A Few Other Things to Be Thankful For

November 22, 2015

As everything about our world gets more and more unstable and the concern for safety mounts, Thanksgiving approaches and it’s time to count our blessings.

As dancers we are fortunate to have found a path that engages us. A path that gives us focus, discipline and glimpses of beauty. A path that does not degrade the environment or turn people into refugees. A path that is nourished by our teachers. A path that helps us become whole human beings.

For many of us, we are thankful that our grandparents or other relatives landed on these shores at a time when immigrants were welcome. (Obviously those of us whose families were forced onto reservations or interned as unwanted citizens, or brought here as slaves may feel differently.) Many of us are thankful that we have the opportunity to work with, or witness, or be wowed by dancers and choreographers from many different countries.

Thankful that we live in a time of exciting choreography and amazing dancers. A time when aspiring dancers can choose between training in an international dance center or a college or university dance department.

Thankful that we live in a place where we are free to dance, where we have enough food to eat. A place where we can gather and dance together or watch performances together mostly without the threat of violence (although that is now questionable). A place where we can share things we love in the studio, in the theater, and on the internet.

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