Farewell, New York

So, the last day of acting class was just as wonderful and sad as I thought it would be. There were only a couple scenes that Suzanne still felt needed that last little bit of work, so those scene partners performed one more time. Then, we simply spent the rest of the class in discussion. After it was over, cameras emerged from purses and backpacks, and everyone scrambled to take photos of each other as a remembrance. Above, is a photo of me with Aiman...my first acting partner. Below, is a photo of Jackson, my second and final acting partner for the summer.



Jeremy had been in the city since this past Thursday, so we had an enjoyable weekend hanging out in the city. We went to the little Cuban restaurant across the street from my cousin's apartment. They have live music there every night, and it was quite lively and fun...so we went there a couple times over the weekend. We saw part of a Johnny Cash tribute concert that was awful, not because of the musicians, but because of the terrible acoustics of the venue. We saw George Wendt from Cheers fame in Hairspray. (Norm!) We walked the Brooklyn Bridge, ate at a yummy Bosnian restaurant near the Esper Studio, had a fancy steakhouse dinner. It was wonderful to reconnect.

On Monday, we went to a storytelling slam with my cousin. One of my Cleveland friends had emailed me about this organization called The Moth. Twice a month, they have what is called the Moth StorySLAM. People gather at a bar, and you can either sign up to tell a story or sign up to be a judge. They choose judges names from out of a hat, and then they choose ten people to tell their stories from out of a hat. All the stories have to fit the evening's theme. (On Monday, it was "Triangles.") Each story can be no longer than 5 minutes. It has to be true, and the storyteller cannot use any notes. After each contestant tells their story, the judges give the story a score. There is a winner at the end of the night, and evidently there is some sort of a GrandSLAM final event each year. It was quite an experience! We had a blast. Incidentally, neither me, Jeremy or my cousin told a story or served as a judge. I did not have any good stories that fit the "triangle" theme, otherwise, I would have totally thrown my name in the hat!

After the slam, Jeremy and I went to the Top of the Rock observation deck at Rockefeller Center for our last night in the city. I had done the Empire State building before, but I think the views were better from Top of the Rock. For one thing, you actually get to see the Empire State Building as part of the skyline!

On Tuesday morning, we packed up my stuff, loaded up the car and drove home to Cleveland. It was a lot easier getting out of the city by car than I thought it would be. More on being home and away from the city later...

For now, enjoy the photo from Top of the Rock and me trying to be a model (HA!) in this weird Target-sponsored, brightly lit breezeway just off the observation deck.

Last Day of Classes

Today is my very last acting class as part of the William Esper Studio Summer Intensive 2008. I am a little bittersweet.

I had my exit interview with Suzanne on Friday, and that went very well. She had some very nice things to say about me and the work I have done this summer. She also said she would love to have me in her acting class as in the full two-year program. I told her that I could not start this fall. (Classes will begin again in September.) However, I told her I would be very interested in coming back and studying in the future. (More on that later...)

At any rate, I thought I'd commeorate my last day of acting class by mentioning a few of the people in my class whose work has astounded me. Everyone in my class is worth mentioning, but that would take way too long. so here are a few that have particularly stood out.

Aiman and Jackson - My acting partners. What else can I say? It has been quite a journey working with both of them. Jackson is very free and open, willing to explore. Aiman has an unbridled enthusiasm for life, and he and I developed a kind of "big sister/kid brother" rapport.

Lina - Lina is from Denmark. She is remarkable...very natural, unaffected. There is no pretense or sense of trying to "act." She just opens up and lets herself experience things. She's amazing to watch.

Shuhei - Shuhei is one of the most creative and artistic individuals in my class. Beyond right-brain...he is simply on a different level than the rest of us, as far as imagination.

Gillian - Gillian is a bit of a firecracker. You never know what is going to happen with her, as far as the classroom exercises go. She is also extremely imaginative and has a very strong "actor's faith." She not only accepts the imaginary circumstances, she owns them...comepletely embraces and immerses herself in them.

There are others, and maybe I will share more later. Right now, the apartment is kind of stuffy, and Jeremy and I are itching to get out and experience more of the city before my last class this afternoon.

Ah...why does it have to come to an end? I feel like I have barely begun to chip away at the iceburg.

