Saying yes means allowing room for opportunity. It means giving myself permission to try and to fail, while knowing you’ll be changed afterwards having learned something new. Saying yes, can be terrifying, but if you say yes, you might be surprised at what is possible.
The first time I realized the power of saying yes was when John Turturro asked me if I would choreograph his feature film, Romance and Cigarettes. Without hesitation, I said yes. I had not choreographed anything except my college comp class, but I knew I could do it. I knew I would do it. It was terrifying. I was terrified, but not uncertain. Those are two things I want to differentiate. I held fear and certainly simultaneously. So I went home and learned the music and made the steps and choreographed my first feature film leading me to a career of directing, writing and choreographing film, television and theater. And I got to work with James Gandolfini, who became a dear friend, Susan Sarandon, Kate Winslet. I could never have dreamed I would be given an opportunity like that, but by saying yes, an entire world of possibility opened up to me.
