I had the extreme privilege of attending the recital for Debbie Allen Dance Academy’s Summer Intensive.
They were immersed in dance of all forms — from point to modern, from African to jazz. They performed in front of a full audience of family and loved ones in the Crenshaw High School auditorium.
It was incredible! So fun. And I made a discovery— I like modern dance. The two modern pieces were my favorite. Still trying to track down the song titles used!
And as I typically do, I had several thoughts as I watched:
Each piece was never about an individual, but the group performance as a whole. One dancer might have a solo moment or a dance number where the eyes are all on them for a time, but it was always temporary and transitory. The stage was a canvas for this incredible dance, or painting and every color contributed to the larger whole.
As a filmmaker, I have gotten stuck in past because I have so much to stay. I can’t just do a short film, I have to create a feature too. I can’t just focus on producing, I have ability to write and direct too. It has caused paralysis of analysis and 5 years later I look up and I’ve done very little work compared to my capacity. But I realized and accepted, it’s not my role to create everything, or to do every part. I’m just to execute my assignment which as it is part of a larger movement God is orchestrating. Don’t do it all, just play your part.
It was not about perfection, but passion. This was not the New York Ballet. There were some amazing performances. And a spotted a few who could make it professionally— those who have the work ethic, mindset and physicality to commit to do the work as a dancer. But honestly most won’t I thought. And then the Holy Spirit made a counter point: That’s not the point.
I had flashbacks to my childhood in ballet as a youngster, jazz as I got older. So often I wanted to do it right. I wanted to learn the steps. I was so focused on the moves I never got to make it my own.
But the kids I kept looking towards weren’t perfect by any means. They were the ones who did it with passion. The one’s who looked like they were having fun and enjoying themselves. The ones who did it with everything they had inside. Even when everyone had the same moves, they way it was expressed it looked different in each child based on body type, size, and movement style.
I also noticed some were 16, others as young as 5 or 6 years old. The coordination of the 16 year old is understandably, a lot more. And amongst the teens you can tell those who have been dancing for 10 years, and those for which dance is a new practice. The moves were not perfectly in sync. But those who moved with passion excelled.
I wonder what our Heavenly Father sees when he looks down on on Earth on His kids. We too are part of a larger, orchestrated movement, a dance piece if you will. Our impact comes through passion, not perfection. How He may enjoy when we just give it everything we got. Watching someone do moves robotically/half heartedly is not fun. You got to make it your own. So with our lives. Don’t aim to be perfect, wake up each day and aim to be passionate.
Debbie’s Dream made room for many others to dream, including me. Although Debbie Allen is an acclaimed dancer, director, among many other things her dream was to create a studio where dancers of whatever hue and size would be able to study dance. When I watched her Netflix Special, I learned how much she was told she didn’t have the right look or body type to be a dancer.
She became a dancer anyway. She went on to choreograph the Grammys 8 times or something like that. Check out her documentary on Netflix, it’s unbelievable.
Later, she decided to create a dance studio for others. And she started 22 years ago. It was her 50th birthday gift for herself.
I’m convinced living her dream is what is keeping her young. She had so much vitality and passion. She did this for the kids, not for Hollywood. As an audience member on one random Saturday afternoon, I was moved. I learned, when we go after our God given dreams, it has ripple effects on others.
How many black kids will feel they can be a dancer? That their body is not too shapely or their hair to nappy, to dance. As someone who grew up around all white environments I know how much that would have meant to me to see this, then.
Also, she started her legacy at 50. She spent the first half of her live accumulating, building, becoming great. Then at 50 she decided to gave back. A lesson for me always trying to help people! Ha.
I could tells those who had the fundamentals. Their core strength, their flexibility, their control. Their moves looked different. You know those who had been practicing. Do you know your fundamentals? As a child of God are you studying his love letter and statutes to living in His Kingdom (i.e. the Bible) every day? Do you have a practice around your spirituality of reading, prayer and worship? What about practice around your gift— you know the thing God desires to use you with in the earth? I’m a writer, which is why I write this blog as an outlet for my gift. What is yours? Is it rusty from lack of use? Or are you ready for your moment of your solo dance?
Cliffnotes: Have fun, and do it with passion!
Debbie Allen Dance Academy’s 22nd Summer Intensive Recital
Crenshaw High School
Saturday July 22, 2023