Classes are Winding Down

I had my very last Voice & Speech and Movement classes today. I was both happy and sad to see them come to an end. I am really going to miss Voice & Speech. I have learned a lot about breath placement, resonance, warming up the entire body for voice production. My voice has opened up so much, even in a short 6-week introduction. I plan to continue with the warm ups and diction exercises in the two workbooks we used in the class, and I am anxious to see how much this training effects my singing.

Movement had its moments as well, but it didn't totally work for me as a whole...as much as it did for some of my classmates. I had some really extraordinary experiences and one or two "lightbulb" moments, but I also had a lot of moments when I really wondered if the particular techniques we explored in class were the right fit for me as an actress. I'll have to tell some of you more about it in person, once I am back in Cleveland.

There are two acting classes left, one tomorrow and one on Monday. I will be really sad to leave that class. As I mentioned before, I think Suzanne is an extraordinary teacher. She is truly awe inspiring. She told another great story during Wednesday's class about her daughter...when she was just a toddler. Suzanne and Bill Esper had taken their children to Brooklyn to visit some friends who had a lovely home overlooking Prospect Park. It was later in the evening, and their daughter was dressed in her little one piece sleeper (you know...with the snaps all the way down one leg.) At the end of the evening, their friends put on some music. It was a recording of a famous opera soprano, but her name escapes me at the moment.

As the sound of this glorious soprano filled the halls of the Brooklyn home, the Esper's daughter perked up. She stood up and started to unsnap her sleeper. As she got down to the legs, she sat down, unsnapped the rest of the way and pulled her legs out of the sleeper. Then, Suzanne said she stood up and with one hand ripped off her Pampers diaper and tossed it away. She then proceeded to run naked up and down the hallways of their friends' house with wild abandon.

Suzanne was trying to illustrate a point about being free as actors...to not hold back, not be afraid of emotion or where it might take us, to just let it in and let it happen. I completely got her point. I don't think I will be running naked through the hallways anytime soon, but it was a great story, and I am ready to tackle the last two classes (and the rest of my acting career) with the freedom and abandon of a carefree child.

I Love Tap Class!!!

So, I have been going to a tap class on Sunday mornings at Broadway Dance Center. It is a basic tap class at 9:30 in the morning, and it is taught by a woman named Shea Sullivan. Tap is a little overwhelming to me, because I have had very little exposure to it. In college, I had to take a Tap & Jazz class that really just touched on the tap part, and that was quite a while ago. (Hence, me starting at square one with the basic class...) At first, I felt like a fish out of water, but I kept at it. It has been fun. This morning's class was especially exhilarating. Things were starting to click for me, and even though I was still messing a few things up, I was having a BLAST! I will really miss it.

I have befriended a couple of the class regulars, and I told them this morning that next Sunday will be my last class, as I will be heading back to Cleveland the first of August. One lady was very sad to hear about me leaving. "But you and your husband are thinking about moving to New York, right?" I told her that the idea was on the table, but I had to go home for now, and we had to get a few ducks in a row to make the move happen. "No," she exclaimed, "Just start looking for an apartment. The rest will take care of itself." Oh, if only it were that easy! She tickled me though, and I will be sorry to leave that class...just as I was starting to catch on to tap dancing.

After tap class, I took the longer walk to Grand Central Station to get on the 6, rather than taking the 2 or 3 uptown from Times Square or taking the S from Times Square over to Grand Central. I called my dad, and we chatted during my walk. He was a little feisty about the Cleveland Indians. He was complaining about some of the decisions Indians Manager, Eric Wedge, was making of late. Long story short, Dad disagreed with Wedge's handling of Asdrubal Cabrera versus David Dellucci versus Jhonny Peralta. (I won't go into all the details.)

Overall, I like Eric Wedge. I may not agree with all of his decisions, but I think he is a good manager. Whereas, my father gets a little hot under the collar. We have an amazing season last year, followed by a not-so-good season this year, and Dad is ready to call out the lynch mob. At one point, he said that there should be a television game show called "Are You Smarter than Eric Wedge?" He said if there was such a game show, he could go on, and he would win. That made me giggle.

But, could my dad win on "Are You smarter than a 5th Grader?" I've seen that show once or twice...it's pretty tough.

What does it mean to be homesick?

The other day, I took a ride on the Staten Island Ferry. I wanted to take a few pictures of the Statue of Liberty and the man-made waterfall exhibit that is going on in the city. It was nice to be out on the water for a little while. It was a beautiful day, maybe a little hazy, but pleasant overall. There was a nice breeze off the water.

