| Alysa Liu (Katie Stratman photo) |
Caution not spirit, let it roam wild; for in that natural state dance embraces divine frequency. ― Shah Asad Rizvi
Figure skating is not a sport I normally find all that compelling, but I was absolutely captivated this past week watching Alysa Liu win a gold medal at the Winter Olympics. The grace, ease and power she embodies, executing a flawless performance and elegant dance choreography — while skating on ice — was profoundly moving to me. The first time watching it through I could not stop smiling for the sheer joy and consummate skill she exuded. The second time brought me to tears, the beauty of it all. View it on youtube or instagram.
What made it all the more potent was her story, the way she quit the sport at age 16 due to burnout. She took time to enjoy doing the things teenagers do, and ultimately decided she loved and wanted to return to skating, though on her own terms. And return she did, looking light as a feather as she made extraordinary feats look like a walk in the park. All while appearing downright elated to be there.
Unbounded happiness is a phenomenon I’m sure most of us have experienced and witnessed in others while dancing. Particularly, I find, dancing with live music. And the satisfaction of pulling off a move or level of movement one has worked hard to get is no small thing. What I perceived while watching Liu was the way she simply and profoundly reveled in her movement, celebrating her ability to move as she does. Like when my cat gets the zoomies, and seemingly runs for the fun of it. We dancers know this secret, too, the endless sweetness, the euphoria to be found when truly expressing ourselves, through the elemental human act of moving to music.
Make it a point to notice and appreciate your own and other’s delight this week while dancing, and sample the richly varied offerings online at the Dance Calendar.
See you on the dance floor —Sean Donovan