Moving?

I could use your thoughts on this.

I put an add up on dancepartner.com a while ago, and I got an email from some girl in the states. She says she's competed successfully in gold level latin, among other things. She wants me to move there and dance competitively with her, she's willing to teach me, and I'd get to take lessons from her coaches who are apparently among top 10 in the world. I'd then be transferring to Cornell University (which I'm told is good for sciences) to finish my degree. She says I'm the perfect height/weight/build for her.

I've really got nothing holding me in this city next year. My Dad lives in Vietnam, and come summer my Mom will be joining him. My siblings are here, but I hardly ever talk to them anyways. Aside from the obvious of checking out what she told me to see if its true, does anyone here have any suggestions, anything I should consider, or possible other options. I hadn't really considered leaving here until she suggested it, when she did, my first reaction was "what the heck, I can't leave Edmonton", but then I stopped and thought about it, and realized that I can't think of a single thing holding me here. I've spent 16 years in this area, and don't have a single thing to hold me here! Anyways, I figured it's a major decision, I should get as many opinions on it as possible, and perhaps one of you has been in a similar situation. Other ideas for where to go next year are welcome, as are thoughts on this particular situation.

... Moving to the States where the drinking age is 21 could limit my stripping carreer (which I have yet to start), when I'm not allowed in any clubs

I would say go for it. But keep in mind that school in the states is a lot more expensive than in Canada, and you might have to go through loops to be able to find work and get your visa status approved.

The sheer number and quality of instructors in New York will simply blow the land of massive malls out of the water. And if you think you will become a much better dancer, then go for it.

I would do a little fact finding trip down south first, though, to see if you and the girl both click and she is what she claims to be. I am sure that you already have the steady stream of emails and whatnot going for you.

What's that song that went 'Live in New York once, but leave before it makes you hard'...

I am sure our folks from NYC can give you a good perspective on their own city. Oh, and about the drinking thing, I'm sure there are a couple of fraternities in Cornell that can help you solve your 'problem'

Devin, have you checked up on her coaches "credentials"? In NY they certainly could be top 10, but I know of way too many people with, to put it nicely, "creative" ways of calculating such things. Feel free to PM their names if you want...

Tough decision, NeoDevin.

I think SD is right about finding out who these great coaches are, first. Top ten in the world is a rare thing, so verify the claims before you believe them.

Also, some other rhetorical questions to consider:

How serious are you about dancing? Are you willing to sacrifice lots for it? Is it your ultimate career goal?

Who is this girl? Do or will you and she have the kind of relationship (platonic or otherwise) that warrants you uprooting your life for her?

What about these world class coaches? Would they be willing to work with you, a relative beginner? How much is it going to cost you?

What is the potential impact on you of transferring in the middle of your university career? Whatever it is, can you live with it?

No naysaying here. This could be a great opportunity for you. Think about it carefully, check out the details, then go for it.

IF you can afford to do it, then I say go for it. It sounds like your in the great college time of your life when you can do things like this without too much trouble. Once you out in the "real world" and I use that term loosely its much hard to just to pick up and go somewhere else, especially if you have started in a good job and such.

Hi NeoDevin,

I think Pygmalion touched on some really good points.

How important is dancing to you? Do you plan to compete at a serious level? What are your main goals/priorities in life?

I think one should go after their goals if there´re really important to us. If it´s just a hobby, or a temporary craze, I would be more careful.

Anyway, any important decision in life, whatever it may be, should be taken without pressure and with consideration to the advantages and desadvantages.

Regards,

One more thought Devin: if dancing really is a priority for you than you may very well want to take this opportunity... to get to NY if nothing else! The concentration of top notch dancers and coaches there is unmatched anywhere else in North America.

Sounds like a great opportunity Devin...Just as the others have said I would check out the coaches, check out how well/easily you could switch into Cornell, come down to check out the area and see whether you and your dancepartner click, make sure that you are willing to invest the time & money required to do this...figure out what would you do if it somehow didn't work out after all that - it's always good to have contingency plans..Then there are the visa/work requirements. I'm sure the frats can help you out with your drinking. I don't really drink anymore, ever since I started dancing so you are out of luck with me. There used to be a great coach for the Cornell ballroom team, but he left at the end of last academic year, and I'm not quite sure what is going on right now with the team. I do know that the classes the social club has are not the same and it doesn't have the energy of what it used to be like when the coach was there.

If you visit here and need a place to crash, my place is available, BUT the exact details of what this entails is not something I'd care to discuss publicly. PM me if you are interested and we'll see if we can work something out.

NeoDevin,

I just thought i'd add a little something even though i'm probobly not the most credible source since i'm kinda young lol. I agree with everyone else in that you need to consider how important dancing really is to you. Also, you need to weigh your options... like what would happen if you do move and what would happen if you don't, you know? it might help you in your decision. Of course, no one but you can decide whether you move for sure, but i can say that if you're serious about dancing then, go for it. Cornell University is a wonderful school and you would have a lot of fun.