Earlier in the week, I had the chance to watch a little bit of the All-Star Game on television. (The American league still RULES!) Cliff Lee was the starting pitcher for the AL, so that was a treat to watch. I also got to see Grady Sizemore get in on the action. However, I didn't make it through all 15 innings. I went to bed before it was over.

I've been feeling a little homesick this past week. I miss Jeremy. I miss Harley and Cosmo. I miss Indians games, my friends and our church. I miss the vegetarian pasta bake at the Diner on Clifton near our house. (I'm not a sworn vegetarian. I just think that dish is yummy.) As much as I love New York, and still dream of living and working here...for the moment, Cleveland is still home.

The other night, I was talking to someone about my feeling a bit homesick, and they made the comment that it was good that I found that out, since I had been considering making the move here. That really bothered me. It came across as if my missing my home, husband and pets meant that this person didn't think I was "cut out" for New York. I imagine my emotional response and interpretation of that statement was perhaps a little more harsh than the person truly intended it to be, but still it ate away at me for a little while. Wishing I had Jeremy and the animals with me and wanting my own place with my own things around (and some crazy satellite TV channel set-up so I can watch the Cleveland Indians) doesn't make me not cut out for New York...it just makes me human.

To make matters worse, when I got on the subway to go back to the apartment that night, there was a young man riding the 2 train with a very blunt tee shirt. You know the famous "I Love New York" logo with a heart in place of the word love? Well, this tee shirt basically said "New York Doesn't Love You" with the obligatory heart underneath the also famous circle with a slash through it (or the "Ghostbusters" symbol, as I like to call it.) I'm sure under other circumstances, I would have laughed about that tee shirt. In that moment, it stung a little bit.

New York is still a dream of mine, so in the end, I am undaunted by my homesickness. It will still be nice to be back in Cleveland with my family and friends after six weeks away, and I have work lined up when I get home. I am playing Kathy in a production of Company that begins rehearsing in early August. It is my first Sondheim, and am really excited about it. Also, once I am home, Jeremy and I can start to talk about New York as part of our future and work together to decide when the time is right and how to make it happen.

There is a quote from a book by E.B. White called This is New York, which incidentally I want to get a copy and read. I have seen this quote displayed in the subways on a number of occasions this summer, and I have found it to be inspirational. The quote reads...

"There are roughly three New Yorks. There is, first, the New York of the man or woman who was born here, who takes the city for granted and accepts its size and its turbulence as natural and inevitable. Second, there is the New York of the commuter — the city that is devoured by locusts each day and spat out each night. Third, there is the New York of the person who was born somewhere else and came to New York in quest of something. […] Commuters give the city its tidal restlessness; natives give it solidity and continuity; but the settlers give it passion."

Nothin' but hits, Baby!

So, I may not have been able to snag a ticket to the All-Star Game, but I was one of the lucky 50,000 people who got to see Bon Jovi in concert on the Great Lawn in Central Park! (Since the concert was in conjunction with All-Star Game festivities, it was the next best thing!)

In town for two upcoming shows at Madison Square Garden, Bon Jovi played a free concert in Central Park Saturday night to help celebrate the All-Star Game at Yankees Stadium this week. Free tickets were made available at both Yankees & Shea Stadium, as well as the Staten Island minor league ballpark and various other venues. There were even a number of tickets available on MLB.com. (Of course, scalpers got hold of free tickets and sold them on eBay, Craig's List, etc. as well.) My cousin's brother (who's not related to me...long story, but in this age of blended families, I'm sure you can figure it out) was in the city this weekend, and one of his friends managed to score 5 tickets to the concert. So, we went, and a good time was had by all!

Now, I am going to date myself here. I was around 13 years old when Bon Jovi topped the charts with "Livin on a Prayer" and "You Give Love a Bad Name", and I remember both of those songs being the highlight of many a 7th and 8th grade school dance. It was the mid to late 80's, and "hair bands" or "arena rock" was all the rage. When I hear other old songs from that era on the radio, I will often either laugh or shudder, depending on my mood or the particular band/song. However, I still enjoy Bon Jovi. Their music doesn't sound dated, which is not the case with some of their 80's contemporaries. Plus, Jon Bon Jovi lists Bruce Springsteen as a huge musical influence, and being a Springsteen fan myself, I can definitely hear the similarities and make that connection. However, I had never seen Bon Jovi live before, so this concert was a real treat for me.

