“The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” — Loa Tzu My first assignment is to audition for a place in the Beginner class. It’s pretty much a guaranteed place, but I still have to audition… I’ve never had to read or speak in an audition before. I’ve done a hundred dance auditions but never speaking auditions. There was that one time in NYC when I was called back for a chorus role in Aida on Broadway and they made me sing…a solo. The horror! I chose a monologue from the movie 300, Queen Gorgo’s speech to the Spartan leaders. It seemed pretty straightforward, not too much crying…
-
-
Class 1: The Observation
“A winner doesn’t have to actually win to be a winner- a winner tries to win, a loser accepts defeat.” Ivana Chubbuck, The Power of the Actor I took my first acting class today. It was actually just an observation. My initial reaction was: What am I doing here?!? I need to get out of here NOW. I don’t know if I can do this. I don’t think I’m as Brave or as talented as everyone here. Can everyone tell that I don’t belong? I felt like a fully dressed clown, complete with red rubber nose and oversized shoes… in an operating room. So out of place. It was amazing…
-
Taking My Thoughts Captive
I used to visualize snatching them out of their invisible space, wrestling them to the ground, binding them and somehow, locking them away where unwanted thoughts are kept. That way seemed so harsh and angry and left me feeling mad at myself for…. Thinking.
-
Challenge Adventure #1: Acting???
I used to watch the Oscars and imagine myself standing on a well-lit stage receiving the coveted golden statue. “And the academy award goes to…Chika Aluka.” The crowd erupts in wild applause. The fantasy was mostly about the desire to wear a sparkling gown, glamorous makeup. What I truly coveted was a life that from outside seemed charmed and filled with adoring fans — that dream was not about actually getting in front of people or a camera and saying lines. The idea of making myself vulnerable in front of an audience made me cringe. No, correction, makes me cringe. So what better to get over that than taking up…
-
A Fresh New Transformation
I'm a strong believer in reinventing yourself. Every 5 or so years I like to shake things up, explore a different path, try out new hobbies, even completely transform my body. Over the years, I've undergone multiple transformations. Minor ones like changing my hair and major events like trying a new career and a cross country relocation.