Hello,
Following the success of our 30th Anniversary Flash
Mob at Powell and Market (December '09), we decided to invite R&M students
to participate in the 40th Annual LGBT Pride Parade on June 27, 2010.
In rehearsal the day prior, Dudley explained, "The parade moves faster than you
might think. So if the choreography was side-to-side, now it's diagonal and
forward. Here we go!" After a few run-throughs in a tightly packed studio, we
headed to the parking lot down the street to pull it all together. It was
initially somewhere between crowd control and choreography, but we all left the
rehearsal with that crazy sense of collective exuberance that comes with moving
in lovely unison. Parade day was a SF summer rarity: blue skies and wonderfully
hot! While we mostly waited for our start time squeezing into any spare shade,
we did a quick tune up, and then teamed up with a nearby group for some
spirited, impromptu folk dancing. By the time of our "grand entrance" onto
Market Street, we were definitely ready to roll. The crowd seemed delighted to see people actually on the
ground dancing, and it was heart lifting to see everyone moving with such grace
and gusto. Along the way there was a lot of play with spectators: our teacher Maggie was a
stand-out in the "shake it with me" department, as were a number of others in
our contingent. It was so much fun! After a couple of routines we noticed that the float ahead
of us was almost out of sight. Pride parade protocol meant that we had to close
the gap, so we set out at a dead run. We were able to pick up our dancing
again, only to have the gap open, so off we went sprinting, watching all the
while for the uneven pavement, grates, and trolley tracks that could make
Market Street a dancer's bad dream. By the time we reached the end of the
route, we were in another state: between the crowds, running, dancing, and the
heat, we were simultaneously exhilarated and exhausted. We thank City Car Share and ODC for inviting
us to participate in this joyous and super-fun occasion. We look forward to
more of these kinds of events: let's take our dance out into the streets! Let
us know if you have suggestions. If you haven't seen it, check out Rhythm & Motion's 30th Anniversary Flash Mob. Also experience The R&M Contingent of the Pride Parade and The Making of the R&M Contingent Pride Parade. Warm regards, Consuelo Faust, Founder and Director, Rhythm & Motion Dance Program |
Behind the Scenes with R&M Teachers 
The theme of summer celebration continues for many Rhythm & Motion teachers. Maggie Connard (pictured at right) fulfills her dream in portraying
Judy Turner--the character she identifies most with--in A Chorus Line for Contra Costa Musical Theatre. Congratulations, Maggie! True to the R&M
spirit, recently the students in Ryan Smith's
Fusion Rhythms'
class presented him with a sparkling crown for his birthday. The class
joined the fun by wearing fuschia party hats as they danced, becoming a
magnificent sea of swirling pink. Iddy Thompson recounted a favorite Modern
Rhythms' moment, "I love the part where we're running like a flock of birds, such freedom!"
In the midst of a trip to Brazil
studying capoeira, teaching dance and hanging out in hammocks, Rami Morgan bumped into Consuelo's daughter, Madeleine, and they danced the
night away to an all-female drum group. Kendall Charrow experienced her
own reunion with childhood friends from Tokyo; she hadn't seen them since
1972. As for time traveling, Janet Roitz just celebrated 19 years of
teaching at R&M. In her words, "To infinity and beyond!"
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I wasn't born skinny. Or even what you might call average. As
a kid growing up in San Francisco in the '70's and '80's, I was too feminist for
pink tutus but not brave enough for team sports. By the time I was 13, finding
jeans my size took me to the deepest end of the clothing rack. Whether it's my
voluptuous Jewish genes, a sedentary childhood or a sluggish thyroid, I've
always leaned towards (and sometimes past) chunky.
Don't get me wrong. Growing up inside a community of feisty round
women taught me to question cultural norms and find strength in difference. Mom
modeled balanced eating and jogged for years before discovering Rhythm &
Motion. But ultimately, at some point it would be on me to cultivate a healthy
relationship with my body. And so, when Mom invited me at age 15 to attend an
R&M dance class with her, I agreed.
Even in the midst of teenage angst, Rhythm & Motion captivated
me. The set choreography provided joyful form that simultaneously inspired,
directed and relaxed my untrained muscles. The teachers' warm welcome made
learning dance feel like coming home. Songs like "It's Raining Men" encouraged
me to shake and shout. Central to the R&M dance experience was the
students. I especially noticed how the women, ranging in shape and size, moved
from focusing inward to reveling in R&M's sensual sweaty spirit together. In
the flow between inner journey and outward connection, I saw people making
their own way with dance.
A friend recently told me that when it comes to healing so
often we look backwards for cause instead of forwards towards effect. After 25
years, I can see how R&M's dance has imprinted on me. While I appreciate
dance as a performance, for me dance is a relationship that helps me move
through life. A tired morning shows me how to persevere. I stretch and explore
possibility. My arching back welcomes sensuality. Sweat emerges as clarifying
release. Leaping reminds me to take risks playfully. Through dance I've learned
to embody joy.
During a vulnerable teenage
time, R&M dance introduced me to a natural place, inside and out, where I could be
big and feel free. Dance hasn't made me thin but has helped my body grow
strong. Designating my dancing female body as a sacred space has gifted me with
a different kind of healing in my life. Healing that can't be measured on a
scale but shines through as I roll my hips and glory in the power of my curves.
 Staci Boden has been enjoying R&M dance since 1985 and is Editor of R&M's e-newsletter.
Staci is a San Francisco-based writer,
teacher and holistic healing practitioner who helps individuals, groups and
small businesses navigate life. Her services
range from energy training and guided visualization to copywriting and
business development. Staci's forthcoming
book about Practical SpiritualityŽ reveals eight teachers that facilitate healing
through everyday living: Fear, Awareness, Choice, Body, Intuition, Energy, Intention and Surrender. To begin your journey, contact Staci or visit Dancing-Tree Consulting.
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Sincerely,
Consuelo, Samantha, Dudley, Katherine and Staci
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