Estella Ramirez

I signed up for Adult Ballet I at Santa Monica College, and went to my first class, wearing a t-shirt, zippered sweater, yoga pants, and running sneakers.

I danced barefoot, which made it difficult to slide my feet across the floor, so I think I’ll get some ballet slippers. I secretly want a leotard and skirt, too, but I don’t need them if I’m only taking 5 sessions as an informal summer course. No need for a tutu either, I guess. I liked the dancing, and except for taking a while to catch up with how the counts were going (shame on me as a musician), I think I did pretty well.

The teacher, who is a good instructor, kind, and funny, is having hip replacement surgery after our course is done. She has been a ballet dancer since she was eight, and the twists have taken their toll on her. She is very talented and sacrifices herself as she painfully demonstrates moves to us. I was made undeniably aware that a serious ballet dancer can destroy her very bones – the purest and most demanding moves are so unnatural to the human body. In this regard, I’m not so much concerned for myself, taking just a casual workshop, as I am disappointed in ballet.

On a more positive note, I am getting an essential education. I can see we will be learning the fundamentals of body alignment and awareness, as well as strengthening, not just the legs, but the body’s core muscles, and all of this will help my singing! I hear it’s good for football players, too.

Yes, I was a choir girl growing up. I always loved music. But I was very shy and was scarred for life by the negative experiences I had in school.

But as I matured, I realized that I let my insecurities distract me from reaching my potential as a singer. I never once abandoned music; I have pursued music in various capacities. But I didn’t pursue it with the fervor that my heart really felt. Now it is time to acknowledge the gift I have, and train myself as a singer again!

I am taking voice lessons with the ultra talented soprano, and totally compassionate teacher, Alise Richel. I love her! I feel stronger as a singer already, and with her support, I am facing a lot of demons I was too afraid to face when I was younger. Already I am reaching heights I never thought I could.

I may never become a diva in an opera house (though at the moment I feel like I could do anything), but I am finding my truest and most pure voice in this exciting new endeavor, and it has been an emotional, physical, and spiritual process so far.

If I were to give any advice on the subject of taking voice lessons, it would be to say that it is extremely important to find, not just a great teacher, but a great teacher who is a right fit for you personally!

Well, we moved to the Los Angeles area – Marina del Rey, CA to be precise – so that Carlos could work on an assignment for his company. We’re here temporarily, so I was limited in my job search that way.

Even though I would have liked a full-time job as a teacher, I looked for freelance writing jobs instead. I applied for a lot of writing and editing positions online, using Monster and Careerbuilder. I also used my local Classifieds and Craigslist and applied to a variety of jobs. None seemed to turn out.

Finally, my dad suggested I apply to be a substitute, so I did a search for local schools, called one up, and sent the principal my résumé. The principal, who is just the best person to work with, loved my résumé and soon after I applied, I was called in for a two-week job looking after a Language Arts class! Being a poet with a Master’s in creative writing, it was perfect for me.

And now I can afford to pay all my bills next month!

What’s wonderful about being a substitute teacher is that it gives me some down time to work on my music and writing. And I will continue to look out for freelance writing opportunities.