Aargh!
Today, I had my back worked on.
People always say that dancers are masochists. I totally... disagree.
There is a certain amount of effort and pushing that you need to do to make your body become a beautiful, expressive instrument. But that effort should always be enjoyable.
The one time I can remember being in a show and just shutting off was when an (idiot) director/choreographer made the stupidest statement I ever heard. He said, "I once danced for Martha Graham and she said that If it doesn't hurt, you aren't doing it right."
What a load of crap!
Dance should always feel wonderful!
Sublime!
Ecstatic!
Like all of the dancers above, who are coincedentally from... the Martha Graham Dance Company. That's Martha in the middle pic. I much prefer a Martha Graham quote that she gave when she was being critiqued for having her dancers fall to the ground so often. "My dancers fall so that they may rise again."
Suffice it to say, Mr. (idiot) director/choreographer could say nothing to me after that to regain my respect.
Dance IS hard work.
But if you don't feel transported and more alive when you are dancing, THEN you are doing it wrong. And if you can't get that feeling after years of trying, then quite honestly, dance is not for you. Or at least not the kind of dance that you are practising. Go study something else, Flamenco. Swing. Capoera. Tae Chi. Square Dancing.
Whatever. But find something that feeds your soul AND delights your body EVERYDAY that you are in class.
I bring this up because that is why I had my back worked on today. I had gone to take a yoga class a few years back. I thought I would enjoy it. Bikram. Where they heat the room. I even went in early to stretch.
Well, for whatever reason. I messed up my back in the class. I had always had a flexible back and loved the feeling of twisting and bending. But since that class, I have had sporadic back pain and have been afraid to move fully. So I figured I would finally do something about it.
We have a wondeful physical therapist, Katy Ewalt, in the new building who specializes in dance injuries.
www.paartssandiego.com
So I am hopefully on the road to recovery. I shall keep you updated.
The balloon is still upright. I put it on a shelf so that it when it does deflate it won't end up flattened on the floor. That would be sad.
People always say that dancers are masochists. I totally... disagree.
There is a certain amount of effort and pushing that you need to do to make your body become a beautiful, expressive instrument. But that effort should always be enjoyable.
The one time I can remember being in a show and just shutting off was when an (idiot) director/choreographer made the stupidest statement I ever heard. He said, "I once danced for Martha Graham and she said that If it doesn't hurt, you aren't doing it right."
What a load of crap!
Dance should always feel wonderful!
Sublime!
Ecstatic!
Like all of the dancers above, who are coincedentally from... the Martha Graham Dance Company. That's Martha in the middle pic. I much prefer a Martha Graham quote that she gave when she was being critiqued for having her dancers fall to the ground so often. "My dancers fall so that they may rise again."
Suffice it to say, Mr. (idiot) director/choreographer could say nothing to me after that to regain my respect.
Dance IS hard work.
But if you don't feel transported and more alive when you are dancing, THEN you are doing it wrong. And if you can't get that feeling after years of trying, then quite honestly, dance is not for you. Or at least not the kind of dance that you are practising. Go study something else, Flamenco. Swing. Capoera. Tae Chi. Square Dancing.
Whatever. But find something that feeds your soul AND delights your body EVERYDAY that you are in class.
I bring this up because that is why I had my back worked on today. I had gone to take a yoga class a few years back. I thought I would enjoy it. Bikram. Where they heat the room. I even went in early to stretch.
Well, for whatever reason. I messed up my back in the class. I had always had a flexible back and loved the feeling of twisting and bending. But since that class, I have had sporadic back pain and have been afraid to move fully. So I figured I would finally do something about it.
We have a wondeful physical therapist, Katy Ewalt, in the new building who specializes in dance injuries.
www.paartssandiego.com
So I am hopefully on the road to recovery. I shall keep you updated.
The balloon is still upright. I put it on a shelf so that it when it does deflate it won't end up flattened on the floor. That would be sad.
Labels: Martha Graham
posted by Javier at 11:02 AM
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