Thursday, February 3, 2011

Show UP

Even when you don't feel like it
even if you don't wanna
Bring Your Self

Once you make the commitment - show up and shut up and open up

Shut up in the sense of close the whining, critical, projecting parts

Open up in the sense of - you decided this (class, workshop, homework, etc.) is for you

Now receive the tid-bits, gems, treasures, hard-to-hear-but-necessary, aspects which is why you are here!

I have a dream that I enter a space pre-workshop, my early life in performance has me still showing up early, giving time for my own preparations. 

This is a small classroom with utilitarian grey carpeting, functional, not as some of the beautiful, huge spaces where I've presented workshops and performances. A man, the presenter, (my animus) opens the door, not apologetic (for this space), we both understand we are in the magical preparation minutes that attends the Begin.

I flash on a real life performance at a major University years ago. Due to whatever glitches, there is no audience (I'm laughing as I write this). We went on as scheduled, a large performing group, and in the middle of this performance we are laughing - this is a performance, this is not a rehearsal, we are dancing, performing, theatricalizing, for others even if they may not be there. We are high on this expression. It was great, a solid lesson learned young, satisfying, revitalizing. We took over the space and encompassed the life of the performance.

On micro- and macro- levels traversing the worlds of our lives - bring yourself to it.

Oh, and, thank you for being in my life!


photos: scratched proof of Lura 1978 Jim Polaski/Chicago
Double Rainbow lastor