After struggling to get my left hip to turn out as much as the right (it has made for an interesting fifth position), it finally worked better today. And my face was closer to my leg than it has been in many a moon. The best news of the day is that at the end of class, the teacher said, "Hey Brid-get, much better today....it is coming back.....good job."
That made me feel pretty good.
Maybe I did a better job today because we had a visiting spectator. The studio is on 4th St in downtown Santa Monica on a lovely studio with floor to ceiling glass windows lining the street. I am not sure if any of your readers are aware of this or not, but we also have a fair amount of homeless people in Santa Monica. This morning, a gentlemen decided to walk up the window front of the studio, press his face against it (which frankly was not necessary as the windows are not tinted) and stare at us. And stared some more. Then he moved a few steps down the line, pressed his face against the window again, and stared at us. He was watching our barre moves closer than Nigel Lythgoe watching contestants on "So You Think You Can Dance". At first I was a little bit unnerved. I looked around and no one else noticed nor cared, which led me to believe it is not the first time this has happened. Anyway, I decided to do my best and push harder since we had an audience.
One of the reasons I stopped dancing (trust me - not the main reason or the only reason) was a car accident that I had in high school that injured my left hip and both legs. Boys, sports, school dances, boys, kissing boys, and music crowded ballet out. I did go back for jazz class after recuperating from the accident, but not ballet. And I think I convinced myself mentally that I couldn't do it anymore because my hip would never be the same. Then, my friend Matt ran a marathon. Now I know lots of people run marathons, but Matt was my age and had not run since high school because he fell and hurt himself at some point, and convinced himself he couldn't run. One day a few years ago, his mother said to him that the injury wasn't that bad, and how long was he going to let an imaginary hurt, and imaginary pain, keep him from living a full life? She may not have said that directly to me, however, I heard her loud and clear.
I still need to work on the left hip. And jumps. And turns. And......well.......everything. That being said, I am still happy with my progress, and how my muscles seem to be remembering things. It is still a bit of a riot. Easily the most fun (and the funniest) thing that I have done in years.
What imaginary pain do you have in your life? When will you let it go?
My vote is for today. :-)
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