Life is unique and cannot be boxed in frames
We cannot be a confined statement, as we are so much more.
To accept to be defined, is a defeat of possibilities.
As we are unpredictable in spontaneity,
As much as we are disciplined in character.
But we cannot be one without the other.
There is much of everything in us
That is how we are born
As a cosmic expression
Of creation asserting itself as a
being.
Each individual needs space and sound in the right balance.
To each his own
The choice to speak, share
And stay silent
Rests within us.
In every shy person there is a voice and opinion waiting to speak.
In every gregarious person there is a need for quiet and silence.
There are shades and tones hues and gradients in every one.
Every one is best the way they are.
When dance lessons are adapted to suit the requirements of a specific group there is greater relevance in dance education and its application.
Here are 6 Valuable Tips while conducting Adapted Dancing workshops.
1. Empathetic Communication
Communication is a very important part of any dance education. Especially so in dance workshops in special groups. When addressing a session it is important to keep a clear and empathic tone to establish a sense of connection and care. Whatever the language of communication, maintaining appropriate eye contact provides the necessary connect of being spoken to in the session.
2. Simplicity of Steps
Breaking a pattern to teach by dividing it into simple steps or simplifying it all for every one by choosing easy to do steps makes it more relatable.
In case of dancers with balance issues it is necessary to initially modify / alter steps or reduce directional changes to suit these parameters and progress from there.
Ideally starting of with simply the foot work without working on the arm movements helps focusing on learning one thing at a time. The progression must be gradual in time.
Photo& Artwork credits Savvy Raj
3. Matter of Repetitions.
It is necessary to do a number of repetitive movements of the same steps in order for the muscle memory to form. Hence repetition helps more than switching to other movements.
Depending on the groups capacity to continue, taking a pause, interspersed with explanation or some motivation in between is also a good idea so that it does not get too challenging or monotonous.
4. Ease ofFormations
There are different dance formations like the square circle and line etc. However conducting the dance workshop in circular formation is known to bring about a sense of community.
Adapting other dances creatively to this formation initially helps when the participants can see the instructors movements in the center.
5. Slower Music
Besides choosing appropriate songs even decreasing the tempo of the music aids in keeping up with the music Especially for new group of dancers and dancers with special needs.
6. Value ofInclusiveness
Most importantly ensuring everyone in the group is feeling included & addressed to, is positively impactful.
Coaching another and transferring skillsets is an art.
Dance, it feels wonderful when you do.
Dance for your life to feel at ease.
Dance when you feel like and dance often!
Dance makes it all worthwhile.
Your body feels light and easy, as you dance.
The trick is to keep flowing
With the moves and continue dancing
As long as you enjoy the feeling…
Dance is not meant to harm the body.
But to heal your body and mind.
Integrating the spirit within you
So keep dancing …whenever you choose
For the body likes it best when you dance!
How is life well lived asked someone to me recently.
While each of us has an answer that is perfectly tuned for our souls purpose.
Yet life is well lived…
In the letting go
Of the unnecessary
For then we experience life best
In the lightness of being.
When we persevere enough to let go…
Let go of the little niggles along the way
Those that seem to bother for the moment
They will diminish in time
Let go for the need for self importance
Remember our uniqueness
There is truly no one like another.
Let go of over stretching,
to meet up to overcommitment,
And the over expectations of society.
It is a disastrous road not worth taking .
Let go of over perfecting
Every thing said or done.
It can be truly overwhelming .
Let go of unkind and inconsiderate behavior.
One cannot and need not please them all .
We are born to do better than that.
Let of the unnecessary squabbles and arguments.
Leave it for there are others who wish to do so.
In the letting go, gratitude and contentment begin to surface
From the depths of our being.
Let us be drawn by just our vision and dreams.
For they are related to our purpose of being.
Let’s continue on our path in
perseverance..
We will have a journey well done.
Have you seen the whales breach
In such confidence they soar upward
They even maneuver a twirl
And fall back in complete trust
In the support of the water below.
How beautiful an example can mother nature give
Of unfolding grace in trust and confidence
Much of our lifes story can be just as beautiful.
When it is in a flow like that
When we rise in success with faith
Being completely confident of our purpose
When we surrender in complete unflinching trust
Knowing there is support and love flowing in the roots.
Why are humans rising and touching the stars?
Why are we progressing phenomenally
Yet why are we crash landing at times?
Why are we failing?
While it is the faith in ourselves that may take us upwards
Bu the lack of trust and support for one another brings us down.
Perhaps we need to learn from water
How to be flexible in its fluidity.
To be adaptable in its buoyancy
And then we too can rise again with every fall.
For inspite of every ability we have …
Support from our family and friends
Matter more than we know!
Wouldn’t you agree?
When you have faith in your roots then every leap of faith is of a trustful knowing
That no matter how far you reach you have a home to come back to!
“A tree nowhere offers a straight line or a regular curve, but who doubts that root, trunk, boughs, and leaves embody geometry?”
~George Iles
The above collage of artworks is based out of one of my photographs of this adorable tree I pass by every time, during my walks in Rennes France. I then enhanced my photo digitally and I am sharing the artworks out of my photography of this tree. I am always amazed how this tree would look different during different times of the day. And the changing weather would make it a treat to capture. While I clicked the pictures I couldn’t help notice the play of light on the tree and how its autumn leaves would shine through.