How was the show? Wow! It was quite an experience! First of all, the sheer number of people assembled on the lawn was astounding. When we were standing in the middle of it, it was hard to get a true sense of the size. However, when I looked at the photos from the New York Times, I was blown away! See below...



Despite the massive crowd (and the fact that we were near the back and VERY far away from the stage), we could see pretty well...thanks to the multitude of giant video screens. The band sounded great, and they put on a first rate rock and roll show. 110% energy and adrenaline! Jon Bon Jovi looks great! He is better looking and seems to be in better shape now than when my friends and I idolized him in the 80's. My cousin went back and forth between swooning over him and insisting that she needs to find out who his nutritionist is. Richie Sambora, on the other hand, doesn't seem to have aged as well. (Just my personal observation and opinion.)

When asked in an earlier interview about the set list for Saturday's concert, Jon Bon Jovi answered, "Nothin' but hits, Baby!" The band made good on that promise. They opened with "Livin on a Prayer", and the hits just kept coming after that. Rather than promoting their latest album, it seems this concert was more about keeping the crowd in Central Park on their feet and singing along. I knew almost every song, and boy did I sing!

Below is a link to a photo slide show on the New York Times website, in case anyone is curious to see more. The pictures really capture the energy and experience of a night in Central Park with an iconic rock band.

http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2008/07/13/nyregion/0713-BONJOVI_index.html

A Fond Farewell...and other musings.

I have a friend in Cleveland, Leslie, who is the organist at my church. Anyway, Leslie has an email list, and she sends out occasional emails commenting on life, her experiences, things she finds odd, etc. She is really incredibly witty, and has such an interesting perspective on things, that Jeremy and I (and maybe other people as well) keep telling her that she should start a blog.

Anyway, Leslie's emails are always formatted in a series of bullet points. Some of the bullet points flow from one to the other, and some of them are random thoughts. I have a number of things to comment on/add to my blog today, so I have decided to "borrow" her bullet point format...just for now. (You know Leslie, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.)

* On Wednesday, Suzanne assigned our class new acting partners. My acting partner was originally a young man named Aiman. Aiman is 20 years old, from Holland, with family originally from Morocco. Aiman is very sweet, and we worked very well together.
* On the first day of acting class, Suzanne told us you never forget your first acting partner. That is definitely true. Farewell Amiman. It has been a pleasure working with you!
* My new acting partner is named Jackson. Jackson is from Chicago, and he is a software engineer. That makes me giggle, because Jeremy is a software engineer but would never be caught dead in an acting class! He prefers to experience theater as an audience member.
* In an effort to not swear so much, Aiman will often use the word "ships" and an expletive. I find this humorous, because I will often use the word "boogers" in the same context.
* For instance, if I were to spill coffee on myself or accidentally drop my cell phone, I might exclaim, "Oh boogers!" If Aiman is frustrated with an acting exercise, he will yell, "Ships!"
* I wonder if Jackson has his own curse word or if he simply curses. I guess I'll find out.
* On the subway the other evening, there was a woman reading the book, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. It was hardcover, I think the same edition that I have. In fact, I brought that book to NYC with me, but have not had a chance to crack it open.
* I have read it once before, and I love that book! It is written in such a way that you are really drawn into the surroundings. You can hear the sounds, smell the smells, see the people as if they were in the room with you. I have never been to Savannah, GA, but that book makes me want to go. I love the eccentricity!
* I also rather enjoyed the movie...which is odd for me with books turned into films. Kevin Spacey is amazing to watch, and HELLO....John Cusack!
* Why is it that no matter what day of the week or what time of day it is, I always seem to just miss the 6 train? It never fails. I will be rushing down the subway steps, just as the 6 is leaving.
* Okay, so not EVERY time I try to catch the 6, but 9 times out of 10.
* You know one thing I have noticed about people in New York? Some of them can walk incredibly slow on the sidewalk, but as soon as they get to an intersection, they will dart out in front of oncoming cars...regardless of the traffic signal. This especially happens around Times Square.
* Aiman once said that New Yorkers always seem to be in a hurry, but if something is free, they will wait in line for hours. I would venture to say that is not only true in New York, but elsewhere as well.
* This morning, I ran down to the Duane Reade near the apartment. They were particularly friendly in there this morning. The security guard at the door greeted me with a smile and hello. He even opened the door for me as I was leaving. The cashier was also very pleasant...sincerely pleasant. Friendly customer service always blows me away, whether here, at home in Cleveland, anywhere.
* The one negative about my Duane Reade experience this morning...they were playing a Backstreet Boys song over the store audio system. Ick! I thought my ears were going to bleed. Now that silly song and the image of way-too-pretty, 20-something guys singing on a stage for a bunch of 13-year-olds is going to be in my head all day!

