Lakeisha Catching, 24, weeps for her missing children, Murphy Catchings, 8, and Juan Catchings, 6, as she waits with hundreds of flood victims for buses at the New Orleans Convention Center on Thursday, Sept. 1, 2005. About 15,000 to 20,000 had taken shelter at the convention center. (AP Photo/St. Petersburg Times, John Pendygraft)
How cool was it to see Harry Connick Jr. on the Today Show this morning, giving viewers a tour of the devastation in New Orleans? That was powerful stuff.
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I made it to my dance class last night, but not without a few hurdles. Seems the Metrocard machines weren't taking credit cards last night. This is a problem if you're me, because I never carry cash. (I'd be a lousy person to mug.) Anyway, I had about 20 minues to get from 34th Street to 57th Street, plus I still needed to get some dance pants and sign in.
I got some cash from a pizza parlor ATM but since it was 34th Street and it was rush hour, there wasn't a cab to be found. However, there was a pedicab. Yeah, as in a guy on a bike with a seat on the back. I gave the guy my $20 and asked him to take me to Broadway Dance, which was no small feat. Sadly, I got there 15 minutes late and there was no point in taking the class I wanted. However, an hour later there was another, slightly harder tap class with a teacher I had never taken. I signed up for that one instead.
This gave me plenty of time to run around the corner and pick up some clothes to dance in. I don't like going to Capezio to begin with because everything is overpriced. Sure enough, $70 later I had a cool new outfit. $20 more for the class, $20 for the pedicab uptown...it all added up to one very expensive dance class. Where's the money tree?
However, it was worth it. Not only did I meet a new teacher, but there were only four of us in the class. At first it was a little faster than what I was used to, but I kept telling myself that if I was able to tap in those two shows with The Heights Players, I could handle an hour-long class that was only a notch more difficult than my usual ones. I also noticed it wasn't the usual razzle dazzle, musical theater type tap I was used to. It was rhythm tap, the kind of dance where the feet are used as the instrument. It was hard, but it was awesome. It's a great technique if you already have a good ear for music. I'll be back for more on Sunday.
It seems I'll be kinda busy today at The Job. I have no links to pass on, because I haven't been able to glean the newspapers today. But read the The New York Times. They've always got some good stuff in there. (But no comics. Sigh.)
