Creative Stretches

My husband is a creative hyphenate; he does everything.  He's a writer-director-actor-musician-puppeteer who designs-hosts-builds and strips.  I try to acquire hyphenates and strengthen the hyphenates I already have.  Everything I do makes me a better burlesque performer.  Here's what I did in the past week to contribute to my creative hyphenates, making myself a better performer in the process:

• Ballet class.  I take a 90-minute ballet class every week.  I got a late start studying ballet so I know I'll never be a prima ballerina.  I do know that ballet will strengthen my dance frame, bring more grace to my performances, and improve the height and form of my kicks.  Ballet class forces me to concentrate on what I'm doing.  I'm sure the year plus of ballet classes have influenced my burlesque.
• Tap class.  I take a two-hour tap class every week.  I had about six months of tap class ten years ago from a terrible teacher.  Kismet landed me in this class, and I'm learning so much.  I have to concentrate on the combinations so I can get them right.  I have to change my posture for tap class because we're learning down and dirty tap, not show tap.  I hope one day to incorporate tap into my burlesque.
• Acting.  I opened a play on Saturday.  I play a best friend-love interest type.  This is very different from what I usually portray in my burlesque numbers because it's very naturalistic.  Of course, I get to show something I don't otherwise -- vulnerability.  Assuming any kind of role as an actor gives me more options in burlesque.
• Writing.  I wrote a short play that opened Friday night.  On Friday night, I wrote a short play that ran just Saturday night as part of a 24-hour play festival.  Writing forces me to create stories rapidly, keeping my idea generator hot for creating acts.

Sharpening one's other skills keeps the mind in shape for being creative.  All of these activities are influencing my next acts.  I can't wait to see how it all pays off.