finding himself in NYC

Back 3 days now from NYC. My tummy is still full from all the wonderful eating and drinking there!

Many friends and family are asking how Mason and his studio (Artistic Fusion, aka, AF) performed at Nationals. “Incredible” is the answer! AF dances scored the highest in 5 out of 6 categories, with a 2nd place finish in the 6th. This year we were fortunate to have an amazing line up of choreographers: Tony Testa, Travis Wall, Joey Dowling, Sonya Tayeh, Chonique and Lisette, and our very own Julie Jarnot! Tony Testa’s dance won overall. It is so amazing that it made my mother-in-law cry! Mason made the Top 10 of the senior male dancers and his duet came in 5th place overall. 

Even more impressive from my perspective were Mason’s accomplishments that weren’t apparent on a score card. Typically, Mason motivates himself by stepping into competition mode. This time he desired to create a different and healthier experience for himself. His goals were to be present and to be himself during the entire 10 day event. 

I’d like to share some of the “aha’s” he shared with me:

My conversations and interactions with other dancers, with faculty and with parents were all genuine and real. I really enjoyed them.

In the past right before performing a dance, I would think about the dance as a whole and step into a certain character or performance mode for the dance and then dance it as a unit in that one frame of mind. This time I was present during each moment of the dance and made choices in each moment of what I wanted to bring to the dance. It literally felt like the dances slowed down and that I had many options to pick from in each moment. It was amazing! I hope I can be present like that again.

I have more energy and my body feels healthier than I have ever experienced at a convention/competition. I can see from past experience how being stressed is a huge energy drain.

This momma is so proud...and so grateful.

Mason even passed on two opportunities for scholarships to performing arts schools in the NY area, even though he was likely to receive some amount of scholarship (and they probably would have helped him place higher within the senior male dancers). After some discussion, we both acknowledged that his passion is to dance in LA in the commercial dance world rather than in NYC for a company. Rather than confusing himself and the Universe, Mason is now streamlining his choices in order to create a desired path and future.

In The City That Never Sleeps, among millions of people, in an intense national competitive environment, my son found himself.