Since 2012 when I re-discovered my dancing body, and re-found my body through the patterns of the dance, I would say that the dance-floor has become a playground for me.
For a decade of years now, my best pastime of release, relaxation, amd revelation has been movement meditation, aka conscious dance.
I’ve been drawn to practices such as 5Rhthyms, Open Floor, Movement Meditation, FreedomDance and BodyPrayer – and often in the spirit of Holy Play.
Lisa of dVerse has given us the poetry-prompt of Play, to play with tonight.
I’m publishing below a poem that I wrote six years ago in response to a dance workshop in London, led by Angela Grifffiths.
(The only explicit mention of Play is the word-play offering – significant concepts written on coloured cards – on the workshop’s shrine.)
It was accepted last year for publication by The Pine Cone Review, in their issue ‘Glissade’ on Dance.
Then I chose to withdraw it because, in contravention to their rules, I had previously released it on Facebook as a thank you to Angela.
So here is a foretaste of May in London, with birdsong and the bruised fragrance of Elder trees.
Had a movingly great time dancing at the 'Patterns with Presence' workshop, with Angela Griffiths and friends on Sunday 14 May 2017, at London School of Capoeira, Finsbury Park - and wrote this: Patterns with Presence – expanding and contracting with love to all who danced that day! They shrouded the mirror, as if the only reflection was to be in another's eyes; They mantled the shrine with the golden cloth of generosity, roses, hearts, the slow expansion and contraction of a heartbeat, a litany of opposites, of word play... all these they laid upon it. The walls were pure white. Behind the frosted panes, a vineyard of aspiration, a tangle of rooftops and high-rise lebensraum. They opened the shutters wide and beyond, framing the attic windows, the elder tree still bore the heady musk of promise, the whisper of passion on the breeze, the soft, embodied confidence of vegetation in its springtime, burgeoning towards culmination... ribboning home to the centre of the labyrinth. © Kathy Labrum McVittie 14 May 2017
Kathy, a truly enchanting poem. You took me there! Thank you for sharing your experience of it.
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You say the sweetest things; thank you for the prompt to sharing x
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Beautifully penned ❤
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I have been wanting to do some of the dances that you can download to help with exercise. I have so much physical pain and I really need to be more active so I can actually lose the weight I want to. I will think of you tomorrow when I am contemplating the dance routine and try to be motivated. I have always loved dancing.
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Thinking of you with fluidity and flexibility. Sometimes it is enough to animate and energise the hands, the toes, the smiling face. Or sometimes to let the voice free, in song or recitation. Or to dance in imagination! One of my favourites is to be running, running over close-cropped turf, aat the northern limits of the land, aged about nine ….
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Yesterday I was out most of the day but perhaps today will be the day I try
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Of this dance and play the movement is one of effervescence – a lifting, freeing smile.
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I really appreciate your heart-warming response, Brendan! Here’s a smile for you 🙂
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This is so beautiful! I especially love this part; “They mantled the shrine with the golden cloth of generosity, roses, hearts, the slow expansion and contraction of a heartbeat, a litany of opposites, of word play… all these they laid upon it.” ❤️❤️
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Thank you for identifying what you love, Sanaa! I find inspiration in people’s shrines, altars, holy installations. Rich meldings of symbol, meaning, colour, texture, and mantra. And love to dance in a liminal space that has been sanctified thus…
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I know that part of me really loves to dance, but I haven’t done it in years. I can only imagine how much it meant, especially in such a lovely spring setting.
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Dancing with you (and your sweet lady) over time and space. Finger-dancing is also an option!
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Absolutly love this kathy, beautiful x
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I guess it may be time for you and I to do some dance, perhaps at the watery well? This spring, OK?
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That would be lovely 😁💕
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Love this, Kathy, I was there with you! ❤️
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loving the dance with you all here ❤️
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