Wade In the Water–Joan’s Last Dance

I have known Joan Calof for over 10 years.  We are both storytellers.  Joan joined Kairos Dance Theatre two years ago at the age of 81-spunky, talented and full of “chutzpah”.  Joan had a wonderful gift of creating Jazz like poetry mixed with her life experiences– experiences that sometimes had a wild Bohemian edge to it. Joan brought her sexy, sensuous, jazz persona into the dance company.  She was playful and flirtatious and over the two years we danced together– I watched her heart open in the arms of the “Kairos Family.”

Joan entered hospice four months ago. Several Kairos dancers came to her bedside one evening. There was one dance that Joan loved–”Wade in the Water”.  It seemed a perfect dance for her transition into the next world.  Maria, Peter, Jesse, Georgiana and I created a tight circle around Joan’s bed, we pushed the CD player, and each of us with Joan so, so thin under her thick covers, looking heavenly– began to dance, together, synchronized, our arms moving lyrically, as water.  The room filled with presence.  We breathed, we cried and we danced.  What a perfect last dance.

We will miss you Joan.

Carla

Romeo

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Romeo has been coming to Dancing Heart sessions for three years and has exhibited a knack for sharing love with humans of all ages and abilities. Sometimes  Romeo would be just the right bribe needed to get a particularly stoic gentleman to join our dance circle. However, Romeo was unable to go to all of our sites because he was not a certified therapy dog. But that is no longer the case.

We’re happy to announce that Romeo has graduated and been certified as an official therapy dog. This will allow him to participate in Dancing Heart sessions at the V.A. Adult Day Program where I’m sure he will be very popular!

Upon graduation Romeo received a bright red kerchief  reading “Paws a while for Love” which he wears with pride.

Thanks to trainer Lynne Silvis at The Canine Coach.

Stone of Hope…I Do Believe

 

 

Dancing Heart participants have been thinking over the words of Dr. Martin Luther King this week and offering some thoughts of their own. One man got a hitch in his voice singing “We Shall Overcome” after recounting how his own father, a banker, lost everything in 1929 and wasn’t able to earn a dime to support his family for three years. A woman recounted trying to make ends meet as a single mom with five kids in the early 60′s.

Words of wisdom poured out:  ”Love God, love one another, ACT that way”, “Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional”, “Do what you can with what you have.”

People from all walks of life shared movement, music, and emotion as we shared the widespread human experience of finding the stone of hope in a mountain of despair.

~ Peter