To me, it is the longest routine in the whole ballet. Well, at least it feels that way. The other dances can drag on a bit as well, so maybe the time that was once dedicated to the routines is now dedicated to storylines to once again keep children interested.

I think what is best is taking it as a piece standing on its own, rather than comparing it to the original ballet. Though that can be hard to do considering the similarities they have, it should be fine to watch and considered Christmas enjoyment just like the original piece.

Celebrating National Dance Day July 2011!

Last year my favorite TV show, FOX's "So You Think You Can Dance," (SYTYCD) invented a special day dedicated to dance called "National Dance Day," which now takes place the last Saturday of every July. I didn't do much for the very first one, so this year I really wanted to celebrate with my friends.

l-r: Janis, Cara, Me, Lauren

My friends Lauren, Janis, Cara, and I worked really hard to choreograph and perform two routines in three hours. I am so proud of what we accomplished! None of us often do things like this, so we realized what choreographers and dancers have to go through to prepare and perform routines, thus causing us to respect and appreciate these artists even more! I felt so healthy as well, and the exercise derived from dance is something National Dance Day tries to promote. I really like how it is a fun way to get in shape.

I'm actually considering using our dances as part of my morning workout routine!

Thank you so much to my friends and our families for putting together such a fun time for us all! Thank you also to the creator of National Dance Day Nigel Lythgoe, the executive producer of "So You Think You Can Dance" and founder of the Dizzy Feet Foundation, and to all those who recognize National Dance Day as a national holiday. I really admire how a lot of people celebrate National Dance Day in so many different ways.

Dance and the arts is something we should all truly appreciate, so I'm really happy that National Dance Day exists to give it the credit it deserves. :)

Happy National Dance Day Everyone! :D

Click here to see our original routines and some "behind the scenes" material! I love our creativity! :D I chose "It Was All in Your Mind" by Wade Robson because I had first heard it on SYTYCD for a group routine in Season 3 and then Twitch from Season 4 did a solo to it so I have been wanting to choreograph a routine to it myself. I often listen to it and love how unique and intricate it sounds! The beginning of our "Party Rock Anthem" routine is roughly based on the July 2011 National Dance Day choreography of Tabitha and Napoleon D'umo. I figured that since "Party Rock Anthem" seemed to be the theme song for this year's National Dance Day, we should use it and some of their choreography as well so it wasn't like we totally didn't acknowledge it. We could've learned their routine along with the others created specifically for National Dance Day, but we decided to test our skills and do our own thing. :)

I also want to point out that I got the top I wore today at the So You Think You Can Dance Tour 2011 at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ! It says "dance" written all over it vertically in different colors, the word "DANCE" written in huge gray letters towards the left, and also has the So You Think You Can Dance Tour 2011 logo on the bottom left! And, it's a V-neck and I love V-necks! I wore it special for today!

Happy National Dance Day Everyone! Hope you all enjoyed it! I know we were very happy and excited celebrating today! It was a blast and one of the best days of my life! We were all looking forward to this day and are already looking forward to next year!

Real Influential Women Role Models (Real and Fictitious): Sara Von Gillern

Sara von Gillern

Sara Von Gillern (So You Think You Can Dance Season 3) Back in high school, I was obsessed with FOX’s "So You Think You Can Dance." It still is the one show I watch on television because I admire the dancing talents and hot male contestants lol. One contestant that stood out to me was resident b-girl Sara Von Gillern, one of the few female break dancers the show has seen. In one episode, she states that she was a journalism major is college, so ever since then I felt a connection with her. On the show she always had this confidence and maturity about her and she always looked like she enjoyed herself during her routines.

I also read an interview where she discusses how women are often regarded as sexual objects and how she disapproves. The following is the full quote from her interview with Daemon’s TV when asked what she hopes to hear from fans: “Just that, hopefully for the girls, that they’re inspired to a be little bit stronger because I think a lot of time in the hip hop world the video girls wear the revealing clothes and dance around, just sexual objects. What I do is more a strength and shows that woman can be powerful too. Hopefully, it inspires them to dance and be themselves.” This quote of hers really stuck with me and ever since she had become one of my idols. Click here if you wish to read the rest of the interview: Sara Von Gillern's Daemon's TV Interview