Sunset Salutation

Peace out!

Ryan Performs in Places: Beach Improv

Improv movement is about the moment. It's about letting go of all inhibitions and being free.

It starts with Meditation, then
Inspiration,
Creativity, and finally
The Moment.

I gave myself two modes with a transition point in between them as my guidelines.

Summer Days Driftin' Away

Summer in Burlington is like one of those cheesy street scenes in a romantic comedy where the protagonist skips down the street and everyone in town is smiling and waving and going about their business. Of course, sometimes it can be a little sketchy, but so can all places. It's kind of like the beginning of Beauty and the Beast when Belle strolls down the street and everyone's just yelling "BONJOUR!" out of their windows. And there I am, skipping and dancing down the street listening to some random showtune on my iPod. (Literally, I probably am dancing. Look for me.) This summer seems to be going by so fast, I can't even believe we're almost at the end of June.

But there's also another place that's been on my mind. A place that's haunted my dreams and thoughts for the past week (probably longer). That place is New York. I can't stop thinking about it. Ever since the New York episode of Glee and between the Tony Awards and all the showtunes I listen to, I just can't stop thinking about that magical place where everything just seems right. Where I'm surrounded by people and theatres and lights. I need to find a stage to sing on. I need to find a place to perform again.

The past few nights I've had continuing dreams about New York. At first I dreamed that my parents, Megan, and I all went to New York for Christmas (something that I really want to happen in real life, mind you) and we saw the Rockettes and went skating in Central Park and saw so many shows on Broadway that my mind was spinning with the euphoria and adrenaline brought on by the theatre. The next night I dreamed that I was actually starring in a show (Book of Mormon to be exact, I think it was around the Tony Awards time.), and my whole family and Megan came to see the show. I belted so many notes and looked out at the audience, and they were all the first to stand for my ovation.

They were the most beautiful dreams I've ever experienced in my life. I need a stage.

Peace out!

Day Off

Yesterday, I really had nothing to do for work so I basically took the day off. I walked downtown to the mall and to Boloco to get a Summer burrito (the kind with mango salsa that tastes so delicious!) and a Soy Berry Shake, then I walked down to the Waterfront boardwalk to eat it while having an argument with a seagull while another stalked me from behind to grab the mango I dropped under the bench. A very good day. Summer is here.

Peace out!

Ryan Performs in Places: Blackbird

Hey ya'll! I'm starting a new series called Ryan Performs in Places. I'm basically going to go to places and perform. It could be singing, or dancing, or acting, or whatever I feel like and it could be anywhere...I'm like that kid who dances in Apple stores except not really. I will post my favorites on Youtube. Anyway, for my first performance, I sang The Beatles' "Blackbird" under the tree outside University Heights. Give me a little bit of credit, okay this is my first time posting a video like this. I was a tid bit nervous...Enjoy!

Peace out!

Contact Improvisation

Here are a few pictures from the final session of my Movement and Improvisation class this semester:

We went down to Oak Ledge park in Burlington down by the waterfront to do some dancing and site improving. It was raining so hard and the lake was so flooded that the beach no longer existed and the water was sweeping up onto the walkway, dragging full trees out to open water and eroding away the trail. It was a lot of fun though and a great example of how beautiful the performing arts are in any medium when they persevere. That was basically how the end of the semester happened for me: perseverance. By the end of April, I was feeling like there was legitimately no more brain/will power that I could give. Somehow it all happened though including my Theatre History final which was a beast. Greece through the Renaissance. Bam. Overall, it wasn't that bad and the transition into this new job is going smoothly. Today was our last day of training and I'm definitely ready to begin the actual job and the actual summer. If only this rain/thunder/massive amounts of lightning would quick for a moment. But let's take a minute to see what my summer has been like so far.

Summer 2011 So Far: 
1. I work in an office now. Which is a much better improvement from McDonald's, however it's a little weird for me. I'm just not totally emerged into it yet. Soon though. The cool thing is I get to work in all these different UVM buildings where I find things like this:

A composting toilet! It's basically a hole in the floor and when you push a button foam eats your poop.

2. Rain.

3. GAGA. Her new album is probably going to be my soundtrack during the whole summer. So much fun, I love it. It's so artful and full of character and life. It's the best to rock out to.

4. My new room in UHeights! One of the amazing perks of this job is that I get a free room in the swanky UHeights dorm on campus. I feel like I have my own apartment. It's fantastic, but I feel like I'm getting way too spoiled before next school year...

5. Beginning to have summer fun with Megan. The other night we went to the waterfront and started walking along the Burlington bike path as the sun set. It was beautiful, even though the water is still incredibly flooded and high and was eroding away the earth under the trees along the shore. It was part of the magic though.

6. Thinking about myself, and how I feel, and what I want to do with myself in the present and in the future. Ever since Voice and Speech I've thought about how I take care of myself as an artist and I've started really doing warm ups in the mornings and taking care of my voice and the rest of myself. I think I'm going to start doing Sun Salutations (yeah, yoga!?) and stretches out on the lawn this summer. Those are the things that make me feel good and happy, so why not do them? I've also been thinking about a performance piece I've been thinking about writing, and next semester, and grad school, and Hairspray, and why the hell am I not doing any performing the summer, etc.

This was part of a text I just sent to Megan:

"i hope i can really kick ass thru the rest of college and make something of myself in grad school u know? i still feel like im missing myself. im missing myself in parts that i only find when im truly in the moment performing (when im not being judged by teachers or peers) or when we're together doing something crazy :)"


Peace out!

Love Is...

Hello! How's it going? It's been about two weeks since I've last posted because of end of the semester stuff going on and the beginnings of summer plans. Things have been going quite smoothly. Exams went by pretty fast, mostly because I only really had two, and my final grades came in and I'm extremely happy with how it all turned out. I just got back to Burlington on Saturday with Megan and now I'm chilling in my Converse tower practically all alone (it's very creepy, being in here with the ghost all by myself) watching TV shows all day. I'm preparing for the beginning of my summer job which starts training tomorrow. Looking out the window, it almost looks like all of UVM campus, all of Burlington for that matter, has been swallowed up by a giant cloud. The fog is so incredibly dense that it seems as though I could jump out the window and roll around in it. The mist combines with the rain to drop heavy moisture all over the sidewalks and cars in the parking lot.

I'm in one of those transitional moments completely symbolized by my limbo in Converse at the moment. Once this job starts and the summer days become beautiful once again, things will be a little more stable. There is something that has become quite stable though within the past month. I haven't brought it up on here yet because I just wanted some time, but also I was just a little nervous. I want to do a post wrapping some things up from the semester, but first I have to tell you, blogosphere (jeez, it's like I'm talking to the TARDIS) something really important:

Love is something that does not necessarily need to be searched for because it is usually right in front of you. Love is something that you may not think you need, but then when you totally have it you wonder how you ever lived without it. Love is someone who has always and will always be there for you in whatever state of trouble, happiness, or sadness you may have. Love is someone who makes you laugh constantly and who laughs at all of your ridiculous antics. Love is someone who is just as kooky as you are and who understands your inner (and constant) awkwardness. Love is someone who wants the same things out of life you do and who understands that you will do anything to make your (and their) dreams come true because dreams are completely possible. Love is someone who knows you completely and yet is still fascinated by something new about you everyday, while you are just as delved into their personality. Love kind of looks like this:

About a month and a half ago, Megan and I started dating. For reals. And it's been amazing ever since.

It's a whole new adventure and I'm so glad and excited that it happened. Now that I think back on it, I think its been a long time coming.

Peace out!