Tsunami Studio

Thoughts for Thanksgiving

In celebration of the Thanksgiving holiday, the studio will be closed on Thursday.  Our doors will open back up on Friday night at 7:45 for our regular weekly Dance Jam.  I know I'll be ready to boogie off those extra calories I'm likely to have consumed.  It's not the meal itself that's my downfall, it's usually all those delicious "I'll-just-have-one-more" appetizers I can't seem to keep my hands off of.  A good plan would be to chew less and talk more, but that's unlikely when you're at a family gathering of twenty-five people.  It's been awhile since I've seen most of my relatives and even though I'll be talking up Tsunami big time, I'll be doing a lot of listening.  This is usually the one time each year that the majority of us get together and I don't want to miss the opportunity to hear what's really going on in the lives of my extended family.

While Elia travels east to the Portland area, I'm heading south to Eugene.   Many of us will be traveling to our dining destinations today and tomorrow so remember to give yourself plenty of time to get to where you're going.  Feeling hurried and worried is not what this holiday is about.  It's about slowing down, saying grace and being more mindful of the many blessings in our lives.  It's not about the meal or the mania that normally occurs when making it.  It's about feeding our spirits with love and compassion and sharing our abundance with those less fortunate than we are. 

We wish you, your family and friends much joy and jubilation on Thursday.  May your Thanksgiving holiday be a sweet celebration of gratitude and goodness.

Dancing With Bears

One of my biggest goals in life is to be fearless. I’d love to be able to stand atop the Astoria Column and not hyperventilate; love to light my gas fireplace without cringing; love to talk in front of a group of people without breaking into a sweat. I could go on and on . . . the fact is, we have brains programmed to help us survive, and those things which we have learned to fear create the anxiety response in our body—the well-known fight or flight.  But how many of those things that cause us fear are actually life-threatening? How many irrational, but to us, very real, and sometimes even immobilizing, situations could actually kill us?

I have a theory that all fear boils down to a fear of death—even the anxiety I feel at the prospect of speaking in front of a group. What would happen to me, in a more primitive, centuries-ago human society if I somehow ostracized myself from my tribe? I would be cast out, perhaps, into the jungle with the saber tooth tigers to fend for myself. And I’d probably die. This fear of removal from the group, losing approval from those we need or value, is what is behind most of our self-consciousness based fears, like my example of public speaking, or perhaps taking a dance class at Tsunami Studio.

Ahh . . . you see where I’m going with this.

Also consider the past, for a moment. Cast your mind back to something you wanted to do, but didn’t, because you were afraid. An opportunity that came, knocked, and went away because you didn’t answer the call. I can think of many: all those black diamond ski runs, not to mention the jumps I never took; my inability to travel alone despite time and money to do so; the abandoned piano lessons simply because I was terrified of the recitals. I’m sure you have your list too.

The point is not to stay in regret—I’m no proponent of that—but to realize that if we had risen to those challenges, certain experiences would now be ours to cherish as skills or memories or relationships. But we can’t do everything. Fair enough.

Now, think of all the things you did do, that you were afraid of, but you attempted anyway. Having a child, perhaps? Taking a risk on that person who turned out to be your soul mate or best friend? Adopting that abused dog that changed your life? Chucking that lifeless job to travel around the world? My own list of faced fears is long and inspiring—not the least of which is starting a business, with a friend, mind you (a thing many people told me not to do, ever), in a time of economic downturn.  Well, here we are. And here you are.

Yes, I’m sure you see where I’m headed.

We’ve heard from so many of you that you are glad we’re here. We’ve seen some of you in our classes (thank you lovely dancers). We’ve had your kind words of support and encouragement. And we’ve also heard, over and over, how scared you are to dance, to let your body move the way it wants to, never mind in front of a bunch of strangers. You may think I can’t relate to your self-consciousness around movement . . . I can. Am I afraid now to lose myself in the dance of Self, in front of all and sundry? No. But I have empathy, I get it, and I also want to say that one of the most important things we can do in life is to face our fears. I know some dear people who live so bound up in their anxieties that they cut off half of life’s beauty and wonder.

