natural high.

...is what i have been feeling today. yesterday afternoon we arrived back in vancouver after a fantastic trip. i have been feeling many things today as i usually do after a very big show/tour, and i think cristina basically has summed it all up perfectly in her post here...

what i have been feeling?

...relief for one. i know, i know i have been doing this for many years, but i have a lot of new dancers who haven't done this for very long. they certainly stepped up to the plate, and danced their heart out. as well, i had taught many new dances and casted and re-casted only a month or so before the show. they really pulled it off. there were also some miscues such as changes in performance time (from 2pm to 1pm) to my technical director getting ill (poor sam!), to some lost luggage with costumes and props on the day of, but all in all everything went off without a hitch! and kp did it in style.

...a renewed sense of pride. one of the greatest benefits of being part of a volunteer group such as kp is the feeling that you are part of something that is bigger than yourself. and that is how this weekend felt to me. the community of prince rupert, and not just the filipino-community (which by the way is only 165 families strong) was so happy to have us and greeted us with open arms. the performing arts centre, where we performed, rarely gets a sold out, and we were the first group in a long time to have it sold out! there is no greater feeling than getting a standing ovation from a extremely appreciative audience.

...that kp is my family. new friendships were born, old friendships were strengthened and we were all reminded that kp is like a second family to us. the pursuit of arts, especially folk arts i think roots each and everyone of us, and binds us in a way that few activities can. the love of our culture is a common bond, but truly just serves as the spring board to creating a true sense of community and of family. and like all things that are worthwhile, it is hard work most of the time. but experiences like the one we just had in prince rupert definitely makes everything worthwhile.

raise da glass, kp!