dance

i've been dancing ever since i was 5 (at least that's my first memory), busting out my hipster moves in the living room to my "Grease" soundtrack vinyl. dude, i thought i was Sandra Dee. but due to dancing being very frowned upon in the church i grew up in, my moves were kept private for most of my life. then in my mid 20's, i realized that to dance was to breathe for me. it's how i experienced god. i started taking classes of every shape and form - modern, ballet, swing, hip-hop, jazz, african, ballroom, contact-improv, freeform. (oh, side note: recently a friend of mine told me about 'Pussycat Dolls dancing' and tempting though it sounds, for now I've opted out of that one.) i even got so obsessed that i created a large dance studio in my house, just to have a space (which i used almost daily). these days, though, my obsession has mellowed into a healthy respect and awe for the art form.
so for me, dance is not just a passion, it's a tool. i've found that it's a form of therapy and a way of healing, like none other. the music, the rhythm, the heavy thumpa-thumpa, but mostly the movement. that connection between your spirit and body that happens in the space of movement is indescribable. and addictive. and beautiful. go ahead - try it. while nobody's looking.