Sometimes in life it feels like we are in a fog and are just going through the motions. Get up cook make lunches kiss the fam as they head off to work and school, clean, blah blah blah and at the end of the day, we sit back and feel like we did nothing except chase some crazy desire of organization and a clean house and… what the heck did I do all day? Sometimes going through the motions is a necessity, like when we are sick (or have a migraine like I did last night when the Hubs and I went to bed) but for the most part it leaves you feeling empty chasing something that you are not even getting closer too.

Life is like a dance. (I write this as I sit here watching my daughter with her dance teacher finish choreographing The Girl’s competition solo.) The moves, in dance, are intricately related to the music. Good dance starts with a good song but if the dance is good it makes the song even better. To have a good dance you must have the right moves, they call it choreography, but the choreography is better with good musicallity, moving with the music, that is put in there by the dancer. Moving at the right moment hitting that right pose as that one beat hits can bring chills, goose bumps or tears well up. There has to be a connection between the dancer, her body, the song and the choreography. A good dance makes us hear things in music that we didn’t hear before. If the dancer just goes through the motions and doesn’t put their all in it you will not experience that full body and emotion of the dance. It is performance where emotion is set to music and choreography, it is in the musicality where the moves become the music. Each movement flows into the next in a very intetnional way, the look in the dancer’s eyes and the smile on your face expresses what the body is saying. There is an exchange between dancer and audience that only happens because the music intentionally pulls you both together. That is what makes a good dance. It is not neccesarliy all technique. Turns, flips, tricks and movement from one part of the stage to another all make up the technique of a dance and is an important part. However, it is the dancer combining together the advice and teachings of the choregorapher the emotion and intensity of the dance and pitting together the moves and executing them correctly brings to the stage the atmosphere of that dance performance.  It is like life.

In life we can go through the movements get up make breakfast, ect ect but until we weave the music of family and love into it is not a good dance. Make it your dance and make it good. Put it all out there, the love and passion and emotion and purpose. You know your choreography, make it yours, make it beautiful do your best, always! Your emotions and body movement come with awareness of what you are doing and what you are trying to accomplish in that particular action. Be present in every moment! You can  make washing clothes or doing dishes a beautiful dance put your passion and focus into every movement. Everytime you dance, dance with your heart on the floor so everyone can see. but do it as if you are not afraid of the judgments. There is a quote “dance as if no one is watching” which means that raw movement that just comes when you hear your groove come on the radio. I love this quote because you put all parts together the emotion that comes up in that song, the facials that feel right and your body moves with reckelss abandonment in a solidly beautiful way that no one would ever challenge. But I also want to put out there for all to contemplate, sometimes on stage is when a dancer shines! Like a clutch pitcher with the game on the line, a dancer smiles bigger balances harder and their confidence shines and when that music comes on she wants to show those judges what she does in her bedroom when her groove comes on. So I say to you  “dance like no one is watching but do it like you are that dancer at nationals” being judged and do your best and working your best to be perfect! Put it out there on the floor like it all matters but nothing at all matters all at once! FEEL your dance, notice every part of you every detail matters, as I always tell my daughter, dance all the way to your finger tips. Don’t take a second off, draw your audience in because they want more of your passion your love your drive your perfection! And when you make a mistake make it big and own it as if it is part of the dance. You don’t get a second run so make that mistake a new trick! Life is a dance, live it big and full of emotion! It is not just moves it is full life! Just dance!

So, when you are having a bad day, or when in doubt take a dance break. Turn up the music and dance like no one is watching.  Do that everyday like it is your performance and you’re on stage, try to be perfect everyday but know that there is a mistake that will turn into a trick and will win those judges over! Love your dance! Own it and be proud!

#Everyday2015