Dance Life - My Life

“My world is full of dance floors, inspiring music, and speechless audiences. I love my dance life #dancesaveslives”

I've always loved dance quotes and this one in particular caught my attention.  It wasn't the typical Graham, Pavlova, Nureyev, Fosse, Duncan quotes I keep seeing all over social media, but from an organization that randomly started following me on twitter one day: "Dance Saves Lives" - an organization dedicated to teaching dance to orphanages in third world countries.  Reading this, I can't help but think of my life, coEXISTdance, and the wonderful things that are happening.

It's completely true.  For me, my world IS dance.  Maybe it's sad, but in the last few years of "re-finding" my lost self, I've tried to literally breathe dance to get through the heartaches of life.  So I teach, choreograph, rehearse, perform, take class, even just improv in my basement as much as I can.  

"Dance floors"?  Since the beginning of the year, in a given week I could have been in 8 different studios rehearsing, teaching, or just dancing for myself.  

"Inspiring Music"? I'm constantly moved by music that inspires me that all I want to do is dance to it, feel it, and share it.  

"Speechless Audiences"? Like most dancers, I thrive on the high of performing on a stage and giving out to the audience what is inside of me.  Numerous times, I've been complimented on my latest solo "The Lonely," (set to Christina Perri's song) about how "the lonely" is ok, how dance has filled my heart and taken up the other half of my life that had been ripped away . "Emotional, inspiring, sad but uplifting, graceful, technically strong, made me cry" people would say.   Recently, however, I performed it to an instrumental cello cover of the song wanting a reaction to the purity of the movement without the lyrics and it was met with generous praise.  It isn't the fact that people are saying all these wonderful things about your work, but the fact that your movement and your passion is recognized as coming from a real and honest place - that the audience, whoever they may be, can relate, share, and experience what you're trying to say with your movement as if they were right there on that stage with you.  To know that is a truly fulfilling feeling.  You feel your passion, know your purpose, and hope it makes a difference - even for just one person, it's enough.

This week I've tried to find a way to catch my breath through all of life's struggles and happenings and once again, find myself throwing my body, my heart, my soul into dance on the only 6 days from September-June that I can have to myself.  As I sit here, computer on my lap, coffee in hand, sunlight beaming through the window on the bed of a cozy little studio apartment on the lower east side of Manhattan - starstruck by the fact that this place is owned by a Paul Taylor Dance Company principal dancer described by Dance Spirit magazine as an "amazing petite powerhouse" and that right upstairs is a former Martha Graham dancer who literally just invited me to a housewarming party tomorrow - ready to fill my weekend with classes at Broadway Dance Center - I feel like I am temporarily realizing a dream I once had.  But one I no longer foresee because I know my purpose now.  

People always say "everything happens for a reason", "there is always darkness before the dawn," "if it weren't for the pain you experienced in life, you wouldn't be the strong person you are today". 5 years ago, my dream was where I currently sit, but dreams change.  Since then, the role dance plays in my life has shifted and I know where I'm supposed to be, what I'm supposed to do. 

One of the many reasons I love coEXISTdance is the fact that we strive to give back to the community through dance.  Our mission statement that "dance exists for everyone" is thought-provoking.  The work we've done at CHOP, Relay for Life, Aid For Friends, and our upcoming outreach summer program C.O.R.E is inspiring.  You don't have to be a professional dancer to be touched by dance.  It's everywhere, within everyone, a way of life.  It saved mine.  

"Dance exists for everyone."

"Dance Saves Lives."

So "dance life"?  Yes, I love mine. 

*Lauren Sion