I'm So Here For This: Backpacks

TREND ALERT!
So, out of nowhere, backpacks came back into style! I must say, this is definitely a trend that I'm totally into and I am so here for this! Check out the backpack below by Topshop that I am SO HERE for! So who wants to purchase this bag for me? haha Click on the photo to be directed to where you can purchase your own!

                                                 

BUSY BEE

This has been an unusually busy week for me. I started 2014 with a plate full of new endeavors so I've been trying to fully wrap my head around everything. I've been such a busy bee these days! That said, I think I am finally getting in the swing of things. I'm really big on routines so I've been trying to organize my life and kind of create a set routine for myself. Hmmm, I know I just wrote "I think I am finally getting in the swing of things," but now that I think about it I think I've got a little ways to go. It's probably because there's a couple more things I need to work into my schedule that I haven't done yet. If you have any advice to offer please do leave a comment or shoot me an email! Do you like routines? How do you organize your life? What changes (if any) came into your life at the start of 2014 and how have you handled them? 

During a busy week, I like to stay comfy and casual but still chic! This week, my go-to shoe was this pair of H&M zip up ankle boots. If you are looking for some comfy ankle boots that will still sexify your outfit, then go to H&M. I have my eye on a different pair of ankle boots EVERY time I walk in that store! 

Dress Like JO

Similar Ankle Boots

I'm So Here For This Cyber Lipstick

I'm so here for this liptick by Mac Cosmetics called Cyber! Hope you enjoyed the seflies above! Check out the video below to find out why! 

DISCLAIMER:

I was not paid by MAC Cosmetics for this post and this post is in no way endorsed by or sponsored by MAC Cosmetics.

I'm So Here For This - Pink Lotion by Victoria Secret

At the end of 2013, I promised you all some new and exciting things for 2014 and of course I am going to deliver! On the blog every Monday will be a post titled "I'm So Here For This." As my friends and family know, this is a phrase that I use on a daily basis regarding anything that I admire or that I am currently coveting. I'm so here for this basically means I am definitely in love with this (whatever this may be)!

So, what can you expect from the "I'm So Here For This" blogposts? Well, you can expect to see everything from beauty and hair products to music and maybe even restaurants and bars. You can pretty much expect to see anything that I am currently excited about.

So...let's get started. This week I'm so here for this body lotion by Vitoria's Secret Pink. I remember purchasing this lotion as an "impulse buy" that I definitely felt guilty about at first. However, I ended up falling in love with this lotion and went right back to Victoria's Secret for more. 

Not only does this lotion come in several enticing scents, but it is also the perfect consistency and texture for lotion. I usually struggle with purchasing lotion because I never want the consistency to be too thick, but I also don't want it to be too thin. I must say, I also love the shimmer that it leaves on my skin also. This lotion will literally make you glow! 

My favorite scent so far will have to be the Pretty & Pink, but they all smell so good it doesn't even matter. These lotions are definitely a must try! 

Click on the image below to be directed to the Victoria's Secret website where you can purchase from the collection of 8 scents!

DISCLAIMER:
I was not paid by Victoria's Secret for this post and this post is in no way endorsed by or sponsored by Victoria's Secret.

Things Could Always Be Worse

It actually happened everyone! The impossible finally happened to me! MY HARDDRIVE FAILED ON MY MACBOOK! I always heard stories from people about how their harddrive failed and they lost everything, but I never thought it would happen to me! I am currently typing out this blogpost on pretty much a brand new computer! My baby came back to me completely empty; no music, no photos, no NOTHING! AHHHHH

Now, normally this would be the type of thing that would make me go absolutely crazy but for some reason it didn't. I kept asking myself why I wasn't more upset when apple called me and broke the news to me and I finally figured it out. Let me explain....

So, my harddrive actually failed the night before my computer's warranty was going to expire. When I took her to apple the next day, they literally told me I made it on time by the hairs on my chinny chin chin! They would fix it for FREE! However, at this point I didn't know and they didn't know that my hard drive had failed. Apple called me a couple days later to break the news and even though I was upset, I was honestly just thankful that it happened within the time of my warranty. Things could always be worse.

Moral of the story is, we should always try to see the glass as half full and not half empty. Trust me, I know how difficult this can be sometimes!

All Things Sequins

Let me start this post by saying HAPPY NEW YEAR to everyone! I hope you all enjoyed ringing in the new year -- however you chose to ring it in! I brought in 2014 at my home with a few of my friends and family. This was honestly the best way to bring in the new year -- aside from Church of course!

