Ahhhh last night was the season finale of one of my favorite shows–So You Think You Can Dance. As many of you know, I’m not just a writer–I’ve been a dancer all my life. And the one think I’ve found is that the making of any kind of art stimulates the creation of more art. 

My absolutely favorite dance last night involved the Top Ten contestants dancing with the All Stars. And the performance made me smile–it made my heart soar. That one dance perfectly captured the way I feel about life and the things I try to accomplish with my writing.

http://youtu.be/zSazYgWb_9g

The secret is there’s as much joy in creating a ripple as there is in being touched by one. We are all drops in the same pond. Never underestimate what can happen when you replace fear with hope.

So, tell me. Did you watch this season’s SYTYCD? Did you have a favorite dancer? Favorite performance? How do other forms of art stimulate your writing? And even more importantly, do you understand the powerful effect just a drop of kindness can have on someone else? It’s time to rain down on those around you–whether you are dancing, writing, or just breathing–make ripples.

Tags: #SYTYCD11, Art Stimulates Art, Kim Sabatini, Kimberly Sabatini, Life Stimulates Life, ripples, SYTYCD, SYTYCD All Stars, Top 10

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Things I did besides finishing my packing for SCBWI LA…

-I got my hair done.

-Made homemade soup and zucchini crabbiless crab cakes for dinner.

-Read to the boys for an hour.

-And of course I caught up on the latest episode of SYTYCD where I saw an epic ton of dances that I’m over the moon about. But this one in particular reminded me of all my writer sistahs.
http://youtu.be/XxBME0_PyR0

Whether it’s my critique partners, my SCBWI friends or the Binders–there always seems to be someone there for the highs and the lows. It’s a beautiful thing that rarely ceases to escape me. That dance illustrated the supportive group of women I’ve chosen to have in my life. It feels as if we are more invested in picking each other up than we are in stepping on one another. I love that. We aren’t perfect, but I always sense the desire to be more–be our best.

Knowing I get to see some of these amazing sistahs (and my guy buds too) has me super excited to head to LA TODAY!!!!! I’ll be tweeting about the conference, so if you want to be an arm chair attendee–follow along using the hashtag #LA14SCBWI  And of course I’ll start my usual conference recaps after I get back and un-fry my brain. LOL! I get so inspired after attending the event. Stay tuned more to come…

Tags: #LA14SCBWI, #NESCBWI13, Art, Art Stimulates Art, Conferences, Kim Sabatini, Kimberly Sabatini, SYTYCD

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True Confession…

I had to decide whether I was going to write a blog post or watch SYTYCD?

You know my weakness.

New revelations coming soon. But in the mean time, take a moment to remember what it feels like to be the newbie–the aspiring.  Whether you’re a dancer or a writer–SYTYCD or SCBWI– being generous is fabulous for everyone. <3

 
http://youtu.be/JcGBL98TdNM

Tags: #SYTYCD11, Art Stimulates Art, blogging, dancing, generous, Kim Sabatini, Kimberly Sabatini, SCBWI, SYTYCD, writing

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You know I’m a SYTYCD (So You Think You Can Dance) nut. Season 10 is shaping up to be amazing. I seriously look forward to this show all week long and over the seasons, I’ve begun to notice something interesting happening when I watch hour after hour of amazing dance and choreography…

I can’t help but think about writing.

Maybe it’s because I dance AND write–so the line between the two is blurry for me. But I also think there is another reason. Art stimulates art.

I’ve decided that on Fridays, over the course of the SYTYCD season, I’m going to try to share some of the dancing/writing connections that jump into my head as I watch and savor. This week you get a double whammy because 1) I just thought of this idea tonight and 2) I still can’t stop thinking about THIS dance. It’s from the pre-competition-Top 20 performances the week before.

http://youtu.be/hIq8gD9BMmM

When I watch an outside-the-box piece like this, I’m very aware that this is what agents and editors are asking for when they say to bring something new to the table. Use the unique to enhance the tried and true. There are only so many stories in the world–it’s all about how we tell our story. I highly suggest watching the amazing choreographers on this show to see how they take something that has been done before and twist it. Think about how you can come at your writing in in a way that will make your reader see what they know in a brand new way.

For this week (The Top 20), there were a lot of really good dances. There was also one that blew the judges away. But while I had a great appreciation for the dancers and the performance, it didn’t speak to me the way some of the others did. Particularly this one…

http://youtu.be/-S_NhDCkxV4

Writing is about blind trust–in yourself. If you are pursuing publication, there is an audience out there. Agents, editors, and readers who are sometimes cheering and sometimes booing. I know it’s expected that we have our finger on the pulse of the massive, social-marketing, publishing juggernaut, but we also need to block some of that out and remember…the heart and soul of writing often requires we close our eyes to the outside world and trust fall into our own story. When that happens–it is beautiful. It is amazing what will catch you if you let yourself fall. Sometimes we have to write blind in order to truly see where we are going.

Of course, my fellow SYTYCD fans, just like with books–everyone has different tastes. I’d love to hear what your favorite dances were and if they made you think about your writing or any other artistic adventure in your life.

Tags: Art Stimulates Art, dancing, Kim Sabatini, Kimberly Sabatini, SYTYCD, The Art Stimulates Art Series, writing

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