In the fifth month of 2026 I celebrated my father’s 80th birthday, little nephew’s 3rd, adventures around Hawai’i Island, big personal news, travel back to Germany to be received by a Renaissance Festival and Culinary tour!
May Slayed
In the month of May:
- Travel around Big Island and back to Köln
- Got engaged!
- Dad’s 80th Birthday celebration with friends on Cinco de Mayo
- Mother’s Day
- Guest taught Ballet 4 & 2 at West Hawai’i Dance Theatre
- Field trips in Cologne on a Culinary Tour, Renaissance Faire, Girls’ Center
Bullet Journaling & Planning
The above YouTube Video is a flip-through of the month in my Seasonal Book including goals, glows, media favorites, and events I recorded along the way. During May I continued to work in my 2026 Annual Collections, Monthly, and Weekly spreads to plan teaching, travel, and personal events.
Teaching & Coaching
Gave regular Mindful Movement classes in Balletlicious Ballet Barre+ and Yummy Gentle Yoga online continued throughout the month, with substitute teachers covering my studio Ballet classes and Well-Being elective courses in Cologne while I was in Hawai’i.
Had the pleasure to teach a couple guest Ballet Technique classes for West Hawai’i Dance Theatre while I was in town and scheme with my mentor Virginia over dinner about future projects.
Writing & Publishing Articles
In May I actually published no new articles, less than my typical weekly intention. Will do my best to sufficiently plan ahead for publishing during long absences/alterations in my routine in the future, but in this case family time took priority and teaching on-site, and rightfully so.
Glad to have gotten back to it since then!
Filming & Sharing Videos
I published 4 videos to the A Blythe Coach YouTube Channel in May:
- Small Space Juliet Variation pt.3 – ballet solo draft – no instruction, online students’ reference video: this class extract is from the “Romeo and Juliet” ballet, part three of Juliet’s variation where we dance the whole solo part, facing front. My part 1 video has the first section filmed from the back to better follow along just on the right side, part 2 has both sides, and this has the entirety performed facing front. Let’s feel Juliet’s infatuated joy, adapted for online intermediate ballet learners dancing in small spaces at home.
- Talk about Pretty Colors – Spring Currently Inked Fountain Pens 2026 – what I’m writing with & on video is a writing-utensil nerdy and philosophical three-quarters of an hour of talking about my currently inked pens and the papers I’m writing & sketching on in the spring of 2026.
- Small Space Canary Fairy Ballet Variation Pt 1 – solo draft – online students’ reference video online class extract is from the “Canary Fairy” variation in the ballet “Sleeping Beauty.” For part one, we took a simplified, smaller-space version of the first part of this short but action-packed dance. Let’s feel the frolicsome energy of a songbird in springtime together, bestowing blessings on all!
- (Un) Pack With Me for Hawai’i – Carryon Only Clothing & Travel Essentials of an International Dancer video This spring I again had the opportunity to visit family and friends, spend time with my parents, guest teach at my home dance studio, and enjoy the unique charms of Kailua-Kona, Hawai’i. The mountains, the beaches, cultural sites, and eats. So, I got out my handy 4-Layers packing lists (digital and illustrated) and had an easy and fun time preparing for 24 hours of travel through 12 time zones and varying climates. Had the chance to film what’s in my bags once returning to Europe, so this is an unpack with me rather than a pack with me video 🙂
Connecting: Email & Social Media
Email Newsletter
The best way to keep up-to-date on everything I’m coaching, teaching, creating and sharing about as well as work from others that I believe to be of value for fellow creatives is to subscribe to my email newsletter.
I sent one Email Newsletter in May, “Dance Day every day, Spring on the wing, Big Island adventures.”
Socials
In May I also posted twice to Instagram. It is my honor to be connected to you there, here, online and in-person!
