movement alights

Loie Fuller, the once famous American dancer living in France in the 1900s who became an overnight success in 1892, was in fact: "something of a paradox. A tall and lovely sylph in posters and sculptures, she was in reality a rather chubby woman with a fairly plain face. A dance innovator, she possessed no formal training in choreography. Eventually a cofounder of art museums, she had never even seen an art exhibit before going to Paris at the age of thirty."



It must have been a huge exercise in those days, over a century ago, to make one's living as a woman who's husband turned out not to be a bigamist, but a trigamist and she could only rely on herself. "What she did have, in addition to her winning ways, was a dauntless will to get ahead, together with enough intelligence, resourcefulness, and ingenuity to give effect to that will. These qualities were not only recognized but often admired by others, including the prominent art critic Arsene Alexandre, who in 1900 lauded her vitality and positive drive and proclaimed her to be a very pushing woman in the best sense of the word. The strength of these traits enabled her to keep going in the face of repeated disappointments and disasters."
(source quotes NYTimes)

So how did Loie develop her unique form of dance?

"Images were projected onto fabric through the use of calcium lights, drapery and magic lanterns (a type of early slide projector). Fountains lit with multi-coloured lights that she saw in Paris, as well as the skirt dances performed at London's Gaity Theatre all influenced her own presentations."
source: Artsalive

So the question becomes: do we create our best work because we get the idea while working away, or do we simply create it, because we have a strong urge to survive? This lady managed to stun everyone in her time period with something no one had ever seen by introducing new ways to light the dress, to move differently. She completely overhauled the concept of what dance was. Sadly the chemicals she used to light her theater work proved fatal for her health in the end, yet her beautiful legacy remains.

Delwyn

There's nothing corny

and nothing callously old story
about breast cancer,

just a funny odd feeling on one side you said.

The cancer is now dying within you

as you are living beautifully with it.

Your vibrancy outshines the dark lump

that it once was.

Your new look is Sinead O'Connor

and people make misguided comments

turning bright red when you

tell them your straightforward truth.

Blessed are you and determined with heart.

Angels surround you,

whispering soft songs in your ear.

Carrying you in their love forever.

the shortest day

The shortest day is like the shortest breath

It's cold. People look frozen.

Time moves fast as it does slow

On the shortest day.

We have a wine.

We light a smile.

We see only a few.

On the shortest day

Years ago we had it figured out

Now things have changed again

And we could be anywhere at all

On the shortest day

Many dreams gallop overhead

and the sun sets all too soon

So all we have is each other

On the shortest day

Tomorrow the light will increase again

Perhaps make sense to us some more

Hey where are we going?

On the shortest day.

the weight

For Annie
(in Christchurch)

When the days darken

And you think life grows short
and all seems to hard too carry.

Just breathe.

In.

Out.

It's the simple things that count.

Let go of worry and fear as they are

the distracters.

Not the love that already was.

And the light that still shines in you.

Carry not other's burdens

As this way you darken yourself needlessly.

Because you are not alone and neither are they

and help is always there when you want it.
Even if they are un-well. 
Even when things lie broken at your feet.

Picture yourself in a good place

As well as your others.

You will build it all

when you can see it again.
And you can carry yourself - always.

Gently breathe.

In.

Out.

eyeopener

You are the sun that shines your own self

upon this earth.

Whether you shine or whether you darken that light is your choice alone

Do not blame others for keeping their light as you deflect what is theirs.

they are their own minds

they are their own hearts

They can not make you feel better if you

do not wish this for yourself.

Standing alone is not being weak - It's embracing that which you are yourself.

It's tying your own shoe laces

It's practicing your own stride.

You can strut your stuff,

But do it for you

Don't expect a serenade from others.

As you will find

you do not need it

You have your own light

you hold your own heart

and that's where you will find joy again.

See differently

and you will understand

You have had all you needed already

all along. 

Be at peace. Others then will be at peace with you.