Up With People, Denver Style

Friends and Family, I apologize for the delay in this blog but it has been an EXHAUSTING and EXHILIARATING two weeks here in Denver, CO! To say the least, I'm having the time of my life. Up With People is exactly where I need to be... where I'm supposed to be. I'll try to give you a brief overview of what we've been doing for the past two weeks and what we're going to do for the next six months.
I got off the plane a little earlier than expected: I went and got a pizza to pass the time and to get rid of the nerves that were building up as I approached Scarlet (an "FM", field manager that travels and sets up the cities and whom I've be come very close with here). I was one of the first to arrive- Alex from Ohio, Nicole and Maggie from Idaho, Liz from New Mexico (the most amazing and talented person I have ever encountered, and 5 Dannish students were among the first people I've met at the airport. From there, we were bussed to a local recreation center where there were check-ins- basically we were there until 8:30 that night just meeting all the waves of people that came in... conversation and the meeting process was never awkward, which was here. Everyone here has the same positive attitude- everyone is excited to be here and that just makes the whole experience that much better. Needless to say, everyone hit it off right off the bat.
From there, we went to our host family homes where I have a host mom, Colleen, host dad, Jug, and three roommates- Joe from Dallas, same age as me and traveling as a student, Manuel from Mexico, an UWP alum who is on road staff as the sound tech, and Rafa from Venezuela, an UWP alum and staff member for quite a while who is teaching the choreography during staging (this first month in Denver). We all mesh so well and my host parents make sure that I make their home my home. We all stay in the huge basement with four beds and two baths. Honestly, I have ZERO trouble sleeping here- I'm so tired by the end of the day that as soon as I hit the bed, I'm gone.
The past two weeks have consisted of 8-5:30 days with two longer days this week that range from learning the show (vocals, cast movement- where everyone learns the same dance, vocal workshops- where we learn and work on solos, dance workshops- where we learn specialty dances) to forums/lectures on different educational things- leadership, stereotypes, etc. but I hate saying "lecture" because the activities are so imformative and fun that it's the best learning process I've ever been a part of. Today, Jan. 23rd, we had a regional learning day where our hometeam (we have 7 hometeams where the cast splits up with the staff members to talk about what's going on- questions/concerns/whatever) had a scavenger hunt all over the city. Denver, by the way, is amazing. The city is big but intimate at the same time- the center we go to everyday is called the Sherman Center and it's extremely old, but antiquish.
As far as show opportunities, I've been a part of all the dance workshops (typically 8 guys and 8 girls get invited to attend) where I've learned an traditional African dance, Salsa, Russian, hip hop, jazz/lyrical, and today we wrapped up the "Love Medley" portion of the show- a ten minute segment out of the ordinary for UWP style that is a medley of 50's/60's love songs that tells the story of a boy and girl falling in love. TONs of great dances- swing, footloost, and the ending is to "Time of My Life". LOTS of lifts and fun partnering stuff- lately I've been dancing with one of the girls from Denmark named Katja and we might be up for the love boy and love girl. NOTE: the show is a important but touchy subject with the staff. I say touchy because the premise of UWP is that the experience is not about you. You are to give so much of yourself in any aspect asked or volunteered of you and you get so much in return from it. So, there are much less spots during the actual show than the workshops.. well works with. So, one week I may be the love boy in the "Love Medley" and the next week I may not even be on the front dance line. It all depends on what is best for the show and to give everyone an opportunity who has the ability and initiative to learn the dances and solos. In addition, we really won't know who is doing what and with whom until maybe twenty minutes before the show! It's crazy and it doesn't make a ton of sense to me know, but I realize that the show is definitely not about me. I'm just having so much fun learning these dances and solos anyway that if I end up being a BCM (basic cast member ha) I really don't mind. Oh, I have learned two solos (a hip-hop "ish" song called "Power With" and one of the ending ballads called "We'll Be There"). The music is so powerful in this show- which was a great surprise to me. All the songs are uplifting and so fun. I cannot wait to do our first show in Greeley, CO during the first part of Feb.
UWP is also all about building that resume. We have the opportunity to apply for internships, apprenticeships, and advance work, the hardest among the three. I applied for an Admissions internship and a Dance internship, which would be a six week training/learning experience where really your own personal growth comes from what you want your specific goals to be. I also applied for Advance Work which basically puts all the internships together into a three week course- if I get one at any point during the tour, I would leave the group with a Field Manager and travel ahead of the cast where I'd basically set up the city for when the cast arrives there.
This experience has already been so rewarding even in these short two weeks. I've learned so much about other cultures and about myself as a person as well. I have so much more to gain too! There is a guy named Andy, ironically, from Belgium, who is in a wheelchair. He has a condition where his brain doesn't connectly properly with his legs and he told me that his school for the handicapped in Belgium did not want him to come here- they told him he wasn't special, he was an outcast. But, he said his mission during these next six months was to prove to UWP and the world that he is just as abled as the rest of us, and he's proved it by being out on the dance floor everyday and doing the moves to the best of his abilities. That's just one of the many inspiring stories I've heard- there are 100 people, including staff, from 23 countries all over the world! These next six months are going to be the most amazing months of my life and I feel that a blog is the best way to keep up with everyone. By the way, working out... I honestly am so tired from the end of the day- so exhausted from all the dances and songs that I rarely have the energy to put a run in. Not to mention that the weather is a fickle matter here in Denver (not to mention the altitude). It snowed three inches the first day of rehearsal! Then again, it was 65 degrees yesterday.