Tonya Plank's Blog, page 6

A Sexy Samba for September

Danced by Slavik Kryklyvyy, one of the several inspirations for Sasha in my FEVER series, with Karina Smirnoff. Happy September, everyone!

For Monday: A Favorite Clip from MAD HOT BALLROOM

One of my very favorite dance movies. I love these kids. And they are so good at that social rumba basic!

The Hidden Tears Project Launch Party and Fundraiser

Last night, a filmmaker friend and I attended a launch party and fundraiser for The Hidden Tears Project, which is a group comprised of filmmakers, producers, and actors working to create a documentary series about the world of sex trafficking. From what I learned, there are to be a dozen or so episodes and it will likely air on a cable network. So, I’m thinking it will be like HBO’s Vice.

There were tons of people there. It was held at the Sofitel Hotel, L.A., which is gorgeous. I’d never been inside before though I’ve passed by it often. There were excellent musicians – including an amazing violinist, entertaining speakers, and really beautiful artwork for auction and sale.

For people who’ve read my Fever series – possible SPOILER ALERT – you know that one of the characters has a backstory involving this issue. It’s always been something I’ve cared about greatly. So, I really hope they raised a lot of money and the series will be made!

For more information, visit their facebook page or website.

For Friday: A Flamenco-Flavored Paso Doble from Strictly Ballroom

Love this scene from one of my favorite dance movies, Strictly Ballroom. Every time I see a Paso, the Flamenco taps are my favorite part. Okay, besides the tour jetes

Throwback Thursday: Baryshnikov Dances to Sinatra

One of my favorite Tharp ballets, Sinatra Suite – because it’s the most ballroom-y, danced by Baryshnikov, with Elaine Kudo, for American Ballet Theater. And this is my favorite of the Suite – “That’s Life.” Baryshnikov’s so deliciously cocky

A West Coast Swing for Wednesday

In Fever, Rory’s on a Mambo team. I was on a West Coast Swing team. We even competed at this championship: MADJam! WCS is a social dance so maybe it’s not as flashy as the international competitive dances, but so much fun!

A pic from my team. I’m part of the couple on the left, dancing with my partner, Mark.

A Tango for Tuesday

Very dramatic showdance by Italy’s Mirko Gozzoli (one of my faves!) and Edita Daniute.

A Mambo for Monday: Tony Dovolani and Elena Grinenko

This is from years ago, when they were U.S. National Rhythm champs. So fun – LOVE Tony

Imagine a Romance Convention with Unlimited Cake and Shoes!

I had the funniest dream last night. I usually don’t remember my dreams but I kept waking up in a sweat during this one – and it wasn’t even disturbing, or it shouldn’t have been anyway!

I was at a romance writers’ conference – it wasn’t clear which one but it was somewhere in the South- and at the hotel we were at, each room came equipped with piles and piles of shoes for us to wear to the different events! There were some really gorgeous stilettos and colorful platforms. Of course not any pairs that would be ideal for walking around or standing in long lines in! But I was so excited. I was also nervous though, because I had already brought some of my own, and I kept getting them mixed up with the shoes we were given. I was afraid I was going to leave some of my own shoes and bring home a pair that wasn’t mine.

The other bizarre thing was that all of the meals were made entirely of cake! Everything I went to bite into – whether it was a long twisty piece of pasta, or asparagus – those were two items of food I distinctly remember eating in the dream – it only appeared to be such; when I tasted it, it had the consistency and flavor of cake! It actually made me nervous because when I realized everything at the conference would be made of cake, I got worried that I had to eat as much as I could. Where would everything be made of cake again! I had to get my fill! Of course I wasn’t anxious over the more logically worrisome issue: that I’d get sick eating nothing but cake for several days.

 

Finally, I kept losing my keys. The over-sized purse I always carry with me (in real life) just kept eating them. At one point, I realized that I didn’t actually need them, because if you just pushed on the door at certain angle, it would open.

An older man saw me trying to break into my room without my key. I didn’t want to let on that my door would actually open without them because then he might come in and steal the shoes when I was away. So, I laid off the door and pretended to search my bottomless pit of a bag.

For some reason, I had my dog, Sofia, with me. The man began to approach me, asking me if I needed help. I was worried Sofia was going to start barking her head off, which is what she sometimes does when we’re out for a walk and a stranger tries to talk to me. But she was actually very well-behaved.

The man looked down at her and said, “What kind of dog is that?” – a question I think every single person on Facebook who’s seen her picture, or who we’ve run into on the street, has asked me at least once.

“I don’t know,” I said. “She’s a mixed breed and I haven’t had her DNA done.”

“She’s more like an idea of a dog than an actual dog,” he said. “She has floppy ears and a long body and long legs and a long face and…” he shook his head like something was all wrong. I felt my back rise and started to get defensive over his insinuation that my dog wasn’t actually a dog.

At that point, my cat, Katusha, jumped up on me and started kneading my stomach with her claws, waking me right up. I tried to go back to sleep but I couldn’t pick up my place in the dream.

I hate that!

So, of course I had to analyze everything. Right before I went to bed, I was wondering when the RT Booklovers Convention was going to open for registration. I’d just looked at the website and it said late August or early September but hadn’t yet given a date. I was anxious about registering because I’m hoping to get a seat at an author signing table and I know they sell out in a matter of seconds. I’m also excited about the upcoming InD’Scribe conference I’m attending in Palm Springs, and a couple of other conferences I want to go to next year, including Romancing Lake Tahoe, Authors After Dark, and of course RWA. So conferences have definitely been on my mind.

And last weekend, I’d gone to a “Depressed Cake Pop-Up Shop” in Costa Mesa. They had so many pastries and it was for a good cause (all proceeds went to a mental health institution). So I totally bought out the place. Still have more goodies left Anyway, likely where the everything is made of cake thing came from.

Also, I’d won a poster of The End of the Tour movie signed by the actors and director and I just picked it up and hung it on my wall yesterday. I had to rearrange some of my other artwork, including a small painting of Magritte’s “This is Not a Pipe” that I’d bought in Montreal years ago. I think that’s where the whole idea of the dog not really being a dog might have come from… Who knows!

And the unlimited shoes: those I have no idea! I guess I need to go shopping

A FEVERish Foxtrot for Friday

Sasha and Rory’s song