JOIN THE MOVEMENT

After an amazing Month of Inspiration, Creativity, Performances, and Workshops.

Creating Opps is off to an extraordinary year ahead.

Sharing our Knowledge and tips across the country at Monsters, (www.monstersofhiphop.com) and Hollywood Connection, (www.HCDance.com) the response has been amazing.

Our Purpose is not only to share what we've learned throughout our Entertainment Journey so far, but also to be the fusion between the Old & New Generations of dancers.

This Purpose was fulfilled when we made that exact statement at the Choreographers Carnival February 24th. Avalon stage was blessed with some of the most gifted dancers in the business New & Vets!!! Lisette and I were ecstatic to have all of these dancers in our piece.

Rehearsals were so inspiring and fun! By the end of the process, it wasn't just a Hot Number it was a Movement...

Teresa Espinoza, Alison Faulk, Ava Bernstein, Laura Edwards, Sienna Lyons, LO, Yoori Kim, Derell Bullock, Tucker Barkley, Sean Bankhead, J Boog, Mikey Pesante, Todd Flanagan, Hollywood, Christian Owens, Mark Samuels, Leo Lam, Florido, Phlex, Reina Hidalgo, & Bijoya!!

Special Amazing Appearance by the one and only RHAPSODY!! Look Out for her show

Siren Assassins at Avalon March 10th it's going to be Fire!!!

Special Appearances by your Creating Opps girls... Chonique & Lisette! (www.sirenassassins.com) "A Dance to Die For"!

A Warm thank you to our Assistants from the Gods!! Todd Flanagan & Sienna Lyons! Thank You Both for Rollin W the PUNCHES!!

Lisette and I are excited and proud to announce that after a 5 year hiatus and being the first teachers to bring Hip Hop to Debbie Reynolds (also Dante 7) we are now back teaching HIP HOP at Debbie Reynolds dance studio EVERY THURS 8:30PM! Right after Kevin Maher, a dear Friend and Original Talent!

Now it's time for all of you to join this movement of Restoring the Dance Community with Support, Integrity, and Love!!! I mean.. that's why we dance right? Cuz we Love It!!!

The whole competitive, Hating on eachother thing is soooo 2009!!!

Lets Create and Build together! Support the dreams of others, and people will be more inspired to support yours!

With Love,

Chonique

Would love the Support:)

Twitter.com

@creatingopps

@chosneed

@lisetteslife

Facebook.com/creatingopps

Who are YOU??

I remember going to one of my first auditions in LA...There were tons of gorgeous girls frolicking around in next to nothing while I, (a very green 18 year old newbie dancer) was dressed in black sweatpants and my favorite Chicago Bulls basketball jersey. The first question I asked myself at that moment was...."Is every LA audition like this?" as time went on I began to discover the answer was....YES!!!

Needless to say, I got very lost in the shuffle at that audition and didn't make the cut...I wondered why I didn't get noticed because in my head, I KILLED the choreography... and then I had an epiphany. I GOT LOST IN THE SHUFFLE!!!

I always considered myself a pretty good dancer and felt like I auditioned well but I realized that day, there was more to just the dancing. In a room of hundreds of beautiful girls what made me different? What was going to make me stand apart and get recognized and book the job of my dreams?? It was a FORMULA!

From that point on, I decided that I needed to create WHO I WAS as a dancer in LA. I thought about it for awhile. I wasn't the chick who felt totally comfortable shaking my thing in fishnets and booty shorts at an audition, so, who was I? Since I had a bit of a tomboy thing going on but wasn't totally afraid of my sexy side...I would mix the two! I began rocking baggy pants slung low, sometimes with heels, sometimes with sneakers with a sexy body conscious top. Hair wild and full...natural make-up...that was me. In fact that was me at almost every audition, every casting, and the way I looked in my head shot. I was also known for my big, curly blonde hair...so it would have been crazy for me to change it ( I still haven't...it just works).

On top of my look, I learned it was supremely important to be a great auditioner. I began to focus as soon as I walked through the studio doors. I would watch the choreographer intently making sure I caught every detail, and LISTENED for notes. Dancers: listening is HUGE!!!! We get caught up with everything that is always going on around us and miss out on the important things we need to hear.

I would work hard on mastering the choreography and would make sure that even if there were 100 people dancing in the room, they could see me. Trust me, this is not an ego thing...this is of utmost importance. When the moment of truth would come, (my number being called), it was time for me to share who I was to that table of people in front of me. I would go into what I call...THE ZONE...This is where you are free, where you are on automatic pilot and your brain stops talking to you and you just dance. Dancers, this is where you share who you are and why you dance!! Once I shared who I truly was...it was done. Whether or not I booked the job, I felt accomplished because I shared myself and my art whole-heartidly.

