Befriending the Wind

It’s spring, and when there are glorious breaks in the rain, I love taking my classes outside to dance in the grass and fresh air. Dancing with silk veils outdoors brings unique challenges, as any dancer who has performed in an outdoor festival knows. Silk veils that usually flow with the dancer and create height and energy suddenly become a tangled mess, clinging in all sorts of crazy ways.

Experimenting with outdoor veil work, we learned to use whatever breeze was in the air to our advantage…letting the air push the veil across our bodies to accentuate our curves, or holding the veil up, and high, so that the air would truly make it fly. And, when the wind shifted, we shifted. Moving this way became almost meditative and definitely freeing.

It’s not unusual to be at a moment of great transition, when the path you are on feels like an uphill battle. There’s definitely something to be said for persistence and for seeing a commitment through even when it gets difficult. There are other times, however, that I’ve found it’s helpful to stop forcing things into place, and to instead go the way the wind is blowing. The hard part is deciphering between a challenge that needs to be met, and a sign to relinquish the fight. If you are in such a period of transition, I wish you peace and clarity.

And for my dear students, I can’t wait for more warm days ahead, where we can dance in the sun and learn from the wind. Thank you, Gabriele, for letting me share this gorgeous photo of you - and for being YOU!