I remember back in November, my friends and I were trying to decide which club package we would be purchasing for our New Years Eve festivities! However, the closer and closer it got to NYE, everyone decided it would be best to just host NYE at one of our homes. Nobody wanted to deal with the lines at the clubs, the crowds, getting our shoes stepped on, and of course the inflated costs of New Years Eve event packages. In addition to all this, I was pretty under the weather. Actually, I didn't have a voice during my entire party.

Well, that is how the festivities ended up at my home. It was all very last minute and not planned, but sometimes -- as this party proved -- the best times are the unplanned times. I hosted the event as a potluck and so everybody contributed something and this made things easier for me. Shout out to Walmart for the last minute decorations I purchased and to my brothers (Emmanuel and Joshua) for helping me put them up lol.

We had a blast and I couldn't have asked for a better crowd to bring in the year 2014 with. As you can see, I wore a sequin pencil skirt and croptop combo that I purchased at Express. I am in love with All Things Sequins! I literally purchased this outfit back in November and I said to myself this is my New Years Eve outfit and I don't care where I go but somebody's gonna see it. Lol

DRESS LIKE JO
Below is a croptop similar to the one I am wearing! Click on the picture to be directed to where you can purchase it.

I hope you all have a wonderful 2014 and join me as I chronicle parts of mine here on She's So Me!

Who Is She: Dancer SIREN

WHO IS SHE?
She is Dancer, Siren. Siren was born and raised in the one and only Brooklyn, New York. She discovered her love for dance and the tender age of 4, but didn't start dancing professionally until her senior year of high school. Something a lot of people don't know is that Siren graduated from high school at the age of 16. Now 20, Siren has had the honor of sharing the stage with the likes of Diggy Simmons, Maluca Mala, 2 Chainz and Major Lazer. She is an extremely talented and extremely intelligent young woman who we can all learn a lot from. Check out my interview with Siren below

How long have you been dancing?

I have been dancing since the young & tender age of 4. My passion for dance thrived from being raised in a household by parents who deeply enjoyed music and kept a large variety of albums. Having constant access to music and the latest music videos, my older sister began teaching me how to dance at a very young age. I haven't stopped since. 

What sparked the interest in dance for you?

As I sort of hinted in the previous question, I owe my passion for dance -- and dedication to it -- solely to my older sister Dana. She was the dancer in my family. She was already making up her own routines and would keep me dancing for hours! I spent most of my summer days and weekends during adolescence learning routines for shows and block parties with her and her friends. 

Do you specialize in a specific style of dance?

I am blessed to say that I am a very versatile dancer and I have so many different styles under my belt. Although my core training was done at Martha Graham in ballet and modern dance during my high school years, I have also trained and perfected many other styles. To name a few; reggae/dancehall, african, hip hop, jazz, vogue, belly dance, salsa, merengue, bachata and so much more. 

What is a typical day of practice like?

A typical day of practice or rehearsal? Hmmm it's never typical hahaha That's actually one of the greatest parts about being a dancer is that one day you can be waitressing part time and the next learning choreography for 8 hours to be flown out to Cali right after. So for me, rehearsals are pretty spontaneous. I've also noticed that at my level of expertise in this field, I've been doing a lot of professional and big shows that I get booked for last minute. This usually means learning a whole show in one long rehearsal and that can range anywhere from 3-8 hours depending on how much choreography I need to learn. 

Do you choreograph or just dance? If you choreograph, how long does it usually take to create a quality routine?

I am a choreographer and instructor. I spend and equal amount of time creating routines and teaching them as I do learning from others. I have become quite great at the choreography process and often when teaching I make it up right on the spot. 

Who are dancers that inspire you?

Through much of my adolescence, I was greatly inspired by Michael & Janet Jackson, Jennifer Lopez, & Laurie Ann Gibson. Over the last decade I've become really inspired by a dancer/choreographer Danielle Polanco, a Bronx native. She has made such a great strides in the industry and has danced and choreographed for some of the hugest recording artists in the music industry. I admire how feminine and sexy she is when she moves. The way she dances has really inspired much of the way I've grown as a dancer in the past few years. 

What kind of emotions do you feel/give off when you dance?

This is a funny question for me because I feel like I have two main emotions when I perform and it's often one or the other depending on the kind of piece. I think most of the time I am very sexy and in the dance world this would be referred to as "femme". This is because most of the time I'm doing reggae/dancehall or voguing which I feel both require a lot or that "femme" persona. Then there is the super serious and sharp side of me which is kind of the exact opposite of the other because it is far more masculine. I would say I have the best of both worlds. 

