Disneyland Performance Reflections by Annie, Dori, and Deja
Aloha Everyone! It's Annie, Deja, and Dori here with an NPAC update about our recent performance at Disneyland.
Annie: Sitting among people in the airport, awaiting our flight back home to Hawaii. The excitement of these past few days have yet to go away. Who would have thought a performing arts group from Nanakuli, Hawaii would have the chance to perform at Disneyland, The happiest place on earth. A place everybody goes to. A place where NPAC's dreams came true. Getting ready for the performance was one of the most nerve wrecking yet fun experiences for the cast but in the end we were proud of our hard work.
Deja: Along with traveling to California to perform, we had the opportunity to participate in a show choir workshop with Disney Cast Member, Shelly. A bit hesitant to learning a new song and choreography, Shelly reminded us of how important it is to give your all towards what you do every single time. It was great to experience the magic behind the scenes and get tips to help enhance our performance skills. As for the performance, we gave it our all; wanting nothing more than to have fun and show everyone what we had worked so hard for.
Dori: The comments of workers and family that were with us in Disneyland still repeat in my head. It was so much fun performing on that stage and having the opportunity to show California and Disney what makes our program special and makes us proud to be from Nanakuli, Hawaii. The day of our performance was so scary I was very nervous about the workshop mostly because I didn't know what I was gonna get myself into but as we met Shelly she just made us feel like we could do anything it made me tear up a little (no one saw so it was ok). It was just very nice to see that someone believed in you and yet you just met them 20 minutes ago. As the workshop was going on I learned so many things in a small time. I learned that no matter where you come from you can be what you what you want, but you are the only person that can make your dreams come true. Even after our workshop nd performance, I watched Disney performers on the street and in the parades and it made me realize it's not just the dancing and singing and acting the character they assign you, it’s putting a smile on kids even adults’ faces. It's about making your job, no matter what it is, the most fun thing you ever did even if your job is not working in Disneyland.
Annie: For me, coming on this trip and performing was an impossible dream, or so I thought. With my medical condition, I never thought I'd be able to perform again but I was given the chance to try. I was scared at first, I thought I wouldn't be able to do it but before I knew it, I was on stage, embracing my fear and dancing. With the help of the cast I knew I just lived my dream.
Deja: And what better place to reach your dreams than the happiest place in the world? Several of the cast members and families had not been given the chance to experience Disney so we rose and set with the sun, never wanting to miss a beat on what was happening at Disney. Some of us spent days shopping for ourselves and family back home while others spent their time hitting all the rides and watching shows. Whatever it was, nobody came home without sore feet as evidence pointing towards a long and exciting day.
Annie: The days were always filled with laughter non-stop smiles. Nights were even more fun together with shows and dinners at Saddle Ranch, Medieval Times and Joe's Crab Shack. We always felt like we were eating in a different era or place. Being in Disneyland brought us back to being little kids running around on a sugar high. When the sun dared to set, all the lights would slowly shine bright for us. Stores, rides, streetlights all lit to block the darkness. I was all like a dream. And to make it more amazing, we all got to see the Amazing World Of Color firework show. The creativity there opened up my eyes to the possibilities of what I can do. Maybe even help create Disney magic and work there one day.
Dori: So leaving the airport and arriving back home I am very thankful for all the people that supported NPAC on this trip and for the Kitsu family for doing everything they could from costumes to just making sure we had the best time this summer. It was an honor being a part of this dream come true.
Deja: I know so many of the cast members would agree, traveling to Disneyland has meant more than just a performance. It's meant working alongside the people we love. It's meant facing our fears, reaching our dreams, and working outside of our comfort zones but most importantly, it's meant showing other people what makes NPAC...well, NPAC! That's all we ever wanted to do anyway. Be good, be great, be proud, be NPAC!