 My friend related a story of her own fears of tsunamis (not our Tsunami—she’s a supportive dancer) and another friend’s advice to her: “you have to dance with your bears—I mean, fears!”  “Dancing with bears” has become my friend’s codeword when she finds herself quailing in front of a challenge. This is the dance of life, after all. To tango with trepidation, cha-cha with chaos, swing with stress, hustle with humor, jitterbug with joy . . . . you get the idea.

So, this is where I’m headed. I want to invite you to step up to whatever plate it may be in your life that you are avoiding because of fear. I want to encourage you to “leap, and the net will appear,” to “dance like nobody’s watching.” To figure out what moves you, and bring more of that into your life.

Oh, and if the dance with your bears brings you into Tsunami Studio for a class, all the better!  You’ll be in very good company.

Blessings!

Thanks for making us the "Talk of the Town"

   

Every new business knows how important it is to market their products or services to prospective customers.  Having spent many years in sales and marketing in the health and wellness fields, I am well aware that the best form of advertising comes from those you do business with.  Of course, before a business can expect any word-of-mouth referrals it must have customers.  Those first few folks who walk in your door (and every person that follows after) should be treated like gold. How they are cared for and what kind of overall experience they have will determine whether or not they want to continue doing business with you.

Keeping that in mind, Elia and I treat our class participants like rare gems.   Their feedback and support are priceless to us.  (Thank you, Dancers.  You know who you are!)  As we continue to grow our community of people who love to move, we will not forget those who have helped us get the word out around town.  Well before we opened our doors, we came up with several ideas on how we wanted to market Tsunami Studio and decided where we wanted to spend our advertising dollars.  While we've both been busy posting up fliers and leaving our class schedule postcards at various venues around Astoria, we've had others helping us in ways we hadn't expected. 

Dinah Urell of Hipfish Monthly has not only helped us design some fabulous ads, but she's printed various things (press releases, class schedules, special events, etc) about our business in her newspaper.  And yes, she's also been dancing.  This past Wednesday, we were honored to be the guests on Donna Quinn's "Talk of the Town" show on KMUN radio.   We first met Donna when she attended our Open House last month.  We had no idea that six weeks later, not only would she become a frequent class attendee, but she would give us an incredible opportunity to tell others about who we are and what we do.  Next month, we'll be profiled in the December issue of the Coast River Journal.  We had a wonderful meeting a couple weeks ago with their reporter, Joanne Rideout and we look forward to having her back at the studio for a dance or two or three. (:  

Thank you, Ladies, for supporting us and thank you, Dancers, for showing up.  We hope to be the "Talk of the Town" for a very long time.  

Our first Family Dance THIS Saturday the 22nd

 

One of the most frequent questions we're asked about our classes is "Can I bring my kids?"   For two hours this weekend, the answer will be "YES!"  This Saturday from 10am until noon we'll be having our first Family Dance.  All ages will be welcomed at the studio and us big kids are looking forward to dancing with the little ones.  We'll be playing a variety of fun, movable music and we guarantee a good time will be had by all.  This is a great opportunity for adults to learn from and be inspired by children's natural enthusiasm for dancing and playing. 

We invite you to begin your Saturday by moving your body and being moved by the sweet energy of young dancers.  Bring your family, your friends, your neighbors.  Come enjoy a family outing that's more fun and more affordable than a weekend matinee. It's $12 for big kids (adults), $6 for youth ages 13-18 and it's free for kids 12 and under.  We'd love to make this a monthly event at the studio so come show your support by gathering up your loved ones this Saturday morning and being a part of our first Family Dance.  We look forward to dancing with you!  

