Monday, November 14, 2011

The Dancer's Soul...

I recently started dancing again. I don't like to toot my own mini-horn but it was one of the best ideas I've had in a very long time.  Every week I put on my leotard and slip into my ballet shoes and I dance...not well..but I dance. I toddle across the floor or demi-plié at the barre. My always loose and crazy hair is tied back in ponytail and sometimes even a bun.

I am not sure if I can fully describe how I feel when I dance or if anyone who hasn't danced can fully understand the feelings of dance. It's a connection between mind, body, and soul. Some say yoga does this but those people probably never enjoyed dance and the expression and solace it provides.

I attempt grace and beauty..something writing could never give to me. You can write with grace and use beautiful words but you can never actually be grace or beauty or even create grace and beauty in writing. You can in ballet. You can achieve typified perfection in form and movement. My moves do not come close to the sought after perfection of ballet but I sure do try. I pull my hips in and my chest is wide and shoulders are back but not too far back...

I stifle giggles and grins when I go through our foot and barre work because I cannot contain how happy I am to be there. My teacher is a real ballerina. She danced professionally for a number of years and her husband dances for the Boston Ballet (the school of which I attend). She has the grace and ease of movement I desire. I may never achieve the dancer perfection but I will have danced. Danced the way my heart desires. Felt the movements and the joy of the actions all at once. I dance. I will always dance.*

So, today I am thankful for ballet, its beauty and movement. I am also thankful for my close proximity to the best ballet school in state. The joy and elation I've experienced in the past few months surpasses the downtrodden feelings of a bad day at work or terrible news.


*Random footnote: The Duggar Family does not dance...as like a rule! I would die!! That ain't right.











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