by Nikol | Sep 18, 2015 | Finding Peace and Ease
Right hand on the barre, I lift my leg into passé, placing my ribs over my hips, and sending energy down my supporting leg. I fix my gaze in front of me, and exhale. I gently bring my right arm to meet my left, forming a beautiful arc, a continuation of the shape. ...
by Nikol | Sep 11, 2015 | What Your Audience Actually Wants
I’m standing in line to sing at an audition, after making it past the dance cut. I’m going over my lyrics, lyrics I know like the back of my hand and seem to have suddenly forgotten, and then I hear them being sung back through the closed door. The woman in the room...
by Nikol | Aug 21, 2015 | Clearing Blocks
Purple against green, my yoga mat lays on the forest floor, over roots and dirt, on a slight uphill slant. My hands raise to a prayer high over my head and above me, a circle of sky through the tops of the trees. I dive down to the mat, fingertips placed for a moment...
by Nikol | Aug 14, 2015 | Building Confidence
I may feel broken, but my arms still move. I may feel empty, but my feet are gliding across the floor. There is a tightness in my chest, but I hear the beat, count to 8, and leap. 74th Street waits outside, alongside the bustle of Fairway Market, horns, and the Upper...
by Nikol | Aug 7, 2015 | Building Confidence
Ice, heating pad, yoga mat. I breathe in, slowly bringing my knee to my chest, exhaling on the count as I hold. One, two, three, four, five. I look up at my ceiling and slowly cross my knee to the opposing shoulder, feeling the cushion of my mat beneath, and placing...