Redirection: Dancing

I've been wondering lately: what do I want to teach? What do I want to focus on in my dancing? And it's bugged me a little because I couldn't come up with anything conclusive or awe-inspiring or real. I love connection. I love blues. I love lindy. I love Charleston. So much! But I finally remembered my main motivation for dancing, for teaching dance, for moving at all: response & expression. I hear music; it moves me. In many ways. I've been primarily more focused on moving/dancing as I interpret the music and less concerned with how exactly to do it and what it is- it just seems to be how I'm wired. This is my goal for teaching people to dance: that they be able to move as the music asks and compels them to move.

I blogged earlier about the Carolina Chocolate Drops. During the concert, a little Asian girl took up residence in the dance space between my seat and the band, and she danced to nearly everything. They played a slower Ma Rainey tune that could have been called blues, and it was awesome to watch her movement change in response to the music- although she was probably not yet 6 years old, she brought out some hip movement. Needless to say, I was very very happy- she had such versatility and joy. She moved as she saw fit. She was neither proud nor shy. She danced. What else is there?

It all comes down to expression, to my own voice- accepting it and going with it. I have resisted this for most of my life. I realize that it may not seem like I've run from expression, but to the very core of my being, I've always resented the idea that people need to "express themselves." Now I'm beginning to realize how very important- essential, even- it is.

But really, I've wanted to do something new for a while. Something probably a little weird. Something fusion. In fact, at the Get Together in May, I was surprised to dance very much the way I envision: it's a combination of African, Charleston, blues, and hip hop. I've only had one hip hop class, but that night at the Sacramento warehouse, I was dancing all of it together, and it was mine. It was fusion. Mike, Andrew, and Mihai sat on the floor in a pile watching me for several songs. This was nothing I could have planned, but it was such a gift to experience that creativity of all my training & exploration coming together and out into the world.

Mark Nelson spoke at Crossings recently about singing a new song. We celebrated Pentecost on May 11 this year. YES to singing a new song and dancing a new dance! Come Holy Spirit, blow through my life and intoxicate me! YES.