The Dance

And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music.  ~Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche

This video recently found its way to me and reminded me of all things I love about being human.

I very much needed that lesson. It came on a rather unpleasant day that peaked with me taking the wrong bus home which meant I had to walk. A lot. I had to stop several times and try not to faint. Frustrating, embarrassing, infuriating, and terrifying. I used to love walking. The dog and I would often wander for four hours. We once were out for eight. It was sensational. There is a rhythm and transcendence that sets in on a long walk that is like nothing else I have ever done. Except dancing. Dancing is the quickest path I know to both leave the world and anchor yourself to it. 

Lil Buck and Yo-Yo Ma were dancing (and yes, Yo-Yo Ma and his cello dance) to advocate for funding for the arts in schools. To anyone who has studied the issue, the cuts to music, art, theater, and dance are shocking. The arts are one of the most powerful tools educators have to reach the most at risk students. Better than sports. And this impact continues beyond the school year. It is the second largest income generator after tourism for many cities. The arts give back:

5.7 million full-time equivalent jobs
$104.2 billion in household income
$7.9 billion in local government tax revenues
$9.1 billion in state government tax revenues
$12.6 billion in federal income tax revenues
(2009 figures which have obviously gone up since then.)


And sports? One tenth of one percent. 


Don't get me wrong. I love sports. I'm from Boston. The Celtics, the Red Sox, the Pats and the Bruins pretty much dominated my waking life well into adulthood. But my first love and most enduring will always be the arts. And they loved me back. Sports were that cute guy that called twice a month when his other plans fell through. The arts were a quiet companion who was always there for me and the one I always remember on quiet nights when there is no one in the room except me and my heart.


DC, my current home and beloved city, is not exactly famous for either its sports or its arts. We, the denizens, make do. The Verizon Center, a behemoth of spectacle, offers up concerts and hockey, the ghosts of what might have been a great Chinatown, and a Capitol tradition of extreme eating. 


Just down the street, however, is a real jewel. It was designed by G. Albert Lansburgh. Lansburgh is the architect responsible for the Shrine Auditorium and El Capitan in LA as well as the Al Hirschfeld Theatre (formerly the Martin Beck Theatre) in NY. The Lansburgh is lovely. There isn't a bad seat in the house and the gracious welcome you receive when entering more than makes up for the somewhat reserved decor. The modern draw is that it is home to DC's Shakespeare Theatre Company. Plus the concession stand is first rate. The best I've ever seen. I would come here for a meal in the fine lobby even if I weren't going to a show. But the shows are reason enough to go. It's not the best theater you will see in your life, but it is quite possibly the best theater in Washington.

Another treasure is the Tivoli, home of the GALA Hispanic Theatre. The Tivoli was designed by Thomas W. Lamb, the architect of Madison Square Garden. It is gorgeous. And GALA offer some wonderful performances including a youth series, Paso Nuevo, and some seriously fantástico flamenco.

But the pinnacle of performing arts in DC is the Kennedy Center. The building, from Edward Durell Stone, is not to everyone's taste. Much like its neighbor, the Watergate. But I swoon for both. It glitters, overwhelms, enchants, and entrances. It is the most visited performing arts facility in the country. And on September 8th of this year, it will celebrate its 40th birthday.

To watch us dance is to hear our hearts speak.  ~Hopi Indian Saying