People who’re afraid of dogs are soooo annoying!

Hi everyone,

I hope you had a better weekend than I did. As everyone knows, my favorite thing in the whole world is to play fetch the ball with my friends. Well last Sunday when all the little kids had their ballet/ jazz/ hip hop recital here at the Pacific Dance studios and Art Center, I had to stay home. Mom said that lots of people would be attending and that some new people who don’t know me may be afraid of dogs and may get uncomfortable with me running around the place!

When mom first rushed out, leaving me behind with tears in my eyes, I was really mad at her but as I got thinking while playing couch potato all day, I realized that it wasn’t really her fault if some people just don’t get dogs. She’s just trying to run a dance studio and wants everyone to feel at home here. It’s not her fault if some people are so silly as to be afraid of dogs just because they were once bit by one years ago or worse if they have never even been bit by one and they’re just afraid anyway. Didn’t some famous person say that there’s nothing to be afraid of but fear itself?

At least I got to watch the video of the dance recital later on that evening. Everyone was so cute. I just loved the costumes. My favorites were the 3 year olds pre ballet class in their gorgeous blue genie costumes and I also loved the tutus the 5 year old pre ballet class was wearing. The recital ended with one of the older girls performing a Flamenco dance. It’s always so impressive when you see a kid do a solo dance without making a single mistake.

Before I go I just want to tell all of you people out there who’re afraid of dogs, that on occasion it has happened that I was just minding my own business, when one of you guys has walked in and has taken one look at me and has jumped back screaming and acting out. I’m always really embarrassed for you. I mean I was once kicked by a person but so what? I don’t go screaming and acting all paranoid every time one of you walks into the place; I mean that would probably make you feel really bad about yourself. So next time you lay eyes on me, please get over your selves, just smile and throw me a ball! Thank you.

Ziggy

p.s. visit my mom's web site here!

OH My GOD!

OH MY GOD! You won’t believe what a truly amazing Sunday evening I had here at the Pacific Arts Center. I think most of you hip people have heard of the amazing Percussionist Greg Ellis by now.

I first met Greg when mom took me over to his pad in the Hollywood Hills; they’re working on a project together with Hamid Saeedi. It’s a multi Media piece which is going to premier sometime this summer. It’s going to be awesome (I know this because I have insider information; I have been watching mom rehearse the dance parts with Doris but more about that later; mom says I have a tendency to always get ahead of myself ).

From time to time Greg calls mom and says that he really needs to come and do his Rhythm Trance thing here. He is always busy playing, recording and touring all around the world and he says his favorite thing is to come and play here for release and rejuvenation. He is a big fan of the Arts Center as I am.

Earlier on in the afternoon, a girl called Danielle had about 20 of her best friends come over for her sweet 16 birthday party. They had this really cute guy called Moe come and teach them a Hip Hop routine. I thought the day couldn’t possibly get any better since they had set up the best food table with all my favorite items including various types of melons which I could just die for. Mom reminded everyone not to feed me but of course, almost no one listened and fed me every time she wasn’t looking. God kids are cool.

Anyway, as I was saying I thought it couldn’t possibly get any better till Greg arrived with all his drums from around the world. He set them all up in a big circle and of course being the nosy little dog that I am, I had to smell and check out all the drums he was setting up. I love the smell of the skins on the various drums. Some of them have traveled quite far to be here with us at the center.

Once he was set up, all these hip people arrived, some with their own yoga mats in hand and set them all up in the back studio and most sat around on mats and cushion and watched Greg play. Actually, most of them lay down and seemed to fall asleep. Later on mom explained that they were just meditating but I swear I could hear at least one snoring!! Of course not everyone was laying down; some just danced and let loose, especially mom who always goes crazy dancing whenever Greg plays and this time she actually threw her back out (that’s why we had to go to her favorite chiropractor Dr. John today; he does Non Force technique which is really the only kind that actually works). Mom said even though she hurt her back going crazy on the dance floor, it was well worth it! She’s been in a great mood all day.

I also feel rejuvenated from the drumming not to mention from popping all the balloons from Danielle’s birthday party. I overheard her mom say to the guests that I must hate balloons. No I don’t hate balloons; I just love playing with anything that remotely resembles balls. DAH!

Bye bye for now,
Ziggy

I Love Life, Bow Wow!

Hi, and for those of you who are canine, woof woof!


My name is Ziggy. I’m a 4 1⁄2 year old female Boston Terrier. I may be small but I have a big personality. The other day, my auntie Sussan pointed out that I now understand Farsi as well as English so I think that makes me bilingual.

I spend most of my time at the Pacific Arts Center & Dance Studios since my mom, Shida Pegahi, owns it and she practically takes me everywhere she goes and she spends a lot of time at the center. As I understand it, she used to teach a zillion classes at Westside Ballet for a zillion years while she was also the director of the dance program at the Crossroads School before she founded her own center four years before I was born.

I’m the luckiest dog in my circle of friends; while most of them sit at home napping all day, I get to be here at The Arts center, where I get to play fetch the ball with all the kids that come for dance, arts and musical theatre classes. Of course, I’m very well trained; I know exactly when a class is about to begin and take my ball and go back in my tent under the office desk and wait for the class to end before I come out to say goodbye or to play ball again with the kids who are waiting to get picked up by their parents.

There are also a lot of adults who come here for various classes, seminars and events. Most of them are really cool too. They may not have as much energy playing ball but they pet me a lot. I just love being part of all the activity around here. Oops, I gotta go. Some kids just walked in for their musical theatre class. They’re rehearsing High School Musical 3. I wanna get a few minutes of playing before they start. God I love it here. I’m a lucky dog.


Love you all,

Ziggy