“The dancer’s body is simply the luminous manifestation of the soul” ~ Isadora Duncan
Vancouver has a reputation for being dreary in Winter. I guess I’m finding out first hand that reputation is well earned. I’m here shooting two TV shows; The Good Doctor and Turner and Hooch while waiting out the pandemic until it’s safe enough to gather with my precious S Factor community again (do I hear S Factor retreat soon, please!?)
It’s March. I’ve been here for 7 months and, yes, it has rained on and off (mostly on) for the entirety of my stay. It can get to you. SAD – seasonal affective disorder, is a real thing! I’ve bought two sun lamps. We run them an hour every day, and they take the sting out a bit but… winter blues, darkness, lack of sunlight, social turmoil, political unrest – whatever it is these times can get you down. And there’s a secret to finding joy despite that which is this: using simple empathy with each other.
Take a moment to feel outside yourself and let your attention go to a person who challenges you or causes you annoyance.Ask yourself…
What did they eat for breakfast? Who was the last person to hug them? Have they cried recently? What are they most afraid of? When was the last time they danced? I practiced this just yesterday, and here’s what happened.
I was driving with my son. We’d been at home watching the news. It was a drizzly, overcast day again. We were both tuned out and it felt like we were turning into Dawn of the Dead sleepwalkers. In fact the whole city felt like sleepwalkers. We were all going through the motions; all living in colors of grey; all preoccupied. We pulled up at a stop light and there she was – a woman in high heels, a white skirt and yellow top dancing across the street.
She must’ve had earplugs in because my window was down and I couldn’t hear any music. But she heard music, and she danced with verve and enthusiasm to it. She was keeping beat to some deep rhythm that seemed to come from her gut. As she shimmied and twirled (she was really dancing out loud, no apology) from one street corner to another. People moved away from her as if she were somehow a danger to their sleepiness. I could tell everyone around her thought she must be insane, with their sideways glances. Their shoulders were tense and pulled away. Their necks were tight and constricted. They purposefully wouldn’t look at her. But, oh, they knew she was there! Yep, they thought her mad.
She reminded me of that Nietzsche quote, “And those who were seen dancing were thought insane by those who could not hear the music.” She looked to be about 55 years old. She had a blonde haircut a little above her shoulders and lots of makeup on. There was a giant smile plastered across her bright, red lips, and her eyes closed as she tilted her face toward the soft rain that fell. I didn’t want her to affect me. I was kind of enjoying my surly, disconnected countenance. I didn’t have to feel- Me who loves feeling; me who loves dancing. No, I wanted to stay in my slumber.
But dang if she didn’t start to light me up. She slowly pulled me back into my body. I too began to feel the deep rhythm of my own bones. I wish I had thrown open my car door and joined her. I wish the whole street corner had let go and let themselves move to whatever tune was playing in their heads. Right then and there I started bopping my head to my own beat. Then my shoulders joined in and my whole body turned into a squirming, wiggling bubble of joy in the passenger seat. Gus looked over at me like I was just as crazy as the lady who had just danced across the crosswalk. But she made my day. She wasn’t insane…not at all. No, it was us who were insane- the hundreds of us watching her, judging her. We are the crazy ones sitting on our asses. Standing still. Gawking with judgment furrowed into our brows. We are the ones entrenched in inertia.
I’m curious how often do you dance? And I don’t mean formal dancing or dancing at a dance club. No one’s doing that right now. I mean just cut loose and dance? Freely, unobstructed, out loud for the whole world to see?
Well I have something to offer you right now… gosh dang it let’s Dance! Dance now! Get up from whatever you’re sitting on, put on a song and let her rip. Spin yourself, twirl yourself, tap your toes, swirl your hips, count out the beat with your feet and just Dance. Do it for joy. Do it for pleasure. Or do it just because you can! Till next time xoxo
