Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Brandy Access Hollywood Blog#13

LOS ANGELES, Calif. --

After a rousing week of studio time, dance rehearsals, costume fittings, filming of our reality show, and an amazing interview on Larry King, I am completely exhausted. I can look back to the first week of “Dancing with the Stars” and say it was definitely easier with one dance to learn.

The competition is fierce as we round the bases into the home stretch. Learning two completely different dances for Monday night’s show is really testing both my limits and my resolve. Mind you, I’m not complaining. I truly believe that every test that is placed in my path is meant to make me learn and grow as a person. You see, I believe in the old saying of “Manifest Destiny.” I feel that to reach one’s goals you must really shoot for the highest goal attainable. Fact is all of us in the semi-finals want to win. We have shown this through our dedication to rehearsals, dancing week to week, facing down our individual fears, weathering the aches and pains and listening to family and close friends.

Juggling the filming of “Family Business” in addition to “Dancing with the Stars” rehearsals has been crazy this week.

I am ecstatic to be fortunate enough to have multiple projects going on. I feel blessed to be able to fit everything together with the help of my manager/mom, the spiritual counsel of my father and my loudest cheerleaders - my daughter Sy’rai and my brother Ray J.

Everyone on my team, including the wonderful DWTS production team, the hair/make-up/costumers and ABC PR ladies all work together for a productive daily schedule that sometimes goes from 5 AM in the morning until midnight. It’s hard work but I’m grateful. I am especially grateful to Maks and his team for being so accommodating and patient. AND, the many supporters and fans who vote for us week to week, Maks and I appreciate all the love.

This week’s dances are the paso doble and the Argentine tango. Both dances are incredibly different in style and adapting to each has been difficult.

I won’t give away what we have planned for our sensual Argentine tango except to say that I’m hoping to channel the sultriness of the famed Rita Hayworth in “Gilda.” I will, however, give my AH family - a special insight into our paso doble. This week’s dance is dedicated to anyone who has ever been bullied in his or her life.

Since Maks and I have experienced being bullied, he choreographed a wonderful routine that will shine more light on this subject matter. Bullying continues to escalate in today’s world of new prejudices.

Being different has always been a problem within society, and I take personal responsibility for teaching my daughter that our differences are what make people so interesting as my parents taught me. Wouldn’t life be boring if everyone was exactly like the next?

I am an advocate of celebrating these differences and am hopeful that I will continue to meet different people who will help me to grow and learn even more about this ever-changing world that I’m a part of it.

I think if everyone takes it upon themselves to meet someone “different” and learn just one new thing, society as a whole would be a much richer community and life can be much better. By embracing these differences and becoming more self-aware, I believe that I am on my way to being the best person I am meant to be.

And in that, I certainly feel like a winner already….

Much love to all my fellow stars and our fans,

brandy

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