What does it take to book a gig?

Connects. By far that's the biggest part of booking the important paid gigs. It's not how well you dance, or how great you think you really are. It's really about catching people's eye and creating a lasting impression. I am constantly networking and meeting amazing people through my passion for dance. When I perform I am making sure to deviate from everyone else who performs on the same stage as me. Confidence is key and I believe that most of the times I've felt like I was standing out the most are the times when I've booked my biggest gigs. After a performance, you have to feel confident enough that you've left people asking about you with everlasting curiosity that is so significant they contact you without you even having to chase them around. 

What are some of your future goals for dance?

I want to tour! I want to have a steady gig that allows for me to explore different parts of the world through my passion for dance. I want to share that with people everywhere.

What has been your favorite piece to perform thus far?

My favorite by far was performing with Major Lazer at Coachella Music Festival in California. It was an experience unlike any other and one that I will never forget. I have always had a passion for reggae/dancehall music and Major Lazer has created such a fun, live, and interactive performance that shares this style of music with people world wide -- which to me is huge! Just being a part of it meant the world to me and people are still talking about this particular performance every day. It's breathtaking. (Pictured below is Siren on stage at Coachella performing with rapper 2 Chainz) 

What is your favorite piece you choreographed and why?

My favorite piece that I have ever choreographed was for a dance competition called World of Dance in San Diego. I feel like it was a mix of every style of dance I have under my belt and it was a favorite to many different audiences. It was fun & combined both my "femme"and masculine side that I was able to choreograph on both males and females.

What was the worst routine you ever had to perform?

Hmm, I can't honestly say I've had to perform a routine that I would consider to have been the worst. Maybe in high school, but I would say that's because we were all amateurs at our craft and collaborating was kind of difficult with all of the different egos. As a result, I had several bad routines I had to perform during that time. 

What is the hardest thing about dance?

The hardest thing about dance for me is that it is super competitive and finding the money in such a competitive field can be stressful and difficult at times. There are so many amazing dancers out there who don't mind dancing for free so when you're a dancer who requires pay sometimes it's harder to find gigs.

Have you ever used your talents for the good of the community?

Yes. I grew up in public housing and by the age of 17 I was already teaching dance at my own cornerstone community center and volunteering my classes free of charge to service my community. I also currently work at a Middle School here in Brooklyn during the  after school hours. I run the Performing Arts program 5 days a week which offers a variety of modern, Latin and hip hop dance classes along with drama and step free of charge to all of the students in the school. 

What did your first dance costume after your performance look like?

That's a tough one because I'm almost sure that I was about 5 years old and I performed in my first Christmas show in kindergarten where all we had to wear we're colored t shirts. Hahaha. 

Have you met new people from dancing?

Dancing has connected me to so many new and amazing people. I can't even begin to put a number in how many people I have met just from shows and auditions alone. It's crazy and honestly makes me feel kind of blessed to have access to so many different people because of my love for dance. 

What is the most valuable lesson you have learned throughout your journey as a dancer?

I've learned to differentiate between business and personal relationships. Often I find myself working with the same people over and over because I'd much rather have a small circle of people I trust and rely on. However, this can be tricky because naturally friendships and relationships are formed and you become really close with these people. With that being said, I've gotten a lot better at establishing with everyone that I work with a mutual understanding. By doing this, we understand that business is business and that if we are indeed friends, that's kept separate from any projects, shows or creative processes we collaborate on. At the end of the day, when we come together to work, it's time to work and when we want to have dinner and share laughs that's separate. 

What piece of advice would you give other young girls out there who are interested in getting their foot into the door of the dance world?

It's a commitment and you have to be hungry for it and love it! You have to love it more than you love sleep or even eating! It sounds dramatic, but sometimes it gets ugly and you feel defeated because you may not find that perfect professional gig for a while. Nonetheless, I am a strong believer in the fact that if you are passionate about what you do and you are dedicated to it more than anything, then everything else will fall into place and your hard work does pay off with time, effort and positive energy. 

She's So Me would like to thank Siren for taking time out of her busy schedule to speak with us. 

Keep up with Siren by following her on Instagram @sirenthedancer. Also, learn more about Siren by checking out her blog and Dansume (Dance Resume) here. Miss Siren also teaches Zumba classes. If you are interested in joining her class, you can contact her at denasiadancer@gmail.com.