Saturday, May 26, 2012

Magic

There are certain things in life we cannot live without: oxygen, food, water, clothing (debatable...), shelter, etc. I’m going to put therapy and exercise on the list of non-negotiables as well...hugs... Each of these “necessities” has its time and its place, and we humans are not always so astute when it comes to knowing which one or which combination of a few we may need. A possible problem could be that “magic” is not on the list, nor “alchemy;” we identify the “needs” as separate from one another. In order for the ingredients, or “necessities,” to support an actual human life, some kind of alchemical reaction must occur. It’s the kind of magic that turns a house into a home, a plate of food into nourishment, a hug into a sense of belonging. This leads me to my story: I came to class on Wednesday night looking for a way to unwind, to decompress. I felt antsy and scattered and I needed something to get me out of my head, to put me back together. I’m a big believer in sweat as therapy, and when summer hits Freneticore, you can count on a juicy sweat fest- conditions were perfect for my exorcism.

I pulled up to the theater in a rush of emotion, babbling away to Mallory before class. Mallory Horn, B-T-dubs, is fierce in her dancing and passionate in her teaching, and every time I take her class I walk away with something new to work on, a full body, mind, heart, and spirit. She let me vent, gave me a huge hug I didn’t even know I needed, and wasted no time getting to the incredible music and movement I rely on her for. Throughout the class I was able to channel my energy into combinations that gave my mind and body space to move freely, while keeping me accountable to precision and timing. During our final combination, Mall said to me, "You looked genuinely happy during that combination." Well, yeah....I was. Totally, genuinely happy. I could feel myself again. I felt at home.

Dance is the only place to feel the rush of adrenaline, the passion of self-expression, the freedom of creative play and the pleasure of movement. Dance is where my soul sings and my heart rests, my mind melts into the moment and my smile gets to unleash itself on my face. The act of dancing no doubt released the clog from my head/heart, but that wouldn’t have happened without the space of Freneticore. I don’t just mean the four walls and roof, or the red velvet seats and buzzing, multi-colored lights, I mean the space that opens up for me every time I walk through the door- the space to be myself, the people who share my enjoyment, my frustration, my hard work, my terrible jokes...it’s magic the way these people put up with me. It’s like coming home, and as someone who lives very far away from my immediate family and that place I called “home” for so long, that’s a very special place. Someone said that “home is where they have to let you in.” Well, Rebecca and Robert didn’t HAVE to let me in, but I’m sure glad they did.

P.S. my name is Stacey Ramsower, and I’ve been a company member of Freneticore since 2010!



*Photo by Ed Schipul

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