Freedom of expression takes on many different meanings - for some it is in bitching until ears drop off, for a few hundred deluded Singaporeans - it is singing, for others it is looking at life through a lens and then, there is the American Academy of Poets... where were you guys when I was angsty, dammit! I could've been the next Dylan Thomas or Wordsworth... it even sounds prestigious. 'Hi, I'm a member of the Academy. How do you do?"...or Bernadette Mayer, whose Ode to Periods was sent to me by a little birdie...who is damn free.

So back to expression. For me it is writing. It is about the only time when I get to sit down and really think things through. To relax and just let everything pour out. The Hulk morphs into a mean, green, pounding machine when he's mad. Me? I turn in The Tortured Poet or a character in a musical. When I get hurt, or angry or upset - instant poetry. Sheesh. Well, it sure beats singing...

Unlike the orally inclined, I'm not too fond of hearing myself yammer, on and on - it's tiring. The only time I've ever given people The Talk - and the gang is aware of this, is when something's gone wrong or if someone asks me an opinion. Gawd, I'm not too fond of giving The Talk and I've had mixed reactions from different people. Some run from me like scared little chickens, some can't belive that I can actually frame a thought (gasp, she can think for herself?!) but some, really do take things into account. And for that I'm grateful. Nothing can be worse than you expanding energy to express an opinion or tell someone what you really think and have it fall on deaf ears.

This last week also saw LADC celebrate their 3rd-year anniversary. It's hard to believe but the studio has been reaching out to and teaching students how to refine their dance techniques for so long. Some of the instructors are not even as old as me! And yet, it has been great. I've only been with them for about a year, but they've taught me a lot. The students got to express themselves through various dance disciplines...from hip hop to street jazz to pure funk and even a bit of dubious mime. Just check out the photos! We all had a great time. Even I plucked up enough courage to salsa my ass off in two performances. All the blood, sweat and tears finally paid off and it was great! Not that I'm blowing my own horn but geez...the rehearsals alsmost killed the lot of us and even some newbies got into the act. Funnily enough, the nerves kind of got me in the end, like 2 mins before my set...sheesh. You just have to make those nerves work for you somehow, regardless of what your stage is. And then, the fun kicks in.

To all the performers, you were FABULOUS! To LADC, here's wishing you many, many more birthdays! May we all have happy feet and be unafraid to express ourselves, always :o)