Lucy and Ricky

Last night we tried Casino Rueda! So much fun! It's a cross between square dancing and cuban salsa. The salsa moves are called out (in Spanish), while changing to various partners in a circle. We heard about it through '40's' volley ball buddy, and decided to be daring on this island that has been constantly unfolding its secrets to us. So we traveled up (and i mean, up) this curvy road with only the final bits of sunshine from the day to light our way...found the house address, drove down a long, narrow, dirt road driveway, dodged chickens and roosters, passed a cow....and naturally found the dance studio.

14 people maybe? 11 of which had been taking these classes for some time. Oh, how I love the diversity of spirits that show up for these types of classes. We had some fun with it. When we weren't laughing at one another we were counting to ourselves, with furrowed brows, and pursed lips. Took the sexy right outa' salsa...I'll say that.

Really though, it felt great to be tossed around!

Once a student....Always a student

I took a great dance stretch class yesterday at The Studio Maui, in Haiku. It felt great to learn new ways to stretch the body, ask questions, and to be challenged as a student. In Kyoto, I am often teaching and rarely take the time to be a student. When I am able to take a class in Japan, I am faced with the language barrier. It has its up and down side. On the up-side I learn based on truly living inside my body. If I am learning something that causes discomfort to my body, I learn how to correct it on my own. It causes me to listen to everything my body says to me. It's the language that I can understand clearly. On the down-side, I don't have a clear "take" of the teacher, and rely only on the vibe of the teacher.

Teaching any type of movement is so much more than "5,6,7,8" or "inhale, exhale" "demi plie' or grand plie'." In my experience it's been about listening to and observing a student's needs. Taking a dance or movement-related class (especially for the first time) can bring out so many vulnerabilities. As a teacher, I think it's important to recognize where a student "is" in their experience while taking the class. There is a kind of intimacy, compassion, and honesty that a teacher needs to have in order to hear the message that a student gives when learning movement. Movement and learning movement, opens up a colorful channel of emotions that sometimes beg to come out. It brings out the past, present and future. It sharpens the body's sense of intelligence, and awareness. It opens up all kinds of possibilities and accomplishments. I could go on and on, but what it really comes down to is that when you put yourself in a new experience of dance/movement you put yourself out there. Once you're out there, you have the opportunity to explore they way you deal with the challenges and pleasure of expression.

I think good teachers teach the class agenda. Great teachers see themselves in each student and bring challenge based on comfort and capability, compassion, creativity, flexibility, and are in tune with each moment of the class from beginning to end. They are self-less, inspirational, and naturally love to share.

While I am here, I look forward to observing these qualities or others of teachers in Maui.