Who is Sunny!

Hello! I'm Sunny and I am the creator of Sunny Dance. I am really bad at writing my own bio. It just feels weird talking about myself in the third person. So, I decided to say hello as myself.

I was that girl that would tell all the other dancers what they were supposed to do if they forgot. I was focused and wanted to be taken seriously as a dancer.

I love dance. I have been dancing my whole life. I started taking ballet at four years old. I remember my mom sitting me down and asking me if I wanted to take ballet. I was always dancing around the house. I said yes...but I didn't want to go alone. My awesome brother, who is 3 years older, said he would go with me. We took one season together and participated in our first recital. After that I was hooked and continued on my own. When I was 8 I was in The Nutcracker ballet with the studio I trained at. It was my first big stage performance. Every other recital was very small and just with parents in the studio. I was so committed. I was that girl that would tell all the other dancers what they were supposed to do if they forgot. I was focused and wanted to be taken seriously as a dancer. It was a great experience. I wasn't just put in some dumb costume to walk around and be cute. I had dance routines and real costumes. I loved it.

As much as I could say that those eight years kept me from progressing I really think they were good for me. I found my movement.

Right after that performance we moved from Petaluma to Northern California. The intention was to start taking ballet again up there. My mom found me a class and everything. But I wasn't ready. I think the combination of moving to a new place and heading towards puberty made me feel differently about it. I just didn't want to be in a new class. So I stopped....taking classes. I never stopped dancing. For the next eight years I didn't take class. I got heavily into drawing and spent lots of time working on my art skills. I danced in my room non stop. As much as I could say that those eight years kept me from progressing I really think they were good for me. I found my movement. I found different styles. I got into hip hop from watching Britney and JLo concerts on TV. Michael Jackson was always an inspiration to me from when I was five sitting with my dad watching MTV and the first time I went to Disneyland and saw Captain Eo. I experimented with my movement with all kinds of music. I started day dreaming choreography whenever I was riding in the car with my Walkman playing. I feel that the absence from class helped me connect with my movement and get to know my own body without a class structure.

I was going to class and rehearsals several times a week for several hours at a time. I found myself not wanting to stop at the end of the lessons. I wanted more.

So, what got me back into class after so long? A boy. On my first date at age 15 I was taken to a swing dance class. I didn't go on another date with him but I loved the class. I started out as a beginner and worked my way up to advanced and even joined the performance team, The Rugcutters. That was a great experience. I loved the social aspect and made a lot of friends. We performed in town as well as did some bigger shows that included half time at a Sacramento Kings game. I was going to class and rehearsals several times a week for several hours at a time. I found myself not wanting to stop at the end of the lessons. I wanted more.

While continuing my swing dance training I also started taking jazz. In the next couple years I stopped the swing team because of company drama and I added classes to my weekly schedule, ballet, tap, hip hop, modern, etc. I was hooked. I found such inspiration from one if my teachers. The emotion and passion she put into her movement. I wanted to dance like that.

I was trying to heal. I didn't want to go to class and I didn't want to go home. I needed distraction.

So I did. Almost everyday I went to class. I took class, I rehearsed, I performed. I was also losing myself. Not as a person but as a dancer. I loved to just dance to my music, but with taking so many classes and training at home I was only being told what to do. I wasn't doing my movement anymore. I also went into depression after a very bad break up. Once again I left my studio because of drama and lack of support in my dark time.

I was trying to heal. I didn't want to go to class and I didn't want to go home. I needed distraction.

I was able to express my grief and frustration and do something with my body that was productive instead of destructive. I found a new passion and freedom.

I found distraction in a good friend as well as a new job at a fitness center. I quickly worked my way up to a lead at the front desk as well as learning about personal training. I was allowed to use the fitness class room when no classes were being held. I moved again. I found my body again in the form of what is called contemporary dance. I was able to express my grief and frustration and do something with my body that was productive instead of destructive. I found a new passion and freedom. Hip hop was fun but contemporary, or whatever it is I was doing, was therapy. Dance and my dog saved my life.

Shortly after that I started teaching at a dance studio in town. One of two studios in town. I found a drama free dance place to move where I was able to feel loved and found a wonderful dance family. I was able to grow as a choreographer and a dancer in the 6 years I was there. I only ended my time there when I decided to move to Los Angeles, 10 years ago. A story that I will tell another time.

I wanted to start a blog and considered several of my interests. I was all set to write about woman's health, fitness, diet, meditation. Things I have great interest in. But I realized that as much as I'm interested in those things it wasn't my life passion. It wasn't what I know about. I know things about that stuff but I'm still learning. I can sit down and write about dance without much research or study because I've already spent over 30 years studying and learning.

So her I am. Sunny Dance is more then just a blog. It's a way to accomplish a life I can love and have dance in it everyday in everyway. I love to teach and having the ability to reach out and help people with their dance journeys is very fulfilling.

I, Sunny, welcome you to Sunny Dance!!!