Tonight I chose to transcend technique. It’s so easy to get caught up in the rules, the steps, the movements, and the patterns of a dance. These tools are important for conveying the underlying principles of a dance form but in the end all techniques are just that, tools. They provide a framework for telling us how to connect, how Read More …
“I don’t want to admit this — because I don’t like to need things — but this is exactly what I need.” said a private student of mine after a recent session of learning to use a longsword. There are times when we need to do something physical to feel connected with ourselves. Not just physical with our own bodies Read More …
Last summer, on a quiet crisp night I went on a starlit walk with a beautiful woman. We sat on the seawall (a waterside walk in Vancouver) and stared at the moon on the waves, our arms around each other. We told funny stories, held hands, shared things we had not shared with each other before, she felt good against Read More …
I’ve been learning to follow in dance recently and it has been a revealing experience. There is something special about being able to rest my head on my partner’s, let my body rest against theirs, and follow the rhythm of the music and the dance we are carving within it. Leading can take a lot of energy; constantly creating choreography Read More …
It’s easy to jump right to solutions when we intuitively experience a problem. The challenge is that it’s easier and more effective long term to accurately describe the problem first before proceeding. Here’s why: 1. Solutions do not always lead to resolution. If you want a solution that truly fits the problem you’re dealing with you need to know what Read More …
Sometimes when we hear an idea to truly understand we have to try it on. We want to see if that idea fits, if it’s comfortable with our world view. How it matches the other ideas we wear. It feels really good to try on an idea that matches your style. You feel validated. You can look at the offerer Read More …
To do great work on a team every member of that team must be committed to being truly present. When you are physically together, the more that that physical togetherness can equate to emotional and spiritual togetherness the more meaningful the experience, the more profound the creation. When I refer to emotional and spiritual togetherness, I don’t mean something squishy Read More …
I study martial arts in order to get better at life. I get better at life to be a better martial artist. How I carry myself when I fence is an expression of how I physically carry myself as a human being. This comes both through the physical strength I practice to carry myself with poise and confidence and the Read More …