DEAR READERS: MY HOLLAND DANCE TOUR EXPERIENCE. WE BROGHT SOUTH AFRICA TO AMSTERDAM AND THE HAGUE

SEPTEMBER 30, 2008
On this day, I woke up in Holland. Why? The reason: I am on dance tour in Amsterdam. The last time I made an appearance in this city was in 2006 on a European study abroad trip. Now! I have seen it in a different light. At this moment, I am staying in a hotel boat and my window has shown me the view of the water. Immediately after viewing the water, I walked the streets in comfort because of my familiarity of the place.

However, I do not walk the streets alone. All together with me are about 20 dancers, technical crew, and choreographers and we all are walking the streets in pure bliss. As I was walking, I asked myself: how many people have the opportunity to be in Amsterdam on a dance business trip? Well….I did not know the answer. I did know I have the opportunity to be here for the Afrovibes Festival 2008.

The opening of this festival was today by a piece from the world-renowned Gregory Maqoma. The entitlement was “Last Chance.” It was a breath taking experience to watch this performance. It brought me to a world of emotions. In my opinion, the piece showed comparison of a woman to a yellow truck. This comparison related to me so much that I had actually cried.

I believed I cried because of my personal in between moment of a girl becoming a woman. It made me want to be as strong as her. This section of this piece hit me deeply. Even through, the piece had covered many issues but that issue affected me the most. Then, I had come to the realization that I am sharing the stage with these amazing dancers. For the first time, I felt a sense of luck and belonging.

All of a sudden, I felt the people around me becoming my dancing family. Honestly, my dancing family has geared me into my adulthood. They have made me find my inner self beyond my flesh and remove my lack of confidence to become a confident woman.

Throughout the trip, I had experience many things such as shopping at the market, the Amsterdam’s way of transportation on bikes, and I meet many people such as the organizer of the festival. He had seen my interest in the organization of the festival. Briefly, I had mentioned my communications degree and he asked for me to send my CV. Well….I did not waste anytime and I sent it right in. The quote I leave with you my readers: “No one is going to hand to you; you must take it.”