So We Danced…
To be a voice for someone when they are unable to do so on their own…
This sorcery — embodying the spirit of another — is a delicate feat.
But it’s crucial.
Sometimes words alone don’t capture the essence of a person. Sometimes you need something more to honor them; something more emulative.
That’s where dance can come in — especially if the movements come directly from the heart of the person being personified.
To encapsulate the core of someone, using the power of your body adds an entirely new dimension to the cause.
In the end, you can work wonders.
In a creative, dazzling production last weekend, a group of empowering women did just that. They gave my cousin, who can’t speak or move freely, a means of expression; a voice.
My cousin Amara has had a harrowing health journey. As our book details, she is a traumatic brain injury survivor, former health care professional, dancer and expressive artist who lost many of her abilities due to a “mystery illness.”
With her voice, eyesight, bodily motion and ability to swallow compromised, Amara continues to push forward with her endeavors, including her dedication to her nonprofit, Riccio Pick-Me-Ups, which aids individuals and families facing medical hardships.
Amara’s story is one which holds nuggets of wisdom for anyone.
Inspired by Amara’s life and journey, a New Jersey-based dance company (In Good Company Dance) chose to express Amara’s spirit through their choreography — and Amara’s.
In their production, they put forth a powerful interpretation of themes that resonated with their dancers. As I said in my opening speech for the show, it is “art that can inspire you, uplift you, challenge your mind, and comfort your heart.”
Although the night has passed, I wanted to share the narrative I wrote and performed for the show. The narrative was presented as an ongoing, storytelling journey between the routines, and it coincided with the music, as well as with Amara’s D.A.N.C.E. philosophy:
DISCOVER abilities
ACCOMPLISH goals
NOURISH the soul
CREATE something totally new
EMBRACE life fully through
❤
Through the dancing, bits of speech between the numbers, and beautiful songs, which I’ve included in this post, we managed to relay one incredible story…
We hope you connect with these themes of hope and inspiration as much as we did.
Let our journey begin…
DISCOVER
As we walk on this path called life, there are many things to behold — most of them we could never imagine. Connections, lessons, opportunities.
Some things are those we seek around us, and others are things we need to search inside ourselves for.
Discovering the depths of yourself and how you relate to the world around you is a magical journey filled with endless possibilities. The more you understand about the world you inhabit, the deeper your connection is to the whole; the spirit.
On those days when the world seems bleak
And we might need a push… to take a peek
At all there is to witness beyond and within
Our spirits will guide us through thick and thin
Diversity expands our knowledge
Even more than college
New sights ignite passion
To stir us in a novel fashion
Knowledge is power, it is true
What you focus on is up to you
Sometimes we may even find ourselves veering in and out of our perceived realities. But through introspection and hope, we always have the ability to find our strength and spirit; the light buried deep in ourselves.
Through inspiration and connection, others, too, can help us see… our inner light was there all along.
Our inner and outer worlds clash and combine
To lead us to our fates and mind
It’s all connected and blends as one
Bodies become a dream; the time has begun
Spirit takes over; we break away
Into a realm that can go any way
Dreams light the path; we’re never alone
No matter where we go, we are home
Opening group number:
Duet using Amara’s spoken word (*I’ve included a revised portion of Amara’s words here, originally from an old social media post of hers):
The world in which we take space
I think what a big, baffling yet beautiful place
This one awake multiverse, whether true or fake
The more we know the more we don’t
So much we want to do but we won’t
I know right now I’m here somewhere
Call it whatever you wish; undeniable beauty we share
Here, dreams to heaven are beyond miraculous
Hi, wanted to share because Saturday came in a dream. The song “Breakaway” — it was on repeat in my head haunting me yesterday. Rough day. I danced to it in my fourth-grade recital. Baby blue costume. I was a huge Kelly Clarkson fan. I haven’t listened to music for years, and my subconscious still plays it for me. But it’s been awhile… this repetitive loud specific… in a dream. I think it meant I want to break away from everything. In my dream — front aerial, backflips, side leaps… makes me feel most like flying.
