Double Not Trouble: Vision Boarding & Free Form Dance
Disclaimer:
Everything below is a mix of what I observed and heard during the event. The goal isn’t to pinpoint "who exactly said what," but to share (usually) an outsider's view and overall perspective on these industries. I’m not here to act as a definitive firsthand source—readers should do their own research. I hope this inspires you to attend events, explore new industries, and hear what leaders are presenting. These notes combine my observations with thoughts on how things could run smoother and how ideas connect (IMO). I’m not an expert, you know? Just hanging out in the room with them. Enjoy!Talking about these two events ‘on their own’, one each may be ‘milkin’ it’ a bit, for what I’m trying to do with this blog. Need not attend to every single detail! Especially not with art-based events. There’s only so much to say. Anyway, I had a very artsy weekend 💁♀️ and let’s dissect what was great, what I’d like to do more of, and any suggestions I’ll offer to whoever is a decision maker and lands upon this lengthy-per-usual blog. Enjoy!
Topics Covered: Setting Intentions, Creative Arts, Visioning the Future, Dance, Collage, Staying Present, Self-Confidence
Conference Overall Ratings: Venue (2/5) - Food (5/5) - Speaker Content (4/5) - Networking Opportunity (1/5) - Likeliness to Return (2/5)
Initial Conference Overview - Why Attend? Well, first I thought this “deli fest” was for New Deli/an Indian event, or something. Then, I realized it was for Hannukah, so that sounded interesting too. They served sandwiches, so I think that’s more the “deli” they’re going for. Sharing traditional food and celebrating. Sounds interesting! 😁
Event 1: Vision Boarding
Why Attend? I haven’t collaged in 100 years!!! (Minus my wall in my living room, it’s turning into a huge life-size collage of all these things that make me happy/feel supported by myself and all my crazy theories. haha. It’s like an amazing wall. So - I just felt this sounded awesome too. I collaging (if you can’t tell from my social media and even “image collages” I attach to every single blog. Plus, this theme of like “manifest/visualize your future” or whatever - good too!!! For me, that is really hard to do, so a sorta obscure-way-of doing this is a fun activity for me. So, meeting up for this goal via crafting is a good middle ground. More indirect way to figure out the goals.
Event 2: ‘Free Form Dance’ Dance
Why Attend? Lately I’m trying to fill up my blog 😂. Not sit at home all day, but I’m also loving my “independence” and not having a huge circle of friends to keep up with - or really anyone to depend on to go out and do things. So, meeting up for crafting is a good middle ground. Obviously. So, while this is not the type of event I’d usually go to, it was acceptable for me (and lately there are NO business related events I can find). This type of “body awareness”/creative arts/dance stuff is a lot of fun to attend. Of course! And I love varieties of music. The way their music was described and the venue, it said music of all genres/decades, and the “windows have so much natural light which people often compliment”. It also said, “many peopel say this 1 hour of dance is the perfect way to start their weekends”. I mean! Those three statements alone, duh I gotta check it out!!
Also, things like this I’d like to continue to attend in the future, but I wont’ report on them every time. That’d be so crazy. hahaha. Reporting on every single dance class. My point, more, is to check it out - share the experience, and that that helps others who are interested in trying something similar have more idea of what to expect. :)
PHOTO COLLAGE & COMMENTARY
NOTES ON THE EVENTS
Notes on Event 1 / / Vision Boarding
- I arrived a little late to this event (which I only point out, because I wonder, did they have some sort of “okay, now let’s manifest our future” talk before starting or just jump into it? I was only 8 min late or so, so if so, the talk was quick. I wasn’t given any sort of major welcome at all. Just shown a seat, supplies - and go collage, girl, go!! I thought that was funny and unexpected, I woudl have expected some sort of motivational talk before. Even so, that worked out fine. I had a sorta realization:
When you’re left “on your own” (even like this, in this project, no direction - but DUH you know how to glue and cut things) you’re forced to depend on yourself. It’s just you and the paper… okay… what are you going to make?
I decided to make mine about 2025 since its the beginning of the year (I figured its why they planned it too, though any time is good for this) and I feel like I have some very very clue ideas of what this year will bring. Of course there are surprises, but a lot is coming together.
