I'm taking on New York City for my second time around in less than a week. Excited? Yes, if I'm trying to describe one small ounce of how I feel.This intensive is going to be amazing. We're dancing about 8-9 hours per day and rehearsing for a project performance at the end of the week.
I was hoping that we would have a few classes in an old theatre, but all our rehearsals are going to be at the Alvin Ailey studios - which are quite beautiful.
Honestly, I cannot wait to be back in that city. Sounds crazy for only being there once... but it's just one of those places, I think for a lot of people. I was introduced to New York in a unique way and I instantly knew that I would forever love it there. 
Maybe there are places like that for all of us. The area has taken hold of something and we want to explore the solitude or business of it at every chance. That's how I think adventure helps us grow. When you're open to letting things take hold of you or your area's of passion... things are bound to happen.
Maybe there are places like that for all of us. The area has taken hold of something and we want to explore the solitude or business of it at every chance. That's how I think adventure helps us grow. When you're open to letting things take hold of you or your area's of passion... things are bound to happen.
It's the whole style of "Living In The Now" and experiencing things for what they are and what they might be - not cutting short an experience.
There's this amazing interview with Suzanne Farrell where she was asked "Can you describe the feeling you have when you are in the wings, waiting for you cue, and your hear the music and you enter the stage?" She said "Before I go out, I have these feelings of insecurity, this 'what am I going to do?' feeling. Even though I am a professional, and I know what the steps are, I don't quite know how I'm going to do them, because I haven't lived that moment yet. I always feel very insecure and I get very excited. Nervous, not so that I can't dance, but excited with nerves because I love to do what I am doing. The minute I get out there, I realize that I'm more in control than I thought I was. Because there is no turning back. It's when we think we can turn back that we don't make good decisions, or we don't try hard enough. It's when you jump off the cliff that you are suddenly in control, in a way that you don't have prior to that.
“It was right then that I started thinking about Thomas Jefferson, the Declaration of Independence, and our right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, and I remember thinking, ‘How did he know to put the pursuit part in there?’ That maybe happiness is something we can only pursue, and maybe actually we can never have it, no matter what. How did he know that?”
2 comments:
I'm not sure what you were talking about when you told me that you have a lot of flaws in your writing. I've always been a decent writer and I couldn't find one point that wasn't well written. Its an interesting concept that you bring up at the end of throwing ourselves into the fire and gaining full control there. I don't know if I agree with the analogy she used of a cliff because I don't think I can decide if I'm going to die at the bottom or not. I suppose it could be true, but I'm certainly not too eager to try to find out. lol. I think its a great thing to live by though with not allowing ourselves that escape clause in case we get too overcome with nerves. I used to be a closer on the Varsity team when I was too undeveloped to pitch more than an inning. The closer is the pitcher who comes in for the last inning and he has more of an adrenaline rush than any other pitcher because he sees the possible end results of his performance; either we win or we go home losers. I always felt insecure when I came in because the closer usually only used when his team is only a few runs ahead so I knew that I only had to make a few small mistakes to lose the game and let down my teamates after they played their hearts out. I remember when I would let the pressure get me and not just let go and throw hard I usually lost, but when I just threw caution to the wind and did what I was taught to do I usually got the job done.
I'm excited for you to be on such a stage as the one you are on right now. I can imagine how it must feel because I too grew up dreaming of performing in New York. Although I have always hated the Yankees because I'm a Cleveland Indians fan, I always dreamed of being one so I could play on the same field that all the greats like Babe Ruth and Joe Dimaggio played on, but I don't know exactly how it feels to achieve that dream, but you do and that is so exciting. I think I'm going to give my baseball dream another chance. You have a confidence in yourself that I admire and intend to steal from you...fwahaha! j/k. I talked to the guy who caught for me back in high school and it turns out that he has catcher's gear and wants to catch for me so I think I'll at least give myself a chance to reach my dream and then its on the Yankees I suppose to sign me.
Hope you have a blast and can't wait to hear all your stories when you get back (you know how boring concession is now so help me out by visiting from time to time to tell me stories so I don't talk to myself too much. lol)
See ya!!
-Matt
There's a place where each of us has to go, and we have to go it alone. It's a place where one by one, the voices around us become faint whispers, shadows. Until there are no voices left but one, and that is yours. Remember this Molly, there is nothing in life more precious than to clearly hear your own voice. Because if you're doing this Christianity thing right, that voice will be the very voice of God. We love you, we're proud of you!
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