I don’t really have one particular favorite. I loved to watch dancers who genuinely love dance and put their whole selves into making me feel it too, no matter the style or ability. I would say since I was young and saw “Fame,” I have loved Debbie Allen. I love how authentic her movement is. She says creativity comes from limitations…
ACCOMPLISH
Even from the comfort of our homes, or wherever we are in this vast world, we are bound to come across obstacles on our paths; things that try to get in the way of our precious dreams.
While we can’t always control the outside challenges, we can control our minds. We push through hard times, and we begin to see the beauty and grace of overcoming the unimaginable. We let the light in our hearts lead the way, and we realize that every day is a new day. Nothing stays the same.
The world is waiting for us to accomplish all that our spirit knows is possible.
Solo:
NOURISH
After all we’ve accomplished, there will always be more yet to overcome. The good news is, although we are on this journey of mind and spirit, we never need to walk disconnected from the rest. We know our connections give us strength.
The magical thing about connections is, they not only help us… they also make us whole. Relationships are part of our nourishment, and we’re always affecting others, even when we don’t realize it.
No matter where we are, we can always be sustained by love, comfort, and hope that there will be better days, and we can take peace in the fact we never have to walk alone.
Sometimes the source of this feeling that helps us rise above all else is the last place we think to look… and it’s an amazing blessing.
Faith is its own nourishment.
Trio:
CREATE
When we discover, accomplish and become nourished through all that there is around us, we can’t help but reflect all it is we have absorbed back into the world. Whether we’re sharing an expression of our spirit through art, dance, songs or words, we are conjuring an abundance of spirit; a reflection of our souls for all to see that can uplift us and show us all we can be…
Our inner and outer guides help us put form to our inspirations, forging a path for us and all who cross it. It’s an outlet for our deepest parts. We spread our light through our tangible creations, and we reach our own enlightenment as we see the beauty of our hearts that meld with those around us.
The miracle is that our creations can touch and lift others, often when they need it the most — like a giant shield protecting them from an unexpected rainstorm. Our words and deeds become an umbrella of sorts, covering and freeing others with its giant circle.
In Buddhism, the umbrella often symbolizes protection from illness, obstacles and harmful energies. It can also symbolize enlightenment.
Let us all be open to the magic that our creations and connections allow us to experience. We are forever sheltered by an endless spiritual source. We are constantly changing; creating; rising with might.
Solo:
EMBRACE
Throughout this grand dance of life, we may find ourselves reflecting on how we have made a difference; where we fit in.
Though many may constrain their identities into boxes through meaningless labels, we can learn not to define ourselves by fragments that paint no picture. Things like race, gender, abilities… they do not speak of the soul; of potential.
As we like to say, love is the constant. Love is its own identity.
Embracing uniqueness and the changes it can spark makes us richer, as if we’re sitting on a gold mine of possibilities. We are exploring the rawness of life.
The true way to grow is to remain curious and vulnerable; to be open to knowing and sharing ourselves with others and having the courage to look deep inside ourselves… to believe in and tap into the beauty that can abound; to heal ourselves and anyone else who needs it.
We are all reflections of one another through our shared gift of life. A world that includes everything. A world that is real. We need to search around and within. Only then will we be able to embrace life fully through. With all that it has to offer. And all we have to offer it.
Closing group number:
To say how much we have made a difference, or for how many people, can be an impossible feat. However, we know we made a difference in at least one life.
To take the contents of one’s heart and share it with all who will see it, hear it and feel it…
What a privilege it is — to give and receive; the gift of another.
To be able to express yourself is probably one of the greatest gifts. It’s freedom, liberation and connection all wrapped in one.
You are seen. You are heard. You are absorbed and passed into the pool of the universe.
As we each dance our own dances, I hope we never cease to envelope ourselves with the spirits of those we love; those who will never stop inspiring us.
They are voices we carry with us, tightly inside, and then they are free.
I have always been the girl who loved life but also aimed for more. I wanted to do more… to be more… know more. Sometimes more is more and less is more too. More or less, I am grateful to be. I know that I miss my friends and miss everything I loved about life. Also, I know I have more than I am missing. That knowing that inner strength, faith and love is what keeps us all going. — Amara Riccio