-So recently I read, “don’t show people your vision boards they’re so personal,” I read that on Twitter. haha. At the same time, I can hear the advice from others saying, “Share your visions and dreams with others so they can help you” too —- so let’s meet in the middle. I’ll show you all a few pieces of my vision board I made below.
-It was also interesting how this event was mostly friends sitting together. Also, people talk about crazy stuff right in front of strangers. Many peopel just had crazy conversations about breakups, beliefs, hygiene techniques - so many things, no cares for who heard.
I’ll admit, this is something I loved about living in China and I love about listening to music in other languages, sometimes I really enjoy not knowing what people are talking about. It’s just nice to heard sounds and let your mind relax.
This event, still, I felt very focused and had forgotten how extremely fun it is to collage.
It’s a great activity to get your mind cleared and figure out what you do/don’t want. Sometimes it’s hard to generate “what you want from the future/your vision of the future” immediately from your mind, out of nowhere. But when you use these images from magazines and stuff, it’s like you can sort through what resonates with you and not. It was a very useful activity and fun to think through.
-This event lasted 2 hours and I used every moment of it. I could have used even more time to work on this, involving more paint pens, even more pieces to glue onto this, etc… I really feel I could have spent like hours and hours on this - hahah, but alas, the event was over, and its good to end things at a point too. Like the video games event talked about, it’s good to set a limit.
-But, spoiler alert, at “Event 2” they had a lot of magazines in the community center’s lobby… so I may make another for fun. Maybe one for my personal life and one for my work life. Sometimes when I combine the two it is hard. I love to have my phone either turned off or on… when my devices are on - i’m here to work. When they’re off, I’m just here to hang. I’d like to make both.
So, here, below, are some small pieces I’ll show you all from the vision board I made and what they symbolize. PS we just painted glue over the top of everything so it’s sturdy, if you’re wondering the process.
Notes on Event 2 / / Free Form Dance, Dance
-- This is an event I have never been to and never seen anything like it. It was like “Hippie City” but in a really good way. It was like peopel dancing and just letting their bodies move how they needed. I, myself, spent basically the entire time “stretching” and moving slowly to stretch my back, legs, joints. Again - things like this are so fantastic to do regularly (I thought that after attending something kindaaa similar). I do think I’ll make things like this a bit more a part of my routine, even though they are definitely very hippie style hahah. I mean, okay. Here I am!
The dancing was so fun . The host had prepared 80 minutes of music and they covered many genres and decades.
The first song was very nature and calm inspired, the next blue grass, the next sounded like an epic video game song, the next was like daft punk, then a latin song, etc etc.
One song I was crying even! But there was a good reason: at one point I saw a very tall older man spin a tall older woman around in a circle three or so times. After, she leaned his head on his chest, almost to rest and feel safe again. She laid her head there a while, then was spun by him and caught a glance of herself in the mirror (she was right next to it). Then she leaned into him again and them embraced for a long time. I had to turn away cause I was crying.
The point: it just was like, she almost fell over from spinning too many times but also was happy to be pushed to that point and make it out. (That was my interpretation). It was like the sadness of old age and the desire to stay young and fun, but then that look in the mirror. It was like, I’ll be looking at myself in this mirror someday too.
I was one of the younger peopel there (but a lot of kids were there too, and I thought that was nice. They weren’t annoying to anyone, which was good to see, as a mother. I would like to bring my daughter to more events where she can enjoy music, practice socializing with others, and also practicing understanding the space she takes up. I want her to have self awareness and not “be in the way” of others, but also be a nice addition in her presence as well. Don’t be ashamed of who you are, but fit in nicely.
There was another man there who was very frail but extremely happy. Later in a sharing part, he shared the quote, “I am not my thoughts” saying that helps him a lot. When I saw him dancing, I just felt a bit of sadness too. He reminded me of my friend who loves to dance and is a bit older… this will be how my friend is in a decade or so from now… still hanging in there, but not like he used to. It was just like nice to see them there, but you wonder how many more seasons of this event they’ll attend. Maybe a few more years - but still, only a few more years? I got very emotional at this event. Lots of stretching and thinking, I think.