The Beauty of Being Seen

   

Unlike most dance studios, our space has no mirrors.  As you enter our studio, the first thing you're likely to notice is the bright blue wall at the back of the room.  The side walls are adorned with photographs of people dancing on the beach and soft lighting is achieved through the use of dimmer switches and white Christmas lights strung along the floor's perimeter. 

Despite the fact that each of us looks in a mirror at least once a day, not all of us feel completely content and comfortable with the reflection we see.  While some folks may appear to have no problem strutting their stuff like Tom Cruise, the truth is...(for most of us, I believe)...our self-confidence can have strong associations with our appearance.  When we like the way we look, we usually feel good about ourselves.  When we're not as enthused about the image we see staring back at us, it's not uncommon for our self-esteem to be taken down a notch or two. 

So...if you take away the mirrors in a dance class, not only does the not-so-nice judgment of self begin to disappear, but so does any perceived expectation to perform or compare yourself to someone else.  When the focus is on exploring how your body moves and feels rather than on how it looks, your experience of dance is entirely different.  When there are no mirrors to intimidate or distract you, you're more likely to learn and see something about yourself that a mirror would have never been able to show you. 

In Thursday's Explorations class, we'll take a brief look (pun intended) at the different kind of mirrors we have at Tsunami Studio.  I promise all class participants that the reflection you'll see will delightfully surprise you.  Come and join us!  

The things you don't expect...

 

"Ah Nuts!"  That was just one of the sentiments I uttered last night upon seeing the floodwaters across Hwy 101.   The heavy rains of the past two days created quite a bit of chaos along the north Oregon coast.  Unfortunately, I was unable to get to class on Wednesday due to the road being closed to low-riding vehicles just south of Seaside.  As I turned my car around, I couldn't help but wish for a Ford 350 as I watched big trucks pass on through with no problems.  Thank goodness Elia lives just five minutes away from the studio in Astoria and was ready with a playlist and could facilitate the class. 

On the short drive back to Cannon Beach, I was filled with gratitude and yet there was something else I couldn't quite put my finger on.  After being cooped up inside my house for the past 48 hours, I was looking forward to getting out and dancing.  I never expected the weather would prevent me from getting to class.  I never expected to feel the way I did last night.  I was both frustrated and sad I couldn't be there, but what came as a complete surprise was an incredible feeling of loss.  Despite having no idea who would show up for class, I knew I would miss the experience of having that dance.  I never expected dance would become as important in my life as it has. 

While I'm still bummed I missed class, I'm not sorry I was given the opportunity to see what it feels like not to dance.  I'm not going to buy a truck or a boat, but I'll be better prepared for the weather next time.  I'll be damned if I miss another class again because of the rain.

The Flow of our Dance

The Thursday class has been building on the question of where our dance comes from. We began by asking that very question--and while there isn't a right answer (of course!), we've seen that the dance can come from music, but can also be in spite of music; the dance may originate in a word or feeling and morph into a completely opposite feeling, or we may begin full of our thoughts and end up, through focus on the body, in place of no-mind. The dance practice itself is all about the journey. We've mentioned the idea of the dance, our own and the patterns created collectively by the class, as a mandala. Energy is created in a specific moment and never again duplicated in quite the same way. Though we each have our "moves" and preferred styles of music, we can never approach the dance the same day after day. This variety, the mysterious journey of the dance, is what is so compelling and healing and fun.

One of the pioneers of the free-form dance movement is Gabrielle Roth. She tells about her journey into Ecstatic Dance in her book "Sweat Your Prayers." Through a love and practice of dance, and a whole lot of pain, personal growth and self-introspection she conceived the 5Rhythms, a free-form dance practice which is deep, wide, and transformative.

