Daina

»-(¯..v´&# ;175;)-» «-(¯..v´&# ;175;)-« I've lived all my life within a mile of the beach in Santa Monica, (Los Angeles) California. Beauty, peace, love, friendship and music are most important to me. I live with my mom and our animals - Emma the wild tabby cat and Rocket, a Border Collie(think black and white sheep herding dogs like Fly in Babe). I love to dance, especially folklorico, flamenco and salsa, but I'm primarily a classically trained ballet dancer. In the ballet world, we culminated a great Nutcracker season winter 2006 with performances at the Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Dorothy Chandler Pavillion at the Music Center. My other growing interest is a love for the Spanish language and cultures of Latinoamerica. I also play clarinet and piano and sing in addition to learning guitar from a book of Soda Stereo songs. :) I love going to concerts, and I've been so lucky to have seen and met more artists than I can count.
I graduated from Santa Monica High School in 2007 where my favorite classes were Spanish, English, Calculus, Band and Choir. During senior year I performed with Wind Ensemble at CARNEGIE HALL and sang with Chamber Singers throughout ITALY.
I've had some great life experiences. One was an academic summer program at UC Berkeley in 2005. (I LOVE YOU, and will never forget you, all my Berkeley friends!) Summer 2006 I had an amazing time at Boston Ballet Summer Dance Program. (Room 407 rocks!)
After high school I took a "gap year" before college, and had the chance to do a lot of things I love and that really interest me. I traveled to D.F. Mexico City in November 07, and had the most interesting vacation in my life. While I was there I saw 2 Soda Stereo concerts at the Foro Sol - genial! (The next place I'm dying to go to is mi querida Colombia, a country I fell in love with a few years ago in my Spanish class with the incredible Sra.Bates.) Also, I LOVE to read, especially ethnic literature and Los Angeles literature. This past year I've been able to track down and meet a bunch of my favorite authors at various events, like Isabel Allende, Yxta Maya Murray, Francesca Lia Block, Nina Revoyr, Josh Kun and many many more. This past summer 2008 I particpated in the Multicultural Summer Institute at Occidental College where I learned a ton and had a great time.
Now, fall 08, I'm thrilled to be starting school at Occidental College in Eagle Rock, Los Angeles! At Oxy I'm involved with dance (ballet and Mexican folklorico), Glee Club (choir), Concert Band, the Intercultural Community Center and writing for the Occidetal Weekly. (You can read my articles HERE )

In short, I have a BIJILLION interests and explorations - this Myspace blurb is only the tip of the Daina-iceberg. Lastly, I have been using Facebook more often than Myspace nowadays, so look me up! Ciao!