I silently coached myself to stay calm and not get overly excited while seated during the questions and answer here at Barnes and Noble.

Well, forget that! It's Twyla Tharp for heaven's sake! The goddess, an American Icon, in the ranks with Joni, Ella, Nina, Martha Graham, Oprah, Meryl, Margaret Mead, Dorothy Day, Ruth Gordon, Dorothy Fields, Thelma Shoonmaker, Ida B. Wells.

Twyla blessed this decade with a celebration of the transformative Billy Joel in her masterpiece "Movin' Out," which played at the Richard Rogers Theater. I coined her and her dancers, "The Olympics of Dance." I mean, no show has ever touched the standard and bar that was set from that show. If anyone knows of any contenders please let me know! When I saw the show (with one of my favorite theater goers), magic was about. First off, someone cancelled their first row seats at the box office, so we got up close and personal with that amazing cast! When I left the theater, I suspected that no show will ever touch that.
Billy Joel has a place in my artistic time line. Summer of 1986 the people I worked for had a cassette of, "The Bridge," in their Honda Accord with sunroof. I would listen to that while I drove to SUNY Purchase to take my jazz dance classes. The woman I worked for back then has since passed away. I took a shine to, "Code of Silence," and "You May Be Right," from another album. I now have these songs in my repertoire...
Twyla fielded many questions. I would rather perform on a stage, sing a song, a monologue, a scene from a play or a film, recite a poem than have to publicly ask a single question to someone I admire so much. I mean , if we flash back to my apartment 6:30 pm, I was looking around for art work to give to her. I thought I could bring the photo of me and my friend Leda posing as Nadia Comenici, as we played in my basement, which was one of my dance studios/ slumber party, turn-table hang outs, but I didn't bring it. Instead, I took a picture with my camera phone of a whale bone blue, violet Alaskan Sky with the shadow of a Goddess arms in triumphant pose super imposed on it in hopes to share with her. But I forgot about the nature photo, as I was so far from her sitting in the audience and in one moment, I furiously raised my arm because in such a crowded room there was some wiggle room to chicken out, but hand held high, she got to me. Hence we had a vocal encounter from across the room: she at the podium and me near the door. She in Texas and me in Maine.
She gave me great, concise advice. While walking home, I fantacized about how she pushes her talent to the limits and what it would be like to be directed by her. I wanted to ask her to work with me on a monologue I am writing. I can dream, right? I am very inspired in spite of the surge of nerves from this event. I am grateful to have "met" Twyla and appreciate the example she sets of consistency and accomplishment.

Time to keep working and show some proof. Big Apple, you just got sweeter. What I would give to be in a studio with Twyla for one hour. This is my sentiment right now.

Okay, how about a series of hours?