I was standing on a Broadway stage!

Okay, so the stage was bare, and the house was empty. Nonetheless, I was standing on an actual Broadway stage!

My stepmom, Linda, has a friend, Gordon. Gordon has a friend named Jim, who is a swing for Phantom of the Opera. He understudies all the male roles, except Piangi, and covers the ensemble. Since Jim is a professional actor, and I am here working on my craft (and because both Jim and I originally hail from northeast Ohio), my stepmom and Gordon thought I should get in touch with him. As it turns out, Jim was performing the role of Firmin earlier this week. So, I got a ticket and went to see the show Tuesday evening, and Jim gave me a backstage tour after the performance. That was a very cool experience.

Let me say up front...I am not the world's biggest Andrew Lloyd Webber fan, and Phantom of the Opera is not my favorite musical by any means. However, it was really interesting to experience the show and then have a chance to get up close and personal with some of the sets, costumes, stage, etc. and find out how it all comes together. It was especially fun to see the trap door that Raoul jumps through in the second act, when he jumps off the bridge and into the lake to go save Christine. There is a large mat under the stage that he lands on, and the mat is bordered with rope lighting...so he can aim for the soft landing in the dark and fog. The staircase for the Masquerade scene is actually built to collapse or fold up like bleachers...and it hangs up in the fly space when not in use. Pretty sweet stuff.

As I stood on the stage and peered out into the empty house, it didn't fully dawn on me. I was standing in a theater. Big deal. I've done that on many occasions in my life. It was after I got home that it really sunk in. I was not standing on just any stage. For the first time in my life, I was standing on a Broadway stage! I was not performing on a Broadway stage...(yet)...but I was honest-to-God on a stage in a Broadway theater. Wow!

Thanks Jim!!!!!

Lovely 4th of July Weekend

Despite a little bit of dreary, grey weather, I had a very nice holiday on Friday. I went out and about early in the day, did some shopping, actually made it to the gym. In the evening, I invited my friend Megan over, and she and I and my cousin had a cookout with the building super, who lives alone downstairs. He has a lovely deck off the back of his apartment, and we grilled some chicken, ate potato salad and veggies, drank some wine. The super is a sweet older guy, funny, has lots of stories. He is also really into theater, so he got a kick out of talking to Megan and me about our experiences at the Esper Studio, our theater experiences back home, favorite actors, etc.

Later that night, we all hopped on the subway and headed several blocks downtown to try to find a good spot to watch the fireworks over the East River. After a bit of walking (actually a little running, so as not to miss anything), we found a place and took in the display. It was dazzling! I guess to some people fireworks are fireworks, but these were special to me. There we were, the four of us huddled against a railing at the end of E 56th St. (Maybe it was 57th...I'm not sure...all the running.) It was crowded. It was raining a little bit, but everyone there was in good spirits, like we were all one big happy family. As I watched the fireworks explode and spill color and light over the river, I felt New York City tugging at my heartstrings. (So, what else is new, right?) I wished Jeremy was there with me. I felt like I really belonged. I heard a voice whisper inside my head that this is where I am supposed to be...no matter how big and intimidating the city can be sometimes, no matter how nervous I am about leaving the Cleveland theater community and trying to tackle a much bigger animal, no matter that some friends and relatives don't understand or approve. Someone and something bigger than me is calling me here.

It may not be easy to get us here. There are a lot of things that Jeremy and I will have to figure out, a lot of "ducks" for us to get in a row. We've talked about it, and as long as we support each other and make decisions as a team...that's all that matters. If NYC is where we're meant to be, all those other things will find a way to take care of themselves.

