East-West Growth
“In the sky, there is no distinction of east and west; people create distinctions out of their own minds and then believe them to be true.” – Hindu Prince Gautama Siddharta
This weekend my dear friend and long-time colleague Molly Fletcher Lynch produced the first PerceptionsWest evening concert at The Garage in San Francisco. After spending 4 years as my dancer, then assistant director, Molly has been working with 5 other dancers (some of whom have danced for me or know my work already, some total strangers to me) to create new, extremely collaborative works. I say “extremely collaborative” because the dancers she is working with are learning signature movement and creation styles of Perceptions Dance to ultimately help shape every detail: choreograph the movement, create the music, design the storyline and perform the brand new works.
It’s been a strange but wonderful experience these past 9 months, not only because Molly – who has seemed to always be around, close to my work and close to my heart – had relocated indefinitely, but because of the amount of control I had to give up and the amount of trust I had to develop to know that my work – my baby – would be taken care of and treated with the respect and care it needed. Growing up I was a very proud, independent girl who believed that she could truly do anything she wanted to do or accomplish. I still believe that, but I’ve found that the one thing I forgot to try to do was work with others, trust, and stop micro-managing every detail.
Molly, unknowingly, has continued to be such a vital person in my career and personal growth, even from across the country. She has truly helped me to relinquish control, open my insights, and see what it is that I’m looking to create in this crazy world of dance. Without her constant belief in my work and in me, the presence that Perceptions has throughout the country would never be close what it is now.