“When joy does come, it should be celebrated, although many of us are embarrassed by spontaneous bursts of elation. It’s not that we think there is something wrong with being joyful, but that we have a notion it’s not cool or sophisticated to be too joyful, or too openly emotional. We’re often as uncomfortable about having hearts as we are about having bodies.”
GABRIELLE ROTH
The joy of dancing. The joy of being alive. The theme I need, the theme I explore, the theme I offer.
In the dance, I find enjoyment when I allow my body to do what it needs to do, what it wants to do. I have a feeling that my body laughs as a little child who was finally allowed to take of its shoes and get its clothes dirty. In the dance, I somehow manage to dig out the spontaneity under layers of politeness, fear and prohibition. When I dance, I sometimes realise that I feel like laughing, but that I hide that silly, flushed, sweaty face of mine. The best thing happens when, out of the corner of my eye, I somehow spot another silly, flushed, sweaty face which laughs even though nothing is funny. So, I laugh back, like a mirror. There are some special friends, some special moments we have together, some films, some comedians I laugh at from the top of my lungs, I scream with laughter, I have to get up, can’t sit back any more, I have to jump and wag my tail. Crazy! I sometimes catch that moment of happiness like I have caught a beautiful butterfly in the mid air, and as soon as I catch it I know the only way for it to continue living is to let it fly away as soon as possible. There are those moments of joy that hold me in their arms only when I surrender totally to everything, even to the deep sorrow. You know that laughter which vibrates the same as crying which vibrates the same as laughing, belly- and chest-shaking, and that crazy feeling of release through that laughing, through that crying. Sometimes when I lead workshops I am seduced by the beauty of what I see in the group, in the dance, in the people – it is so real, so honest, so human that I forget to play the next song on time. What a wonderful “error”, one that I enjoy indulging in, even praise myself for it! I love feeling the sense of fulfilment which actually makes me empty as much as full, the sense of peace which I somehow earned and which is actually always present inside. When I finally get in touch with it and let it overflow me I get that Mona Lisa smile. I am grateful for the joy of play I rediscover with my children – there is nothing more precious than watching them play together, make each other laugh till they cry, make each other laugh till they pee their pants. I am also very lucky to find so much goodness, so much frolic, so much new things in my work and the fact that it has brought me to you.
I am also happy to offer MENTORING for 5Rhythms Teachers and Teachers in Training. Individual Skype Sessions offering a safe space to share and to express. A place where I am being a witness and a listener and creating a possibility for you to hear yourself and find answers and ways through your questions.
I wish you a wonderful, flourishing and dancing month of May, Love, Silvija