Practice 040812

Working on behind the back weaves, breaks, and being dance-y

Sustained spinning practice for my upcoming performance at Napa’s earth day festival

Tomorrow is my birthday. Today my little guy started his 9th month of life and last night someone very dear to me lost someone very dear to her.

As I entered my hoop today my mind was already buzzing with reflections on life. Our beginnings, our progressions, and the ends to our stories. Life is full of so much wonder, so much beauty, and still it is wickedly unpredictable. Life will surprise you with the last missing puzzle piece to your design… and Life will have no qualms about brushing the whole thing off your table and watching you on your knees trying to scoop up your pieces and start over.

As I begin my next year of life I am extremely thankful for where I am today and for the road I’ve traveled to get here. I don’t know what tomorrow will bring, or the day after, but I know right now, today, I’m going to hold those I love a little tighter and be grateful for the precious time and space we share.

Sometimes I don’t have the words to really say what I want to say. So I dance. This dance is dedicated to my dear friend, Lora and serves as a reflection on life and humanity.

I went on an unexpected hooping hiatus the past week… whether because of the stormy weather, busy schedule, the baby teething, whatever excuse (because really anything can justify our actions when we put off doing the things we love doing for some reason).

I came back to it today after my hoop class and found myself in a flow I haven’t felt before. The rain was drumming on my windows as something powerful and new was taking over me. The place I was dancing from was so pure, so sincere it sent goosebumps jogging up and down my body.

This moment brought a whole new meaning to body language. My new found voice both screaming and whispering, dancing on a soap box, talking of beauty, romance, desire, hope, but most of all love.   

I felt so much love while dancing today.

I wish I could have boxed it up, tied it up with a huge ribbon and set it on the door step so you could open it when you got home… so that as you shook the rain off your shoulders and stomped the mud off your shoes before you came inside you could know exactly what I felt for you in my circle.

My wonderful friend, Han inspired this spin today. She has been working on spinning in her own practice and has been dealing with all the side effects… from getting dizzy to getting queasy. Such a price to pay to create something so lovely!

It reminded me of the struggles in my own practice (which include getting dizzy and sometimes queasy after a long spinning session) and gave me reassurance that 1.) I’m not alone and 2.) despite how different one hooper is from the next, we all start in the same place and we all overcome our own hurdles.

I taught my class yesterday some basic off body moves and turned up the music towards the end to let them develop their own flow. Its wonderful to see the feeling of pride and accomplishment in their faces. Keeps me motivated. Keeps me pushing my own boundaries and searching for new strength.