Just my input

I intend to check everything out, and I've already invited her up here so I could get to know her... don't know if she'll be able to come or not though. SD, thanks, I'll get some names and run them by you for the instructors.

At this point in my life I don't have a clue what I want to do with the rest of my life, I don't even think I want to do physics for a living. Another thought I've considered is just working, dancing, and trying stuff out for a year, see if I can figure out what I want to do with the rest of my life.

Also, does anyone know what kind of dance comunity there is at Cornell? If things didn't work out between me and her, I'd like to still be able to dance at school.

NeoDevin said:

SD, thanks, I'll get some names and run them by you for the instructors.

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OK, just PM when you have some names...

NeoDevin said:

Also, does anyone know what kind of dance comunity there is at Cornell? If things didn't work out between me and her, I'd like to still be able to dance at school.

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Sagitta? This one's your department... :wink:

SDsalsaguy said:

NeoDevin said:

Also, does anyone know what kind of dance comunity there is at Cornell? If things didn't work out between me and her, I'd like to still be able to dance at school.

Click to expand...

Sagitta? This one's your department... :wink:

Click to expand...

There is a great dance community at Cornell...Swing, tango, salsa, ballroom are hopping!!

I already said something to Neo via pm, indirectly in response to something else, but let me do full justice to this question here since it is dance related. Since I am a generalist I am going to ramble on about a variety of dances. You can do searches on only the Cornell web pages for the dances that you specifically are interested in...www.cuinfo.cornell.edu

While the Cornell ballroom scene may not be as hopping as it was last academic year it is pretty good, and I've found that people in all the dance venues are friendly. Joining the dancesport team definitely will benefit your dancing, and then if you do the Cornell ballroom club you can get even more out of it. There usually is an opportunity to dance every weekend or every other weekend, organized by the club/team...plus there usually are open practice sessions for team members in a dance studio a couple times a week...Link below to club and dancesport team...

http://www.rso.cornell.edu/ballroom/classes.shtml I believe if you are interested there are photos somewhere.

There are a couple ballroom dances organized every semester...Valentine and Thanksgiving balls, are the ones that I remember as I attended them...

Then there are other dances...there is a banghra club, international folk dance club, Israeli-Latin folk dancing, a couple swing dance clubs (one is into jump swing the other into lindy)...many clubs that enjoy doing their particular style of dance, and are very welcoming to new visitors. I was amazed at the response I got when trying out Israeli-Latin folk dancing this past Wednesday.

Swing -- free sessions downtown, two blacks away from my place every Tuesday night, plus WCS night one Monday night every month. Last Friday of every month a swing dance in the big red barn, on campus. Then practice/dance sessions held on campus by the two swing groups

This semester there are argentine tango practice sessions held every Thursday night on campus with all levels welcome, plus milongas held downtown on Sundays.

Salsa...I cannot resist!! Every Tuesday night is Latin night at Commonground. I give you that it isn't on campus, but the scene is better then the surrounding area and bigger cities like Syracuse and Binghamton....I would say that you would have to drive over two hours to Rochester to get anything that matches it. Occasionally, on Wednesday night there is a latin night held on campus...

My new routine as a generalist is:
Sunday -- night international folk dancing (I just got invited by one of the instructors who taught me lindy at a course that I took at Cornell, to drop in one afternoon, if I wanted, when I expressed an interest in getting back into Lindy and perhaps participating in a performance in the Ithaca festival in June, so maybe that one of these days...) one evening every month I do zydeco downtown
Monday -- Cornell ballroom club classes
Tuesday -- Salsa -- dancesport team meets this day thsi semester, and so one of the reasons I'm not joining it this Spring.
Wednesday --- Israeli-Latin folk dancing
Thursday -- Rueda practice
Friday-Saturday rest days unless I can find a dance somewhere.

Let me end by saying that if dance wasn't as good as it was I would probably be on my way out of Ithaca now.

Cool, I'm looking forward to moving there now, I hope everything checks out with this partner, and I can figure out someway to afford it... Ah well, if I really want it, the finances will work somehow (that's the way life goes, isn't it? ... isn't it? :| )

Hopefully sometime in april I'll be able to make it down there, see some of the sights, and meet her. If everything goes well, I'm pretty sure I'll go for it.

OK, I can't figure why would anyone want to move to cooprate rules USA :roll: :?:

I want to leave my country, cause I can't stand the injustice, prejudice and capital that rules that country, it’s a problem in every country, but there are degrees.

I always had a problem looking in thing locally, I always look at things globally, and I try to change things, but sometimes I think ppl should sink in their own slim for a while, then maybe they will turn out better.

Anyway Canada is a much more better place to raise children the US, think about it, unless it only a small venture that will help you appreciate the place you live in.

BTW, i live in Israel.
Oh, and on next election, don't forget voting ESSO for presidency, oops, sorry, my mistake i meant Bush.

Didn't get that last post!! :? Early morning ramblings? :?

Actually Ithaca in 2001/2002 got all sorts of accolades as one of the top places to live/raise children etc...