Those of you who know me well, know that I came to yoga almost 13 years ago because I sustained an injury in a dance class in Africa. I have actually never fully recovered from it, but it teaches me something every day. Particularly lately I have been yearning to dance again. My friend Christine also studied dance in Africa and she teaches an AFRI-CArdio class at the local community center. She stopped teaching for a while because of a broken toe, but she taught a teaser class last night to get people ready to start up again in January. I decided to go and I am so grateful that I did.
I returned to this dance after many years and so was fragile and less mobile than before, mostly in my hips and pelvis where I sustained my injury. My hips had not moved like that in so many years and they were definitely timid last night. But Christine is encouraging and gentle and it was absolutely a blast to watch this tiny white girl from Seattle move with the pulse of the Motherland. I am so looking forward to continuing with this sacred dance.
Some dance classes have live drumming, but Christine lovingly hand-picked her playlists and she asked me help post them to her website. Here is the playlist from last night's class:
1. Pindirai / Oliver mtukuzdi
2. A Rede / Lenine
3. Xel / Aby Ndour
4. Kumnyama Endlini / Mahotella Queens
5. Benani / Issa Bagayogo
6. Awungibhaleli Ngani / Mahotella Queens
9. Kankan / Various Artists
10. Me & Me / Les Nubians
11. Handiro Dambudziko / Oliver mtukuzdi
12. Homeless / Ladysmith Black Mambazo
Thanks Christine for carrying the light of this beautiful tradition in our little community.
What have you been longing to return to? How can you bring this passion back into your life?