I have just returned from a weekend Intensive with Ariellah. It was cathartic for a multitude of reasons.

As a dancer, I've hit a plateau. I have no one to study with in my area that can challenge me to move further as an artist. Sure, I can go to a class and drill, but I am not pushed to expand myself and step outside my "dancer box". This has lead me to have a mental block in my art-I can't find music or movement I am passionate about.

Then I went to Kansas.

Ariellah's workshops really delved into being an ARTIST. Yes, we did drills and conditioning, BUT we spent the majority of the weekend working on ourselves and what each of us seek to bring as artists to the stage.

Today's (Sunday) workshop really made me look inward at myself and my life up to this very moment. And let me say, that is way more difficult than it sounds. I felt a ton of emotions swirling around within me and then felt them release as I shared what I felt and why. I had tears (which brought tears to a few others, sorry about that) but I came away feeling I had a better grasp on myself as a woman AND an artist.

I really loved this Intensive and not just because I consider Ariellah to be my mentor and biggest inspiration. Her workshops were very "personally oriented" and what you got from an exercise wasn't necessarily waht the person beside you got, which allowed EVERYONE to learn and grow from one another.

Jadzia and her gals were super sweet and helpful. They took care of all of us (including my fiancee, who had her own adventures wandering Wichita) and they made us feel at home.

When our plane took off, I realized that I was leaving all of the BS and crap that I no longer wanted or needed behind on the ground and (as cheesy as it sounds) I was taking off towards a better me-as a woman and artist.

"Creativity is an act of defiance." — Twyla Tharp