This weekend will mark my first 5Rhythms class without one of my favorite props: my hair.
To clarify, I still have hair, just 8 inches less of it. I went from this:
Although I was rockin’ the Lady Godiva look by the end (and its pure weight was what finally drove me to get it cut), I truly loved my My-Little-Pony-tail-on-steroids head. My untamed hair was like a dance partner in 5Rhythms classes: It flowed when I flowed, bounced when I staccatoed, and clung to my sweaty face, neck, and arms during chaos.
Sometimes during 5Rhythms I’ll pull at my hair like I’m a psychiatric patient. Or I’ll very deliberately unravel it from a braid during Stillness, very aware of each individual strand.
During one particular Chaos set, I remember releasing the braid from my hair and using my wild-woman locks as a fifth limb. I felt very Alanis Morissette at the time, and moving like that wanted me to keep my hair growing longer and longer, even though I kept talking about needing to get it cut. But that night it felt like part of me, like energy and blood and prana and all that good stuff was running through it as much as in my arms or legs.
It’s kind of funny that I allow my hair to be so wild during dance these days. Back in high school and college, I hated the feel of loose hair on me as I danced. I was constantly on a quest for a rubber band strong enough to turn this:
into something more like this:
By my senior year of college, I had had enough of constantly readjusting my hair after each pirouette and chaine turn. I only knew of one way to keep my hair in place:
Chop it all off!
The old dancer me was about neatly packaged buns (That’s what she said!), meticulous French braids, and slick ponytails. My hair was to be unmoving, proper.
Now I understand that my hair needs to dance the 5Rhythms as much as the rest of my body. After all, isn’t 5Rhythms about “letting your hair down,” so to speak? 🙂
5 comments
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Thursday, April 14, 2011 at 8:47 am
Amanda
While I adore you long locks, you look GORGEOUS with short hair!
Thursday, April 14, 2011 at 10:13 pm
Thais
so I am doing it. I am going to 5Rhythms tomorrow. NOTHING WILL STOP ME. Not my fear. Not money. No I swear I WILL GO. And I will pretend you are next to me dancing and laughing and pushing me along ❤ (and i love the hair cut!)
Friday, April 15, 2011 at 9:05 am
flowtationdevices
I just clapped my hands like a giddy little kid! I am SO proud of you! This is just another aspect of yoga, finding your edge. Tackling a pose you’re a little afraid of and just TRYING it. I cannot WAIT to hear the full report. I will definitely be by your side in spirit, dancing and laughing and “waving” the night away.
Friday, April 15, 2011 at 10:54 pm
spiritmovesdance
Your hair looks fabulous!
And you rocked the short hair too 🙂
I’m in the process of growing my hair back out after having it about as short as your short-haircut was. I’m LOVING letting it down when I dance and feeling it flowing all around me. But even still, I find myself instinctively hunting down elastics so I can keep it back in a pony tail when I’m dancing…old habits die hard, I guess 😉
Ah, buns. I don’t miss buns. Although I like the fact that my hair is now long enough that I could wear one if I wanted to…
HAVE FUN THIS WEEKEND!!!
Monday, December 3, 2012 at 8:17 am
Hold me tight, please. {review + giveaway} « Flowtation Devices
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