Aesthetics week 1- Invisible Dances

Invisible Dances

1)      One time- slide down the stairs on my bottom versus walking down them, with nobody watching.

Result- I discovered an entire rhythm, and movement exploration that I’d never done before in my house. It felt like an entire different moment in time, not just a transition getting from upstairs to down, but an actual place, time and activity in its self. 

2)      Interact with my family by whistling versus talking at the dinner table for 10 minutes.  Use the kitchen clock to tell time.

Result- I loved it.  All the chatter that usually comes out of my mouth was hushed.  My 10 year old daughter at first did not like it at all.  My four year old son at first didn’t notice and then when he did it was no big deal.  It made my husband laugh; I realized that this wasn’t exactly an invisible dance once it started. I didn’t think the family would notice my lack of talking so much, but they did.  After a little while River loved it.  She said Mommy can’t tell me to do chores now.  It also made my brain stop thinking in that heavy task way.  Clean this, do that, make that, pickup that.  Instead it opened me up to being more in the moment. I was saying less, but listening more.  I think everyone liked this.  We got into game mode at the table, playfulness, food fights, and funny moments noticing each other’s sounds.  When the clock chimed its bird whistle I felt a friend had just entered the room and whistled along with it. 

3)      Walking through the hallway and kitchen three times without stepping on the cracks between the slate stones. 

Result-Nobody noticed this except my husband. I think the kids might be used to me stepping over things all the time.  It felt very familiar to me, tip toing around the downstairs hall and kitchen. 

4)      Sitting still in the kitchen at the kitchen table sitting on a chair, with the dogs around for three minutes, without moving except my eyes blinking.  Use the kitchen clock to tell time.

Result- The dogs went nuts.  They knew immediately that something was different.  They came charging up to me, jumping up on me, nibbling my body. It was hard to stay perfectly still and when Jack the big dog nibbled my breast I jumped and shoved him.  Then back to stillness. Jack stayed around me the whole time and Cameo, almost immediately after jumping on me, went back to her bed.

5)      Repeat-I did this again, turning my head directly to the side.  Same thing sitting still for 3 minutes.  Use the kitchen clock to tell time.

Result- Jack still came up, Cameo didn’t.  Jack was trying so hard to get my attention.  He kept walking around me trying to put his head on my leg and then walking around and putting his head on my other knee.  He did eventually give up. I loved listening to the sounds of my kitchen, the turtle cage’s slight water bubbling from the filter.  But my favorite sound I’d never noticed