Language Learner

Last week and this week I am taking intensive German Language classes.  I'm really learning a lot.  One way I've been learning is posting these handy Post-it notes all over the house.  The hardest part so far has been learning which article goes with which word.  Der, Die, or Das.  Luckily my notes have been working and I'm getting better every day!

Back In Germany

Ellen Murray dances in Drama

I am very excited to be back in Germany for a few months.  It's been a long couple of weeks since I first arrived and I am finally now feeling a little settled.

Jet lag hit me really hard, much harder than it has in the past.  It took me nearly a week and half to get through it.  Somehow though, I've still been able to get a lot done despite the jet lag.

First, I got myself an extended Tourist Visa.  Originally I was applying for a Work Visa but they needed more info (no surprise), but the tourist visa will give me more time to get that all together.

Next, I found a cheap bike so that I can get around more easily. It's actually really cute and I love riding it around Hamburg.

Finally, I've been preparing to teach a Jazz Dance Workshop.  Yesterday was the first day of a two day workshop.  I had so much fun, but am really exhausted.  What I love about this workshop is the diverse background of the students.  Usually  in a work shop like this I'd be teaching fellow swing dancers. But Thomas Marek a tap dance instructor arranged this workshop so in the class I do have swing dancers but I also have tap dancers and a few who have never danced at all.

The photo at the top is from when I was here on my last visit.  I performed in a production put on by Thomas, so some of the students in my class were inspired by seeing me dance in the show!

Today I will teach the second half of the workshop.  I'm looking forward to it.  I know it will be a lot of fun.

St. Pauli

Yesterday evening Thomas and I relaxed a little bit by going for a walk through the St. Pauli neighborhood.

The city is a maze of these tall, beautiful, connected buildings...

We passed by a friends shop.  It was late evening so long closed by then...

Going down?

Day on the Baltic

After 3 weeks in Germany's second largest city, I needed to get our for a while.  At Thomas' suggestion, we took a day trip to the Baltic coast.  It was very chilly but also very beautiful.

Drama: Love Songs and Other Jazz

For nearly three weeks now I have been in Hamburg, Germany. I'm here primarily to be a part of a really special dance project. The show is called Drama: Love songs and other jazz. So far, we've put in a lot of had work learning choreography, staging, and more. I'm very excited about the show and am glad I could be a part of it.

So far we've had some great press. This particularly excites me because my picture is featured in our press kit. Personally, I am most excited about being published in the German edition of the Italian fashion/lifestyle magazine Grazia. This is a major publication in Europe and we are featured as the main pick for events in Germany and Europe in march. I took a picture of the page we're in. Sadly, we didn't find out we were in the magazine until after the next issue had come out, so the clipping is all I have.  We've also been featured in at least one other more local magazine as well.  Hopefully all the press works and we have a good turnout.

We've only got 9 days until the premier and a lot of work to do.  But things are starting to come together and look really nice.

Oh and I forgot, if you'd like a further description of the show, you can check out the site of Thomas Marek who is the one putting this whole project together.

. http://www.thomasmarek.com/thomas-marek-erweckt-eine-a/

Clipping from Grazia

Poster spotted on the Subway