Soften

In yesterday’s lesson, after joyously spinning around the studio dance floor demonstrating my baseline Waltz, Tango, Quickstep, and Viennese this week, my teacher worked with me more on footwork and general movement – a humble return to basics, learning to walk again but in heels. He praised how I was stepping with more intention, but I realized I had been equating strong intention with drive, just as I generally do in my everyday life. What he taught me is that intention comes from clarity of thought and commitment to movement, and we can move more effortlessly and with more grace and ease when we remain soft and receptive rather than forceful or driving. The life lesson I drew from this class resonated with what I need in daily life also: release rather than force, fall rather than push, soften rather than tighten, receive rather than drive.  In standard ballroom dancing, this is achieved by falling from the hips and not driving from the legs. Soften, fall, receive, release — these are the words I will carry this week at home and work, and try to remember in all my relationships. I’m certain I will need this lesson again and again, but will celebrate every step of progress.