Thoughts on Creativity
Go and give beauty for ashes, go and give joy for mourning, give the spirit of praise for the spirit of heaviness, that they may become trees of righteousness, plantings to the glory of God. I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my whole being shall exult in my God (Isaiah 61: 3, 10).
For me the creative process has evolved into one of collaboration in which I participate with the divine to produce embodied works for uplifting the human spirit. The dances are visual representations giving voice to the whole body as an instrument of beauty and grace through movement. From my artistic perspective it is not always as clear nor as easy as some may think when viewing the final product. It is a process of building, tearing apart, and re-building until an acceptable version elevates my frequency, as well.
I recognize a certain level of “poverty of spirit” first in terms of accepting the gift of collaboration and then what follows is humility in sharing the work of art. The dividing lines between the soul and the body during the creative process become fluid when the entire body is the tool of communication often leaving me wondering: ”what just happened here?” The choreographic process is a kind of enlightened chaos I’ve come to embrace or that I allow to embrace me. My body merges with the Ideal patterns and transcends exhaustion and other limitations to create exquisite lines, shapes, and patterns through form.
Of course, my temptation is to do considerable re-working during the rehearsal period which often is for naught. In editing a dance work, I discover that large swaths of the final was in the original download and I’m left really appreciating the awe-inspiring mystery of the final product.
The human body is, above all, the mirror of the Soul, and from the Soul comes its greatest beauty.—Rodin
So where does the creative impulse come from? Perhaps from Divine inspiration or possibly the imagination. Certainly from a well of knowledge and experience that has accumulated over the years, but there is something more for which words fail to totally express. I intuit the experience at least partly as an inside job of contemplation. The merging of the invisible with the visible solicits a different kind of attitude than normally seen in our world of consumption, gain and acquisition. It’s not just about the end product, it’s a refinement of a relationship. This work is time-consuming not instant gratification. It is more about process and less about product. It is both exhausting and exhilarating. But for all the outpouring of energy there seems to be an endless supply of more than enough. I’m merely serving as a translator, as best as I can, of the messages I receive.
Dance has always been for me a fine balance between divine and human revelation that glimmers at points of my surrendering and letting go. That’s all there is— a glimmer. The coalescence of shapes, lines, and positions some that defy human limitations is a springboard for other creations. The body transformed into an instrument of speed, fluidity, off-side balances, and airborne shapes; temporarily suspending boundaries between myself, the dance, and the unseen Mover is Inspiration incarnate. It is in those moments when my soul opens up and like a bird soaring, that sustained demi-pointe with one leg extended back in an arabesque and arms open wide is as freeing as a stroll through a park.
Beyond weather conditions, news headlines, or ringing phones, an invitation always awaits me upon stepping into the studio space, my secret garden. Even so, there is some hesitancy—waiting, searching, and listening for a definitive signal of blending into the essence of pure movement. Once I’ve said “yes” energy flows through my limbs, touching every cell of my being. In these creative interludes, spirit works through me and art as movement is the manifestation of the partnership.
There are mistakes and misinterpretations. For every encounter is a blank slate.
Improvisation means coming to the situation without rigid expectations or preconceptions. The key to improvisation is motion — you keep going forward, fearful or not, living from moment to moment. That’s how life is. — Bobby McFerrin
Of course everyone expresses creativity. For me, the process is as a dancer. For someone else it might be developing systems of peace, for another it might be exploring healthy eating habits using the plants of nature, or restoring a decimated forest. Whatever the avenue the potential is in everyone for self-expression on behalf of the greater Good. From my experience this work is both a responsibility and a willingness to accept the acts in sharing joy and as messages of regeneration and hope. As I’ve often said, we have a choice.
The Creative process of which I’m speaking is its own intimate journey. A wandering into a different reality— as much heart-rending as an unfolding of sheer ecstasy. Either way eventually, I’m left with a full soul, rapidly beating heart and a sensation of tranquility. For a brief moment in the illusion called time, on a planet named Earth, I knew divine joy and love. I express heartfelt gratitude in having experienced the ultimate high…being at-one-ment with God.
In closing, I just want to add that based on my experiences the creative process is one of wearing the mantle of humility before the work even begins and then melding into gratitude for the aliveness the opportunity provides. This work is wholesome and holy at the same time.
such evocative writing/ everything you are saying here is resonant. that’s a kind of miracle since i rarely see my reflection so clearly in the written word. thank you.