5 Years Since My MFA in Dance: Where did it go?

[My Mom and I celebrate at La Mariana Sailing Club after my MFA graduation. Photo Credit: Rhonda McBride]

It’s been five years since my MFA in Dance and what have I done with it? What do I have to show for my time since
my terminal degree?

Well...I taught at UH Manoa while I was there, then went on to Hawai’i Tokai International College, UH Windward
Community College, Kaiser High School, Dole Middle School, King Intermediate, a number of private schools as a
regular substitute teacher (Mid-Pacific Institute, Assets High School, and several others), two public elementary schools
as a part of STEPS to Success, and the Movement Center (a nonprofit performing arts school). 

I directed TMC’s annual summer show, “Dancing the Silver Screen,” got my HI State Secondary Teaching Credential
and TESOL.

For three years I rode around O’ahu on a beautiful Honda Shadow Phantom motorcycle named A’ama, my pride and
joy and a truly beautiful way to commute. Riding a motorcycle required all of my focus and was a great practice in
presence and enjoying the Hawai’i weather.  

My community of friends who were living on the Kalihi property and I adopted a kitten, Rufio, who was a great addition
to our family and would become my familiar and accompany me in my next steps. We also had chickens for a while, so
it was dogs, cats, and chickens all around, like a little farm with the mangoes and papayas, too!

My house flooded, and fires burned next door. 

I traveled to France, Spain, the UK, and Ireland, as well as took a cross-country road trip of the US. After almost 7 years
together, my wife and I divorced. Of course there’s a lot more that went on around all of that, and it was a very difficult time,
but I was also extremely grateful to have so many resources, such wonderful family and friends supporting me and so
many skills from my training in coaching and lifelong interest in living a good life regardless of circumstance.

I used all of my tools, such as writing, therapy, coaching, yoga, meditation, spiritual practice, and creative practices, and in
this way experienced incredible growth in the midst of grief. I taught, danced, studied, and made the most of my time in
Honolulu. I was lucky to have the opportunity to visit my parents on the Big Island several times. 

I traveled alone to Germany, visiting friends and touristing solo. This trip resulted in me connecting with the woman who would
become my girlfriend. It seemed incredible to find such a wonderful relationship from that bizarre set of circumstances, but I
didn’t dare refuse what the universe presented me.

Subsequently we pursued a long-distance relationship, and I minimized my life, saved money, prepared the cat (Rufio), and moved
her (in her cat backpack), 3 suitcases and 10 boxes of books and gear to Cologne, Germany. As soon as my freelance work visa
was granted, I began teaching ballet at two local studios, Tanschule Tanzraum and Tanzstudio Odenthal. 

In addition to my ongoing Duolingo study, I’ve taken a formal A1 German course and am proficient enough (it’s ugly, but it works
along with a little French due to the ballet) to teach some of my classes in German.

I began a 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training with the yogaloft in Cologne, which is something I’ve wanted to do for a long time and
am finally prioritizing, with the additional benefit of it being mostly in German! It has been a valuable experience and integrates so
well with my other teaching and training experience.

In these last few months since COVID-19, I’ve started teaching on Zoom and YouTube, have been regularly uploading videos to
my channel, have been actively blogging, and started a podcast under the name of A Blythe Coach. Although it’s an extremely
challenging time for our global community, I’m fortunate so far and have done my best to funnel my ongoing anxiety into sharing
my knowledge and connecting with friends and colleagues worldwide online. 

My girlfriend Ela is a professional graphic designer (www.pichelchenundkarton.com) and has kindly begun work on a new website
for my company, A Blythe Coach: dance education and coaching to move through life with balance, grace, & power. It’s already the
prettiest website that I ever had. I’d to set it up to host a membership platform so that I can connect with my global community to
share all of my latest offerings, such as courses, workshops, and videos, provide transformational training and coaching, and learn
from you as well. 

So, yes I enjoyed the process of earning my Master’s 5 years ago, truly learned so much in that process, enjoyed completing it and
celebrating my accomplishment. But I am also extremely proud of what I’ve created since then. Once I wrote it all down, I can see as
well as feel my satisfaction with what has become of the last five years in my life. 

It’s all a wild ride, but I’ve never been happier, and I am here to support you in saying the same thing of your extraordinary life.