Friday, January 9, 2009

It's a Londonberry Jam

Last Friday night London and I had an opportunity to go to our school auditorium and be taught by Alvin Ailey Dance Teachers. For those who don't know Alvin Ailey, it was the first African-American dance company founded in the U.S. in the 1950's. On a Saturday last October, Jason and I actually took the kids to the 50th Anniversary Alvin Ailey Block Party in Midtown. They were giving away tickets to a one-hour production of the Alvin Ailey Dance company, which included such amazing original works:  Rocka My Soul in the Bosom of Abraham, and my favorite, 'Fix Me, Jesus'. As a former dancer, the interpretation of the words of often-overlooked 200-year old 'Negro Spirituals', created while enduring slavery but still exuding amazing faith and hope in God, actually made me weep. I embarassed my kids I was clapping so loud (just a little life-changing, but I digress....). So needless to say, I jumped at the chance for London and I to do this little class.
We got to learn an African dance and a Hip-hop dance. She actually was concerned I would embarrass her, and just like the first time I got "ma'am-ed", I knew my life will never be the same because a new element of getting older had been added! But she and I both had a great time, mostly because it was nothing like ballet, a dance medium she's grown to despise after a series of less-than-stellar experiences with ballet teachers. I guess that's where Daisy might come in?

1 comment:

  1. That is soooo cool...I'm totally jealous! Im currently wishing I had a student at her school so I could go learn from members of teh Alvin Ailey Company...only in New York could you have an experience like that!

    ReplyDelete