Now, being a choreographer myself...I can't possibly see everyone all the time, but certain people do stick out. Sometimes people shine because of their facial expression, their passion, or even their hairstyle. Dance is such a personally expressive art form, it is important for you now to start developing WHO YOU ARE as a dancer. If you have a favorite color, wear it a lot. I you are an amazing tapper and nobody knows it...how come? Bring those tap shoes to a hip hop audition and when it's time to freestyle...show them who you are! There are so many things to share about yourself! There are many great dancers but remember there is only one of YOU. The more you can own and embrace who you are as an artist and performer...the more freedom and fun you will begin to have:)

For your daily dose, FOLLOW us on Twitter!!

creatingopps on twitter

lisetteslife on twitter

chosneed on twitter

xox

Lisette :)

MAKING A "REAL" CONNECTION

Still on an exhilarating high from Monsters of Hip Hop DAllas,

I must say... this was one of the most energetic inspiring convention weekends I've had yet.

The Dancers were on fire, the teachers were in rare form, and the rawness and vibe in general showed and proved why Dallas represents a part of "that Dirty South"!

This weekend Creating Opportunities seminar focused on "The Power of Connection".

We did hands on exercises that helped dancers see the real difference between...

Introducing Yourself vs. Making a Connection.

Introducing yourself is definitely the first step, but it really only allows a quick tid bit of information about yourself that can easily be forgotten.

One of the exercises allowed the dancers to walk around the room and make connections with other dancers. This exercise is huge guys, it really gives a sense on how far you will go to make a connection. Some dancers just stayed in their area introducing themselves with no plan on stepping outside of their comfort zone. Others crossed the room and really got to share about themselves and find out knowledge about others who share there passions.

Only 3 people out of over 100 came up and made a connection with me. No dancers went and made connections with Kevin Maher or Marty Kudelka who were standing in the back of the room the ENTIRE TIME! Two of the most working choreographers right now, and no one connected with them??? Come on guys you must step out of your comfort zones to get closer to your dreams and goals!

Work it out Olney, Denell and Drema!

These 3 people I will remember because they made a point to make a connection with me and they shared something about themselves that was memorable.

A lot of dancers found that, almost instantly after introducing themselves they forgot the persons name. This is very normal. Which is why, when making a real connection you must 1)Share something about yourself that is distinct to you.

2)Ask a question you want to know about the person you are making the connection with that will most likely be memorable to you.

I was very inspired and proud of the alumni's who so willingly came up and shared about themselves and were "ON TIME" to the seminar.

Good Work Sean, Candace, Allisandra, Christian, Martel... if I'm forgetting anyone I apologize. You Still ROCK!!

As the new Artistic Director of the Beat Freaks, I got to make a powerful connection with one of my inspirations Kenny Ortega at the Dizzy Feet Charity Event. Also in the Pic is Dancer turned actor/Comedian Robert Hoffman.

Remeber guys it's not just about Introducing yourself, You must leave a lasting memorable impression so you can evolve your connections and continue to make new ones.

It doesn't happen over night.. it takes practice like any thing else.

So go out and practice making connections, it can make all of the difference!

Always,

Chonique

Stay in touch with us.

www. twitter.com/creatingopps

www.twitter.com/chosneed

www.twitter.com/lisetteslife

FIGHT THE FEAR!

The other night, I had a good friend of mine over for dinner and we were catching up on the last few months since we hadn't seen each other in a long time. She proceeded to tell me that she decided to join an acting class. I was like,"Awesome, what inspired you to do that?" She said, "Oh, you know it's my one scary thing I do a day." I asked her about this "one scary thing a day" bit and she began to tell me that she's created this as a daily habit.

Everyday, my friend wakes up and goes through her thoughts and either does something she's been putting off, or one thing she's just plain scared of doing. She then told me since she started this habit, she's booked 3 international/ national commercials, started her weekly blog, became a volunteer for a local shelter to help out for the holidays and took up sewing...WOW! I was beyond impressed...

I immediately told her that I would be adopting this rule for myself. I'll be honest, in the beginning...it's not easy. However, you'll notice that once you get into the habit, this unknown power you never thought you had, just shows up!

Just imagine the breakthroughs we can have as artists and performers if we all did just ONE thing that scared us...hmmmmm

You could:

-take that ballet class you've been putting off

-jump into a freestyle circle for the first time

-call that person you've been avoiding calling

-finally start your new workout regimen

The possibilities are endless...

If just the mere thought of even trying this freaks you out, my suggestion is this:

Find a partner to do it with you:)

My business and choreography partner Chonique has always been my support through the scariest of scary times and we encourage each other to feel the fear and do it anyway. How else are we going to grow?

Remember, most of the time, the things that you are most scared of are what you truly care about and want to see yourself succeed in. Keep pushing yourself the distance...

FIGHT THE FEAR! 2010....Let's GO!

xoxox and Happiest of Holidays

Lisette

DANCE FOR YOUR LIFE

Over the last few weeks I've been overwhelmed, inspired and blessed to have spent intimate times with amazing dancers from all over the country. In Salt Lake Utah I got to experience a rare moment to create a number using bboys, gymnasts, technical, ballroom, and hiphop dancers who all got to share the same stage. Rehearsal was an amazing workshop where all of these energies and talents thrived off of there differences and came together as one to share what they loved...DANCE!

