Thursday, June 25, 2009

"Dancing with Myself"

For days that song has been in my head.   Mainly the line, "If I had the chance, I'd ask the world to dance, and I'll be dancing with myself..."  Billy Idol has obviously come back from my adolescence to deliver me a message.

So last night's focus in Nia class was "Dancing with Myself."  As I set our intention, I reminded everyone that at the very heart of Nia is every body's own unique expression.  Even though there is choreography, there is a standing invitation for creativity and variation in order for each person to connect to their own body's sensation and seek their own joy of movement.

As we danced last night we played with the form and the freedom of the routine.  We checked in with our own joints, let our upper bodies fly solo as our steps and stances moved together in unity.  During the FreeDance, Billy Idol made his appearance and we all bopped, spun, shimmied, sweat, and swirled around the room.  As we cooled down, we each "gathered" the heat we created and formed and played with an imaginary "chi" ball, visualizing the light and the warmth it radiated as we floated it though our own fluid dance to bring our bodies, minds, and spirits closer to calm.  

As I carry myself through this week, I am reminded that at it's very core, life is a dance with one's self.  Even though most of us define ourselves by our relationships with "other" roles and people and emotions, these relationships at their essence are shaped by our relationship with our authentic selves.  So connect with that part of you today.  Plug in and be still with it.  Or if you really want to have fun, dance with it!

3 comments:

  1. Well, obviously I found your blog! It was on your FB page. Glorious!!! I love it. I'm not familiar with the Billy Idol song (and will check it out on iTunes as soon as I'm done here), but I'm certainly familiar with dancing with myself!! I love that you used this as a focus...I encourage my students to express their own unique spirit and this would in turn be dancing with themselves.

    I get really juiced (that's a good thing) with words like "visualizing the light and the warmth it radiated as we floated it through our fluid dance"...oh my...ahhhhhh. You rock sister. Thanks for sharing your sweet self with us!!!

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  2. Lovely blog, Erin. Inspiration for me to start writing more.

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  3. Woohoo! Your own blog, nice job. I just got my Seattle Nia newsletter, want to do a class when you're here? Class at the barn down the road from me is at 9:30am the day after our dinner at Herbfarm...very appropriate timing.

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