Back to School!

On August 17, almost two weeks before I was scheduled to start a new graduate program – an MFA program where I planned to focus on dance – I broke my toe. I was having a good and productive day at home. I was multitasking between personal beautification and money making, painting my nails while adding finishing touches to the Skywatchers Handbook (see August post!), when I walked past my sofa, and tripped. I fell, and broke my toe. I know you’re thinking… What are you talking about? I know you’re thinking… “How does that even happen?” Well I guess that might not be what you’re thinking, but it should be. That’s what I was thinking… but with a lot of expletives, and then tears, and eventually some resolution. That eventually came much later. After the pack of frozen edamame, and the emergency advice call to my best friend in New York, and the x-rays, and the news that I would not be able to dance for 4 weeks, which is also known as 2 weeks after the start of my MFA program, and 2 weeks after I was supposed to share a solo performance to introduce myself to my new peers and teachers.

My resolution and peace around the situation began to set in as I grew increasingly more grateful that this MFA program was in Creative Inquiry, Interdisciplinary Arts. That gave me the distinct sense that I could legitimately lie on the floor for 5 minutes, and call that my introduction solo. No one would question me. And my toe would not have slowed me down one bit.

During orientation I did in fact share a solo performance, and I didn’t sneak out of it by lying on the floor in the name of “inquiry”. And the entire orientation and first weekend of classes was extraordinary. Broken toe and all! The teachers and curriculum are incredible! Super engaging and thought-provoking. Every time that I’m given an assignment that makes me think “Ugh, why do I have to do that?”, I do it, and then I love it! Really… each time, I get something super valuable from the experience. And for all the tremendous amounts of reading that are assigned, I’m always so enthralled! Each reading, somehow, seems exactly relevant to my own practice. I’m also in love with my cohort! What an amazingly diverse and talented group of artists.

Finding this program is definitely one of those moments when it feels like I am exactly where I am supposed to be. As if you could be anywhere else, right? But it sure is great when it feels like I’m in the right place! I can’t wait to see where this propels me!