WHERE'S THE BEAT?
A few years ago, I had no idea how to hear a beat in a song. If I found it, it was luck. If you saw me dance, it would definitely be a give-away that I was missing something essential.
And then I started taking Zumba, which is surprising because I swore off dance at a very young age.
My sister, who is 10 years older and often took care of me growing up, signed me up for tap lessons. She had big dreams for me—she saw my name in lights as the next Annie on Broadway—but since I was about seven at the time, we had no time to waste. She decided the quickest path to becoming a Broadway tap dancer was to skip beginner and go right to Intermediate.
As you can imagine, about ten minutes into the class, when I was completely lost and embarrassed, I tried to run out of that room faster than my tears could fall from my face. I think my tears won. And dancing became something I only did on those special life occasions with enough Chardonnay.
So taking Zumba was a personal challenge I did not see coming. I wanted to dance for real, and to learn to dance you need to hear the beat, and to learn how to hear the beat, there was YouTube. So I actually did learn how to hear the beat from a YouTube video.
TIME TO TAKE A BEAT
Once I am determined, stopping is hard, so it was tough to put the brakes on when we reluctantly left our Art Beat Gulch location after rent prices increased post-Covid. And then Lizzie told me she was not going to continue as a co-owner (I am still trying to lure her back!). Despite these setbacks, I fairly quickly moved to a new space, which led to an even greater setback.
It turns out from all of this I learned another skill—taking a beat. Sometimes it’s best to wait until you know what comes next. I can say this confidently now… because I know what's next, and I am very excited!
ACT 2: JAZZERCISE
Also during this time, I found my next dance chapter when a friend convinced me to go to Jazzercise. I started out hiding in the back row, and now I’ve worked my way up closer toward the front. The class is taught by a real Nashville gem, Mary Helen, who’s been teaching for 44 years.
Think Jane Fonda, but twenty years younger than she is now, teaching a class ranging from teenagers to 84! And seriously, Jazzercise is NO joke. It’s tough, but essential — it keeps my BEAT strong.
Here's the latest beat from Art BEAT:
ONLINE MARKETPLACE: Launching in November! Artists are onboarding!
ARCADE ARTS HOLIDAY MARKET: Also in November, Art Beat will be hosting a holiday market in Gallery 56 in partnership with Arcade Arts. It will run through the holidays… stay tuned!
SOCIAL MEDIA: I have been very inconsistent with social media, but I am working back towards consistency. My post today about Omari Booker's art show—that’s what I want to be posting about. The art happening at Art Beat, but also all over Nashville. Don't miss Omari's show at Elephant Gallery. It opens tonight, and will be on exhibit until October 25 (more info below)
ART BEAT APP: On hold for a beat 😏 while I focus on online marketplace.
I am juggling a lot and wearing lots of hats at Art Beat. But I am getting there—finding my way back to beginning again.
DO NOT MISS THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE OMARI BOOKER'S NEW EXHIBIT at Elephant Gallery! Opening is tonight!
I am excited to announce a new solo exhibition opening at Elephant Gallery in North Nashville on September 12, 2025. This new series of works titled, “BE,” is inspired by a friend named “B" - a man who has lived for the last 10 years under a church-owned pavilion in Bordeaux & maintains a spirit of peace despite his limited resources. The collection of works in "BE" includes portraits of “B" as well as landscapes that show the streets of Bordeaux through B's eyes. The exhibition is a complex examination of presence, spirituality, neighborhood development, and homelessness.
