Days in Italy: 25
Known Bug-bites: ?? ...it's hard to figure out which ones are new.
Total Gelato Sessions: 21
Collective Fanta Consumed (mL): 12,140mL
Italy: 8:04 AM
America: 11:04 PM
The door abruptly opens to reveal a pensive Michele, gaze to the ground, and a glimpse of a cigarette butt flying in the air behind him. This is usually followed by more silence before he begins muttering something in broken English prefacing some ambiguous exercise he's about to have us do. But today is an exception...there's no preface. Only a small Italian man marking a circle with masking tape. The circle has two breaks, one entrance and one exit. Michele wants to work in neutrality. All we have to do is walk into the circle, stand before the class, and then walk out. Pardis is one of the first. She walks into the circle, and stands before the class.
"Just stay."
A familiar phrase that cues us to cease all movement, usually done as part of our group work leading into another exercise. This time, though, Pardis doesn't get the comfort of knowing everyone is facing another direction, invested in their own world. This time, all eyes are on Pardis. No big. We all came into this program head-high seasoned performers. No amateurs here. We all put in the years, the sweat, and paid our dues on the stage. I mean we certainly weren't going to be fazed by a little spotlight.
It's only a matter of minutes before Pardis begins to cry.
There's something about standing still in front of your peers in a classroom that is so utterly disarming.
"Just stay."
Easier said than done. Your body is trying to find some means of defense. There's an energy raging inside you, looking for an outlet, anywhere. Grip your hands? No. Cross your arms? No. Shift your gaze? No. Shuffle your feet? No. There is no taking away attention from you, the whole you. All you can do is remain, offer yourself with no pretense, no explanation, no punchline and hope that your audience accepts you for you.
"Just stay."
The sagely Nelly once said "sometimes the easiest things we take for granted, until they gone, to realize we even had it, f'real." Stuff of proverbs, no doubt, but this often reiterated concept of appreciation hardly ever prompts one to think about our motor abilities. What if you stood in front of a bunch of people without any physical means of retreating to your comfort zone? How afraid are we to be ourselves, our true selves, in front of others?
I'm starting to really see the genius of Michele's work. F'real.
2 commenti:
im hungry. jurian. haha
mmmmm i second what pal said.
oha nd in response, there's always fear when risk is involved but there's no point focusing on something if you've already faced it and are comfortable keeping it in it's place.
=) hope that makes sense.
and congrats on JUST getting it. =)
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