Outdoor inspirations

It's been a few weeks since I've written in this blog, and I honestly have felt a little guilty about it.

A week and a half ago, I had the opportunity to dance outside within the UC Berkeley campus. It was raining very lightly, and it was chilly. We found an area that was covered by beautiful, tall redwood trees to protect us a little from the rain; there were many bushes, and a loud, gushing stream nearby.

My dance partner and I began an exercise called seaweed and current, an exercise I've done in many butoh and movement workshops. One person is the seaweed; representing and posing as a piece of seaweed attached to the ocean floor and then eventually detached. The other person is the current; acting as the movement of the water, affecting the seaweed body and also holding space for the seaweed. For both participants, it's important to breathe and be as fluid in the body as possible.

Eventually, we both broke away into improvisation; playing with the elements all around us: earth, wind, rain, the sounds of the water and people that would pass by. We also would connect at times, playing with each others' energy and mirroring one another. At first, it took me some time to focus and ground myself to begin to embody everything. I think it was a little overwhelming. After about 15-20 minutes, we became apart of that space. Time escaped us.

For the last 10 or 15 minutes, a church bell sounded off. It wasn't your average church bell. It was a harpsichord instrument. I began to embody this music, transforming into a Lady of the Victorian age. I imagined myself (and other women) dressed in bodices, huge, puffy hoop skirts; and then those wigs of the wealthy. The music was quite playful and, afterward, I told myself I must find some music like this! I was inspired to do a period piece, which I've never imagined doing. I felt playful, sensual, powerful, and oppressed all at the same time.

What elements of the outdoors inspire you? It doesn't have to be from dancing. If could be from an area you were walking, running, picnicking, driving, hiking, etc. What emotions arise from those inspirations, and do you express them? How do you express those emotions?