As the clock hits 10 a.m., I open my laptop and think in excitement of the class I am about to take. Taking advantage of Vimeo Live, I plug my laptop into my TV to watch it full screen. In fifty minutes, I will be spiritually sweating alongside over 3,000 people. In these fifty minutes I find myself bouncing, going on journeys through my house, and getting down to the beat. I keep dancing, knowing that there are hundreds of people out there who are doing the same as me, not giving a care what I look like for the random people who may see me through my window. Ending with an imaginary shower of glitter, spreading love
out into the world, and sweating profusely,
I silently thank Dance Church in my thoughts
and move on to my next class.
I sign into Zoom at 11 a.m. for my next community class, Gaga online. For the next forty-five minutes, I explore the inner landscape of my body in a guided improvisation that is geared to finding a deeper connection. We only accept the burning sensation in our muscles as
we shake things into place and find all of the curves in our bodies. At the end, the teacher unmutes us all and a cascade of voices gets let loose, hundreds of “thank-you’s” ringing out in a symphony of gratitude.
Finally at 2 p.m. I log onto Instagram Live to take my last community class of the day with Mark Kanemura. Here I find my hips doing “chips and dip”, “taking it around”, and being “palm-trees in the wind” with my hand. His language is so affirmative that I feel comfortable being myself and just dancing it out. It’s a dance party for everyone. After three or four songs of fun choreography for anyone, I am sweating, feeling satisfied, and knowing I virtually had fun dancing with a whole community out there.
There has been a major shift in the dance and arts world to find community with people non-physically. For dance, it being such a physical activity this has proven to be a difficult challenge. However, there are groups and people out there who have been taking this challenge on right from the beginning who have helped me stay connected with the dance community. Gaga NYC, Mark Kanemura, and Dance Church have been spectacular resources. The space that they hold for everyone is open and accepting and allows people to have an experience within their bodies with others through the screen, a connection people are striving for right now.
The way that these groups and people use language also helps build the community of people all around the globe. With positive affirmations to keep exploring what your body is capable of, to take breaks if needed, to move, and to come as you are to the class I find myself giving my all in these classes. Somedays I start a class with a weight on my shoulders in light of everything going on, and leave feeling that much better. Having these people share what they are bringing into class and affirm the participants creates a space where I feel like I can let go of everything and just dance.
These classes are either free, donation based, or “pay-what-you-can”, these artists understand that everyone is going through something different. Sometimes, they will take those donations and put them into organizations that are using those funds to assist people who are in need during this crisis. Donating to that cause helps me feel like I am doing my part to help, and become part of an even larger community coming together to raise others up and support one another. I would say if anyone has any free time or wants to check these classes out, do so, and join the community that I have found to be supportive during this time.
Feel free to try out these classes below: