I have attended many fests in the past few years. I have enjoyed every single one of them, and my favorite part has to be the moving en masse with other people, in spirit, soul, and body.
I got a chance to attend the Spin Summit this year, and it was absolutely positively phenomenal and a wonderful experience. The only reason that I said in my last post that I wasn't in the mood to piss off the entire hooping community was mostly because I came away from it feeling kind of crappy.
I felt that I didn't make enough effort to connect with people and really branch out. But as I look back on my days there, I realize that I did, quite a bit. I believe I now understand what makes for a cranky Janelle. I have finally figured out what it is that makes me always think (usually within hours of arriving) that I should not have gone, and I can't wait to get back home and to normal life.
Festivals are packed. They're usually at least three days long and activity is available basically 24/7 at any kind of festival. At the Summit, this meant hooping work shops and yoga classes (which, I didn't attend, I'm not big into yoga/didn't bring a mat)
It also included appearances by some of the greatest hoopers known in the hooping community (which is crazy huge and awesome, so go explore). This included Jonathan Baxter, Tiana Zamour, Nick Guzzardo, Danielle Odette, Emma freaking Kenna, etc. The list goes on. It also includes a bunch of other amazing movement artists/object manipulators, like Mark Stampfle (who, when I asked what time it was on the first day, asked me in return "does it matter?") and Nate the Average. I took both of their classes and came home with a contact ball (for contact juggling, duh, go check out Mark's YouTube) and a completely new respect for breakdancing. What a freaking hard work out. I now officially feel like a lazy bum.
I could rant and rave about how much these people amaze me with their hard-earned talents (hours, days, weeks, years of practice) for pages, but I won't bore you (unless you're a movement artist, of course). To the original point, though, a workshop with Kanyon Walker, a workshop with Tiana, and a workshop with Nick were all in the first day. I think there might have been one other, too, but I can't remember.
Anyway, I love all of the instructors that were there, and because I respect each and every single one of them, I will not go to a class when I don't have a full tank of energy. It's difficult to keep a full tank when you're at elevation, constantly raising and lowering your heart rate, and don't even throw alcohol into the occasion. Which, of course, in an atmosphere where everybody's mingling and gushing about what they love, it's easy to pop a bottle of somethin' somethin' open.
When I take a break at a festival (in this case, missed a class or workshop) I feel guilty and beat myself up a little bit because I missed that awesome class with that bad ass instructor. I know that I probably missed a great lesson. I'm sure many hoopers reading this are thinking "yeah, but eventually, you'll learn what you need to learn." I know this is true, but I come from a place where movement art and artists aren't necessarily found in abundance. In Colorado, there seems to be a large and very sweet community. I have state jealousy, a little bit. Plus you guys have that whole mountains thing going on. I mean, whatever. =)
So, I think, in retrospect, I would have to say I need to make sure I don't beat myself up for resting and honoring myself and, especially if I'm at a fest with workshops, respecting my teachers. I also need to make sure that the partying at festivals doesn't get too out of hand, at least not for me. It's very difficult to expend a bunch of energy partying the night before, and then working and honing your craft the entire day the next day. Or, attending shows in hot weather all of the next day. Being hungover sucks, in any situation. But especially in situations you want and need to be able to love. Right?
I sort of prepared for my ascent into altitude before going, but I screwed it up nearly as quickly as I arrived. On my first night I partied fairly hard, and the next day I partied kind of hard. We started drinking way too early. I feel like a bit of a fool, but when I left Champaign, I was completely ready to go into mile-high city and beyond to learn everything I didn't know about my craft (hooping) and more.
The entire gluten free deal is not a joke. I felt amazing when I left Champaign because I hadn't touched gluten. On my travels, I felt at points that I was nearly forced to. On my last night in Colorado, I decided to eat fried things (the batter is primarily flour, usually) and drink, as well, and that completely screwed up my night. I spent it not feeling well, and getting sick twice.
I also had been consistent about running, except for the couple of days before my departure. I should have ran Saturday night when I got into Colorado, to test my breathing limits in altitude running, and also because I just needed to. But I was so tired from the travel, I just wanted to chill and pass out. So that's exactly what I did.
-- more later, just got back to CU an hour ago, so hungry and watching Freedom Writers, a kick ass flick!
