dancing days

I miss dancing. I was never the best in the class. I remember dying inside as I watched my pregnant modern dance teacher with her outrageously perfect body move effortlessly. But despite my own body image crapola--I love to dance. I love to move. I love feeling my muscles contract and lengthen and I love the feeling that you can create beauty out of the most specific moments.

Yesterday Spencer came over to just work monologues and hone our craft a bit and I decided to introduce him to some Laban. I turned on some music and told him about effort actions. We both spent the afternoon wringing, floating, gliding, punching, dabbing, flicking, slashing, and especially pressing. I love pressing. (If I'm missing an action--sue me later--I'm in the middle of something!)

Even though I'm in a show right now--I haven't had a day dedicated to movement in far too long. I spent this summer working with amazing movement scholars--Tom Leabhart, Antonio Fava, Colleen Kelly, Kate Norris--wonderful people who have spent their lives dedicated to studying the human body. But it's been so long since I've really dived into this stuff. I can't describe how wonderful it was.

The music played and the two of us just moved throughout the house. Most of the time we were off in our own worlds, but sometimes the worlds came together and we created some great physical storytelling. There was one time where I was pressing towards the ground, taking my body towards the floor--when Spencer came over and pressed his back against my back--pressing me down faster, I took the pressure and morphed myself into another shape and snuck up out from under him into a whole new creation. It's really hard to describe--but suffice it to say--it was cool!

Then we did some mirroring and some ball exercises.

I am so happy today. Between the dancing yesterday, and the great show today--I'm a happy girl. And I'm teaching 3 classes next quarter so hopefully I'll be able to pay the bills!

After this afternoon's show--I got home in time to catch some sun.

Dancing days are here to stay.