Working Around an Injury

Injury is a part of life for dancers. Rather than sitting on the sidelines, sometimes you can work around an injury. It depends on the situation. When I was seventeen, I tore ligaments in my knee, and that meant I had to take some time off from dancing. My friend's mother taught me to crochet, and I made a stack of granny squares while watching the classes that I normally took. It was a productive way to use the time, and I had a nice blanket to give my mother for Christmas as a result of it.

I went to treatment regularly, and followed my acupuncturist's suggestions. She recommended that I make a bone broth soup. She explained  to me that the Chinese believe that like heals like. Because my tendons and ligaments had been compromised by the injury, making a soup with a ham hock or chicken carcass would address that weakness in my body. I resonated with what she was saying. She told me to add some vegetables to the broth. I remembered my father making barley soup for us when I was a child, so I added some of it. I had always loved how peaceful and nourished it had made me feel. She also instructed me to mentally send little hearts to my knee. This was the beginning of my journey of learning about the connection of the mind and the body.

Since having my hips replaced, I have had to change how I work in ballet class. When I first started doing yoga at home, I did a very simple, basic format. I did easy things like deep breathing, shoulder rolls, neck rolls, ankle rotations, and mountain pose. I slowly moved into the standing positions over time, only going partway into the poses. I followed the precautions I had been given from my surgeon. As more time passed, my confidence increased. I began to regain my flexibility and strength. I worked very gradually, and backed off for the time I needed if I felt like I had overdone it. It was a delicate balance.

I waited for over a year before attending ballet class. I took a new approach, and decided not to force my turn out. I now stand in a relaxed third position, and focus more on the musicality, accents, port de bras, and placement. It's an eye opening feeling to stop pressuring yourself to do things perfectly. I decided just to enjoy the fact that I was there, to really listen to the teacher, and to apply the details. I find that I greatly  enjoy the company of the other dancers. Being with them again is like rejoining a tribe.

It's important not to do anything that will aggravate an injury. I often watch my dogs, and study how they handle post surgical trauma. Animals have very good instincts. Unlike athletes and dancers, they will usually not work through pain. They rest and heal. They lick their wounds, drink plenty of water,  and  relax in their beds. They rarely re-injure themselves the way people do. In tune with their bodies, they are patient and relaxed. They naturally recover without rushing or pushing themselves.         

The Healing Effect of Master Energy

Yesterday I was talking with some professional dancers in the dressing room. We had just taken a morning ballet class. We  all agreed that it had been a great series of combinations. We felt energized and happy, and  were riding on the dancers' high. Our  bodies felt a rush of endorphins. 

 One of the women commented that she really liked the energy in this particular group of people. I agreed with her. There was a harmony and ease between us, like a tribe. Most of us had all studied with master teachers, and that background was evident. Everyone was respectful, hard working, and pleasant.

 It's amazing what the power of a pleasing personality can do. All of these dancers were positive, self disciplined, and well trained.  When we dance, we bounce off of the vibration of each others' auras. Everyone is constantly emitting an energetic frequency. It's closely related to our emotional state. Love is the highest vibration. Something about listening to the teacher, doing the same choreography together, and dancing with the music creates a spiritual connection between us. It also affects those around us. It extends to the pianist and to anyone who is watching the class. 

People are like minded when they are dancing together. You are connecting in unseen ways. It's a sensation that can't be matched, and it stays with you for the rest of the day. One dancer explained to me, "I need to dance with a group of people. I can't sit at home by myself all day, sewing costumes." I nodded, and told her that I understood what she meant. I have an etsy shop, (www.PinkCottageSoaps.etsy.com),  and I spend many hours per day in my tiny home knitting, crocheting, and making soap. I ship these products  to customers all over the US. Although I love the work, I feel much happier when I carve out time in my schedule to take ballet classes. It opens the mind and the heart, and it lifts the spirit. Master teachers change the energy of everyone in the entire room. Being in their

presence is an uplifting and healing experience.     

Deciding to Have a Hip Relacement

At age 50, I went to an orthopedic surgeon to have my left hip examined. I had been limping for a few years, and people were commenting on it daily. A man on the bus had yelled at me, (as I was hobbling towards the door,) "Hey, you really ought to get that hip replaced." I hardly even knew him. I had done extensive  research about my symptoms on the Internet, and the results had scared me. According to what I'd read, it sounded like I was in the advanced stage of osteoarthritis. The only cure, to my dismay, was a hip replacement. I had been trying all sorts of alternative methods, to no avail. I spent $1000.00 on acupuncture treatments, took fish oil, did Pilates, practiced yoga, and tried various supplements, including glucosamine. Nothing worked. Three years into the pain I could no longer do yoga, Pilates, or dance. It was getting more and more difficult to complete my daily tasks and household chores.  Because I was terrified of surgery, I had been avoiding the issue. When a friend of mine, (who was a conductor with a new Broadway show,) approached me about auditioning for his latest project, I worked up the courage to finally see a hip specialist. While attending a reunion for a European Tour of a Broadway show that I had done, I had visited my conductor friend  for a vocal coaching session. He had a beautiful white carpet. As I was struggling to remove my high heels, he suggested that I sit in a chair. While walking uptown to the lesson, the crowd had parted on Eight Avenue to make room for me. I was shocked. I didn't realize that I looked that bad.  The conductor  told me that he thought I could heal it with physical therapy. Hoping that he was correct, I made an appointment with the famous director of The Hip and Pelvic Institute in Santa Monica, Dr. Matta. I found him by studying which hip surgeons across America had the best reviews. His name consistently came up, not only as a surgeon, and also as a teacher to the other top hip surgeons with five star reviews. To my excitement, I found out that he was located only 25 miles from my cottage! I was overjoyed with the coincidence. I made an appointment to see him, and drove out to his office the following week.. His assistant studied my gait carefully when I walked into the examination room. I was wearing a sun dress to cover the fact that both of my legs had become very bowed. They actually looked deformed. I was very self conscious. I was also waddling, the way my grandmother had, before she had both of her knees replaced. His assistant placed my x-rays on the tray and commented, "Wow. Bad hips, huh?" I didn't say anything. I didn't like him commenting on the x-ray, I wanted to hear the assessment from Dr. Matta. I also noticed that he had used the plural term "hips". I had thought that my right hip was okay. It was the left one that really bothered me. Dr. Matta came in and I liked him immediately. He was quiet, highly intelligent, and direct. "Your hips are BOTH really bad," he explained. They're bone on bone. His voice rose as he said "bone on bone". He recommended replacing them together, as soon as possible. I was in shock, but agreed to have it done.       

Planting Seeds For Your Future

When we are working towards achieving our goals, our intuition always knows the most direct path. Sometimes we won't understand why we are being led to do something. On the surface, it may seem unrelated. If we proceed anyway, we will probably understand the sequence of events later. Often our subconscious mind will give us signposts along the way. You may notice a business or street sign that you never bothered to look at before. Or, it could be a number that you always liked. You might feel a nudging to take a class or track down an inspiring teacher. Maybe you will decide to call up an old friend or coworker who has just the lead you need! If we write down our goals, and then let go of them, we can start taking small steps each day to move towards our desired outcome. It's important not to have an "all or nothing" attitude. Success takes time, patience, perseverance, and dedication. If you love what you are doing, putting a lot of time and energy into something will be enjoyable. The ego will try to thwart you. It will want to quit, make excuses, get lazy, and sabotage your dreams. People with committment issues often double book their time. If you proceed anyway, with discipline, keeping your eye on the prize, it is very likely that you will achieve or surpass your dreams.