Journal+Something+that+was+hard

One of my dance teachers has recently left the studio at which he taught me. His name is Kennaniah “Niah” Bystrom, and he is the first male dance teacher I have had. One of the classes he taught was “Boy’s Technique,” a class originally designed to get boys to take ballet. It has evolved into a strengthening/technique class teaching contemporary dance. In the first years of this class, it was taught by a female teacher, but she left and was replaced by Niah. He also briefly taught a class for just contemporary dance, as well as one for partnering and improvisation. We became good friends, and had many good times together, including a few overnights through Dancing for Joy (the dance studio). But, he lived in Seattle, and was extremely busy with his own dance career down there, and the commute every Monday was too much for him. He had to leave the studio, but we still try to keep in touch. I go to his performances when possible, and we talk on Facebook some, but we don’t see each other every week anymore. He was, and still is, a respected mentor and a treasured friend. -Choji

I met Hayden when Dad and I were playing catch. I overthrew a ball and we had to chase it and Hayden was outside so we introduced ourselves. His dad was Jim his mom was Janeal, then his older sister Makenzie and his two little sisters Delanie and Reagan. We showed them our yard and they loved it. He was from San Diego so the cold of Washington was weird. The next year or so we played till it was dark. We were on the baseball team together and had a lot of great times playing Naruto.

But then he moved to a different part of Sudden Valley and I did not see him as much. Then he moved to Bellingham. And finally back to San Diego, where he is today.