Sometimes there is no logic,
It is just the nature of being.
It may seem like just any other tree but for me this beautiful tree lives in my heart forever.
Yesterday I posted a verse that came to me inspired by these captures. Here is the link https://wp.me/p6a0yZ-4CX
There is more to these photos…
While visiting Lourve Museum in France and while walking around those endless galleries of amazing artists and their creativity galore, my eyes turned to a glassdoor near the flight of steps.
I chanced upon this wonderful sculpture on the roof top of the facade, reaching out to the yonder as if to tell something… I filled in the blanks.
Sometimes we are so deeply caught in the maze of life around us.
But if we only care to look beyond it all, we are inspired to see so much more.
Art is in the way you see life.
Art is all around us and is but a perspective of the nuances.
All you need is the heart to appreciate.
Oh beautiful piece of sky!
Lighting our heart with liberty!
Forage in us the spirit of freedom.
Let us breath in the beauty of openness.
Let us witness the ethereal light across the horizon.
Let us rejoice in your dance of abundance.
May you bless us every day
Painting our hearts with hope.
And let us live in love.
In gratitude and good energies.
Keep the Spring in your heart
Then no Winters are too harsh
Or Summers too hot to handle
As Seasons change around you
You sense it all from the hope of your heart.
And hope springs forth eternally…
Here is a beautiful video that came by , shared by my friend Ashok Subharao
Although it is in Tamil , the gist is relevant to keeping the Spring in our hearts.
Love
Be in love
Be alive to life
For life moves in time
The Circle of life is a given
Only you can make this now matter well
Feed the soul, with all your heart.
Be in this moment ,feel light.
Think well live happy
Feel the love,
Love life
Live
Another video clip that came by shared by my friend Christoph, while writing the above words in this format specifically, with an idea to use words symbolically to capture the essence of the circle of life, this also feels apt to share here.
It speaks of the circle of life and the essence of letting go.
This is so important for living life well.
The lesser the baggage you carry in your head and heart the lighter you feel and freer you are!
For what matters is what you make of the now…
Let the seasons change around you
As you engage with this moment.
Live life lovingly!
In a world that is literally shrinking globally, In a world where respect for cultural diversity, Is paramount to humanity. In a world where inclusivity is a necessity, In a world where businesses are adopting empathy driven approaches. In a world where love, kindness and faith is needed much more than ever, In a world that is changing states quo…
There is need for all of us to come together. There is need to value connections. There is need to understand each others vulnerabilities. There is need to be inclusive in the diversity.
When we move beyond the I And envision the Us When we see the world as ours than mine. When we care to collaborate together, In mutual respect of the differences When we acknowledge the strength of unity in the diversity. When the, Me and Myself Shifts to Us beyond the Mine.
Artic Circle Rovaniemi Santa Claus Village. Image Credits Deepa Rajesh
The world will evolve for the better of all. Let’s know, how interweaved we are! For that’s where our true strength lies In this very interconnectedness. No matter the distance of space or time. So, in a world where it is right now There is no room for the I, Me & Myself anymore.
The above clip is my dedication to my dear mother. They are a compilation from her own set of artworks dated around 55 years back in time or more.
The reason I share this is to encourage people to see possibilities in creativity and how it can soulfully connect us all, through creative enrichments.
To give you the background…my mother had and still has a fine sense of design and her drawings always had an artistic flow. But unfortunately the daily grind of life and living took its toll and art and creativity was pushed into the background perhaps not realizing the innate talents. But the truth is, a lot happens in appreciation than in indifference.
So her skills were lying untapped and unrecognized. In time as I grew up and while on a visit to my maternal grandparents home in the village, I chanced upon her collection of drawings and paintings stacked in the attic gathering dust in complete ignorance.
The moment I saw them I knew they have to be brought out to see the light of the day… although sadly it was personally disheartening, to see many of the beautiful pieces made on paper, crackling and crumbling in time.
I brought them back with me to the city and took pictures of what was left of it and tried to salvage it piecing them together.
By then I was encouraged by friends and relatives who saw and deeply appreciated them too.
I hit upon the idea of creating a video clip using technology to enhance her original design sense. Yes, they are not as good as her original artworks, for technology is way too perfect to bring out the joy of uniqueness in the human hand.
Yet it is my humble attempt to value the time spent in creating by her own hand with the limitations of the resources available to her in those times.
There are far too many paintings, so I pieced them like a kaleidoscope of sorts to get a sense of her artistic endeavours.
Many times we fail to see the hidden talents in our loved ones. We relate with them for years and hardly know the depth of who they truly are.
Art has a way of bringing out the brilliance of the light within us by bridging gaps in our understandings but also opening new perspectives of thinking.
Today is the day I was born, and one of the ways I choose to celebrate it, is by dedicating this post to my dear mother Anjana.
Thank you, mom, for the beauty you create, being who you are! God bless.
Choose well You are way better way more, Than what you think & understand of you. There is much that only you can choose to do. Choose to live your life lovingly! Choose to be purposeful! Choose empathy than criticism. Choose self respect and freedom to be.
The faster you understand yourself And accept being who you truly are, And choose to better yourself to be the best version of yourself… The closer you are to being truly happy!
Savvy Raj 
You must be logged in to post a comment.