The 5Rhythms encompass five types of movement that in turn embody their own archetypes. Roth's teachings aim to illuminate and give expression to all of the masculine and feminine energies in each of us through the vehicle of free-form dance. I've read her book "Sweat Your Prayers" (she's written others, too) and taken a variety of 5Rhythm classes, and believe me, they are powerful and deep. Sometimes, in her book, or in class, I could not understand what was being said. Not the words themselves, but the concepts. Do what? in my dance, how? Let my inner what out? Despite this practice being completely beyond me at times, I have found the structure of the Rhythms and the insight in which people teach it and other dancers practice it, to be completely compelling. I have experienced a growth of understanding about how and why to dance because of examining Roth's philosophy by moving through it.

In Thursday's class, I'd like to introduce you to the first of the Rhythms, "Flow." Now let me say right here that I am not a certified 5Rhythms teacher, and I am not going to present a 5Rhythms class. Dancers study for years and spend lots o' cash to attend Roth's teaching programs.  All I want to do is to give you a bit of what I've learned from my experience, so that you may have one more tool to use to deepen your dance. And I encourage you all to get to a 5Rhythms class or workshop at some time.

Lisa and I use information from the 5Rhythms to create our playlists, and having an awareness of the Rhythms cannot but deepen your experience of the dance.

See you Thursday.

The latest news and notes...

 

Plenty o' fun was had on Halloween night at the studio. It's not every evening one has the opportunity to dance with a zombie, a ladybug, a 1920's newspaper boy, a cyclist, a masked damsel, a 1950's housewife with a bright pink beehive hair-do and a purple-winged creature.  While we danced to a variety of tunes, Michael Jackson's Thriller and Bobby "Boris" Pickett's Monster Mash were the Halloween song highlights.  

Last Wednesday afternoon, Astoria High School's Leadership class spent some time at Tsunami.  After a few get-to-know-you activities and conversations, thirty young adults and two big kids (their leadership advisor and myself) had ourselves a 30 minute dance.  It made my day to see that many people dancing in the studio.  While our current class offerings are for adults, there's a good possibility we'll host a "Teen Night" in the near future with the help of a few students. 

We look forward to hosting more special events as the word gets around town that we're more than just a dance studio. If you came to our Open House last month, have attended one of our classes, seen our ads in the Hipfish newspaper, picked up one of our postcards, or have walked on by and peered into our studio's windows...you have our permission to talk about us. (:  Word-of-mouth advertising is priceless.  If your business, organization or small group would like a sweet space to rent for their next meeting or gathering, contact Lisa or Elia for further information. 

   

(Back-jacks are great seating for workshops and retreats.)

We'll be having our first "Family Dance" on Saturday, November 22!  From 10am to noon, you're invited to bring your children to the studio for two hours of music and movement.  All ages will be welcomed and we encourage you to invite others who might enjoy this event.  It's $12 for adults, $6 for kids aged 13-18 and it's free admission for kids 12 and under.  Come spend a part of your weekend dancing with those you love.

One of the things we like to do in all our classes is give people an opportunity to warm-up.  What this gives class participants is fifteen minutes to make the transition from where they just were (prior to arriving to the studio) to where they are now (being fully present and ready for the class to begin). What this really means is you have time to...

• Sign in and pay for your class (better yet...buy a punchcard!)

• Hang up your coat and take off your shoes.
• Change into your dancing gear if you aren't already wearing it.
• Use the restroom and/or get a class of water.
• Greet someone you know.
• Stretch your body in preparation for your dance.
• Never be late to a class. (:

Tomorrow night is our Women-only, Divas class so come on out and get your groove on, gals!  Lisa will be facilitating Thursday night's Explorations class and we'll be dancing with more than just our feet that evening.  Curious to know more?  Show up and discover for yourself how your dance looks and feels when it originates from different parts of your body.  There's a good chance we'll begin the evening's class doing the Hokey-Pokey to remind us that indeed we have many more bodily parts that want to be danced.  We look forward to dancing with you soon!

   

Your Halloween dancing fools...(er, I mean dancing facilitators) Elia & Lisa