Wednesday 11 May 2016

Dancer Spirit, Toned Body


In a state of delusion I went out and bought a bodysuit recently. It's the gray one above with the Malibu written across the front. I convinced myself if I owned one then I would work harder at the gym to cultivate a dancer's muscle tone (typed while eating pistachio ice cream sprinkled with hazelnuts and chocolate chips...).
 
It all started when I was watching the BBC (an allegiance I cannot seem to break despite my misgivings) and saw Edward Watson in a short news story mentioning his frustration at people talking about the colour of his hair instead of his brilliant dance form and skill. Then I started thinking I should join a dance class and that led to my thinking that I have not seen an Alvin Ailey show ever and I'd sooner that than to go to the Royal Opera House in London.
 
Anyhoo, before I knew it, I was thinking that the more plausible option of bringing me closer to an appreciation of dance art, etc. would be if I bought a leotard; but I couldn't find one I liked and then I found this bodysuit. And so here we are. Forget Misty Copeland. You see that dude in the black tutu? I want his legs.  How does one cultivate the spirit of a dancer (i.e. too zen to eat ice cream) and would that eventually lead to a dancer's body (i.e. that of a fluidly, smoothly-moving sculpted and carved Italian marble statue)?



So, what underpins a dancer's performance and their breathtaking abilities and discipline? Here are two books by Rick Guest which help  to visualise the demands on a dancer's physical and emotional being.

Pics: Roh.org.uk and Pinterest

2 comments:

  1. In my opinion, based on twelve years as a ballet dancer, the most significant pillar supporting a dancer's discipline and the "dancer spirit" is the development of a love for the dance that you do. When I did ballet, I felt such a high from perfecting a move, and felt the most complete and exhilarating emotional and spiritual relief and release - this is what motivated me to dance longer, practice harder, and do the same things over and over again until I had gotten it exactly the way I wanted it. At that point I had also usually sweated through my dance clothes, and my muscles shook uncontrollably with exhaustion. I believe it is a love of dance that only comes from time, practice, and true connection with it as an expression of art, heart, and soul, that underpins that which you seek.

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  2. Hey! Thank you for sharing your experience with us. I hope you feel the same way now as you did then about dance.

    Prettyoldstuff

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