Your essays are helping me wrap my head around dance as both personal and political, a new way of understanding it for me. Thank you. I just turned 55 last week, and after treatment I too am learning the limitations age + cancer can put on a body. And yet, I'm out there hiking again every week, one hill at a time. Dorothy Day used to describe social change as one brick at a time; maybe it's one muscle at a time too.
I love this: “I have to keep believing in the capacity to rebuild this muscle, just as I have to keep believing it’s important to make this space for joy and beauty. The fundamental element of Graham technique is the cycle of contraction and release. It is an expression of breathing, the life force, and a metaphor for conflict and resolution, oppression and liberation. I have to believe this is fact as well — that we have the collective ability to flex our bodies in contraction, whistles blaring, so that there might come the release of an Appalachian Spring.”… thank you 🤍🤍
Powerful connection between Graham's refusal of the Berlin Olympics and today's Kennedy Center cancellation. That contraction-release metaphor works on so many levels here, especially linking personal recovery with colective resistance. I've been in situations where the body remembers what the mind tries to rationalize away, and there's something profound about honoring that impulse to withdraw when the space feels comprimised.
Happy birthday fellow Capricorn. I would love to see Appalachian Spring as Simple Gifts is one of my favorite hymns. I hope you make it up there.
I am amazed by anyone who can do circus work as well as doing a three day dance workshop. After all your body has been through remember to give yourself a little grace.
I’m trying to remember that myself as I am still recovering from major back surgery at the end of September.
Thanks also for the story of Martha Graham. I love her work but did not know her history. I’m glad the company is back to its true form after some struggles.
Really moving post about Martha Graham and all that she stood for. I didn’t know about Yuriko (though I have a connections to Gila Camp and have a copy of her husband’s book!) and I appreciated the link to her obit. So many stories hiding in plain sight. Thank you.
Thanks Karen! That’s so cool you have her husband’s book. She had a truly amazing career. (Also I’m here in Seattle rn and might try to make it to your talk tomorrow …😀)
Sorry to miss you. I’ve been following your work since that long ago event at ElliottBay with soup! Your writing about cancer has moved me more than I can express.
I so wish I could get home to Cleveland for the Graham performance, but I drove through dumping snow the last time I went up in the winter, argh. Thank you for this beautiful piece you've written here--I'm sharing!
Your essays are helping me wrap my head around dance as both personal and political, a new way of understanding it for me. Thank you. I just turned 55 last week, and after treatment I too am learning the limitations age + cancer can put on a body. And yet, I'm out there hiking again every week, one hill at a time. Dorothy Day used to describe social change as one brick at a time; maybe it's one muscle at a time too.
“One muscle at a time” — I love this!
I love this: “I have to keep believing in the capacity to rebuild this muscle, just as I have to keep believing it’s important to make this space for joy and beauty. The fundamental element of Graham technique is the cycle of contraction and release. It is an expression of breathing, the life force, and a metaphor for conflict and resolution, oppression and liberation. I have to believe this is fact as well — that we have the collective ability to flex our bodies in contraction, whistles blaring, so that there might come the release of an Appalachian Spring.”… thank you 🤍🤍
Thank you!
Powerful connection between Graham's refusal of the Berlin Olympics and today's Kennedy Center cancellation. That contraction-release metaphor works on so many levels here, especially linking personal recovery with colective resistance. I've been in situations where the body remembers what the mind tries to rationalize away, and there's something profound about honoring that impulse to withdraw when the space feels comprimised.
Happy Birthday! Glad you’re making time to fly through the air again!
Happy belated birthday, Martha! Thanks for writing about dance and so much else through your own lens!
Thanks my friend!
Happy birthday fellow Capricorn. I would love to see Appalachian Spring as Simple Gifts is one of my favorite hymns. I hope you make it up there.
I am amazed by anyone who can do circus work as well as doing a three day dance workshop. After all your body has been through remember to give yourself a little grace.
I’m trying to remember that myself as I am still recovering from major back surgery at the end of September.
Thanks also for the story of Martha Graham. I love her work but did not know her history. I’m glad the company is back to its true form after some struggles.
Thank you! And ouch, I hope your back heals up soon. Happy birthday!
Really moving post about Martha Graham and all that she stood for. I didn’t know about Yuriko (though I have a connections to Gila Camp and have a copy of her husband’s book!) and I appreciated the link to her obit. So many stories hiding in plain sight. Thank you.
Thanks Karen! That’s so cool you have her husband’s book. She had a truly amazing career. (Also I’m here in Seattle rn and might try to make it to your talk tomorrow …😀)
Sorry to miss you. I’ve been following your work since that long ago event at ElliottBay with soup! Your writing about cancer has moved me more than I can express.
Aw, thank you so much! That means a lot. Hope to run into you again eventually, one way or another :)
I so wish I could get home to Cleveland for the Graham performance, but I drove through dumping snow the last time I went up in the winter, argh. Thank you for this beautiful piece you've written here--I'm sharing!
Thanks Rebecca!
I hope your trip to see this performance works out, it sounds like it'd be an incredibly powerful experience. And happy birthday!
Thanks so much!