I also saw many people being so vulnerable. Dancing truly like no one was watching.
One lady cracked me up, she was dancing all over her friends rubbing onto them like an animal almost, being so playful and fun - she was much older, too. At one point, she had her shirt tied like she was out at the beach, and she found a guy to give into her style. then she was rolling ontop of him, on his back while he was bent over like a table for her. It’s hard to describe, but I thought to myself: OMG hahah. Either subconsciously or not, this lady’s goal was to find someone to literally dance and exist ontop of and pretend to be flying or something hahah. Cause she was like letting him carry all of her weight and float her around the studio. It was so funny and great. I liked that idea of having a mission (“today I want to dance in a way that someone carries me like a bird”) and seeing if you can do it. hahaha. Idk what I’d challenge myself with. Still happily socially awkward, but these types of events are fun for that personal challenge aspect :)
Another thing I noticed… while living overseas, I got very used to being stared at all of the time. I remember hearing this would happen ahead of time thinking “wow! that’ll be kind of cool”, but then I realized its more like “why I cried as a kid when peopel sang me ‘happy birthday'“. Why did I sing as a kid when people sang me happy birthday? I felt like “Why are you singing and celebrating me now? You never do other times.” In the sense, I dont want all that attention for nothing, I want that attention when I deserve it. It was the same overseas
When you’re overseas, and a foreigner (white in Asia) you stand out a lot and people stare at you a lot. Also “resting bitch face” is a thing that anyone can do, bitch or not. So it was just like nonstop resting bitch face, etc looking at you. And it’s 25 times as many people there as where I live now.. and now I’m in a decently-big city.
So… at things like this, you really get scared to go sometimes. You’re like “omg, everyone’s going to notice I don’t know how to dance!!” etc etc. These days, I’m so happy to blend in. (It’s better than being stared at all day by 25x ppl nonstop!! It really is. That wears off so fast.). So, I think a lot of that fear of “omg they will notice I can’t dance” washed way. They won’t, and I’m fine at dancing if I try. I’m just a normal brown haired white girl dancing with mostly white people… don’t be afraid - go to this/any class/event (even WHEN/IF you are potentially an outcast, still be brave… but especially in this scenario, go try new things). If I play it cool, no one even cares I’m there - in a good way. Especially here in Seattle. It’s a very “no one cares” city (versus some places I grew up) - so it just is really nice to be “back” to “normal”. Go to things, no one cares, the end. I have a great time blending in.
Events “Overall Ratings” Further Explained
Events Covered: Vision Boarding, Free Form Dance Dance, Game Night / / / /
Events Covered: Vision Boarding, Free Form Dance Dance, Game Night / / / /
VENUES
ALLOW ME TO ELABORATE: Both were nice for the event. For the collaging, there was JUST ENOUGH space for everyone and the location was fun to get to. For the dance, it was also very convenient by public transit and a nice venue.
FOOD - 3.5/5
OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT: I want healthy food options every single time. Unless it's somewhere you don’t expect food.
SPEAKER CONTENT - 4/5
ALLOW ME TO ELABORATE: These events both involved “not speaking” which is something I’m actually a huge fan of lately. So, with that to reflect on, it was so nice. Just to exist and do what you came there do to.
NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES - 5/5
OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT: The crafting event, you were sitting next to people chatting for hours, so I hope you liked what they were talking about… :). and Then the dance event, it woudl have been cool if they’d added an improv dance element, more structured (hahaha - I’m just missing it a lot, huh?) but it was so great for what it was. They don’t really need to change a think.
LIKELINESS TO RETURN - 2/5
Allow me to Elaborate Yeah! both I would attend again. They were both about self expression and confidence in yourself. Also they helped get things “out” of your mind or sores out of your body. It was a way to give back to yourself, think ahead, be present, express. I liked these events, both, a lot :)
Until next time, I wish you the motivation and success to search for opportunities around your area. Search and explore: Who is out there giving talks? There are new things happening all of the time (and sometimes social media manager procrastinate to announce things, so new events pop up last minute!)
Find relatable or interesting topics to check out… maybe even something hosted at a cool venue, if there’s no other reason to go. Let’s see what you can learn and discover, not too far from home. 😊