The specialness of it all was not only the dancing experience, but to really get to know some of these individuals on a more intimate level. The dancers found comfort in each other while they got to share why they dance. Everyone had different reasons, from feeling inspired, to releasing, to my personal favorite "to know I'm alive"!

Why do you dance?

Ask yourself that from time to time, because I've found in different stages and phases of my life, the answer has changed.

There is nothing like a community of sharing what you love. That is why staying involved in the community of dance is just as important as any audition, booking, etc. It feeds and fuels your passion. It reminds you that you are not alone in your journey, and how you can learn from others experience, as well as maybe help someone else out.

We sometimes get so caught up in the crazy pettiness of it all. Who's booking what and why? What song are they teaching today? Why didn't I get called for that?

All of these questions sometimes make us lose the point of it all.

So don't forget to ask yourself sometimes... Why do I dance?

My answer:

"I Dance for MY LIFE"!

Always,

Creating Opportunities

Keep in touch with us:

twitter.com/creatingopps

twitter.com/chosneed

twitter.com/lisetteslife

THE POWER OF NETWORKING...

Recently when I gave the seminar for Creating Opportunities in Denver, Colorado, I noticed something so big....During our "powerful networking" exercise, only one young lady named Erin approached me. Only 1!!! What????!!!! (Good job by the way Erin)

Guys, this is huge...Networking opportunities are all around you...on the plane, in class, at the studio, or at an audition. 50% of your opportunities as a dancer or choreographer are going to come from your ability to network your butt off:)

I realize as dancers, we are so used to expressing ourselves with our bodies, and we're great at it! As you move through your career, realize that being able to express who you are verbally is just as important.

Try this on:

Next time you're on a plane or a public place, instead of just sitting there in silence...ask the person next to you their name and what they do...or what I do which really breaks the ice is say, "So what's your story?" Lol...believe me it opens people up.

Most people WANT to connect with you. We often think that if we talk to people or ask them questions about their passions of what it is they are up to, that we'll be "bothering" them. Not the case. You'll be surprised on what you can find out, what opportunities you can create and how much you might have in common with that person.

If you see yourself becoming a professional dancer, or creating a career for yourself in anything for that matter...practice this. At Monsters of Hip Hop, you have so many opportunities to meet so many fellow dancers, choreographers, etc. USE YOUR MOMENTS!!

*Having a business card with your info and a pic of your face will be a great networking tool!!!

Above is a picture of a great connection I made with the band COBRA STARSHIP at the MTV LATIN VMA's last month...I was not afraid to talk to them, share with them and laugh with them...they're great and we've kept in touch and look forward to collaborating in the future again:)

Keep in touch with US!!!

Creating Opps- www.twitter/creatingopps

Lisette- www.twitter/lisetteslife

Chonique- www.twitter/chosneed

Networking....it's what's for dinner! LOL

In the beginning....

There were two girls who just loved to dance...It's all they ever thought about, talked about and DID! Spending every waking moment at the dance studio, they fed their passion and trained with the best of the best. After countless auditions, dancing on free gigs and showcasing themselves wherever they had an audience..these two talents met and became friends.

Their careers as dancers began to skyrocket, they toured the globe performing and living their dreams. Their faces graced MTV on an hourly basis and no more taking those "free" gigs...it finally happened for them...a full fledged "dance career"!

One night the two girls were hanging out at the place where all the "kids" frequented...LA's own Choreographer's Carnival. Sitting upstairs, they watched the show and were left feeling a little less than inspired. They decided to take matters into their own hands and "CREATE AN OPPORTUNITY".

They quickly got on the phone and called all of their fellow dancer friends and decided to choreograph a number in the following month's show just because they felt they had something to share. They conceptualized, choreographed and styled an all girl number that SMASHED at the event. The crowd went wild and when the host of the show brought them up on stage to chat, they knew this would be the beginning of something big....Big indeed, in fact, one of the biggest LA agents asked to sign them as choreographers THAT NIGHT...and the next part of their journey began...

They spent their days hanging out, and drawing inspiration from Fashion, Art, and Music while Creating Opportunities wherever they went.

It all happened so fast that these two girls thought.."hey, this is easy"..but boy did they have it coming. The transition from being dancers to choreographers was tough...They were constantly hustling, back to doing those "free gigs" and starting from the bottom to work their way up the very competative "choreography ladder". They worked their asses off and knew that it would pay off if they just stayed true to what inspired them and what they believed in as artists and creators..

Things started to turn around and look up for these two as they began networking and putting their work out there and they soon began to book jobs choreographing for some big names. Britney, check. Pink, check. JLo, check! Ahhhhh...success again...but what was next?

EVERYTHING!!

From choreography for films, commercials, music videos, tours and TV to artistic direction...directing music videos, creating a television show for kids, and embarking on their own music careers...these two ladies have seen, done, and experienced it all...and have had an awesome time doing it!

Their next step is to share it with all of you! What mark do you want to make in this industry? What are your dreams and how do you make them real? How can you create your own story??? We'll show you how...

"Creating Opportunites"...it's more than the moves