somethin' is a brewin' here
/"I thought I was going to learn ballet. But this is WAAAAY better then ballet....this is rock and roll."-- Giovanna, Age 6.
And that is how my day started, with some good old fashioned Rock and Roll with a group of 5 and 6 year olds (note: we were dancing to Hava Nagila).
And so, it begins. This epic journey we are on of finding our way back into the giant world of the body.
But how?
By agitating complacency. By letting ourselves loose our minds a bit. By setting aside rational thought, to-do lists, productivity, and ambition. By seeing magic everywhere.
For those of you in Colorado, do you remember the flood? How everything shut down? stopped? got quiet? then loud? then super quiet again?
And we were scared and unsure and frantic. But also AMAZED at the awesomeness of the water rushing through our towns. We couldn't control it. And so at a certain point, a magical quiet descended, as we were trapped inside our homes, peering out the windows at the water. And there was nothing to do but wait, and see, and breath, and hold on, and then let go.
And I don't really know what I am trying to say here, except that there was a kindness, a generosity, an outpouring of love that moved through the towns. Neighbors helped neighbors who had never really spoken before. Families took in other families who had to leave their homes in the middle of the night. We helped each other carry pets, and babies, and kids, and grandmas across the raging river to get everyone safely into the helicopters.
So I think What I am trying to say is that to find our way back into the body, it means being kind. To ourselves and to each other. And it means watching the wild and unpredictable and scary and AMAZING rush of this life with curiosity and limitless wonder.
So that is your DANCE MISSION for the next two weeks: Be kind. Hold someone's hand who hasn't had their hand held in a long time. Offer someone food. Put on the music that your grandmother wants to hear. Say hello to someone you don't know. Ask someone to dance.
And then make a dance. A dance that is about seeing the world. A dance that is about being kind.
Or don't.
Ether way, let me know how it goes, what choice you made, and why.
Let's start to agitate complacency.
I want to hear from you so please post your comments, videos, photos, songs, dances, poems, thoughts, fears, ideas, on the facebook group, Dance Missions from Joanna at TinHOUSE dance:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/285584598283231/
or (for those of you who don't use facebook) go to my website and join in on the conversation there
http://tinhouse.weebly.com/dance-mission.html
And SAVE THE DATES!!!!
Tuesday, May 27 from 4-5:30pm at the Boulder Circus Center. Come and see what has been brewing in the TinHOUSE dance classes! There is a suggested donation of $10. This money will go toward the first "TinHOUSE scholarship fund", enabling more students to take class with TinHOUSE who are unable to pay the full class fee. Any other donations to this fund are always greatly appreciated.
Saturday, May 31: Free workshop from 3-5pm at the Boulder Circus Center. 3-4pm is for kids. 4-5pm is for adults. Come experience what TinHOUSE has to offer you this summer!! I will be offering 3 new workshops this summer and it would be great great great if you joined in. Email me ASAP if you are planning on coming.
Workshop #1: DANCE VACATION: Come Vacation with me up in Jamestown this summer! Cool off. Stay connected. Keep the pulse going with your dancing.
Saturdays from 10-2pm on June 7, July 12, August 9, and September 6.
Workshop #2: FAMILY DANCE DAYS: Bring the whole family in for dancing, laughing, and unexpected fun.
Sundays from 11-1pm on June 29, July 27, August 31, and September 14 (location TBA).
Workshop #3: JUST GIRLS This is a chance for girls ages 9-13 to move and dance and laugh and talk and sing and write together.
Thursdays from 5-7pm on June 12, June 26, July 10, July 24, August 14, August 28, September 11, September 25 (location TBA).
Lastly, sending a huge thank you out to Marcie Goldman of Mojo Mastery for her fantastic ideas in growing and evolving TinHOUSE.
Warmly,
Joanna
ps just a reminder: "quickies" are posted everyday on the facebook group and on my website. These are "quick" missions that should take 5 minutes or less. "dance missions" are posted every other wednesday on the facebook group and my website. These are more involved and will take some planning and time to complete.
You do what feels right to you. Change it, modify it, make it your own. And tell me how it goes.