Two Show Day

Saturday, October 15, 2005

Two Show Day

We have three of these days in this tour - days where there are two performances. It's really hard but today, I feel surprisingly ok. You can see the dancers all feeling the pain in their backs, legs and necks. This is what one would expect doing Petronio material full out on a daily basis. It starts to catch up to you. What I find helpful is remaining calm and breathing with the pain rather than panicking or expecting that you will always feel great. I try to stretch as much as possible and when I do I feel my teachers present with me. Pain can be isolating and unbearable. Remembering the words of my teachers seems to help physically and emotionally.

We are a tight little family on tour and when the dynamics are off kilter, watch out! It can be really difficult. We all fall into the trap of becoming immersed in the minutiae of daily life. This is when it really helps to be kind to one another. We often forget how lucky we are that we get to travel to such amazing places in the world and that we are not stuck waiting tables or behind a desk. I try to remind myself of this as I begin warming up for the second show in one day and somehow it becomes manageable. No, it actually is rewarding and full of opportunities for savoring each and every moment. The balls of my feet hurt. My hamstrings are tight but I'm happy to be healthy, dancing and performing with people I love.

Here's to the last show in Sydney...