Introduction

Here I am writing my first ever blog post. I asked myself what I should write about and still am not so sure as to what I will come up with, but I guess I can start with an introduction to my story.

I am 21 years old, I live in Toronto and I go to a musical theatre school where I study dancing, acting and singing. I am also a member of a professional tap company (it was two until just recently, but school is getting too hectic). My lifestyle is rather crazy and I sure experience many exciting things on a regular basis. I seek refuge from my daily stressors by writing and listening to music. My name is Geneviève and most people where I live have a hard time pronouncing that, so I can often be heard saying "just call me Gen" in a reassuring way; hence this blog's URL and my screen name!

Now, let's see... how did I get into musical theatre? Well, it was never my original plan. It's funny how it happened, really. I've been dancing since the age of 4 and playing the piano since the age of 5. Those were my two main focuses as I grew up and by the time I started high school, they were both more important to me than school; I knew I wanted to be an artist after completing school. In grade 11, I started taking psychology and sociology courses, and began to develop a serious interest in these studies. Having always been one to whom my friends would come for advice, I decided that psychology would be a good back-up plan for me if I couldn't make it as a professional dancer (by this time, being a musician had become a nice hobby for me, but I didn't plan to ever make a career out of it). When I graduated from high school, I applied to various universities for both dance and psychology. The school that I was set on going to for dance rejected my application after my audition and interview process, simply because I was not the type of dancer that they were looking for (i.e. I did not want to become a professional ballerina) but at the time, I thought that it meant that I just wasn't meant to be a dancer. It broke my heart and I decided to go straight into the psychology program at the same school. It was alright at first and like any new experience, I appreciated the change, but after a year and half in the program, I realized that it really wasn't the place for me. I was so miserable there and just wanted to leave. I then decided to take time off from school and spent a year working. I continued to work as a server (which I had been doing while in university) and eventually left that to go work full-time in a car dealership. Now that is a whole other story in itself! Anyway, I applied to new schools when the deadlines began approaching, but I wasn't so sure about staying in the psychology/sociology field; if I had to go back to that, I'd stick with sociology and become a social worker for a children's aid society, but I'd much rather be doing what I'm doing now. While filling out my applications, I remembered a school that I wanted to apply to when I was graduating from high school.
The problems back then were that:
a) The school could only supply graduates with a certificate (my father did not approve)
b) I just wanted to be a dancer
c) It was VERY expensive

What had changed this time was:
a) They had become an accredited private college and could supply graduates with college diplomas
b) I had begun to understand that if I wanted to make it as a performing artist in this day and age, I would have to learn to do other things in order to compliment my dancing
c) I had been making a lot of money

I applied to this school, prepared myself for my audition despite the fact that I had never had a vocal lesson nor had any experience as an actor, and just went for it. I received a call within 3 weeks saying that I was invited to join the program that following September. "HOLY CRAP," I said aloud in the car with my parents after that phone call. I simply could not believe that they were willing to let me join the program. After receiving their student contract and reading it over very carefully, I took one very deep breath and signed it, promising myself to just dive head-first into whatever was to be thrown at me, and assuring myself that I must belong there, despite the lack of experience.

After my first day of school, I was in love. As time went on, I let go of all of my previous fears and inhibitions and did everything that was asked of me by my teachers. Now, two semesters later, I have received some wonderful reviews and have been told some very reassuring words. This is where I belong. The other students in this school are just as weird as I am and they are my family. The building itself is more of a home to me than my apartment. We spend long, gruelling days there and it will only get worse, and I can't wait. Yes, it is hard work, but it hardly seems like work when I think about what I was doing two years ago. I have found my niche and am set on doing this for the rest of my life.

As this blog grows and develops, I will tell you more stories from my past as well as what is currently going on in my life. I am not vain enough to believe that people will be interested in my stories - this is mostly for myself. However, if you come across my posts and feel as though you can relate, feel free to follow my story and give me your feedback!