Life's Roller Coaster: Embrace the Ride with Dance
Among us, there's always that one friend who looks at a rollercoaster and quickly says, "Nope, not for me!" The thought of turning upside down, spinning around, and feeling your heart in your throat can be a bit too much.
If you resonate with this, you might tell your thrill-seeking friends to go ahead while you opt for a hot dog (only to remember that the amusement park probably doesn't offer a plant-based option, or maybe you just committed to a diet yesterday. Either way, the situation somehow turns into struggle).
But what if we told you that you're already aboard the most thrilling roller coaster ever, known as LIFE? From our first breath, we've been tackling life's twists like champs. Yes, somehow we did it. The trick?
There isn’t one, really. The thing is life offers us choices. We can bypass its winding paths and stick to the straight, predictable route that seems safe and comforting. Over time, though, this monotone path loses its appeal. That’s when we often brush it aside, assuring ourselves that everything's fine, and the weekend (yay mimosas!) is just around the corner.
We can also choose to sip the same mimosa while reading Carl Jung's thought-provoking wisdom:
Pause Mr Jung … I want to sip this mimosa, not choke!
The takeaway? You already ARE on the biggest roller coaster ride ever. It’s called LIFE and since you gotta ride it, let it be for a noble cause - our deepest happiness. Since you gotta ride it, make the upside down, the spinning around and feeling your heart in your throat for a good reason.
How can we face this rollercoaster without fear, you ask? We acknowledge that we are actually excited about fear. Fear is excitement without the approval of the sensations that come with the specific situation. We are all excited about riding the roller coaster, we are just not taught to love the sensation that suddenly comes with it (the unknown) therefore we avoid it. And how dare anybody blame us anyway?
Addressing our emotions feels like heroism. But an easier option it's just to think that it's about self-embrace. Every feeling we experience is an integral part of us, there is no good or bad and we should never shy away from them. Instead, we should become familiar with them.
This is why I adore teaching dance and fostering future teachers. We provide a platform for people to connect with their emotions. It's a time of pure, heartfelt sharing. Movement is an incredibly unique and powerful way to instantly understand and connect with your emotions. Dancing is therapeutic and expansive. Inside a dance class, we carve out a safe space for everyone to explore and truly OWN their emotions. Once familiar, these feelings are no longer frightening. You've faced them and embraced them surrendered by a community of like minded people.
As you continue on your life's roller coaster, remember that dancing offers an extraordinary opportunity to embrace your emotions, become familiar with them, and ultimately, live your life to the fullest. In our dance class, we don't just teach steps and rhythms, we guide you on a journey of self-discovery and self-acceptance. Every step, every turn, and every leap, every moment of stillness in dance is a celebration of who you are.
So, I invite you to step into this safe space, this stage of life where you can freely express, explore, and own your emotions. As your dance guides, we promise to accompany you on this exhilarating journey. Because remember, life is the ultimate rollercoaster, and it's about time we all learn to truly enjoy the ride.
So, let's dance!
P.S. This post is dedicated to a cherished member of our community, O’Shae Sibley, a professional choreographer and dancer whose life was tragically ended during a confrontation while he was dancing at a gas station. Not knowing how to react to fear can have far-reaching consequences. We live in a world yearning for healing, and as artists, we frequently encounter irrational attempts to dominate the uncertain. In the face of this heartache, I remain unshakably committed to the transformative potential of the arts for healing. O’Shae Sibley embodied this truth. All of us at Alternative Synergy The Company send our heartfelt prayers to his family.
Our blog would not be the same without some real honest book recommendation.
If what I wrote speaks to you, please get into Louise Hay and the secrets of her miracles. No matter you believe in affirmations or not, she has a wonderful way to reframe the way we see life ❤️
