Sunrise from the Charles Bridge, Prague, Czech Republic
I was reminded of the love of dancing, of just letting loose, by way of a friend’s post on Facebook recently and his experience of doing the same by way of a live band, a truly magnificent one, (which included ukuleles - not ideally my favorite instrument but, in this case, gorgeous… And the drumming….Wow!)
This particular dancing experience happened later in life (in my sixties 😄) and was actually the first time I ever stayed up all night. I don’t even recall doing that even back in my college days!
I was in Prague a few years ago visiting my older son, Joseph. This was my second visit to Prague in so many years, and this time I took my younger son, Paul, with me so he could partake in the life and vistas of this gem of a city, along with, of course, invaluable time with his older brother.
The days were filled with sight seeing and various meanderings. And, the night life, of course, was robust and marvelous.
On this particular night, Joseph decided to make us privy to the nightclub scene in Prague. (Probably at my urging! He had probably mentioned it here and there.) This particular nightclub was very well known and very well attended.
I recall being invited to a Parisian nightclub in my twenties during my modelling phase, where I had the opportunity to meet the very nice and welcoming Mic Jagger. (That’s described in another post. One of those stories that’s fun to share, as you can imagine!) So this might have been the second time I ever participated in a nightclub scene.
Ah, the dancing…Ah, the music!..I am quite sure I was the oldest person there, But, really, dancing is so egalitarian. Once the music moves you, that is all that is happening, and the bond of enjoyment transcends age and other specifics.
I recall Michael Jackson songs being featured (along with others) and you know how danceable they are!
We three wandered out to the entrance area, at one point, just for a little break. I was sitting there on some steps, and the kids were off to the side hanging out. Suddenly, this fellow approached and started a conversation. I did catch on, pretty early on, that he was flirting - but in a very harmless way. I recall his name as George and he was a twenty-something lawyer. The age difference didn’t seem terribly inportant to him, which I thought was pretty funny and sweet. At one point he asked what brought me to Prague. I responded that I was visiting my older son, and had brought my younger son as well. Suddenly George had something else to do!
Why do I share this? There was an innocence there and it was fun. Simply that. A Prague experience…
At one point, I joined a number of people dancing on the stage. (Quite a few. I was one of many.) The stage was there and, why not?! Let it be noted that I don’t think my kids would ever be inclined to do that. Just not one of their things. But, I don’t think it surprised them. They know their mother!
Before we knew it, it was dawn and we walked a few blocks over to the Charles Bridge for a sunrise meander, a magnificent sight…Then we caught a bus and headed back to Joseph’s apartment. (Prague has a great transportation system.)
I probably slept for a few hours, once there, but I don’t recall any sense of exhaustion.
There is something magical about dancing. You turn yourself over to the rhythm. You allow your being to move to the syncopation that surrounds. You let yourself go.
I have been on a spiritual path for decades. And I feel there is a great metaphor happening here. As with dancing, you allow the truth, your essential being, that constancy, to direct and move you more and more. You let primordial consciousness, that pure awareness - the unstruck sound - to have increasingly the upper hand. You let go.
Decades ago I wrote a story about tripping and dropping my glasses and various items - papers, books, etc. - while crossing a street in Washington DC on my way to graduate school. I wrote about how the various people around me just automatically helped gather my things while I installed my glasses where the belonged (on my face) once again. It almost seemed orchestrated in advance, each perfectly playing their part.
And, I recall ending that piece of writing with,
“And it just goes to show, this life is a dance. And, such a dance.”
So there you have it.
Let the dance of life inform you.
Let go and feel that primordial rhythm, it’s power and sweetness.
Let it have you.
Move and twirl in freedom
as you
(meaning you, me, all of creation!)
dance your dance
as you dance on…
Annie Kiyonaga
August 21, 2022
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