The rest of the weekend was nice as well...busy. I went to a tap class. My cousin and I went to see an Off Off Broadway play that was interesting. In an effort to be positive, I am going to keep my comments to myself. I will share something that my cousin said. After having seen Amadeus in NJ with me several weeks ago (which she loved) and then seeing the show we saw this past weekend, she said she feels like she has experinced the full spectrum.

Inspiration Comes from Many Sources

Okay. Let me just get this out of the way now. I bought new shoes! Earlier in the week, I had gone to the DSW at Union Square/14th St. DSW is a favorite haunt back home in Cleveland, so I had to check out the NYC version. Besides, I had a $10 rewards certificate that was nearing expiration. Nothing was exciting me, so I left empty handed (or should I say empty footed?) Despite my footwear obsession, I was not going to lay down hard-earned cash unless a pair of shoes filled me with downright giddy delight...$10 certificate or not.

Then, it happened. Yesterday, I was walking along 7th Ave with my acting partner, heading toward the studio on 37th St. We passed a shoe store, and I saw them in the window! The most adorable shoes I had seen in a long time were staring back at me. It was love at first sight. I literally squealed...just ask my acting partner. After class today, I went to try them on. It was like Cinderella and the glass slipper. They fit like a dream. The price was right. Sold! When I got to the counter, I was surprised to learn that they were even on sale! It was simply meant to be. My first NYC shoe purchase. Here they are!



On Monday, I was uplifted by not one, but two cards arriving in the mail. One was from Jeremy's Aunt JoAnne, just saying hello and letting me know she has been enjoying my blog. The other was from my in-laws, Janet & Steve. The front of that card has a picture of a woman wearing two different bright-colored, flowered flip-flops. It says..."Life is too short to be ordinary." Inside was a little magnet that can either go on the fridge or stand up on a flat surface. It reads..."If you can imagine it, you can achieve it. If you can dream it, you can become it." I chose to stand the magnet up on my little computer desk in the apartment. It gives me extra motivation.

Acting class has been quite extraordinary. In the past week or so, myself and the majority of my classmates have experienced true "light bulb" moments...some from successes, some from failures, but all pretty intense. I've always been a very emotional being, definitely more of a feeler than a thinker. However, it has been astonishing how much this class, as well as the work I've been doing with my acting partner, has really opened me up even more to acting from my gut, going with my impulses, putting my focus on the other person and just "letting them happen to me." Not only do I feel it happening in myself, I can see it happening to other students in the class. It's quite a journey we are taking together.

It would be long and tedious for me to try to explain in detail the work and exercises we have been doing in class. (It would be more like a novel than a blog entry.) Maybe I can explain more when I get the chance to see some of you face to face. In the meantime, if anyone is really curious, I would suggest reading the book Sanford Meisner On Acting by Sanford Meisner and Dennis Longwell. It is the Meisner acting technique that is taught at the William Esper Studio, and Bill Esper studied with Sanford Meisner. The book follows one of Meisner's acting classes for 15 months and is written in sort of a "transcript" style, so you get a real feel for what went on in the classes (and what I'm experiencing here) and read actual interactions between Meisner and his students. It is not an excessively long book, and it is a very easy and engaging read. I think some of you might find it very interesting, and I think it's worth reading, even for those folks who don't pursue acting. Check it out!

One thing I will share from acting class, is a story that Suzanne Esper (my teacher) shared with us today. She was talking to us about the importance of taking risks, and she shared a story about a teenage girl who came to New York one summer to study dance at Martha Graham's studio. The teenagers would have their summer classes, and after class, they would all have to leave so that the dancers in Martha Graham's company could have class in the studio. One day, the girl decided to stay behind and hide out somewhere, so she could watch the dancers come into the studio. She did this, and no one saw her or said anything. So, the next day she was a little more courageous. She hung around and peeked in the door while Graham conducted the class. No one saw her or said anything. The next day, she managed to stick around and hide out behind the piano, watching Graham and her dance company from inside the studio. Feeling even bolder the next day, she stood in the back of the class to watch. At one point during the class, Graham had each of the dancers perform a combination across the floor, one by one. Each dancer moved across the floor, until they were all on one end of the studio...exposing this teenage girl who had snuck in to watch. Having been discovered, the girl proceeded to move across the floor, performing the dance combination as best she could. After she finished, Martha Graham walked over to her and said, "Live every moment of your life like that." Wow!