something from nothing

It's not unoften that someone walks out of my dance class. After all - it looks crazy hard, I am a bit intense and I don't settle for "I can't do that!" I've learned not to take it personally. I know in my heart that I am a great teacher and that my style and intensity and complexity are not for everyone - I teach in a fitness club after all, not a dance studio. And I am incredibly thankful for my "regulars" that light me up and inspire me to keep dancing. I walked into class yesterday - Where was everyone?!?! I literally didn't recognize one face. Uh Oh. Disaster.

The choreography I am teaching right now is not particularly easy, nor is it particularly mainstream. Quirky. I racked my brain for an "old one" that would be easier - more accessible. I searched through my music to see what I could do. Nothing came to mind. Oh well, I thought, let's just take it slow. Let's create something where there was nothing. Let's see if we can get these women to see that they can do this. Slowly. One step at a time.

5,6,7,8.

And I taught them. And they rocked it. Was it perfect - HELL NO! Was it fun - OH YES! I left all tingly and sparkly - and took my tingly sparkly self over to the first ever iteration of Wise Time.

When I first started thinking about the concept and direction for Wise Workshops I knew that I wanted to create something that was bigger than a women's group. I wanted to start a women's movement. And part of that dream was to commit to the idea of service and giving back - Wise Time. That together - we could be more that the sum of our individual parts. Create something where there was nothing. So when I walked into the McConnell Center (already all tingly and sparkly) there it was. These Wise Women were doing a beautiful thing - raising money in memory of a sister lost.

An idea - fully realized and acted upon. A dance that I wasn't sure they would get. Love where there wasn't even friendship. Confidence where there was uncertainty. A sister honored.

Something where there was nothing.