End of Dance.
The following is an excerpt from the paper I wrote for Darla’s class.
“I managed to pry myself off the floor and later that week, late July 2001, I made it to Miriam’s class, as nervous as I was sore, and there began the experiment to see whether or not a rugby player could be taught to dance. I suppose Miriam became Dr. Frankenstein, or maybe Obi-Wan, or Beatrice Gardner (the first woman who taught a chimps to speak sign language) either way I was hooked.
Dance became a part of my life almost overnight. And much like the music of John Coltrane and the words William Shakespeare, were the movements of Martha Graham and José Limón and others. It was so shockingly intricate and fascinating, like the first time you see a snowfall or New York City. It was a brave new world, but it was fun. Strange and fun. And for the first time in post-puberty memory, I was surrounded by girls. More strange.
Pas-de-what – is that English?…wow, I’m lost – Ok, I get it, it’s a jump with a foot-change-thing – I can jump – my back feels better – why won’t my toes point – wow, these girls are flexible…and I am not – I like to jump – ballent, its called – how do you spell that?…note to self: learn French
My back healed and I continued to play rugby, but I also kept coming to dance class. It was a different kind of therapy now, more cathartic then orthopedic. September arrived shortly and I moved from the back of the room to the front where I found my abilities to see and hear the instructor were greatly improved which, in turn, increased my capacity to learn.
I get it now – 2nd, 1st, 4th, 5th – 2nd, 1st, 4th, 5th – keep turned out – distribute the weight to both feet – look up – relax the arms – relax the shoulders – just relax – don’t fall over – breathe.
Weeks turned into seasons, and summer came again. Then Fall. After about a year of dancing, I decided to audition for the ensemble. At the time, my nerves were in control and I was wreck, now it just seems natural – get up on stage and dance. My first performance was a duet.
Wow, its dark – don’t vomit – tucked in?…shoes tied?…nervous? yes. Extremely – dancers, take your places – merde.
The first show passed with little consequence, then the second, then the third and now the fourth and final show of my random dance career at Drexel. Choreographing is a whole new challenge, new rules, making it up as you go along, but having it to explain to everyone else. We’ll get my final thoughts after the show closes…”
Thanks to all the kids who helped me along the way.
