And so it begins, this new decade of possibilities abounding! My intentions for this year and beyond are to fully explore the landscape of my movement both inside and out, plus observe as many different kinds of dance moves as I can in the process.
One of my favorites of '09 was Karole Armitage's Itutu at the Brooklyn Academy of Music (that's her at right, and see link at bottom of post for a cool NYMagazine interview with her). As a woman who has for over three decades lived, and continues to live, what she loves: dance and choreography, she is a complete inspiration to me as someone following their bliss. Not to mention that at 55, she's effin' sexy and strong. After the performance, she came out on stage in these killer shoes (all spike heels with Choo-like angles) and a black sheath dress skimming her endless legs and exposing great, muscled arms. She moved across the stage with such a body confidence that it seemed to lift her off the ground, though not in a Look-At-How-Hot-I-Am strutting way, but more an I-Know-What-This-Body-Can-Do move. (You know the difference when you see someone seeming to be only a vehicle to carry the clothes on their back versus someone whose entire being is expressed inside out?) The cool thing was that she spoke about her choreography from a place that wasn't dance specific. She didn't name-check any techniques or movement terms, but instead talked about the flight pattern of birds and geography and stuff like that. I kept thinking, This is what it is to have lived and to use the experience of that life to inform what you love. From reading, from talking, from watching...when it all goes into what you love to do, even if it sometimes might resemble a hot mess, then so be it, you're courageous and fully in life.
This is my goal going into the newness: To live fearlessly, to try as many different steps, stretches, movements as I can from the top of the island, down and beyond to wherever that takes me shore to shore. Dance my way through the Ailey Extension class roster. Say Yes to sampling classes at other studios with my merry dance pals. Explore what other S teachers have to offer. And roll around in these moments. I'll see how my 48 years of being on the planet informs the movements I undertake. To sprinkle on my soul whatever Armitage-ian magic that she represents to me. I actually can't wait!
http://nymag.com/arts/classicaldance/dance/features/60280/
A right-on quote that my friend Lauren forwarded:
"Would you like me to give you a formula for success? It's quite simple, really. Double your rate of failure. You are thinking of failure as the enemy of success. But it isn't at all. You can be discouraged by failure - or you can learn from it. So go ahead and make mistakes. Make all you can. Because, remember that's where you will find success." Thomas J. Watson, the founder of IBM
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