As ya’ll may or may not know, there are a few reality TV shows that I adore, such as “Project Runway” and right now, “So You Think You Can Dance.” I watched the first season of both shows, and while I’ve watched every season of PR, I have missed a few seasons of SYTYCD. As I’m doing a lot of dancing right now (Swing, Lindy Hop) as well as writing a novel where the main character is a dancer, I’ve been watching this season of SYTYCD.

There’s one dancer, Cyrus who is absolutely amazing. He’s a self-trained dancer. I can’t really name his style. It’s some sort of robot glitch thing, a popper. I keep thinking while I watch him that people can’t move that way, this can’t be live, there must be some sort of special effects going on. But no, it’s just him. He can isolate every single muscle in his body. Seriously. He’s amazing.

For the first time, during Vegas week, Cyrus had to learn someone else’s choreography. As far as I know, he’s never had a dance lesson. He had to dance for his life after the Cha-Cha, and of course he did an amazing job on his solo.

Sometime after that, he told whoever was interviewing him, “There’s a whole new level of hard that I ain’t learned yet.”

And this is why I watch these shows, for that spirit and grit and determination. I always find it uplifting.

“A new level of hard” is one of my new mottos when it comes to writing. Not because it’s physically challenging. But because there is SO MUCH for me to learn, so much practice I need to do. There are levels and buildings and entire mountains ahead of me that I need to conquer. It will be hard work. But I feel inspired.

It might be a whole new level of hard that I ain’t learned yet, but I sure as hell ain’t stoppin now.