Bliss

It's that moment when you're so absorbed by what you're doing that you lose yourself in the 'zone'.  Time evaporates, escaping with a sweep of an arm or a flick of a wrist.

And so it was that I found myself watching episode 4 of Grey's Anatomy Season 7, a perennial favourite of mine, in which a young man has cancer in his lower leg.

His only obvious option was to have his leg amputated.

To him, this was not an option.

Karev had no idea what this would mean to the boy, until he watched him dance.  He improvised contemporary ballet, with such joy and sadness, his body conveyed hope.  His face showed his emotion and the bliss showed through.  There was optimism.

After a certain amount of research, an alternative possibility was found.  Remove the bone, put it through chemo and replace it back into the leg.

When he asked Karev what he would do, Karev said that if it were his arm and he were faced with not being able to operate again, then yes, he would have the surgery.
I can remember the feeling of anguish and pain when I broke my L2, the muscle spasms made it impossible for me to lie down or relax.  It felt as if my back would never be the same again and I did wonder if I would have the luxury of dancing or if that was it.  Thankfully with time, I was able to heal to some degree but not fully regain all my flexibility or strength.

For me, it is so easy to lose myself when dancing.  Sometimes it is purely spontaneous.  Music isn't necessarily needed or required.  The motion comes from within.  It is the emotion that erupts through my limbs.  It ripples down my spine, causing me to pas de chat or pirouette, to fall to the ground in a pleading.  It is that feeling of muscle play, of suspension in the air, holding on until the last minute.  It is the expression that gets released, happiness or sadness.

But all this is nothing without an able body.  The mere thought of not being able to move, is abhorrent to me.  To be incapacitated is not an option.

I am grateful daily for the ability to move and be moved, whether professionally or not, this is my utopia, my Shrangri-La, an Elysian Field for my mind, giving me a sense of bliss and an innate sense of freedom.

Phenomenal!

Last night, I went to see Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre at Saddler's Wells.

To say that they are phenomenal, is an understatement. They were fluid, vibrant, beyond strong and so inspirational.

There is one piece called Revelations, which completely blew me away the first time I saw it 15 years ago and it was still just as good today. The music was gospel and oh so up-lifting. As a dancer in a former life, I can comprehend how physically strong these dancers are and how agile they have to be. I was very flexible, my nickname was 'supps' (supple) but even back then, I was never in their league. It was a particular duet within Revelations that completely stunned me and quite possibly the rest of the audience. At the end of the performance, we were all on our feet cheering for an encore.

It was an amazing experience. If/when they come back to London, I highly recommend that you should go see them.

And so ends my dance review.

www.alvinailey.org

Strictly Come Skyping!!!

Oh my gosh!
I have just had the most hilarious conversation on Skype with Dear Friend (DF).
After almost an hour of talking about other stuff, we end up talking about dancing (my passion).
She does West Coast Swing (WCS), a fairly sensual, smooth dance, and I do Ceroc, much faster with other different dance influences.
We started discussing how manly and sexy (or NOT) our respective men were on the dance floor.
But it took a personalised, visual demonstration by her of her man to have me in hysterical laughter.
To say that my sides hurt and cheeks ache from chuckling so much, is an understatement.
She was lamenting that she didn't find her man sexy when he strutted his stuff and she followed that with the most hilarious, comedic version of him moving the way that she wanted him too.
She said that she wanted to scream at him to be "more manly!!!"
And with that she did a pelvic thrust and grabbed her crotch.
(Very MJ-esque).
My man on the other hand can dance, both manly and sexy.
I feel very lucky.

Brainless or something like it!

That's me.
I'm brainless.
Over the last few days I've had 2 definite affirmations that my brain is severely lacking in power.
Can't think why I'm so ditsy at the moment, couldn't possibly have anything to do with juggling Child, my school, 2 part-time jobs, chores, homework, evening classes and a very small social life, could it????
My babysitters are going to a fireworks display next Friday, this clashes with one of my dance classes.
Panic!!!
Oh no....who can help me out?
Quickly text various friends with children for a sleepover, text my brother, text a friend without a child (who is amazing and helps me).
I'm begging for a babysitter (very happy to admit it).
Finally I ring my mum.
Panic over.....mum is already having Child as they're going off to a morning chamber music concert.
Phew! What a relief.
Now, I just need to send a mass text letting everyone know that "it's going to be alright on the night". (Sorry couldn't resist).
And then today mum picked up Child and took her off to an interactive children's concert after lunch with the promise to get her to her swimming lesson on time.
I get down to the pool with 5 minutes to spare, don't like being late for my mother.
They arrive on time, we rush in to change and get to pool side, to see it filled with a variety of people, but not Child's class. No sign of the teacher.
Crap! I had misread her schedule and got the half term week muddled.
Mum had already gone home, so it was back on the bus for us.
What a dizzy idiot I am!
My brain capacity has shrunk to the size of a pea.
However am I going to manage my homework tonight???