Monday, June 29, 2009

Art Imitating Life

My performance group has started practicing for our next show which is on my birthday! This is our "best of" show which revisits all of our favorite dances, music and poetry. Since our cast has changed over the last few years some dances have different choreography.

I have been cast in a dance called "Four Women" to the music of Nina Simone with the same title. Guess who I play? Aunt Sarah! With every thing going on in my life right now I get cast as Aunt Sarah. HA!

Here are the lyrics to my part:

My skin is black
My arms are long
My hair is woolly
My back is strong
Strong enough to take the pain
It’s been inflicted again and again
What do they call me
My name is aunt sarah
My name is aunt sarah


We have practiced this song for the last two weeks and I had a difficult time getting into the mindset of Aunt Sarah. She starts the song which means I set the tone for the entire piece. Black skin? Check. Long arms? Check. Wooly hair? Check. I'm suppose to be strong? Well...uhhh...CHECK!

I can do this. I CAN DO THIS! I can take what life has thrown at me. It is okay to retreat, regroup and reactivate. I forgot the regroup and reactivate part. But it is perfectly normal, it is human and every so often we fall and like babies learning to walk we just sit there and cry about it.

I had to give myself permission to grieve. Grieve for something I desperately wanted and found out I may not have. I have made the journey through the first few steps of the grief process and like everything else in life I will learn from this experience and move on.

I am bent and bruised but will not be broken. Funny, my Artistic Director had no idea what I was going through when she cast me in "Four Women." It is simply art imitating life.

If you haven't heard Four Women:


Four Women - Nina Simone


Peace & Blessings...

7 comments:

  1. Never heard it before now but likes it.

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  2. You better dance, Kay C! You got this. I can't wait to see a video of the performance so you need to work that out. LOL

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  3. Aunt Sarah! You've got some "well work" to do Sister Kay C!

    I love to love Nina.

    You know that you know that you already have what it takes to do this part. And when you perform it, with all that you're feeling, all you are thinking, with all of your truth and you're desires... it is going to be awesome.

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  4. There are no accidents. God's send us what we need. YOu need to step into the role of Aunt Sarah...there is a lesson there.

    With all the talent you have...Gurl...PLEASE.

    You will be FABULOUS...as usual :)

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  5. QueenBee...Glad I could introduce you to the song :)


    Insatiable One...I don't have much video from the performances, but hopefully someone will capture this one.


    MsKnowitAll...Thank you. It just took some digging into myself before I found that strong woman.


    Lovebabz...So true. God gives us exactly what we need. I think I am only tapping into my creativity, but it really feels good!

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  6. Nina is one of my favorites, I hope yall do her justice.

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