Thursday, March 12, 2015

Blame...

Blame
1To say or think that a person or thing is responsible for something bad that has happened.
2To find fault with.

Blame is an interesting thing— it is a necessary evil.  Blame seems to carry a negative connotation with it, as you don't want to be blamed and to blame can be perceived as petty.  One can though, of course, take fault and that is considered being responsible.  To get back to blame though, we also need it.  It is far worse to have nothing or no one to blame.
I have recently suffered a hip injury that ended my plans to pursue a professional aerial career.  This turned out to be biological, and simply just how I was built.  I was not meant to be dancing, stretching, and pursuing the activities I have pursued my whole life.  Therefore, there is no one and nothing to blame.  
This sucks more than anything.  I am angry, I was very angry and upset and there was nothing to direct it at.  Am I supposed to just hate the universe or whatever god I may believe in just because I suddenly got hurt, need surgery, and lost a career?  It is crazy and irrational.  I can go back to the number of doctors I have seen and who have treated me over the course of my life, but I was also told this condition has not really been known or given attention until recently.  I could blame the teachers and my parents who I used to tell I was in pain and it didn't feel natural, but then again how are they expected to actually know that my hips were not designed for ballet?
Not a soul, entity, or anything to blame for this.  AND IT SUCKS.  I deserve to be angry, it has caused me pain and I have had to give up dancing, which I have done for 21 years and loved for 21 years.  Emotionally and mentally I can say that all of this would have been easier if I could have placed the blame.  Even if I had fallen performing aerials could I have dealt with this situation.  Instead, without blame, I was stuck just hating the situation and wishing it had never happened.
So why does blame have to have a negative connotation?  Blame allows for balance.  Sometimes we are at fault and we are to blame; sometimes we are not.  Sometimes it may be just how it is, and there is no one to blame.  But it sure is easier when there is blame or fault, even if it is your own.  For one reason or another, the human species have developed this concept of blame for a reason, and that is to allow acceptance.  It is easier to accept something when you know where the blame is; but you know what; the blame could be good.  You can blame someone for loving you, as easily as you can blame someone for hating you.  People mess up.  

At the end of the day, blame is a good thing.  It gives us peace of mind and balance.  At the end of the day, these are the things that give us comfort and security.

Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Hello!

So apparently these days there are about ten different ways to socially share just about anything you choose to put on the internet...so every time I start something I get overwhelmed.  So I'm going to start putting my ideas out there, as I am a 24 year old, but do not seem to feel the need to share everything I do everyday with everybody.  But, why not share my opinions?  And by opinions I mean my own personal opinions that I have derived from my own experiences and come up with in my own head.  Anyone is welcome to agree or disagree, as I am a free thinker and don't mean to preach...although I know I can come off pretentious at times or possibly over zealous.  But I love to learn, think and apply...so hello!

A Single Word

One word can go a long way.  Although I have not created a large body of choreography, I am a choreographer and I always title my pieces using a single word.  This is because for me, one strong, descriptive word can have a lot more effect than a phrase or any grouping of multiple words.  
We define words all the time— we focus on one word and use many more to describe it.  But one word standing alone on its own, carries the imagination with it.  
Entwined
Ascend
Gravitate
Beautiful
I can give you the definition and meaning of all of these words, or I can let you assess them from your own mind and your own experiences.  These words carry a universal meaning, of course, they are part of how we communicate, but they also each trigger different emotions, feelings, and senses in each individual mind to create an experience.
For me Gravitate first triggers in my mind the picture of a star destroyer pulling the Millennium Falcon in its tractor beam.  It then delves into the deeper meaning of such a strong magnetic attraction that one cannot resist.  This of course is why we call the force of gravity, Gravity- we cannot resist it.

Although we need basic communication skills, I think that using one word and then letting the listener create a story, feeling, or idea from it creates a deeper connection than any explanation.  This is what art is— connections, feelings, and intentions.  Language is one of the arts at the end of the day— every artistic creation is accompanied by words chosen to embody and describe it.  Chosen by the artist themselves to describe their work to others and to inspire others to find their own vision in the work (at least my choice as an artist).
Gravitate