We all are dancers

I am somewhat of a trained dancer.  As a preteen and teenager I spent many hours attending ballet, tap, and jazz classes.  This continued into my first year of college, when I decided that it took too much time, and needed to just focus on my studies.  Gone were the days of meeting up with other dancers to perform together and enjoy movement to music.  It didn’t seem too important to continue at the time.

Almost 15 years later, I took a yoga class.  I was at a point in life where I needed a direction for myself, something to focus on, a goal, a hobby, or activity to boost my mood.   I felt awkward and inflexible compared to my younger years, and I wasn’t too pleased with what shapes I was making in poses at first.  The beautiful clean lines and graceful ease I saw of many yoga instructors in health clubs and in magazines enthralled me.  The human body could create such fascinating poses, had so much strength and potential.  Without any other way to direct my path, I began with where I was.  Listening.   Seeing. Sensing.  Yoga gave me that opportunity.  My body said, “Keep coming back, if nothing else makes sense, this does.” 

I began to want more than just the pretty shapes for my body.  The calm mind, steadiness of emotions, and connection to my sensations drew me in.  Things I avoided feeling in the past, not wanting to know the bad up close, became less threatening and pleasurable to finally feel I could let go of them without fear.  Yoga creates health and unity in the body, mind, and spirit.

I became a yoga teacher and continued my exploration of the practice for years, enjoying the poses and the relief from life’s burdens.  It was when I took a Nia class that I realized there a joy and freedom in all types of human expression.    Nia has taught my heart to dance in a deeper way than my youth- through the muscles and bones, the voice, eyes, joints, community, music- and the soul.  Through the joy of self healing, self acceptance, and self compassion, now the heart dances along with the body.  The heart dances when we have acceptance of our body’s own way of being.  The heart dances when we find our own way- and see other’s finding theirs.  When the heart dances, the body heals in many ways.

We can all dance.

We can all dance when the divine spark lights a small fire making our toes tap, our fingers drum, our head nod up down.  We can all dance when we take on the energy of a ninja, a jazz dancer, a martial artist, or a healer.  We can all dance when the ears hear a sound that moves our soul, a sight inspires a focus or a new path or a rhythm builds anticipation.  Children dance without regret or apology, with beginner’s mind.

 We can all dance when we are a newborn of the now.  After all, nothing is permanent- the past is gone, the future is constantly changing.  If we practice riding the waves of impermanence, being flexible in our emotions, riding the roller coaster of life, we may just ride it out with grace and ease.

We can all dance.   We were born with the possibility of freedom in the body- we just need to practice it.  It begins with a toe tap, drumming fingers, or a nod of a head that makes you smile.

We can all dance. Start where you are.