Stepchild & AnnieUp:
I've been living in their homestead for the past five days and have never known generosity like theirs. Veteran dancers, community leaders, ZULU Nation, and owners of two hilarious kitties. They opened their doors to me with warmth and trust that mirrors how I hope more people learn to be. As of right now, Annie is house sitting somewhere, and Step is with his crew repping hard in Chicago (ironic, yes please). Meanwhile, I play my favorite cuts from "Babel", sip this spiced brew, and look after the things they love most.
"Ozone" (kitty #1) stalks me as I type, a tasty pizza cooks in the oven, and I flip through the blood red bound book of secrets. It's been my road manual, where I keep the deets, all the inside jokes I hope to turn into jem's later, and every word I won't dare share with the likes of YOU! :P
To pick up where I left off...
...Amy is the true definition of a dance hustler! That women puts it in and I hope to in the coming weeks get a full interview of her. I'd really love to write an entire piece about her and help her branch out even further. Really enjoy having so many strong amazing women in my life, sometimes can't believe all the insanely talented folks I know, and look forward to all the future projects we will put together.Any rate...
Finally got to experience the MOA...MALL OF AMERICA...and America it was! I think somewhere around an hour walking, just after seeing the third "lids" store, and wiggling by gaggles of childhood obesity do I finally really begin to self deprecate. We are so vein, me too...me too but it's definitely harder to avoid that fact in a super mall, with it's own theme park (water RIDES!), various food courts, bowling alley, multi-plex, and AQUARIUM! So, before the spiraling could become to much in my own head I bought a ticket to see a movie, and was rode that wave of instant gratification all the way to a hilarious ending. 7 psychopaths! See it! Tell me what you thought...and NOW! 
After the movie I'm out of dodge before and would be slob can snap video of the dazzling dance my digits do. I purchase a ticket for the "Light Rail", proceed to an available seat, and open up Mr. Hitchens delightful novel on how "Religion Poisons EVERTHING" and away we go. It isn't until a few stops that I realize, I didn't stamp my ticket, and it doesn't seem like there are any conductors. So I turn to the young man next to me and ask him if he bought a ticket. To which he replies yes and then I ask...why? He says they have camera's and sometimes people will come on and check tickets for the whole car. I tell him, he's a good man and probably doesn't enjoy confrontation. I'm flabbergasted (also glad I got to use the word), I rode from the furthest point one direction and got off two stops before the furthest direction in the other. NO ONE CHECKED MY TICKET!!! To help you understand the city I'm traveling through right now, they have public transportation that works off the "honor system", and people line up to pay. What the hell, I'm in good spirits, it's cheaper, cleaner, and safer then the CTA...I'll pay along too guys.Next stop! The MetroDome, home to those NFC greats the Vikings, and lucky for them I have a full bladder. I walk up to the grounds, look around, see no security, and continue on ward to the first pillar I see. There is a camera, I turn my back, which has my Bears back pack on, and let loose a warm stream of urine. I can only imagine what the replay on that looks like, as I scurry away cackling, Bears logo trailing off in the distance...
Damn...Burned the pizza a little bit...Ohhh these distractions!
From there, I walk about the city, taking in the many corners, jibbing with an old drunk blues man, and watching a cigarette sale go down that looked a lot like a drug deal. This is where we've gone and where we will continue as people. I head to "the Underground Comedy Show" on 7 corners and put my name in to tell some jokes. I meet a young aspiring comic named "Zain", we begin the back, the forth, and all over some delicious corn dogs and totts. He's just moved here from Indy and really isn't sure what comes next. Just looking for a fresh start and a good place to express his art. So gifted! I've been hitting up comedy open mics quite a bit this year and this guy understands what it takes. Set them up, knock em down, a full drawn out battle plan, and ton's of ethnic humor. The room is warm, inviting, and it seems like most people draw some laughs. All n all I love the grassroots love that I'm seeing in Minneapolis and I must study more to steal a little of that goodness for Chicago.
All to soon Amy is scooping me up, she's done with rehearsal, and now wants to go out and dance. So after a pit stop home, we head out to this sick loft party in downtown, and I'm feeling especially V.I.P. Some great dancers, free drinks, and a WIDE variety of music. Trap, Samba, Soul, HipHop, Funk, and of course Prince. I put Prince as his own genre because in Minneapolis it only rains Purple. Rugs are cut and somewhere around 3 A.m. enough is enough. I'm starting to wonder if I can keep pace...back to back action packed days.
Next day, we sleep a little bit but eventually meet up with Amy's good friend Lisa whose just come back from NY. Sometime is spent in a silly store, the gurls contemplate ice cream, and I see how many ways there are to rotate this new shape I've come across. Dancin Dave in supreme serendipitous fashion get's dropped off outside across the street from the store that we happen to be walking out of. I believe the conversation with his lady friend went something like...
"Well where do you want me to drop you off at?"
"I don't care! Fuck it, I'll just get out here and figure it out."
...So he informs us, because him and his ride were fighting they missed their turn. This made them end up heading south, it made them fight even more and finally Dave just got out of the car. His hope was to have us come scoop him with Amy's car but life as per usual knew exactly what it was doing. The plan for the night becomes, infiltration of a rather large Zombie Pub Crawl but as Zombie hunters. This is only to amuse ourselves, kill time (and zombies), and find out where best to boogie. I love getting down with Dave, he's a mentor me in dance, and just an overall phenomenal master of his craft. Once again! BLESSED! To call so many talented artists friend! We settle on a place called "honey", walk more, drink many sips from our bottle of whiskey, and discuss what it is people can do to battle back against this unspoken war on the poor. All the while I'm wearing a giant black afro and wielding a sweet plastic axe (complete with red gore splashed on the blade(Pics to follow)). We get up, we get down, and the DJ is hitting a lot of favorites. Playing to everyone but something tells me, he's paying special attention to two zombie hunters who are gettin DOoooWWwWwWeeeeeennNNNn! It's a goodnight, up until we turn into a McDonald's...drunk, hungry, and out voted I eat.....don't judge me...Tommy.
I spend the morning very much hung over, packing up my things, and sharing jokes with two lively souls. All to soon, I'm heading back down town, and Dave will continue to push our existential conversations into cunning corners. I value my good friend and in him find a conscious adversary of similar goals but much more action then those before. He's taken a back seat in the dance community he once so feverishly competed in, built, and spread. All in the hopes to find a better means to put his time on this earth to proper use. Watching him interact with people on the street of Minneapolis is something of an inspiration in and of it's self. He works with a youth outreach program and it would seem does a damn good job. People trust him, he speaks the lingo, and see's the furnace rumbling long before it can blow. Talk it but if you want to see someone walk it head to 7th and Nicollette in Minneapolis. I pop in, peep the Vikings demise, and all to soon I'm hoping that silly little light rail again. On Sunday nights dancers come together from various parts of the twin cities and session. It's an extremely informative session for me, I watch the way it all comes together, and already start to see some amazing idea's to play with in my own city. They are a tight nit group and they welcome me in as one of their own. I set up some battles for while I'm in town and try to drum up interest in my own workshop. When all the dance moves have been properly moved, I'm handed off into the care of the loving individuals I intro'd at the top, and we go out for some tasty mexican eats. Our waiter is super sassy but exceptionally snappy...to me...that's the best combo. All to soon I find myself looking up at a new ceiling, feeling.................fortunate, free, and fulfilled!
I've been writing for a few hours now, I need to add pictures, call it a night and write part two tomorrow. Be well friends, leave comments, questions, and what not bellow. Please help spread my blog, get other people to read along, and any other form of promotion you can come up with :D
Peace n Flowz
P.W.T
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