I've always hesitated to do one of these "30 day" challenges, I guess partly because I believe in moderation, and partly because I often try to just do things at a slow and steady natural regularity rather than forcing myself to a strict routine.  But maybe a 30-day dance challenge might be worth thinking about for August.  I seem to be in a place of pretty high interest and motivation when it comes to improving my movement right now.

I kind of...want it all, when it comes to dance.  Well, not all of it, just, many different styles.  Popping, liquid, tutting, lyrical/contemporary, Chinese dance, ... all have elements that I'm drawn to.  There's so much to learn, and at some point "just practicing" doesn't quite cut it, I think that practice has to be a little more intentional.  The good thing is that I can tell that my isolations and such are beginning to be ingrained into my movement patterns.  Comparing back to old videos from 2010, that's a big difference, although to be honest there's a bigger difference simply in posture and quality of movement, just kind of being a little less janky in general (but not perfectly un-janky yet).  The popping is worlds apart, too.  So it's not like that effort over the years was for nothing; far from it.

I've really struggled with posing and body posturing lately, so that is something to focus on, in addition to being comfortable with more lyrical-type movements.  The short and snappy controlled movements are easy to look good, but the bigger, slower, supposedly-graceful motions are really sloppy, I think.  Well, we'll see if I end up working on it.

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Sayuri is not =just= quiet though.  That quietness belies a strength, one that I am still trying to understand.  How is it that she would carry herself so well?  Like a top, spinning perfectly still, repelling everything that it touches.  She used to be frail and weak -- delicate and vulnerable.  Something, someone that needed to be protected, and nurtured.  But now no longer -- she is just as quiet, but stands up on her own instead of sitting in the corner.  That quiet strength is something I am still trying to learn from her.