The things you wait in line for
A couple friends and I headed downtown this evening to attend The Cheaper Show (eighth installment), a one-night-stand art show featuring 150 artists and 300 pieces of original artwork. A bit about the show from the official website:
On June 21st, 2008, the eighth installment of The Cheaper Show series will take place in the Gastown district of Vancouver, BC.
The concept of The Cheaper Show is very simple: 150 multi-disciplined international artists presenting 300 pieces of art, each priced at $200 for one night only. Far from being an ‘art sale,’ each exhibiting artist consciously makes a sacrifice by selling their work for less than its potential value. This creates united support for the event, the arts community, and an opportunity for this show to take place in an environment that is accessible to everyone. In turn, many walk away with sales, exposure, commissions and gallery representation, as well as having an opportunity to connect with peers on an even playing field.
As it turned out, this was a popular place to be tonight; well over a thousand people attended. The show opened at 7pm and by the time we’d arrived (8pm) the lineup to get in was several blocks long. We waited in line 45 minutes only to get about 1/4 of the way to the entrance before we decided to go eat and try the line again at 10.
Chanel survives Gala ball, comes home with two trophies
I think the title says it all, but in case it doesn’t, the following photo should:
We ranked 5th in Advanced Latin, 3rd in Jive and 3rd in Paso Doble, bringing home two trophies and two gift certificates each to JC Dance Co’s Rising Star Squad (Standard Technique). More photos here.
I won’t lie and tell you that it wasn’t “OH MY GOD I’M GOING TO DIE” terrifying, but I will tell you this: It was totally worth it in the end. Sure, I might have made mistakes in every dance and danced the Samba at twice the speed of the music in front of my friends, family, and TEACHERS, but I survived it.
In fact, forget all the dance experience of training, preforming, and not dying, and forget about the two shiny trophies I kiss every night before I go to bed… The very fact that I voluntarily decided to be judged on my dancing—in public no less—and survived to want to do it again next year has set the bar a notch higher for the next bigger and scarier thing that will no doubt come my way in the near future. Like public speaking. Or fish.
This “coming out of your comfort zone” thing? Hard, but awesome.
The XanGo Invasion
I’m back from Salt Lake City, 500+ pictures taken and all.
Going to this year’s anniversary convention (aptly named “XanGo Invasion”) really reaffirmed my love for this company. Besides the announcement that we hit 1 billion in sales (second fastest company to ever hit the 1 billion mark) in less than five years and the unveiling of XanGo TV, it really solidified the idea that XanGo isn’t just a company or a product; It’s a charitable lifestyle that extends all over the world.
[You learn more about the company and its projects at the following sites: XanGo, XanGo’s philanthropic movement, XanGo Goodness, XanGo’s 5th Anniversary Convention, XanGo Invasion]
I’ve kept the pictures under the cut, mainly because anyone without high speed will probably faint at the size and quantity of the photos. So without further ado…
