28. Dance It Out – Ayodele Casel
The art of improvisation is a lifelong practice.
The first time I saw a tap dancer improvise, my mind was blown. I couldn’t believe someone could express themselves so freely and virtuosically in the moment, off the top of their heads. It was early in my training and I only had a handle on the basic vocabulary. Eager to give it a go, I asked my mentor at the time to usher me into the next level of tap dancing. He said, “It starts with a step.” I made one sound and felt stuck. It was like all of a sudden, I forgot even the little bit that anchored me.
I quickly recognized that what was stopping me from making the second sound was fear. Fear that I wasn’t ready, or that I wouldn’t be as good as I wanted to be.
“I’m stuck,” I said to him. He replied, “Just move.” And with trust and a lot of aspiration, I started to lay it down one step at a time. Determined, I learned to love the challenge, celebrate my growth, and honor my time on the floor with playfulness and curiosity.
The art of improvisation is a lifelong practice. When I remember my humble, clunky, and fearful beginnings, I have deep gratitude for the freedom I experience now in my artistic expression.
– Ayodele Casel
Prompt:
Write about a time when your bravery or curiosity was stronger than your fear. If it moves you, dance it out.
Megan Minutillo
Location: New York
About: This prompt came twenty-seven days after my grandmother died from COVID, a month after we cancelled a trip to Paris for my parent's 40th wedding anniversary, and a moment of utter exhaustion. There were so many feelings swirling around in my brain at that time, more feelings than I could count, and yet, I couldn't quite figure out how to speak the words to say what I wanted to say. It was reading Maggie's prompt that made me realize I wasn't quite asking the right questions.
Age: 34
What Do You Want?
If I asked you, ‘what do you want’ what would you say?
Would you say I want a million dollars, or would you say that you want a million kisses? Would you say you wanted the sun, or would you say you wanted the moon? Would you say that you want a house with a white picket fence or an apartment in France? Would you say that you want to dance to the music or that you’d want to make it? Would you splash amongst the waves or climb the highest mountain?
Maybe you wouldn’t choose.
Perhaps you’d say, I want it all.
I want a house. I’ll take the fence. I want an apartment. I’ve always wanted to go to France. I want to make music. And I’m going to dance to it, too. I want to hold the moon. I want to stand in the sun. I’ll splash in the waves. I’ll climb that mountain, too. I want a million kisses. I want to give you a million more.
I want to not worry about where I’m going to lie my head at night. I want you to not worry about where you’re going to lie yours. I want to shake hands and clasp palms without a second thought. I want to hug my mom and dad so close I can feel their heartbeat.
If I asked you, ‘what do you want’ what would you say?
Maybe you’d say, “I want us all to be ok.”
To stand in the sun. To dance in the rain. To smile and to speak. To listen and to see. To consume and to create. To give, when we can. To love, over hate.
What do you want? What will you say?