taking class
on tuesday night i took helanius wilkins’ class at joy of motion in friendship heights. i’ve taken it many times and it’s a great class, energetic, technical and with combinations that often really flow. helanius does a lot of upside down work, which i like a lot. i felt sick so it wasn’t a great night for me, but it’s always good to move.
that class is, unfortunately, one of the only decent int/adv modern technique classes in town, at least in the evenings, and that’s something that continually bums me out. i used to take ed tyler’s class at ADI, a long time ago, long before ed died. that was a fantastic class, well crafted, focused and with beautiful choreography, that i still miss.
because there aren’t a lot of classes available in dc in the evenings, it means lots of folks pass through helanius’s class at various times. i’ve seen gesel mason there and meisha bosma, as well as dancers with both of those companies.
last night there were a couple of beautiful dancers taking class. one in particular was just gorgeous, with a fluid, graceful style that seemed to come to her effortlessly. she was really strong, her back rippling with muscles almost like a guy’s, and i wondered if that contributed to her lovely quality.
i like that idea, but i doubt it’s that simple. otherwise body builders would have a smoother transition into dance, right?
instead, what i do notice for myself is how absolutely key my center is to controlling and directing my movement. of course, that’s a well known fact, and i see it in others, but it’s still a beautiful surprise when i’m trying to hold a balance or make a movement a little crisper, and suddenly find my center. it’s like finding a friend on whom i can rely. and when i tighten it, somehow my legs and arms are instantly a little lighter and a little clearer and a little bit freer.