Saturday- Part 1

Your intrepid blogger writes this from a cafe, hiding from the rain and with so much to relay, could not wait until returning to my laptop. So forgive me if there are many errors, this is on the iPad. Ok. This is a riddle:
Person 1- how do you like your Sofia, Bulgaria?
Person 2- with Jam On It of course!

Yes. It's lame but oh so true. First I should clarify for anyone who thinks I'm cool. Most of you will know that I am so not with it, but just on case some strangers are reading this. When I walked into the venue I first thought, "this is just like the movie Fast Forward" in that movie kids from Ohio come to NYC to become professional dancers. It's a mix ethnic, both genders, and they also sing. It came out in 1985 and I think it is still the best movie about street dancing. And yeah I own Breakin' and Breakin' 2- Electric Bogaloo. But really if you get the chance watch Fast Forward. The montage of when they move into their huge yet grimy New York apartment is priceless. They paint wearing overalls. They find a lovely huge retro sofa that was just thrown out. They have fun and buy old posters of dancers for cheap. And at the end of the song, life is perfect. 80s montages have ruined my life. I still believe that after a particular song, all my problems should be gone. But... Moving on.

I met JOE CONZO!!!! The photographer who took the pictures of the Bronx in the 1970-80s. He is probably reading this blog entry. I didn't even know it was him. I saw this American with the Jam On It t- shirt and mostly I was just indignant that I didn't have one. So I go up to him and say, "where did you get that shirt?!" He says the promoters gave it to him. And it still doesn't register that he is a VIP. I am so self involved that I'm still thinking why the hell does this guy get a shirt and I don't! Then I say well "where are you from?!" Bronx, New York he says. Finally I'm like oh I'm from New York, where's my shirt. So I say "Well... What's your name!?" Joe Conzo. Cue the gushing and apologies and blithering. Jam On It flew this artist over to Sofia to take photos. I tell him I am here studying and had to come to this event and that I have a blog chronicling my time here and had to come and see what's what. He gave me his card and asked that I email my blog to him. When I get home I will have picture of everything including Joe.

I went to the dance off competition and it was great. I also took some video so, I am going to put that on YouTube and give the link. But these kids were great! I mean it was multinational, Serbians, Geogians, Russians and they had Hip Hop culture down. Not only was I lame because I am now unfortunately too old for this, but I am sure it showed that when I was 17 or 18 I was too lame for these people. They wouldn't have been my friends then. It was like I was surrounded by all the kids who had ever been my students everywhere. I was proud of them and a little envious of their youth but I'm also relieved to know what I want to be when I grow up, to be able to get over bad hair days, to not have to answer to anyone. I didn't have to get my parents' permission to come down there. I'm not a kid anymore and that is so incredibly bittersweet, that there were times that I could taste those feelings directly on my tongue.