In an attempt to be more proactive with my ideas for future publications, I have decided to use this account to start filtering the things that are moving through my thoughts. I do not expect anyone to follow me but I do feel that we can all learn from each other’s experiences, which means we need to share what we know. “Knowledge is power, when applied...”
Today I want to briefly talk about Awareness.
Many people who have met me or have been in one of my dance classes or lectures have heard me say “awareness is the key to change” and I wanted to take a moment to give some insight as to what this means for me. Think about all the things in life that we disregard as ‘white noise’ or things that are just a part of a spatial environment that we never really acknowledge. Then, when you notice something that has been a part of your everyday, you often ask yourself ‘why have I never noticed that?’ The reason why is ‘distractions’, which can come in many forms, but in this day and age I would say that technology has become humanities biggest distraction and is a barrier between interpersonal communication.
As a movement specialist, dance professional, performing artist/lifist or whatever other label some may choose to give me, a sense of awareness is key to my progress and this awareness first starts with me. I explore how to become more away of how, why, and what I move in relation to my environment and others within it. In order to move with the needed efficiency required to execute ‘the dance’ a heightened sense of awareness is required.
The more aware I am of myself, how I feel, what inspires me, what are my curiosities, what is my motivation, what do I hope to project, etc. helps me ground myself in myself and within my environment. This heightened sense of self propels me to increase my awareness of myself within a particular environment. I become more in tune with the happenings in my environment including the other people.
In Capoeira, this sense of self, environment and others awareness is a necessity in order to play the game well. This deep sense of awareness is what allows for the flowing dialogs of kicks and escapes to happen with such seamlessness.
Capoeiristas make it look easy just like professional ballet dancers. But that ease comes through a developed awareness. From awareness we can then begin the journey of ‘acceptance’ in an attempt to tear down some of the walls of judgement that we construct for ourselves, but I will save that for another day. Full Joy yours!
https://youtu.be/8lAZQoTBRXk