“I want freedom, the right to self-expression, everybody’s right to beautiful, radiant things.” ~ Emma Goldman
How often do you try something new just for the heck of it? Do you ever feel like you’re stuck in the same routine? When was the last time you did something that was totally outside of your box?
They say that continually trying new things and stepping outside your comfort zone is one of the keys to aging gracefully and maintaining your brain and body’s elasticity. And it doesn’t have to be bungee jumping or cliff diving either to expand your range and keep you nimble. Sometimes just a variation on what you already do is enough to open your mind and body to a new way of being.
This past week has been a good case in point for me in this respect. Today’s newsletter will be a bit of a travelogue of recent adventures, starting with a very unusual event I was invited to at random last Wednesday night in San Francisco.
My lovely Teresa forwarded me the email in the afternoon, I took one look and said “Sure, why not?” I’m a big fan of all sorts of dance, although social dancing that requires a lot of expertise such as tango or salsa are usually a bit beyond me. This looked very different, and promised to not require any special ability at all, and also billed itself as much as a ‘social mixer’ as a dance.
So we found ourselves at the Verdi Club, attending an event entitled the “Dancehall of Beautiful Radiant Things.” The premise of this event is simple and unusual, and also quaint and old-fashioned in today’s day and age. Upon arrival you receive a lanyard to go around your neck with a folded dance card attached with 21 blank lines for names.
There’s a list of the 21 songs that will be played posted on the wall, and the idea is that you introduce yourself to people, and fill up each others cards with names so that you can “share a night of vignette moments” with friends and strangers. The songs are all slow, mainly of the “yacht rock” genre, meaning fairly sappy and familiar pop tunes, some bordering on cheesy and ridiculous.
The dance instructions given by the MC were hilarious, and reassuringly easy. He demonstrated with a partner on stage and said you could simply dance with your hands on each other shoulders, “leaving room for Jesus in between” or if you were a bit more daring you could get close and put your arms around each others waists and “shift your weight from side to side and possibly move in circles” if you wanted to show off. In other words, bad wedding dancing was the standard of skill we were after.
People had been encouraged to dress “to the nines” and it was at a venue where cocktails were available, although no-one seemed inebriated. There were probably 60 or more people there, a diverse crowd age-wise with a good gender balance. I danced with at least a dozen different women, as well as several dances with Teresa, we chose our numbers based on songs we wanted to dance to together.
Virtually everyone was having a great time, and the novel motif created a low-risk atmosphere of connection that’s rare at most typical dance events. With each different dancer there was an opportunity for a brief conversation, as well as an energetic introduction to their somatic field. None of the songs were more than 3 or 4 minutes long, and there were a couple of brief intermissions provided to let people mix and fill up their dance cards.
In addition, the entire event was a fundraiser for Figment, a non-profit that creates free participatory community arts events in multiple cities, including Mosswood Park in Oakland this coming June 10th. I got to dance with one of the organizers and will be setting up my turntables and playing vinyl for the kids!
Visit the Dancehall of Beautiful Radiant Things website and get on their mailing list to be in the loop for their next Bay Area event. You won’t regret stepping outside of your box for an unusual evening of connection.
Next up in our week of oddities was Frank Olivier’s Twisted Cabaret. I posted about this earlier, and now that I’ve seen the show in person, I can personally vouch for an epic experience. I’ve seen vaudeville style variety acts before, but not like this one, and it’s especially over-the-top if you’ve got kids. My daughter Geneva and Teresa’s son Elliot were extremely entertained by this one-of-a-kind show.
Frank has at least a dozen personas up his sleeve, and with the help of a talented MC and a swell musical trio he holds together a string of acts and antics that boggle, baffle, and amaze. Besides being a phenomenal juggler, (the kind that can do flaming torches and machetes while perched on a six-foot unicycle), he’s also a master of card tricks, most of which left me beyond baffled.
That’s him in the photo above with me and Teresa, and if you’re in the Bay Area you’ve got one more chance to see his show in Mill Valley at the Throckmorten Theatre on April 8th before he takes it south to Los Angeles on April 27-28 and north to Vancouver May 19-20. (be sure to mention this if you have friends in these cities!)
These are just two of the random experiences that I’ve opened myself up to lately. The Dancehall was an example of new, (old?) ways to connect that I hadn’t even imagined, and the Cabaret showed how things like circus classes for kids could lead to a life in the theater.
You may have things like this come across your path, so do yourself a favor and open yourself to new experiences that broaden your horizons. There’s nothing like trying something totally new to give you perspective on your normal routine.
Have a great first week of spring and spread love and light wherever you go!
M+
Mark Metz
Director of the Dance First Association
Publisher of Conscious Dancer Magazine
Dance First Member Spotlight: Rachel Philippe and Soul Kitchen Dance in Fort Collins, CO.
This week’s Dance First member spotlight shines on Rachel Philippe, a long-time Conscious Dancer fan and event organizer based in Fort Collins Colorado. She’s the driving force behind Soul Kitchen, a conscious dance gathering that is now happening three times a week!
Rachel has worked hard for years developing a movement community in Fort Collins, and has stuck to it and been consistent as her following has grown. Going from one small weekly event several years ago to three times a week now has been no easy feat, but she’s kept the faith and continued to show up which is what makes all the difference.
I’ve watched and helped Rachel from afar and continued to offer inspiration and encouragement as she’s rallied more and more dancers in her area to join her container. It’s so gratifying to witness and event grow from one to three times a week, and know that more people are being brought together and that the community is thriving.
Fort Collins is a great example of a medium sized town that can benefit from the service of conscious dance. Soul Kitchen proves that you don’t have to be in a big city to create a conscious dance container and provide the gift of somatic transformation to people.
Thank you Rachel! I’m so happy and grateful to serve you and your dance with the support of the Dance First Association and count you among the many points of light around the world that make up the Conscious Dancer community!