Creative Challenges
In May my creative “challenges” included guest teaching at West Hawai’i Dance Theatre, assembling a photo album/slideshow for my Dad’s 80th, taking my elective classes on trips to a Girls’ Center and Self-Defence workshops, video filming, editing and writing, and practicing Tai Chi by the sea with Sifu Chee.
Media Musings
My May in reading, listening, and viewing pleasures:
Books & Reading
Books
In May I completed reading one novel:
- Atmosphere: a love story by Taylor Jenkins Reid, a 2025 historical fiction romance novel which centers on Joan Goodwin, a fictional astronaut in NASA‘s Space Shuttle program in the early 1980s and brought me to tears.
Poetry
- My 2026 daily anthology is Everyday Shakespeare: Lines for Life compiled by Ben Crystal and David Crystal continues to inspire
Listening Highlights
Favorite things heard over the course of the month go here, such as concerts, songs, pieces of music, playlists, podcasts and more.
Music
Songs & Pieces of Music
Listened to lots of great tracks in May!
- “Swim” by BTS
- “Margarita” by Israel Kamakawiwo’ole
- “The Rhythm is Gonna Get You” by Gloria Estefan
- “Rhythm of the Ocean” by the Hawaiian Style Band
- “Escapade” by Janet Jackson (again! seems to always play on the radio at home)
Playlists & Albums
- Hawai’i No Ka ‘Oi – Home in the Islands playlist on YouTube has some of my favorite classics and will continue to grow
- Balletlicious Barre+ Dance playlist on YouTube contains all my jams for early year and anytime
- Spring Sensations Dance on YouTube then came on the scene again post-Equinox and I am so here for it
- 2026 Plucky Tunes playlist on YouTube is a new one to collect all the best new tracks and classic melodies that come up over the course of the year
Viewing Highlights
So much going and doing in May, there is less to say on the viewing front. Even on long-haul flights, I prefer to sleep and read.
Live
- Tits & Giggles comedy, burlesque & drag show at My Bar in Kailua-Kona was a hoot and I will certainly return for this monthly showcase when I can
- Ritterspiele at Burg Satzvey: Knights’ Games/Renaissance Fair at a castle with friends was entertaining just to wander around in our best approximation of authentic dress, and the show and jousting were also impressive
Recorded
- Hawai’i Island Choreographers’ Concert recording at Kahilu Theatre, featuring folks I know from O’ahu and UH in Tau Dance Theatre, “celebrates established professionals, emerging, student and youth choreographers from across the Big Island of Hawaii and beyond. Providing a platform for choreographic artists and dancers, the concert showcases an eclectic blend of dance forms, including unique creations such as a taiko drumming piece blended with contemporary dance, spoken word with movement interpretation, and a mother/daughter contemporary ballet duet with live music.”
- Grand Sumo May Tournament Highlights from NHK on YouTube with my parents, will be back in July, September…
Questions for Reflection
- What projects are your passion currently?
- What highlights, lowlights, and lessons have you experienced?
- What will you enjoy before the end of the year?
- To what shall I listen next?
Resources for Further Exploration
- Pluck Luck in 2026 – Word / Intention of the Year Article
- Twenty 26s in 2026: Analog Project Planning & Action Tracking, Creative Bullet Journal Style Article
- Float in 2025 – Word / Intention of the Year Article
- Twenty 25s in 2025: Analog Project Planning & Action Tracking, Creative Bullet Journal Style Article
- Quantum Leaping into 2024 Word of the Year Article
- Twenty-Four 24s in 2024 Article
- Say the Magic Words Article
- Analog Journals for Creativity Article
Explorations in dance, coaching, and creative living continue!
Thank you for reading, for being, and for dancing with me, in spirit or in fact.
Take care of yourself and keep moving mindfully, let me know how if I can be of service, would love to see you in my email newsletter or on social media as well.
Blythe Stephens, MFA & Bliss Catalyst they/she
Creator of A Blythe Coach @ablythecoach
dancing through difficulty
taking leaps of faith